Shafaq News- Washington

The European Union has officiallyjoined the US-led “Operation Economic Outcast” against Iran, Treasury SecretaryScott Bessent announced on Friday.

Bessent welcomed the EU’s “strongand early stance,” saying the United States and its allies aim to prevent Iranfrom using the global financial system to fund its nuclear and weapons programsand allied armed groups.

“The world is sending a clearmessage to the Iranian regime: We will not stop until every remaining financiallifeline has been severed,” he added.

The European Union has officially joined Operation Economic Outcast and we appreciate their strong and early stance. The United States stands firm with our allies in ensuring the murderous Iranian regime cannot exploit the global financial system to fund its nuclear ambitions,…

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) September 3, 2026

The United States launched OperationEconomic Outcast last month under President Donald Trump, targeting Iran andthose Washington identifies as supporting Tehran, including networks accused ofmoving Iranian oil and circumventing US sanctions, in what Bessent described asan “unprecedented campaign” to isolate Iran from global economic and financialnetworks.

The EU expressed its support for theoperation as part of efforts to curb Tehran’s “destabilizing activities,”increase economic pressure and support a return to peace talks. Iranian ForeignMinistry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei condemned the move as an endorsement of US“economic terrorism,” accusing the bloc of yielding its sovereignty, laws andvalues to Washington.

Shafaq News- Havana

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on a grandson of former Cuban leader Raul Castro and five Cuban entities, targeting the island’s banking, energy, and mining sectors.

The Treasury Department added Fidel Ernesto Castro Calis, 31, Banco Exterior de Cuba, Comercial Cupet, Nicarotec, Abapet, and Cexni to its sanctions list. The bank is state-owned, while the other four companies operate in Cuba’s energy and nickel industries. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said four of the sanctioned entities “exploit” the island’s natural resources or energy reserves for the benefit of the government.

Castro Calis was sanctioned because he is an adult son of Alejandro Castro Espin, who is already under US sanctions, according to the State Department.

Cuba’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to the new measures. Earlier today, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez accused Washington of responsibility for Cuba’s economic crisis and rejected US claims that the island poses a threat to American national security.

The United States has restricted Cuba’s access to imported oil since early 2026 and threatened tariffs on countries that continue supplying the island. Washington also imposed sanctions in June on President Miguel Diaz-Canel, his wife Lis Cuesta Peraza, Alejandro Castro Espin, another grandson of Raul Castro, and several Cuban state entities.

Shafaq News-Washington

US CentralCommand (CENTCOM) announced on Thursday that its forces had redirected 87commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two under Washington's blockadeagainst Iran in regional waters as of Sept. 3.

A U.S. Sailor stands watch aboard USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) as the guided-missile destroyer continues to support the U.S. blockade against Iran in regional waters. As of Sept. 3, CENTCOM forces have redirected 87 commercial vessels, disabled 3 and boarded 2 to ensure total… pic.twitter.com/o46xfhwmJw

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 3, 2026

Theannouncement came a day after US President Donald Trump claimed that Washingtoncontrols the Strait of Hormuz, saying US forces intercept “many ships everyday” carrying millions of barrels of oil through the strategic waterway.

The war,which began in late February, has disrupted shipping through the Strait ofHormuz, one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints, which normallycarries around a quarter of global seaborne oil trade as well as significantvolumes of liquefied natural gas and fertilizers.

Thedisruption has pushed US gasoline prices above $4 a gallon and promptedWashington to draw heavily on its Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Earlier today,Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref warned of “dark months” for theUS economy and called on Americans to stockpile gasoline and fuel.

Shafaq News- New York

Around 20 million internet-using children aged 12 to 17 across 21 countries experienced sexual exploitation or abuse facilitated by digital technology in a single year, according to a UNICEF report released on Thursday.

The study estimated that more than 15 million children encountered unwanted sexual content, nine million faced pressure to engage in sexual conversations or share sexual images, and four million had sexual images shared without their consent. UNICEF said the global total was likely far higher because many cases go unreported.

Nearly 60% of cases occurred on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat and TikTok, while 14% took place in online games. More than half involved someone the child already knew, such as a friend, relative or romantic partner, while 38% first encountered the perpetrator online.

Fewer than 1% of cases were reported to police, social workers or helplines.

The report also highlighted growing risks linked to artificial intelligence. UNICEF has separately estimated that at least 1.2 million children across 11 surveyed countries had images manipulated into sexually explicit deepfakes in a single year.

Children who experienced technology-facilitated sexual exploitation were about four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts or self-harm and also reported significantly higher anxiety levels than their peers.

The research drew on nationally representative surveys of around 21,000 internet-using children across 21 countries, with data collected in two research rounds conducted primarily in 2020-2021 and 2024-2025. The countries included Kenya, Pakistan, Brazil and Serbia.

Meta said some of the surveys dated back to 2020, before it introduced additional protections such as private-by-default teen accounts and restrictions on adults messaging minors they are not connected to. The company said it would continue combating child exploitation across its apps.

TikTok said it had also introduced safeguards, including private-by-default accounts for users under 18 and technology designed to detect potentially predatory behavior.

UNICEF urged governments and technology companies to strengthen online safety measures, update laws to address evolving forms of abuse, including AI-generated content, and improve reporting and child-protection systems.

Shafaq News- Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday there was a “chance to reach a peace agreement” to end the war in Ukraine, but Moscow and Kyiv would ultimately have to resolve the conflict themselves.

Speaking at an economic forum in Russia’s Far East, Putin said several countries, including the United States and China, were prepared to support efforts toward a settlement. He said US President Donald Trump was ready to work “constructively and positively” toward peace in Ukraine.

“Ultimately, the two countries involved in the conflict —Russia and Ukraine— must resolve the problem,” Putin said.

Putin also repeated his accusation that Kyiv was engaging in “state terrorism” and dismissed Ukrainian warnings about growing risks to civilian aircraft in Russian airspace.

Ukraine has formally notified the International Civil Aviation Organization of what it says are growing risks to civilian flights in Russian airspace and called on the agency to recommend restrictions to member states, citing increased military and drone activity. Moscow has rejected the warnings and its aviation system continues to operate normally.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, triggering Europe’s largest armed conflict since World War II. By the end of July 2026, the United Nations had verified more than 16,800 civilian deaths and around 49,000 injuries in Ukraine, while warning that the actual toll was likely considerably higher.

Shafaq News- Washington

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday described the overnightUS strikes on Iran as severe and indicated that the military campaign would notlast long, while outlining some of the targets hit.

In remarks to reporters, Trump claimed Iran had been tryingto build a rocket capable of dropping mines and that US forces had destroyed it,noting that Tehran had attempted to rebuild radar and missile systems.

“The attack last night was very violent, and we are ready tolaunch another attack whenever we want,” Trump said, stressing, “Iran cannot havea nuclear weapon.”

He also claimed that the United States controls the Straitof Hormuz. “We take out many ships everyday loaded with millions of barrels of oil through the strait, and we do itwithout problems in most cases.”

Earlier Wednesday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announcedthat it had completed a wave of strikes targeting Iranian military sites andcapabilities. According to CENTCOM, US forces targeted sites belonging toIran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including air-defense andradar systems, maritime assets and facilities, mine-laying capabilities, andcommunications sites.

Shafaq News- Tehran

At least 12 people were killed and dozens more wounded in USstrikes across southern Iran, according to Iranian officials andstate-affiliated media, as authorities continued to update casualty figures onWednesday.

The heaviest civilian toll was reported in Kuhestak, acoastal area in Sirik county in Hormozgan province, where a strike hit awedding gathering. Fars News Agency, citing the Iranian Red Crescent, put thetoll at five dead and said 68 people were injured, many of them children.

Evidence of the US crime of targeting a wedding ceremony in residential areas of Sirik. The Hormozgan Red Crescent reports that most of those injured were women and children. https://t.co/cHqxc4P3Sh

— جمعیت هلال‌احمر ایران (@Iranian_RCS) September 2, 2026

Authorities in southwestern Khuzestan province reportedseven people killed and eight injured in US missile strikes on three locationsaround Ahvaz and Aghajari.

The two confirmed incidents bring the reported toll from theUS strikes to at least 12 dead and 76 wounded.

Iranian media have also reported US attacks on several otherlocations, including Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, Jask and areas around Chabahar andKonarak, without providing comprehensive casualty figures.

Shafaq News- Washington/ Tehran

US forces completed a new wave of strikes on Iranianmilitary targets on September 1, hitting air defenses, radar systems andmaritime assets, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The strikes also targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps(IRGC) facilities, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites. Thecommand linked the operation to what it said were recent IRGC attempts toattack commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and US service members.

More than 50,000 US troops are currently operating acrossthe Middle East and remain prepared for further operations, according toCENTCOM.

https://t.co/3MCmRHk7mi

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 1, 2026

Earlier, Iran said it launched ballistic missiles at a USmilitary base in Jordan and drone strikes on US positions at Sheikh Isa AirBase in Bahrain. Jordan’s military said it intercepted 10 of 13 ballisticmissiles, with the remaining three falling without causing casualties. Kuwait’smilitary stated its air defenses were engaging drones and thatexplosions heard across the country resulted from interception operations.

Shafaq News- Washington

US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would be hit "at a muchharder and higher level" if it retaliates against the latest US strikesnear the Strait of Hormuz, as US forces launched a fresh wave of strikes onIranian targets around the strategic waterway.

Trump said the strikes were retaliation for what he called a failedIranian attempt to lay sea mines in the strait and for an Iranian missileattack on a US military base in Jordan. He claimed the mines had been"completely removed or detonated" and warned of an even larger attackheld "in the wings," saying that when it was over "there will bevery little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff and the Khatam al-Anbiya CentralHeadquarters, which oversees the country’s air defenses, said Iranian forceswould deliver “crushing blows” in response to the US attack, adding that thelonger the US military remained active in the region, the greater its losseswould be.

Revolutionary Guard spokesperson Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebbi said “harshpunishment” awaited the attackers and that Washington would regret the newstrikes.

Read more: US strikes IRGC targets inside Iran near Hormuz

Shafaq News- Tehran/ Washington

Iranian forces have full control over the Strait of Hormuz,Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday, dismissing USclaims of control over the strategic waterway.

In a video speech, Ghalibaf likened US attempts to escortvessels through the strait to ‘smuggling operations’ and said Iranian forceswere directly confronting them. At least 120 ships crossed the waterway dailybefore the conflict, compared with far fewer now, according to Ghalibaf. “Theenemy’s recent strikes came because we imposed our power in the Strait ofHormuz, and we delivered a crushing response.”

Iran had made as much military progress over the past 15 months as ithad during the previous decade. “The enemy does not control us. We control the battlefield,” he said,adding that Iran would have stronger and more extensive military capabilities in any future round of fighting.

Ghalibaf also said that Iranian strikes on US basesin several countries after the ceasefire showed that Washington could no longercounter Iran’s missiles and firepower.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during a discussionon the sidelines of the G20 meetings in North Carolina, “Within two years,Hormuz will just be a waterway with no value.” He accused Iran of trying to usethe strait as a “chokepoint,” saying it was not one for the United States butremained critical for many other countries.

Bessent revealed that Washington was considering sanctionson aircraft leasing companies doing business with Iran, including entitiesdealing with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He noted that theUnited States was likely to announce sanctions against one bank this week andanother the following week, adding that Washington had received strong supportfrom its allies.

Meanwhile, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that bySeptember 1, US forces had diverted 84 commercial vessels, disabled three shipsand boarded two others as part of the blockade.

A U.S. Sailor directs the takeoff of a UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter from the flight deck of USS Boxer (LHD 4) as the amphibious assault ship sails in the Arabian Sea enforcing the U.S. blockade against Iran. As of Sept. 1, U.S. forces have redirected 84 commercial vessels,… pic.twitter.com/c2ftqAnaIv

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 1, 2026

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) earliertoday reported that it had received a report of an incident involving an oiltanker and military forces in the Indian Ocean.

Shafaq News- Washington

US Army Secretary DanDriscoll has resigned after 18 months in the post, the White House said Monday,the latest in a string of departures among senior US defense officials underPresident Donald Trump.

The White House gave noreason for his exit, though sources familiar with the matter told Reuters onTuesday that it followed months of tension between Driscoll and DefenseSecretary Pete Hegseth.

An Army official, speakingto the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said Driscoll discussed thestate of the Army with Trump and then submitted his resignation. The officialgave no further detail, and the Pentagon referred questions to the Army.

In a statement, White Housespokeswoman Anna Kelly credited Driscoll with strengthening the Army'sreadiness, supporting talks between Russia and Ukraine, and advancing Trump'sagenda, and said the service was stronger than when he took office. She did notaddress the reported friction with Hegseth.

The resignation followsmonths of upheaval in the Army's top ranks. Hegseth abruptly removed theservice's senior uniformed officer, Gen. Randy George, in April, and itscommander for Europe and Africa, Gen. Christopher Donahue, stepped down inJune. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who has risen quickly under Hegseth, is nowacting chief of staff. The turnover has reached beyond the Army: in April, thePentagon announced the departure of Navy Secretary John Phelan, the first headof a military service to leave in Trump's second term.

The exit also came afterthe Army rolled back a drone modernization program Driscoll had championed.Under LaNeve, a Europe-based unit that had been building its own drones wasordered to halt the effort and return to a conventional infantry role,officials said in August.

An Iraq War veteran andformer technology investor, Driscoll served as an armor officer from 2007 to2011 and deployed to Iraq. The Senate confirmed him in February 2025 by a voteof 66 to 28.

The White House did notname a successor.

Shafaq News- Washington

US President Donald Trump said Monday that 30 ships crossthe Strait of Hormuz each night, adding that China had remained neutral on thewaterway.

Trump’s remarks came as Axios, citing three US officials,reported earlier that he and senior advisers were considering limited strikesin the Strait of Hormuz to prevent Iran from rebuilding its radar and missilecapabilities for attacking ships.

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations(UKMTO) reported Monday evening that it had received a report of an incidentinvolving an oil tanker and military forces in the Indian Ocean.

UKMTO ADVISORY 123-26 Click here to view the full product⤵️ https://t.co/dVs4gMsJLa#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/xnLKqJisKn

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) August 31, 2026

Shafaq News- Washington

President Donald Trump andsenior administration officials are considering limited strikes on Iranianmilitary capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz following Tehran’s attacks on USbases in Jordan, Axios reported on Monday, citing three US officials.

US Central Command (CENTCOM)has drawn up plans to periodically target Iranian radar, air defense, andanti-ship missile systems, seeking to prevent Tehran from restoring its abilityto threaten oil tankers, US Navy vessels, and Air Force aircraft around thestrategic waterway, according to the outlet.

War Secretary Pete Hegsethsupports the proposal, which had not received Trump’s approval before thelatest escalation. “The President retains all options at his disposal,” a WhiteHouse official told Axios.

US concerns have reportedlyintensified as Iran works to restore systems degraded during two months ofAmerican operations in the strait. In one recent incident, an Iraniananti-aircraft missile was fired toward a US F-35 providing cover for transitingships. Although it did not come close enough to pose a threat, Americanofficials viewed the launch as evidence of Tehran’s efforts to rebuild itsmilitary capacity.

CENTCOM has advised Hegseth,Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, and the White House thatperiodic action may be necessary to keep shipping lanes relatively safe. Theadministration had previously resisted the option over concerns that it couldwiden the conflict, but Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on US bases in Jordanon Sunday could alter that calculation, Axios reported.

Tehran targeted sites housingAmerican forces in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates after Washington hitLarak Island late Sunday, its first such operation against Iran in a month.Iranian media put the toll at three, including members of the IslamicRevolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.

Trump vowed retaliation onMonday, declaring, “We’re going to hit them hard.”

Shafaq News- Kathmandu

Rescue teams in Nepal, joined by Chinese and Indian tunnel experts, areracing to reach hundreds of workers believed trapped underground at hydropowerprojects wrecked by last week's catastrophic Himalayan flood, as the death tollclimbed past 900, officials said Monday.

The flood struck the Nepal-China border on Wednesday when a glaciercollapsed, sending a torrent of ice, rock and mud down the river valleys. Atleast 939 people have died in Nepal, and 3,925 remain missing, the country'sNational Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said in its latestupdate. Across the border in China's Tibet region, state broadcaster CCTVreported 16 dead and 546 missing.

The disaster has swept up people from dozens of countries. Nepal'stourism board said 583 foreign nationals were among the missing on its side ofthe border, while 315 others had been rescued, including citizens of India,China, Germany, the United States, Italy and Turkiye. In China, authoritiesreported at least 261 foreigners from 23 countries unaccounted for, among themnationals of Nepal, India, Latvia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Among the missing are 933 workers from 11 hydropower projects, many ofwhom are believed to have been working in about half a dozen tunnels when theflood struck.

The tunnels, built to channel water for power generation, are wideenough to drive a truck through, and rescuers have managed to pipe oxygen tosome of those trapped. But heavy debris is slowing the work. "A largeamount of debris has been deposited, and that is posing us a big challenge toopen the tunnels," army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet told Reuters.

Bad weather has repeatedly halted the operation since Friday, andofficials fear fresh flooding, as a lake that formed along the border duringthe disaster has begun spilling into Nepal's rivers. India is supplyingprefabricated Bailey bridges to help crews reach areas cut off by washed-outroads, and aid has arrived from the United Nations, the Red Cross, Australia,South Korea and the United States. Nepal has said it does not need help withthe general search but accepted assistance from India and China for theirtunnel-rescue expertise.

Shafaq News- Washington

About 30 million barrels of Iranian oil remain stranded at sea, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed on Monday, arguing that the stock will eventually run out even if Tehran continues receiving revenue from Chinese buyers.

In an interview with CNBC, Bessent said Washington aims to use this economic pressure to push Iran back to negotiations and can sustain sanctions pressure even without Chinese cooperation. The goal of Operation Economic Outcast was to create conditions that would make Tehran “want to come to the table.”

China remains Iran’s largest oil customer, though its purchases have fallen sharply. Reuters reported that Chinese imports of Iranian crude were provisionally estimated at about 534,000 barrels per day (bpd) in August, down from peaks of 1.58 million bpd earlier this year.

The Treasury Department launched Operation Economic Outcast on August 24 to intensify pressure on Iran’s financial and commercial networks, including through secondary sanctions on foreign entities that continue doing business with Tehran. Speaking separately to reporters at the G20 finance ministers meeting in North Carolina, Bessent said Iran was taking US sanctions seriously and that Tehran was “lashing out kinetically because they are losing economically.”

Shafaq News- Washington

US President Donald Trump onMonday vowed a strong response to Iranian strikes on American bases in Jordan,declaring that Washington is “going to hit them hard.”

In a phone call with Fox News,Trump said US forces allowed one Iranian missile to pass through air defensesovernight after determining it posed no threat to a target, while interceptingthe others.

President Trump says the United States will respond to the Iranian missile attack on U.S. forces overnight."We're going to hit them hard," President Trump told Fox News. "There will be a response." pic.twitter.com/sjLOLSxm4g

— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) August 31, 2026

Despite the escalation, thepresident left open the possibility of negotiations with Tehran. “They want tomeet so badly,” he remarked. “I just don’t know if you can count on a deal withthem.”

Tehran launched retaliatoryattacks on sites housing US personnel in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates(UAE) on Monday, a day after Washington struck Iran’s Larak Island in theStrait of Hormuz. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed ballisticmissiles hit technical facilities and fighter jet positions at Jordan’s KingHussein and Al-Azraq air bases, causing “heavy damage.” Iran’s military also saiddozens of explosive drones were deployed against American personnel andhelicopters at Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE.

US Central Command (CENTCOM)maintained that the operation on Larak targeted IRGC units allegedly preparingto lay mines in Hormuz. An American official told Axios that two Iranianlaunchers were hit after personnel were detected preparing to fire rocketscarrying sea mines into the waterway.

Shafaq News- Madrid

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday linked disinformation surrounding the mass migrant influx into Ceuta to social-media networks associated with Russia, Israel, and the “international far right,” while ruling out involvement by Moroccan authorities.

Speaking to Cadena SER, Sanchez said investigations into the July 30-31 influx were continuing but identified false claims about a Spanish Supreme Court ruling as one factor behind the crossings. The court had barred immediate returns for migrants intercepted at sea while swimming toward Ceuta or Melilla, but misleading posts “portrayed” the ruling as allowing those who reached the enclaves to remain in Spain, giving criminal organizations an opportunity to exploit it.

At least 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta during the July 30 surge, according to Spanish government figures, leaving eighty-two people dead on the Spanish side and 14 in Morocco. Sanchez estimated that about 5,000 migrants remained in Ceuta on August 31, including roughly 1,200 minors.

Authorities are “still investigating the factors” behind the unprecedented influx.

The European Commission has separately maintained daily contact with online platforms and fact-checkers while monitoring disinformation linked to the influx.

Shafaq News- Hormuz

An unidentified projectile targetedan oil tanker as it transited the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, UKMTO reported.

The incident occurred about 12nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman, as the tanker made an inbound passagethrough the strategic waterway. No party has claimed responsibility for theincident so far.

UKMTO reported no casualties orenvironmental impact.

UKMTO WARNING 122-26 Click here to view the full product⤵️ https://t.co/OPVXbLDoj5 #MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/PTvkdSBLFF

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) August 30, 2026

Shafaq News- Kathmandu/ Beijing

The death toll from the Aug. 26 Himalayan flood acrossNepal and China’s Tibet region reached 750, with 3,044 people still missing, authoritiessaid on Sunday.

Nepal has recorded 734 deaths, 2,498 missing, and7,514 rescued, according to the country’s disaster authority. In Tibet’sGyirong County, Chinese authorities put the toll at 16 dead and 546 missing asof Saturday evening.

रसुवा जिल्लामा आएको बाढी सम्बन्धी अपडेट (मितिः २०८३/०५/१४ गते ०८:०० बजेसम्म) pic.twitter.com/8KtHHH7Ct1

— Nepal Police (@NepalPoliceHQ) August 30, 2026

Heavy rainfall and rising rivers forced rescue teamsto higher ground, disrupting operations several times since Friday. Concernsalso persist over a lake formed by a mudslide after Wednesday’s glaciercollapse along the Nepal-China border, which could unleash further flooding.

The Red Cross estimates that more than 90,000 peoplehave been affected.

Among those missing in Tibet are 261 foreign nationalsfrom 23 countries, including 104 Nepalese, 49 Indians, 33 Latvians, 18Americans, and 15 Britons, according to the first nationality breakdownreleased by Chinese authorities.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV linked the disaster to“glacier instability under the long-term effects of global warming.” Scientistscited by the broadcaster estimated that the mudslide originated in Nepal andreached the Gyirong border crossing within six to seven minutes, withsurveillance footage showing water and debris sweeping through buildings aspeople fled.

Beijing has deployed more than 2,100 rescue workersand allocated at least 220 million yuan ($32.7M) for relief efforts, whileproviding Nepal with emergency funding, supplies, satellite and hydrologicaldata, and tunnel rescue specialists.

Shafaq News- Washington

The war with Iran, renewed trade tensions, and mountingfederal debt have increased pressure on the US economy ahead of the midtermelections, complicating President Donald Trump’s promises to lower living costsand rein in government spending, the NewYork Times (NYT) reported on Saturday.

The six-month Iran war has kept gasoline prices elevatedwhile US military spending has contributed to a national debt that hassurpassed $40 trillion. Rising government borrowing has also unsettled bondmarkets and helped keep borrowing costs, including mortgage rates, high for UShouseholds. Inflation stood at 3.7% year-on-year in July, remaining well abovethe Federal Reserve’s target.

NYT saidTrump’s renewed tariff offensive against Canada could add further pressure onconsumers, with the Yale Budget Lab estimating that the latest duties couldcost the average US household about $1,100 annually. Economists cited by thereport said tariffs, war, and other policy-driven shocks have kept inflationhigher than previously expected, despite continued economic growth, strongermanufacturing, a steady labor market, and rising investment in artificialintelligence.

The economic strain could turn the November midterms into a test of Trump’scredibility on the economy, one of the issues that helped return him to office.The newspaper said the administration still argues its policies will strengthenthe economy over time, while economists warn that persistent inflation, highdebt-servicing costs and uncertainty over trade and the war with Iran continueto weigh on households and businesses.

To continue reading, click here.

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran and Oman have reached a deal on transit arrangementsthrough the Strait of Hormuz, but its implementation depends on the UnitedStates fulfilling its commitments, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadisaid on Saturday.

Gharibabadi told Iran’s ISNA news agency that Hormuz remains closed and thatany vessel passing through the waterway would require coordination with andapproval from Tehran. Iran’s armed forces have “full oversight” of movementsthrough the strait and denied reports that vessels were passing withoutcoordination.

He added that the understanding demonstrated Iran’s readiness to return todiplomacy, but the United States had halted implementation of its commitments.“If Washington takes the necessary steps, Tehran will also take reciprocalmeasures,” he said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told statetelevision on Friday that Tehran was prepared to open an agreed transit routethrough Hormuz if the United States met several demands, including liftingsanctions on Iran’s fuel and petrochemical sectors, releasing frozen Iranianfunds and allowing investment to resume.

The White House and US CentralCommand, meanwhile, said the strait is under their control and that US forcescontrol the movement of vessels entering and leaving the waterway.

The Iran-Oman talks on the Strait ofHormuz formally began on June 23, when the two countries established a jointworking group in Muscat under a Pakistan-mediated US-Iran memorandum signedearlier that month. After the broader framework stalled over compliancedisputes, Tehran and Muscat moved to direct negotiations in late July onshipping routes, mine clearance and management of the waterway. On August 26,Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the two sides had agreedon their respective shares of Hormuz waters and revenues.

Shafaq News- Kyiv

At least 27 people were killed and 42 wounded after a Russian strike hit a warehouse in Ukraine’s Bucha district near Kyiv, triggering detonations, Kyiv Regional Military Administration chief Tymur Tkachenko said on Saturday.

Tkachenko put the number of evacuees at more than 380. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed the site in Myla stored components and launch boosters for Ukrainian FP-1 and FP-2 long-range drones, while another logistics center in Kalynivka housed a customs terminal used to distribute military cargo arriving from Western countries.

In Ukraine’s Donetsk region, Regional Military Administration chief Vadym Filashkin said one civilian was killed and six were wounded over the past day, including five injured in Sloviansk and one in Druzhkivka.

Ukraine’s General Staff separately said it struck several Russian military targets, including drone storage, preparation, and launch sites near Donetsk and Hvardiiske in Russian-held Crimea, an electronic-warfare complex near Znamenka, and a drone command post in Berestky. Damage assessments are “continuing.”

Belgorod region’s emergency response center put the toll from Ukrainian strikes at three dead and nine wounded, including a woman and two men killed in Shebekino.

Read more: Russia and Ukraine trade nearly 750 drone attacks

Shafaq News- Kathmandu

At least 633 people have been killed and 2,980 remain missing after the August 26 Himalayan flood across Nepal and China's Tibet region, according to official figures released on Saturday.

Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority put the country's toll at 626 dead and 2,426 missing, while the Xizang Autonomous Region Emergency Management Department reported seven deaths and 554 missing in Gyirong County. Roughly 540 foreign nationals remain unaccounted for.

Nepal will need $4 billion to $5 billion to rebuild, Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle told Reuters. The disaster damaged roads, bridges, buildings, and hydropower facilities accounting for more than 12% of the country's generating capacity, with the reconstruction estimate equivalent to as much as roughly 10% of Nepal's economy.

Kathmandu is also seeking specialized foreign technical assistance for tunnel rescues, reopening transport and communication routes, identifying bodies, DNA testing, and preserving remains. India has sent three flights carrying about 60 tons of relief supplies and plans to dispatch tunnel-rescue and medical teams, according to its Foreign Ministry. New Delhi has also offered disaster-response personnel and prefabricated bridges to help restore access.

China has called for international rescue cooperation while teams search the devastated Gyirong border crossing. Its Water Resources Ministry reported that one upstream lake had shrunk, reducing the immediate risk, though another larger, unspecified body of water remains under observation.

Shafaq News- Washington

The Strait of Hormuz is open to the United States, while Iran has exported no oil directly from its shores since Washington resumed its naval blockade last month, White House adviser Stephen Miller said on Saturday.

Cited by US media, Miller also claimed that Iran's naval and air forces, radar systems, and military command structure had been destroyed, calling President Donald Trump's campaign against Tehran the greatest military achievement in modern warfare.

The White House on August 28 put the number of commercial vessels that have crossed the Strait under US protection in recent months at nearly 1,500, carrying about 750 million barrels of crude oil. CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper detailed the clearance of Iranian mines from international shipping lanes and the interception of 75 vessels attempting to breach the blockade.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy rejected Washington's account, declaring that Tehran retains “full control” of the Strait and that restrictions on unauthorized shipping will remain until the United States meets Iran's conditions.

Seven commodity vessels transited Hormuz on Thursday, according to ship tracker Kpler, down from 17 a day earlier and below the 10-day average of 15, though the preliminary count may change because some vessels do not “broadcast tracking signals.”

Reuters put provisional Chinese imports of Iranian crude at about 534,000 barrels per day in August and reported that Iran and Oman remain in talks over shipping arrangements in the Strait. Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad acknowledged lower sales though Iran continues delivering crude to customers outside its territorial waters despite the US blockade.

Shafaq News- Washington

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said the United States has secured majority control of more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s proven oil reserves under an agreement with Caracas, equal to about one-fifth of the country’s total reserves.

Trump explained that the Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reached the agreement with Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez through a partnership with private businesses. The arrangement will come “at no cost to US taxpayers” and increase American oil supplies.

He did not disclose the agreement’s structure, the companies or fields involved, or how the United States would exercise majority control.

Read more: Trump: US will keep Venezuelan oil

Rodriguez later announced that the agreement would develop 17 strategic oilfields and generate $209 billion in tax revenue for Venezuela.

Venezuela announces a historic agreement with the United States government, which will have a significant impact on our nation’s revival. pic.twitter.com/qi9Q9qO4d0

— Delcy Rodríguez (@delcyrodriguezv) August 29, 2026

Negotiations had focused on granting American companies long-term access to Venezuelan oilfields and directing the resulting crude to the United States, according to Reuters. Venezuelan officials are preparing to sign exploration and production agreements next week with several companies, particularly US firms, covering fields in the Orinoco Belt and Lake Maracaibo regions.

Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves but produces about 1.25 million barrels per day. Reuters reported that output remains well below its potential after “years of underinvestment, mismanagement, and sanctions.”