Today's roundup covers a war crimes conviction in The Hague, a multi billion dollar AI funding round, a Fed rate decision on deck, and more from around the world.
1. Current Affairs: Hague Court Convicts Former Kosovo President Thaci of War Crimes, Sentences Him to 25 Years
A United Nations backed tribunal in The Hague convicted former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci on Wednesday of war crimes committed as a top commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army during the territory's 1990s war for independence from Serbia. Judges found Thaci guilty on counts including the murder of 96 political opponents and suspected collaborators, the arbitrary detention of 385 people, and the torture of over 300 others, and sentenced him to 25 years in prison. Prosecutors had sought 45 years. The verdict split reaction in Kosovo, where Thaci remains a revered figure to many for his role in the independence struggle even as the specialist court itself remains widely unpopular; crowds in Pristina booed the ruling and chanted his name. Thaci's defense maintains his innocence and is expected to appeal. Source: CNN
2. AI: Chinese AI Firm Z.ai Closes Roughly $5 Billion Funding Round to Bankroll Next-Generation Models
Z.ai, the Beijing based developer of the GLM family of large language models, settled a funding round of roughly $5 billion on Wednesday, one of the largest single raises yet for a Chinese AI lab. According to reporting on the deal, about 60 percent of the capital is earmarked for next-generation GLM foundation models and the computing infrastructure to train them, with 15 percent set aside for business expansion and the remainder for working capital. The round underscores how aggressively Chinese AI developers are racing to compete with US labs on frontier model capability despite export restrictions on advanced chips. It also arrives amid a broader wave of AI infrastructure financing this week, including a separate multibillion dollar syndicated loan for ByteDance, as major tech players stake out positions ahead of the next generation of AI competition. Source: AI Herald
3. Gaming: Yakuza Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Holds Showcase Presentation Today
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the team behind the Like a Dragon and Yakuza franchise, is holding a dedicated showcase presentation on Wednesday, part of a packed September schedule of gaming reveals and releases. The presentation is expected to offer updates on the studio's slate following recent entries in the long running crime saga, with details to be shared live for fans tracking the franchise's next steps. The showcase lands in the same week as Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave prepares to launch on Nintendo's Switch 2 and other major titles roll out across platforms, making it one of the busier stretches of the fall release calendar. Further specifics from the presentation, including any new title announcements, are expected to circulate through gaming outlets shortly after the broadcast concludes. Source: PC Gamer
4. Faith: Elder Dallin H. Oaks to Deliver Keynote on Faith and Religious Liberty at Washington National Cathedral
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on faith, religious liberty and the United States Constitution at Washington National Cathedral on Wednesday. The address places a senior Latter-day Saint leader at one of American Christianity's most prominent Episcopal venues, reflecting continued interfaith engagement on questions of religious freedom protections. The appearance comes during a active season for the Church, which recently broke ground on the Colorado Springs Colorado Temple and opened additional reservation windows for public tours of the renovated Salt Lake Temple. Details of Oaks's remarks are expected to be published through the Church's newsroom following the event. Source: Church Newsroom
5. Scam Alert: FBI Warns of "Double-Dip" Scam Targeting People Who Have Already Lost Money to Fraud
Authorities are warning consumers about a "double-dip" scam in which criminals specifically target people who have already been victimized by a previous fraud, posing as recovery agents, law enforcement or bank representatives who claim they can help retrieve the lost funds. Instead, the follow-up contact is itself a second scam designed to extract additional payments, personal information or remote access to the victim's accounts under the guise of "processing fees" or "verification" steps. Investigators note that scam victim lists circulate among fraud networks, making repeat targeting increasingly common. Consumers who have previously reported a scam should treat any unsolicited follow-up offering to recover their money with the same skepticism as the original fraud, and verify any claimed recovery service directly through their bank or local law enforcement rather than a number or link provided by the caller. Source: 13abc
6. Tech Tip: Turn On Real-Time Transaction Alerts for Every Bank and Credit Card Account
With fraud schemes like the double-dip recovery scam increasingly targeting people after the fact, one of the simplest defenses is catching unauthorized activity the moment it happens. Most banks and credit card issuers offer free real-time alerts, by text, push notification or email, for every purchase, withdrawal or login above a threshold the account holder sets. Enabling these alerts, typically found under an account's notification or security settings, means a fraudulent charge or unfamiliar login shows up within seconds rather than being discovered days later on a statement. Pairing transaction alerts with a habit of reviewing them immediately, rather than dismissing them, gives consumers a real chance to freeze a card or report fraud before losses compound. Source: FTC Consumer Advice
7. Science: Researchers Trace Midlife Shift in Brain's Genetic Control to Rising Alzheimer's Risk
Scientists have identified sweeping changes in how the human brain regulates and organizes its genome beginning in midlife, offering a new lead on why the risk of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases climbs sharply with age. The research points to shifts in gene expression control mechanisms, rather than simple cell loss alone, as a driver of age related cognitive vulnerability starting well before old age sets in. A separate but related line of research finds that the brain's short-range neural wiring may help preserve cognitive function even as gray matter volume naturally shrinks with age, suggesting some circuitry can compensate for structural decline. Together the findings could help explain why cognitive decline varies so widely between individuals of the same age and may point toward earlier windows for intervention. Source: ScienceDaily
8. Space: Russia Launches Progress 96 Cargo Ship to the International Space Station
An uncrewed Progress 96 resupply spacecraft lifted off Wednesday morning aboard a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying roughly three tons of food, fuel and supplies for the International Space Station's crew. NASA carried live coverage of the Roscosmos-operated launch, which is set to reach the station after a three-day transit, with automated docking at the Poisk module's space-facing port expected Saturday morning. Progress resupply missions form a routine but critical backbone of station logistics, and Wednesday's launch keeps that cadence on schedule alongside a separate SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink launch planned for later in the day from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Source: NASA
9. Business and Finance: Federal Reserve Meets Today With Markets Bracing for First Rate Decision in Three Years
The Federal Reserve's policy committee meets Wednesday, with investors closely watching for a possible interest rate move for the first time since 2023. Markets have traded cautiously in the run-up to the announcement after Fed Chair Kevin Warsh recently cautioned that this summer's inflation readings "do not tell me that underlying trends have meaningfully improved," a remark that has tempered expectations for an aggressive dovish pivot. Equity indexes were little changed heading into the decision, reflecting uncertainty over whether the central bank will hold steady or begin adjusting rates given persistent price pressures. A rate decision, along with Warsh's accompanying press conference, is expected later Wednesday and could set the tone for markets into year end. Source: Eurasia Business News
10. Consumer Tech: Memory Chip Shortage Squeezes Smaller Phone and Laptop Makers as Crunch Stretches Toward 2027
A worsening shortage of DRAM and other memory chips is forcing smaller phone and laptop manufacturers to rethink how they design, price and manufacture their devices, with the squeeze now expected to persist into 2027 or beyond. The crunch stems largely from memory producers redirecting manufacturing capacity toward the more lucrative chips demanded by the AI data center boom, leaving conventional consumer-grade memory in short supply. Smaller brands, which lack the purchasing leverage of giants like Apple and Samsung, are reportedly among the hardest hit, facing higher input costs that could translate into pricier devices or slimmer feature sets for budget conscious shoppers. The shortage adds a new variable to an already active fall hardware season, as flagship launches from Apple, Samsung and others continue to roll out. Source: Digital Trends
Written by Lonnon Jensen. Read more about the author.