Gaza's rejected road map returns to the negotiating table

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• Ukraine's long-range campaign reached Moscow's logistics belt. The Guardian reported that Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks of the war, setting fire to a 250,000-square-metre Wildberries distribution warehouse near Moscow. Russian authorities claimed 1,478 Ukrainian drones were shot down in 24 hours, a figure the Guardian said could not be verified; at least six people were reported killed in Russia, while Russian attacks killed seven in Ukraine. 2
• Trump ordered a cut to U.S.-South Korean drills. The president told the Pentagon to substantially reduce the 11-day exercises scheduled to begin this week, citing cost, South Korea's refusal to help with U.S. efforts to denuclearize Iran and his relationship with Kim Jong Un. About 18,000 South Korean soldiers were expected to participate; the exercises are designed to rehearse complex operations against North Korean threats. 3
• Washington is considering new sanctions on Brazil's top court justice. Anadolu reported, citing the Financial Times, that the Trump administration is weighing a new human-rights action against Alexandre de Moraes over alleged abuses involving press freedom and individual rights. The U.S. sanctioned him under the Global Magnitsky Act last year and later lifted the measure; the new report arrives alongside a dispute over U.S. tariffs on Brazilian goods. 4
• German investment in the United States fell to a three-year low. First-half direct investment dropped nearly two-thirds from a year earlier to €4.3 billion, according to calculations by the German Economic Institute cited in a Reuters report carried by the Lufkin Daily News. The pre-pandemic first-half average was €15.8 billion, a gap that shows how tariff uncertainty can affect capital allocation before it appears in trade volumes. 5
• Europe's heatwave losses are outrunning insurance. A Reuters analysis published by Euronext cited Moody's estimate that last summer's European heatwaves cut €43 billion from economic output while producing about €500 million in insured payouts. More than 80% of surveyed hospitality businesses around Padua reported turnover declines of about 20%; parametric cover is emerging, but companies still face losses from lower sales, transport disruption and lost productivity. 6
• India is pushing refiners to make more cooking gas. State companies and private refiners were told to use technically and economically feasible measures to raise LPG output as the Iran war disrupts supply routes. India imports about two-thirds of its LPG, and roughly 90% of those imports normally pass through Hormuz; the government wants daily production capacity lifted from as much as 54,000 tons to 63,810 tons. 7
• Kim and Putin reaffirmed a wartime partnership. North Korea's leader said ties with Russia carried a history of common struggle, replying to Vladimir Putin's message on the 81st anniversary of Japan's surrender. The Moscow Times, citing KCNA, reported that the Russian ship Pallada visited Wonsan while Pyongyang continues to supply troops and weapons for Russia's war in Ukraine. 8
• New South Wales set a large post-Bondi gun buyback in motion. The state scheme starts November 2 and aims to remove 274,000 firearms from circulation. Owners with excess firearms can receive up to A$1,000, rising to A$10,000 for guns worth more than A$3,000; the program is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, split between NSW and the federal government. 9
• Bangladesh tied a possible India visit to a better diplomatic climate. Dhaka said it wants New Delhi to act on its extradition request for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and suspects in the killing of a political activist before Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visits. The Daily Star reported that the two sides had discussed dates between August 20 and 25, but negotiations over Hasina's media appearances and wider bilateral disputes have left the trip uncertain. 10

Quote of the day

"Israel now bears responsibility for obstructing the efforts to bring peace in Gaza."

— A statement by regional powers, quoted by the Associated Press. 1

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