Beyond China's humanoid robots, a quieter machine revolution is unfolding

We begin this morning in China, where new numbers show the country now operates more than two million industrial robots in its factories.

That is the highest concentration of industrial robots anywhere in the world, and the number is climbing faster than any other country. These are assembly line machines, welding equipment, packaging systems.

This is not the humanoid robots that have been getting attention in the press. These are the machines doing the actual manufacturing work.

The kind of automation that changes an entire sector without making headlines. Two million machines, and that number is expected to double in the next four years.

From Iran this morning, officials say they are fully prepared to counter the expanded U.S. economic sanctions announced last week.

The U.S. Treasury Department has called the new restrictions economic D-Day. Tehran issued a statement saying it has a plan in place to address them, though officials did not specify what that plan involves.

The sanctions target Iran's energy exports and banking sector. Iran says it is, quote, fully prepared, to respond.

And an update to the Harry Potter casting story we brought you earlier this morning. Kit Harington has replaced Nicholas Hoult as Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO's upcoming series.

Hoult was announced two weeks ago but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Harington steps into the role. That is his third project with HBO after Game of Thrones.

Lockhart appears in the second book of the series. Production begins later this year.

The wildfire near Reno remains uncontained this morning. Seven firefighters have been injured and fifteen thousand acres have burned since the fire began.

Thousands of residents have been evacuated. Officials say crews are working to establish containment lines, but high winds are complicating the effort.

No structures have been lost so far, but fire officials say conditions remain dangerous and the fire is moving fast.

And from the world of professional soccer this morning, some of the sport's biggest names have signed a letter calling for change at FIFA. The letter targets federation president Gianni Infantino directly.

Players from England, Spain, France and Germany have united behind the letter. They are asking for changes to the international calendar, player workload, and the way decisions are made at the top of the sport.

FIFA has not responded to the letter yet. The players say they are prepared to take further action if necessary.

We begin with that one. Back in August of twenty twenty-four. Gulfport, Mississippi. Someone needed to arrange something discreet with a friend.

That brings our Florida Man Tribute count to two hundred and eight in forty-four weeks. Back in November of last year, people in Los Angeles looked up and saw something they were not expecting.

Also back in November of last year, a Mississippi woman shot and killed one of forty-three monkeys that escaped from a truck after a highway accident.

And back in October of last year, Oklahoma. The State Bureau of Investigation opened an inquiry after a teacher died at a restaurant.

At number three: one hundred and twenty pounds of dog, hiding from ice, behind a two-year-old. That is the title. Posted by Tiny Boss Big Dog on the twentieth of August. Four million seventy-eight thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight new views in the last four days.

One hundred and twenty pounds.

Behind a two-year-old.

At number two: When Kindness Goes Both Ways. Posted by Windypaws on the twentieth of August. Seven million eight hundred and forty-six thousand three hundred and ninety-two new views in the last four days.

And at number one, for the thirteenth consecutive hour: Fisherman Found This Heron Fighting For Its Life. Posted by Sassy on the twenty-first of August. Eight million eight hundred and eighty-one thousand five hundred and twenty-eight new views in the last four days.

Magnus Carlsen has defended his chess title at the twenty twenty-six Esports World Cup, defeating challenger Ding Liren in a decisive final match. That is ten consecutive titles for Carlsen, who remains unbeaten in the tournament since it began.

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit for the cycle last night and drove in the winning run as the Cubs beat the White Sox five to four in eleven innings. He is the first Cubs player to hit for the cycle in a walk-off game since nineteen seventy-six.

Number four Ohio State opens preseason camp this morning as the Buckeyes look to win the Big Ten title and make a deep playoff run. They host Michigan on November twenty-ninth.