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Putin oversees nuclear drills after the postponed Trump summit, Xi purges senior PLA generals, and Hemedti threatens regional airports following RSF drone strikes on Khartoum.

Our lead story turns to Brussels, where European leaders gather for a high-stakes summit to confront populism, back Ukraine, and redefine the EU’s strategic direction.

Read more below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇺🇳 🇮🇱 ICJ rules Israel’s UNRWA ban and aid blockade violate international law: The court found Israel, as an occupying power, is obligated under the Fourth Geneva Convention to ensure Palestinians receive essential supplies, rejecting arguments by Israel and the United States that security justifies suspending humanitarian access. The ICJ ordered Israel to facilitate UN-led relief efforts “by all means at its disposal,” including those by UNRWA, and reaffirmed that such obligations are unconditional. 

2️⃣ 🇺🇸 🇻🇪 U.S. expands South America military strikes to the Pacific:  The U.S. military has carried out its first airstrikes on boats in the Pacific waters off South America. The strikes mark an expansion of previous U.S. attacks that had been concentrated off Venezuela’s coast, drawing sharp criticism from rights groups and regional governments.

3️⃣ 🇺🇳 🇭🇹 U.N. Security Council pressures Haiti to hold elections as violence spirals: UNSC members warned that Haiti’s transitional government is running out of time to restore order and hold elections before its February 2026 mandate expires. Despite technical preparations for the country’s first vote in nearly a decade, gang violence continues to engulf much of Port-au-Prince, with over 2,000 victims recorded between June and August.

4️⃣ 🇸🇩 Hemedti threatens regional airports after RSF drone strike on Khartoum: Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) has warned that any airport aiding the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) will be treated as a “legitimate target,” including those in neighbouring countries. His remarks followed RSF drone strikes on Khartoum International Airport, disrupting government plans to reopen the facility.

5️⃣ 🇸🇾 Syrian forces clash with jihadist faction near Turkish border: Syrian government forces have surrounded a camp in Idlib province housing jihadist group Firqat al-Ghuraba. The operation reflects the new Syrian government’s effort to distance itself from its Islamist origins and project a more moderate image to both citizens and international partners, even as it risks alienating remaining foreign militant factions.

Major Story

🇧🇪 🇪🇺 EUROPEAN LEADERS CONFRONT POPULISM, WAR, AND IDENTITY AT TENSE BRUSSELS SUMMIT

European Union leaders have convened in Brussels to confront a swelling populist tide, decide how to sustain Ukraine’s war effort, and redefine the bloc’s strategic direction amid growing internal fractures. With elections looming and far-right parties gaining ground, centrist leaders are seeking to reclaim ownership of issues such as migration, deregulation, and online safety, long dominated by their nationalist rivals.

Ukraine and frozen assets

The debate over using €140 billion in frozen Russian assets to finance aid to Kyiv, a proposal blocked by Belgium, whose banks hold most of the funds, is likely to feature at the summit’s core. While Slovakia dropped its veto on the EU’s latest sanctions package, divisions remain over whether Ukraine should be required to prioritise European arms suppliers when purchasing weapons.

Climate, competitiveness, and China

Leaders will also spar over the EU’s 2040 emissions target, with several governments urging restraint to protect industry. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has defended the target but offered reforms to carbon pricing to maintain unity. Simultaneously, France, Poland, and Germany are pushing to discuss China’s dominance in critical minerals after Beijing expanded export bans on rare earths, though some capitals resisted explicit confrontation.

Migration, Big Tech, and deregulation

Amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment, leaders have pledged to accelerate new migration controls and return mechanisms, though no breakthrough is expected. France and Slovakia advocate stricter social media age limits, while Germany and France remain split over reducing reliance on U.S. Big Tech. Finally, a shared priority—cutting red tape—may offer rare consensus, with von der Leyen promising to simplify regulations without weakening environmental standards.

Other News

1️⃣ 🇷🇺 🇭🇺 Putin oversees nuclear drills following postponed Trump summit: Vladimir Putin personally directed a sweeping nuclear readiness exercise involving Russia’s land, sea, and air forces, the Kremlin announced. This follows heightened tensions after delays to the Budapest Putin–Trump summit.

2️⃣ 🇨🇳 Xi consolidates control as top Chinese generals expelled in latest corruption purge: China has expelled two of its highest-ranking generals along with seven other senior officers from the CCP and the PLA, in what officials described as a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown. The Defence Ministry accused the officers of “serious duty-related crimes involving vast sums of money,” calling the purge a major step in cleansing the military.

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