CARE

Aid workers in Gaza face the enormous task of clearing an estimated 61 million tonnes of rubble left by the war, with recovery teams warning that the remains of up to 10,000 people may still lie buried beneath the ruins. The operation is described as delicate and dangerous, requiring careful searching so bodies can be identified and returned to families while reconstruction barely begins.

The United Nations reports a twentyfold surge in the number of Sudanese refugees crossing into Chad as the country's conflict continues and humanitarian funding runs out. Aid agencies warn that shrinking resources are leaving new arrivals without food, shelter or medical care, compounding one of the world's largest displacement crises and pressing international donors to respond.

The BBC's Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg examines what he calls Russia's "special election operation", framing this year's presidential vote as a carefully managed exercise with predictable outcomes. His reporting highlights deepening pessimism among ordinary Russians about the war in Ukraine, the economy and the country's political future, with little expectation that the election will bring change.

Reports describe mothers in Sudan giving birth in facilities dubbed 'clinics of death', as the country's war has devastated the health system. Hospitals lack staff, supplies and power, forcing women to deliver in dangerous conditions where preventable maternal and newborn deaths are rising. Commenters are highlighting the plight of pregnant women caught in the conflict and the collapse of medical care.

UNRWA figures circulating widely state that before the war, 300,000 children attended 288 UNRWA-run schools in Gaza, and that of 22 healthcare centres once operating across the Strip, only six remain active. The numbers are being shared amid ongoing debate over the humanitarian toll in Gaza and renewed calls for a ceasefire, with commenters citing them as evidence of the collapse of education and health services.

Civilians in Ukraine's eastern fortress belt describe being targeted by Russian forces while trying to survive along the front line. One resident recounted fearing she would be burnt alive as attacks on villages near Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka continue. The accounts highlight the growing dangers to non-combatants as Russia presses its advance through the strategically important chain of towns.

Palestinians are facing prolonged waits and restricted movement at Israeli military checkpoints in the occupied West Bank. Al Jazeera reports on people caught between crossings, unable to reach work, schools or medical care. The checkpoints remain a central flashpoint of the occupation, with movement restrictions widely criticised by rights groups and UN agencies.

Sudanese doctors report that the Rapid Support Forces looted and wrecked a hospital in a town recently recaptured by the army. The group says the damage has left the facility unable to function, depriving residents of medical care amid the country's ongoing civil war. Health facilities have repeatedly been targeted since fighting between the army and the RSF began in April 2023.

A new analysis finds that 28% of job postings on company career sites have remained open for more than 90 days, raising fresh concerns about so-called ghost jobs — listings companies leave up despite no intention to fill them soon. Commenters argue the figure reflects employers keeping talent pipelines warm, inflating apparent growth, or simply neglecting stale listings, and say it makes job hunting harder and more demoralising for applicants.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has revealed that OpenAI breached Medicare, according to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald. The claim suggests a data or security incident involving the US artificial intelligence company and Australia's public health insurance system. Details of the alleged breach, its scale, and any response from OpenAI or government agencies have not yet been made clear.

A group of senators is demanding that OpenAI's chief appear before an official inquiry following a breach involving Medicare data. The call to testify escalates scrutiny of the company's handling of sensitive information, though details of the breach and the exact allegations remain limited so far.

A lawsuit filed by FiCare alleges that a Fiserv call center reactivated stolen cards, removing the controls meant to contain compromised cards. According to the claim, people holding the stolen cards have been able to use them after anti-fraud restrictions were lifted, raising questions about the financial technology firm's card security and fraud-handling procedures.

Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of the southeastern United States, has revealed significant weaknesses in the region's health care infrastructure. Reporting from North Carolina highlights how damaged roads, closed facilities and disrupted services left communities struggling to access medical care after the storm, prompting questions about disaster preparedness and how health systems can better withstand future hurricanes.

CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale argues that Donald Trump's persistent falsehoods continue largely because he is now surrounded by aides and allies comfortable with his lying. Dale also criticises mainstream media outlets for failing to handle Trump's dishonesty effectively, noting that while many people care about the lying, many others do not mind it. His analysis is being widely shared among US politics observers.

Eight suicide attempts have been reported among sailors deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, raising concerns about mental health support for US Navy personnel on extended deployments. The Scripps News report highlights growing questions about staffing, workload and access to psychological care aboard ships, an issue the Navy has faced repeatedly in recent years.

A Blue Cross Blue Shield analysis found that AI tools used by hospitals to submit insurance claims added an estimated $942 million to US healthcare costs over two years. The study reported a sharp rise in patients being documented with complex conditions, apparently without supporting evidence, driving up reimbursement charges. Critics are pointing to the findings as evidence that AI-assisted medical coding can inflate billing, and the report is renewing calls for oversight of how hospitals use automation in claims.

Texas lawmakers say the state's delayed maternal health report is a politically motivated move that endangers pregnant women. The report, which reviews maternal deaths and complications, is meant to guide policy on pregnancy care. Critics argue the delay prevents timely action on maternal mortality, while lawmakers are pressing for its release and accountability.