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A Ukrainian drone strike overnight ignited a significant fire at an oil depot near Russia’s Black Sea city of Sochi, Russian authorities reported on Sunday, as cross-border attacks between the two nations continued. According to Krasnodar regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev, the fire began after fragments from a downed drone struck a fuel tank. More than 120 firefighters were deployed to contain the flames. Footage circulating on social media showed large columns of smoke rising from the site. In response, Russia’s civil aviation agency, Rosaviatsia, temporarily suspended flights at Sochi Airport. Further north, officials in the Voronezh region stated that a separate Ukrainian drone strike injured four people. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defense systems intercepted 93 Ukrainian drones flying over Russian territory and the Black Sea overnight. Meanwhile, a Russian missile hit a residential neighborhood in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, injuring seven people, according to Ukraine’s emergency services. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 76 drones and seven missiles on Sunday. Of those, 60 drones and one missile were intercepted. However, 16 drones and six missiles reached targets in eight different locations. These tit-for-tat attacks follow one of Ukraine’s deadliest weeks in recent months. On Thursday, a combined Russian drone and missile barrage killed 31 people, including five children, and injured more than 150 others. The escalating violence comes as U.S. President Donald Trump set a deadline of August 8 for progress in peace talks with Russia. On Thursday, he announced that special envoy Steve Witkoff is en route to Russia to push for a ceasefire, warning of new economic sanctions if meaningful progress is not achieved.  

Aug, 2 (AP/UNB)--Ukrainian drone attacks overnight into Saturday killed three people, Russian officials said Saturday, as the two sides continued to trade airstrikes. Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted or destroyed 112 drones across eight Russian regions and the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. A drone attack on the Rostov region, on the border with Ukraine, killed one person, acting governor Yuri Slyusar said. Further from the front line, a woman was killed and two other people wounded in a drone strike in the Penza region, according to regional governor Oleg Melnichenko. In the Samara region, falling drone debris sparked a fire that killed an elderly resident, regional Gov. Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said. In these and other regions, governors reported damage to industrial facilities. Russian officials did not name specific facilities hit, but Ukrainian authorities later said they had targeted key sites in Russia’s energy and defense sectors late Friday in retaliation for deadly Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities earlier this week. Ukraine’s General Staff said it struck the Ryazan and Novokuibyshevsk oil refineries, a fuel storage facility in Voronezh, and a defense-linked electronics manufacturer in Penza. According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia launched 53 drones and decoys at Ukraine overnight into Saturday. It said that air defenses shot down or jammed 45 drones. Eleven people were wounded in an overnight drone strike on the Kharkiv region, Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said Saturday. The reciprocal drone strikes followed a day of mourning in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Friday, after a Russian drone and missile attack killed 31 people, including five children, and wounded over 150. The continued attacks come after U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a shorter deadline — Aug. 8 — for peace efforts to make progress. Trump said Thursday that special envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Russia to push Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in its war with Ukraine and has threatened new economic sanctions if progress is not made. Also in Ukraine, protesters gathered in the west-central city of Vinnytsia late Friday to demand the release of men detained by military enlistment offices, and broke into a stadium where the detainees were being held. According to the regional military recruitment center, a group of conscripts had been brought there for medical examinations and other procedures related to mobilization. "In the evening, a group of civilians gathered near the center and behaved aggressively. Attempts to illegally enter the temporary assembly point, damage property and disturb public order were recorded,” a statement from the center said. The incident came amid rising public frustration over Ukraine’s mobilization drive, as the war with Russia grinds on in its fourth year.

A three-year-old boy in Hangzhou, China, has defied all odds by surviving a fall from the 18th floor of his apartment building. The dramatic incident occurred on July 15 while the child was under the care of his grandparents, reports the South China Morning Post. Thinking the boy was asleep, the grandparents briefly left the apartment to run errands, locking the door behind them. After waking up, the child went to the bathroom, climbed onto the toilet, and fell out of an unsecured window without safety bars. Remarkably, the boy's fall was broken by a tree, which saved his life. A nearby resident discovered the toddler on the ground and shared a video of the scene in the community's property management group. The child’s father, Zhu, only learned of the incident after seeing the message. "At first, I could not believe he had fallen from the 18th floor until surveillance footage from the property management group confirmed it," Zhu said. He speculated that the boy may have hit an open 17th-floor window, which altered his fall. "Otherwise, the child would have landed directly on the concrete," he added. Security footage showed the child brushing past an open window and landing in a tree before falling into a bush, cushioning the impact. The boy was quickly taken to the hospital, where doctors described his survival as a “miracle,”. He suffered a fractured arm, spinal strain, and internal injuries but avoided any head trauma and remained conscious throughout. In a touching moment, he reportedly asked doctors, “ask daddy to buy me a Bumblebee” toy. To honour the tree that likely saved his son’s life, Zhu later decorated it with a large red flower, a Chinese symbol of gratitude and celebration.  

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he had ordered the repositioning of two U.S. nuclear submarines in response to provocative remarks made online by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who suggested the potential for war. Posting on his social media platform, Trump said the subs were being moved to “appropriate regions” as a precaution, citing Medvedev’s inflammatory comments. “Words matter and can lead to unintended outcomes,” Trump warned, expressing hope that this situation doesn’t escalate further. While U.S. nuclear submarines regularly patrol global hotspots, Trump’s directive comes amid fragile U.S.–Russia relations. Later that day, Trump told Newsmax he found Medvedev’s rhetoric concerning, saying, “He’s got a fresh mouth.” Trump also said his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is en route to Russia to push for a ceasefire in Ukraine and warned that new sanctions could be imposed if no progress is made. Originally giving Moscow 50 days to act, Trump shortened the deadline to 10 days, which expires next week. The submarine order followed a heated exchange between Trump and Medvedev earlier in the week. Trump had criticized Medvedev online, calling him a “failed former President of Russia” and advising him to “watch his words.” Medvedev replied defiantly, claiming, “Russia is right on everything and will continue its path.” Medvedev, currently deputy chairman of Russia’s National Security Council, also lashed out over Trump’s ultimatum, saying: “He should remember: Russia is not Israel or Iran. Every new ultimatum is a step closer to war—not just with Ukraine, but with his own country.” Slovenia halts all arms trade with Israel citing Gaza crisis Asked Friday evening where the subs were being moved, Trump declined to give details. “We had to do that. It’s about being cautious,” he said. “He made a threat, and I can’t ignore that. It’s about protecting our people.” Trump added that the subs were being repositioned “closer to Russia,” emphasizing that the U.S. is “totally prepared” and taking nuclear threats seriously. Once seen as a reformist during his presidency from 2008 to 2012, Medvedev has become a hardliner since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, often posting hostile and nuclear-tinged rhetoric targeting the West. Analysts believe his aggressive tone may be an attempt to curry favor with President Putin and Russia’s military elite. Earlier, on July 15, Medvedev mocked Trump’s threats to supply Ukraine with more weapons through NATO and impose new tariffs on Moscow, calling the ultimatum “theatrical” and claiming Russia was unfazed by it.

Slovenia has declared a full suspension on the import, export, and transit of weapons to and from Israel, citing Israel's ongoing military actions in Gaza. The move, revealed Thursday night, is described by Slovenia as the “first of its kind by an EU member state.” The country has frequently voiced concerns about alleged human rights abuses in Gaza. Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob has repeatedly indicated that Slovenia would take independent action if the European Union failed to agree on a common stance, according to the STA news agency. “The EU is currently paralyzed by internal disagreements, making joint action impossible,” a government statement said. “The consequences are tragic: people in Gaza are perishing due to a lack of aid, clean water, food, and basic healthcare, often trapped under rubble.” Although Slovenia has minimal arms dealings with Israel, the embargo is largely symbolic, intended to send a strong diplomatic message amid growing global criticism of Israel’s actions and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Zain Hussain, an arms trade expert at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, described the measure as “symbolic but significant.” This decision follows additional actions taken by Slovenia’s government, including barring two far-right Israeli ministers from entering the country in July, accusing them of promoting violence and making “genocidal” remarks against Palestinians. Daryl Kimball, head of the Arms Control Association, praised Slovenia’s stance, calling it a major step in holding Israel accountable for what he described as the illegal use of foreign weapons against civilians in Gaza. In June 2024, Slovenia’s parliament officially recognized Palestine as a sovereign state, joining Ireland, Norway, and Spain in doing so. Other European countries have also restricted arms transfers to Israel: the UK suspended certain weapons exports last year, and Spain halted arms sales in October 2023. The Netherlands has tightened arms-related controls, while legal challenges are ongoing in France and Belgium. However, Slovenia is the only one to impose a total ban on both trade and transit of weapons to and from Israel.  

The Ukrainian capital Kyiv observed an official day of mourning Friday, a day after a Russian drone and missile attack on the city killed 31 people, including five children, and injured more than 150, officials said. The youngest victim in Thursday’s strikes was 2 years old, and 16 of the injured were children, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. It was the highest number of children killed and injured in a single attack on Kyiv since aerial attacks on the city began in October 2022, according to official casualty figures reported by The Associated Press. It was also the deadliest attack on the city since July last year, when 33 were killed. The death toll rose overnight as emergency crews continued to dig through rubble. The Russian barrage demolished a large part of a nine-story residential building in the city, while more than 100 other buildings were damaged, including homes, schools, kindergartens, medical facilities and universities, officials said. Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent months, ignoring calls from Western leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump to stop striking civilian areas after more than three years of war. The Russian tactic aims to spread terror and wear down public appetite for the war. Russian forces are also pressing on with their grinding war of attrition along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where incremental gains over the past year have come at the cost of thousands of soldiers on both sides. Ukraine wants more sanctions on Russia Zelenskyy said that in July, Russia launched over 5,100 glide bombs, more than 3,800 Shahed drones, and nearly 260 missiles of various types, 128 of them ballistic, against Ukraine. He repeated his appeal for countries to impose heavier economic sanctions on Russia to deter the Kremlin, as U.S.-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. “No matter how much the Kremlin denies (sanctions’) effectiveness, they are working and must be stronger,” Zelenskyy said. His comments Friday appeared to be a response to Trump’s remarks the previous day, when the Republican president said the U.S. plans to impose sanctions on Russia but added, “I don’t know that sanctions bother him,” in reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In April, Trump urged the Russian leader to “STOP!” after an aerial attack on Kyiv killed 12 in what was the deadliest assault on the city since July 2024. “Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform at the time, but Russia hasn't eased up on its barrages. Earlier this week, Trump gave Putin until Aug. 8 to stop the fighting. Those demands haven't persuaded the Kremlin to change strategy. Putin said Friday the conditions that Moscow set out last year for a long-term ceasefire agreement still stand. Putin has previously made it clear that he will only accept a settlement on his terms and will keep fighting until they’re met. “Any disappointments arise from excessive expectations,” Putin said of negotiations. He did not mention Trump by name. Putin said that he regards recent direct talks in Istanbul between delegations from Russia and Ukraine as valuable, even though they made no progress beyond exchanges of prisoners of war, and made no reference to next week's deadline imposed by Trump. In what Ukrainians may see as an ominous note, Putin said that Russia has started production of its newest hypersonic missiles. The Oreshnik’s multiple warheads that plunge to a target at speeds up to Mach 10 and cannot be stopped by air defenses, he said. Ukraine called for an urgent U.N. Security Council meeting to be convened Friday, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said, in an effort to push Putin into accepting “a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.” Russian forces bear down on a key eastern Ukrainian city Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are under heavy pressure in the strategic hilltop city of Chasiv Yar, in the eastern Donetsk region where Russia is making a concerted push to break through defenses after some 18 months of fighting. Zelenskyy said that Russian claims of capturing Chasiv Yar on Thursday were “disinformation.” “Ukrainian units are holding our positions,” Zelenskyy said in his daily video address on Thursday evening. “It is not easy, but it is the defense of Ukrainians’ very right to life.” Even so, the Institute for the Study of War said that Ukraine’s hold on the key city is weakening. “Russian forces will likely complete the seizure of Chasiv Yar in the coming days, which will open several possible avenues for Russian forces to attack Ukraine’s fortress belt — a series of fortified cities that form the backbone of Ukraine’s defensive positions” in the Donetsk region, the Washington-based think tank said. Ukraine has tried to pressure the Russian army by striking rear areas with long-range drones that target rail networks, oil depots and arsenals. Russia’s Defense Ministry said Friday that air defenses shot down 60 Ukrainian drones overnight. More than half were destroyed over Russia’s Belgorod region on the country’s border with Ukraine, it said. Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said that one person was injured. The Ukrainian air force, meanwhile, said Friday it downed 44 out of 72 Russian drones fired overnight. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

China looks forward to deepening dialogue and consultations with the United States to seek more mutually beneficial outcomes, Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong said on Thursday. The spokesperson made the remarks while responding to a media question about the recent China-U.S. trade talks held in Stockholm, Sweden. The two sides held candid, in-depth and constructive exchanges on China-U.S. economic and trade relations, macroeconomic policies, and other topics of mutual concern. Both sides reviewed and acknowledged the consensus reached in Geneva and implementation of the framework established in London, the spokesperson said. U.S. and China move toward extending tariff pause after Stockholm talks Based on the consensus reached during the Stockholm talks, both sides will continue to push for extending the suspension of 24 percent of the U.S. reciprocal tariffs, along with China's corresponding countermeasures, for an additional 90 days, he said. The consensus is expected to help further stabilize China-U.S. economic and trade relations and inject more certainty into global economic development and stability, he said. China slams U.S. Senate Democrats report for hyping up China threat China looks forward to working with the United States in accordance with the important consensus reached by the two heads of state to maximize the effectiveness of the bilateral economic and trade consultation mechanism, the spokesperson added.  

Malta and Canada announced Wednesday that they will officially recognize the state of Palestine in September, joining France and potentially the United Kingdom in a growing international effort to push for an end to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney shared the decision following a Cabinet meeting, while Malta’s announcement came from Christopher Cutajar, the top official at the Maltese Foreign Ministry, during a U.N. General Assembly session on the two-state solution. The session was extended to a third day due to high participation. Cutajar emphasized Malta’s longstanding support for Palestinian self-determination and stated that the country has a responsibility to help make the two-state solution a reality. He said Malta would formally recognize Palestine at the U.N. General Assembly in September. Carney said Canada will also make its declaration during the annual U.N. gathering starting Sept. 23, with conditions. He said Canada's recognition hinges on the Palestinian Authority holding general elections in 2026 that exclude Hamas, and on the future Palestinian state being demilitarized. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas promised these measures in a June 10 letter, though it remains uncertain if further commitments are required. Malta Seeks Peace in the Region Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed the decision on Facebook, calling it part of the country’s broader aim to help achieve lasting peace in the Middle East. Malta, an EU member and former British colony, will join over 145 countries that already recognize Palestine, including more than a dozen European nations. French President Emmanuel Macron had already announced France’s intention to recognize Palestine at the upcoming U.N. summit, while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain would do so unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire and peace framework within the next eight weeks. With Canada joining in, three G7 countries now back Palestinian statehood recognition. Israel strongly opposes such moves and is boycotting the U.N. meeting along with the United States, its closest ally. Israel Pushes Back Israeli Ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, criticized the participation of over 120 countries in the conference, calling their recognition of Palestine an endorsement of terrorism. He accused them of prioritizing symbolic gestures over the effort to free hostages held by Hamas and said such acts only encourage extremism. Malta’s representative, Cutajar, responded that recognizing Palestine is not just symbolic but a vital step toward achieving a fair and lasting resolution. Call for Swift Action At the U.N. conference, many leaders reiterated their commitment to a two-state solution and urged all remaining countries to recognize Palestine promptly. A seven-page document known as the "New York Declaration" outlines a step-by-step plan to resolve the conflict, envisioning a demilitarized Palestinian state coexisting peacefully with Israel and becoming part of the broader Middle East community. Additionally, a one-page statement titled the "New York Call" was endorsed by 15 Western nations. It encourages global recognition of Palestine as key to peace. The document includes six nations that already recognize Palestine and nine, including Malta and Canada, that have expressed strong support but haven’t done so yet. The seven countries that still haven’t endorsed recognition are Andorra, Australia, Finland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Portugal, and San Marino. The meeting concluded after the 128th speaker, with Saudi Arabia’s U.N. ambassador Abdulaziz Alwasil suspending the session and stating that a final document has been circulated to all U.N. members for endorsement by early September.

The United States has imposed sanctions on six Indian companies for allegedly engaging in the trade of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products, which Washington says violates its sanctions under Executive Order 13846. The US Department of State announced on Wednesday that a total of 20 entities, including the six Indian firms, have been sanctioned for their involvement in the Iranian petrochemical trade. The move is part of Washington’s broader strategy to curb Iran’s revenue streams, which it claims are used to fund terrorism, destabilize the Middle East, and oppress its citizens. In a statement, a US State Department spokesperson said, “The Iranian regime continues to fuel conflict in the Middle East to fund its destabilizing activities. Today, the United States is taking action to stem the flow of revenue that the regime uses to support terrorism abroad, as well as to oppress its own people.” Indian companies named in the sanctionsAlchemical Solutions Private Limited faces the most serious charges, accused of importing and purchasing Iranian-origin petrochemical products worth over $84 million between January and December 2024. Global Industrial Chemicals Limited allegedly imported and purchased Iranian petrochemical products, including methanol, worth more than $51 million between July 2024 and January 2025. Jupiter Dye Chem Private Limited, an India-based petrochemical trading firm, is accused of importing toluene and other Iranian products valued at over $49 million during the same period. Ramniklal S Gosalia And Company reportedly imported Iranian-origin methanol and toluene worth over $22 million from January 2024 to January 2025. Persistent Petrochem Private Limited is said to have brought in nearly $14 million worth of Iranian petrochemicals, including from UAE-based Bab Al Barsha, between October and December 2024. Kanchan Polymers allegedly imported over $1.3 million worth of Iranian-origin polyethylene from a company named Tanais Trading. All six companies were designated under Section 3(a)(iii) of Executive Order 13846 for “knowingly engaging” in significant transactions involving the purchase, sale, or transport of Iranian petrochemical products. Implications of sanctionsAs per the sanctions, all property and interests in property of the designated companies within the United States or under the control of US persons are now blocked. The order also restricts any US person or entity from conducting transactions involving the sanctioned firms unless authorised by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Trump announces 25% tariffs, penalty on India “These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person,” the Department noted. The US clarified that the objective of such sanctions is not to punish but to encourage a change in behaviour. “The goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior,” the State Department said. The move signals growing US scrutiny of global firms allegedly linked to Iran's petrochemical sector and comes amid renewed efforts to tighten enforcement of existing sanctions. #Source: NDTV

A massive 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s Far East on Wednesday, triggering tsunami waves that reached Japan’s northern coastline and parts of the Kuril Islands, prompting widespread alerts across the Pacific including Alaska and Hawaii. The tremor, which occurred at 8:25 a.m. Japan time, was initially recorded at magnitude 8.0 by Japanese and U.S. authorities, but was later upgraded to 8.7. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake struck at a depth of 19.3 kilometers (12 miles), about 250 kilometers (160 miles) from Japan’s Hokkaido island. Shortly after the quake, tsunami waves began hitting coastal areas. Japan’s Meteorological Agency confirmed that a wave about 30 centimeters (1 foot) high reached Nemuro, on Hokkaido’s eastern shore. Meanwhile, the first waves also reached Severo-Kurilsk in Russia’s Kuril Islands, according to Governor Valery Limarenko. He assured that residents had evacuated to higher ground and were safe. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) issued alerts for multiple regions, warning that waves between 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) above normal tide levels could impact coastlines in Hawaii, Chile, Japan, and the Solomon Islands. In some parts of Russia and Ecuador, even higher waves were anticipated. Tsunami alert issued following strong earthquake near Russia In Hawaii, tsunami sirens blared across Honolulu on Tuesday evening local time, and residents were urged to move to higher ground. “Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property,” the PTWC warned, with the first waves projected to arrive by 7 p.m. Damage and evacuations were reported in areas closest to the quake’s epicenter on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. The city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky saw widespread panic, with residents running into the streets—many barefoot or without coats. Homes shook, furniture toppled, and cars swayed violently. There were also reports of power outages and mobile network failures. Further evacuations were ordered on Russia’s Sakhalin Island, where emergency services were operating at full capacity, Russian news agency Tass reported. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center, based in Alaska, issued tsunami warnings for the Aleutian Islands and a watch for parts of the U.S. West Coast—including California, Oregon, Washington—as well as Hawaii. Much of Alaska’s coastline, including parts of the panhandle, was also under alert. Earlier this month, the same region experienced a series of strong undersea quakes near Kamchatka—the largest reaching magnitude 7.4. That quake occurred about 144 kilometers (89 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Tsunami warning lifted for Papua New Guinea after earthquake The region has a history of powerful seismic activity. On November 4, 1952, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck Kamchatka, generating 9.1-meter (30-foot) waves in Hawaii, though no fatalities were reported. Source: Agency