What matters today, at a glance. The newsdesk has assembled the day's leading stories. Follow any link for the full report.
World
On the international desk, these reports are leading:
- Economic hardship deepens in Syria as rising prices spark public anger
- Ex-border patrol chief calls Trump administration's Minneapolis withdrawal a surrender
- WFP slashes food assistance to Gaza by a third over severe funding crisis
Middle East
Across the Middle East:
- Disputed home demolitions in Harare leave families displaced amid legal row
- Rubio defends US war on Iran as necessary move despite heavy political fallout
- Friedrich Merz backs Ilse Aigner as Germany's first female president
Business
In business and markets:
- UK job vacancies sink to five-year low as smaller businesses scale back hiring
- British economy expands 0.1 percent in August defying contraction forecasts
- Royal Mail plans to cut 2,500 head office jobs
Technology
In technology:
Sports
And in sport:
- Cray Wanderers reach FA Cup first round for first time in club's 166-year history
- Manchester United forward JJ Gabriel nears Real Madrid transfer
- New Zealand shut out Samoa 32-0 to secure Rugby League World Cup final berth
This briefing is compiled by the News Inspection newsdesk and updates throughout the day as new reports arrive.
