FirstFT: Iran delivers ‘hundreds’ of ballistic missiles to Russia

Good morning. At present we’ll be protecting:

• Local weather talks between the US and China

• New polls suggesting Kamala Harris’s momentum is fading

• Most cancers medication and their spiralling value tags

However first, Iran has despatched “hundreds” of ballistic missiles to Russia in what Kyiv officers mentioned marks a “serious escalation” of Tehran’s help for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. 

“More than 200” Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles arrived in a Russian Caspian Sea port final week, based on senior Ukrainian officers conversant in the matter.

The surface-to-surface missiles have a spread of as much as 120km and are seemingly for use by Russia to strike infrastructure and northern cities near the border, resembling Kharkiv and Sumy, and troop positions and navy targets alongside the frontline, based on the Ukrainian officers. 

The officers mentioned the supply of the Iranian short-range missiles will enable Russia to deploy its long-range hypersonic Kinzhal missiles — among the most subtle weapons within the Kremlin’s arsenal — to hit targets deeper inside Ukraine.

Andriy Zagorodnyuk, a former Ukrainian defence minister and director of the Kyiv-based Centre for Defence Methods, mentioned the Iranian missiles pose a “huge threat”. Learn the total story.

• ‘Questions’ amongst Russian elite: Ukraine’s Kursk offensive has dented Vladimir Putin’s warfare narrative and triggered “questions” among the many Russian elite in regards to the level of the warfare, two of the world’s main spy chiefs mentioned throughout a joint look on the FTWeekend competition.

Right here’s what else I’m conserving tabs on in the present day:

• Financial knowledge: Japan studies revised second-quarter progress figures and China publishes August inflation knowledge.

• EU-China relations: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez begins a four-day go to to China, the place he’ll meet Xi Jinping. The journey comes amid commerce tensions between Beijing and Brussels. (South China Morning Put up)

5 extra prime tales

1. Washington’s prime local weather diplomat John Podesta has pressed Chinese language leaders to provide you with bold plans to chop greenhouse fuel emissions by 2035 in one of many closing conferences between the world’s two largest polluters forward of the UN COP29 local weather summit in November. The FT’s Aime Williams has extra on Podesta’s journey to Beijing.

2. Kamala Harris is beneath stress to placed on a robust efficiency within the debate towards Donald Trump this week after polling instructed her momentum within the presidential contest could possibly be fading. Surveys forward of the Tuesday evening face-off present the race neck-and-neck with voters uncertain of the place the Democrat stands on election points.

• Extra US information: Firms issued file volumes of US debt final week as they moved to go off doable volatility from carefully watched financial knowledge, a Federal Reserve assembly and a fast-approaching presidential election.

3. Indonesian palm oil producers have warned of worldwide provide chain disruption if the EU proceeds with a ban on the import of commodities linked to deforestation this 12 months. “There will be chaos if implemented,” Eddy Martono, chair of the Indonesian Palm Oil Affiliation, informed the FT.

4. Edmundo González, the opposition candidate recognised by the US because the winner of Venezuela’s disputed presidential election, arrived in Spain to search political asylum yesterday, having fled the Latin American nation after President Nicolás Maduro’s authorities ordered his arrest.

5. Greece has mentioned it should crack down on short-term vacation leases and cruise ship site visitors as a part of a set of measures to curb extreme tourism within the Mediterranean nation. However business leaders warned the restrictions may hurt an important financial sector at a time when Greece is on observe to report a file variety of guests for the 12 months.

Interview

Shanghai’s Vitality Singularity is looking for to boost $500mn to develop next-generation nuclear fusion know-how, as China races with the west to crack the issue of commercialising the groundbreaking clear power. Ye Yuming, the start-up’s chief working officer and co-founder, believes that rival US teams get pleasure from “a much more favourable” funding atmosphere. However Ye informed the FT that Vitality Singularity expects to have the ability to leverage China’s deep provide chains for key supplies.

We’re additionally studying . . . 

• Masters in Administration Rating: Salaries of masters in administration graduates from main enterprise faculties who now work in finance have jumped sharply in latest months, based on the FT’s newest MiM rating.

• ‘Air-conditioned nightmare’: Air conditioners pump warmth again into the road, additional warming the atmosphere. However there are design and behaviour-led methods to remain cool, too.

• Stress and parenting: Current surveys within the US and UK present mother and father really feel extra harassed — and lonely. The elevated isolation many really feel is a symptom of a bigger downside, Camilla Cavendish explains.

Chart of the day

New most cancers medication are providing hope to sufferers however can’t be divorced from their spiralling value tags. World spending on oncology medication grew to $223bn final 12 months, based on analysis from the IQVIA Institute for Human Information Science. It expects the determine to balloon to $409bn by 2028.

Take a break from the information

Helen Fisher, who died of endometrial most cancers final month aged 79, left a hanging legacy: legitimising love as a topic worthy of scholarly inquiry whereas by some means not diminishing its magic. In in the present day’s really helpful learn, FT science commentator Anjana Ahuja remembers the anthropologist who took her insights out of the laboratory and into on-line courting.