10 Things Global News - 11th August 2025
The news from around the world
Australia to Recognise Palestinian State at UN
Leaders Warn Against Russia’s Peace Terms
Israeli Strike Kills Al Jazeera Journalists
Netanyahu Defends Gaza City Takeover Plan
Wildfires Active in Italy and France
Chip Producers to Share China Revenue with U.S. Govt.
Trump Vows Crackdown on Homeless in DC
South Korea’s Military Falls Below Threshold
Earthquake Strikes Turkey’s Balikesir Province
Vance Says Negotiations Unlikely to Satisfy
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed Australia will recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, aligning with the UK, France and Canada. The move is conditional on the Palestinian Authority disarming, recognising Israel and excluding Hamas from governance.
Albanese said the two-state solution was “humanity’s best hope” to end the conflict, arguing that the Gaza war had “gone beyond the world’s worst fears.” Foreign Minister Penny Wong called the step a “practical contribution” towards peace, while Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu labelled it “shameful,” warning it would reward Hamas.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley criticised the timing, citing the continued detention of Israeli hostages. The US remains opposed, with President Donald Trump saying recognition would “reward” Hamas.
Currently, 147 UN member states recognise Palestine, but a negotiated two-state settlement remains elusive after decades of failed peace efforts.
Sources: ABC, Sydney Morning Herald
European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have warned against a peace deal that could see Ukraine cede territory, ahead of the August 15 summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Trump has suggested a “swapping of territories,” but Kyiv insists any settlement must involve Ukraine directly and protect its sovereignty.
In a joint statement, leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Britain, Finland and the EU urged continued military support, sanctions, and “pressure” on Moscow, saying negotiations should start from the current front line. Zelensky accused Russia of trying to “deceive America” and pointed to recent attacks in Zaporizhzhia as proof Moscow is not pursuing peace.
Reports suggest Russia’s proposal includes Ukrainian withdrawal from Donetsk and Luhansk, which Kyiv has rejected. While Zelensky is not currently scheduled to attend the summit, U.S. officials are exploring a possible trilateral meeting afterward.
Sources: Le Monde, Kyiv Independent
Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif, 28, was killed alongside four colleagues in an Israeli airstrike on a tent housing journalists outside Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital. Israel’s military confirmed the targeted strike, alleging al-Sharif headed a Hamas cell involved in rocket attacks. It claimed to hold proof, though UN officials and rights groups say no evidence has been provided.
Al Jazeera condemned the attack as a deliberate attempt to silence reporting on Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, while the Committee to Protect Journalists called it part of a pattern of labelling journalists as militants without credible proof.
Al-Sharif, known for frontline coverage, had previously warned he could be killed at any moment. In a final post, he described intense bombardment of Gaza City. His death follows the killing of multiple Al Jazeera journalists during the conflict, which Gaza authorities say has claimed over 230 media workers since October 2023.
Sources: The Guardian, Al Jazeera
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended plans to seize Gaza City, calling it the quickest way to defeat Hamas and free hostages. The security cabinet approved the offensive on Friday, targeting what Netanyahu described as the group’s two remaining strongholds. He said civilians would be moved to “safe zones,” though Palestinians argue such areas have not protected them before.
The UN and multiple nations, including the UK, France, Russia and China, warned the plan risks “another calamity” and would worsen Gaza’s starvation crisis. UN officials reported nearly 12,000 acutely malnourished children in July, with 98 child deaths from severe malnutrition since October 2023.
Netanyahu rejected accusations of a deliberate blockade, blaming Hamas for aid shortages. The U.S. remains largely supportive, with President Donald Trump discussing the plan with Netanyahu on Sunday, despite broad global opposition and concerns for hostages’ safety.
Sources: CNN, Reuters
In Italy tourist trails on Mount Vesuvius have been closed as firefighters combat a wildfire stretching three kilometres across its slopes, destroying hundreds of hectares of woodland and killing wildlife. Six Canadair planes and ground crews from across Italy are deployed, with drones monitoring spread amid a heatwave. Officials suspect arson.
In France’s southern Aude region, crews have contained the country’s largest wildfire since 1949, which has burned 16,000 hectares, killed one person and injured several others, including 19 firefighters. Authorities warn hot, dry winds and temperatures up to 40°C could reignite the blaze, which may burn for weeks.
Over 1,300 firefighters are working to prevent flare-ups, while residents and farmers count heavy losses. Experts say intensifying heatwaves linked to climate change are making such disasters more frequent and severe, lengthening the wildfire season by around two weeks globally.
Sources: The Guardian, RFI
Nvidia and AMD have agreed to pay the U.S. government 15% of revenue from sales of certain AI chips to China in exchange for export licences. The arrangement, struck after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang met President Donald Trump last week, covers Nvidia’s H20 chip and AMD’s MI308, both designed for the Chinese market after earlier U.S. restrictions.
The deal could generate over $2 billion for the federal government this year, based on analyst projections. Critics, including former U.S. national security officials, warn the policy risks boosting China’s AI capabilities and undermining security objectives. Supporters argue it keeps U.S. firms competitive and prevents Chinese rival Huawei from dominating the market.
The agreement comes amid easing U.S.–China trade tensions, with recent steps to relax export controls and a 90-day tariff truce. Analysts describe the revenue-sharing deal as unprecedented in U.S. export policy.
Sources: New York Times, BBC
Hundreds of federal agents, including at least 120 from the FBI, were deployed across Washington, D.C., on Sunday night after President Donald Trump vowed to crack down on crime and homelessness in the capital. In posts on social media, Trump ordered homeless people to “move out” immediately, promising accommodation “far from the Capital,” and warned criminals there would be “no Mr. Nice Guy.”
The action follows Trump’s “D.C. Safe and Beautiful” executive order, which increases federal law enforcement presence and enables involuntary civil commitments for people with mental health issues. The FBI confirmed participation in the operation.
Local officials note violent crime in D.C. has fallen for two consecutive years, reaching a 30-year low in 2024. Mayor Muriel Bowser called comparisons to a “war-torn country” false, while some homeless residents expressed fear of displacement and urged more investment in housing and healthcare.
Sources: Axios, NPR
South Korea’s armed forces have fallen to about 450,000 personnel, a 20% drop in six years and well below the 500,000 troops experts say are needed for defence readiness. The decline stems largely from the world’s lowest fertility rate, 0.75 births per woman in 2024, shrinking the pool of men eligible for compulsory service.
The number of divisions has dropped from 59 in 2006 to 42, and the military is now 50,000 troops short of target strength, including a 21,000 gap in non-commissioned officers. North Korea’s active-duty force is estimated at 1.2–1.3 million.
Service terms, once 36 months in the 1950s, are now 18 months, aided by improved capabilities and the U.S. alliance. The 2025 defence budget exceeds 60 trillion won ($43bn), more than North Korea’s GDP. Officials warn the demographic crisis could halve South Korea’s population within 60 years without decisive action.
Sources: BBC, The Guardian
A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey’s north-west Balikesir province on Sunday evening, killing at least two people and injuring 29. The epicentre was in the town of Sindirgi, where 16 buildings collapsed. Victims include an elderly woman who died shortly after being rescued and a man trapped in rubble who could not be saved.
Turkey’s disaster agency said the quake hit at 19:53 local time at a depth of 10 km, was felt as far as Istanbul, and was followed by 20 aftershocks. Over 300 rescue personnel and 79 vehicles were deployed, rescuing several people alive. Search and rescue operations have now concluded, with no further casualties reported.
Local authorities have closed summer schools for a day and granted leave to pregnant and disabled public employees. Turkey, located on major tectonic fault lines, remains highly vulnerable to seismic disasters.
Sources: BBC, National World
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said any negotiated settlement between Russia and Ukraine is unlikely to fully satisfy either side, but the Trump administration is aiming for a deal both can accept to end the conflict. Speaking ahead of the August 15 meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Vance said the goal is a ceasefire that stops the killing and allows “relative peace.”
Vance confirmed Washington is working to arrange three-way talks including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but said a Putin–Zelenskyy meeting before Trump–Putin talks would not be productive.
Trump has said Russia and Ukraine are close to a ceasefire deal that may involve Ukraine ceding territory, a prospect Zelenskyy has rejected, citing constitutional limits. European leaders and Kyiv have voiced concern about territorial issues being discussed without Ukraine’s direct involvement.