26 Nations Commit to Ukraine Peace Force
D.C. Sues to Halt National Guard Deployment
US Department of Defense to be Department of War
Justice Dept Probes Fed Governor Lisa Cook
Israel Says It Controls 40% Of Gaza City
Third Quake Strikes Afghanistan As Toll Climbs
Venezuelan Jets Fly Over U.S. Navy Destroyer
Pakistan Accuses India Over Flood Releases
U.S. Names Two Ecuador Gangs Terrorist Groups
U.S. To Phase Out Security Funds For Europe
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 countries have pledged troops for a “reassurance force” in Ukraine, to be deployed once a ceasefire or peace deal with Russia is reached. Speaking after a summit of the “coalition of the willing” in Paris alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Macron said the troops would not be on the front line but would deter future Russian aggression by maintaining a presence on land, sea, or in the air.
The coalition, composed mainly of European allies with support from Canada, Australia, and Japan, discussed long-term security guarantees and coordination with the United States. While Washington’s exact role remains undefined, both Macron and Zelensky said U.S. participation is under consideration.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized Europe’s commitment, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged caution on troop deployment. Zelensky hailed the announcement as the first serious step toward securing Ukraine’s post-war stability.
Sources: Le Monde, Associated Press
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sued President Donald Trump over the deployment of the National Guard in Washington, alleging an illegal “military occupation” that turns domestic troops into local police. The suit seeks to withdraw the Guard and bar similar actions. Schwalb filed after Trump declared a “crime emergency” on Aug. 11 and deployed troops; a joint task force reported nearly 2,300 Guard members in D.C., including 1,340 from seven Republican-led states. The White House said the President acted within his authority to protect federal assets and assist law enforcement.
The case tests whether the D.C. National Guard is effectively federalised and subject to the Posse Comitatus Act’s limits on domestic policing. A federal judge separately found the administration violated that law in Los Angeles, though the order applies only in California. Mayor Muriel Bowser has criticised the deployments but is coordinating with federal agencies; the Guard’s presence is expected through December, pending extension.
Sources: Washington Post, Time
President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Friday directing that the Department of Defense be known as the Department of War. The order authorizes use of the “Department of War” as a secondary title and allows the Defense Secretary to use the corresponding title. It also instructs the secretary to propose legislative and executive steps toward a permanent change, since Congress created the department and must approve a legal renaming.
The White House says the shift reflects a stronger message of readiness and resolve. Supporters, including a Florida senator, say it signals the ability to win wars; critics, including a New Jersey senator, argue Americans want to prevent wars, not tout them.
The War Department name dates to 1789 and was replaced after World War II, when postwar laws created today’s structure under a secretary of Defense. It is unclear whether the order takes immediate effect.
Sources: New York Times, BBC
The U.S. Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over allegations of mortgage fraud. The probe follows two referral letters from Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, alleging Cook falsified records to secure favorable loan terms on properties in Georgia, Michigan, and later Massachusetts. Federal investigators have issued subpoenas and convened grand juries in both states.
President Donald Trump attempted to fire Cook based on the referrals, a move she challenged in court as unconstitutional and unprecedented. Cook’s attorneys argue the allegations involve clerical errors and do not meet the legal threshold for removal.
They claim the investigation is politically motivated and intended to justify her dismissal. Cook, appointed in 2022 as the first Black woman on the Fed’s board, has vowed not to step down. A federal judge is expediting her lawsuit, which could ultimately reach the Supreme Court.
Sources: ABC News, The Guardian
Israel’s military said it currently holds 40 percent of Gaza City and plans to expand operations in the coming days. The announcement follows intensified bombardments around the city as forces prepare a broader offensive. Gaza’s civil defense reported dozens killed on Thursday in Gaza City and elsewhere, while hospitals documented casualties from strikes hitting tents sheltering displaced families.
Officials have warned of worsening humanitarian conditions. The United Nations last month declared a famine in and around Gaza City, and a UNICEF spokeswoman said essential services are collapsing without increased access to food. Israeli authorities have previously signaled that the offensive could push large numbers of civilians south.
Local health officials say more than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed during the war, which began after the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. An Israeli military spokesman said the campaign would continue to intensify against Hamas, and that forces currently control 40 percent of the city’s territory.
Sources: PBS, France 24
Afghanistan has been hit by a third earthquake in less than a week as rescuers continue to recover bodies and aid the injured in remote southeastern provinces. Thursday night’s tremor, measured at magnitude 5.6 by geoscience agencies, struck Kunar and Nangarhar, sending people fleeing from shelters. Medics reported at least 17 wounded taken to hospital.
The disaster follows Sunday’s magnitude 6.0 quake, one of the country’s deadliest in decades, which has killed more than 2,200 people according to Taliban officials. Thousands more were injured and entire villages leveled in Kunar, where nearly all buildings were damaged or destroyed. Aftershocks, including a 5.5 quake on Tuesday, have disrupted relief work.
The rugged terrain and widespread landslides have cut off access to many areas. Aid groups report severe funding shortages, with tens of thousands left without shelter, food, or clean water. Authorities warn of an urgent need for medicine, tents, and international assistance.
Sources: The Guardian, BBC
Two armed Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets flew over the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer Jason Dunham in the Caribbean Sea on Thursday, a move the Pentagon called a “show of force.” U.S. officials described the action as highly provocative and intended to interfere with ongoing counter-narcotics and counterterrorism operations. The destroyer did not engage during the incident.
The flyover came two days after the U.S. military struck a Venezuelan boat it said was carrying drugs, killing 11 alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang. President Donald Trump has authorized expanded military operations against cartels his administration has labeled “terrorist” groups. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said seizures had failed to deter traffickers and argued forceful action was needed.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused Washington of escalating toward war, while deploying drones and warships along the coast. The U.S. has offered a $50 million reward for Maduro’s arrest, which he denies as politically motivated.
Sources: CBS News, New York Times
Pakistan has accused India of deliberately releasing dam water that worsened monsoon flooding in Punjab, where more than 220 of at least 884 flood deaths nationwide have occurred since late June. India is also inundated: casualties there have crossed 100, with over 30 in Indian Punjab, and all 23 districts of that state are flood affected. Nearly half a million acres of farmland are submerged and more than 15,000 people have been evacuated.
Experts say evidence is thin that India sought to flood Pakistan and note that major releases would hit Indian states first. Reservoirs across the region reached capacity, prompting spillway releases as extreme rains set records; August brought the highest rainfall in over two decades, including about 300 millimeters in 72 hours.
After suspending a decades-old river pact, India shared several flood warnings across the border, though without detailed hydrological data. Both countries face strained infrastructure and rising monsoon risk.
Sources: New York Times, Al Jazeera
The United States designated two Ecuadorian gangs, Los Lobos and Los Choneros, as foreign terrorist organizations. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the move in Quito, describing it as part of a broader effort to confront Latin American cartels. He said the designation enables action against group assets and banking accounts and strengthens intelligence sharing with Ecuador.
The announcement followed a recent U.S. military strike against Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua that, according to U.S. officials, killed 11 people on a boat alleged to be carrying drugs. Rubio framed the campaign as a “war” on groups he called “narco terrorists,” while noting the U.S. focuses strikes on non-cooperating countries. Ecuador’s president thanked the U.S. for efforts to eliminate terrorist threats.
Violence tied to these gangs has surged since the pandemic, including contract killings, extortion and drug trafficking, with deadly clashes inside Ecuador’s prisons since 2021.
Sources: Associated Press, Al Jazeera
The United States will wind down security assistance programs for European countries bordering Russia, signaling a push for allies to cover more of their own defense costs. Pentagon officials told European diplomats that funding under Section 333, which has provided training and equipment, will not be renewed. Congress has already approved money through September 2026, but no new requests have been made.
The program sent about $1.6 billion to Europe between 2018 and 2022, with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as key recipients. The Baltic Security Initiative, which received $228 million last year, also faces uncertainty. European officials say the shift could cut hundreds of millions in support and undermine NATO readiness.
The White House said the decision aligns with President Trump’s directive for Europe to spend more, a push that led NATO allies in June to pledge 5 percent of GDP for defense.