*) Afghanistan facing humanitarian crisis month into Taliban rule

It has been a month since the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan, seizing the capital Kabul with barely a fight.

Since the Taliban took over, it has announced an all-male interim cabinet and restarted operations at Kabul airport.

But the month has also been marked by a crippling cash crisis, an erosion of women's rights and reports of the Taliban pursuing revenge killings.

The UN has urged the international community to provide a “lifeline” of much-needed aid to Afghans, who also face famine, drought and poverty.

*) North Korea fires 2 ballistic missiles into eastern waters

North Korea has fired two ballistic missiles into waters off its eastern coast just two days after claiming to have tested a new missile.

Japan said the missiles landed outside its economic zone in the waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula and did not cause damage.

Wednesday's launches came as China’s foreign minister was in Seoul to discuss nuclear negotiations with the North, making Pyongyang's provocation in front of its biggest ally highly unusual.

*) Palestinian prison escapee accuses Israel of torture upon recapture A Palestinian man who was recaptured after his escape from a high-security prison is being tortured by Israeli authorities, a lawyer has said.

Mohammed al Arida has severe wounds, shows signs of sleep deprivation and has not received any treatment, a lawyer affiliated with the Palestinian Prisoner Society said.

The Society will be talking to the four men recaptured after escaping on September 6.

*) Californians vote to keep Democratic governor

California's Democratic governor has defeated a recall aimed at kicking him out of office, spurred by mask mandates and Covid lockdowns.

Had Gavin Newsom lost the confidence vote, he would have most certainly been replaced by a Republican in a deeply Democratic US state.

The California recall, which turned on Newsom’s approach to the pandemic, mirrors America’s deep political and social divide over Covid.

And finally...

*) Pet influencers on the rise in Singapore

You may have seen them for years on your Insta feed, they have more followers than you but you can't help but stop and "aww" over them.

Pet influencers are real and have taken off in Singapore where strict Covid lockdowns further fueled their rise.

Sasha and Piper of the "Lomodoggies" Instagram account are one such influencer pair who earn thousands of dollars by posing with products.

Tapping into the pet influencer boom are their humans and also agencies who say business is thriving, because, who doesn't love a cute cat on their feed?