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Germany has formally blamed the Kremlin for a recent attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport prompting fresh sanctions, tighter entry controls on Russian nationals and a rise in its threat level from “general” to “high”. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Germany was not at war but was the target of daily hybrid attacks.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said evidence pointing to Russia was clear and pledged stronger deterrence against malign actions. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised a clear response while European capitals voiced solidarity with Germany.

The attribution comes after suspected Russian hybrid attacks in Europe but marks the first time Moscow has been blamed so directly. Separately, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker urged members to prepare for emerging Russian threats. CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently visited Moscow to warn Russia against attacking NATO countries.

Sources: Euronews, The Hill

A shootout in central Kyiv between units linked to Ukraine’s SBU domestic security service and HUR military intelligence has exposed a deepening rivalry between two agencies central to clandestine operations against Russia. Three HUR-linked soldiers were wounded after armed exchanges late Tuesday and early Wednesday.

The confrontation followed the SBU’s detention of a Russian national fighting for Ukraine under HUR supervision and an attempted search of an apartment used by HUR-backed fighters. The SBU said armed individuals obstructed an investigation and attacked its agents, prompting its special forces to return fire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded that both agencies inform the public about what happened. His chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, said investigators had opened a probe, while people familiar with the agencies said competition for influence and resources has intensified following leadership changes.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, Moscow Times

US President Donald Trump has threatened further strikes on Iran after the latest exchange of fire killed at least 18 people, including four people at a wedding party and wounded 108. The US struck areas along Iran’s southern coast near the Strait of Hormuz, Iran retaliated against US bases across the Middle East.

The renewed fighting comes as control of Hormuz remains contested. Iran says two tankers struck mines while attempting an unauthorised transit, while Saudi Arabia says an Iranian attack on the tanker Sidr killed two Filipino sailors. Tehran has expanded a blacklist of ships that it says failed to comply with its rules.

Trump insists Washington has strong control of the strait, but only a handful of vessels now pass through each day compared with about 130 before the war. Brent crude has climbed to about $95, more than 30 per cent above its level at the start of the conflict.

Sources: BBC, Al Jazeera

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz says plans to facilitate the mass emigration of Palestinians from Gaza remain under discussion and were frozen, rather than abandoned, by US President Donald Trump. Katz said Israel was organised to move people “by sea, by air, by every way possible” if other countries agreed to receive them.

Katz said US backing was crucial because countries willing to accept Palestinians wanted American support. He argued there was no real solution for Gaza without migration and said the issue continued to be discussed.

The remarks came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited an army post inside Gaza and said Israel had no plans to withdraw from the territory it currently holds. Netanyahu said Israel controlled 60 per cent of the Strip and would remain until Hamas was disarmed and Gaza demilitarised. Trump initially proposed relocating Gaza’s roughly 2.3 million residents in February 2025.

Sources: The Guardian, Times of Israel

Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged continued assistance to Iran during talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek, as both leaders presented closer cooperation as a way to resist US sanctions. Putin said Russia was supplying essential goods and standing in solidarity with Iran during the current conflict.

Pezeshkian said Moscow and Tehran could counter US “unilateralism” and find ways to circumvent sanctions through multilateral frameworks including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Their meeting followed Washington’s announcement of a new economic campaign against Iran called Operation Economic Outcast.

The Bishkek summit also produced a joint statement condemning military strikes on Iran and opposing unilateral coercive measures that could harm the global economy. Russia and Iran have deepened military cooperation, with Iran providing drone technology to Russia and Moscow supplying targeting assistance for Iranian retaliatory strikes in the Middle East.

Sources: Jerusalem Post, Washington Post

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The Dutch central bank has moved 86 tonnes of gold reserves from the US and Canada to London, citing increasing geopolitical unrest and the need to improve access in a crisis. Governor Olaf Sleijpen said the relocation strengthened the reserves’ tradability, resilience and preparedness.

The transfer, carried out between March and August, shifted London’s share of Dutch gold reserves from 18.1 per cent to 32.1 per cent, making it the largest location. New York and Ottawa each now hold 18.5 per cent, while 30.8 per cent remains in the Netherlands. The total reserve stands at 612.4 tonnes.

The bank sold about 59 tonnes in New York and bought the equivalent in London, while more than 27 tonnes was physically moved through the Netherlands. DNB said London’s gold market allows reserves to be deployed more quickly in a crisis.

Sources: The Guardian, Bloomberg

Thousands of people protested in Ceuta and cities across Spain over the handling of a migration crisis that began when at least 72,000 people crossed from Morocco in July. More than 10,000 migrants, including unaccompanied minors, remain in makeshift camps or on streets and beaches in Ceuta, according to local authorities.

The demonstrations have become politically divisive. The opposition dominated federation of municipalities called the protests, while Spain’s government accused the right of exploiting the crisis. Left-wing groups and unions organised counter-gatherings condemning attacks on migrants.

Negotiations between Ceuta and the central government are deadlocked. Madrid has expanded temporary accommodation capacity to more than 3,400 places and deployed over 1,600 police but local groups say the measures remain insufficient. A citizens’ initiative seeking orderly returns, stronger security and respect for human rights has gathered nearly 65,000 signatures.

Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera

OpenAI is facing 30 new lawsuits in US federal court in California over the February mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, which left eight victims dead. The new complaints were filed on Wednesday by students, educators and other survivors and join seven earlier cases filed by families of victims.

The lawsuits allege OpenAI knew about violent scenarios described by the 18 year old shooter in interactions with ChatGPT but failed to alert law enforcement. OpenAI has previously acknowledged banning Jesse Van Rootselaar’s account in June 2025, saying the activity did not meet the higher threshold required for a police referral.

OpenAI Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon said the company is continuing to engage with the legal process.

British Columbia has also said it plans legal action against OpenAI.

Sources: CBC, Al Jazeera

Technology companies are increasing climate commitments but rapidly rising energy demand linked to artificial intelligence is outpacing emissions reductions, according to the Greening Digital Companies 2026 report. The study, covering 200 major technology companies, found leading AI and cloud providers increased individual emissions between 2020 and 2024 as energy needs and infrastructure expanded.

The companies reported 301 million tonnes of operational emissions in 2024, equal to 0.8 per cent of global energy-related emissions, while consuming close to 500 TWh of electricity. The 10 largest consumers used 269 TWh, more than the whole of Australia.

Only 25 companies said they sourced 100 per cent renewable electricity. Although 151 had near-term emissions targets only 85 were assessed as on track and just 81 had comprehensive plans to meet climate goals.

The report said AI can support efficiency but its environmental costs are rising alongside its expansion.

Sources: Japan Times, CNET

The world is certain to breach the Paris Agreement’s 1.5C warming threshold within the next few years, according to a new UN report that shifts the focus towards limiting the overshoot and eventually bringing temperatures back down. Average global temperatures have already risen about 1.4C above pre-industrial levels.

The report says returning temperatures to 1.5C this century would require peak warming to be limited to about 1.8C, alongside major emissions cuts and carbon dioxide removal on a vast scale. Current industrial capacity for carbon removal remains extremely limited and even under optimistic scenarios a single decade of warming could take about 50 years to reverse.

Current national policies and trends put the world on course for around 2.6C of warming by 2100. The report says carbon removal must supplement, rather than replace, sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Sources: RFI, New York Times

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On this day …

On this day in 1783, representatives of Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris, formally ending the American Revolutionary War. Britain recognised the independence of its former thirteen colonies and accepted boundaries that gave the new United States territory stretching west to the Mississippi River.

The treaty transformed the political map of North America and confirmed that a rebellion against one of Europe’s major powers had successfully created a sovereign republic.

Yet many questions left by independence including relations with Indigenous peoples, slavery and control of the continent would shape American politics and expansion for generations.

Winning independence settles one question about a new country while creating many others.

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Two oil supertankers attempting to exit the Strait of Hormuz were struck by projectiles on Monday, as US-Iran military exchanges resumed after weeks of relative calm. The US said it targeted Iranian rocket launchers preparing to send mines into the strait and Iran retaliated with attacks on the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

Oil shipments through Hormuz had recovered to roughly half of pre-war levels during the lull in hostilities, aided partly by clandestine shuttle runs from major Middle East producers. The renewed fighting threatens that recovery. Brent crude traded about 2% higher at more than $92 a barrel on Tuesday, while shipping companies continue to regard the region as too dangerous for regular trade.

The US and Iran have shown little appetite to resume negotiations since an interim peace agreement collapsed. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said repeated US violations had shown that pressure and threats could cause diplomacy to fail.

Sources: Bloomberg, New York Times

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would immediately reciprocate if the United States returned to commitments under the interim agreement signed in June. Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, he said Iran remained open to a negotiated solution and that war was in no one’s interest.

The agreement called for an end to military operations and a 60-day period for negotiating a final settlement but collapsed after Washington and Tehran accused each other of violations. Iran has tied free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz to US implementation of the deal.

The diplomatic opening contrasts with Washington’s current stance. US President Donald Trump said last week that the US was not seeking talks, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration aimed to “economically asphyxiate” Iran to force concessions and make Tehran want a deal.

Sources: Reuters, Time

China’s President Xi Jinping has made his first visit to Egypt in a decade, as Beijing and Cairo mark 70 years of diplomatic relations and seek to deepen their strategic partnership. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi received Xi in Cairo where talks are expected to cover regional issues as well as economic cooperation.

China is Egypt’s largest trading partner in non-petroleum goods, with bilateral trade reaching nearly $20.7bn by the end of 2025. Chinese investment is concentrated around the Suez Canal Economic Zone, including the TEDA cooperation zone in Ain Sokhna, which hosts about 200 companies with investments exceeding $3.8bn.

The timing places those expanding ties alongside possible US sanctions over financial links to Iran. Washington has warned of expanded measures against Tehran’s partners, while Beijing has sought to strengthen ties with US-friendly regional states ahead of an expected Xi-Trump meeting this month.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Times of Israel

Israel has confirmed that Shin Bet special forces captured Muein al-Arabid, the head of Hamas’s internal security apparatus, during a raid in Gaza City on Tuesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said al-Arabid had been involved in efforts to restore Hamas’s governance and capabilities, while the military said the operation was intended to undermine Hamas’s control and plans to attack Israeli forces and civilians.

Israeli air strikes during the raid killed at least four Palestinians, including two children and a woman, medics said. Hamas condemned the operation as a serious crime and a violation of the ceasefire.

The raid highlights how the October 2025 US-backed ceasefire has halted major fighting without ending Israeli strikes across the territory. Gaza remains divided between Israeli and Hamas controlled areas. Hamas continues to accuse Israel of undermining the broader plan for withdrawals and disarmament.

Sources: BBC, Times of Israel

Germany has blamed Russia for an attempted hybrid attack involving an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport on 4 August. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said analysis of the drone technology and intelligence findings showed Russian involvement, adding that Germany expected further hybrid attacks.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced that Germany would close Russia’s consulate in Bonn, terminate the contract for the Russian House in Berlin, tighten entry controls for Russian nationals and increase pressure on Moscow’s shadow fleet. Russia rejected the allegations as absurd and warned of consequences.

The airport is used by Germany’s military and Nato allies to transport military goods and serves as a base for Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines. Nato chief Mark Rutte said the alliance stood in full solidarity with Germany. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said additional sanctions against Russia were being prepared.

Sources: Japan Times, BBC

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned airlines and insurers that Russian airspace is becoming unsafe as Ukraine expands long-range drone operations. He said Ukraine was not threatening civilian aircraft directly but that drones would increasingly operate over Russia for as long as the war continued.

Air traffic at Russian airports has already been repeatedly disrupted, while aviation risk adviser Osprey Flight Solutions said daily attacks deeper inside Russia were near-certain through 2026 and warned of likely miscalculation or misidentification around the conflict. Both sides have intensified long-range attacks in recent months.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Zelensky’s comments a declaration of state terrorism and said Russia would continue its own attacks. Zelensky said Ukraine could clear drones from Russian skies for specific periods and destinations if partners requested it for diplomatic purposes. Thus far US-led efforts to end the war remain stalled.

Sources: South China Morning Post, BBC

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, telling him during a meeting in Bishkek that every day of fighting set humanity back and that the conflict should move towards a cessation of hostilities. Modi said India supported all peace efforts and would continue to do so.

The appeal came alongside praise for growing economic ties between the two countries. India remains one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil, helping Moscow replenish its budget despite Western sanctions, while Modi said energy, innovation, space, fertilisers and people-to-people links remained focus areas in the relationship.

Russia continues to insist that the war can end only on Moscow’s terms, which Ukraine rejects. Putin responded that Russia was moving forward along the path Modi described, while Russian and Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure continued.

Sources: The Independent, Politico Europe

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said trade talks with the United States can resume only if Washington becomes serious about negotiations, after discussions collapsed on 21 August over what Ottawa called unacceptable last-minute demands.

Carney said proposed US terms would have left core Canadian industries effectively as subsidiaries of American companies or gradually wound down in Canada. He said Ottawa would not accept those conditions, adding that Canada remained a sovereign state free to strike future trade deals with countries of its choosing.

US President Donald Trump has since intensified criticism of Canada, while Washington imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods. Ottawa plans retaliatory tariffs on nearly $20 billion of US goods from 8 September. Carney said there was still a chance for a mutually beneficial agreement but described recent US actions as not constructive.

Sources: Times of India, Reuters

US President Donald Trump has suggested Washington is reviewing its position on the Falkland Islands as pressure grows on Britain to meet Nato defence spending commitments. The United States officially remains neutral on sovereignty while recognising British administration of the territory.

An internal Pentagon memo leaked in April had already raised the possibility of reviewing that stance as diplomatic leverage. A senior US official has since said Britain would receive special attention in a burden-sharing review examining whether allies have credible paths towards the 5% defence and security spending target agreed for 2035.

Britain says the islands’ status as a British overseas territory is not open to discussion. Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s spokesperson said the Falkland Islanders’ right to determine their future was clear and Britain’s commitment remained unwavering. Argentine President Javier Milei, whose government maintains close ties with Washington, has reacted favourably to the prospect of a US shift.

Sources: Mercopress, The Guardian

UN Assistant Secretary-General Kanni Wignaraja has warned that the Himalayan region faces severe risks from future glacial floods, with millions of people exposed and critical infrastructure increasingly vulnerable across the region. Researchers identified 47 potentially dangerous glacial lakes across Nepal, China and India in 2020, while later estimates suggest the true number is significantly higher.

Last week’s flood in Nepal was triggered by the collapse of parts of a glacier near Langtang Lirung, sending ice, rock and water down the Trishuli River. The disaster killed more than 1,000 people and damaged power infrastructure, including 15 major stations under construction.

UN officials say both glacier collapses and glacial lake outbursts are becoming more likely as climate change accelerates glacier melt, loosens rock and increases strain on natural barriers. Wignaraja said technology could improve resilience but warned that some events would overwhelm existing defences.

Sources: Reuters, UN

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On this day …

On this day in 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared the independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam before a large crowd in Hanoi, bringing an end to decades of French colonial rule in principle, if not yet in practice.

France attempted to re-establish control, leading to the First Indochina War and its defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Vietnam was subsequently divided, and the struggle over its political future became one of the defining conflicts of the Cold War, drawing the United States into a long and costly war. The country was finally reunified under communist rule in 1976.

Independence can be declared in a day - securing it can take a generation.

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Hundreds of workers are feared trapped in mud-filled hydropower tunnels after the recent catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border. Nepal’s disaster authority said 939 people had died and 3,925 were missing, including 592 foreign nationals. More than 600 workers were believed trapped in tunnels while Prime Minister Balendra Shah said 279 people had already been rescued from hydropower sites.

Rescuers used explosives to blast into hillsides and pumped air into tunnels as families waited for news. An international operation involving Chinese and Nepalese military personnel, with experts from India, Korea and Australia, was trying to reach sites where access points had been buried or destroyed.

The floods began with a glacial collapse high in the Himalayas where collapsing bedrock and glacier ice generated a magnitude 5.2 seismic event. At least 11 hydropower projects, completed or under construction, were damaged.

Sources: Associated Press, BBC

Russia’s growing use of jet-powered Shahed drones is forcing Ukraine to redesign its air defences as faster weapons sustain prolonged daytime attacks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said almost 1,500 drones were fired at Ukraine over four days, about 800 of them jet-powered, and that combat aircraft are currently being used to shoot them down.

The new drones cruise at roughly 250mph, around twice the speed of older piston-engine Shaheds and beyond the capability of Ukraine’s cheaper interceptors. Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Zelenskyy on defence technology, said at least 2,500 jet drones were launched in August, up from 1,500 in July.

Ukraine is now racing to field faster interceptors. Zelenskyy said four companies had developed relevant systems, while Defence Minister Evgeniy Khmara said field trials had begun and the aim was to scale production to thousands of units.

Sources: CNN, The Guardian

The United States and Iran exchanged strikes for the first time in a month after U.S. forces hit two rocket launchers on Iran’s Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command said the action targeted Iranian minelaying forces posing an imminent threat, while the IRGC retaliated against U.S. military bases in Jordan and launched drones at an air base in the United Arab Emirates.

President Donald Trump said there would be a response and warned, “We’re going to hit them hard,” although he later described the planned military response as “very limited”.

The renewed fighting comes with the Strait of Hormuz still largely closed and the U.S. maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports. Both main crude contracts rose Tuesday, extending gains of more than 2% from the previous day as fears of renewed escalation returned.

Sources: NBC News, France 24

Chinese President Xi Jinping used the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek to reaffirm ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin as wars and sanctions deepen Beijing’s leverage over both Moscow and Tehran. Xi said China-Russia relations had grown “more solid” despite increased uncertainty while Putin said cooperation was developing on all fronts.

China has become critical to sustaining both the Russian and Iranian economies using its position as the world’s largest crude importer and consumer-goods exporter to blunt Western economic pressure. Western sanctions have made Russia increasingly dependent on China, while Beijing is also the biggest importer of Russian and Iranian crude.

The relationship with Moscow is increasingly one-sided in Beijing’s favour. Sanctions have allowed China to stockpile discounted Russian oil.

The SCO has expanded to include Iran and Belarus, strengthening its role as a counterpoint to Western-led groupings.

Sources: Al Jazeera, New York Times

China’s warning of “consequences” over Taiwan’s presence at the Pacific Islands Forum has sharpened tensions over who gets to shape the region’s agenda. Chinese envoy Qian Bo objected to Taiwan attending the opening ceremony in Palau, while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the forum decides what happens at its meetings, not outside countries.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters similarly said the group does not take instructions from non-members. Taiwan attended as a development partner, while China is one of the forum’s dialogue partners.

The dispute reflects a wider contest for influence across the Pacific involving China, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan.

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. said the Pacific was “our home, not a theater for geopolitical competition”, as members face growing difficulty maintaining consensus amid competing external interests.

Sources: Reuters, Associated Press

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The Trump administration invited Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to attend the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Asheville, his first in-person appearance at the forum since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. European officials objected with German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil calling the signal “quite troubling” and refusing to join a group photograph with Siluanov.

President Donald Trump defended the invitation, saying, “We like getting along with everybody.” Treasury Undersecretary Erin Browne said Russia was invited because it remains a G20 member and that dialogue was important even during conflict.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also met Siluanov and said the war needed to end. The invitation marked a sharp change from the U.S. approach after the 2022 invasion, when American and European officials publicly protested Russian participation in international economic forums. Siluanov was ultimately excluded from the traditional group photograph after European objections.

Sources: Washington Post, Politico

India has rejected a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration ordering it to uphold the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and limit construction at the Ratle Hydro-Electric Plant in Kashmir. The tribunal said the treaty remains fully in force and that India had no justification for ending or suspending it.

India suspended the agreement in April last year after identifying two of three assailants as Pakistani in an attack that killed 26 people at a Kashmir tourist destination. Pakistan denied involvement and later took legal action after India began work to increase reservoir capacity at two hydroelectric projects.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the court had “no jurisdiction whatsoever” over its sovereign decisions and that the ruling would not affect its actions. The tribunal said restrictions on Ratle should remain until 90 days after a World Bank-appointed neutral expert issues a decision expected by July 2027.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has warned G20 finance ministers that artificial intelligence could trigger a global economic downturn and create significant cyber risks for financial systems. Writing as chair of the Financial Stability Board, Bailey said frontier models were developing increasingly sophisticated autonomy, problem-solving abilities and threat capabilities.

He said highly valued markets, rising investor borrowing and the concentration of money in major technology companies could amplify a future market correction. Bailey also warned that frontier AI could materially alter the speed, scale and economics of cyber-risk, allowing disruption to spread across jurisdictions and undermine confidence in highly interconnected financial systems.

Bailey called for global steps to support safe and responsible model release and deployment. He said many jurisdictions still lack protocols to manage advanced frontier AI, increasing risks for the financial sector and beyond.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian

Congo’s Ebola outbreak has surpassed 6,000 confirmed cases and 2,911 deaths, becoming the fastest-spreading Ebola epidemic ever recorded. Authorities said 1,366 people had recovered. The outbreak has expanded from three health zones to nearly 60 and most cases and deaths are occurring outside monitored contacts and within communities.

The response is being complicated by insecurity, displacement, a health workers’ strike and intense population movements in eastern Congo. The World Health Organization has said the outbreak remains out of control and risks surpassing the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, which killed more than 11,000 people.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. Congo has begun vaccinating frontline workers with Ervebo, effective against the different Zaire strain, while clinical trials seek a licensed Bundibugyo vaccine.

WHO says the risk of further cross-border spread remains.

Sources: Associated Press, Al Jazeera

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has retired from international football, ending a 21-year career in which he became the country’s most-capped player and all-time leading scorer. The 39-year-old played 207 matches and scored 125 goals, appearing at six World Cups and winning the tournament in Qatar in 2022.

Messi also helped Argentina end a 28-year trophy drought by winning the Copa América in 2021 before retaining the title in 2024. He had previously retired from international duty in 2016 after three consecutive final defeats, but reversed that decision and later led Argentina to its third World Cup title.

Messi said the decision “hurt - and still hurts deeply” but that “the time has come”. He wrote his retirement letter on July 21, two days after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain, and published it after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, on August 8.

Sources: ESPN, Sydney Morning Herald

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On this day …

On this day in 1951, Australia, New Zealand and the United States signed the ANZUS Treaty in San Francisco. Forged in the aftermath of the Second World War and as the Cold War intensified in Asia, the agreement committed the three countries to consult when their security in the Pacific was threatened.

ANZUS became a foundation of Australia’s post-war security relationship with the United States, although the three-way arrangement weakened after Washington suspended its treaty obligations to New Zealand in the 1980s over nuclear policy.

More than seven decades after it was signed, the treaty remains central to the architecture of Australian security although the question must remain as to how enthusiastically the US would come to the defence of Australia if push comes to shove?

Alliances endure when the interests behind them endure.

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US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was observed preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. The attack was the first known US strike on Iran since late July when President Donald Trump paused a renewed military campaign.

Iran said the strike killed two people and injured two others, they then launched ballistic missiles at US military targets in Jordan. Jordan’s army said it intercepted eight missiles while an IRGC spokesman warned that the US would face economic and military consequences.

Larak sits directly on the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran is making tanker traffic pass the island for checks and reportedly charging vessels $2 million to cross.

Before the war, about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas travelled through the waterway. The war has now crossed its six-month mark.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian

NATO sees no imminent threat of attack despite Russia stepping up hybrid acts in Europe and attacks on Ukraine an alliance official said. The assessment came as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that a Russian provocation against a NATO member could not be ruled out.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe raised the possibility of a Russian operation against a NATO member during a brief meeting with Russian intelligence counterparts, according to two sources. Russia has consistently denied involvement in sabotage planning or attacks in Europe.

Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said NATO military activity in the Arctic poses direct threats to Russia’s security and increases the risk of incidents that could trigger armed confrontation.

NATO launched its Arctic Sentry mission in February to bolster its presence in the far north, while Norway expanded a recently created military brigade headquartered in the Arctic this month.

Sources: Reuters, France 24

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington is likely to unveil new secondary sanctions on Iran every week initially targeting banks and potentially cutting institutions off from the dollar-based financial system. He plans to urge G20 finance ministers and central bank governors to sever economic ties with Tehran or face sanctions under Operation Economic Outcast.

The campaign has so far drawn limited compliance. China, which buys 90% of Iran’s oil, warned Washington rather than backing down, while Iranian bank branches remained open in the UAE and commercial flights continued between Iran and several trading partners.

Bessent said he disagreed that sanctions would fail without targeting Chinese companies, arguing that the US blockade had already curbed most Chinese purchases of Iranian oil.

Analysts cited in the sources said effective sanctions would need to hit China but warned that doing so could provoke retaliation and major global economic fallout.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters

A Russian drone strike on a munitions warehouse near Kyiv killed at least 37 people and triggered explosions and a fire that spread into nearby homes. At least 50 residential buildings were damaged, nearly 400 people were being evacuated, and dozens were injured.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a criminal investigation, condemning the storage of explosives beside residential buildings as “terrible negligence”.

Prosecutors said they would examine whether the warehouse had the required permits and whether explosive materials were stored legally.

The attack has revived scrutiny after a July strike on an ammunition depot in Vyshneve killed 22 people and caused fires in surrounding homes. Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said repeating the same mistakes in the fifth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion amounted to criminal negligence and that those responsible should be punished.

Sources: Al Jazeera, NPR

Niger’s army regained control of a key military airbase in Niamey after mutinous soldiers attacked the site and the presidency, underscoring growing strains inside the armed forces. State media said hundreds of disaffected soldiers were involved while the Presidential Guard rallied to military ruler Abdourahamane Tiani’s defence.

Russia said its African Corps helped repel the attempted coup, while Algeria also sent fighter jets, a transport aircraft and a refuelling tanker. The airbase hosts Nigerien aircraft and drones, an Alliance of Sahel States counter-terrorism unit, and Russian and Italian forces.

The unrest adds an internal challenge to Niger’s long-running jihadist insurgency. Analysts and security sources say frustration is mounting within frontline units after repeated battlefield losses, while Tiani’s government has deepened ties with Russia and moved away from Western partners since taking power in a 2023 coup.

Sources: Straits Times, BBC

The death toll from floods and mudslides across Nepal and Tibet has risen above 800, with more than 3,000 people, including more than 260 foreigners, still missing as search operations entered a fifth day. Morgues across Nepal are overflowing, mass burials have begun in Bharatpur, and authorities have requested more than 1,000 freezer units to store bodies safely.

In Chitwan, more than 250 bodies have washed up along riverbanks, but only nine have been identified. Officials are using photographs, DNA samples and personal features to help families identify victims. Many of the worst-hit areas remain accessible only by army helicopter.

Rescue teams are also searching flooded hydropower projects, where hundreds of workers remain unaccounted for. Nearly 20,000 security personnel have been deployed, including around 8,500 army personnel, while India has sent relief flights, tunnel-rescue specialists and forensic teams to assist Nepal.

Sources: Times of India, The Guardian

Icelandic voters rejected reopening negotiations to join the European Union, with 52.8% voting no and 47.2% voting yes. The referendum revived a debate suspended more than a decade ago, balancing concerns about geopolitical stability against preserving national control over Iceland’s fisheries.

Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir said she would respect the result and that the government would not pursue the issue unless something significant changed within the next 24 months. Reykjavik was the only area where a majority backed restarting talks.

Opposition centred on fears that EU fisheries rules would weaken Iceland’s control of its waters, while supporters argued membership could bring greater economic and geopolitical stability. Iceland already participates in the EU single market and Schengen area, but full membership would require reopening negotiations and a second referendum on any eventual agreement.

Sources: Associated Press, NPR

Dozens of Israeli settlers entered a Palestinian home in Qusra in the occupied West Bank while residents were inside throwing stones and trapping people in the building. The Israeli military said its forces found dozens of rioters barricaded inside the house and dispersed them, but no arrests had been announced by Sunday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence, saying the attackers were breaking the law and harming Israel’s international standing. President Isaac Herzog called the incident reprehensible and demanded firm law-enforcement action.

The assault came amid escalating settler violence in the area. Israeli rights groups say few perpetrators are prosecuted, while US Ambassador Mike Huckabee has previously condemned attacks in Qusra as terrorism. The military has raised its readiness in the West Bank and said forces would remain deployed to prevent further disturbances.

Sources: CNN, New York Times

Haitian gangs have released six children and seven women taken during a mass kidnapping in Kenscoff, where at least 47 people were killed and more than 50 abducted. UNICEF said it worked with community leaders to secure the release, while it remained unclear how many women and children were still being held.

The attack has intensified international concern over Haiti’s security crisis. More than 2,600 people were displaced from Kenscoff, while nearly 1.5 million people are internally displaced nationwide.

At an emergency UN Security Council meeting, officials called for faster deployment and stronger support for the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force. The force is expected to strengthen its presence in Port-au-Prince, while Haitian police and armed forces reinforce Kenscoff. UN envoy Carlos Ruiz Massieu said the attack showed gangs’ continued capacity to terrorise communities and challenge state authority.

Sources: Associated Press, Al Jazeera

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kyrgyzstan as Moscow’s dependence on Beijing deepens during the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s oil and gas industry have added economic strain, while China has gained cheaper Russian oil and greater access to a market vacated by Western competitors.

Analysts say the balance inside the relationship has shifted, with Putin increasingly forced to accept the role of junior partner as Russia relies more heavily on China. Beijing has also resisted Moscow’s proposed new gas pipeline unless pricing matches Russia’s subsidised domestic market.

The meeting will take place alongside a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit attended by leaders including Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian and India’s Narendra Modi. Putin and Xi have repeatedly used the group to promote a multipolar world and present a united front against Western influence.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, France 24

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On this day …

On this day in 1980, Poland’s communist government signed the Gdańsk Agreement with striking workers led by Lech Wałęsa. The settlement allowed the creation of independent trade unions, giving birth to Solidarity - the first independent trade union in a Soviet-bloc country.

Solidarity rapidly developed into a broader social movement challenging communist authority. The government imposed martial law in 1981 and suppressed the organisation, but it survived underground before returning to negotiations later in the decade. In 1989, Solidarity candidates dominated partially free elections, accelerating the end of communist rule in Poland and the wider transformation of Eastern Europe.

Can political systems survive once they concede that organised opposition has a legitimate voice?

The most important developments this week were not decisive victories or diplomatic breakthroughs. They were signs of how the United States is increasingly using different forms of power across very different relationships.

Washington intensified its economic campaign against Iran while simultaneously entering a tariff confrontation with Canada. At the same time, the Iran war continued consuming American military resources needed elsewhere, just as Ukraine faced growing questions about its own military position.

There was movement towards reopening the Strait of Hormuz but not towards resolving the wider US-Iran confrontation.

Across these stories, the common thread was not escalation alone. It was the difficulty of translating military, economic and diplomatic leverage into positive durable outcomes.

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The United States intensified its economic campaign against Iran this week, expanding sanctions against Tehran and its trading partners as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promised to sever Iran from the global economy. President Donald Trump subsequently raised the possibility of sanctions against Chinese banks over their commercial links with Iran.

At almost the same time, Washington’s trade negotiations with Canada collapsed. New US tariffs of 50 per cent took effect on about $20 billion of Canadian goods prompting Ottawa to announce retaliatory tariffs of up to 50 per cent from September 8.

The two confrontations are fundamentally different. Iran is an adversary engaged in an unresolved conflict with the United States. Canada is one of America’s closest economic partners, with bilateral trade approaching $900 billion a year.

What connects them is the instrument being used.

Access to American markets and the financial system is becoming a source of leverage across relationships that otherwise have very little in common.

The consequences of the Iran conflict are increasingly visible outside the Middle East.

The United States cancelled a large amphibious exercise with South Korea scheduled for September, citing constraints on the availability of US forces because of the Iran war. Washington had already scaled back another joint exercise with Seoul.

More consequentially, a US defence official said Patriot missile stocks in Europe had fallen to “beyond critical” levels after interceptors were shifted to the Middle East and heavily used against Iran. About 1,500 of 2,330 US Patriot interceptors have been used in the conflict, according to CSIS. The Pentagon and NATO dispute the assessment that European stocks are beyond critical.

Meanwhile, Washington is reviewing further reductions from the roughly 80,000 US troops still deployed in Europe while asking allies to assume greater responsibility for conventional defence.

These are different decisions but together they illustrate a basic constraint: military resources committed to one theatre cannot always remain fully available in another.

Ukraine’s problem this week was not simply that Russia continued advancing. Several of the assumptions on which Kyiv’s position depends became more difficult at the same time.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia plans to draft another 300,000 troops after parliamentary elections in September. Ukraine, meanwhile, faces declining supplies of Patriot interceptors and a $27 billion defence funding gap this year.

Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov gave the problem a sharper edge, saying Ukraine was slowly losing the war and had only months to make decisions capable of changing its trajectory. The presidential office rejected his assessment.

Diplomacy offered little relief. Russia is reportedly preparing to intensify attacks after concluding that negotiations have reached a dead end. Europe announced additional military support, including €6.1 billion from the EU but Ukraine is confronting shortages while Russia continues its offensive.

The difficulty is increasingly one of time: whether additional support and changes in Ukrainian strategy can arrive quickly enough to alter the military trajectory.

There was genuine diplomatic movement this week in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran and Oman moved towards an interim arrangement providing a temporary shipping corridor and joint mine-clearing project. Qatar also resumed mediation with Tehran, while fighting in the broader Iran conflict remained largely paused.

By Friday, Iran and Oman had agreed in principle to a temporary maritime route. Yet Tehran described the corridor as limited and temporary, while Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, linked any broader understanding to an end to military operations in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria.

The result is an opening rather than a settlement. Hormuz remains tied to the wider confrontation over Iran, US sanctions and Washington’s blockade, even as diplomacy creates the possibility of restoring some shipping.

After six months of conflict, the week’s progress therefore illustrates the gap between reducing immediate military confrontation and resolving the disputes that produced it.

This week did not produce a decisive geopolitical shift. It exposed something more incremental: the limits that appear when several forms of power are being used at once.

The United States is using economic leverage against both Iran and Canada while the Iran war consumes military resources required elsewhere. Ukraine is confronting shortages and a continuing Russian offensive as diplomacy stalls. In Hormuz, negotiations have produced a possible route for shipping without resolving the confrontation surrounding it.

None of these developments stands alone. Together they show governments reaching repeatedly for military force, economic measures and diplomacy, sometimes simultaneously.

The question running through the week is therefore increasingly practical: not whether governments have instruments of power available, but how much those instruments can actually achieve.

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Rescuers were racing on Friday to find hundreds of people still missing after catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-China border. Nepal’s death toll rose to 469 and both Nepal and China warned that a newly formed barrier lake could trigger further flooding. More than 1,500 people are missing across the two countries.

Chinese authorities mobilised an eight-member engineering team to survey and model the lake which contains about 2 million cubic metres of water. China warned that another 3 million cubic metres could flow into it over three days, creating a high risk of a breach with peak flow expected around September 1.

The lake formed after a glacier collapse and lies upstream from Gyirong Port, which was engulfed by mud and floodwater two days ago. Nepal has airlifted more than 3,000 people from the disaster area. Both locals and foreigners from multiple countries are among those missing.

Sources: Associated Press, Reuters

The Trump administration is in advanced talks with Venezuela for the U.S. to take a direct stake in at least 17 oil & gas fields holding about 90 billion barrels of proven reserves. The arrangement could involve joint ventures with private companies or hiring companies to operate the fields, although details remain under negotiation and the deal could still collapse.

Venezuela is also considering whether to leave OPEC, with the idea discussed in conversations with U.S. officials but no final decision has been made. Some officials envision a U.S.-Venezuela oil alliance that would diminish OPEC’s influence, however Venezuela is currently not subject to OPEC production limits.

Major U.S. oil companies have yet to make significant new investments in the country since Nicolás Maduro was ousted in January. Venezuela is producing about 1.1 million barrels a day. The proposed U.S. stake is intended to reassure companies considering capital commitments.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg

The U.S. military is facing a severe shortage of Patriot missile interceptors in Europe after stocks were shifted to the Middle East and heavily used in the war with Iran. A U.S. defence official described inventories as “beyond critical”, saying forces in Europe lack enough Patriots to stop a sustained ballistic missile attack and have very limited capacity against even a single strike.

The Pentagon and NATO dispute that assessment, saying sufficient air-defence munitions remain available. U.S. Army Col. Martin O’Donnell, a senior NATO military spokesperson, said it was “simply not the case” that Patriot stocks were beyond critical.

The Iran conflict has used about 65% of U.S. Patriots, roughly 1,500 of 2,330 interceptors, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Europe’s first Patriot production facility is expected to open in Germany in September, with deliveries possibly beginning early next year. For now a Russian ballistic missile attack on NATO is not imminently expected but little could currently be done if one were to eventuate.

Sources: PBS, France 24

Iran and Oman have agreed in principle to a temporary maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz, raising the prospect of easing the rival blockades that have restricted shipping since the conflict began.

Iran is allowing a “temporary and limited” corridor, but Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said any broader understanding must include an end to wars and military operations in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria.

Washington is simultaneously shifting its strategy. The U.S. announced an “economic D-Day” campaign on Monday, moving its focus from military action to economic pressure, while President Donald Trump is reportedly no longer interested in returning to the June agreement framework.

The result is a pause rather than a settlement. Analysts describe a recurring pattern of confrontation followed by diplomacy, with military action and economic measures likely to coexist while both sides continue testing whether the other will yield.

Sources: South China Morning Post, CNBC

President Donald Trump has suggested the U.S. could sanction Chinese banks over their commercial links with Iran, days after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that banks helping convert Iranian oil into money would be targeted. Washington has already sanctioned 60 entities and individuals, including some in mainland China and Hong Kong but has not yet blacklisted major Chinese banks or refiners.

The threat comes weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Washington. U.S. Ambassador David Perdue met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other officials in Beijing on Wednesday to discuss preparations for the visit, while both governments continue trying to preserve high-level engagement.

China, the largest buyer of Iranian oil, has opposed the new secondary sanctions against Tehran and said it would safeguard its interests. Beijing’s official response to the U.S. measures has so far been muted.

Sources: South China Morning Post, CNBC

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The Pentagon is preparing at least four options for future U.S. troop levels in Europe by November 6 as Washington moves towards a smaller military role on the continent. Around 80,000 U.S. troops remain deployed but further cuts are under review as allies are pressed to take greater responsibility for Europe’s conventional defence.

The review will assess allied defence spending, military capabilities and whether countries provide U.S. forces with reliable access to bases and airspace. U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby said Washington wants NATO to become more balanced and praised Germany, Poland and Scandinavian countries while saying he hoped to see more from the United Kingdom.

The Trump administration says it is transitioning towards more limited support with allies in the lead. European governments remain concerned that the review could lead to substantial reductions in U.S. forces.

Sources: The Independent, Associated Press

More than half of the world’s soils are in poor condition, threatening food supplies and biodiversity, according to a UN report presented at the Cop17 summit on desertification in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The report found soil management was poor or very poor in 52.5 percent of assessed regions and sub-regions, while only 14 percent was rated good or very good.

The Food and Agricuture Organisation (FAO) said soil degradation continues to accelerate even though most techniques for protecting and restoring soils were already well known before 2015. Soil management improved in just 10 percent of assessed areas between the two major reports and deteriorated in 58 percent.

Erosion remains the greatest threat, while limited access to resources and high upfront costs are preventing farmers from widely adopting better practices.

The FAO called for greater financial incentives, more localised data and greater practical use of indigenous knowledge.

Sources: RFI, Taipei Times

US corporate profits reached a record in the second quarter as workers’ share of national income fell to historic lows. Pre-tax earnings rose to an annualised $4.8tn, or 18 percent of national income, the highest share since the aftermath of the second world war, while wages and benefits fell to 60 percent, the lowest since the 1950s.

After-tax profits as a share of gross value added also climbed to a record 19.4 percent, from 18.2 percent. Strong earnings have helped push US equities to record highs, while inflation outpaced wage growth and real hourly earnings fell 0.2 percent in July from a year earlier.

Workers have lost sway in corporate America since the early 1980s, and the decline in labour’s share has accelerated over the past five years. Economists say it remains unclear whether the move reflects a lasting structural shift or temporary factors.

Sources: FT, Bloomberg

Malaysia has finalised the first phase of a voluntary repatriation programme that will return 1,476 Myanmar nationals on September 29, as part of an agreement for 5,000 people to be sent back. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in July that Myanmar had agreed to receive 5,000 members of the Rohingya minority.

Malaysia says the process will be voluntary and carried out in an orderly and dignified manner. Earlier this month, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said Malaysia would not return refugees if they faced persecution or threats to their lives.

Rights groups remain concerned about the plan. Human Rights Watch says conditions for a safe, dignified and voluntary return do not currently exist, while Malaysia’s main Rohingya rights group has urged the government to halt the plan. Malaysia hosts more than 126,000 Rohingya from Myanmar registered with the UN refugee agency, its largest refugee community.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Euronews

More than 7,800 people were kidnapped across Nigeria between July 2025 and June 2026, according to SBM Intelligence, as ransom payments rose to N7.78 billion. The research group recorded 1,411 kidnapping incidents and 963 deaths, including 68 security agents.

Boko Haram received about N7 billion, or 90 percent of all ransom paid, from just eight incidents. The report said ransom demands fell from N48 billion to N22.9 billion but actual payments more than tripled from N2.56 billion.

The crisis has spread across every region, although northern Nigeria accounted for 85 percent of kidnapping cases and 96 percent of civilian deaths. SBM Intelligence recorded only 302 anti-kidnapping operations during the year, compared with 1,411 incidents. It has been reported that abductions are spreading southwards as security forces struggle with overlapping threats.

Sources: BBC, Premium Times Nigeria

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On this day …

On this day in 1845, the first issue of Scientific American was published in New York. Founded by inventor and publisher Rufus Porter, the weekly initially focused on new inventions, patents and developments in science and technology at a time when industrialisation was rapidly changing American economic life.

The publication evolved considerably over the following decades, eventually becoming one of the world’s best-known magazines devoted to science and scientific ideas.

More than 180 years after its first issue, it remains in publication. Its longevity is a reminder that technological revolutions create demand not only for new discoveries, but for people and institutions capable of explaining what those discoveries mean.

A succinct daily briefing delivered each weekday to help you stay on top of the stories shaping the world.

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A glacial collapse in the Himalayas has triggered catastrophic flooding across the Nepal-Tibet border, leaving at least 162 people dead in Nepal and three dead in Tibet. China’s Xinhua News Agency said 558 people were missing in Tibet, including 260 foreigners, while Nepalese officials earlier reported 403 missing.

The US Geological Survey initially recorded an earthquake but later determined that the seismic event was a magnitude 5.2 glacial collapse, saying no earthquake had occurred. Climate researchers said an avalanche from a glacier likely caused the flash flood, with water levels on the Trishuli River rising by as much as nine metres in half an hour.

Scientists cautioned that the precise cause remains uncertain. Researchers have found glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya are melting faster, with ice-loss rates doubling since 2000, while warming temperatures may have accelerated the collapse. Researchers also stressed the importance of early warnings in a warming Himalaya.

Sources: Associated Press, New York Times

Qatar’s prime minister will visit Tehran on Thursday to pursue mediation as the Iran war approaches its sixth month, with fighting largely paused but no diplomatic breakthrough. Qatar, a US ally and Iran’s Gulf neighbour, helped secure the June ceasefire and has served as a back-channel negotiator already.

The talks will address de-escalation and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has retained control as leverage and a revenue source. Oil flows through the strait fell to 5 million barrels per day on Monday, down from roughly 20 million daily before the war.

Washington has meanwhile signalled greater reliance on economic pressure, with increased sanctions planned against Iran’s trading partners. Iran and Oman are discussing a temporary transit corridor and mine-clearing project, but no agreement on control of the strait has been finalised. The military pause therefore leaves Hormuz at the centre of both the diplomatic effort and the continuing dispute.

Sources: Reuters, Arab News

Iran and Oman have discussed a temporary shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz and a joint mine-clearing project, raising hopes of a partial reopening even as Tehran says Washington is obstructing a wider agreement. Technical negotiations are continuing towards a permanent corridor and future administration of the waterway.

The dispute remains tied to the broader US-Iran confrontation. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says the strait will remain closed unless Washington accepts Tehran’s conditions, while President Donald Trump insists it is already functioning and says he is in no hurry to restart negotiations.

Oil markets have responded to the prospect of improved access. Brent crude for October delivery fell 2.5% to $86.38 a barrel and WTI dropped 2.2% to $80.53. Analysts at ING said an Iran-Oman agreement alone would not restore pre-war oil flows without changes to the US blockade and sanctions.

Sources: CNBC, Wall Street Journal

US President Donald Trump declared “Mission Accomplished” in Iran on Wednesday even as the war continued without clear movement on several goals he had set for the conflict. Those included permanently ending Iran’s nuclear programme, preventing attacks on neighbouring states and proxy funding, and engineering regime change.

Iran is now led by Mojtaba Khamenei after the killing of his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, while the regime appears little changed and more firmly entrenched. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found only 31 per cent of American voters supported Trump’s handling of Iran.

The political costs are also rising. Fuel prices have surged, Trump’s overall approval is below 40 per cent, and some Republicans fear the conflict could hurt the party in November’s midterm elections. The declaration therefore sharpens the contrast between the White House’s claim of success and a war that remains unresolved.

Sources: South China Morning Post, The Guardian

Beijing has vowed to protect its interests after Washington expanded Iran sanctions to Chinese entities, creating a new source of tension weeks before President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to the United States. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian called the measures illegal and said China-Iran cooperation was conducted within international law.

The US sanctions target Iran and its trading partners, including entities in mainland China and Hong Kong, as Washington increases economic pressure after months of military strikes and diplomacy failed to resolve the conflict. China remains a key customer for Iranian oil and opposes unilateral sanctions.

Analysts said the impact on US-China relations could depend on whether Washington extends secondary sanctions to major Chinese banks. Tsinghua University fellow Sun Chenghao said measures limited to individual companies might remain contained, while sanctions on core financial institutions could turn the summit towards damage control rather than advancing stability.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera

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CIA Director John Ratcliffe used a rare visit to Moscow to warn Russia against attacking NATO members, according to US media reports, amid intelligence assessments that Moscow could seek to test the alliance. The Wall Street Journal said President Vladimir Putin could attempt a limited assault in the next few years.

Ratcliffe met Russian intelligence counterparts but not Putin, according to the Kremlin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin was briefed and described intelligence contacts as positive, while saying US-Russia relations remained in a profound crisis.

The visit came as Russia intensified its offensive in Ukraine and US-brokered peace talks stalled. Ratcliffe also discussed the Iran war, warning of additional sanctions if the Strait of Hormuz does not reopen to shipping. President Donald Trump described the Moscow trip as semi-routine and suggested its focus was ending the Ukraine war.

Sources: Japan Times, The Independent

Russia is preparing to intensify attacks on Ukraine after concluding that peace negotiations have reached a dead end, according to people close to the Kremlin. Moscow is weighing stronger conventional ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv, including the city centre and infrastructure in other Ukrainian cities.

The reported shift follows the collapse of negotiation frameworks and stalled US efforts to end the war. Kremlin-linked sources say Moscow sees few alternatives to further escalation in pursuit of its war goals and increasingly views Ukrainian strikes as attacks by NATO because alliance members provide weapons and intelligence.

Russia and Ukraine have already stepped up air attacks on each other’s territory, while Russian missile strikes have exposed shortages in Ukraine’s air defences.

Some Russian officials now discuss tactical nuclear weapons as a possible last resort, though there is no sign Moscow is preparing to use them and analysts assess the risk as extremely low.

Sources: Bloomberg, Kyiv Post

Uganda has been declared free of Ebola after completing the World Health Organization’s 42-day monitoring period without new transmission, following an initial outbreak that caused 20 cases and two deaths. The Ugandan government had declared the outbreak over on July 28, while WHO continued monitoring to ensure no transmission chains had been missed.

Across the border, the Democratic Republic of Congo is facing the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak on record. More than 5,600 cases and 2,700 deaths had been reported by Tuesday, with WHO official Dr Marie Roseline Belizaire saying transmission remained very active despite improvements in testing and contact tracing.

WHO has identified an immediate $30 million funding gap for logistics to deliver medical and protective equipment in the worst-hit areas of Congo. Belizaire warned that without the investment, progress in slowing the outbreak could stall, even as Uganda expands cross-border support.

Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera

Nigeria has launched a major rescue operation after an estimated 600 worshippers were abducted during an attack near Dekera village in north-central Niger State. President Bola Tinubu ordered the military, police and intelligence agencies to act immediately, while local authorities continued trying to verify the number missing.

An official from Borgu district said 30 people were killed in the attack and buried on Sunday. Video released by the kidnappers showed large groups of captives in a forested area surrounded by armed men, with children heard crying.

Mass kidnappings for ransom have become common across parts of northern Nigeria and have increased since the start of the year. The issue is politically sensitive ahead of January’s presidential election, when security is expected to be a major campaign issue. Tinubu has ordered regular updates until all those abducted are accounted for.

Sources: RFI, Al Jazeera

Meta has agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion to 47 states, the District of Columbia and US territories and make major product changes to settle claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed children. The settlement ends a bellwether federal trial and will be paid over 10 years.

For US teen users across the country, Meta will impose two-hour daily limits across Instagram and Facebook, restrict use between midnight and 6 a.m., silence notifications during school hours, limit beauty filters and like counts, and strengthen age verification and parental controls.

Meta will initially pay about $12 billion, with another $5 billion due if Snap, TikTok and YouTube reach similar settlements involving financial penalties and product changes. The agreement is designed to encourage an industry standard rather than single out Meta. Thousands of other lawsuits against social media companies remain unresolved.

Sources: New York Times, BBC

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On this day …

On this day in 1955, the first edition of The Guinness Book of Records was published in Britain. The idea had emerged after Sir Hugh Beaver, managing director of the Guinness brewery, became involved in an argument over which was Europe’s fastest game bird and realised there was no readily available reference book capable of settling such disputes.

What began partly as a promotional exercise for a brewing company became an international publishing phenomenon. The book sold millions of copies, expanded into numerous languages and eventually became a global institution devoted to documenting extraordinary human achievements and natural phenomena.

Sometimes enduring businesses begin not with a grand strategy, but with somebody noticing a surprisingly simple gap in the market.

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A former senior Russian official has warned that British factories producing drones for Ukraine could be attacked by “semi-military” or “unknown” forces as Moscow condemns expanding UK military support for Kyiv.

Former Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Fedorov said Russian President Vladimir Putin was under pressure from public opinion and Russian media to act against Britain. He raised the possibility of attacks on drone factories, cyberattacks or unspecified political measures while saying such action would not be at an official level.

The warning followed Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s agreement to provide Kyiv with classified technology to manufacture a British/French-designed cruise missile in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Britain of becoming increasingly involved in the war and said Russia was gathering information on potential production sites so they could be targeted. Britain has also pledged to supply at least 120,000 drones to Ukraine this year.

Sources: CBS News, Bloomberg

Iran and Oman have edged towards an interim agreement on managing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, offering the first sign of diplomatic progress in weeks over the strategic waterway. Their proposed framework includes a temporary transit corridor and a joint mine-clearing project, with technical talks continuing on permanent navigation arrangements and future administration.

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said he hoped the countries would soon announce a temporary corridor and practical arrangements to restore safe navigation. Iranian officials, however, have insisted that such a deal would not immediately restore free traffic through the strait.

Tehran says the United States must first lift its naval blockade, restore an oil-export waiver and meet other demands. Traffic remains largely paralysed through a waterway that normally carries around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports, leaving any interim corridor as a step towards, rather than a substitute for, a broader settlement.

Sources: FT, Al Jazeera

Petrol queues are lengthening across Tehran as tighter US sanctions and a naval blockade deepen economic strain, with some drivers waiting two hours or more to fill up. Inflation is in double digits, the rial has hit a record low and households say rising prices are eroding purchasing power for many people.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has vowed to sever Iran from the global economy, with expanded secondary sanctions targeting sectors including digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping.

President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Washington of turning to economic measures after failing to defeat Iran militarily and has rejected surrender as an option.

Yet there are no signs so far that worsening conditions have revived the anti-government protests crushed earlier this year. Iran has endured international sanctions for decades, while oil sales to China remain a lifeline whose vulnerability to further US measures is uncertain as is China’s response to the latest round of sanctions.

Sources: Associated Press, South China Morning Post

Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs of up to 50 per cent on about $20 billion of US goods from September 8, sharply escalating a trade dispute between the two countries. Tariffs on American steel and aluminium will double from 25 to 50 per cent, while more than 700 other products will face levies of 15, 25 or 50 per cent.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the measures were designed to protect Canadian industry and help domestic companies compete against US products. Canadian officials said the tariffs were intended to match US measures and reduce American imports, while acknowledging they would raise costs for some businesses and consumers.

The retaliation follows new 50 per cent US tariffs on Canadian goods after trade negotiations collapsed. Canada and the United States remain deeply integrated across autos, energy, agriculture and manufacturing, making a prolonged dispute potentially costly on both sides.

Sources: Washington Post, Associated Press

At least 47 people were killed and more than 50 kidnapped in a gang attack on Kenscoff, near Haiti’s capital in the largest assault on the community since the first major attack there in January 2025. At least five of those killed were children, and 25 homes were set alight.

A gang leader threatened to kill the hostages if police operations injured any of his fighters, while Romain Le Cour, head of the Haiti Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, said the attack could be intended to force police and the UN-backed gang suppression force to spread limited personnel more thinly.

The attack shattered hopes that security was improving in Haiti. Armed groups control an estimated 70 per cent of Port-au-Prince, gang violence has displaced 1.5 million people and more than 3,050 people were killed across Haiti between January and June.

Sources: The Guardian, DW

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Ukraine appears to be slowly losing the war against Russia and has only several months to make key decisions that could change its trajectory, according to ousted Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. He said Kyiv lacked an overall vision for victory and was failing to combine existing military technologies into a coherent strategy.

Fedorov said Ukraine should urgently prioritise autonomous drones guided by artificial intelligence, cheap interceptor missiles and its own ballistic missile programme. He argued that technologies already existed that could stop Russian forces but were not being applied effectively.

His warning comes as Russia continues advancing slowly in the Donbas and is striking Ukrainian factories and warehouses with ballistic missiles while Ukraine’s interceptor stocks run low. Ukraine’s presidential office rejected Fedorov’s assessment, saying he had been positive about the war while in government and that only his personal status had changed.

Sources: Kyiv Post, Reuters

Myanmar’s human rights situation has “plummeted to a new low”, the UN says, as military violence, abuses against the Rohingya and illicit resource extraction compound civilian suffering. An estimated 8,075 civilians, including 1,074 children, have been killed since the 2021 coup, while 3.6 million people are internally displaced.

The report says Myanmar’s military continues to use airstrikes, arson attacks, displacement and denial of assistance, while both the military and the Arakan Army have committed widespread and systematic abuses against the Rohingya in Rakhine State.

The collapse of the rule of law has also fuelled illicit economies. Illegal rare-earth mining in Kachin and Shan has strengthened transnational criminal networks, while toxic runoff has caused environmental contamination linked to miscarriages and pregnancy complications.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged states, companies and investors to reconsider their involvement.

Sources: OHCHR, Al Jazeera

Trump’s energy policies could double US power-sector carbon emissions by 2035 while eliminating $700 billion in clean-energy investment, according to analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The group estimates that 390 to 540 gigawatts of new wind, solar and energy-storage capacity could be lost over the next decade.

The report attributes the shift to measures including the removal of clean-energy tax credits, tariffs that raised technology costs, efforts to keep ageing fossil-fuel plants operating and delays to new wind permits. It estimates consumers could pay up to $30 billion more each year for electricity by 2035, with household bills rising by as much as 25 per cent in some regions.

Power-sector carbon dioxide emissions could exceed one billion metric tonnes by 2035, compared with just over 500 million tonnes under the report’s counterfactual scenario. Both scenarios included rapid electricity-demand growth from data centres.

Sources: Energy News, Japan Times

The United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross have renewed calls for legally binding restrictions on autonomous weapons, warning humanity is “dangerously close” to allowing machines to target people without human control.

Their appeal seeks prohibitions on two categories: autonomous weapons whose effects cannot be predicted or anticipated and systems designed to target human beings. The organisations said advances in artificial intelligence and military technology are widening the gap between technical capability and regulation, while making accountability for lethal decisions harder to establish.

The push comes ahead of the November review conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in Geneva, which the UN and Red Cross describe as the clearest route towards binding rules. They first called for an international agreement in 2023, arguing that human judgement and control must be retained over life-and-death decisions.

Sources: The Independent, UN

France has warned that US opposition at UN land talks risks blocking progress as negotiators enter the decisive second week of COP17 in Ulaanbaatar. Former French ecological transition minister Barbara Pompili said Washington was resisting efforts to link land degradation with climate change, biodiversity loss and water scarcity, while Russia was also obstructing scientific work.

The dispute comes as negotiators remain divided over drought, including whether to adopt a legally binding protocol or a voluntary framework. Talks on stronger cooperation between the Rio Conventions have yet to begin.

COP17 has made progress on rangelands, grasslands and soil health, including a $1.2 billion Rangelands Flagship Initiative. But a $278 billion annual land-restoration finance gap remains, with the private sector providing just 6 per cent of restoration funding. France argues that soil protection must be integrated with food, water, energy and economic policy.

Sources: RFI, WWF

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On this day …

On this day in 1920, US Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby formally certified the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, prohibiting the federal government and states from denying citizens the right to vote on the basis of sex. Tennessee’s ratification eight days earlier had provided the final state needed for adoption.

The amendment was the culmination of decades of campaigning by the American women’s suffrage movement, although discriminatory laws and practices continued to prevent many women, particularly Black women in the South, from exercising the right in practice.

The distinction remains important: establishing a right in law and ensuring that everyone can exercise it are not always the same thing.

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Yemen’s Houthis said they struck the Saudi oil tanker Amzan with a ballistic missile off the port of Yanbu, as the group continues its blockade of Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea. Saudi national shipping company Bahri confirmed the vessel was involved in a maritime incident and said all crew members were safe, with no injuries reported.

The attack exposes the second threat to Gulf energy exports while the Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded. Yanbu is Saudi Arabia’s main Red Sea oil port, loading millions of barrels a day and has become the main route for Saudi tankers looking toavoid Hormuz. Shipping around Yanbu has faced disruption since the Houthis declared their blockade last month.

UK Maritime Trade Operations said the tanker was struck about 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu. The Houthis said the strike caused a fire, while Bahri said it was coordinating with authorities and prioritising safe management of the vessel.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Euronews

It has been released that Iran-linked hackers temporarily shut down a small British power plant for four days in July in what reports say is the first successful cyber attack of its kind on a UK facility. The outage did not affect the wider power supply, and the National Cyber Security Centre declined to confirm or deny the incident.

The attackers targeted programmable logic controllers or PLCs, the computers used to run automated industrial systems across energy, water and manufacturing. US authorities say Iranian-linked actors have used simple techniques including scanning for exposed devices and exploiting unchanged default passwords.

The incident coincided with attacks on US water systems across 12 states. In June, NCSC chief executive Dr Richard Horne said the agency had managed more than 200 attacks on UK critical infrastructure in the previous year with roughly 75% linked to hostile states including Russia, China and Iran.

Sources: CBS News, The Telegraph

Iran has vowed to retaliate against countries that cooperate with fresh US sanctions as Washington prepares what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has called the “single greatest financial offensive ever marshalled against an adversary”. The US says it will impose secondary sanctions on any country or entity trading with Iran.

Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei warned Gulf neighbours that if they joined the campaign, “not a drop of oil” would leave the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz adding that Tehran would target other Gulf export routes. Shipping through Hormuz remained severely disrupted over the weekend.

The wider test of this latest US tactic is whether major trading partners comply. China has again rejected unilateral sanctions, while Iran says crude exports have “virtually stopped” under the US naval blockade.

Bessent has told allies and other countries to stop trading with Iran and said Washington would use its power against those that refused.

Sources: The Guardian, Al Arabiya

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran had tried to kill one of his sons but provided no details about when the alleged plot actually occurred, which son was targeted or how close it came to being carried out.

Netanyahu made the claim during an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 while discussing security protection for political candidates ahead of the October 27 general election. He said he had asked Shin Bet chief David Zini to provide appropriate security for any prime ministerial candidate.

The allegation comes amid heightened tensions since the US-Israeli war on Iran began in February, during which Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (the father of Iran’s current leader) and other senior Iranian leaders were killed. Iran’s mission at the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Netanyahu’s coalition is trailing in opinion polls two months before the election.

Sources: Reuters, Times of India

European leaders gathered in Kyiv for Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day, reaffirming support as the country marked its fifth such anniversary since Russia’s full-scale invasion. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and European Council President António Costa joined in person, while French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz participated remotely in Coalition of the Willing talks.

The EU announced €6.1 billion in new military assistance, while Britain pledged support for Ukrainian production of SCALP missiles and stronger air defences. Ukraine is seeking at least 300 additional interceptors ahead of winter as Russian missile and drone attacks intensify.

Senior Trump administration officials were absent. Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner did not travel to Kyiv, despite repeated recent meetings with Russian officials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement backing Ukraine’s sovereignty and a negotiated settlement, while former US vice-president Mike Pence and former envoy Keith Kellogg attended anniversary events.

Sources: Euronews, NBC News

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The United States has cancelled a large joint amphibious exercise with South Korea scheduled for September after citing constraints on the availability of US forces because of the war in Iran. The division-level Ssangyong drill was to involve US and South Korean marines rehearsing amphibious landings with warships, aircraft and ground forces.

The cancellation follows President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back the separate Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, citing both cost and Seoul’s refusal to join the Iran war. Washington and Seoul remain in consultations on resuming Ssangyong.

The latest changes come as North Korea continues to condemn joint exercises as rehearsals for invasion. Pyongyang fired 10 short-range ballistic missiles last week despite the reduction of Ulchi Freedom Shield. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio separately told South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun that the allies needed close coordination on matters integral to their alliance.

Sources: Reuters, The Hill

Around six million people in Somalia are facing acute hunger, while nearly 1.9 million children are projected to suffer malnutrition this year as drought, conflict and falling humanitarian funding deepen the crisis. More than 200 health and nutrition centres have already closed across the country, according to UNICEF.

The strain is especially severe in camps for displaced people in Baidoa, where Doctors Without Borders said one in two children was suffering acute malnutrition and one in four had the severe form. One third of families there are surviving on one meal a day.

The World Food Programme says around one third of Somalia’s population faces acute hunger. Poor rainfall has caused water shortages, crop failures and livestock losses, while higher fuel, fertiliser and food prices linked to the Middle East conflict have added to the strain. Food assistance was reaching only 12% of those facing acute food insecurity in May.

Sources: RFI, UN

The United States has proposed expanding the UN arms embargo across all of Sudan, including drones and related technologies, arguing that external military support is prolonging the war and undermining mediation. Senior US adviser Massad Boulos said the measures were intended to build pressure on all parties to seek an end to the fighting.

Sudan’s army rejected the approach. Military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan said sanctions would not deter his forces from fighting until all territory held by the Rapid Support Forces was captured, while Sudan’s UN representative said the proposal would undermine sovereignty and equate the army with the RSF.

China and Russia also opposed widening the sanctions regime, while Britain, France and Denmark backed the US proposal. China and Russia hold veto power at the Security Council, leaving adoption of the draft uncertain.

Sources: Associated Press, Sudan Tribune

The US Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to move ahead with plans to restrict mail-in voting before November’s midterm elections, lifting a lower-court freeze on key parts of President Donald Trump’s executive order. The ruling is preliminary and does not decide whether the measures are lawful.

The order directs federal agencies to create citizenship lists and gives the US Postal Service a role in determining which voters receive mail ballots. The Court said the administration was likely to suffer irreparable harm if planning remained blocked while cautioning that implementation could still face further legal challenges before the election.

The three liberal justices on the bench dissented. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned the decision could inject chaos and uncertainty into the election while Justice Sonia Sotomayor stressed that the ruling did not establish executive authority over state-run elections. A separate lower-court injunction also continues to complicate implementation.

Sources: New York Times, NBC News

The world’s oceans have reached their highest ever recorded average surface temperature, with Copernicus data showing 21.1C on August 22, edging past the previous record of 21.09C set in March 2024. Scientists say the record reflects decades of human-driven warming combined with a strengthening El Niño.

The timing is particularly significant because global ocean temperatures usually peak in March or April, after the southern hemisphere summer. El Niño is expected to strengthen until around Christmas, while Britain’s national weather agency expects the event to peak at more than 3C above normal in the tropical Pacific.

Warmer oceans can raise sea levels, intensify storms and heat on land, reduce carbon dioxide absorption and damage marine ecosystems. Copernicus climate lead Samantha Burgess said El Niño was adding heat to a system already warmed by human activity, increasing risks for coastal communities and marine life.

Sources: BBC, South China Morning Post

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On this day …

On this day in 1944, German forces in Paris surrendered after four years of occupation. French and American troops had entered the capital the previous day, supported by an uprising launched by the French Resistance. General Dietrich von Choltitz, the German military governor, surrendered despite Adolf Hitler’s orders that Paris should not fall intact.

Charles de Gaulle arrived later that day and declared that Paris had liberated itself, reinforcing the political claim that France had been an active participant in its own liberation rather than simply a country rescued by the Allies.

The battle was military, but what followed was also a struggle over how nations remember occupation, resistance and liberation.

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As Washington is preparing what U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has called “the toughest sanctions in history” against Iran, shifting the campaign towards economic measures after nearly six months of war, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi called the move desperate and said previous U.S. blockades and military actions had failed.

Iran nevertheless faces severe economic strain. President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged inflation, livelihood problems and unemployment, while Tehran continues to impede tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing up global oil prices.

The confrontation has also widened well beyond Iran. Supreme National Security Council leader Mohsen Rezaei warned neighbouring countries against joining U.S. economic measures, threatening alternative Gulf oil-shipping routes as well as American commercial interests.

China has criticised Washington’s sanctions initiative whereas the United Arab Emirates has suspended trade and financial transactions with Tehran. Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir is due in Tehran shortly as part of efforts to restore regional peace and security.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian

Saudi Arabia is rerouting oil shipments around Africa as Houthi threats make its Red Sea export route increasingly difficult to use. The kingdom had relied on west-coast facilities to blunt the impact of Iran’s effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz but attacks and threats around the Bab el-Mandeb are now complicating that alternative.

Tankers collecting crude from Yanbu have increasingly sailed north through the Suez Canal to Egypt’s Sidi Kerir, forcing Asia-bound cargoes onto journeys of roughly 17,000 miles around Africa. Some Asian refiners have resisted collecting directly from Yanbu because of difficulty securing willing ships, while Saudi Arabia has begun offering Chinese customers cargoes from the Gulf of Oman.

The disruption is raising delivery costs and keeping Saudi exports below pre-war levels. Japanese and South Korean refiners are still expected to take September cargoes from Sidi Kerir on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, reflecting energy-security concerns despite the higher expense.

Sources: Bloomberg, FT

Syria and Israel have resumed high-level contact under U.S. mediation, with delegations meeting in Jordan to pursue de-escalation after recent Israeli strikes & rising tensions in southern Syria. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said negotiations on a security agreement should resume soon, although Damascus currently does not trust Israel.

Syria says its immediate priority is to halt Israeli attacks, arrests and targeting operations. It also wants Israeli forces to withdraw to positions held before December 8, 2024, and to see the 1974 Disengagement Agreement fully implemented.

The talks are intended to revive negotiations towards a security agreement that could underpin a broader future accord. Damascus insists any arrangement must respect Syrian sovereignty, territorial integrity and its right to determine alliances, while maintaining that the Golan Heights remain Syrian territory. Shaibani said Syria is open to diplomacy but has not seen Israeli willingness to implement an agreement.

Sources: Anadolu Agency, Reuters

U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack has walked back comments that Israel “still” occupies the Golan Heights in violation of U.N. resolutions, saying he was describing the territory’s historical status rather than endorsing the U.N. position.

Barrack said U.S. policy remains unchanged from President Donald Trump’s 2019 recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, which reversed decades of American policy. Israel captured the territory from Syria in 1967 and annexed it in 1981, a move not recognised by the United Nations or most of the international community.

His clarification followed criticism in Washington, including from Republican Senator Rick Scott. Barrack also rejected suggestions that earlier remarks meant Iran and Hezbollah should join U.S.-backed Israel-Lebanon negotiations, stressing that Washington does not negotiate with Hezbollah and that he had been describing the difficulty posed by Iranian financing and weapons.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Washington Post

US President Donald Trump has accused Canada of wanting “the benefits of being a State, without being one” after trade talks collapsed and new 50% US tariffs took effect on about $20 billion of Canadian goods.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called the measures an attack and said Canada would impose dollar-for-dollar countertariffs from September 8 on goods including steel, dairy and appliances. He said the US had demanded terms that were unfair and would compromise Canadian sovereignty, including restrictions on Canada’s ability to strike trade deals with other countries.

The breakdown has deepened a dispute between neighbours with a nearly $900 billion-a-year trading relationship and renewed uncertainty over the USMCA - the agreement that replaced NAFTA. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer blamed Canada for making new demands while Carney said Washington changed terms at the last minute.

No plans have been announced to resume talks.

Sources: BBC, Wall Street Journal

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia plans to draft another 300,000 troops after parliamentary elections in September, with further mobilisation possible in 2027 as Moscow seeks to sustain its offensive in eastern Ukraine.

Russian forces are pressing to capture the remaining Ukrainian-held parts of the Donbas including the fortress belt of eastern cities. Zelensky said Moscow was suffering heavy losses around Kostiantynivka and could ultimately seek an additional 500,000 troops through what he described as “peripheral mobilisation” focused on Russia’s regions.

Ukraine is simultaneously facing growing air-defence constraints. Zelensky said Kyiv expected only 264 Patriot interceptors in 2026, down from 364 in 2025 and 675 in 2023, while Russia is seeking capacity to produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles annually. He also said Ukraine faces a $27 billion defence funding gap this year.

Sources: South China Morning Post, The Telegraph

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says holding an election while fighting with Russia continues would risk splitting the country, rejecting a proposal from former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov for a wartime vote.

Elections are prohibited during war under Ukrainian law, while millions of Ukrainians are abroad, under Russian occupation or serving at the front. An August 5 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 57% of Ukrainians want elections only after fighting ends.

Zelensky said a wartime election might be possible if Ukraine’s partners could guarantee conditions for a safe, legitimate and democratic vote, including participation by military personnel, people in frontline areas and citizens abroad. No such plan has been proposed.

He said his strategy is instead to steer Ukraine towards ending the war while preserving an independent and sovereign state, rather than risk dividing the country during active fighting.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian

Western leaders have gathered in Kyiv ahead of Ukraine’s Independence Day, with Nordic and Baltic partners joining meetings focused on defence cooperation and air protection as the war continues.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Finnish President Alexander Stubb for talks on defence-industry cooperation, including agreements covering drones, uncrewed naval systems and unmanned ground vehicles.

Leaders and representatives from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway were also in Kyiv ahead of a Coalition of the Willing meeting.

Zelensky separately highlighted Ukraine’s continuing shortage of air-defence interceptors, saying Kyiv wants 300 US-made Patriot missiles for a winter package and would seek access to 5% to 10% of US stockpiles. Ukraine has received 264 Patriot interceptors so far this year.

The diplomatic gatherings therefore combine political solidarity with negotiations over the military capabilities Kyiv says it still needs.

Sources: Euronews, Kyiv Independent

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have reportedly invited Iran to join their new Mecca Agreement for Mutual Defense, while Bangladesh has also signalled a positive approach towards possible membership.

The pact, signed on August 7, treats an attack on one member as an attack on all three and is already developing mechanisms for diplomatic and military coordination. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has compared the arrangement to NATO’s Article 5 while stressing that it is not directed against Iran or any specific country.

Iranian official Mehdi Rahimi said Tehran had received an invitation and was reviewing it, although neither Iran nor the three members has officially confirmed the offer. Bangladesh’s state ministers for foreign affairs said Dhaka would consider joining according to its national interests. Turkey has also said the alliance could expand further, with Egypt publicly mentioned as a possible candidate.

Sources: Times of India, Jerusalem Post

The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group have agreed a roadmap for peace talks after five days of negotiations in Switzerland, setting out sequenced steps and timelines under the Doha framework signed last year.

The two sides also agreed to establish a mechanism to monitor ceasefire violations and address problems implementing existing commitments. A first verification mission is due on Monday in Minembwe, South Kivu, where fighting has continued despite repeated ceasefire pledges.

Major differences remain over sanctions against M23, the release of detainees and the timing of political reforms. The security situation in eastern Congo also remains fragile, with the government and M23 continuing to accuse each other of violations.

The conflict has killed thousands and displaced millions, while tensions between Congo and neighbouring Rwanda continue to shape the wider dispute despite a separate US-brokered agreement between the two countries last year.

Sources: Al Jazeera, BBC

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On this day …

On this day in 1991, Ukraine’s parliament declared the country independent from the Soviet Union, days after the failed coup against Mikhail Gorbachev in Moscow. The decision was overwhelmingly endorsed in a referendum that December, when more than 90 per cent of voters backed independence. Within weeks, the Soviet Union itself ceased to exist.

Thirty-five years later, the consequences of that decision remain at the centre of European security.

Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 turned Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity into the central issue of Europe’s largest war since 1945. The independence declared in 1991 is now being defended on the battlefield.

There was no decisive military or diplomatic shift this week. Instead, some of the clearest developments occurred away from the battlefield.

The US-Iran negotiating window expired without a broader settlement, but Washington’s response increasingly centred on economic coercion. In Russia, Ukraine’s long-range campaign continued against refineries, industrial facilities and logistics while fuel shortages deepened. At the same time, the cost of defending against missiles and drones remained an increasingly visible constraint.

The common thread is straightforward. Conventional military force has not produced decisive outcomes, so the contest is spreading into trade, finance, energy, logistics and the resources required to keep fighting. The battlefield remains important, but it is no longer the only place where these wars are being fought.

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Sixty days after President Donald Trump signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran, the deadline for turning it into a broader settlement expired. Hormuz remained constrained, detailed nuclear negotiations had not begun and Washington resumed its blockade of Iranian ports while withdrawing sanctions waivers that had briefly allowed Iranian oil sales.

The response is increasingly economic. The UAE suspended financial and economic transactions with Iran after weeks of pressure from Washington to target Iranian financial networks. The significance is practical: Dubai has long served as an important gateway for Iranian imports, foreign currency and sanctions-evasion networks.

Washington is now preparing what Treasury chief Scott Bessent called “the toughest sanctions in history”. Meanwhile, the US military is moving oil through Hormuz using a protected southern corridor near Oman.

None of this has ended the military confrontation. Instead, economic isolation, access to trade and the ability to move oil are becoming another front in it.

Ukraine’s campaign inside Russia is following a different path towards a similar objective. Neither Russia nor Ukraine is making significant battlefield progress, while Kyiv has intensified long-range attacks against military, industrial and logistical targets far from the front.

British-made drones have now been used in strikes inside Russia. Ukrainian forces are also using domestically produced FP-1 drones capable of flying more than 1,000 miles. Refineries and logistics facilities have been among the targets.

The domestic consequences are becoming harder to ignore. By Wednesday, petrol was available at only 28% of Russian filling stations, down from 41% a week earlier. Moscow has banned fuel exports, increased imports and reintroduced lower-grade petrol.

Separate strains are appearing in the financial system. Russian depositors withdrew 286.4 billion roubles in the first two weeks of August amid fears that private savings could be seized to finance the war.

The military campaign continues, but the economic effects are increasingly reaching ordinary Russians.

The week’s other recurring lesson was the cost of sustaining modern warfare, particularly when relatively cheap drones and large missile salvos have to be countered by sophisticated defensive systems.

Ukraine’s Patriot launchers are sitting empty as it runs short of interceptors capable of destroying Russian ballistic missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine needs 5% of the US stockpile to survive the winter but currently has only 1%. Russia, meanwhile, has built or expanded at least 10 drone bases containing at least 59 new launch rails.

The problem extends beyond Ukraine. Taiwan has proposed a record NT$1.12 trillion defence budget for 2027, an increase of 18.2% from this year.

The proposed US Golden Dome missile-defence system illustrates the scale at the other end. The administration estimates a cost of $185 billion, while the Congressional Budget Office puts the potential cost at $1.2 trillion over 20 years. Even then, the CBO says it would not provide an impenetrable shield against a large Russian or Chinese attack.

None of these developments means conventional warfare is disappearing. Fighting continues, weapons are being produced and governments are spending more on military capacity.

What was abundantly clear this week was not the nature of war so much as the visibility of its other fronts. Washington is trying to restrict Iran’s access to trade and finance. Ukraine is attacking the infrastructure supporting Russia’s economy and war effort. Governments facing missiles and drones are confronting the cost of maintaining adequate defences.

The result is a broader contest over who can keep trading, financing, supplying and defending for longer.

When battlefield force does not deliver a decisive outcome, the capacity to sustain the conflict becomes part of the fight.

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Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains sharply constrained as ships try to navigate competing US and Iranian demands. Kpler data showed seven commodity ships transited on Thursday, half Wednesday’s tally, with four entering and three exiting. No very large crude carriers or LNG tankers were recorded, although one very large gas carrier left via the Iranian route.

The latest figures follow data showing 236 ships crossed Hormuz between August 1 and 19. Of those, 83 openly used the Iranian route, three the Omani route and two the pre-war central route, while 148 went dark or used unknown routes. Vessels travelling with transponders switched off are absent from tracking data.

The pattern leaves control difficult to determine. Iran retains significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic while alternative logistics and ship-to-ship transfers indicate that its ability to exert influence through the strait is not absolute.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters

The United States is preparing what Treasury chief Scott Bessent called “the toughest sanctions in history” against Iran, alongside an existing naval blockade. Bessent said the measures could reduce the likelihood of a large-scale return to military force and promised details on Monday.

President Donald Trump had earlier threatened “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale”, warning that countries providing Iran with financial or commercial support would face economic consequences.

Oil prices rose to more than a three-week high after the threats.

Washington also imposed new sanctions on an alleged Hezbollah financing network and amended the group’s terrorist designation to state that it operates in service to Iran under the command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The measures target 10 people accused of helping move cash outside the formal financial system.

Together, the steps place economic coercion at the centre of Washington’s next move in the Middle East.

Sources: Reuters, Times of Israel

The U.S. Army plans to phase out an experimental drone assault battalion in Europe that was created to study lessons from the war in Ukraine and develop concepts for fighting with drones and ground robots. After exercises in Germany, the unit will report its findings and return to its core role as an airborne infantry battalion.

The move forms part of a broader back-to-basics approach under acting Army Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who succeeded Gen. Randy George after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ousted him in April. The Army says it remains committed to accelerating military drone dominance.

Critics argue the phaseout could slow adaptation to a form of warfare that has transformed battlefields in Ukraine and the Middle East. The Army has not said how it will accelerate drone-warfare capabilities after the battalion is wound down.

Sources: The Hill, Wall Street Journal

Ousted Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s attempt to broaden his dispute with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy by calling for wartime elections has failed to win over protesters who had demanded his return.

Parliament approved Zelenskiy’s choice of Yevhenii Khmara as defence minister on Wednesday while only a few dozen protesters remained in a Kyiv square where thousands had previously gathered.

Fedorov’s July dismissal had triggered demonstrations over concerns about his removal and Ukraine’s war effort. But an August 5 poll found 57% of Ukrainians wanted elections only after fighting ends and protest organisers rejected the idea of voting while troops remain at the front.

The episode marks a reversal for Fedorov, who had been seen as a potential challenger to Zelenskiy. Analysts said his election call misjudged public sentiment and could damage his political capital before a vote can realistically be held.

Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg

Croatian police have arrested Ukrainian diver Volodymyr Zhuravlev under a German European arrest warrant over the 2022 Nord Stream explosions. German prosecutors accuse him of helping plant explosives on the Baltic Sea pipelines linking Russia and Germany, three of whose four lines were destroyed.

Zhuravlev had previously been detained in Poland, where a court refused Germany’s extradition request, ruling that any Ukrainian attack could be considered a legitimate act of war. His lawyers are expected to challenge extradition from Croatia on similar grounds.

The case creates a fresh test of European legal consistency. Zhuravlev’s Polish lawyer Tymoteusz Paprocki said Croatia would effectively be considering the same person, facts, laws and arrest warrant already examined in Poland, raising the question of whether EU courts will interpret international law differently.

Germany is seeking his extradition to face prosecution there.

Sources: Euronews, The Guardian

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Romania scrambled F-16 fighter jets to destroy a marine drone detected a few hundred metres from the Neptun Deep gas project in the Black Sea. Defence Minister Radu Miruta said the drone contained explosives and was destroyed to protect several hundred people working on the platform and secure critical infrastructure.

President Nicusor Dan blamed Russia, condemning what he called an intensification of irresponsible incidents by the Russian Federation. Ukraine told Romania that the drone was not operated by its forces, while Russia issued no immediate public comment.

The incident follows the destruction of two Gerbera-type drones near Neptun Deep earlier this month. The offshore project is expected to make Romania the EU’s largest gas producer when it starts production in 2027, while NATO states Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey have already neutralised more than 150 mines drifting across Black Sea trade lanes.

Sources: Politico, Reuters

Petrol was available at just 28% of Russian filling stations on Wednesday, down from 41% a week earlier, as Ukrainian drone strikes continue to disrupt the country’s refining system. Fuel rationing, purchase limits and long queues have spread across multiple regions, including Moscow, where some stations have imposed caps on sales.

Russian President Vladimir Putin again described the shortages as “non-critical”, while acknowledging that Ukrainian attacks were causing damage. Russia has banned fuel exports, increased imports and reintroduced lower-grade petrol previously prohibited under tighter fuel standards.

Authorities have also detained or fined residents who complained publicly about shortages. In Volgograd, five people were detained after recording an appeal about rationing, while a resident in Perm was fined over a planned protest.

The combination of supply disruption and repression is turning the fuel crisis into a broader domestic test for the Kremlin.

Sources: Euronews, The Independent

Taiwan has proposed a record NT$1.12 trillion ($35 billion) defence budget for 2027 as military pressure from China increases. The plan would lift spending by 18.2% from this year and push defence expenditure above NT$1 trillion for the first time.

President Lai Ching-te has pledged to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2030. The 2027 proposal would put the figure at about 3% of GDP, with additional funding directed towards weapons, ammunition, military operations and payments for US arms purchases including F-16V fighters and Himars rocket systems.

The budget still requires legislative approval. Analysts warned that Taiwan’s rapid economic growth could make the 5% target harder to reach even as nominal defence spending rises, while the government argues stronger AI and technology-driven growth has expanded revenues enough to increase military spending without cutting other programmes.

Sources: The Independent, South China Morning Post

A Hong Kong court has found activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung guilty of incitement to subversion over their role in organising annual vigils marking the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. The pair, former leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance, face up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing expected later.

The case centred on the Alliance’s slogan calling for an “end to one-party rule”. The court found that Lee and Chow intended to cause others to lose confidence in the Chinese Communist Party by stirring hostility and division, while the defence argued they were exercising freedom of speech.

Hong Kong and Macau were once the only places on Chinese soil permitting public Tiananmen vigils. Public commemoration has effectively been banned in Hong Kong since Beijing imposed the national security law in 2020, after the previous year’s pro-democracy protests.

Sources: The Guardian, Al Jazeera

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been transferred from Adiala prison to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad after the Supreme Court ordered authorities to arrange a medical examination within 48 hours. His party said the transfer took place under heavy security, while officials had earlier pledged to comply with the ruling.

The order requires Khan to be examined by specialists, including an eye doctor, after months of complaints from his family and lawyers about his health and access to care. It also allows family visits, which he had been denied for months.

The ruling represents Khan’s most significant judicial relief since his imprisonment in 2023. The court has barred political activity outside the hospital, while it remains unclear whether he will return to prison after examination or remain there for treatment.

Sources: BBC, CNN

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On this day …

On this day in 1911, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in Paris. The painting disappeared for more than two years after museum employee Vincenzo Peruggia removed it from the gallery and concealed it while attempting to return it to Italy.

Newspapers around the world followed the investigation, turning the theft into an international sensation. Public fascination with the missing artwork elevated the Mona Lisa from an admired Renaissance painting into one of the most recognisable cultural symbols in the world.

When the painting was recovered in 1913, its reputation had grown far beyond the art world. The theft demonstrated how media attention can transform an object into a global phenomenon.

Did the crime create the modern legend of the Mona Lisa?

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The United Arab Emirates has suspended all financial and economic transactions with Iran, placing one of Tehran’s most important commercial and financial relationships at the centre of President Donald Trump’s strategy to weaken the Iranian economy.

Washington has spent weeks pressing Emirati officials to target Iranian financial networks operating in the country, arguing that restricting money flows linked to Iran could be more damaging than the existing naval blockade of Iranian ports.

President Trump warned that any country providing a financial or commercial lifeline to Iran would face “TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences”.

The challenge is that Dubai has long functioned as Iran’s principal gateway to imports, foreign currency and sanctions-evasion networks. Before the war, the UAE supplied more than 30% of Iran’s imports, worth about $21 billion in 2024. Emirati officials have described the latest measures as a gradual escalation rather than a complete rupture, reflecting concerns that an aggressive crackdown could damage the UAE’s trade-dependent economy and trigger further Iranian retaliation.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, Reuters

The U.S. military is moving millions of barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz using a protected southern corridor near Oman, helping restore exports despite continued Iranian attacks on shipping.

U.S. officials say 15-20 tankers have entered and exited the strait each night in recent weeks - with average daily exports now close to 10 million barrels. The operation schedules inbound empty tankers and outbound loaded vessels in separate time slots, while U.S. aircraft, ships and other assets provide protection against drones and missiles.

The corridor has become one of Washington’s main efforts to loosen Iran’s grip on the strait and limit further disruption to global oil supplies. However the operation remains resource-intensive and dangerous. At least 15 ships using southern routes have been hit since the start of June with large shipping companies continuing to avoid the strait until there is a lasting ceasefire.

Sources: Axios, New York Times

Israel bombed Syria’s Abu al-Duhur airbase only after warning Damascus against allowing Turkish troops to deploy there, sharpening tensions over Ankara’s growing military relationship with President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government.

Four days before the strike, Mossad chief Roman Gofman spoke with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani about Turkey’s military presence, arms supplies and drones. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said Israel would not tolerate a Turkish military establishment in Syria that threatened Israeli security.

Al-Shaibani denied that Turkish forces were preparing to deploy at the base, saying it was largely empty and still being rehabilitated, although Turkish officers had visited days earlier as part of military cooperation. Turkey rejected Israel’s allegations, while U.S. envoy Tom Barrack called the strikes an unnecessary escalation.

Washington is working on a deconfliction mechanism among Israel, Turkey and Syria as Turkish influence in Syria draws increasing Israeli concern.

Sources: Reuters, Times of Israel

The Israeli military has acknowledged for the first time that its troops fired on the car carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab and six relatives in Gaza in January 2024 and has opened a criminal investigation into the killings.

The IDF had previously said its forces were not near the vehicle or within firing range. Rajab survived the initial attack and spent hours on the phone with Palestinian paramedics seeking rescue. An ambulance sent to reach her was also fired upon, killing two medics. The bodies, including that of Hind Rahab were recovered 12 days later.

The investigation follows an IDF review that also opened a criminal probe into the March 2025 killing of 15 Palestinian medics and first responders.

However, the military declined criminal investigations into three other attacks on aid workers, including the April 2024 World Central Kitchen strike that killed seven people.

Sources: The Guardian, CNN

President Donald Trump says he plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year but Kim’s sister has cast doubt on his claim that recent communications have already taken place.

Trump said Kim had responded to his request for a conversation and later said, “Yeah, I will be,” when asked whether he expected to meet him this year. Kim Yo-jong said she was “completely unaware” of any such contact. While she acknowledged that her brother retained good memories and feelings towards Trump she further noted that the US remained an enemy of Pyongyang.

The diplomatic signals come as Washington reduces this year’s joint military exercises with South Korea from 10 days to five. Kim Yo-jong said the change should not be treated as a gesture of goodwill, while South Korean President Lee Jae Myung welcomed Trump’s effort to create conditions for dialogue and reiterated support for taking greater responsibility for the peninsula’s defence.

Sources: The Guardian, CNN

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The U.S. national debt has reached a record $40 trillion as government borrowing continues at a historic pace and higher interest costs deepen concern about the country’s fiscal trajectory.

Treasury data show gross federal debt has risen by $3 trillion over the past year, its fastest increase outside the pandemic era. Government spending is expected to exceed tax revenues by more than $2 trillion this year, while interest payments now exceed $1 trillion annually and rank as the government’s second-largest expense after Social Security.

Investors are demanding higher returns to hold U.S. debt. Thirty-year Treasury yields reached a 19-year high this week, while the U.S. recently paid its highest borrowing costs on 30-year bonds since 2001.

Debt held by the public now exceeds $32 trillion, roughly equal to the size of the U.S. economy.

Sources: NPR, FT

Russian depositors are withdrawing billions from banks as fears grow that the Kremlin could seize private savings to finance the war in Ukraine, adding strain to a financial system already dealing with rising bad debts.

Nearly 286.4 billion roubles was withdrawn in the first two weeks of August, following 7.3 billion in July and more than 4.5 billion in June. Sberbank executive Taras Skvortsov said withdrawals this year could nearly double the amount removed during the first year of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The outflows are creating liquidity problems and have already undermined government borrowing. The Finance Ministry was forced to cancel planned bond issues as banks struggled to spare cash, while the January-July budget deficit reached 6.46 trillion roubles, far above the 3.8 trillion forecast for the full year. Some businesses are also moving money abroad to reduce exposure to possible asset seizures.

Sources: The Independent, Washington Post

Moderna and Merck say their personalised mRNA cancer vaccine Intismeran reduced both recurrence and spread of melanoma in a late-stage trial, the first positive result of its kind for an mRNA cancer vaccine.

The treatment combines Moderna’s made-to-order vaccine, based on mutations in each patient’s tumour, with Merck’s immunotherapy drug Keytruda. The trial enrolled 1,137 high-risk patients whose stage IIB-IV melanoma had been surgically removed. Interim results showed the combination met its primary goal on recurrence and its secondary goal on preventing spread compared with Keytruda alone.

Detailed results and overall survival data are not yet available but the companies are already in talks with regulators. Moderna President Stephen Hoge said the vaccine could be available as soon as next year if approved.

Similar mRNA approaches are being tested against lung, breast and pancreatic cancers.

Sources: Reuters, AL Jazeera

President Donald Trump’s National Guard deployment in Washington has put roughly 4,500 soldiers on the streets but a review found they were mentioned in only about 1.3% of criminal cases filed since the deployment began.

The troops outnumber the city’s roughly 3,200 police officers, yet their role is limited. They can detain suspects but generally must call police to make formal arrests. It was found that there were 217 cases mentioning Guard involvement, including 62 in which soldiers stopped suspects independently and 43 in which they assisted police, often in relatively minor offences.

The deployment also appears concentrated away from the areas with the city’s most serious violence. There are no court-record references to soldiers conducting law enforcement in neighbourhoods where about 82% of Washington’s murders occurred over the past five years.

Violent crime between January and mid-August was about 4% higher than a year earlier.

Sources: Reuters, Modern Diplomacy

The Golden Dome missile-defence plan may improve U.S. protection against airborne threats but analysts warn it could also accelerate an arms race with China, Russia and North Korea without eliminating America’s vulnerability.

The Congressional Budget Office said the system would be far more capable than current defences but would not be an impenetrable shield against a large attack by Russia or China. Analysts also argue that stronger U.S. defences could encourage adversaries to expand offensive arsenals to overwhelm them.

The most ambitious element is a space-based interceptor network. Estimates range from roughly 1,900 interceptors for continuous coverage against one missile to about 7,800 against 10 simultaneous ICBMs. Cost estimates also vary sharply, from the administration’s $185 billion to the CBO’s $1.2 trillion over 20 years, with space interceptors accounting for most of that total.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Scientific American

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On this day …

On this day in 1988 a United Nations-brokered ceasefire between Iran and Iraq came into effect, ending nearly eight years of conflict. The war had begun in 1980 when Iraqi forces invaded Iran triggering one of the twentieth century’s longest conventional wars.

The conflict caused enormous human and economic losses with hundreds of thousands killed and both countries left financially and physically exhausted. Fighting extended beyond the battlefield to include attacks on cities, energy infrastructure and shipping in the Persian Gulf.

Although the ceasefire ended active hostilities, many of the political disputes that contributed to the conflict remained unresolved.

The Iran-Iraq War demonstrated that even the longest wars often conclude through exhaustion rather than decisive victory.

This war also illustrates something relevant to what is going on today - Iran is both capable and willing to engage in long, drawn out conflict when it sees the need to do so.

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President Donald Trump says the United States has no talks planned with Iran despite earlier comments from envoy Jared Kushner describing discussions as active and positive.

Trump also insisted that the Strait of Hormuz was open and operating even as in reality limited traffic continued and Iran maintained that the waterway would remain closed until American conditions were met.

The contradiction highlights a widening gap between public messaging and the negotiating reality surrounding one of the world’s most important energy corridors.

Oman and Iran say they are nearing a shipping agreement while the United States continues its naval blockade of Iranian ports. At the same time, regional tensions have intensified following a reported strike on a vessel in the strait, Houthi drone claims against a Saudi refinery and the United Arab Emirates’ decision to halt trade and financial transactions with Iran.

Sources: Associated Press, SBS

Israel carried out eight airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur airbase near Aleppo on Tuesday, hitting the runway and storage facilities without causing casualties, according to Syrian state media. The attack appeared to be Israel’s first strike on Syrian government assets since March and drew condemnation from Turkey and criticism from U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who called it an “unnecessary escalation”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Syria was on the verge of breaching a security status quo by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at the base and said Israel had repeatedly warned Damascus against such a move. Turkey did not say whether its troops were present.

The strikes deepen tensions over Syria, where Turkey has become a leading ally of President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government while Israel remains deeply suspicious of the new authorities and has repeatedly targeted Syrian military sites since Bashar al-Assad was ousted in 2024.

Sources: Reuters, New York Times

An Israeli strike on a crowded seaside cafe in Gaza City killed at least seven people, including a child, and wounded 14 on Tuesday, one day after U.S. envoy Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advance President Donald Trump’s 15-point Gaza plan. Israel said Hamas commanders planning attacks on Israeli troops were targeted.

The strike sharpened doubts over the peace plan’s implementation. Donald Trump announced last month that his Board of Peace had reached an agreement with Hamas to disarm, while Israel was required to fulfil obligations under the October ceasefire, including immediately suspending attacks. Netanyahu subsequently rejected the agreement.

The dispute remains centred on sequencing. U.S. officials envisage Hamas surrendering weapons in stages as Israel gradually withdraws but Israel insists there will be no withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed. Kushner said Gaza would not be rebuilt before demilitarisation and Israel retained the right to respond to imminent threats.

Sources: New York Times, Anadolu Agency

President Donald Trump ordered the United States to substantially reduce its Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises with South Korea, citing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and calling the drills hostile. The annual exercise will now end on August 21, six days earlier than planned, with some live-training events cancelled, reduced or converted to simulations.

The move surprised Seoul. South Korean Foreign Affairs Minister Cho Hyun said neither his government nor U.S. officials had prior knowledge of Trump’s order before it was announced, even as both militaries said essential readiness and training objectives would be preserved.

The decision comes as Trump pushes to revive diplomacy with Kim, who has rebuffed U.S. and South Korean overtures unless demands for denuclearisation are dropped. North Korea has not publicly responded to the reduction while state media reiterated criticism of the drills and vowed to continue its right to self-defence.

Sources: NBC News, The Guardian

The United States imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court president Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye on Tuesday, escalating the Trump administration’s campaign against the Hague-based court. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two had engaged in efforts to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute officials whose governments had not consented to ICC jurisdiction.

The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets they may hold and effectively cut them off from the U.S. financial system. Seye is part of the prosecution team that sought an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Akane has warned that U.S. sanctions could jeopardise the court’s existence.

The ICC said the measures undermine the rule of law. The Netherlands and Japan also criticised the move, while Rubio has said Washington will intensify efforts against the court, including encouraging other countries to withdraw.

Sources: Reuters, South China Morning Post

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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK would continue to support Ukraine “100%” after Moscow warned of consequences following confirmation that British-made drones had been used in recent Ukrainian strikes inside Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow had the right to regard Britain’s direct involvement in strikes on Russian territory as participation in the war.

The latest warning follows intensified Ukrainian long-range attacks on Moscow and other Russian regions, including strikes on oil refineries and Wildberries logistics sites. A British military source confirmed that UK-supplied drones had been used in recent attacks, while Russia’s embassy in London warned of unspecified consequences.

Burnham said Britain was helping Ukraine defend itself and would remain alongside Kyiv. Moscow has previously accused British specialists of involvement in attacks on Russian territory and said Britain’s role would be taken into account in its response.

Sources: BBC, Reuters

Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone campaign against Russia, launching almost 800 drones in one of its largest attacks of the war and striking targets including a Wildberries logistics warehouse outside Moscow. Ukrainian crews are using domestically produced FP-1 drones capable of flying more than 1,000 miles to hit military, industrial and logistical sites far from the front.

Kyiv says the aim is to bring the war’s consequences home to the Russian public and push President Vladimir Putin towards negotiations. The campaign has forced Russia to spread air defences over a wider area, disrupted airports, contributed to fuel shortages and damaged morale, while neither side is making significant battlefield progress.

The escalation is unfolding alongside continued Russian strikes on Ukraine. A missile attack on Pechenihy in the Kharkiv region killed 10 civilians and wounded 17, underscoring the expanding long-range aerial duel between the two countries.

Sources: PBS, Associated Press

Ukraine’s former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for wartime elections on Tuesday, hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy nominated Yevhen Khmara as his permanent successor. Fedorov said Ukraine should devise a legal, safe and realistic mechanism to restore elections despite the war, arguing that democracy could not be postponed indefinitely.

His intervention followed a month of protests triggered by his dismissal and came after Khmara’s nomination effectively ruled out Fedorov’s return to the defence ministry. Fedorov had rejected other senior government roles and previously said he would only return to lead defence.

Ukraine has not held national elections since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 and elections are prohibited under martial law. Fedorov did not call for an immediate vote or set a timetable but linked elections to political accountability, public trust and the conduct of the war.

Sources: Euronews, CNN

US President Donald Trump paused planned 50% tariffs on nearly $20bn of Canadian imports for three days, saying Canada and the United States had a deal subject to finalising documents. The duties had been due to take effect less than two hours later and would have covered goods including wine, dairy, cement, clothing and hockey equipment.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said substantial progress had been made but important work remained. Negotiations have focused on issues including US tariffs on Canadian autos, provincial bans on American liquor and Canadian dairy access.

Trump also said a final agreement could revive the Keystone XL pipeline, while the US Trade Representative said the deal would include market access, economic security commitments and digital trade alignment. Businesses on both sides had warned that higher tariffs would damage both economies and disrupt supply chains.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian

Opening statements began on Tuesday in a federal trial against Meta, with California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey accusing the Facebook and Instagram parent of deliberately designing products to addict children, misleading the public about risks and collecting data from children under 13 without parental consent.

Deputy California Attorney General Megan O’Neill said Meta designed its platforms to hook users, keep them engaged and harvest their data. Meta rejected the claims as unsubstantiated and said research showed no clear link between adolescent social media use and reduced wellbeing.

The four states are seeking product changes and roughly $200bn in penalties. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will decide the case, with an eight-person jury serving in an advisory role. Former Meta safety engineer Arturo Bejar began testifying after opening arguments, while Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri are also expected to appear.

Sources: Al Jazeera, NPR

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On this day …

On this day in 1839, the French government announced the daguerreotype process and made the new photographic technology available to the public. Developed by Louis Daguerre, the method allowed images to be permanently recorded on specially prepared metal plates.

Photography transformed the way societies documented people, places and events. Images could now preserve historical moments with a level of detail that written descriptions and paintings could not always provide.

Over time, photography reshaped journalism, science, art and public memory.

Nearly two centuries later, photography remains one of the most influential technologies ever introduced, even as digital tools continue to redefine how images are created and shared.

Has any technology changed the relationship between memory and evidence more profoundly than photography?

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Sixty days after President Donald Trump signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran with great pomp & circumstance in the Palace of Versailles and described it as a “historic breakthrough”, the deadline for converting the interim agreement into a broader settlement has expired without any material progress. The Strait of Hormuz remains largely shut, detailed nuclear negotiations never began and the conflict has entered its sixth month.

The United States has resumed its blockade of Iranian ports and withdrawn sanctions waivers that briefly allowed Iranian oil sales during the truce. Tehran is demanding concessions that Washington has rejected, while Iranian officials say the 60-day negotiating window is no longer relevant. President Trump continues to insist that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains his primary objective.

The administration is now relying heavily on economic pressure while analysts warn that a prolonged campaign of economic attrition could trigger renewed warfare. The conflict has also become an economic and political challenge inside the United States as disrupted oil shipments continue to affect energy markets.

Sources: Washington Post, New York Times

President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it obstructed US efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, even as Iran and Oman said they were close to finalising their own shipping arrangement for the waterway. The strait has been largely closed for nearly six months, disrupting a route through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said an understanding had been reached on a transit route and that both sides were finalising details before a joint statement. Trump separately claimed the United States had opened a direct backchannel with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps but an IRGC spokesman denied any talks.

The confrontation comes as a 60-day US-Iran memorandum of understanding expires without an agreement to end the war. Neither side has signalled willingness to extend it, while Tehran says negotiations never properly began.

Sources: BBC, Al Jazeera

Saudi Arabia is offering Arab Medium and Arab Heavy crude to some Asian refiners from locations outside the Strait of Hormuz, using ship-to-ship transfers off Oman and the UAE. The move resembles arrangements used by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co as Gulf producers adapt to prolonged disruption around the waterway.

The origins of the grades make it highly likely the barrels were produced inside the Persian Gulf before being moved outside the strait. Satellite imagery showed vessels with at least 9 million barrels of transport capacity loading at or near Ras Tanura over the past week while Saudi supertankers have gathered outside the gulf.

The arrangements allow Asian refiners to receive crude without sending their own tankers through Hormuz where security concerns have deterred many shipowners. Sustained shipments outside the strait have already helped ADNOC sell more than 100 million barrels through tenders.

Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg

United States envoy Jared Kushner said Gaza will not be rebuilt until Hamas is fully demilitarised, after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to produce a breakthrough on implementing a US-backed roadmap.

Kushner said Washington would not restrict Israel from acting against imminent threats and urged Israel to take small steps to test whether Hamas is serious about disarmament. Under the proposed process, Hamas would hand weapons to the Palestinian technocratic government, which would transfer them to an International Stabilization Force for destruction.

The four-hour meeting produced agreement on two working groups covering demilitarisation and humanitarian conditions plus a deconfliction mechanism involving Egyptian mediators.

Netanyahu’s office reiterated that demilitarisation must be completed before reconstruction begins, while a Board of Peace official said Israel would give the plan a chance if Hamas demonstrates compliance.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Axios

President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 33%, the lowest of his current presidency as Americans grow increasingly pessimistic about the Iran war. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 64% disapproved of his performance, while 80% expect US involvement in Iran to continue for an extended period.

The conflict has paralysed a fifth of global oil trade and pushed up gasoline prices, while Iran has kept traffic through the Strait of Hormuz largely constrained. Only one in five Americans, and half of Republicans, now say the war has been worth it.

The political consequences are widening ahead of the November midterm elections. Reuters/Ipsos polling this month showed voters preferring Democrats over Republicans on handling the economy for the first time in about a decade, while Republicans’ advantage on immigration narrowed to two percentage points from 26 points in January 2025 among registered voters.

Sources: Reuters, Forbes

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Ukraine’s Patriot launchers are sitting empty as the country runs short of interceptors capable of destroying Russian ballistic missiles exposing a critical gap in its air defences ahead of winter.

President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine needs 5% of the US stockpile to survive the winter but currently has only 1%.

The shortage follows heavy interceptor use during the Iran war. Coalition forces used an average of 225 interceptors a day during the first four days, while manufacturer Lockheed Martin produced 620 interceptors in 2025, equivalent to 1.7 a day.

Kyiv estimates it needs at least 300 PAC-3 interceptors to withstand another winter of Russian attacks on power, gas and water infrastructure. Russia launched a record 198 ballistic and hypersonic missiles in July. US caution and depleted allied stockpiles are leaving Ukraine increasingly exposed.

Sources: CNN, FT

Russia has built and expanded at least 10 drone bases with at least 59 new launch rails, creating infrastructure capable of sending long-range attack drones deep into NATO territory. Around 20 rails have been extended to launch sophisticated long-range drones while one base reportedly has storage space for 1,000 aircraft.

The sites have been used primarily against Ukraine but their location near Russia’s borders with Ukraine and Belarus puts NATO territory within reach. NATO has faced repeated drone incursions, including one shot down over Romania on Sunday and another intercepted over Latvia two days earlier.

The alliance says it is investing nearly $40 billion in counter-drone capabilities over five years and plans to train five times as many drone operators by the end of 2027.

Russia denies planning to attack NATO territory, while alliance officials warn Moscow could test NATO with a limited military operation or intensified hybrid attacks.

Sources: The Independent, Newsweek

Champagne producers have begun their earliest harvest since records started in the early 20th century after heat and drought accelerated grape ripening across northeast France. The Champagne Committee brought the official start forward to August 12, more than a week earlier than last year, while one grower received permission to begin on August 6 as acidity levels fell sharply.

Higher temperatures increase sugar content and make it harder to preserve champagne’s characteristic flavour and acidity. Across French vineyards, harvest dates have moved forward by about 21 days over the past 50 years, according to agroclimatologist Serge Zaka.

This year’s crop has also been hit by spring frost which destroyed around 30% of it, while heat and drought further reduced yields. Producers are drawing on reserve wines and considering more resilient grape varieties and ground cover as they adapt within strict appellation rules.

Sources: Reuters, NTV

President Donald Trump said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his outreach, a day after ordering joint US-South Korean military exercises to be substantially reduced. Trump described Kim as respectful and said scaling back the drills was making the Korean Peninsula safer, although North Korea has not publicly confirmed any renewed contact.

The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises nevertheless began as scheduled, involving roughly 18,000 South Korean troops alongside US forces. North Korea regards the annual drills as preparations for war, while Washington and Seoul describe them as defensive.

Trump linked his decision to Seoul’s refusal to join the US-led war against Iran, arguing that allies receiving American protection should help Washington in return.

The comments widen the significance of the move beyond North Korea, tying regional security arrangements more directly to burden-sharing expectations from US allies.

Sources: Japan Times, Reuters

The Trump administration is seeking to extend its military campaign against suspected drug trafficking from strikes at sea to joint operations on land with Latin American partners. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Honduras were among countries working with Washington, although Guatemala denied agreeing to such operations.

The shift follows more than 60 US strikes on boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that have killed more than 200 people.

Direct combat alongside local forces would represent a major escalation from the traditional US role of providing weapons, intelligence and training.

The expansion could face political resistance over sovereignty and risks to civilians. Ecuador has already conducted joint raids with the United States despite voters rejecting foreign military bases in 2025, while Mexico has thus far resisted a US military role against cartels on its territory.

Sources: Associated Press, Firstpost

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On this day …

On this day in 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, providing the final approval required for the amendment to become law. The measure prohibited states from denying citizens the right to vote on the basis of sex.

The decision marked the culmination of decades of campaigning by suffragists who organised, petitioned and advocated for political equality across the United States. Although barriers to voting remained for many women, particularly women of colour, the amendment represented a significant expansion of democratic participation.

The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment became an important reference point for voting rights movements around the world. How do societies measure progress when legal equality arrives before practical equality?

A succinct daily briefing delivered each weekday to help you stay on top of the stories shaping the world.

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President Donald Trump said the United States would substantially reduce joint military exercises with South Korea citing both his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Seoul’s refusal to participate in the US effort to “denuclearise” Iran.

The announcement came less than 24 hours before annual exercises were due to begin, despite South Korean officials previously saying they would proceed as scheduled.

The decision connects two previously separate policy arenas. Washington’s military posture on the Korean Peninsula is now being discussed alongside allied participation in the Iran conflict. South Korea said it would continue consultations on military cooperation related to the Strait of Hormuz while reviewing Trump’s comments.

Analysts warned that reducing exercises could weaken alliance coordination & deterrence while offering uncertain diplomatic gains with North Korea. The move also follows Trump’s long-standing criticism that the United States bears too much of the financial burden for South Korea’s security and could be linked to what Trump sees as South Korea’s failure to make substantial investments in US manufacturing, as promised.

Sources: BBC, CNN

Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law & close adviser, met with Hamas leaders in Egypt on Sunday as Washington sought to advance a Gaza disarmament plan rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Kushner was expected to travel to Israel afterwards to meet Netanyahu. Hamas said it remained committed to Trump’s peace framework.

Trump’s roadmap calls for Hamas to relinquish governing authority and weapons while Israeli forces withdraw in phases but Netanyahu has demanded “genuine disarmament” before any Israeli withdrawal. Hamas said it had accepted the roadmap and urged mediators and the Board of Peace to compel Israel to meet its obligations.

Direct talks between the US government and Hamas were once rare but the Trump administration has held multiple rounds of negotiations with the group to win freedom for hostages and end the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. The United States still designates Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

Sources: New York Times, Al Jazeera

Iran’s leadership is preparing for a more sustained confrontation with the United States and its regional allies, according to intercepted communications and intelligence cited by Arab officials. Measures include expanding Revolutionary Guard influence over the regular army, accelerating missile and drone production, strengthening counterintelligence and preparing allied militias for wider operations.

The shift has already extended beyond the Persian Gulf. Iran-backed Houthis have attacked Saudi-linked shipping and declared the Bab al-Mandeb Strait closed to Saudi Arabia, while Iran has targeted ships in the Strait of Hormuz and threatened Gulf energy facilities. Revolutionary Guard commanders were also sent to Yemen to plan expanded operations.

The preparations expose a widening gap between Washington and Tehran over the war’s trajectory. Former US diplomat Alan Eyre said Iran would remain on a wartime footing, while more pragmatic figures within Iran, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, have warned that Iran needs a negotiated settlement or risks economic collapse.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, Palestine Chronicle

Israel’s deadliest day of strikes in Lebanon in months has put strain on a US-brokered ceasefire and added another complication to stalled negotiations with Iran. The Israeli military said it killed senior Hezbollah commander Abu Hassan Alaa in southern Lebanon, while 11 people died in strikes on Saturday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks were retaliation for a Hezbollah action that injured three Israeli soldiers.

The ceasefire framework links Hezbollah’s disarmament with an eventual Israeli withdrawal and a larger Lebanese army security role. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the latest attacks sent “a clear message to the negotiation track”, while Israel said further strikes would follow if it faced new threats.

The escalation comes as the US-Iran ceasefire expires Monday with talks deadlocked over the Strait of Hormuz and Washington preparing fresh economic measures.

Iran has argued that Israeli strikes on Lebanon violate its agreement with the United States.

Sources: Bloomberg, Al Jazeera

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Israel should carry out “30 to 40” targeted killings in Gaza every night and called for Jewish settlements to be re-established across the enclave. Speaking on a podcast hosted by former hostage Rom Braslavski, Ben-Gvir criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent reduction of strikes in Gaza.

Ben-Gvir also advocated encouraging Palestinians to leave Gaza, saying he wanted settlements “throughout Gaza”. He does not control Israel’s military and cannot order strikes but he oversees the national police and prison system and is a senior figure in Netanyahu’s coalition.

The comments come as Israel heads towards an October 27 election and as Washington pushes a Gaza ceasefire plan. Netanyahu has rejected elements of the latest US peace proposal and says Israel will not retreat until Hamas is fully disarmed, leaving other ceasefire elements, including reconstruction, on hold.

Sources: Associated Press, FT

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US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper has acknowledged mental health concerns aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln as the aircraft carrier returns home after more than 260 days of being deployed. Cooper said the ship has among the lowest number of mental health cases across the Navy’s 11 active carriers while adding that long periods at sea remain challenging.

Reports describing food shortages, water contamination, mouldy showers and attempted jumps overboard have prompted congressional Democrats to seek information about crew welfare and the federal response. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao announced Friday that the Lincoln would return home after a deployment originally expected to end in May was extended.

The Navy is sending the USS George Washington to the Middle East as the Lincoln’s replacement. US officials have disputed reporting about conditions aboard the carrier, with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth saying reports had “completely misrepresented” the situation.

Sources: The Hill, South China Morning Post

The European Union plans to significantly expand sanctions on Russia this autumn with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas proposing what she called the bloc’s most far-reaching listings since the war began. Kallas said existing sanctions had deprived Russia’s war machine of more than €1 trillion and that the new package would increase the number of sanctioned Russian entities by a third.

The EU has adopted 21 rounds of sanctions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Its latest package, approved in July, imposed new restrictions on Russia’s banking sector and cryptocurrency networks.

Kallas did not provide further details on the timing or content of the proposed measures. She said sanctions should continue increasing until Moscow ends the war, signalling that the EU intends to use a broader sanctions list as part of its continuing economic response to Russia’s invasion.

Sources: Reuters, RTE

British-made drones are being used to strike targets inside Russia for the first time with a military source confirming their use against military and industrial sites including refineries and Wildberries warehouses. The attacks mark a new phase in British support for Ukraine after the UK announced in April that it would supply tens of thousands of drones including long-range strike systems.

Ukraine has increasingly targeted Wildberries facilities, saying the logistics hubs are used to buy military equipment and supply Russian forces. A Wildberries warehouse was struck in the Moscow region on Sunday during one of the largest drone attacks reported there.

Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov said an 83-year-old man was killed and several people were injured in Podolsk. Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had downed 822 Ukrainian drones across the country, while damage was reported at several sites around Moscow.

Sources: BBC, Reuters

Belgium’s biggest wildfire on record has burned about 3,000 hectares in the High Fens and pushed towards the German border prompting evacuations and a multinational response. Firefighters from Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg have been joined by Dutch helicopters, the Belgian army and local farmers, while the EU has deployed three helicopters and two water-bombing aircraft.

Rain and cooler temperatures are now improving conditions with Belgium’s weather agency expecting 5 to 9mm of rainfall and temperatures of 19 to 20C. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said two fire fronts were under control, although evacuated residents have been told not to return.

The fire is more than twice the size of Belgium’s previous record blaze in 2011. German authorities in Monschau also asked residents near the border to leave because of expected smoke pollution, even though the fire was not forecast to cross into Germany.

Sources: Reuters, RTE

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become the deadliest in the country’s history, killing 2,325 people since it was declared on 15 May. Public health authorities have recorded 4,945 confirmed cases, including 101 in the latest 24-hour period. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher has described it as the fastest-growing outbreak on record.

The epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine. The virus has spread to six of DR Congo’s 26 provinces, and the World Health Organization has described the pace of transmission as exceptional.

The outbreak has already surpassed the 2,299 deaths recorded during DR Congo’s 2018-2020 epidemic. Fletcher warned that someone is dying every 30 minutes. The WHO says it hopes to bring transmission under control within three months rather than end the outbreak entirely.

Sources: Al Jazeera, BBC

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On this day …

On this day in 1998, the Russian government devalued the rouble, defaulted on domestic debt and declared a 90-day moratorium on some foreign obligations. The announcement followed months of financial instability, falling commodity prices and growing concern over the government’s ability to finance its debts.

The crisis quickly spread beyond Russia’s borders. Investors withdrew capital from emerging markets, currencies came under renewed scrutiny and financial institutions with significant exposure faced mounting losses. The collapse of the US hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management weeks later reinforced concerns about the growing interconnectedness of global finance.

Russia’s default became one of the defining financial events of the late 1990s and a reminder that instability in one market can rapidly become a global problem. What lessons from 1998 remain relevant in today’s increasingly interconnected financial system?

The implications extend well beyond the Gulf. Shipping routes, military inventories, energy infrastructure and even climate-related disruptions all highlighted the same underlying question: which systems can states still control and for how long?

The past week did not produce a diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East. Instead, it reinforced a trend that has been building for months. Iran continues to exercise leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, the United States continues to maintain its naval blockade and both sides appear to be settling into positions that suggest a negotiated settlement remains difficult.

The old school question of who is winning the war is yet to be settled but the US don’t look like a good candidate to claim victory any time soon (despite the fact that they have already claimed victory on multiple occasions) and it seems like the Iranians have the patience to wait it out.

That shift matters because prolonged conflicts change political and economic calculations. States begin to focus less on short-term victories and more on sustaining operations, preserving strategic advantages and increasing the costs imposed on their opponents. Unfortunately for the US it has become increasingly apparent that Iran thought much more deeply about these issues than the US did.

Several seemingly unrelated stories this week pointed towards that same conclusion.

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A feature of this week was the continued absence of movement over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran maintained steadfastly to the conditions it established for a full reopening, including sanctions relief, an end to the US naval blockade, the release of frozen assets, compensation for war damage and other political and military concessions.

Discussions between Iran and Oman over shipping arrangements continued but Tehran continued to use access through the strait as a source of leverage rather than moving towards an immediate restoration of normal traffic.

The United States, meanwhile, signalled that it was prepared to maintain its naval blockade indefinitely. Washington still has multiple policy options available, including renewed military action, continuing the blockade, negotiation or simply waiting. Packing up their bags and going home seems also to be an option that is not completely off the table.

Yet none of those options has altered Iran’s position or restored shipping to pre-war conditions.

After five months of military operations the immediate reality is difficult to ignore. Iran increasingly appears to be setting the terms of the confrontation despite being the state subjected to sustained military attacks.

If Iran is demonstrating endurance the United States is revealing the financial and human costs associated with sustaining a prolonged campaign.

Reporting this week suggested that US forces have lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the conflict, equivalent to roughly one quarter of the pre-war fleet. Earlier reporting has also highlighted extensive use of Tomahawk missiles and Patriot and THAAD interceptors raising concerns about inventory depletion and replenishment.

The human cost of a sustained military deployment also became more visible. The USS Abraham Lincoln is approaching nine months at sea after spending 250 consecutive days without making land. Reports of declining morale, infrastructure problems and mental health concerns aboard the vessel drew attention to the strains created by exceptionally long deployments.

Washington insists that it can sustain the current approach for as long as necessary. The question is whether maintaining that approach produces an outcome different from the one currently unfolding.

The war’s geographical footprint also widened.

The Houthis struck Saudi Arabia’s Jazan refinery earlier in the week and later carried out a deadly attack on the cargo vessel Tihamah in the Red Sea. By the end of the week, the United Nations was warning that Yemen faced its highest risk of returning to large-scale conflict since the 2022 truce.

These developments are significant because they connect two of the world’s most important maritime corridors.

The Strait of Hormuz remains heavily restricted, while shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden is again coming under attack.

For much of the year these challenges were often discussed separately. This week suggested that they are becoming increasingly difficult to separate.

Events in Ukraine highlighted another important pattern.

Ukrainian strikes damaged grain export terminals and Russia’s principal remaining naval base on the Black Sea at Novorossiysk, prompting Moscow to redirect some cargo flows towards alternative routes.

At the same time it was revealed that Washington had asked Kyiv to avoid attacks on non-Russian tankers and infrastructure associated with the Caspian Pipeline Consortium because of the route’s importance to global energy markets.

Other developments pointed in the same direction. Russia is accelerating deployment of its Rassvet satellite communications network having been denied access to Starlink, while North Korean missiles and potentially additional troops are becoming more closely integrated into Moscow’s war effort.

Modern conflicts increasingly depend on the systems that support them. Ports, communications networks, supply chains, energy infrastructure and external military partnerships are becoming as important as battlefield manoeuvres.

Climate stories this week also moved beyond environmental reporting and into questions of economic resilience.

Western Europe is preparing for a fifth heat wave during a record-breaking summer. More than 70 per cent of mainland France is under water restrictions while drought conditions continue across large parts of England.

The consequences are already becoming visible. Romania shut its only nuclear power station after low Danube water levels affected cooling operations, while Hungary began constructing a low weir to maintain river levels near its own nuclear facility. Carmakers Ford and Dacia agreed to pause production as authorities searched for alternative electricity supplies.

Elsewhere, record rainfall disrupted transport in Japan, while China continued to deal with the consequences of Typhoon Dolphin.

Scientists also warned that an unusually powerful El Niño could make 2026 the hottest year on record and increase the probability that 2027 surpasses it.

The common thread running through this week’s stories was not simply conflict or climate.

It was the growing importance of systems that are difficult to replace once they are disrupted. Shipping lanes, ports, military inventories, energy networks, communications systems and water supplies all featured prominently in this week’s reporting.

The challenge for governments is becoming increasingly clear. Power is no longer defined solely by military capability or economic size. It also depends on the ability to sustain, protect and adapt the systems that support both.

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The United Nations has warned that Yemen faces its most serious risk of a return to large scale war since the 2022 truce, following an escalation in fighting between the Iran-aligned Houthis and the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed government. United Nations envoy Hans Grundberg told the Security Council that military activity had intensified across multiple frontlines, while recent Houthi attacks had caused both military and civilian casualties.

The warning coincided with renewed attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and a second Houthi strike in less than a week against Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery. Grundberg said attacks against shipping and cross-border targets must stop and urged parties to pursue negotiations while a negotiated solution remained possible.

At the same time, United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said more than half of Yemen’s population was experiencing acute food insecurity, with 6 million people facing emergency levels of deprivation bordering on famine.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters

Iran is using the Strait of Hormuz as its final point of leverage after five months of US and Israeli military attacks. Shipping has fallen to a one-week low as Iran blocks vessels without its approval, while the United States maintains a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Tehran has set six conditions for fully reopening the strait, including an end to attacks, withdrawal of US forces, lifting sanctions, freeing frozen Iranian assets and compensation for war damage. Former US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Iran believes it has the upper hand and is emboldened.

The waterway is difficult to replace for Middle East trade, leaving US President Donald Trump choosing between renewed military strikes, waiting or negotiation.

Iran and Oman are discussing safe inbound and outbound shipping lanes, with Qatar saying those talks have reached an advanced stage. The strait carries one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies in peacetime.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Wall Street Journal

The United States is signalling that its blockade of Iranian ports can be sustained indefinitely, extending the conflict into a potentially prolonged campaign of economic isolation. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Navy could rotate ships through the region for as long as required and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said new measures were expected next week.

Washington has deployed tens of thousands of troops and more than 20 warships to the Middle East since the war began. The US military has redirected more than 55 commercial vessels attempting to breach the blockade, including disabling three ships and boarding two.

Months of US strikes have damaged large parts of Iran’s military capabilities but have not broken Tehran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

Bessent described a two-pronged strategy combining financial measures with a physical blockade. Vice President JD Vance said lowering US oil and gasoline prices was now Washington’s top priority but there seem few if any real means of achieving this aim in the short term.

Sources: Reuters, Al Arabiya

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has rejected reports of poor conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln as “completely misrepresented”, as the aircraft carrier approaches nine months at sea supporting the US war with Iran. Typical naval deployments last six to nine months, although they can be extended during conflict.

Military-focused outlets have reported suicide attempts and declining morale among the ship’s 5,000 sailors and marines, while Democratic lawmakers have cited shortages, water contamination, plumbing problems and deteriorating mental health.

A Navy official said extended deployments place significant strain on personnel and families, but said no increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts had been identified.

The carrier has spent 250 consecutive days without making land, described as a modern record for an aircraft carrier. A US official said the USS George Washington is heading to the region to replace the Lincoln in a pre-planned move.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian

US forces have lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the war with Iran, roughly a quarter of the pre-war fleet, according to three US officials. The aircraft, used for surveillance and targeted strikes, cost between $30 million and $50 million each, putting the potential taxpayer cost of the losses above $1.3 billion.

The Reapers have been heavily used around the Strait of Hormuz, where their slow speed and low-altitude operations make them relatively easy targets. Not all were shot down, with some crashing after communications links failed.

The losses add to wider depletion of US weapons and munitions. In the campaign’s first month, forces fired more than 850 Tomahawk missiles and more than 1,000 Patriot and THAAD interceptors.

Those shortages have constrained President Donald Trump’s military options, while replenishment could take years even if Congress approves additional funding.

Sources: Washington Post, The Independent

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Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said authorities had thwarted a Russian-directed plot to kill a Ukrainian-American citizen in Warsaw, calling it the first case in which someone acting on Russian orders sought to attack a US citizen on the territory of another NATO country. The suspect, allegedly recruited by Russian intelligence services, was arrested on 7 August.

The operation was conducted with US services, while Polish officials said the intended victim was a US citizen of Ukrainian origin who was considered inconvenient by the Putin regime. Russia’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment.

The case adds to a wider pattern identified by Western officials, who have linked Russia to targeted killings and disruption across Europe since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Tusk said Poland and other countries must be prepared for further attempts to eliminate people considered inconvenient by Moscow.

Sources: The Guardian, CBS News

Romania has shut its only nuclear power station after prolonged hot weather drove Danube water levels too low to cool the Cernavodă plant. Its two reactors normally provide about one-fifth of the country’s electricity, and plant director Romeo Urjan said a restart was not expected within the next 10 days.

Romania’s Energy Ministry is seeking alternative supplies from wind power and imports, while warning that large industrial users could face evening restrictions as a last resort. Carmakers Ford and Dacia have already agreed to pause production until 19 August.

Hungary is also trying to keep its Paks nuclear plant operating as Danube levels fall. Only one of four reactors is currently running, while Prime Minister Peter Magyar said construction had begun on a low weir intended to raise the river level. Authorities also plan to sink two 80-metre barges to create an initial damming effect.

Sources: BBC, DW

Record rainfall in Japan’s Chiba prefecture has killed at least four people, disrupted roads and railways and stranded around 7,000 travellers at Tokyo’s Narita airport. More than 360 millimetres of rain fell in 24 hours in parts of the prefecture, while evacuation orders were issued for more than 400,000 people.

About 45,000 homes lost power and soldiers were deployed to assist relief efforts. It was the first time the Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest level 5 warning for the prefecture. Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai described the event as an extremely unusual situation, saying he had never experienced a disaster like it.

Rainfall had eased by Friday but authorities warned that flood risks remained high. Some major highways and rail services were still disrupted, although trains between Narita and Tokyo had partially resumed. Airport officials said all flights were scheduled to operate normally, while Japan Airlines warned that some delays remained possible.

Sources: The Guardian, Reuters

An unusually powerful El Niño is raising the likelihood that 2026 becomes the hottest year on record and that 2027 sets another new high. Berkeley Earth puts the odds of a 2026 record at 69%, up from 12% in July, while scientist Zeke Hausfather estimates a 95% chance that 2027 becomes the hottest year recorded.

Hausfather’s analysis suggests global temperatures in 2027 could reach around 1.76C above preindustrial averages, roughly 0.29C above what the recent warming trend would imply. At the high end of his forecast range, temperatures could briefly reach levels otherwise expected around 2040.

The spike would be temporary rather than a new permanent baseline. Hausfather said the El Niño is occurring alongside continued greenhouse-gas emissions and an acceleration in warming, while Berkeley Earth’s Robert Rohde said conditions could resemble those normally expected a decade or more from now.

Sources: Bloomberg, Washington Post

Three Palestinian families in Qusra have remained confined to their homes for days as Israeli settlers surround the properties, with power and water cut off, according to the UN human rights office. The families, around 15 people including at least two children, were later moved into one home, which remained encircled.

Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN human rights office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory said settler violence had reached unprecedented levels and warned that Palestinians were being pushed towards displacement. The UN office said Israeli forces had either failed to protect the families or blocked medics, activists and journalists from reaching them.

The siege comes amid wider settler violence and settlement expansion across the occupied West Bank. UNRWA said more than 34,000 Palestinian refugees remain forcibly displaced from Tulkarm, Nur Shams and Jenin camps following Israel’s Operation Iron Wall.

Sources: UN, Al Jazeera

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On this day …

On this day in 1947 Pakistan became an independent state as British rule over the Indian subcontinent came to an end.

The new country was created from Muslim-majority areas of British India and initially consisted of two territories separated by roughly 1,600 kilometres of Indian territory - West Pakistan and East Pakistan. Muhammad Ali Jinnah became its first governor-general.

Partition was accompanied by enormous population movements and communal violence as millions of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs crossed the new borders.

East Pakistan later became independent Bangladesh in 1971.

The borders created in 1947 continue to shape the politics, security and strategic relationships of South Asia today.

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By now we well know that President Donald Trump was secretly transferred from a NATO summit in Ankara to a smaller military aircraft after intelligence officials raised concerns about a potential Iranian attack on the president or Air Force One.

What has emerged now is that both Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent instead departed on an older model of Air Force One that functioned as a decoy aircraft.

The operation relied on multiple layers of deception. President Trump publicly said he would use the older aircraft for the first leg of his return journey to Britain, while reporters, officials and White House staff were led to believe he remained on board.

According to officials, Trump boarded the decoy plane in front of cameras before leaving it concealed in a catering container elevated on a hydraulic lift. Trump later said the Secret Service and the military had requested the change and that he followed their recommendation however it raises the question whether “decoy” is in the job description for a US cabinet member?

Sources: Associated Press, New York Times

Israeli forces have systematically destroyed homes, roads, farmland and forests across occupied southern Lebanon with much of the damage documented after forces established control over emptied villages in mid-April.

Satellite analysis found clearance extending beyond isolated buildings into almost entire municipalities, while Lebanese authorities estimate nearly 85,000 housing units have been damaged or destroyed.

^{Destruction in Southern Lebanon - Video IDF}

Israel says the campaign is intended to dismantle Hizbollah infrastructure, prevent the group rebuilding near the frontier and protect northern communities. Defence Minister Israel Katz said in July that Israel had destroyed all buildings in 24 Lebanese villages and up to 20,000 homes.

The destruction extends to water systems, bridges, farmland and healthcare. Israel controls a zone covering about 6 per cent of Lebanese territory, with roughly 270,000 residents barred from returning, while rights groups and legal experts say preventing civilian return could violate international law. Firefighters and residents of southern Lebanon have accused the Israeli military of deliberately wildfires in the region.

Sources: FT, The Guardian

Iran is restructuring its military command around what officials describe as an “offensive doctrine”, signalling a shift in strategy as the war with the United States and Israel continues. This week’s senior appointments promoted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders associated with hardline positions on the war and the Strait of Hormuz while operational command structures were reorganised to increase coordination.

General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, an adviser to the new Revolutionary Guards commander, said the previous doctrine had focused on defence and preserving the country, while the new approach required the ability to take operations into enemy territory when conditions allowed.

The changes include the promotion of Mohsen Rezaee to lead the Supreme National Security Council and the appointment of Ahmad Vahidi as commander of the Revolutionary Guards. President Masoud Pezeshkian has previously accused Vahidi and other senior commanders of taking unilateral military actions that undermined ceasefire efforts.

Sources: Bloomberg, Iran International

Ukraine’s overnight attack on Novorossiysk damaged two major grain export terminals and struck Russia’s principal remaining naval base on the Black Sea, widening Kyiv’s campaign against Russian maritime infrastructure. Three people were killed and 24 injured, while Ukraine said four Russian warships were hit.

Russia’s agriculture ministry said it was redirecting cargo flows towards Baltic and Caspian ports and land routes because of logistical constraints. Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter, and most of its grain exports move through Black Sea ports.

The strike comes as attacks on shipping and ports have intensified across the Black Sea. Ukraine’s recent operations have disrupted Russian grain shipments, while Russian strikes have damaged cargo ships and Odesa, Ukraine’s largest seaport.

A Moscow-based analytics company estimates Russian grain exports in August could fall by more than 50% compared with the same month over the previous five years.

Sources: BBC, Al Jazeera

Colombia’s earthquake rescue effort entered what officials called its “final phase” on Wednesday, with 265 people now confirmed dead, more than 3,500 wounded and nearly 500 still missing. The magnitude 7.4 quake was the strongest to strike the country this century and destroyed more than 9,500 homes.

Rescue crews were approaching the 72-hour mark, the period when survivors are considered most likely to be found alive beneath collapsed buildings. Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said the most critical window was closing, although searches continued through the rubble.

Columbian President Abelardo de La Espriella, inaugurated three days before the earthquake, declared an economic emergency and promised a fund to rebuild hospitals, schools, homes and infrastructure.

The United States and other countries are assisting with search-and-rescue teams and aid shipments across affected areas, while Washington has committed $15.5 million for emergency shelter, food protection and assessment.

Sources: Washington Post, Al Jazeera

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The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ebola outbreak is on course to surpass the deadliest recorded epidemic of the disease, according to World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. More than 2,000 people have died from over 4,300 cases since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, although sequencing indicates transmission actually began in February.

The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo species, for which there is no approved vaccine or any recognised treatment. Conflict, poor infrastructure and limited access to affected communities in eastern Congo are complicating efforts to contain transmission of the disease, with health workers reaching only about 30 per cent of cases.

The WHO hopes to bring transmission under control within three months, while separate estimates suggest the outbreak could peak in six months or last as long as 12 months. Human trials of Bundibugyo vaccines and possible treatments are now under way.

Sources: Euronews, BBC

Europe witnessed its most dramatic solar eclipse in decades on Wednesday, as millions watched the Moon cover most or all of the Sun across a broad path from the Arctic to western Europe. Parts of Greenland, Iceland and Spain experienced totality (where the entirety of the sun is covered), while most of the UK saw more than 90 per cent of the Sun obscured.

In Spain officials expected as many as 6 million people along the eclipse path, while more than 450,000 tourists had travelled into the country to view the event. Iceland saw its first total solar eclipse in 72 years, with a record 31 cruise ships carrying about 53,000 passengers & crew positioning just for the event.

Totality lasted less than two minutes in some locations, revealing the Sun’s corona before daylight returned. The UK will not see a fuller solar eclipse until 2081, when up to 99 per cent of the Sun will be covered.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian

Europe is bracing for a fifth heat wave of a record-breaking summer, with temperatures forecast to reach 43C in Spain before then spreading east. Western Europe has already recorded its hottest June-to-July period on record, while drought, wildfires and water shortages have disrupted daily life across the continent.

More than 70 per cent of mainland France is under water-use restrictions, while nearly three-quarters of England is in drought. Italy’s largest agricultural trade association estimates climate-related damage to farming has already exceeded €3 billion.

The wider economic exposure is also growing. The European Environment Agency estimates extreme weather caused €822 billion of damage between 1980 and 2024, with a quarter occurring in the final four years. EU states spend about €29 billion annually on climate adaptation and mitigation, compared with the €70 billion the European Commission estimates is needed each year to 2050.

Sources: New York Times, FT

A major oil spill from the grounded tanker Caroline Bezengi has reached Oman’s mainland after spreading rapidly across the Gulf. The vessel, carrying an estimated 800,000 barrels of Russian crude, ran aground on June 30 near the Hallaniyat Islands, part of a marine nature reserve.

Oman’s Environment Authority said crude oil had affected up to 40km of coastline at Ras Madrakah, while satellite analysis estimated the slick covered more than 2,000 sq km. International agencies and environmental groups warn that seasonal monsoon conditions and delayed salvage have allowed the spill to expand sharply.

The response is complicated by sanctions and insurance rules. The tanker is not covered by a recognised Western insurer, while the IOPC Funds, the agency normally providing compensation for oil spills, said it would not cover clean-up costs because the incident is being treated as an act of war rather than an accident.

Sources: Straits Times, Al Jazeera

Germany is preparing its biggest expansion of intelligence powers in decades, allowing its secret services to conduct non-lethal covert operations including cyberattacks and sabotage. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the reforms marked a “new era” as Berlin responds to espionage, sabotage, cyberattacks and covert actions by foreign powers.

The changes would let the BND, the German spy agency, to disable hostile IT systems, block payment flows and, in rare cases, carry out foreign sabotage missions. Assassinations and other lethal operations would remain prohibited. Data collection and analysis powers would also expand, including greater use of artificial intelligence and longer data retention.

The reforms still require parliamentary approval before taking effect. Supporters argue Germany has fallen behind other European democracies and depends too heavily on allied intelligence, while critics warn that expanded surveillance and intervention powers could infringe fundamental rights and face constitutional challenges.

Sources: Euronews, Politico Europe

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On this day …

In the early hours of this day in 1961, East German forces began sealing the border between East and West Berlin, initially using barbed wire and roadblocks.

The barriers would develop into the Berlin Wall.

The move was intended to halt the flow of people leaving communist East Germany through West Berlin. Families and neighbourhoods were divided, crossings were tightly controlled and attempts to escape could be deadly.

For the next 28 years the wall became the most visible physical symbol of Europe’s Cold War division.

Its opening on 9 November 1989 became an equally powerful symbol of that order’s collapse.

Few political systems have produced a clearer monument to the consequences of preventing their own citizens from leaving.

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As we reported yesterday President Donald Trump was secretly removed from Air Force One in Ankara last month after a credible Iranian threat prompted the operation. The jet then flew to Britain carrying senior officials, government employees, reporters and military personnel, some unaware of the increased threat.

Reporters were told to keep window shades closed as Trump travelled separately on an unmarked military aircraft. He was later returned to Air Force One before disembarking publicly. The White House did not disclose the operation until it was reported this week.

The episode has focused attention on how presidential protection can transfer risk to others. In 2000, President Bill Clinton also switched aircraft for a risky Pakistan visit, but at least one journalist was briefed beforehand and the details were disclosed once he was safe. Current White House Correspondents’ Association president Jacqui Heinrich has since raised concerns about safety and transparency.

The question is being asked whether increasing the safety of the President warrants putting multiple unsuspecting people at risk?

Sources: New York Times, Washington Post

Six people were killed and 10 injured after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis struck the cargo ship Tihamah in the Red Sea in what appears to be the group’s first deadly attack on a vessel since the US and Israel began striking Iran on 28 February.

Yemen’s transport ministry said three ballistic missiles hit the ship south of Mocha killing four crew members. Yemen’s coastguard said a second strike killed two rescuers attempting an evacuation. The Houthis said they targeted a vessel carrying Saudi military equipment, while the Yemeni government said Tihamah was carrying food.

The attack widens the maritime toll from a conflict now stretching into its sixth month.

It follows the Houthis’ naval blockade of Saudi ports and comes as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted, leaving two critical regional sea lanes exposed to continuing hostilities.

Sources: BBC, CNBC

A Syrian court has sentenced former president Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher to death in absentia, the first such ruling against the ousted leader since his regime was toppled in 2024. Bashar was convicted of crimes including premeditated murder, murder of children, torture, arbitrary detention and crimes against humanity.

The court also sentenced Assad’s cousin Atef Najib to death. Judge Fakhereddine al-Aryan said Najib was responsible for a deadly crackdown on protesters in Deraa at the start of the 2011 uprising, while Maher headed the army’s Fourth Division.

The verdict is an early test of Syria’s transitional justice process. The country has yet to pass a comprehensive law addressing crimes committed during the civil war, though a newly formed legislature plans to debate one.

A national commission lawyer called the ruling “an important step, not the end of the road”.

Sources: The Guardian, FT

A Pentagon review has found that US military strikes targeting suspected Houthi militants in Yemen last year killed 153 civilians and injured 243 others. The assessment said three attacks in April 2025 “more likely than not” caused civilian harm, while 15 other incidents remain under review.

President Donald Trump authorised the campaign after Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The roughly 50-day operation struck at least 1,000 targets and was the first major US military campaign after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth dismantled a Pentagon office focused on mitigating civilian harm.

The review found 80 civilians were killed at Ras Isa port on 17 April and five at a residence in Sanaa on 6 April.

It also said none of the three cases warranted condolence payments, while human rights groups have described some attacks as potential war crimes.

Sources: Washington Post, The Hill

Ukraine says Russia used North Korean ballistic missiles in a major overnight attack on Zaporizhzhia, as Moscow intensifies strikes while seeking to exploit Kyiv’s shortage of high-end air defences.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the city was hit with North Korean ballistic missiles, Zircon hypersonic weapons and guided aerial bombs. The Zaporizhstal steel plant was struck, forcing production to stop, while workers were hit as they moved towards shelter after an air-raid warning. Russian officials said the plant produced steel used by the Ukrainian military.

Russia has increased ballistic missile attacks in recent months. Six people were also killed overnight in Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk. Zelenskyy said Moscow is receiving more ballistic projectiles and troops from Pyongyang and warned that the build-up shows Russia is preparing for escalation rather than peace.

Moscow did not immediately confirm whether North Korean missiles were used, and Pyongyang did not comment.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters

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Ukraine has halted drone strikes on oil tankers using the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal at Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after US Vice-President JD Vance asked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop targeting non-Russian vessels and CPC infrastructure.

Kyiv agreed to refrain from attacks provided vessels are not under Ukrainian sanctions and are not carrying Russian oil or other Russian cargo. The CPC is Kazakhstan’s main oil export route, handles about 2 per cent of global crude supplies and is important to European refiners. US energy majors Chevron and ExxonMobil hold stakes in the consortium and Kazakh oilfields supplying it.

The request followed attacks that disrupted loadings, raised shipping and insurance costs and cut CPC flows in July.

Ukraine accepted the US request while seeking a licence to produce Patriot interceptors and hoping to buy several hundred before winter, when Russia is expected to intensify aerial attacks.

Sources: FT, Bloomberg

Congo’s Ebola outbreak has killed 2,011 people from 4,381 confirmed cases, becoming the fastest-growing outbreak on record as conflict, poor roads and disrupted response work complicate efforts to contain it.

The outbreak was declared on 15 May, but sequencing later showed it began in February. It took about nine weeks to reach 1,000 deaths and roughly three more weeks to double. The outbreak has spread across five eastern provinces near South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda with a case fatality rate of 45.9%.

The rare Bundibugyo strain driving the outbreak has no approved vaccine or treatment, although clinical trials have begun. World Health Organization regional director Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi said responders were “chasing the virus” while it remained ahead of them. Authorities have restricted public gatherings and closed Ituri’s main airport, but mass movements linked to trade, mining and conflict-driven displacement continue.

Sources: Associated Press, Le Monde

Afghanistan’s ban on girls’ secondary education has now excluded around 2.4 million girls, five years after the Taliban returned to power, according to UNESCO. The figure has risen by about 200,000 since last year and could approach four million by 2030 if the restrictions remain.

Girls have been barred from secondary schools since March 2022 and women from universities since December that year.

UNESCO says Afghanistan is the only country where girls and women are formally banned from secondary and higher education, reversing two decades of progress that had put nearly one million girls into secondary school by 2021.

The consequences extend beyond classrooms. UNESCO estimates the restrictions could push around 600,000 women out of the workforce by 2066 and cause cumulative income losses of US$9.6 billion. The wider education system is also under strain with more than 90 per cent of 10-year-olds unable to read a simple text.

Sources: South China Morning Post, DW

Global youth unemployment rose to 12.4 per cent in 2025 leaving 67 million people aged 15 to 24 without work, according to the International Labour Organization. The increase reversed part of the post-pandemic improvement, while the share of young people not in employment, education or training edged up to 20 per cent, or 257 million people.

The deterioration was broad as youth unemployment worsened or remained flat in eight of 11 global subregions between 2023 and 2025. The Arab States recorded the highest rate at 26.2 per cent, followed by North Africa at 22.6 per cent, while North America rose from 8.3 to 9.8 per cent.

The ILO cited weaker growth, geopolitical tensions, sluggish job creation and AI-related change among factors making entry-level work harder to secure.

It estimates 6.1 per cent of jobs held by people aged 15 to 29 are in occupations highly exposed to AI-related changes.

Sources: UN, Reuters

Lebanon’s parliament has abolished the death penalty, making the country the first Arab state to formally end capital punishment. The law replaces death sentences with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour, following more than two decades without an execution.

A majority of the 128-member parliament backed the measure, while Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc opposed it. Justice Minister Adel Nassar called the vote a “historic step”. Lebanon had observed an unofficial moratorium on executions since January 2004 although courts continued to issue death sentences and 85 people remained under sentence of death at the end of 2025.

The change follows years of campaigning by Lebanese and international human rights groups. Amnesty International regional director Heba Morayef said the decision converted a precarious hiatus in executions into lasting legal protection. Questions remain over how aggravated hard labour will be enforced in Lebanon’s overcrowded, resource-constrained prisons.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera

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On this day …

On this day in 1949, twelve states adopted the four Geneva Conventions, creating the foundation of the modern international legal framework governing the conduct of war.

Drawn up in the aftermath of the Second World War, the conventions strengthened protections for wounded and sick armed forces, prisoners of war and civilians caught in conflict. The fourth convention was particularly significant, establishing extensive protections for civilians under enemy control or military occupation.

Nearly every state in the world has since become a party to the conventions, making them among the most universally accepted international treaties.

More than seven decades later, their central challenge remains unchanged - how effectively can rules restrain states and armed forces once war has begun?