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Trump threatens tariffs on Spain in a NATO defence spending row, while also proposing that President Erdogan could mediate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Meanwhile, Peru’s Congress ousts President Boluarte, swearing in Jose Jeri amid nationwide unrest.

Our lead story turns to Sudan, where drones devastate Darfur as rival forces trade deadly strikes.

This, and more, below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇦🇷 🇺🇸 Washington warns of aid cuts to Argentina if Milei loses elections: Donald Trump cautioned that U.S. financial support for Argentina would end if Javier Milei fails to secure victory in upcoming legislative elections.The U.S. has pledged $20 billion to stabilise Argentina’s collapsing economy, a rare intervention that highlights Washington’s strategic backing of Milei despite market turmoil and rising domestic discontent. 

2️⃣ 🇨🇲 Opposition leader declares victory in Cameroon election: Cameroonian opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary has proclaimed victory in the presidential election, urging 92-year-old President Paul Biya to concede after 43 years in power. Tchiroma said the “truth of the ballot box” must be honoured and called for a peaceful transfer of power. The electoral commission has yet to release official results.

3️⃣ 🇹🇷 🇷🇺 🇺🇦 Trump suggests Erdogan could mediate Russia-Ukraine peace talks: Donald Trump said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could play a key mediating role in the Russia-Ukraine war, citing his strong rapport with Vladimir Putin. Turkey has maintained a delicate balance throughout the conflict.

4️⃣ 🇲🇬 Madagascar’s elite military unit seizes power: An elite Malagasy military unit, Capsat, announced it had taken control after parliament impeached President Andry Rajoelina. Capsat’s commander said a council of officers would temporarily assume presidential duties and form a civilian government, marking a stunning reversal for Rajoelina, once propelled to power by the same regiment in 2009.

5️⃣ 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 🇩🇪 🇪🇺 Ukraine escalates strikes on Crimea as Germany warns of Russian threat to Europe: Ukrainian drones struck oil and power facilities across Russian-occupied Crimea, igniting massive fires at the Feodosia terminal and damaging multiple substations. Meanwhile, Germany’s intelligence chief warned that Russia’s aggression could soon spill into direct confrontation with Europe, citing airspace violations, sabotage, and disinformation.

Major Story

🇸🇩 🇦🇪 🇺🇳 DRONES DEVASTATE DARFUR AS SUDAN’S RIVAL FORCES TRADE DEADLY STRIKES

At least 80 civilians were killed over the weekend as Sudan’s warring factions—the UAE-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)—launched drone and artillery strikes across North Darfur. The RSF attacked El Fasher, hitting a displacement shelter and religious compound, while the army bombed the RSF-held town of Al-Kuma during a social gathering. Both sides claim to defend Sudan’s unity, yet their campaigns increasingly target civilians based on perceived ethnic loyalties, transforming the war into a campaign of collective punishment.

El Fasher: Displacement Shelter Reduced to Ashes

Witnesses and footage verified by Sudan War Monitor confirmed that RSF-operated drones struck Dar Al-Arqam, killing at least 60 people and wounding dozens more. The El Fasher Resistance Committee condemned the attacks as “acts of genocide” and accused the RSF of deliberately targeting displaced families. Local medics described victims burned alive inside metal caravans as “the world’s silence enables this extermination.” The attack came weeks after RSF drones bombed a mosque during dawn prayers, killing 75 worshippers, and forms part of the militia’s ongoing siege to capture the army’s 6th Infantry Division headquarters.

Al-Kuma: Army Strike Targets Social Gathering

The following morning, an SAF drone bombed the home of religious leader Sheikh Ahmed Rabah in Al-Kuma, killing at least 20 civilians. Local leaders described the attack as a “crime against humanity” and accused the army of systematically targeting RSF-aligned Arab communities.

Escalating Ethnic War and Impunity

Al-Kuma, inhabited largely by Arab Ziyadiya tribes supporting the RSF, has endured repeated SAF bombings since 2024. Meanwhile, El Fasher—controlled by non-Arab factions allied with the army—remains under siege. The dual attacks reflect a brutal symmetry of atrocities: both forces are pursuing ethnic vengeance under the guise of national defence, deepening Darfur’s humanitarian catastrophe as international outrage remains muted.

Other News

1️⃣ 🇺🇸 House Speaker refuses Senate talks as government shutdown continues: US House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected negotiations with Senate Democrats amid the 14-day government shutdown, backing Donald Trump’s decision to reallocate Pentagon funds to ensure military paychecks. The impasse has deepened Republican divisions as thousands of federal employees face layoffs and Senate Democrats demand talks to end the shutdown.

2️⃣ 🇵🇪 Peru’s Congress removes Boluarte as Jose Jeri sworn in amid rising unrest: Peru’s Congress unanimously ousted President Dina Boluarte on grounds of moral incapacity, swearing in congressional leader Jose Jeri less than an hour later as public anger over corruption and violent crime intensified. Jeri, vowing to “declare war on crime,” becomes Peru’s seventh president since 2016, inheriting a nation fractured by political instability and distrust.

3️⃣ 🇺🇸 🇪🇸 Trump threatens tariffs on Spain over NATO defence spending dispute: Donald Trump has accused Spain of “unbelievable disrespect” toward NATO for failing to raise its defence budget to 5 percent of GDP, threatening retaliatory trade tariffs and even suggesting Spain’s expulsion from the alliance. Madrid, which currently spends 1.3 percent, plans to reach only 2 percent by 2025, arguing its southern location shields it from immediate threats.

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Book Shelf

Here are some books we recommend 📚:

Prisoners of Geography

The Revenge of Geography

The World: A Brief Introduction

The Shock Doctrine

Sea Power

The Tragedy of Great Power Politics