Global Security and Strategic Tensionsactive

Peru's president, Keiko Fujimori, announced this Sunday that her government will implement a very firm policy to confront crime and restore order in the country. During a live broadcast on her social media, the leader pointed to her counterpart in El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, as a reference for this security strategy. "Gladys tells me to follow in President Bukele's footsteps. Yes, very firm to restore order," Fujimori responded to a comment from a internet user who wrote in the chat during the Facebook broadcast. In her speech, the head of state also expressed her support for the police officers who participated in recent operations against criminal organizations and hitmen, and assured that her administration will accompany the agents and provide support within the framework of the law. "I wanted to send this message of support to the National Police, to these officers who risk their lives to save ours, the citizens', and to send a very clear message: our government will support them, will accompany them, they are not alone," she stated. Similarly, she indicated that police operations are part of a broader strategy against crime, where intelligence work will also play an important role, as reported by the Peruvian digital media Altavoz. Fujimori also specified that her government has already taken steps to improve the conditions of the police stations...

The United States diverted 55 commercial ships, disabled two vessels, and boarded two others since the start of the naval blockade against Iran's ports and coasts, while more than 20 U.S. warships remain deployed in the Middle East to support missions aimed at enforcing the measure. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on Sunday that its forces diverted 55 commercial ships, disabled two, and boarded two as part of operations to enforce the blockade against Tehran. "Until August 9, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has diverted 55 commercial ships, disabled two, and boarded two," the military authority stated. CENTCOM also reported that more than 20 U.S. warships remain deployed in the Middle East to "support military missions including the strict enforcement of the blockade" against Iran. The operations of U.S. forces occur while Iran maintains its position on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Supreme National Security Council reiterated on Saturday that Tehran will only reopen the strait when it sees the end of military operations by the United States and Israel against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq. The Iranian body also conditioned the reopening of the strait on the lifting of sanctions against the Iranian economy and…

China is using an artificial intelligence-driven fish identification system to conduct round-the-clock tracking of species passing along a fishway on a dam on Tibet’s largest river. Monitoring the route once relied on labour-intensive manual counts, but it now uses an AI-based “fish facial recognition” system to identify species unique to the Tibet autonomous region, according to a report published by Global Times on Tuesday. Since the 116-metre-tall (381 feet) Zangmu Hydropower Station began...

Akhmat Special Forces Commander Lieutenant General Apty Alaudinov said that most of the ideologically committed Ukrainian nationalist have been killed on the battlefield

A newborn girl kidnapped on Thursday in the Brazilian city of Campo Grande was rescued alive early Sunday morning in Pedro Juan Caballero, a Paraguayan border town with Brazil, in a joint operation by the police of both countries that resulted in the arrest of a pair of Brazilian citizens. The girl is between 26 and 28 days old according to various sources consulted. The operation was carried out around 1:15 a.m., when agents from the Pedro Juan Caballero Bipartite Command, with support from the Paraguayan Anti-Kidnapping Group (DAS) and the Amambay Police Directorate, raided a house at the intersection of Alejo García and Coronel Martínez streets, in the Virgen de Caacupé neighborhood. There they found the baby along with the Brazilian couple, reported the Paraguayan National Police in a statement. After the rescue, the minor was immediately taken to the Regional Hospital of Pedro Juan Caballero, where she remained under observation and underwent routine medical examinations before being handed over to the competent Brazilian authorities. According to media from Campo Grande, the girl did not have a civil registration or birth certificate at the time she was found. The detainees were identified by Brazilian media as Weliton Aparecido Lopes dos Santos and Suzilaine da Graça Costa. According to the Civil Police of Mato Grosso do Sul, the woman was the one who lured the mother with deception…

While Argentine ambassador Daniel Raimondi was spending his last hours in Brasilia, President Javier Milei once again strained the relationship with Brazil this Sunday, downgraded to the level of chargé d'affaires by the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Far from seeking to calm the waters in the bilateral conflict, the President sent several messages with critical content (including insults) towards his main Mercosur partner. Through his account on the social network X, Milei reposted a message from American Republican legislator Carlos A. Giménez, who called the Brazilian president a "pig," and stated that "the hatred and contempt with which the criminal Lula da Silva of #Brazil expresses himself towards OUR Secretary of State @marcorubio comes directly from his bosses in the Castro-communist dictatorship." The Trump-supporting deputy accompanied this message with a video of Lula da Silva's statements, in which the Brazilian leader describes Rubio, Trump’s right-hand man, as a "Bolsonarist" and an "anti-Latin American or frustrated Latin American" who – according to his view – "hates Cuba, Colombia, Brazil, and does things differently than he discusses with Trump." 🚨The hatred and contempt with which the criminal Lula da Silva of #Brazil expresses himself towards OUR Secretary of State @marcorubio comes directly from his bosses in the Castro-communist dictatorship. The Brazilians deserve much more than this p…

For six years, India ran its China policy on one simple assumption: if you’re economically dependent on a rival with which you share a disputed border, that dependence is a liability. After the 2020 Himalayan clashes, New Delhi tightened the screws – more scrutiny on Chinese investment, restricted business travel, several deals blocked or slow-walked. […] The post India-China thaw is a supply-chain truce, not a strategic reset appeared first on Asia Times.

SEOUL, Aug. 10 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Ko...

As a result of attacks, three residential houses and four civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the US meets Tehran’s demands, including an end to sanctions and compensation for war damage. The blockade of the crucial energy route has rattled markets and pushed up prices, while President Donald Trump said he was taking a low-key approach to negotiations with Iran.

SAN PABLO.– Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), a presidential candidate, was moved this Sunday during a religious service in São Paulo when speaking about his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest and could not receive his children for Father's Day in Brazil. Also present at the service were former House of Representatives president Eduardo Cunha and federal deputy Dani Cunha. Flávio's participation was broadcast live through his social media profile, from where he once again questioned the judicial decision. During the ceremony, broadcast on his social networks, Flávio asked God for “wisdom, courage, health, and discernment” and spoke of “rescuing our country.” When he mentioned that he could not see his father, he broke down and asked to value the bond with parents and grandparents. “We never know when it will be the last time this happens,” he said. He also asked for strength so that Bolsonaro could “overcome injustice and persecution.” A day earlier, Supreme Federal Court judge Alexandre de Moraes rejected a request for his children to visit him for Father's Day. Moraes recalled that a resolution from July 17 suspended visits to the former president for 30 days, except for health professionals, physiotherapists, and lawyers. The defense requested an exception and defined the meeting as “strictly humanitarian and family,” to preserve the bonds entr…

US President Donald Trump signaled on Sunday he is prepared to let economic pressure mount against Iran, apparently backing away from ordering more military strikes even as Tehran issues tough demands. “We are low-keying it,” Trump said, according to the news outlet Axios, which said it spoke to him in a brief phone call. Only a week ago Trump made the latest of his series of threats to hit Iran hard, only to back off, as he presses for a deal to end the war he started along with Israel on...

The requirement for Panamanian banks to provide an amortization table with at least seven minimum data points when approving installment loans marks a significant change for the protection of financial consumers in the country. This provision, which will come into effect on October 22, mandates that each client receive, free of charge, detailed information about the payment of their debt, allowing them to know, from day one, the total amount they will have to pay over the life of the loan. The new procedure, regulated by Agreement 6-2026 of the Superintendency of Banks of Panama, aims to make information about interest rates, commissions, additional charges, and credit conditions clearer and more accessible. With this change, banks must provide the amortization table and clarify all customer doubts before recording the delivery. If the bank modifies the interest rate or another condition that affects the payment schedule, it is obliged to immediately provide a recalculated table, also free of charge. Similarly, the notification of changes is no longer limited to a physical address or a phone call, as was the case before. Banks will now have to notify customers by email and through any other means agreed upon in the contract. Furthermore, each communication must be archived in the credit file, allowing for subsequent review by the Superintendency. The provision strengthens transparency…

Argentine President Javier Milei, in the context of his confrontation with his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, reposted on social media a critical message from a Republican Party congressman in which he accused the Brazilian leader of corruption and links to communist dictatorships. This new reference by Milei via X occurs amid the worst bilateral diplomatic crisis in the last four decades, initiated after insults made by the Argentine head of state at a political event held last month in São Paulo. The message reposted by Milei was made by Carlos Antonio Giménez, a U.S. congressman of Cuban-American origin and a member of the Republican Party. The legislator shared a video in which Lula, during a speech, questions Marco Rubio and describes him as “an anti-Latin American or a frustrated Latin American,” and points out that the American official hates Cuba, Colombia, and Brazil due to his family origins. Giménez accompanied the video with the phrase: “The hatred and contempt with which the criminal Lula da Silva of Brazil speaks about OUR Secretary of State @marcorubio comes directly from his bosses in the Castro-communist dictatorship. The Brazilians deserve much more than this pig.” Milei also amplified a message from the Brazilian site Meio Independiente, which again quoted Giménez with other expressions such as: “Corrupt and criminal…

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed reflected on a call he had with former President Obama after a primary win in an interview that aired on Sunday.  He described the conversation as “warm” and “inspiring.” “I like to keep private conversations private. But it was a really warm and inspiring conversation. I’ve got to be…

Abdul El-Sayed’s narrow Michigan Senate primary victory intensifies the debate over whether Democrats are shifting left and whether progressive candidates can translate primary enthusiasm into general election wins. On Bloomberg This Weekend, Bloomberg Opinion Columnist Gautam Mukunda says the result matters but does not signal an outright takeover of the Democrat party’s establishment wing, while Puck News Writer Abby Livingston says Michigan may be too unusual to serve as a national template. (Source: Bloomberg)

Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei at the end of July, at the beginning of his third year in office, Iranian state media reported this Sunday. The meeting took place amid growing speculation about the health of Iran's top political and religious authority, who has not appeared in public since his appointment in March. According to state television, Pezeshkian and Khamenei discussed the country's issues, including the deteriorated economy—with an inflation rate of 88%—and the war with the United States and Israel. They also exchanged views on ways to secure resources and manage expenses "in rials, foreign currency, and energy," as well as on economic interaction with foreign partners. The official information did not specify when or where the meeting took place nor did it release images of the encounter. Contradictory versions Pezeshkian has offered contradictory accounts in recent weeks regarding his contact with Khamenei. On July 21, he claimed that contacts "increased day by day," but in early August, he stated that communicating with the Supreme Leader was "very difficult." This oscillation between normalizing the relationship and acknowledging access difficulties further fueled doubts about the true state of the Supreme Leader and who wields real power within the regime in his absence. In May, the med…

A number of European governments do not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate unless they remain neutral

President Trump is confronting a question that has haunted presidents throughout history: how a war - that has gone on longer than predicted - can reshape a presidency. (Image credit: KENT NISHIMURA)

Fresh off his primary victory earlier this week, Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is set to appear on two news programs Sunday as he looks ahead to the November general election against former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.). El-Sayed defeated center-left Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) in the Democratic primary on Wednesday, and now faces questions over…

IRGC says strait is ‘a theatre of war for us and not just a waterway’ Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a Gaza plan hailed by US president Donald Trump, vowing no military pullout of Gaza until Hamas is “genuinely” disarmed. “Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said, referring to a plan endorsed in late July by Hamas. Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian has said he believes now is the best time for an agreement with the US. “There is cohesion, strength, and unity in the country, and as far as I know, Iran is considered victorious and powerful in this war,” Iranian news agencies quoted him as saying. Oman condemned what it described as repeated attacks on vessels while transiting the strait, without assigning blame, and said that ​negotiations with Iran on arrangements for shipping through Hormuz were “positive and constructive”. The UAE said on Saturday that Iran had attacked a carrier affiliated with the UAE’s state oil company with a missile as it transited the strait of Hormuz. No injuries were reported. The UK maritime trade monitor UKMTO said a ‌vessel had caught fire after being hit by an unknown projectile but the fire was put out and there was no reported environmental impact. There was no immediate comment from Iranian authorities. US Central Command said on Saturday it had allowed more than 30 ships through for humanitarian aid since the current blockade started. US forces have turned away 53 ships, disabl…

The Santiago Metro network currently operates 7 lines. The system covers 149 kilometers and 143 operational stations. The underground transportation system, which transports more than 50 million people monthly, has three schedules: weekday, from 6:00 to 23:00; Saturday, from 6:30 to 23:00; and Sunday, from 7:30 to 23:00. Weekday fares are: $895 during peak hours; $815 during off-peak hours; and $735 during low hours. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, it is $815. The network begins operations without any issues. Metro announced the start of operations this Sunday at 07:30 with the entire network available.

SEOUL, Aug. 9 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears set to deploy an additional 30,000...

For Michael Reid, a British writer and journalist, the main difficulty in importing Nayib Bukele's security approach to Colombia - an idea that the country's new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has hinted at - is that it responds to different problems. While El Salvador is a small country with "a specific problem of armed youth gangs," Colombia is a large country with complex geography and "powerful armed illegal groups," he says. In an interview with La Tercera, the former editor of The Economist's "America" section discusses the inauguration of Colombia's new president. He also explains the challenges Keiko Fujimori faces upon taking office as president of Peru - such as the impact of El Niño - the confrontation between the United States and China in Latin America, and the October elections in Brazil. What are the main challenges facing Abelardo de la Espriella as president of Colombia? There are several and significant. First, because his victory was by a narrow margin, and Gustavo Petro, very irresponsibly, has not acknowledged his candidate's defeat and has promised street opposition to the new administration. Second, because Petro's legacy is very negative both in security and in economy. The country's security has deteriorated in recent years. It's true that this started before Petro, but the deterioration has continued with him, and illegal armed groups have strengthened: they are more numerous...

Since the start of the special military operation, Russian forces have destroyed 673 aircraft, 284 helicopters, 201,891 UAVs, the ministry said

Milei is the most dangerous and formidable enemy for himself. It doesn't matter when you read this. He was in the first phase of his term until he was eventually "saved" by the unprecedented financial rescue of the Trump administration; he is today, when in a complex economic context, he faces the final stretch of his term towards a possible re-election. Self-inflicted damages, untimely and recurrent internal conflicts, excessiveness and constant overdrafts, insults and provocations, strategic errors, introspection with irrelevant or inconvenient issues, rigidity and dogmatism, are just some of the outcomes of a long saga of self-sabotage that only allows him to stand firm in the face of a potential re-election due to the deep and unresolved orphanhood of the opposition. As is already widely known, after reaching a peak of popularity with the public at the end of last year, following the so decisive and surprising electoral victory in the legislative elections, the President and his government began to steadily decline in the polls. And, although cases of alleged corruption (Andis, Libra, Adorni) began to leave a mark, this deterioration is mainly explained by an economy that does not quite rebound. The change in social mood is clearly evident, and can be summarized convincingly with the data from the most recent survey by the Aresco consultancy: 66% of Argentinians have a negative assessment of the economy; and…

Ukraine's air defense forces neutralized 174 drones and five Banderol loitering munitions used by Russian forces to attack Ukraine from the evening of August 8.

Flight cancellations, evacuations in China as Typhoon Dolphin looms

Russia's total combat losses in the war against Ukraine from February 24, 2022, to August 9, 2026, have reached approximately 1,457,740 personnel, including 1,130 troops killed or injured over the past 24 hours.

China's National Meteorological Centre on Sunday issued a red typhoon alert, its most severe warning, as Typhoon Dolphin barrelled towards the country's densely populated eastern coast. Flights in and out of the region were cancelled and nearly 100,000 people were relocated to less risky areas, according to authorities. Typhoon Dolphin is expected to make landfall late Sunday or early Monday.

Vietnam’s seafood and garment sectors are facing a labour shortfall even with raised wages, as Hanoi expands a drive to send more workers overseas for higher-paying jobs. The contradiction reflects a broader challenge for the Southeast Asian country as it pushes to move up the value chain while banking on labour migration to generate remittance revenue, analysts say. According to the home ministry, between 130,000 and 150,000 Vietnamese go abroad to work annually. The overseas labour market...

The situation is getting worse day by day, and the frontline is moving closer to Ukrainian positions.

Fire broke out at Saudi Aramco’s Jazan oil refinery early Sunday, and the blaze has been extinguished, the country’s energy ministry said.

US Vice President JD Vance stated in an interview with Fox News on Saturday that the United States has made progress in negotiations with Iran in recent days, although he warned that Tehran has not yet met all the demands of the Donald Trump administration. He also claimed that the US military destroyed the regime's military and nuclear capabilities. "We have destroyed their nuclear program. We have destroyed their conventional army. We have drastically reduced their military capabilities, so to speak, asymmetric. And right now we are trying to see if they are willing to make the long-term changes necessary to improve their relationship with the United States," declared the second-in-command of the Executive alongside the talks with the Islamic republic to reach a new agreement to end hostilities in the Middle East. However, Vance warned that if they are not willing, Washington will continue its operations against the regime: "We will continue exerting the pressure we can and extracting as much oil and gas as possible from the Middle East so that Americans can enjoy lower gasoline and energy prices." Vance stated that the US government is in talks with Iran to maximize the flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz. The vice president said: "The question is whether they are capable, whether their system is ca…

Hong Kong’s first five-year plan will be judged not by how many initiatives it assembles. Instead, it will be judged by whether it explains where the city intends to be by 2030 and how it will get there. The consultation document covers the expected ground. It includes the Northern Metropolis; Hong Kong’s roles as an international financial, trade, maritime and aviation centre; integration with the Greater Bay Area and supporting the Belt and Road Initiative; and social priorities such as...

Two civilians were reported to have been wounded, including a child

The Pentagon’s No. 2 official asked major US defense companies to accelerate efforts to produce and deliver key weapons systems amid new concerns about shortages and gaps exacerbated by the Iran war.

The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, laid out the country’s key demands for the U. S. amid negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.  Iran and Oman are engaged in ongoing discussions around this key waterway, which carries a significant portion of the world’s oil supply and has been…

BRASILIA. - The Argentine ambassador in Brazil, Daniel Raimondi, will leave Brasilia this Sunday heading to Buenos Aires. The embassy will be in the hands of María Emilia Cortés, head of the Chancellery, as chargé d'affaires. Those who interacted with Raimondi in recent days described him as discouraged: his possible return to Brazil will not depend on himself, but on an institutional reorganization with no date in sight. The confrontation between Javier Milei and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has generated an unprecedented measure since the return of democracy in both countries: the downgrading of the bilateral relationship to the level of chargé d'affaires. Nothing will change until the Brazilian elections on October 4 and, if there is a runoff, until the 25th of the same month, when Brazil votes to choose its next president starting in 2027. The outcome of those elections, more than any new diplomatic gesture, has the potential to determine how the crisis will be resolved, according to sources from both governments consulted by LA NACION. Raimondi is leaving without having been expelled from Brazil and still as ambassador. Diplomatic sources confirmed that neither he nor his Brazilian counterpart in Buenos Aires, Julio Bitelli, in Brasilia since the call for consultations on July 26, had their diplomatic credentials revoked. Both remain “extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassadors,” as clarified by a qualified Brazilian diplomatic source. This is a distinction…

Milei is following Trump’s lead, trying to erode Lula’s position ahead of the consequential vote scheduled for October 4. Leer más

Diana Shnaider will face Poland's Iga Swiatek in the next round

Tehran insists on compensation and the lifting of sanctions, among other concessions from the U. S., as a condition for reopening the strait.

The Strait of Hormuz is, by some accounts, named for a Zoroastrian deity destined to emerge victorious after a 9,000-year stand-off with an adversary. Iran’s leaders feel their own victory is at hand and will not require the same epic patience. They are betting that military pressure will ultimately force the US to accept their control over the crucial waterway for global energy – and that time is on their side. They know about the diminishing stockpiles of key US weapons such as advanced...

Iraqi energy expert Mamdouh Salameh believes that Iran "will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping unless its conditions are met"

Ukraine paid tribute on Saturday to Oleksiy Yukov, a volunteer who spent more than two decades recovering the bodies of civilians and soldiers—many of them Russian—killed by the war. He was 40 years old. An Orthodox Christian service was held at St. Volodymyr Cathedral in the center of Kyiv, where thousands of people gathered to pay their respects after his death in an explosion caused by a landmine during a recovery mission on August 5. The mourners also gathered in Kyiv's main square, Maidan, before the service. Yukov founded the organization Platsdarm ("bridgehead") because he believed that all the dead deserve a proper burial. He was known as a "soul collector." Yukov, from the war-torn Donbas region, was a martial arts instructor. He began recovering bodies as a teenager, after finding remains of Soviet and Russian soldiers from World War II. Platsdarm volunteers venture into fields and forests, among ruins and across territory, where the ground is often mined. Yukov's widow, Evhenyia Kaluhyna, promised to continue his work, sobbing as she spoke at the funeral, wearing a white embroidered dress and standing next to her husband's open coffin. "The work was difficult and frightening," she said. "But I promise we will continue because they (the dead) deserve it, and you deserve it for everything you did." Yukov had his...

Both sides suggest progress in talks to agree a new shipping route through the strait, but a breakthrough remains unclear.

Russia has deployed three layers of air defence to strengthen the protection of Moscow.

The ministry also emphasized the importance of "avoiding any action that could affect the talks and the progress that has already been achieved"

Oman stated this Saturday that the maritime navigation negotiations it held with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz were "positive and constructive." However, the country warned that the constant attacks by Tehran on ships could "affect" these negotiations. The Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated in a statement that "the current negotiations regarding navigation management in the Strait of Hormuz continue in a positive and constructive environment." Additionally, the Omani authorities called for "avoiding any action that could affect these negotiations and the progress made, which take into account the interests of all parties." On the other side, a spokesperson for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard told the Tasnim news agency that the agreement with Oman would not involve the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. In this regard, Iran urged Washington to stay out of the negotiations between Iran and Oman. The Sultanate of Oman responded after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) denounced that Tehran had attacked a tanker owned by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in the strait. Macate expressed his "condemnation" of "the repeated attacks on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz," which he described as a "violation of international law and the sovereignty of territorial waters." He also accused the attacks of being "a threat...

Ukraine is strengthening its northern border due to fears of a possible attack from Belarus, amid Minsk's ongoing expansion of its military capacity. "We are preparing for all kinds of scenarios and threats," Margarita Vershínina, spokesperson for the Volyn border detachment, which covers 203 km of the border in northwestern Ukraine, told the EFE news agency. Fortified border Until the start of the large-scale Russian invasion nearly four and a half years ago, only a narrow strip of sand separated the two countries in the area visited by EFE at the end of July. Residents on both sides used to gather mushrooms and berries in the forests located just meters from the unfortified line. Today, a wall of concrete blocks and barbed wire runs along the border, patrolled by Ukrainian soldiers on foot and in vehicles, and monitored 24 hours a day. Nearby, signs warn of the presence of mined fields. "Depending on the area, we have installed different types of fences, anti-tank ditches, and 'dragons' teeth'," Vershínina said, explaining that the measures are mainly designed to stop enemy infantry and vehicles. The main engineering works in the region, where some key supply routes from neighboring Poland to Kyiv and eastern Ukraine are located, were completed at the end of 2025. About a third of the border is protected by swampy terrain…

Gulf and Arab governments condemn Iran over missile strike on Emirati tanker.

The United Arab Emirates on Saturday said Iran had targeted a tanker belonging to the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has imposed an effective blockade of the strait and wants to charge users for passage, which the US fiercely opposes, and is in talks with nearby Oman over arrangements for the strait’s future management. The UAE foreign ministry in a statement condemned what it called a “hostile Iranian attack that targeted a...

The authorities of the southern Russian city of Gelendzhik closed the beaches of the city and two neighboring districts this Saturday after declaring an air raid alert, five days after a deadly Ukrainian attack on this resort that caused the death of seven people. "In view of the danger of drone attacks and the work of air defenses, all beaches in Gelendzhik and the rural districts of Kabardino and Divnomorsk have been closed," wrote the resort city's mayor, Alexei Bogodistov, on Telegram. The head of the local administration called on the population to remain calm and noted that the highest priority is the safety of the population. Last Monday, seven people, including three children, died on a beach in Gelendzhik after a Ukrainian drone, shot down by air defenses, exploded. According to independent press, the air alarms were not activated, so the attack caught hundreds of families by surprise by the sea. Additionally, about fifty people were injured. The explosion was recorded on their phones by alarmed bathers on the other side of the beach, where dozens of people decided to urgently leave the water and seek shelter in anticipation of further attacks. After the incident, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, accused NATO countries of sponsoring "Ukrainian terrorism." "Not long ago the O…

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has reiterated this Saturday that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz depends on the United States government accepting its conditions and not on the negotiations Iran has been holding with Oman. "When the American side accepts the conditions of the Islamic Republic of Iran and abandons its interventionist approach, undoubtedly the conditions will be met for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz," said the spokesperson of the Revolutionary Guard, Hosein Mohabi, according to the Tasnim news agency. Similarly, Mohabi warned Washington to refrain from interfering in these conversations that Iran is holding not only with Oman but also in light of the prospects of holding other meetings in the region. A few days ago, Iran's Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, already reported a preliminary agreement with Oman to jointly manage a new maritime route through the strait.

The Santiago Metro network currently operates 7 lines. The system covers 149 kilometers and has 143 operational stations. The underground transportation system, which transports more than 50 million people monthly, has three schedules: weekday, from 6:00 to 23:00; Saturday, from 6:30 to 23:00; and Sunday, from 7:30 to 23:00. Weekday fares are: $895 during peak hours; $815 during off-peak hours; and $735 during low hours. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, it is $815. The network begins operations without any issues. Metro announced the start of operations at 06:30 with the entire network available. Good morning! We start this Saturday with #AllTheNetwork available. 🚇 Remember that you can check the real-time status of the lines at https://t.co/ipeNUSCpdi. Have a great day! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KvcdkLoByr — Santiago Metro (@metrodesantiago) August 8, 2026

While the Middle East waits to hear whether a deal can be reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the Yemeni government’s conflict with Iran-backed Houthi rebels escalated overnight.

The Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine confirmed the strike on the Ilsky Oil Refinery in the Krasnodar region of the Russian Federation.

Estimates on growth and inflation. In Reggio Calabria, the economy is stagnant and record increases, +4.3%

Wisconsin Democratic candidate for governor Francesca Hong called for a moratorium on data centers. So did Ohio Republican governor hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, as data centers begin to dominate campaigns. (Image credit: Mario Tama)

Five elderly people have suffered non-life-threatening injuries, with three falling due to the wind in Japan.

Conservative lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella joins Javier Milei, Chile’s José Antonio Kast and Peru’s Keiko Fujimori in a broad regional shift to the right. Leer más

US President Donald Trump has been highly complementary of de la Espriella, calling him a "smart, strong, and tough leader."

The military invasion of Ukraine by Russia continues. Battles between Russian and Ukrainian forces are ongoing across various parts of Ukraine, and many civilians are fleeing abroad. We will provide updates on the situation of the fighting, diplomacy among relevant countries, and other developments related to Ukraine as they happen on the 8th (Japan time). (Japan, Ukraine, and Moscow, Russia, are in a 6-hour time difference.)

Restrictions and state repression in Russia did not prevent the liberal party Yábloko from insisting on its message: calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and proposing an opposition alternative in the September parliamentary elections. The organization, founded in 1993, faces a landscape marked by strict control of the electoral process and persecution of its members, but its leaders believe that the campaign has already borne fruit in mobilizing new supporters. In the current situation, the Yábloko party presents itself as the only relevant group openly calling to stop the war and advocating for peace negotiations. Although the most recent polls give it only about 3% support, below the threshold needed to enter the State Duma, the liberal formation maintains that its activity is expanding the base, especially among youth. The context of Russian elections presents a paradox: the ruling party, United Russia, has triumphed in all parliamentary elections since 2003 in a scenario of limited competition. But frustration over the little progress in the invasion of Ukraine and discontent over internet cuts opened a way for Yábloko to spread its anti-war message. When asked about the situation of Yábloko and its role in the upcoming elections, the answer is clear: the party has no real chances of gaining seats in the Duma due to the control of the process, but it uses…

On the night of August 7–8, drones attacked the Ilsky Oil Refinery in the Krasnodar region of the Russian Federation, causing a fire at the facility.

Forecasters predicted that areas could see 200-400 mm of rainfall over the next few days in China as Typhoon Dolphin approaches land on Saturday.

A typhoon is lashing Japan's south, causing injuries and blackouts. It is now headed for China, where ports have been closed in preparation.

The US State Department announced late Friday that President Donald Trump's ​administration plans toprovide $1 billion in security assistance to Colombia as the country's new right-wing President Abelardo De La Espriella was sworn into office. De la Espriella, who calls himself "The Tiger", vowed to "defeat narco-terrorists" in his first presidential speech at a military garrison in Cali.

The total combat losses of Russian troops since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, from February 24, 2022, to August 8, 2026, amount to approximately 1,456,610 personnel, of whom 1,190 were killed over the past day.

The Chinese government called on Japanese authorities this Friday to respect the country's anti-nuclear principles as well as its international obligations, and warned that they should not "play with fire" in nuclear armament matters. This comes after a survey reflected broad support among the Japanese population for maintaining restrictions on such weapons. The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian, made these remarks during a press conference when asked about the results of a survey by the Japan Public Opinion Research Association on nuclear policy. According to the survey, reported by the Chinese news agency Xinhua, 76% of Japanese support the continuation of the so-called "Three Non-Nuclear Principles," which establish that Japan will neither produce nor allow the introduction of nuclear weapons into its territory. Furthermore, 77% of respondents oppose their nation adopting a "nuclear sharing" system with the United States, an alliance that would allow Washington to deploy nuclear weapons on Japanese territory. Seventy-six percent of people in Japan support upholding the country's Three Non-Nuclear Principles of not possessing, not producing, and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons into its territory. The poll shows that the majority of the Japanese public remains highly… — Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 2, 2026

The inhabitants of the Chagos Islands were expelled by the British 60 years ago. Refugees were anxious to return this year, but their hopes have been caught in a morass of geopolitics.

The forces of the United States Central Command (Centcom) intercepted more than 50 merchant ships as part of the reactivation of its naval blockade against Iran, according to the same military organization reported on social media this Friday. The affected ships were heading to Iranian ports or coming from them and were subject to various actions by the U.S. forces, amid operations aimed at enforcing the blockade reimposed by Washington in mid-July. "Until August 7, Centcom forces had diverted 51 merchant ships, immobilized two, and boarded another two to enforce the blockade," the Command detailed on its X account. Donald Trump's administration reimposed the naval blockade on ships destined for Iranian ports and coastal areas, as well as those leaving these zones, after the collapse of a provisional agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. sailor stands watch in the combat information center aboard USS Mason (DDG 87) as the guided-missile destroyer sails in regional waters supporting the U.S. blockade against Iranian ports and coastal areas. As of Aug. 7, CENTCOM forces have redirected 51 commercial vessels,…

Eduard Kokoity clarified that Georgia decided not to start a war against Russia even under pressure from the West

As part of Alberto de la Espriella's inauguration as president of Colombia, Mexico reaffirmed its good friendship and cooperation with the new Colombian government. Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco had a phone call this Friday with Colombia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Omar Bula Escobar, to whom he extended his best wishes for his leadership of Colombian diplomacy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) stated that its head assured that Mexico "will maintain a good relationship of friendship and cooperation with Colombia, based on our principles of respect for sovereignty and non-intervention." Also read: Mexico and Peru agree to restore diplomatic relations; reaffirm respect for international law The Undersecretary for Latin America and the Caribbean of the SRE, Raquel Serur Smeke, represented Mexico at de la Espriella's swearing-in. According to the foreign ministry, the undersecretary would extend on behalf of Mexico her congratulations and the country's willingness to continue strengthening the bilateral relationship. Serur Smeke held a meeting this Thursday with the elected Vice President, José Manuel Restrepo, whom she wished a successful term. Join our channel ¡EL UNIVERSAL is now on WhatsApp!, from your mobile device, stay informed about the most relevant news of the day, opinion articles, entertainment, trends, and more.

MR. DIRECTOR: In 1971, we entered the Cold War era, as an alternative to the blocs of the USSR and the USA. Valid in their confrontations for world dominance. Now, the world is different, with more conflicting powers, without direct confrontation, and an international system challenged by them. We argue that "the movement no longer responds to the international reality," which could be a generalization. To verify this, the best way is to check its current objectives. In the last high-level meeting in Kampala, Uganda (January 2024), the call was: "Specify cooperation for a shared global influence." And the agreed topics: A. Condemn strongly the Gaza conflict, Israel's military operations, and support for the demand before the International Court of Justice. Chile participated in this during the previous government. The current one has reestablished its relations with Israel. B. Reaffirmation of the principles of self-determination, non-interference, rejection of unilateral economic sanctions. This could contradict the previous. C. Support for Palestine, Cuba, and Venezuela. Topics that have totally changed. D. South-South cooperation; urgent reform of the Security Council for greater participation of developing countries. This does not seem possible. All have evolved. Demonstrative that, in the face of the movement, the dilemma is: modify them, which seems very unlikely, or abandon it as happened. Samuel Fernández I…

This batch contains several videos made in the Middle East

One crew member was killed and 20 were wounded as a result of these attacks, the company reported

The day started with closures on main corridors. The King of Spain and the presidents of Ecuador and Panama have already arrived in the city.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella took office Friday, vowing to wage war on drug-running guerrillas and usher in a new era of close ties with the United States. The flamboyant former lawyer brings a lurch to the right for the Andean nation, vowing to bomb jungle cocaine labs, build “mega prisons” and slash the size of the state. De la Espriella and his Vice-President Jose Manuel Restrepo cheered, embraced and performed their campaign’s characteristic military salute after taking their...

Two children were among the injured

The Central Command reported that two ships had been disabled and two others boarded

KIEV.– Ukrainian long-range drones struck a warehouse in the distant Ural Mountains owned by the digital trading platform Wildberries, known as "the Russian Amazon," whose depots across the country have become a valuable strategic target. The attack took place more than 2000 kilometers from the border between the two countries, in the city of Yekaterinburg, and also represents the consolidated reality of Ukraine's long-range firepower, which regularly targets locations even in Siberia. Wildberries reported that its warehouse in the country's fourth-largest city suffered a fire as a result of the attack, although most of the merchandise was not damaged, unlike what happened in some of the company's other warehouses hit by Ukraine in recent weeks. Regional governor Denis Pasler said three drones impacted the warehouse's roof. Artyom Zhoga, a Kremlin representative in the region, stated that 800 people were evacuated from the warehouse and no injuries were reported. So far, at least eight attacks have been recorded against the company's centers since the start of Kiev's new campaign in mid-July. Just on Thursday, drones were launched against the company's warehouses in the regions of Penza (central part of European Russia), Udmurtia (west of the Urals), and Perm (Urals). The attacks are examples of how Kiev has used innovation…

Eduard Kokoity separately said that NATO countries were turning Georgia into the most militarized state in the post-Soviet space

Russian forces struck a logistics hub in Sloviansk, Donetsk region, with a “Tornado-S” multiple-launch rocket system, killing one person and wounding five others.

The US Senate confirmed Brett Matsumoto as commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reinstating a crucial leadership role after President Donald Trump abruptly fired his predecessor last year.

The lawyer and businessman became the most voted president in the country's history with a conservative, tough-on-crime speech, critical of the left and the Colombian political class. The inauguration is at Santiago University of Cali.

In Michigan's primary elections, Republican newcomer Thomas Smith defeated Donald Trump-endorsed Amir Hassan in the 8th District, while Democrat Abdul El-Sayed narrowly won the Senate primary before facing Mike Rogers in the general election.

Francesca Hong, the leading Democratic candidate in Wisconsin’s gubernatorial race, responded to criticism from Democratic political strategist David Axelrod on Friday. Axelrod, who served as the chief strategist for former President Obama’s 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns, called the democratic socialist a “zany liberal” in a Thursday social media post. He suggested Hong’s loss…

Javier Milei was in Cali this Friday to accompany Abelardo de la Espriella's inauguration as the 61st president of Colombia, in a visit that consolidates a new diplomatic axis between Buenos Aires and Bogotá after years of tension under the government of Gustavo Petro. The Argentine leader arrived in the capital of Valle del Cauca on the night of Thursday, August 6, accompanied by the Secretary General of the Presidency, Karina Milei, and Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno. He was one of the first heads of state to settle in the city, amid a security operation that mobilized more than 11,000 personnel to protect the arrival of the dozen leaders invited to the inauguration ceremony, held this Friday at the USC Arena of Santiago de Cali University. Milei's agenda in Colombia included two high-level bilateral meetings before the official event. At 11:30 (Argentine time), the leader met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Gideon Sa’ar, at the Cultural House of Cali. Half an hour later, he received De la Espriella in a meeting that marked one of the first official contacts of the new Colombian president with a foreign head of state on his day of inauguration. After witnessing the swearing-in ceremony, the Argentine delegation was set to return to Buenos Aires on a flight arriving in the early hours of Saturday. The visit…

Ukrainian long-range drones hit a warehouse in the Ural Mountains owned by Russia's largest online retailer on Friday, more than 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) from the border between the two countries, according to local authorities and the company. Ukraine has regularly targeted objectives in the distant Urals this year and has even struck a refinery in western Siberia, nearly 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) from the border. The attacks are examples of how Kyiv has used drone innovation as a key part of its response to the invasion by a much more powerful enemy, over four years ago. Their successes have sparked international interest and cooperation agreements on unmanned aircraft with nine countries, and negotiations are underway for more pacts with another 15, according to Kyiv officials. Wildberries stated that its warehouse in Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city, caught fire as a result of the attack. Most of the merchandise was not damaged, unlike what happened in some of the more than a dozen warehouses hit by Ukraine in recent weeks, which have been completely burned down, it pointed out. Regional governor Denis Pasler said three drones hit the roof of the warehouse. Artyom Zhoga, a Kremlin representative in the region, indicated that 800 people were evacuated from the warehouse and no injuries were reported. With these actions, Kyiv aims to unsettle the…

The EU has added five individuals to its Russia sanctions list. The move was driven by Moscow’s “intensified strikes deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure” in Ukraine, according to a press release. The press release does not refer to a specific attack, but earlier this week Russia carried out one of its deadliest barrages on the Ukrainian capital, killing 17. In July, a similar attack in Kyiv killed 12. Among those included in the new sanctions is Ramil Badgutdinov — the head of a company that helps produce the Iskander-M ballistic missiles — and Aleksandr Dyukarev, head of the KrasMash plant that produces Sarmat ballistic missiles. Russia has not yet used Sarmat missiles in Ukraine, but Moscow has been testing them. The remaining individuals are directors of Russian defense companies involved in communications systems and “the development of software for unmanned aerial vehicles and space-related military technologies,” reads the press release. “With its army stalled on the battlefield, Moscow is further escalating its campaign of terror against civilians,” wrote EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on X. “The EU must continue to intensify pressure on Russia until Moscow ends its war.”

The Brazilian senator and presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro vehemently condemned the decision of the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva government to downgrade diplomatic relations with Argentina to the level of chargé d'affaires, which he attributed to the "confrontational" policy of the progressive leader. "I vehemently oppose the Lula government's decision to degrade diplomatic relations with Argentina, a sister nation, our largest trading partner in South America, and a historic friend of the Brazilian people," he stated in a statement. According to the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2023), who polls indicate as Lula's main rival in the upcoming presidential elections, "breaking with Buenos Aires" is not an inevitable event but a direct result of the "ideologized and confrontational foreign policy" of the current government. Last Tuesday, Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Argentine ambassador in Brasília, Daniel Raimondi, that relations would remain downgraded as long as the verbal attacks by Argentine President Javier Milei against Lula continued. Both in his speech at the launch of Bolsonaro's presidential candidacy in Brazil and in various statements to the media, Milei launched insults against the…

The U. S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, and the unemployment rate dipped slightly to 4.1 percent, according to new data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Economists had expected American employers to add 83,000 jobs and the jobless rate to hold steady at 4.2 percent last month, according to consensus estimates.  This comes on the heels of relatively weak jobs numbers in June, in which the U. S. workforce initially saw…

Earlier, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan officially signed a trilateral defense agreement

University of Chicago Professor Robert Pape explains why US President Trump is caught in an ‘escalation trap’ with Iran.

They walk along Dafna Street - in West Bay, Doha - with complete ease. They feel protected and shielded. They know that no member of the Qatari security forces will pursue them or demand the documents with which they entered the country under a diplomatic cover. Or at least that is the suspicion growing more and more among their Gulf neighbors and Western powers. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain are closely watching what is happening on the peninsula. The presence of agents from Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) is becoming increasingly visible in the Qatari capital. They hold meetings both at their embassy and in hotel rooms of international chains. They intend to act discreetly, but it is impossible not to recognize them, according to well-informed European sources. MOIS - or Vevak, as it is known in Iran - is the country's main civilian intelligence agency. Its mission is internal security, espionage both domestic and foreign, counterintelligence, and repression of dissent. That agency was responsible for the massacre of tens of thousands of Iranians during last January's protests. It is also a dark office operating across borders. Its officer in Doha entered under the name Hassan Redhari. Is that his real identity? There are no public records of him. He is a ghost. How did he enter the Qatari capital? But the MOIS members who r…