10 Things Global News - 20 August 2025
The news from around the world
NATO Chiefs to Weigh Ukraine Security Plans
North Korea Rejects Seoul as Diplomatic Partner
Switzerland Offers Putin Immunity for Peace Talks
Qatar Pushes Gaza Ceasefire After Hamas Agrees
Ban on Mail-In Ballots Threatens to Disenfranchise
Air Canada Strike Ends With Tentative Deal
Microsoft Staff Protest Israel Military Ties
China to Showcase New Weapons at Victory Parade
Brazil Presses Nations to Submit Climate Plans
Justice Dept Probes D.C. Police Crime Data
NATO military leaders are preparing to meet virtually on Aug. 20 to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, as European and U.S. officials work through complex negotiations. The session, chaired by Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, will include Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus Grynkewich, who is set to brief chiefs of defense.
The talks follow President Donald Trump’s pledge to support Ukraine’s security under a post-conflict arrangement, though he has ruled out deploying U.S. troops. Trump suggested Washington could provide air support, while European allies may commit ground forces under national flags rather than a NATO banner.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized that the first guarantee must be Ukraine’s own strong army, paired with U.S. weapons worth up to $90 billion. Negotiations remain fluid, with European leaders signaling progress while Russia has rejected any NATO troop deployments. Officials say further coalition meetings are likely in the coming days.
Sources: Kyiv Independent, Reuters
North Korea declared it will never view South Korea as a partner for diplomacy, with leader Kim Jong-un’s sister Kim Yo-jong denouncing Seoul’s peace gestures as a “sinister intention.” Her remarks came during a foreign policy meeting Tuesday, where she also condemned joint South Korean–U.S. military drills as a “reckless” rehearsal for invasion.
The comments followed Kim Jong-un’s inspection of a warship fitted with nuclear-capable systems, during which he vowed to expand nuclear forces. Pyongyang’s official media labeled South Korea a “faithful dog” of the United States and said reconciliation “will never” happen.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who took office in June, has tried to reduce tensions by removing propaganda loudspeakers and pledging that Seoul will not seek unification by absorption. His administration responded by saying it would continue “proactive steps for peace” and called for mutual respect. But Pyongyang’s statements underscored its shift toward Moscow and abandonment of earlier unification goals.
Sources: South China Morning Post, Washington Post
Switzerland announced it would grant Russian President Vladimir Putin immunity from arrest if he traveled to Geneva for potential peace talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said the decision was based on Switzerland’s “special role” and Geneva’s standing as a UN hub, clarifying that such protection would apply only for participation in a peace conference, not a private visit.
Putin has been under an International Criminal Court arrest warrant since 2023 over alleged war crimes tied to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Cassis insisted the legal framework had been clarified to ensure a summit could take place “100% achievable” despite the warrant.
The proposal followed President Donald Trump’s call with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during meetings in Washington. Trump later claimed he had “sort of set it up.” European leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s Antonio Tajani, suggested Geneva as the venue, though the Kremlin has yet to commit.
Sources: Politoco Europe, Bloomberg
Qatar said Hamas has given a positive response to a new ceasefire proposal, intensifying pressure on Israel to accept terms that echo an earlier U.S.-backed plan. Egyptian officials confirmed they and Qatar sent the proposal to Israel, calling it “almost identical” to one previously advanced by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Israel has said it will respond by Friday.
The plan envisions a 60-day truce during which hostages and Palestinian prisoners would be exchanged. Reports suggest about half of the 20 surviving hostages would be freed in return for around 150 prisoners, including some serving life sentences. Israel’s leadership has indicated it prefers a comprehensive deal, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces domestic protests demanding progress on hostages.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 34 more deaths from Israeli strikes Tuesday, adding to a toll exceeding 62,000. Aid groups warn famine is worsening, with the UN human rights office citing starvation as a direct result of Israel’s aid restrictions.
Sources: Associated Press, The Guardian
President Donald Trump has said he is preparing an executive order to end mail-in voting ahead of the 2026 midterms, calling the practice “corrupt.” He claimed states are merely agents of the federal government and must follow presidential direction, a position election law experts described as unconstitutional.
Mail-in voting, used by 30% of voters in 2024 and 43% in 2020, is allowed in some form in every state and is the only option for millions of Americans, including troops serving overseas and disabled voters. Veterans’ groups warned Trump’s plan would disenfranchise those communities, calling it an attack on the very people defending democratic rights.
The Constitution gives states the power to set election rules, with Congress able to intervene, but not the president. Critics described Trump’s proposal as unprecedented and dangerous, warning it could strip voting access from service members, veterans, and others unable to reach polling places.
Sources: The Independent, BBC
Air Canada and its flight attendants reached a tentative agreement early Tuesday, ending a strike that had grounded flights since Saturday. The Canadian Union of Public Employees, representing over 10,000 flight attendants, said the deal secures ground pay for pre-flight duties, long a union demand. Under the terms, attendants will receive at least 60 minutes of ground pay per flight, starting at half their hourly rate and rising annually.
The agreement also proposes immediate pay increases of 12 percent for attendants with five years or less at the airline and eight percent for longer-serving staff, followed by smaller annual increases. The deal still requires union ratification.
Operations are restarting, with more than half of scheduled flights expected by Tuesday night, though full service may take a week or more. Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the deal, saying it would fairly compensate staff while restoring service for travellers.
Sources: CBC, CTV News
Dozens of Microsoft employees occupied the company’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, on Tuesday to protest what they allege is the use of its Azure cloud platform by the Israeli military. The group, calling itself “No Azure for Genocide” or “No Azure for Apartheid,” set up a “liberated zone” before police ordered them to leave after about two hours.
Protesters cited reports that Israel’s military surveillance unit used Azure to store millions of Palestinians’ phone calls, information they said contributed to targeting in Gaza. Microsoft has denied any evidence its technologies were used to harm civilians and said an independent review is ongoing.
The demonstration included current and former staff carrying signs such as “Join the Worker Intifada – No Labor for Genocide.” Organizers said the action aimed to pressure Microsoft to cut ties with Israel and educate employees. Microsoft employs 47,000 people at its Redmond campus.
Sources: The Guardian, Bloomberg
China will stage a Victory Day military parade in Beijing on September 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II and showcase its modern military capabilities. Officials said the event will highlight “combat-oriented joint formations,” with land, sea, air, missile defense, unmanned combat, and information warfare groups participating.
Hundreds of aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers, and transport planes, will fly in “modular” formations over Tiananmen Square. New domestically produced equipment, including advanced tanks, carrier-based aircraft, and hypersonic missile systems, will be displayed publicly for the first time. State media described the parade as a demonstration of the PLA’s “system-based combat capability.”
The march-past will last about 70 minutes and include 45 troop contingents. President Xi Jinping will preside alongside foreign leaders such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko, Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto, and Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim. Security in Beijing has been tightened, with rehearsals already drawing public attention.
Sources: South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera
Brazil is intensifying its diplomatic push ahead of November’s COP30 summit in Belém, urging countries to deliver updated climate commitments by the September deadline. So far, only 28 nations have submitted their nationally determined contributions (NDCs), leaving major emitters such as China, the EU, and India yet to act.
COP30 president André Corrêa do Lago warned governments that inadequate plans would require further action at the summit. He announced two consultation meetings, starting September 25 in New York, to avoid the delays that have hampered past climate talks. The UN will release a “synthesis report” in October assessing whether current pledges align with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5C goal.
Observers expect the report to show a sharp shortfall, with current NDCs far from the 43% emissions reduction needed by 2030. Brazil has also faced challenges in hosting the summit, with concerns over limited accommodation and rising costs in Belém.
Sources: The Guardian, Climate Change News
The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into whether Washington, D.C., police manipulated crime statistics to make crime rates appear lower. The inquiry is being run by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office and could extend beyond a single commander to examine other police and city officials. The department placed Commander Michael Pulliam on leave in May after reports he altered data, allegations he denies.
President Donald Trump confirmed the investigation on social media, accusing D.C. of releasing “fake crime numbers” and calling the matter “a very bad and dangerous thing.” He has used the case to justify his federal takeover of the city’s police force and deployment of the National Guard, arguing D.C. was unsafe until the intervention.
Mayor Muriel Bowser has countered with police data showing violent crime down 26–27% compared with last year, while the police union has dismissed those figures as “preposterous.”
Sources: Washington Post, NBC
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