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- Unifor and General Motors reach tentative agreement for Ontario workers
- Supreme Court permits White House ballroom construction to proceed temporarily
- Wildfires across Europe trigger explosions from unexploded WWI and WWII ordnance
- France to deliver new interceptor missiles to Ukraine after Russian attack
- Psychologist testifies in Lindsay Clancy murder trial in Massachusetts
- Chinese robot breaks Usain Bolt’s 100m record at World Humanoid Robot Games
- Canada announces dollar-for-dollar response to US tariffs
- U.S. to impose 50% tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods after talks fail
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Global Reaction to DE Elections
Unifor and General Motors reach tentative agreement for Ontario workers
6:02 pm
Get you up to speed: Unifor, General Motors reach tentative deal for thousands of Ontario auto workers
Unifor announced a tentative labour deal for its members at GM’s Ontario plants. The agreement, if ratified, will improve wages and benefits.
The agreement reached on Saturday will be subject to a ratification vote by union members in the coming days. Unifor represents workers at several General Motors facilities in Ontario, encompassing a significant portion of the automotive workforce in the region.
Unifor announced a tentative labour deal on Saturday for its members at GM’s Ontario plants, which, if ratified, will enhance wages and benefits. The union is scheduled to hold a ratification vote in the coming days.
What remains unclear — It is not specified when the ratification vote will take place.
Unifor and General Motors reach tentative agreement for Ontario workers
Unifor announced a tentative labour deal Saturday for its members at GM’s Ontario plants. Union officials said the agreement, if ratified, will improve wages and benefits.
Supreme Court permits White House ballroom construction to proceed temporarily
5:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Supreme Court temporarily allows White House ballroom construction to continue
The Supreme Court has temporarily allowed construction of the White House ballroom to continue, freezing a lower court decision that would have halted the project. Chief Justice John Roberts issued a stay to give the court additional time to consider the Justice Department’s request regarding the ongoing legal challenge.
Construction on the White House ballroom project began in October 2022, following the demolition of the East Wing. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found that federal funding for the project lacked congressional authorization, declaring that the White House cannot proceed with construction without it.
The Chief Justice’s stay on construction of the White House ballroom allows the Trump administration to proceed while the Supreme Court considers the Justice Department’s request to pause the district court’s injunction. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has accused the administration of attempting to “outrun judicial review” as construction continues amid ongoing legal challenges.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how the Trump administration plans to secure Congressional approval for funding the ballroom project amidst the ongoing legal challenges.
Supreme Court permits White House ballroom construction to proceed temporarily
Washington — The Supreme Court on Friday temporarily allowed construction of the White House ballroom to continue, freezing for now a lower court decision that would have halted above-ground work on the project.
Chief Justice John Roberts issued a stay that will remain in place until the Supreme Court takes further action. His order is temporary and gives the high court additional time to consider the Justice Department’s request to pause a district court’s injunction, which was set to take effect at midnight unless the Supreme Court acted.
The Trump administration asked the high court last week to intervene and allow construction of the 90,000-square-foot ballroom to continue.
President Trump responded in a Truth Social post on Friday, saying he was “grateful for the Decision.” On Saturday, he said in a separate post that “tremendous work has been done on the magnificent BALLROOM/MILITARY COMPLEX being built on the grounds of the White House!”
“Presidents have wanted this for 150 years, and so has everyone else. It will give the White House, and all of D.C., Great National Security,” he wrote, sharing a photo of the construction site. “The Project is under budget, and ahead of schedule! The Ballroom will be paid for with ZERO Dollars of Taxpayer Money. Great American Patriots and Companies are footing the entire bill.”
Roberts’ stay came after a divided federal appeals court concluded earlier this month that Congress, not President Trump or the White House, has “full constitutional control over federal property and the funding of its maintenance and development,” and noted an “absence of any express or implied authorization” that grants Mr. Trump the ability to construct the $400 million ballroom.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the injunction issued by the district court earlier this year that would’ve stopped construction on the White House ballroom. But the D.C. Circuit halted its ruling for 14 days, through Friday, to give the Justice Department time to seek relief from the Supreme Court.
In a filing with the court, Solicitor General D. John Sauer had asked the justices to pause the lower court ruling that blocked above-ground construction while the legal battle over the project plays out. The overhaul also includes an underground bunker, medical facilities and other features, and judges have allowed that work to continue.
“This case involves an extraordinary and unlawful injunction that will halt the ongoing construction of the integrated military complex, including a totally secure ballroom space, at the East Wing of the White House, which is vitally required by national security,” Sauer wrote.
Mr. Trump has reiterated that concern, arguing that construction must continue because it is “vital” to his safety and the safety of future presidents, and American national security, especially in light of recent foiled assassination plots against him. In a Truth Social post earlier this month, Mr. Trump called the National Trust for Historic Preservation “TREASONISTS” and alleged without evidence that they “revealed Top Military Secrets!”
But Mr. Trump has often conflated the ongoing construction of a new presidential security bunker that is being built underneath the proposed ballroom and the construction of the ballroom itself. As the legal challenge has played out in lower courts, all below-ground construction on national security facilities has continued, and only above-ground work on the physical construction of the ballroom is at issue.
“The lower section does not work without the upper section and, likewise, the upper section does not work without the lower. It is all one highly integrated unit,” Mr. Trump wrote in the same Truth Social post criticizing the Trust. He later added in the same message that the lawsuit “is this kind of gross and flagrant abuse of our Courts that is exactly why Americans are losing faith in our System of Justice.”
The administration has warned the Supreme Court that work on the ballroom is too far along to stop. The White House official managing the project, Joshua Fisher, said in a declaration submitted to the justices that even if a court ordered the building to be taken down or altered, “there would be no way to do so.” And Sauer wrote in the filing with the high court that the “stop-work mandate” from the district court is “impossible.”
Lower court stays, which have allowed ongoing work on the ballroom, have pushed construction “beyond the point of return,” he said.
In response, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has accused the Trump administration of trying to “outrun judicial review.” While the case was before the D.C. Circuit, the White House “accelerated construction” with a 250-person crew working 20 hours a day, seven days a week, they wrote.
Mr. Trump has claimed to have raised most of the $400 million he says he needs to complete the project through donations from private donors and major corporations like Lockheed Martin, Amazon and Microsoft.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, the judge who is overseeing the legal challenge to the project, found that the Trump administration’s means of funding the project — in which donations were collected through a nonprofit organization, transferred first to the National Park Service and then to a fund used for typical White House maintenance and repairs — was unlawful.
Construction on the ballroom project began in October following demolition of the East Wing. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed its lawsuit to halt ballroom construction in December, arguing the work is unlawful.
Leon issued his preliminary injunction that would block construction in March and clarified in April that work on the below-ground, national security facilities was not covered by his order.
The D.C. Circuit then ruled in favor of the Trust in a 2-1 decision, finding that the White House could not build the ballroom without authorization from Congress.
Wildfires across Europe trigger explosions from unexploded WWI and WWII ordnance
4:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Wildfires burning across Europe are setting off old WWI and WWII bombs | News World
Wildfires in France and Belgium have uncovered World War II-era munitions, with authorities in Limburg province responding to a potential threat in a forest area. Belgian governor Hervé Jamar confirmed “a few sporadic detonations” had occurred, though no firefighters were in danger.
Emergency crews have been adapted to account for munitions buried in fire areas, with a governor in Belgium reporting sporadic detonations amidst ongoing wildfires. Belgium’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Destruction Service responds to over 3,000 calls each year regarding unexploded munitions from both world wars, with a reported disposal of 200 to 250 tons annually.
Governors like Hervé Jamar of Belgium are urging emergency crews to adapt their operations due to sporadic detonations from munitions buried in wildfire areas, though he assured that no firefighters are in danger. As authorities continue to grapple with the emergence of unexploded ordnance linked to wildfires, experts warn that climate change is exacerbating the risks associated with these remnants of conflict, prompting increased requests for bomb disposal assistance.
What remains unclear — It is not specified how many unexploded ordnance items have been found as a result of the wildfires across Europe.
Wildfires across Europe trigger explosions from unexploded WWI and WWII ordnance
Members of a bomb disposal unit sit next to 1.8 ton World War II bomb after defusing it in Frankfurt, Germany, in 2017 (Picture: AP)
Emergency crews battling wildfires across Europe have exposed a potentially deadly threat lurking beneath the scorched surface – rusty old wartime bombs and mines.
The intense heat has already set off explosions in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, where a bomb-disposal team was dispatched to check a forest threatened by flames near a site of fierce fighting in the Limburg province in 1944.
Sarah Njeri, a peace and conflict scholar at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, said: ‘Climate change is now doing the work of unburying and reactivating what was previously stable.’
She said the fires, along with the WWI and WWII bombs being detonated by them, show that the continent’s ‘climatic luck’ is running out.
This wildfire season was supercharged by heavy rains in January that spurred vegetation growth, which became kindling when the summer heat arrived.
Those temperatures, combined with drought conditions, low humidity and stiff winds, offered an ideal environment for fire, according to a study issued last month by the World Weather Attribution group.
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As they advanced, the flames moved over territory that has long been known to hold unexploded weapons, a lethal legacy that lingered long after the guns fell silent.
Firefighters battle a forest fire near Blagon during wildfires in southwestern France (Picture: PA)
In a forest in tinder-dry France, a massive wildfire outside the southwestern city of Bordeaux uncovered a cache of what is believed to be World War II-era ammunition.
And in the eastern Belgian province of Liege, governor Hervé Jamar said ‘a few sporadic detonations’ had gone off, prompting emergency crews to adapt to account for munitions buried in a fire area.
He said no firefighters were in danger, but local media published photos of one handling a rusted bomb.
During World War II, booby traps, bombs and mines were sprinkled throughout the province’s dense peat-bog forest known as the High Fens.
Bernard Collard, a local historian who runs the Truschbaum Museum near Belgium’s border with Germany, said he remembers his father detonating a found bomb in a quarry.
In the first four years after Germany’s surrender in 1945, the munitions killed six civilians, he said.
‘When you go into a forest like this, you are not sure where the explosives are,’ Collard added.
A German tank unit moves through a village in the Hohe Venn region, near Malmedy, Belgium, in 1945 (Picture: AP)
Charlotte Cardoen-Descamps points out different types of World War I shells that were found on her farm in Poelkapelle, Belgium, in 2007 (Picture: AP)
The fire in the High Fens, which stretches across the border with Germany, is smouldering atop a much-bloodied battlefield where Nazis fought Allied troops.
The Battle of the Bulge was fought in and around the High Fens.
The fire is even closer to the sites of two lesser-known skirmishes along Elsenborn Ridge and in the Hurtgen Forest, which lasted 88 days and killed about 33,000 American and 28,000 German troops.
Collard has permission the former battlefields, now forests, pastures and farmland with a metal detector.
He has found mortar shells, machine guns, helmets, cigarette cases, and once, a human skeleton.
‘You never know what you might come across, and you shouldn’t take it lightly,’ Collard told the Associated Press while standing in a field that was once a blood-soaked site.
Nearby, blueberry bushes cover old foxholes, trenches and deep craters from artillery fire.
A firefighter work to extinguish wildfires at Hautes Fagnes near Waimes, Belgium (Picture: AP)
World War I shells, some marked in pink are suspect gas shells, are piled in a warehouse at the explosive disposal facility (DOVO) in Poelkapelle, Belgium (Picture: AP)
Unexploded ordnance is even more dangerous around wildfires because heat can trigger the explosives, said Jonas Tepe, a spokesperson for North Rhine-Westphalia, in Germany.
The Belgian Ministry of Defence receives requests from the region every week to assist in disarming explosives, yet it does not consider the area a ‘hot spot’ compared to elsewhere in Belgium.
Such requests are even more common in the west, where farmers in towns such as Ypres — infamous for harrowing trench warfare in World War I — call the annual tilling of the soil ‘the iron harvest’ because it turns up so many war remnants.
Every year across the nation, Belgium’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Destruction Service responds to more than 3,000 calls and disposes of 200 to 250 tons of munitions left over from both world wars.
Drought has also helped to lay the past bare by shrinking rivers and lakes to reveal old weapons.
In Slovakia, the Danube River fell and exposed two naval mines that police pulled out of the water and buried in a trench for a controlled demolition.
Authorities in Hungary closed Budapest’s Margaret Bridge after a bomb dating from World War II emerged at its base in receding water.
As the Rhine dried up, German authorities also found a WWII-era bomb.
Christina Greene, a researcher at the University of Arizona who, with Njeri, wrote an article on Europe’s wildfires and unexploded ordnance risk, said ‘the legacy of war keeps creeping up’ because of climate change.
‘It’s reliving the legacies of war and conflict in a way that we haven’t had to deal with in a while in certain places,’ he said.
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France to deliver new interceptor missiles to Ukraine after Russian attack
2:00 pm
France to deliver new interceptor missiles to Ukraine after Russian attack
Missile Delivery
France will deliver new interceptor missiles to Kyiv following a major Russian attack that resulted in at least 16 fatalities in Kryvyi Rih.
France will deliver new interceptor missiles to Kyiv following a major Russian attack that resulted in at least 16 fatalities in Kryvyi Rih.
military support
France’s commitment to supplying interceptor missiles underscores Ukraine’s urgent need for enhanced air defence capabilities in the face of ongoing, lethal Russian aerial assaults.
France’s commitment to supplying interceptor missiles underscores Ukraine’s urgent need for enhanced air defence capabilities in the face of ongoing, lethal Russian aerial assaults.
Official Response
“It is crucial to provide Ukraine with all the necessary means to defend its airspace and thwart this aggression,” said French President Emmanuel Macron following the attacks in Kryvyi Rih.
“It is crucial to provide Ukraine with all the necessary means to defend its airspace and thwart this aggression,” said French President Emmanuel Macron following the attacks in Kryvyi Rih.
France to give new interceptor missiles to Ukraine, Macron says
Published on •Updated
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Saturday that France would deliver new interceptor missiles to Kyiv following a major Russian attack on a shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities said Russia launched two waves of drone attacks on the city on Friday, killing at least 16 people and injuring 130 others, including 23 children.
The attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown has prompted condemnation from leading figures across Europe, with Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, calling it “terror by design.”
In a post on X, Macron said he had spoken with Zelenskyy following the daylight “double strike” on Kryvyi Rih and that he had expressed his “horror” and “deep concern” over the incident.
“It is crucial to provide Ukraine with all the necessary means to defend its airspace and thwart this aggression,” he wrote, adding that he had informed Zelenskyy of Paris‘ “increased support, including the deployment of interceptors.”
“We must also continue to increase the pressure on Russia as long as it chooses to refuse to halt the fighting and make peace,” he added.
Zelenskyy said in a separate post that the pair had spoken for close to two hours, touching on Ukraine’s air defence needs, funding, and communications with Washington, among other things.
“We agreed to accelerate the delivery of the latest French equipment and missiles. Thank you for confirming your readiness to provide licenses for the production of missiles,” Zelenskyy wrote.
Kyiv has long been pleading with allies for more interceptor missiles as it continues to fend off Russian missile and drone attacks.
Ukraine strikes back
Ukraine launched its own strikes against Russia over the last 24 hours, hitting the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery, a logistics hub in the Samara region, and targets in the Black Sea, per Zelenskyy.
Kyiv has been ramping up its so-called “long-range sanctions” on Russia in recent months as it seeks to hamper the Russian economy and grind down Vladimir Putin’s war machine.
It has particularly targeted energy infrastructure sites such as oil refineries, depots, and terminals as part of this strategy.
Psychologist testifies in Lindsay Clancy murder trial in Massachusetts
1:01 pm
Media Lens: Psychologist testifies in Lindsay Clancy murder trial in Massachusetts
Psychologist testifies at Lindsay Clancy murder trial.
Psychologist testifies at the Lindsay Clancy murder trial regarding her mental state. The defense rests its case after presenting testimony from the psychologist, according to coverage in latest US news and US and global politics.
What happened
Psychologist testimony is currently being presented at the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy. The proceedings have drawn significant public attention as the case unfolds in court.
In recent developments, the defense has rested, prompting discussions around the arguments presented throughout the trial, including the psychological aspects related to Clancy’s state of mind during the alleged incidents. Experts have weighed in on the implications of mental health in relation to culpability in such cases.
Key facts
- Lindsay Clancy is currently on trial for multiple murders.
- Psychologists have testified during the trial regarding Clancy’s mental state.
- Clancy allegedly instructed her children to “go to God” during the incidents.
- Clancy’s defense has argued that she suffered from severe mental illness at the time of the alleged crimes.
- The defense team has rested its case in the trial.
Where coverage differs
- The Guardian emphasizes the details of the defense’s arguments, while WBUR highlights the prosecution’s case and witness testimonies.
- CBS News foregrounds the psychological aspects of the defendant’s behavior, rather than focusing on legal strategies.
- New York Post prioritizes sensational elements of the case, over a more analytical approach to the trial’s developments.
One story, four angles
The Guardian – Lindsay Clancy trial: everything that happened this week in court
Publication: The Guardian | Primary framing pattern: legal | Tone: informative | Intensity: 6/10 | Sentiment: neutral | Legal precision: high
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Espresso Shot: This article provides a detailed overview of the Lindsay Clancy trial, summarising key events and courtroom developments. It emphasizes a factual recount of the legal proceedings without apparent bias. The information is well-structured, giving readers a clear picture of the case as it unfolds.
Publication emphasis: The focus is on presenting a chronological account of the trial’s proceedings.
Framing analysis: The main emphasis is on legal proceedings and court testimonies, while secondary aspects include public reactions and implications of the case.
Bias: Selection: Focus on only the trial’s progression. Language: Neutral legal terminology. Omission: Limited detail on community impact or larger societal implications.
Assessment: The piece effectively informs readers of the ongoing trial without editorializing the events.
WBUR – The defense rests in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy
Publication: WBUR | Primary framing pattern: legal | Tone: straightforward | Intensity: 7/10 | Sentiment: neutral | Legal precision: high
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Espresso Shot: The article discusses the conclusion of the defense’s case in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, highlighting key arguments presented and expert testimonies. It maintains a focused narrative on the legal strategies employed, aiming to clarify the defense’s position to the audience.
Publication emphasis: The piece underscores the critical phase of the trial where the defense presented its concluding arguments.
Framing analysis: The foregrounded content includes defense strategies and testimonies, while juror perceptions and trial impact are secondary.
Bias: Selection: All excerpts relate directly to the defense’s position. Language: Utilizes legal terminology and describes events objectively. Omission: Limited perspectives on prosecution arguments or emotional public reaction.
Assessment: The report provides a clear legal overview of the defense’s concluding statements while steering clear of sensationalism.
CBS News – Lindsay Clancy told children “go to God” during murders, prosecution psychiatrist says at trial
Publication: CBS News | Primary framing pattern: moral | Tone: emotional | Intensity: 8/10 | Sentiment: negative | Legal precision: moderate
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Espresso Shot: This article presents a shocking testimony from a psychiatrist regarding Lindsay Clancy’s state of mind during the tragic events. It emphasizes the moral implications of her alleged actions, particularly the statements attributed to her about her children. The report aims to evoke a strong emotional reaction from the audience.
Publication emphasis: The focus is on the emotional and moral dimensions of the trial, specifically highlighting dramatic testimony.
Framing analysis: The primary elements highlighted are emotional testimonies and moral questions surrounding Clancy’s actions, while legal arguments are treated as secondary.
Bias: Selection: Focuses on sensational aspects of the trial. Language: Provocative and emotive descriptions are used to elicit reactions. Omission: Limited emphasis on courtroom procedures and defense presentations.
Assessment: The article effectively engages readers with intense emotional and moral considerations surrounding the case.
New York Post – Exclusive | Is Lindsay Clancy really too sick to be guilty? Why experts agree with the defense’s controversial claim
Publication: New York Post | Primary framing pattern: political | Tone: provocative | Intensity: 9/10 | Sentiment: negative | Legal precision: low
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Espresso Shot: This article tackles the contentious debate over Lindsay Clancy’s mental fitness to stand trial, framing the discussion around expert opinions that support the defense’s stance. It uses dramatic language and compelling anecdotes to argue the potential implications of a not-guilty verdict based on insanity.
Publication emphasis: The focus is on the controversial aspects of legal definitions and psychiatric evaluations related to culpability.
Framing analysis: The primary content is centered on expert opinions regarding mental illness and legal responsibility, while procedural details are largely absent.
Bias: Selection: Highlights extreme perspectives on mental illness and responsibility. Language: Highly emotive and sensational. Omission: Lacks balanced exploration of opposing views or details of legal processes.
Assessment: The article intensifies public debate by framing mental health issues in a politically charged manner, leaving little room for nuance.
Food for thought
The Guardian establishes the strongest legal framing by emphasizing the defense’s controversial claim regarding Lindsay Clancy’s mental state and the implications of possible insanity. In contrast, CBS News adopts the most escalatory framing, highlighting inflammatory statements alleging the defendant instructed her children to “go to God” during the tragic events, thereby intensifying public perception of guilt. Meanwhile, WBUR provides a straightforward update on the trial proceedings with less emotional charge, while the New York Post offers sensationalized commentary questioning the validity of the defense’s arguments. The facts do not change. What changes is where scrutiny lands.
Chinese robot breaks Usain Bolt’s 100m record at World Humanoid Robot Games
12:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Usain Bolt’s 100m record broken at World Humanoid Robot Games
A humanoid robot named Lightning, developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor, ran 100 metres in 9.32 seconds in Beijing, surpassing Usain Bolt’s world record. The event took place during a preparatory test for the second World Humanoid Robot Games.
The second World Humanoid Robot Games officially opened in Beijing on 22 August 2026. Prior to the competition, the robot Lightning’s legs were lengthened from 95 cm to 1.05 metres to optimise performance.
China has signalled its commitment to advancing humanoid robotics as a key industry, highlighting the successful performance of the robot Lightning at the World Humanoid Robot Games as a significant achievement. Following this event, policymakers and companies will likely intensify efforts to integrate AI and robotics into various sectors, including manufacturing and logistics.
What remains unclear — It is not specified how the robot’s performance will impact the future of competitive athletics.
Chinese robot breaks Usain Bolt’s 100m record at World Humanoid Robot Games
Sport|AthleticsUsain Bolt’s 100m record broken at World Humanoid Robot Games
Chinese robot reaches peak speed of 14.5 metres per second to beat Bolt’s 100m record in Beijing, says state media.
Published On 22 Aug 202622 Aug 2026
A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor ran 100 metres (328ft) in 9.32 seconds, China’s state broadcaster has reported, beating the human world record held by Jamaican sprinting great Usain Bolt.
The robot, dubbed Lightning, reached a peak speed of 14.5 metres (47.6ft) per second during a preparatory test event for the second World Humanoid Robot Games, which opened in Beijing on Saturday.
The performance surpassed the 9.58-second men’s 100-metre world record set by Bolt at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009.
China has been promoting humanoid robots as a strategic emerging industry, with policymakers and companies betting that advances in AI and hardware will accelerate their deployment in manufacturing, logistics and consumer applications.
Lightning also won the 21km (13-mile) Beijing half marathon in April in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, faster than the elite men’s human world-record pace.
The robot stood 169cm (5.5ft) tall and had 95cm (3.1ft) legs at the half marathon. Researchers have since lengthened its legs by 10 cm to 1.05 metres (3.4ft) before the World Humanoid Robot Games, CCTV reported.
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