a fragile Gaza breakthrough: President Trump announced Hamas has agreed to a disarmament “road map,” though Israel has not confirmed the deal and fighting continues. Simultaneously, the US-Israel war with Iran remains active, with reports that Washington and Israel are preparing further strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure as soon as this weekend, while Iran has struck US-linked and Gulf targets. Japan is reeling from a magnitude-7.1 earthquake in Kumamoto that has killed at least 35 people, and Spain is facing a migrant emergency after tens of thousands crossed into Ceuta from Morocco, killing at least 18. Russia’s war on Ukraine grinds on with mass drone/missile barrages, while Europe is absorbing a French budget crisis, a German decision to host US Tomahawk missiles, and a severe Danube drought squeezing Balkan power supplies. Below is a country-by-country roundup (countries with no notable current developments have been omitted).
Middle East / Gulf
- Israel / State of Palestine (Gaza): Hamas said it reached a deal to fully disarm under a US-brokered “road map,” but Israel has not publicly confirmed it, and Israeli officials say no withdrawal will happen until disarmament is “genuine.” Israeli strikes killed several Palestinians in Gaza this week even as talks progressed.
- Iran: The Iran war continues; Trump is reportedly weighing new strikes on Iranian energy sites this weekend after a “heavy wave” of US strikes hit Iran overnight, killing IRGC personnel. Iran has retaliated with drone/missile attacks on US-linked targets in the Gulf.
- Iraq: The US and Saudi Arabia carried out joint strikes on Iranian-allied forces inside Iraq this week amid the wider regional escalation.
- Kuwait: Kuwait’s military said it destroyed Iranian drones that entered its airspace, causing damage but no casualties.
- Bahrain: Iran claimed fresh drone attacks targeting US military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait.
- Lebanon: The IDF says it destroyed a major Hezbollah tunnel network in southern Lebanon it describes as an Iranian-funded command hub.
- Saudi Arabia: Riyadh announced plans for a new multinational maritime security alliance in the Red Sea backed by Pakistan and over a dozen other countries, alongside its role in joint strikes on Iran-aligned Iraqi militias.
Asia
- Japan: The death toll from Tuesday’s magnitude-7.1 Kumamoto earthquake has risen to 35, with a collapsed Aeon Mall, a damaged 400-year-old castle, tens of thousands without water/power, and extreme heat complicating rescue efforts.
- Pakistan: A methane gas explosion in a Balochistan coal mine has trapped and killed dozens of miners; separately, Iran claims fresh drone strikes on nearby Gulf bases, and monsoon flooding is triggering building collapses nationwide.
- India: Parliament’s Lok Sabha session was adjourned amid opposition uproar; a bill on expanding the Supreme Court’s judge count is under consideration, and India is also assisting Nepal-area mountaineering rescue efforts.
- Nepal: Several climbers, including foreign nationals from Oman and elsewhere, have died in a mountaineering incident; renowned climber Nirmal Purja is reported missing.
- China: Beijing continues military pressure around Taiwan and has deepened trade with North Korea (bilateral trade hit $1.5B in H1 2026, its highest since 2017).
- Taiwan: Tensions with China persist as the PLA continues naval activity near the island; Taiwan’s chipmaker UMC is expanding capacity for AI demand.
- North Korea: Around 10,000 North Korean workers were newly dispatched to China in the past month under expanded labor arrangements.
- South Korea: President Lee Jae-myung is on a three-country South American tour, holding summits in Brazil and Chile before concluding in Argentina.
- Vietnam: Hanoi pushed back after the US imposed a new 12.5% tariff under a Section 301 forced-labor investigation, saying it doesn’t reflect Vietnam’s reform efforts.
- Indonesia: The economy is estimated to have grown over 5% in Q2, supported by strong investment.
Europe
- Spain: A migration emergency is unfolding at Ceuta, where more than 40,000 migrants have crossed from Morocco in 24 hours, with at least 18 deaths reported; separately, a Spanish court sentenced ex-minister José Luis Ábalos to 24 years for corruption.
- Morocco: At the center of the Ceuta border crisis, with thousands breaching the frontier fence overnight.
- France: PM Sébastien Lecornu forced the budget through parliament without a vote, and the 24-hour window for the opposition to file a no-confidence motion is expiring.
- Germany: Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed Germany will buy and station American long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.
- United Kingdom: BP has launched a sale of its North Sea oil business; Foreign Secretary David (Ed) Miliband welcomed the Hamas disarmament announcement and called for a full Gaza ceasefire implementation.
- Poland: A suspected Russian missile reportedly crashed in Polish territory amid the wider Ukraine war.
- Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria: Power production is dropping sharply due to an unprecedented fall in Danube water levels, disrupting oil/fuel shipments; Hungary also set up a new agency to recover assets allegedly stolen under the Orbán government.
- Ukraine: Russia launched another mass attack (255 Shahed-type drones overnight); Kyiv also reports a Russian missile destroyed a US-owned drone factory, the first known strike on a US company since the war began.
- Russia: Continues heavy missile/drone bombardment of Ukraine while claiming territorial gains in Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Sumy.
- Kazakhstan: President Tokayev publicly urged a freeze in Russia’s war against Ukraine and a return to peace talks.
Africa
- Sudan: The army claims RSF fighters are surrendering after recent battlefield gains; fighting continues around El Obeid amid warnings of a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.
- DR Congo: The Ebola outbreak (Bundibugyo strain) has climbed to roughly 3,200 confirmed cases and over 1,400 deaths, with health workers threatening strikes over unpaid wages.
- Nigeria: Abuja and Pretoria agreed to de-escalate tensions over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa; separately, Nigeria’s external reserves hit a 17-year high of $50.12 billion.
- South Africa: Authorities relocated Nigerian and other African migrants to a Durban screening center as surging petrol prices push inflation to a 20-month high.
- Zambia: The central bank cut its key interest rate to 8.75% as inflation eases.
- Botswana: Became the first African central bank to raise rates, citing Iran-related oil price tensions.
- Togo: Opened its borders to visa-free entry for all African citizens for 30 days, becoming the sixth African country to do so.
Americas
- United States: Trump held a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, touting the Gaza disarmament deal while weighing further Iran strikes; controversy also continues over FIFA’s World Cup private-equity plan, which several European federations threaten to boycott.
- Venezuela: State oil firm PDVSA is bypassing middlemen to sell directly to foreign refiners in an effort to ease economic strain, under acting leadership following Maduro’s removal earlier this year.
- Colombia: Rising costs from a hike in the digital nomad visa income floor are fueling local resentment over gentrification in major cities.
- Brazil: President Lula hosted South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung for a bilateral summit as part of Lee’s South American tour.
- Chile: President Kast met with South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung in Santiago to strengthen bilateral ties.
- Argentina: Set to host the final leg of South Korean President Lee’s three-country South American tour.
Oceania
- Australia: Facing pressure to loosen attendance rules for a UN climate meeting in Tuvalu, and continuing to lead Pacific aid funding amid intensifying great-power competition in the region.
- New Zealand: The government replaced the 2003 Holidays Act with a new Employment Leave Bill changing how annual leave accrues, drawing criticism it may amount to a pay cut for some workers; NZ is also tightening migration rules affecting Pacific families.
- Timor-Leste: New Zealand Army instructors deployed to help train an all-female platoon of the Timor-Leste Defence Force.
