- UN rights office says Israeli settlement plan breaks international law Reuters
- LIVE: Israel kills 21 Palestinians in Gaza since dawn Al Jazeera
- Israeli settlement plans will ‘bury’ idea of Palestinian state, minister says BBC
- Germany adds to calls for Israeli govt to stop West Bank settlement construction Dawn
- Plan for Israeli Settlements Advances and Will ‘Bury’ Palestinian Statehood, Minister Vows The New York Times
Category: 2. World
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UN rights office says Israeli settlement plan breaks international law – Reuters
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Ukraine targets Russian oil refinery, apartment block – World
KYIV: Ukrainian drones hit a Russian oil refinery and an apartment block in an overnight attack just hours before US President Donald Trump hosts his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for a high-stakes summit in Alaska.
Kyiv has targeted Russia’s oil depots and refineries in long-range drone attacks in what it calls retaliatory strikes for Moscow’s nightly barrages of Ukrainian cities and its energy grid.
The Ukrainian military said Friday it hit a large oil refinery in the central Russian city of Syzran, some 800 kilometres (500 miles) behind the front line.
“The Syzran oil refinery in the Samara region of Russia, one of the largest in the Rosneft system, was hit,” Ukraine’s general staff said, referring to the network of facilities owned by Russian state-run energy giant Rosneft.
It said the facility produced aviation fuel and supplied the Russian army.
Unverified images on social media showed multiple fires and grey smoke billowing from the site at dawn on Friday.
Ukraine’s drone attack kills three, targets Moscow, Russia says
A separate Ukrainian drone strike on an apartment block in the Russian border region of Kursk killed one person and wounded 10 others, local Russian officials said.
“Unfortunately, a 45-year-old woman died on the spot,” Governor Alexander Khinshtein said in a video on Telegram, standing in front of a blown-out window.
Russian attacks also continued, with Ukrainian officials in the frontline Kharkiv and Donetsk regions reporting six civilians killed in strikes over the last 24 hours.
Ukraine has previously vowed to step-up its long-range strikes against Russia as Moscow launched record numbers of missiles and drones at Ukraine in June and July.
The attack comes as Putin and Trump are to meet on Friday in Alaska with Trump pushing for an end to the Ukraine war, triggered by Russia’s February 2022 invasion.
Russia has advanced on the ground ahead of the talks and Trump has publicly mooted the idea of a territorial swap between the warring sides.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not invited to the Alaska summit, has ruled that out.
Russia’s army said Ukraine fired 53 drones overnight, while Ukraine’s air force said Moscow launched 97. AFP
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Ukraine reports strikes on Russian oil refinery, Caspian port hub – Reuters
- Ukraine reports strikes on Russian oil refinery, Caspian port hub Reuters
- Watch: Passengers escape car hit by drone in Russia BBC
- Astra: UAV Strike Damages Over 2,000 Square Meters at Instrument-Building Plant in Arzamas Мілітарний
- Ukrainian Strike Kills 1, Wounds 12 in Kursk The Moscow Times
- Major Lukoil Refinery Halts Oil Intake After Ukraine Strike Bloomberg.com
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What’s at stake at the Trump-Putin Ukraine peace summit? | Donald Trump
1. Territory
Russia occupies around a fifth of Ukraine after more than three years of fighting but continues to demand land. Earlier this week the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Russia wanted the rest of Donetsk oblast, 9,000 square kilometres of territory, in return for a ceasefire. Zelenskyy said Ukraine could not agree, particularly for so little in return. Ukraine’s public would also be unlikely to accept handing over more land to the invader.
Kyiv is willing to accept a ceasefire on the current frontlines, which would be followed by discussions about the future status of occupied territory. It is a particularly sensitive issue. Russia has sought formal recognition of at least some of the territory it has seized, most notably Crimea, but at best Ukraine is only likely to accept a de facto occupation. An alternative is that the status of occupied territories be parked for a future negotiation – “in 25 years time”, suggested John Foreman, a former British defence attache to Moscow.
2. Security guarantees
Russia says it wants Ukraine to be neutral, though in practice this means a weak neighbour with no ties to the west. In previous negotiations, still referenced by the Kremlin, it has demanded that Kyiv’s military be reduced to a token 50,000. It also still calls for the country to be “denazified”, interpreted as a call for the replacement of Zelenskyy.
Ukraine would like to join Nato, though this has been rejected by the US, leaving it searching for bilateral or multilateral security guarantees from its western allies. Britain and France have promised to lead a predominantly European “reassurance force” that will enter Ukraine in the event of a stable ceasefire, though Russia is opposed to this.
On Wednesday France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, said Trump had said the US was also prepared to be part of security guarantees to prevent war breaking out again. It is unclear what Trump is prepared to offer though, and a Japan or South Korea style bilateral guarantee looks unlikely. Meanwhile, unless Russia is prepared to accept that Ukraine can determine its own security arrangements, agreed progress appears impossible.
3. Sanctions and trade
Russia wants economic sanctions that have been imposed on Moscow to be lifted. Trump, however, can only speak for the US, with the UK and the EU likely to be more hostile, unless Ukraine has signed up to an overall peace agreement. The Kremlin also wants to go further, and today Putin’s adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said the leaders would discuss wider cooperation, “including in the trade and economic sphere”, as part of a proposed arrangement between the two countries. Without tangible progress on other topics, a unilateral relaxation of sanctions by the US would be surprising.
4. War crimes, reparations and reconstruction
War crimes and claims for reparations cannot be set aside as part of a peace agreement. The international criminal court (ICC) has an arrest warrant out against Putin over the forced transfer of about 20,000 children from Ukraine to Russia. Zelenskyy has asked that the youngsters are returned in the first stage of any peace discussions, but the ICC demand will not disappear. Ukraine “remains under an obligation to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity against its own citizens”, says human rights lawyer Wayne Jordash from Global Rights Compliance.
The World Bank estimated that the total cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine – where most of the war has been fought – amounts to €506bn (£435bn). After a resolution of the UN general assembly, a register for reparation claims has been set up by the Council of Europe to record eligible claims for compensation. However, Russia has so far refused to help fund reconstruction, leaving Ukraine to find alternative ways to fund its postwar rebuilding. An option is to seize Russian assets held abroad, amounting to around $280bn (£207bn), but achieving international consensus around seizure has been difficult.
5. Other issues
There are many other practical concerns. Ukraine is calling for the release of all prisoners of war alongside an initial ceasefire. Russia holds more than 8,000 Ukrainian PoWs and Ukraine a smaller amount, making one-for-one swaps tricky. But there have been dozens of exchanges since the start of the war, and this may be one of the simpler issues to agree upon.
Early in the war, Russia seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe. Soon after it was shut down, but the site remains in Russian-held territory and there are signs that Russia wants to restart it and connect it to the country’s energy grid, a forced transfer that Ukraine will not recognise, but may be powerless to prevent.
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China and Britain shared a mission to fight aggression and fascism. And we can work together today | Zheng Zeguang
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese people’s war of resistance against Japanese aggression and the world anti-fascist war. On Friday, there will be a two-minute silence at noon in the UK to honour the 80th anniversary of VJ Day. This is a moment not only for solemn remembrance, but also for reflection on the enduring bonds forged in the crucible of history – bonds that continue to resonate in our world today.
At the darkest hour of the second world war, China and the UK fought on different fronts but shared a common mission: to defend humanity against fascism and aggression. Millions of lives were lost, cities razed, and families torn apart. Yet in that darkness, courage and solidarity illuminated the way forward. The Chinese and British peoples stood shoulder to shoulder, united by sacrifice and a shared belief in freedom and justice.
In Asia, Chinese forces made immense sacrifices to support allied efforts. In 1942, the Chinese Expeditionary Force marched over 1,500 gruelling kilometres through the jungles of Myanmar to rescue British forces trapped by Japanese troops. The campaign was costly, but it demonstrated China’s unwavering commitment to its allies.
In Britain, thousands of Chinese seamen served with quiet courage in perilous convoys. They braved the freezing Atlantic to deliver fuel and supplies to British forces on the frontlines – often with little recognition and no promise of return. Their contribution remains a poignant chapter in our shared wartime history.
One of the most moving examples of China-UK solidarity occurred in October 1942, when the Lisbon Maru, a Japanese transport vessel carrying over 1,800 British prisoners of war, was mistakenly torpedoed by a US submarine. As the ship sank off the coast of Zhoushan in eastern China, local fishermen risked their lives, dodging volleys of Japanese gunfire, to rescue 384 survivors from the sea.
In a letter to a family member of a Lisbon Maru survivor, President Xi Jinping commended this act of compassion and bravery as powerful proof of the wartime alliance between our countries and the enduring friendship between our peoples. Earlier this year, the story was brought to life for British audiences in a documentary, The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru.
Poster for The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru (2024) Photograph: Emei Film Group British support for China’s resistance against Japanese aggression is equally etched in our collective memory. Across the UK, ordinary citizens formed aid organisations, held fundraisers, and sent donations to support the Chinese people. Among the most cherished names is George Hogg, a young man from Harpenden (a one-time reporter for the Manchester Guardian). He journeyed to China to provide schooling and shelter for displaced children, dedicating his youth, passion and ultimately his life to a just cause. His internationalist spirit remains deeply cherished by the Chinese people.
These moments of solidarity continue to inspire our relations today. Both China and the UK are permanent members of the UN security council, sharing a responsibility to uphold international peace and security. The UK was the first major western country to recognise the People’s Republic of China. Since we established full diplomatic ties in 1972, our people-to-people exchanges have flourished. In 2024, over 1.2m mutual visits were made. More than 200,000 Chinese students are studying in the UK, while over 50,000 British students have visited China for study programmes – long or short – over the past decade. Just last month, nearly 1,200 students from 61 UK secondary schools visited China on an exchange programme – experiencing first-hand a millennia-old culture. In both countries, there is growing enthusiasm for more dialogue and engagement.
With concerted efforts, China-UK relations have been put back on a path of improvement and renewal. At a time of global uncertainty, it is more important than ever to reaffirm our commitment to partnership. That means treating each other with mutual respect, managing differences properly, and responding to the aspirations of our peoples.
It also means we need to deliver the outcomes of bilateral mechanisms such as the strategic dialogue, economic and financial dialogue, and energy dialogue, and also eliminate distractions, expand channels of communication, and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation.
Just as vital is our joint responsibility to safeguard the hard-won outcomes of the second world war and to uphold true multilateralism and an open global trading system. By working more closely to address global challenges like climate change and promote political solutions to regional hotspot issues, China and the UK can help inject new momentum into global peace and development.
History has shown what China and the UK can achieve when we stand together. As we commemorate this historic anniversary, China is ready to work with the UK to carry forward the legacy of those who came before us.
Let us honour the past not with nostalgia, but with action, telling the stories of courage and friendship that inspire new generations. Let us build a future where peace and prosperity prevail.
The torch of friendship and solidarity, lit eight decades ago, must now light the way forward – for our two countries, for our peoples and for the world at large.
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Zheng Zeguang is Chinese ambassador to the UK
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Afghanistan: Journalists face increasing persecution in fourth year under Taliban
Afghanistan’s media continues to suffer escalating persecution on the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover, with the regime systematically decimating independent journalism, introducing oppressive media censorship and restrictions on women in media, and subjecting journalists to persistent violence, detainment, harassment, and intimidation. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemns the Taliban’s ongoing assault on press freedom and urges the de-facto authorities to ensure all media workers are able to work safely and securely.
In the four years following the fall of Kabul on August 15, 2021, IFJ has monitored the Taliban’s relentless assault on freedom of expression and association, working conditions and job security, and shuttering of independent media, with hundreds of Afghan journalists forced into exile globally. Afghanistan is currently ranked 178 out of 180 countries surveyed in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, a fall of 44 places from 2023. A report by the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AJFC) in March 2025, recorded 172 violations against journalists and media outlets over the past 12 months, representing a 24 per cent increase in media rights violations compared to 2024.
According to the IFJ’s South Asia Press Freedom Report 2024-2025 (SAPFR 24-25) for the period May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025, more than half of Afghanistan’s media outlets have ceased operations since August 2021, with 22 closures taking place in the past year. The approximately 470 outlets still active are forced to only report content aligning with draconian Taliban directives. The SAPFR 24-25 recorded 48 media violations and 28 arrests of journalists in the period, with persistent surveillance, control, and intimidation leaving most remaining journalists and media workers either unemployed or heavily censored.
In July 2025, seven media workers were detained by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, on allegations including supporting women’s employment in media, and receiving funds from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. On August 7, three staff members of Daikundi station Radio Nasim were detained and subsequently released, with equipment seized, while on May 22, Radio Khoshhal editor Solaiman Rahil was sentenced to three months in prison for allegedly publishing social media posts critical of the Taliban.
Women in media across the country continue to experience severe repression under the regime, with the number of working female journalists falling from 2,833 before 2021 to just to 747 in 2025, according to the IFJ SAPFR 24-25, a decrease of 74 per cent. In a statement on August 11, UN Women said, “the Taliban is closer than ever to achieving its vision of a society that completely erases women from public life,” introducing directives excluding women from public spaces, requiring face covering, barring travel without a ‘male guardian’, and disallowing education after the age of 12. In April 2024, the Taliban prohibited the broadcast of women’s voices across all media, with 54 of the 80 directives issued to date directed at women.
Media restrictions have also extended to include the banning of the depiction of living beings, including animals, as well as the broadcast of music, political programs, and policy debate, in addition to 15 other directives that limit press freedom introduced between 2021 and 2023. The IFJ has continued to work closely with its affiliate, the Afghan Independent Journalists Union (AIJU), to support journalists on the ground and in exile since 2021 and has consistently called for further international support and solidarity to safeguard Afghanistan’s media community.
The IFJ said:“IFJ continues to stand in firmly solidarity with all Afghan journalists, who have continued to hold truth to power in an extraordinarily hostile environment under Taliban rule. In the four years since the Taliban takeover, the independent media landscape has been decimated, and ever-increasing draconian directives have regressed fundamental rights to new lows. IFJ reiterates its calls for the Taliban to take urgent action to ensure all journalists can work safely and without fear, and for the international community to increase its critical support for the media community in Afghanistan and in exile.”
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Prince William, Kate Middleton join King Charles to mark VJ Day
Prince William and Princess Kate issued a joint statement to mark VJ Day after King Charles’ poignant speech.
On August 15, the Prince and Princess of Wales took to their official social media channels in a bid to honour the war heroes.
The royal couple wrote, “Today, on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, we remember the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of all who served.”
“Today we especially think of those British and Commonwealth troops who fought in the Asia-Pacific.”
“We owe an enduring debt to the generation who gave so much, and to whom we will always be grateful. Lest we forget. W & C.”
It is important to note that Prince William and Princess Kate’s key statement came after the monarch addressed the nation, paying tribute to veterans and emphasising the severe outcomes of war.
While remembering the precious lives lost in the horrible attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the monarch shared that the “suffering reminds us that war’s true cost extends beyond battlefields, touching every aspect of life.”
As per reports, William and Catherine will not be joining King Charles and Queen Camilla at the VJ Day service. The reason for their absence from the significant royal gathering is still unknown.
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Global Calls Grow For Palestinian Recognition
Throughout the United States, United Kingdom, Scandinavian countries, Spain, and much of the Global South, public sentiment has decisively turned against the genocidal war in Gaza and its perpetrators, namely the Netanyahu-led Zionist regime. In the United States, mass protests on campuses and in major cities have demanded an end to military aid to Israel and accountability for actions increasingly recognised as war crimes. Activists, students, and faith-based communities have joined forces to expose the silence and complicity of political, commercial, and governmental elites.
Moreover, in the United Kingdom, public demonstrations and political pressure have intensified. Growing numbers within the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, and civic organisations are challenging the government’s unwavering support for Israel. Spain has seen massive protests in cities such as Madrid, with cabinet members marching for Palestinian rights. In Norway and Sweden, civil society and political groups are pressing for an end to military cooperation with Israel and a move towards formal recognition of Palestine.
Importantly, in the Global South, the gap between governments and their people has become increasingly apparent on the question of statehood for the Palestinians. While many governments remain diplomatically cautious in this part of the world, popular opinion overwhelmingly supports Palestine. South Africa has been especially vocal, drawing comparisons between Israel’s actions in Gaza and apartheid, which it faced at the hands of the racist white minority that ruled from 1948 until the end of the segregationist regime in the early 1990s. As far as the Muslim world is concerned ─ from Indonesia to Pakistan to Tunisia ─ local populations have mobilised against the genocidal war, even as their governments have issued carefully calibrated statements shaped more by geopolitical considerations than popular will.
While recognition alone will not end the conflict, it will reinvigorate the push for a settlement based on mutual recognition, equal rights, and dignity
Noticeably, several European countries have taken tangible steps towards recognising Palestine since 7 October. For example, Norway, Ireland, Spain, and Slovenia extended formal recognition in early 2024, thus contributing to a larger and long-overdue shift in their foreign policy. In theory, 147 of the 193 UN member states already recognise Palestine, spanning Latin America, Asia, and Africa. France and the United Kingdom have more recently signalled that they may follow suit, particularly if Israel fails to halt its military operations and allow unimpeded humanitarian relief. Both countries could make a formal announcement at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September ─ marking a significant diplomatic shift among Europe’s most influential powers.
In the United Kingdom, Labour’s landslide victory brought Keir Starmer to office in July 2024. Initially cautious, he now faces mounting internal pressure to change course. While the party leadership remains close to Washington and aligned with the Trump administration’s pro-Israel stance, a growing faction, particularly those linked to former leader Jeremy Corbyn, demands justice and statehood for the Palestinians. The rise of a new socialist party formed recently by Corbyn and his allies threatens to draw away pro-Palestine voters. Constrained by domestic politics, Starmer has vowed to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN, but his position appears as much a political calculation as a moral stand. Without clear signals from the White House, 10 Downing Street is unlikely to act unilaterally.
For its part, France under Emmanuel Macron faces a similar political balancing act. His centrist alliance has been weakened, forcing him to rely on coalition partners. The far left, buoyed by youthful, anti-war, pro-justice constituencies, has grown stronger. Macron barely survived the recent parliamentary elections and recognises the need to recalibrate. His announcement to recognise Palestine is both a diplomatic statement and a strategic assertion of European autonomy in the face of growing tensions with Washington over NATO obligations and trade disputes. France thus appears more likely than the United Kingdom to follow through, motivated by domestic survival and an ambition to redefine Europe’s global role.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels. Over the past months, more than a thousand people have been killed and thousands injured while trying to access food. Many of these deaths occurred near aid distribution points or along convoy routes, where desperate civilians have been met with gunfire. Malnutrition and starvation have claimed hundreds of additional lives, including children, as humanitarian corridors remain restricted. The scale of suffering has led to renewed calls for immediate and unhindered access to aid, but relief efforts remain sporadic and perilously unsafe.
Last but not least, recognition of Palestine by France and the United Kingdom, should it occur, would affirm the Palestinian right to self-determination and mark a profound shift in global consciousness. It would challenge the long-standing monopoly of certain powers over Middle East diplomacy and could pressure Washington to reconsider its one-sided approach. While recognition alone will not end the conflict, it will reinvigorate the push for a settlement based on mutual recognition, equal rights, and dignity. At this moment in history, such recognition is more than diplomacy. Indeed, it is a declaration of justice, humanity, and the shared conscience of the international community.
Finally, Donald Trump successfully mediated a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia just recently. Yet, he remains unwilling to broker a permanent truce between Israel and the beleaguered Palestinians ─ a reluctance that continues to cast doubt on Washington’s commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
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Live updates: Stakes high for Ukraine as Trump and Putin prepare to meet – Reuters
- Live updates: Stakes high for Ukraine as Trump and Putin prepare to meet Reuters
- Live updates: Trump to meet Putin in Alaska BBC
- Why did Russia sell Alaska to the United States? Al Jazeera
- Putin ready to make Ukraine deal, Trump says before Alaska summit The Guardian
- Fooled by Putin again? Trump’s rhetoric suggests he could be CNN
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Grief and chaos after flash floods in Kashmir
At least 60 people have been killed and dozens are still missing after flash floods hit a village hosting Hindu pilgrims in Indian-administered Kashmir.
More than 100 people have been injured, said Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah while addressing an Independence Day function in capital Srinagar.
On Thursday, water mixed with debris and mud came gushing down a hill in Chositi village in Kishtwar district – a remote village on a busy pilgrimage route to a Himalayan shrine.
Rescue operations are continuing as officials intensify efforts to pull out survivors from the mud and rubble.
Officials say the flooding was likely triggered by a cloudburst, though India’s meteorological department is yet to confirm this.
The pilgrims were in the area to visit the shrine of Machail Mata, a manifestation of Goddess Durga. Chositi is the last point accessible by vehicles, making it a common stop for pilgrims before they start the uphill journey on foot or return to their homes.
Many survivors are being treated for injuries at the district hospital in Kishtwar.
Among them is Putul Devi, who sits silently on a metal hospital bed, her face blank, a relative by her side.
“Our family had come for the pilgrimage. We had completed the darshan [visit] – and then, suddenly there was a blast-like sound and what followed was complete chaos,” she told news agency ANI.
“We could not understand anything. Everyone just started running.”
Ms Devi was travelling with 13 members of her family. So far, she has been reunited with only two. The rest, including her husband and three children, are missing.
A senior official from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) told news agency ANI that the rescue team has only one earth mover (commonly referred to as a JCB) at the site.
“When the JCB digs, we remove the victims buried above. Then we will try to find those buried below. We were told that at least 100–200 people could still be trapped,” he told ANI.
Back at the hospital, Sanjay Kumar recounts that he was helping serve lunch at a community kitchen when the floods struck. He said about 200–250 people were eating inside the building.
“I was distributing rotis when I heard a loud noise,” he recalled.
“There’s a drain next to the kitchen and it instantly began filling with sludge. I told everyone to run. We had no time, not even a minute.”
At one point, Mr Kumar said, he was trapped under debris. His son was close by and he held onto him tightly.
Soon, the soldiers and police officers deployed for the shrine’s security pulled them out.
“Thankfully, almost everyone there was saved,” he said.
In another hospital ward, a weeping man clutched a phone which had a photograph of his missing daughter.
“We had no idea something like this would happen. The sky was clear – there were even moments of sunshine – and within a minute, it all came crashing down,” he said through tears.
“I just want my daughter. Please find my daughter. I don’t want anything else.”
Parts of northern India have seen very heavy rainfall in recent days, causing flash floods in several areas.
Last week, a massive flood hit the village of Dharali in Uttarakhand, submerging nearly half of it.
On Tuesday, officials said 66 people were still missing and only one body had been found.
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