US-Iran Crisis

Five days after a cyberattack forced two Berlin senate administrations offline, authorities still cannot say when affected agencies will be fully operational, and housing benefit payments to more than 50,000 households remain suspended.

Governing Mayor Kai Wegner said no sensitive data had been compromised, while the state's information security commissioner noted that only freely available geodata was exfiltrated. Chief Digital Officer Florian Hauer, supported by an external U.S. provider, called it a "very serious attack." Online postal ballot applications have resumed after a brief outage, and Interior Senator Iris Spranger said the September 20 state election is not at risk.

CDU lead candidate Stefan Evers demanded a centralized digital budget and a CDO with authority across departments, while IT expert Manuel Atug criticized the state's cybersecurity posture as poorly prepared.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Seoul on Tuesday for his first visit to South Korea in nearly five years, holding talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and national security adviser Wi Sung-lac before a scheduled meeting with President Lee Jae-myung at the Blue House on Wednesday.

The visit comes as U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a significant reduction in joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises, a move he linked to interactions with Seoul regarding Iran's denuclearization. Trump also signaled willingness to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un again. Wang expressed satisfaction at the two Koreas moving toward peaceful coexistence, while Cho reaffirmed Seoul's commitment to the "One China" policy and sought Beijing's cooperation on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea is also seeking to arrange a meeting between Lee and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen. Wang will continue to Indonesia to co-chair a "2+2" foreign and defense ministers' dialogue with Defense Minister Dong Jun.

U.S. President Donald Trump expects to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un again before the end of 2026, with the White House hoping to arrange the summit around the November APEC gathering in Shenzhen, China. Trump asserted that Pyongyang possesses 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons, a figure he offered without elaboration.

The announcement comes after Trump ordered a reduction in joint military drills with Seoul. However, Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader's sister, said she was unaware of any recent contact between her brother and the U.S. president, casting doubt on how far planning has progressed.

Amid the diplomatic maneuvering, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for complete military independence from the United States. Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Seoul for talks with his counterpart Cho Hyun, underscoring Beijing's interest in the shifting peninsula dynamics.

The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance's Thuringia parliamentary faction voted 13 to 2 to remain in the state's governing coalition, defying the federal executive board's demand to withdraw support from Minister-President Mario Voigt. Dissident lawmakers Anke Wirsing and Sven Küntzel opted to stay within the faction despite their criticism of Voigt, whose doctoral title revocation appeal recently failed. A special party conference is set for roughly three weeks from now to address the internal dispute.

Party founder Sahra Wagenknecht said the Thuringia branch would make its own decision and expects the conflict to be resolved at the conference. She has separately advocated a model of non-partisan state premiers governing with shifting majorities that could include the Alternative for Germany — a stance the BSW chapter in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern endorsed.

In neighbouring Saxony-Anhalt, ahead of the September 6 election, the BSW plans to abstain in a potential third ballot for premier. Incumbent Sven Schulze accused the BSW of seeking to help the AfD to power.

Israel's housing ministry opened tenders for 1,234 settlement homes in the E1 corridor of the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, advancing a project critics say would effectively bisect Palestinian territory. Bids close on 19 October, days before Israel's general election scheduled for 27 October.

The Palestinian Authority condemned the move, while the advocacy group Peace Now accused the government of trying to bury the two-state solution. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the idea of a Palestinian state was "being erased." The broader E1 plan envisions more than 3,400 homes on roughly 12 square kilometres between East Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement bloc.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed deep concern over the tender, and Germany, France, Italy, and the UK warned companies against involvement in E1 construction. The project threatens to disconnect dozens of Bedouin communities, including Khan al-Ahmar.

Kim Yo Jong has said she is unaware of any recent exchanges of messages between her brother, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and U.S. President Donald Trump, while describing the personal rapport between the two men as excellent.

She also dismissed as completely irrelevant Trump's decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea — drills he had previously called too expensive and an inappropriate and hostile signal toward Pyongyang.

The statements come as Trump has been pressing aides to arrange a new meeting with Kim Jong Un during a planned trip to Asia this autumn, potentially in November on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Poland has imposed an entry ban on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, joining Ireland, France, Spain and Slovenia in restricting his travel, after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the minister's calls for nightly targeted killings in Gaza.

The German government denied claims it blocked sanctions against Ben Gvir at the last EU summit, while the Czech Republic had opposed placing him on the bloc's sanctions list. SPD parliamentary manager Dirk Wiese called for both Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to be added to EU sanctions.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is advancing 1,200 new housing units in the West Bank, with the tender deadline for the controversial E1 settlement project set for October 19.

A landmark trial opened Tuesday in a California federal court with attorneys general from 29 states accusing Meta Platforms of deliberately designing Instagram and Facebook to be addictive for young users while concealing internal research about the harm.

California Deputy Attorney General Megan O'Neill told the court that Meta engineered its platforms to hook children and collect data from users under 13 without parental consent. The states are seeking penalties that could theoretically reach into the trillions of dollars, though plaintiff attorneys have cited a figure around $200 billion. Meta rejected the allegations as baseless, with company lawyer Paul Schmidt arguing there is no clear link between social media and declining youth wellbeing. Former Meta safety engineer Arturo Béjar testified that the company ignored internal warnings about harmful content reaching minors.

US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will decide the case herself despite a jury being seated. The six-to-eight-week trial follows a recent $567 million judgment against Meta in New Mexico over similar child safety claims. Meta shares fell 4.4 percent on Tuesday.

An unknown projectile struck a cargo vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, damaging its engine room and killing or wounding at least one crew member, after a US-Iran ceasefire framework expired without renewal.

The Omani coastguard assisted the remaining crew, with no environmental impact reported. The strike came a day after a 60-day memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran lapsed, ending a pause in hostilities that had envisioned the strait's reopening and the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf insisted Tehran will not reopen the waterway until the United States meets its commitments, while Donald Trump said Iran must raise a white flag of surrender.

Traffic through the strait remains in single digits, with just six commodity vessels passing on Monday, far below the pre-war daily average of more than 130. Separately, the UAE said Iran fired two ballistic missiles at its territory, one landing in Emirati waters, and a crewless cargo ship was destroyed by projectiles off Yemen's Mocha port.

South Korea and the United States will end their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises on Friday, cutting the drills short by nearly a week after President Donald Trump ordered a substantial reduction in U.S. participation. The maneuvers, which began Monday, were originally scheduled to run through August 27.

Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to scale back the exercises, citing their cost and arguing they send a hostile signal to North Korea. The allies will complete the first phase focused on defensive readiness while the second phase involving counter-attack scenarios will be cancelled or postponed. A Pentagon representative said the adjustments preserve basic combat readiness objectives. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated the exercises do not demonstrate any intention to attack North Korea.

North Korea's state news agency KCNA condemned the drills on Wednesday, calling the allies "warmongers" and vowing to exercise its right to self-defense, without acknowledging Trump's order to reduce them.

Iranian military planners have evaluated options to strike American assets and military sites in Europe if President Donald Trump expands the confrontation or threatens Iranian infrastructure. Targets under review include U.S. interests in southeast European nations such as Bulgaria, which recently approved American use of the Bezmer air base for refueling operations, and Cyprus, where a British air base was hit by a drone in March. Iranian forces have also studied attacking underwater fiber-optic cables in the Strait of Hormuz in an escalation scenario.

The assessments reflect a hardening mood in Tehran following the collapse last month of a June memorandum of understanding and stalled diplomacy. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei elevated hardliner Mohsen Rezaei to head the Supreme National Security Council, a move analysts see as marginalizing pragmatist negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Defense analysts note that while Iran can deploy medium-range Shahab-type missiles toward southern Europe, their effectiveness diminishes significantly over distance.

The United States Department of Defense is examining whether to scale back its military footprint across the Persian Gulf in the wake of the war with Iran, though Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has yet to order a formal review.

The Pentagon's policy office is steering the evaluation, with the Joint Staff and United States Central Command also involved. Central Command typically maintains roughly 40,000 personnel across nearly two dozen sites spanning from Jordan to Oman, including the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and major Army and Air Force installations in Kuwait. American forces have conducted more than 13,000 strikes against Iran, while over 200 US facilities have been damaged or destroyed during the conflict.

The financial toll is steep: the Pentagon projects war costs will reach roughly $37.5 billion by the end of September, and the American Enterprise Institute estimated in April that repairs alone could run to $5 billion.

The United Arab Emirates has suspended all commercial, trade, and financial transactions with Iran until further notice, citing regional escalation that undermines international peace and security. The foreign ministry announced the decision on Wednesday, with strategic communications director Afra Al Hameli reaffirming the UAE's commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the international financial system.

The move follows accusations that Iran fired two ballistic missiles at Emirati territory on Tuesday — one landing outside and one inside UAE territorial waters — prompting a brief public shelter-in-place alert, the first since July. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei dismissed the accusations as baseless. Tankers belonging to state oil company Adnoc have been repeatedly targeted in recent weeks.

Tensions have surged since the 60-day window under a US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in June expired on Monday without a broader agreement. Top Emirati negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington honours its commitments under that deal.

TOURISE and Oxford Economics released a report on global tourism resilience on Monday, finding that destinations acting before disruption strikes recover up to 1.5 times faster than those that wait. The study, based on analysis of 85 major crises over two decades, noted that average recovery times have fallen from roughly 24 months in the early 2000s to 10–12 months today.

The report models three scenarios for the current Middle East crisis: global travel demand grows about 6% in 2026 if the ceasefire holds, dips 1% if hostilities resume, or declines 3% and stays weak into 2027 under sustained disruption. It also flagged the power of misinformation, noting that viral megaquake rumors drove booking drops of up to 50% from some East Asian markets in 2025.

Global tourism remains broadly robust. International arrivals hit a record 1.52 billion in 2025, and Saudi Arabia welcomed 37.2 million visitors in the first quarter of 2026, reaching its 100 million annual-visitor target seven years early.

The Trump administration filed a proposal on Tuesday to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a move that could open nearly 45 million acres of national forest to road construction, drilling and logging. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins submitted the proposal through the US Forest Service.

The existing rule limits development on roughly 59 million acres, about 30 percent of the National Forest System. Under the proposed change, authority over roadless areas would shift to local national forest managers. More than 95 percent of affected land lies in 10 states, with the Tongass national forest in Alaska representing the largest single roadless area.

The public has until 21 September to comment on the plan. A 2025 Wilderness Society analysis found wildfire density is lowest in protected forest areas.

Mykhailo Fedorov, the former Ukrainian defence minister dismissed in July, has demanded that Ukraine hold elections despite the ongoing war with Russia, marking the first such call by a prominent Ukrainian politician since the 2022 invasion.

In a video address on Tuesday evening, Fedorov argued that democracy "cannot be held hostage by Russia" and urged the government to find a legal, secure and realistic mechanism to restore full democratic processes even during a prolonged war. He described the situation as a systemic governance crisis, noting the difficulty of ensuring safe voting for military personnel, the diaspora and frontline communities.

Fedorov's mid-July dismissal triggered mass protests across Ukraine that continued into August. President Volodymyr Zelensky has since nominated Yevhen Khmara as defence minister and replaced army chief Oleksandr Syrsky with Mykhailo Drapatyi, appointments still awaiting parliamentary approval.

France is expelling two Iranian diplomats, declaring them persona non grata, in direct retaliation for Tehran's decision to ban two French envoys from returning to the country, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced.

The Iranian diplomats have been ordered to leave France in the coming days. The move follows Tehran's formal announcement on August 17 barring the two French diplomats after they were detained and allegedly assaulted in July. Iran's intelligence ministry accused France of conducting a broad influence operation aimed at undermining Iranian independence.

The expulsion comes after two Iranian graphic designers, Aria Kasaei and Elly Naghilou, were arrested on July 19 following a meeting with French diplomats. Tehran has denied allegations that its security forces mistreated the French envoys during their detention.

OpenAI has rolled out ChatGPT for Teens, a version of its chatbot with built-in protections for users aged 13 to 17. The teen mode activates automatically when the company estimates a user falls within that age range, based on declared birthdate or chat behaviour.

The update restricts content related to self-harm, violence, eating disorders and explicit material, while introducing regular break reminders and a study mode that responds with guiding questions rather than direct answers. Parents can link accounts and receive notifications during high-risk conversations. The voice function can be switched off for younger users.

The launch comes as OpenAI faces multiple lawsuits alleging the software harmed minors, including cases linked to youth suicides and school shootings. The move also coincides with Meta facing legal action from four US states over teen mental health.

International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have discovered several tonnes of nuclear material at a previously undeclared site in Syria, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi announced Tuesday in Damascus. The material dates from the country's previous government and could have been misused, Grossi said at a joint press conference with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani.

The transitional government alerted the IAEA to the location in an official letter on July 17, al-Shibani said. An inspection team has since visited the site and collected the necessary samples. The material will remain in Dayr az-Zawr and be secured safely, Grossi added.

The discovery follows the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024.

The United Arab Emirates detected a missile threat targeting the country on Tuesday, prompting authorities to urge residents to take immediate shelter in secure buildings away from windows and open areas. The Ministry of Defense said air defense systems tracked the threat and confirmed forces were on full readiness to protect national sovereignty.

Hours later, the interior ministry sent a follow-up mobile alert declaring the situation safe and calling on residents to resume normal activities. The alert coincided with the expiration of a 60-day U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding.

Tuesday's warning was the first such alert since July, when a similar scare did not result in strikes reaching Emirati territory. ADNOC oil tankers have been targeted in recent weeks. Tehran launched roughly 3,000 attacks on the UAE during the early phase of the wider Middle East war that began on Feb. 28.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has submitted nominations to parliament to appoint Yevhen Khmara as defence minister and Andrii Sybiha as foreign minister, with a vote scheduled for Wednesday.

Khmara, who has served as acting defence minister since July after previously leading the SBU security service, would formally replace Mykhailo Fedorov. Zelenskyy told lawmakers the change was driven by persistent disputes between Fedorov and armed forces commander Oleksandr Syrskyi. The reshuffle proved turbulent: Zelenskyy initially favoured Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko for the defence post but shifted plans amid public protests, ultimately dismissing Syrskyi as well and moving Klymenko to the national security council.

Fedorov, a popular figure, rejected alternative posts offered by Zelenskyy, insisting he would accept nothing less than a return to his former role.

Qatar is pushing for an immediate ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as the only way to revive diplomacy between Washington and Tehran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said, after a 60-day window for a broader US-Iran agreement expired Monday.

The memorandum of understanding collapsed after Iran targeted ships transiting the strait, a chokepoint for roughly a fifth of global oil and gas. The White House has said it does not seek to extend the arrangement, while President Donald Trump called preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon the primary US objective. Iran's parliament speaker set preconditions for reopening the strait, including lifting sanctions and releasing frozen assets.

Al-Ansari also denied Iranian accusations that Qatar is holding three military pilots prisoner, calling the claims baseless, and said Doha condemned the targeting of the Iraqi Kurdistan prime minister's office.

Italy has extended a 17-cent-per-litre excise duty cut on diesel through 25 August, a measure Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti valued at 245 million euros. The decree, activated on 28 July, was triggered by price spikes linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Despite the relief, average self-service diesel on motorways has returned to 2.173 euros per litre, matching levels seen earlier this month, while self-service petrol on highways averages 2.073 euros. Michele Marsiglia, president of FederPetroli Italia, warned diesel could reach 3 euros per litre within months if the Hormuz crisis persists, with Brent crude trading near 92–93 dollars a barrel.

Consumer group Codacons has urged the government to adopt structural measures to contain fuel costs. Over the past three decades, petrol prices have risen 99.7% and diesel 176.6%, roughly doubling the cost of a 50-litre tank since 1996.

Germany’s agriculture minister has promised financial support to drought-hit farmers as the Deutscher Bauernverband projected a 2026 grain harvest of 41.9 million tonnes, seven percent below last year, after earlier estimates pointed to severe regional losses.

Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer pledged assistance for harvest shortfalls, with official figures due late August, while the Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank launched a 200-million-euro emergency programme. Rainer said he did not expect immediate price rises for bread or meat.

Bauernverband president Joachim Rukwied pressed for fertiliser aid to be tripled to 180 million euros, an immediate cut in diesel taxation through at least November, and early payment of EU direct subsidies in October rather than December. Rukwied also rejected accusations from Schleswig-Holstein’s environment minister that agriculture was fuelling climate change through fossil fuel use.

Chinese carrier Sea Legend has launched a weekly container service between Ningbo and Felixstowe via the Northern Sea Route, operationalising Beijing's "Ice Silk Road" ambition as traditional shipping lanes face disruption. The route is 30–40 percent shorter than the Suez Canal passage between Asia and Europe.

The service gains urgency after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israel war that began on February 28, while Houthi attacks continue to threaten the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Sea Legend's October trial completed the journey in 20 days, compared with 40 via Suez. Winter ice restricts access to summer months, though Arctic winter sea ice extent fell 5.8 percent between 2024 and 2025.

Transit traffic on the route reached a record 3.2 million tonnes in 2025, with container transits rising to 24. The Northern Sea Route Administration, operating under Rosatom, issues all shipping permits. The United States has agreed with Finland to build new icebreakers, with the first expected in Alaska by late 2028.

French President Emmanuel Macron has promulgated a military programming law approved by parliament, unlocking €36 billion in armed forces investment through 2030. The legislation, set for publication in the Official Journal, will double the defence budget starting in 2027.

The spending package is designed to bolster cyber capabilities, drone programmes, and broader defence innovation. It also reconfigures a voluntary military service scheme for young people aged 18 to 25.

The law reflects France's push to modernise its armed forces and strengthen strategic autonomy at a time of heightened security concerns across Europe.

Germany is opening a new drone security research center in Saxony-Anhalt on Tuesday, a move that takes on added urgency following the recent discovery of an explosive-laden drone near Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig airport.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, Research Minister Dorothee Bär and Saxony-Anhalt state premier Sven Schulze are scheduled to officially open the facility at the German Aerospace Center in Cochstedt. The center will develop and test counter-drone technologies under realistic conditions.

The opening comes two weeks after a modified drone carrying explosives was found among Ukrainian freight planes at Leipzig/Halle airport, an incident federal prosecutors described as a serious attack on Germany's transport and logistics infrastructure. The federal police drone defense unit, operational since December, is expected to grow to 300 officers as authorities strengthen aerial security capabilities.

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday the United States will not seek to extend the 60-day framework agreement with Iran, arguing Tehran is unwilling to make the deal he believes is necessary to prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Speaking in the Oval Office as the deadline expired on Monday, Trump insisted the US must maintain its military posture in the Middle East, warning that Iran "cannot have a nuclear weapon." He also threatened to bomb Oman "without mercy" if the sultanate interferes with negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz, where Muscat and Tehran have been conducting separate talks on navigation routes. Iranian officials warned that Tehran would not negotiate unless Washington fully complies with the memorandum's terms, including lifting its naval blockade.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Trump in a phone call to continue negotiations with Iran, emphasizing diplomacy and offering to help broker peace. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said the 60-day expiry was "irrelevant" because substantive negotiations never began.

U.S. President Donald Trump said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his diplomatic overtures, signaling a potential thaw as Washington scales back joint military exercises with South Korea.

Trump on Saturday posted a photograph from the pair's June 2019 meeting at the Demilitarized Zone — their third face-to-face encounter — writing on Truth Social that he and Kim had gotten along very well. The White House has repeatedly indicated Trump is willing to engage Kim without preconditions.

During his first term, Trump met Kim three times: in Singapore in June 2018, Hanoi in February 2019, and the border village of Panmunjom in June 2019, where both leaders pledged commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Analyst Victor Cha at the Center for Strategic and International Studies suggested Kim may seek another summit after the U.S. midterm elections this autumn.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. envoy Jared Kushner agreed on Monday that Hamas must surrender its weapons under the supervision of an American general before any Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, after Kushner met a Hamas delegation in Egypt on Sunday.

The Jerusalem talks lasted more than three hours and also included former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Board of Peace envoy Nickolay Mladenov, and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee. Netanyahu insisted that Israeli forces will remain in Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed, and named General Jasper Jeffers as the intended commander overseeing the handover. Kushner reiterated that no reconstruction can begin before demilitarisation.

The agreement also includes work on Gaza's sanitation infrastructure to prevent disease. Netanyahu had earlier rejected the 15-point ceasefire proposal, citing Israeli elections due in late October.

Houthi rebels claimed on Monday to have sunk a Saudi military landing ship and several escort patrol boats off the coast of Mocha using multiple ballistic missiles, after last week's deadly barrage on the port city.

The vessel, identified by state television as the Amir Khan, had been moored for maintenance for over a year and carried no cargo at the time of impact. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group maintains strict surveillance of Saudi force movements and announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.

In response, the internationally recognized Yemeni government said its forces executed 181 military operations using drones, artillery, and rocket launchers against Houthi positions across five provinces in the past 24 hours. The Mocha port suspended all commercial and navigational activity, with direct material losses estimated at $16 million, while renewed clashes continue to span multiple governorates including Marib, Taiz, and Al Dhale.

US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman if the Gulf state interferes with efforts to reach an agreement with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, speaking in a Fox News interview on Monday as a 60-day diplomatic window for a US-Iran settlement expired without a breakthrough.

Trump said Iran should "raise the white flag of surrender" and confirmed for the first time that Washington had opened a direct backchannel to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding at the Palace of Versailles on 17 June, committing both sides to negotiate a comprehensive deal within two months following a spring war and subsequent ceasefire. The Strait of Hormuz has been largely closed since the US and Israel launched their campaign against Iran in February.

Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday that talks with Oman on a joint transit management plan for the strait were continuing, with a spokesperson saying an understanding had been reached on the transit route map. Trump also said Israel should stop attacking Gaza because Hamas had agreed to lay down its weapons, adding that the US had a separate communication channel with Hamas.

Germany's Verdi union has called 24-hour warning strikes at six major seaports beginning Monday evening, escalating a pay dispute that threatens cargo operations across the country's busiest maritime hubs. The walkouts will affect Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Bremen, Wilhelmshaven, Emden and Brake.

The action follows a member ballot of more than 6,100 workers who rejected the latest employer offer. Verdi is demanding an 8.2 percent hourly wage increase for roughly 11,000 employees on a one-year contract term. The employers' association ZDS has countered with a 5.1 percent raise spread over 19 months, along with additional one-off payments including a 300-euro holiday bonus and 460 euros for workers at large container operations.

The gap between the two sides remains substantial, with the union insisting on a shorter contract duration to allow for quicker renegotiation amid persistent inflation.

Russia has constructed at least 10 secret military bases equipped with newly built launch platforms for advanced long-range attack drones near its borders with Ukraine and Belarus, placing multiple NATO capitals within striking distance.

An investigation identified at least 59 launch rails across the sites, with roughly 20 extended to accommodate the latest Russian jet-powered drones. Some facilities were converted from existing military or civilian airfields, while others were built directly in rural areas. Certain bases are already being used to launch intensive strikes against Ukraine, and one site alone has capacity to store more than 1,000 drones simultaneously.

The most capable variants could reach Warsaw, the Baltic states, Romania, and Turkey. European and U.S. intelligence officials believe Moscow is contemplating an armed provocation on Polish soil, with analysts warning of potential false-flag operations.

Iran and Oman have agreed on a transit route map for the Strait of Hormuz that would reopen the waterway with ships entering near Iran and exiting close to Oman, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday, though a final agreement with a joint statement has yet to be concluded.

Baghaei said the complex negotiations continue in earnest but are hindered by the issue's intricacy, the number of parties involved, and efforts by certain countries to disrupt the process. Both sides have expressed determination to craft a mechanism that serves their mutual interests while safeguarding international navigation, he said.

The talks follow a sharp escalation since July 8, when President Donald Trump declared a June 18 ceasefire with Iran void. The U.S. military has since struck Iran in response to Tehran's actions against commercial vessels transiting the strait, according to U.S. Central Command. Iran retaliated by attacking American bases across the Middle East.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared that European Union membership is no longer a priority for his country, arguing that Europe appears unwilling to accept Turkey and will emerge as the loser from the standoff.

Speaking in an interview with Al Jazeera, Erdogan signalled a hardening of Ankara's posture toward Brussels. Turkey has been an EU candidate country since 1999, with accession negotiations formally opened in 2005 before being suspended over concerns about democratic backsliding, the rule of law, and fundamental rights.

The comments come as a major trial against Erdogan rival Ekrem Imamoglu continues at a courthouse in Istanbul's Silivri district. The imprisoned opposition figure faces charges of corruption, money laundering, and forming a criminal organisation.

Social Democratic Party ministers in Germany's federal cabinet have proposed amending the constitution to make climate adaptation and nature conservation a joint federal-state responsibility, presenting a package of about a dozen measures ahead of a late-August cabinet retreat. The plan includes immediate protections for nursing homes and hospitals, building-code adjustments, and natural climate-protection measures.

The push follows estimates by the Robert Koch Institute that roughly 12,500 people died from heat-related causes by early August 2026. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said political action against climate change was imperative. The Christian Democratic Union rejected the constitutional amendment as pointless, while the Greens accused the SPD of hypocrisy, noting Chancellor Olaf Scholz had blocked a similar amendment in the 2021 coalition agreement.

The German Association of Cities and Municipalities estimated that municipalities need €40 billion over five years to cope with climate impacts, urging the government to enshrine adaptation funding in the constitution.

Iran's army commander-in-chief Amir Hatami has announced a $30,000 reward for any Iranian who captures or kills a US service member, with the payout doubled for women who carry out such acts. Hatami said the scheme was drawn up in response to a large volume of public requests to participate, and that the weapon used in a successful attack would be purchased at twice its value and displayed in a dedicated museum. He did not specify where or how such operations would take place.

Hatami reiterated demands that the United States withdraw from the Middle East, declaring that US forces are no longer permitted in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, or Strait of Hormuz. Iran's armed forces general staff vowed not to retreat until achieving what it called the complete defeat of American and Zionist enemies in the region.

No US ground troops are known to have been deployed inside Iran during the war that began on 28 February, apart from a single April rescue mission for a downed pilot. The announcement follows a May proposal by a senior Iranian lawmaker for a €50 million bounty on Donald Trump. President Masoud Pezeshkian has meanwhile defended a recent Islamabad memorandum of understanding with Washington while describing the country as navigating a difficult phase.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has praised Hamas for its cooperation with a Gaza peace plan, saying the group is meeting its obligations while Israel continues attacks in Gaza and Lebanon. In an interview with Al Jazeera published Sunday, Erdogan said U.S. President Donald Trump is concerned about Israeli actions.

The proposed framework, put forward by a "Peace Council," calls for a ceasefire, Hamas disarmament, and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the plan, while senior Hamas official Basem Naim said the movement remains committed to it. Trump envoy Jared Kushner is in the region for talks, with a meeting with Netanyahu scheduled Monday.

Erdogan also indicated the Mecca defense pact signed Aug. 7 by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan may expand, with Egypt a possible future member. He added that Turkey has received a promise from Trump on F-35 fighter jets and is awaiting delivery.

Japanese e-commerce and finance conglomerate Rakuten Group is working with German defence startup Helsing to finalise a sale of unmanned strike systems to Japan's military, as Tokyo moves to bolster its domestic drone production capabilities.

The Ground Self-Defense Force is currently testing Helsing's HX-2 strike drone, with field trials running through the end of September. Helsing, valued at $18 billion after raising $1.8 billion in July, reached an initial agreement with the Japanese government earlier this year. Rakuten, which has operated in the drone sector since around 2015, previously assisted Ukrainian drone software firm Swarmer with a military demonstration in Japan.

The partnership arrives ahead of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's planned first visit to Japan in late October, where he is expected to discuss security cooperation with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Japan's government plans to revise its three key security documents this year, outlining a policy to strengthen domestic drone manufacturing capacity.

Austria has endured its driest 12 months in 176 years of records, Geosphere Austria said, as drought deepened across the region after rivers from the Rhine to the Elbe disrupted shipping.

Record-low water on the Rhine and other German rivers is now pressing on the construction sector, with vessels forced to cut cargoes and delay deliveries of building materials. The German Construction Industry Association warned of supply bottlenecks if conditions persist, and its director Tim-Oliver Müller said firms may need extra ships or a shift to rail. Transport costs per tonne rise sharply when Rhine ships carry only a fraction of their load, said RWI economist Torsten Schmidt.

Germany's Edersee reservoir is down to roughly 16 percent capacity, partly due to water releases to maintain levels on the Oberweser and Mittelland Canal. Swimming at Waldeck has been suspended and authorities warned against bathing at Rehbach over blue-green algae.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te announced on Monday that the proposed defense budget for 2027 will increase by 16% to a record 1.1225 trillion Taiwan dollars (about $35.2 billion). The proposal marks the first time Taiwan's defense spending will surpass the one-trillion-dollar threshold, keeping the total allocation above 3% of the island's gross domestic product.

Lai characterized the ramped-up spending as a necessary investment in peace, highlighting Taipei's determination to reinforce its self-defense capabilities. The government is scheduled to officially present the comprehensive budget plan on Thursday before it undergoes parliamentary scrutiny.

The spending surge comes amid heightened political and military pressure from China, which views the self-governed island as its territory. Lai has designated defense enhancement as one of his administration's top five priorities for 2027.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday expressed strong satisfaction with the Mecca Mutual Defense Agreement signed earlier this month by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan. The pact, concluded on August 7 in Mecca by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stipulates that an armed attack on any one of the three nations constitutes an attack on all. Riyadh has sought to reinforce security alliances following Iranian threats and Houthi hostility in Yemen.

Separately, Trump ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to significantly scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, though Seoul's defense ministry stated the drills would proceed as scheduled. The moves come as a June memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran reaches its deadline on August 17.

The 60-day US-Iran framework agreement expired at midnight without a concrete deal, ending the diplomatic window established when Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian signed the 14-point memorandum on June 17 after earlier ceasefire extensions.

While direct US-Iran strikes paused, violence by Iranian-backed groups has intensified. Israel carried out its heaviest day of airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon since the June truce, and Houthi forces in Yemen renewed threats and attacks against Saudi Arabia. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that no decision has been made on resuming negotiations, accusing Washington of violating the agreement by reversing oil-sector sanctions waivers after just two weeks and failing to release frozen Iranian assets.

Pakistan and Qatar continue mediation efforts. Trump, who declared the ceasefire over in July and threatened a heavier strike wave, had pledged a $300 billion reconstruction programme that remains unfulfilled.

Iran's economy is approaching collapse under a reimposed US naval blockade that has severed oil exports and driven inflation to roughly 88 percent year-on-year, with food prices surging past 128 percent.

President Masoud Pezeshkian said state revenues have fallen sharply after wartime strikes destroyed factories, eliminating tax income and forcing the government to subsidise damaged industries instead. Oil sales have stopped entirely, and shipping costs on the China route have quadrupled to $12,000 per container via land detours, adding an estimated $18 billion in annual transport costs. The administration is considering significant petrol price increases as fiscal pressure mounts.

US President Donald Trump vowed to strike Iran's economy hard, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Qatar and Pakistan are relaying messages but insisted no negotiations are underway. The blockade follows the US-Israeli military campaign that began on 28 February.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will propose the most far-reaching sanctions list against Russia since the start of the war this autumn, she told Die Welt, aiming to increase the number of sanctioned Russian entities by a third.

Kallas said existing EU measures have already cost Russia's war machine more than one trillion euros. The bloc currently sanctions around 3,000 individuals and entities, a figure that would rise sharply if the new package is adopted. She [accused Moscow of

The commander of CENTCOM, Admiral Brad Cooper, has declared the USS Abraham Lincoln is recording the lowest mental health case rates among the US Navy's 11 active aircraft carriers, following a visit to the vessel during a 10-day tour of the Middle East.

The Lincoln has been at sea for more than 260 days without a port call, supporting the US war against Iran including a blockade of Iranian ports since arriving in January. The deployment, originally set to end in May, has been repeatedly extended, with the USS George Washington now heading to replace it. However, concerns persist: family members have raised alarms over deteriorating morale, and conditions aboard have reportedly included broken plumbing and fresh food shortages. Thirteen Senate Democrats sent a letter to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth criticising the record-length deployment, while President Donald Trump dismissed the concerns, telling reporters the deployment was "not nearly long enough".