- South African tea taking the world by storm: South Africa’s most popular tea, Rooibos, is gaining ground overseas, with exports increasing 64% from 2015 to 2024.
- Big VAT changes for airtime purchases in South Africa on the cards: The National Treasury and SARS are proposing to clarify that airtime supplied by foreign providers is out of scope for VAT in South Africa, with only the local distribution being taxable.
- South African retirement warning: Most South Africans are not saving enough for retirement due to low wages, insufficient personal savings, and the limited preservation of funds, with much hinging on the new two-pot system to address these challenges.
- Cape Town’s ‘dirty secret’: Cape Town is a top global tourist destination with world-class beaches and coastlines, but this is being threatened by its sewage problem.
- The man who went from owning a nightclub to selling his South African tech company for R1.65 billion: Had it not been for Matt Putman’s poor experience with a major bank’s card payment product while co-owning a nightclub during his university years, he might never have co-founded iKhokha.
- Trump Names 4 Judges to Fill Vacancies in North Carolina Courts.
- Facing Impending Crisis, California Lawmakers Pivot on Fossil Fuels.
- ‘Godfather of AI’ Warns Superintelligent Machines Could Replace Humanity.
- US Home Sales See Record July Cancellations as High Mortgage Rates Weigh on Buyers.
- First major South African city gets approval to start saying goodbye to Eskom: The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality is the first in the country to get the go-ahead to procure power from independent power producers.
- Elon Musk’s Starlink supports BEE in South Africa: SpaceX argues that South Africa’s current telecoms licence ownership requirements are not in line with B-BBEE.
- Warning to South Africans banking on their phones: A convenient lock screen feature could cause great financial damage for victims of smartphone theft.
- Truth about Eskom prepaid electricity meter lockouts: Eskom has confirmed that there are no “impending prepaid meter lockouts” after several fake news websites reported that the power utility would lock users out of their prepaid meters.
- Surprising new information about smart driving licence cards in South Africa: A Department of Transport delegation was reportedly wined and dined by Idemia in France on a trip to examine a new driving licence card printer, despite the machine allegedly not being there.
- One of South Africa’s biggest universities drops AI cheating detection: The University of Cape Town has adopted a two-fold approach relating to students’ use of artificial intelligence in assessments.
- Minister’s lie about Eskom and electricity for the poor in South Africa: Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s statement that rich people subsidise the poor when it comes to electricity tariffs in South Africa is no longer accurate.
- One of South Africa’s best-performing private schools shutting down:
Despite being one of the best private schools in South Africa, King David Victory Park is closing its doors. - International giant gets green light to buy South African company for R23 billion: The Competition Tribunal has approved the acquisition of Barloworld by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Zahid Group.
- Major shopping mall in South Africa sold for R480 million: Dipula Properties has announced five major acquisitions worth R700 million, including the Protea Gardens Mall in Soweto.
- Warning for Standard Bank customers: Standard Bank has highlighted the growth of spoofing scams, which have been made worse with AI.
- Rich South Africans are buying homes in one of the safest countries in Africa: More wealthy South Africans are buying up property across the border, in one of the safest countries in Africa, for tax benefits and permanent residency.
- Private school giant losing students: Curro is expecting a large decrease in earnings following a massive R74 million impairment.
- End of the line for another state-owned monopoly in South Africa: The transport department has signalled the end of Transnet’s rail monopoly in South Africa, opening the door for private sector participation.
- SARS is coming after these retirement funds with new laws: SARS and the National Treasury have published new draft laws for public comment that will change up local tax laws, including some exemptions for retirement funds.
- SARB to shut down South African bank: The South African Reserve Bank has gone to the High Court in a bid to liquidate Ditsobotla Primary Savings and Credit Co-operative Bank Limited.
- Asian shares rose and Wall St futures dipped ahead of Nvidia’s anticipated results this week.
- Market implies 84% chance of Fed rate cut in September.
- The dollar tried to rebound on Monday from a four-week euro low after Fed chair Jerome Powell’s dovish pivot sent it sliding over 1%.
- Oil prices were further supported by the lack of progress on talks between Russia and Ukraine.
- Gold slipped on Monday from a near two-week high.
- Chinese copper wire maker Wellascent bet on Texas to dodge geopolitics with a factory in Grand Prairie – and Trump’s tariffs just turned that gamble into gold. Its new plant will soon supply Stellantis and others, ramping to 3,000 tons a year by 2028.
- Indonesia scored a WTO win against the EU’s biodiesel duties, with the trade body ruling Brussels lacked evidence of unfair subsidies or harm. Jakarta is demanding the 8–18% duties be scrapped, though any EU appeal faces a deadlocked appellate system.
- China’s mega-dam plan in Tibet threatens to choke India’s water supply by up to 85% in dry months, spurring Delhi’s rushed counter-dam push – even as locals in Arunachal Pradesh fight to keep their villages from drowning.
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has set the terms for peace in Ukraine, and they’re not great. Kyiv should cede the eastern Donbas, renounce Nato ambitions and keep Western troops out of the country.
- Anti-migrant protests have continued in the UK. The government is facing mounting pressure to cease housing asylum seekers in hotels, which is costing billions of pounds annually.
- South Korea expressed its desire to normalise ties with China. After years of strained diplomacy between the two nations, a Korean delegation to Beijing will hopefully achieve just that. The trip coincides with a Washington DC visit by President Lee Jae Myung.
- SpaceX has postponed its tenth Starship mission after experiencing an issue with the launch site. The launch was set for Sunday evening but was cancelled 30 minutes before liftoff.
- The Springbok Women beat Brazil 66-6 (halftime 26-3) in their opening Women’s Rugby World Cup clash at Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton.
- Two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard won the second stage of the Vuelta a España on Sunday, prevailing in a steep climb to the finish line with a final push to take the red jersey from Jasper Philipsen.
- Springbok prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye has returned an “adverse analytical finding” for a banned substance. It is a non-performance enhancing drug, which was “prescribed by a specialist physician”.
- Gqeberha left in the dark once again: A crucial power line in Gqeberha was damaged, leaving large parts of Nelson Mandela Bay in the dark on Sunday. The city will investigate whether this was simply copper theft or sabotage amid disputes in the city’s electricity department.
- Sunshine Coast presents R157m case for not changing names of towns in the area: Changing the names of three towns in the Eastern Cape would cost R157m, Sunshine Coast Tourism has calculated, with some assistance from artificial intelligence. The Eastern Cape Provincial Geographical Names Committee has started the process of changing the name of Port Alfred to iCawa or iCoyi, the Kowie River to iQoyi and Alexandria to Nkosi Chungwa or eMnyameni.
- Gqeberha MMA fighter ‘Shorty’ Biko builds a better life, one bout at a time: From the streets of Kwazakele to the international MMA cage, Luthando ‘Shorty’ Biko fights for his son, his community and every opportunity that comes his way.
- A 33-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the assassination of regional court prosecutor Tracy Brown, who was gunned down outside her Gqeberha home on 31 July. The Hawks said the suspect fled to Johannesburg after the attack but was intercepted at a roadblock while travelling back to Gqeberha in the early hours of Thursday.
- A 64-year-old man was arrested on Saturday after allegedly shooting and killing an 87-year-old woman at Sherwood Retirement Village in Kabega Park, Gqeberha. Police said the suspect handed himself over at SAPS Kabega Park on Saturday.
- Israeli aircraft and tanks have pounded the eastern and northern outskirts of Gaza City, destroying buildings and homes, as Israeli leaders vowed to press on with an expanded large-scale offensive on the city.
- UK MPs have raised the alarm about a rise in abuse linked to debates around immigration, with some reporting levels of online harassment and death threats worse than during the Brexit years.
- Ministers will legislate next month to abolish most short prison sentences, toughen up community punishments and introduce a Texas-inspired system whereby inmates can earn early release as part of an attempt to avert another prison crisis.
- Donald Trump has “manufactured a crisis” to justify the notion of sending federalised national guard troops into Chicago next, over the heads of local leaders, a leading Democrat said.
- Moscow has accused Kyiv of launching dozens of drone attacks, including one that sparked a fire at a nuclear power plant, as Ukrainians marked 34 years since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union.
- In their first game at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton defeated Brighton 2-0, with Man City loanee Jack Grealish turning in a strong performance. In Sunday’s other Premier League game, Emil Smith-Rowe’s late equaliser earned Fulham a point against Manchester United.
- Emma Raducanu overcame a significant mental hurdle and earned her first US Open victory since her 2021 title run, dispatching Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 display.
- Ireland opened their Women’s Rugby World Cup journey with a decisive six-try win over Japan at Franklin’s Gardens, giving them hope of making the last eight. Ireland is set to play Spain in a second Pool C game next Sunday.
- South Africa at risk of another load-shedding disaster: Despite major improvements in Eskom’s performance and reduced load-shedding in 2025, South Africa’s electricity demand still exceeds supply, with stopgap measures masking the urgent need for new capacity.
- Reserve Bank Governor warns South Africa is heading for serious financial trouble: South Africa’s nominal economic growth is lower than the interest rate the state pays on long-term debt, creating an unsustainable financial future.
- South Africa in a very dangerous situation: Renowned economist Dawie Roodt said South Africa is in a dangerous situation with poor leadership, with the police service leaders starting to point to the failings of the state.
- Serious threat to South Africa’s property market: Criminals are increasingly using AI to carry out sophisticated property scams in South Africa, putting buyers, sellers, tenants, and even sectional title schemes at risk.
- Tokenised Stocks: Global growth, local access: The Nasdaq 100 has nearly tripled in value over the last three years, fuelled primarily by the Artificial Intelligence (AI) hype cycle. – Nvidia now leads the index at 14%, followed by Microsoft at 12%.
- Dark clouds gather over MTN: MTN and its chairman, Mcebisi Jonas, have avoided questions about the potential ramifications of a U.S. grand jury inquiry into its former subsidiary in Afghanistan and ongoing operations in Iran.
- Big changes coming for Uber and Bolt in South Africa : The National Land Transport Amendment Act will soon come into operation in South Africa and will bring new regulations into the e-hailing industry.
- The South African billionaire rumoured to be an ANC presidential contender: Africa’s first black billionaire is rumoured to be stepping into the political arena.
- Ford wants to build an off-road supercar: Ford is looking to develop a supercar for off-road racing as a follow-up to its new Mustang GTD high-performance sports car.
- El Mayo Guilty Plea: Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada is expected to plead guilty today in a Brooklyn courthouse to federal drug, money laundering, and weapons charges. The 77-year-old drug lord cofounded Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel alongside Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
- Burning Man Begins: Burning Man 2025 kicked off yesterday, beginning the nine-day gathering in Black Rock Desert, 120 miles north of Reno, Nevada. Its name derives from the week’s main event, where a 40-foot-tall wooden man atop a 30-foot structure is set ablaze.
- Starship Delayed: The 10th test flight of SpaceX’s massive Starship space vehicle was called off last night just minutes before the launch window was set to open, with company officials citing an issue with ground systems (typically referring to the launch infrastructure, not the rocket itself). The next launch window is yet to be announced, but is expected within the week.
- Tommy Fleetwood wins 2025 PGA Tour Championship to take FedEx Cup title and $10M top prize.
- Jerry Adler, actor best known for starring role in “The Sopranos,” dies at age 96.
- Chinese Taipei tops Nevada 7-0 to win first Little League World Series title since 2017.
- Meta to partner with AI startup Midjourney to license the company’s image and video generation technology.
- Researchers discover deep sea microbes that collaborate via electrical signals to consume methane seeping from the ocean floor; neither of the two microbe species can break down the molecule on their own.
- New study reveals random and inherited genetic mutations can interact to raise the risk of developing blood cancers; findings may lead to new early detection methods (More) | The difference between healthy and cancerous cells.
- US stock markets close higher Friday (S&P 500 +1.5%, Dow +1.9%, Nasdaq +1.9%), with Dow closing at record high following Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s comments seeming to signal lower interest rates.
- European and Asian postal services suspend service to the US ahead of the expiration of “de minimis” this Friday; the tariff exemption for packages valued below $800 allowed 1.4 billion packages to enter the US duty-free last year.
- Waymo gets approval to test self-driving vehicles in New York City, with trained safety officer in the front seat; won’t pick up passengers yet.
- US immigration officials plan to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda if he rejects plea deal on human smuggling charges, refuses deportation to Costa Rica.
- Russia accuses Ukraine of launching a drone that causes a fire at Kursk Nuclear Power Plant; Russia launched over 70 drones, one ballistic missile at Ukraine as the country celebrated its 34th Independence Day.
- More than 30 million people in the US have been under extreme weather and heat alerts over the weekend, including in California, Oregon, and Washington.
- TSA announces new luggage rules related to curling irons.
- Diver finds 30,000 ancient Roman-era bronze and copper coins.
- Dozens of teams participate in Lithuania’s corgi race.
- Harris’ testimony would be ‘helpful’ in Biden admin autopen investigation.
- 2026 World Cup draw to be held at Kennedy Center in D.C.
- Canada eliminates billions in counter-tariffs as ‘olive branch’ to Trump.
- Hegseth authorizes National Guard to bear arms in D.C.
- Cell Phone Bans in K–12: The majority of U.S. K-12 students have already returned to the classroom or will soon do so this academic year, with limited access to their phones on public school grounds.
- Texas Passes Redistricting Map: The Texas Senate on Aug. 23 passed a bill that will redraw Texas’s congressional maps and increase Republicans’ hold on the state’s U.S. House delegation.
- Pediatrician Group at Odds With HHS Over Vaccine Recommendations: The nation’s largest association of pediatricians and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are at odds over recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines for children.
- American Children’s One Habit Scares Parents More Than Drugs: American parents have become more worried about the content of their children’s Instagram feeds than that of their lunch boxes.
- Inflation hits a 10-month high – Statistics South Africa
- South Africa faces cheap punishment from the United States: The United States Congressional Budget Office has estimated the financial impact of passing a bill to review relations with South Africa.
- Harsh reality check for South Africa: South Africa will never be able to overcome one of its most crushing crises—unemployment—as long as economic growth continues to stagnate.
- National Minimum Wage changes for South Africa are coming: The National Minimum Wage (NMW) Commission has issued a call for public input.
- National Dialogue exposes deep divisions between citizens and state:
- Interest rate hike warning for South Africa: South Africa’s inflation print has ticked upwards, and experts have warned that the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) may have less room to cut rates.
- South African Government sets Record straight on Farm Crime.
- New mafia group targeting unemployed teachers in South Africa: Groups that are part of organised crime within government are now profiting from teaching posts in South Africa.
- Creecy announces breakthrough in SA rail reform: 11 TOCs approved: A significant milestone has been achieved in South Africa’s rail reform journey.
- Checkers is testing SA’s 1st smart trolley – with built-in scanner & automated checkout
- Showdown for South Africa’s biggest banks accused of manipulating the rand: In filings, big banks in South Africa like Standard Bank and FirstRand said that they had suffered reputational and financial harm.
- ‘Africa wants investment, not aid’: Ramaphosa urges Japan to back trade and industrial growth.
- Russia’s push to recruit South African women triggers probe.
- South Africans hanging by a dangerous thread: According to DebtBusters executive head Benay Sager, these worrying statistics come even as inflationary pressure has subsided in South Africa.
- SA set to open first underground gold mine in 15 years: South Africa is set to open its first new underground gold mine in 15 years – an increasingly rare event for a country.
- Ferdi Moolman is new CEO of MTN South Africa: Charles Molapisi is stepping down as CEO of MTN South Africa, and is being replaced in the role by Ferdi Moolman.
- Stateless in South Africa: The untold crisis facing millions without documentation: Undocumented citizens in South Africa are a silent crisis affecting millions.
- CCP Desperately Pushes False Claims: The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has held two large rehearsals for a massive military parade in Beijing on Sept. 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender.
- Dow Hits Record, Small Caps Rally as Fed Paves Way for Rate Cuts: The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended last week at a record for the year, and small caps rallied as Fed Chair Jerome Powell paved the way for interest rate cuts.
- ICE Hunts Down Immigrants by Spying on Their Wire Transfers: Investigators traced the remittances an immigrant was sending from Hawaii to Mexico to figure out his location.
- Egyptian Officials in New York Beat Two Gaza Protesters on Video. The NYPD Arrested the Protesters:
The protesters’ parents said the officials beat their sons with chains at Egypt’s U.N. mission. - Airdropped Aid Is Crushing Starving People in Gaza: Human rights groups have stressed that it’s safer to provide aid by land. Israel is killing Palestinians by dropping it from the sky.
- Trump’s D.C. Takeover Is Scaring Immigrant Parents Out of Taking Kids Back to School: While parents fear pickup and drop-off, teachers say the D.C. public school district has offered little support.
- Russian Nuclear Power Plant Attack Confirmed.
- Trump Warns He May Send Troops to Baltimore to Fight Crime.
- Potentially Radioactive Shrimp Recall Expanded Across US.
- Abbott Says He Will Quickly Sign Into Law New Texas Congressional Map Favoring Republicans.
- Vance Says Russia Has Made ‘Significant Concessions’ Toward Ending War With Ukraine.
- Israeli strikes on Nasser hospital in Gaza killed at least 15 people, including four journalists, Palestinian health officials said.
- Thousands of Australians joined pro-Palestinian rallies, organisers said, amid strained relations between Israel and Australia following the centre-left government’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state.
- The Department of Health and Human Services reported the first human case in the US of travel-associated New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, from an outbreak-affected country. In Texas cattle country, ranchers have been bracing for screwworms.
- President Donald Trump’s push for Republican-led states to redraw their House of Representatives districts to protect their majority in next year’s midterm elections could set the stage for Republicans to dominate the chamber in decades to come, political analysts and experts said.
- Ukraine launched a drone attack on Russia, forcing a sharp fall in the capacity of a reactor at one of Russia’s biggest nuclear power plants and sparking a huge blaze at the major Ust-Luga fuel export terminal, Russian officials said.
- Demonstrators gathered for another weekend of protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers in Britain as Reform UK’s Nigel Farage unveils his plans for mass deportations.
- Berlin will take part in providing security guarantees for Ukraine alongside European partners but the talks are at an early stage and must be shaped by Kyiv, German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil said.
- As Brazil’s Supreme Court prepares for closing arguments in the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro over an alleged coup plot, the former army captain and his political coalition show signs of unraveling.
- India fears a planned Chinese mega-dam in Tibet will reduce water flows on a major river by up to 85% during the dry season, according to four sources familiar with the matter and a government analysis seen by Reuters, prompting Delhi to fast-track plans for its own dam to mitigate the effects.
- Global central bankers who gathered at a US mountain resort over the weekend are starting to fear that the political storm surrounding the Federal Reserve may engulf them too.
- Keurig Dr Pepper plans to buy JDE Peet’s for $18.4 billion in cash, in an effort to establish a global coffee champion in the face of growing trade challenges.
- Procter & Gamble is selling aloe-infused “bumbum” brand diapers made in China at retailer Target as its top-selling Pampers and Luvs brands lose ground to a growing number of imported rivals touting similar features.
- Expectations of a resumption soon in US interest rate cuts bolstered world stocks, with shares in Asia rising to multi-year highs.
- Did Trump save Intel? Donald Trump touted a $9 billion injection into Intel in exchange for a 9.9% equity stake. But the the struggling chipmaker was slated to receive the money anyway under a federal funding act. And it won’t be enough to bolster it’s contract-chipmaking business.
- Elon Musk’s SpaceX called off the launch of Starship’s tenth mission from Texas over an issue at its launch site, delaying an attempt to achieve several long-sought development milestones missed due to past tests ending in early failures.
- US consumer trust in digital payments lags globally: Consumers in the U.S. are less trusting than those in other countries when it comes to using digital tools to make payments, according to a fintech study.
- Deputy ministers cost taxpayers R287 million per year.
- Gayton McKenzie quiet on his department’s missing R146 million.
- The South African billionaire rumoured to be an ANC presidential contender.
- Controversial weight loss drugs are flooding the South African market.
- SA’s anti-cellphone-scam systems are solid, but regulatory gaps mean enforcement sadly isn’t: South Africa’s laws are strong on paper, but the guardrails that should protect victims are patchy, slow and often invisible. Crime moves fast; the system moves slowly.
- “Keyboard warrior” parents are in the dog box as the president of the South African Principals’ Association blames them for undermining teacher morale and contributing to burnout.
- People with disabilities are protesting outside the Cape Town Civic Centre against the City’s plan to scale back the Dial-A-Ride service for disabled people. From 8 September 2025, the service will only be available for wheelchair users and people with severe walking impairments.
- At least 15 people, including four journalists, have been killed by Israeli strikes on Nasser Hospital in Gaza.
- Typhoon Kajiki has wreaked havoc on Vietnam’s north-central coast, with more than 30,000 people evacuated. More than 16,500 soldiers and 107,000 paramilitary personnel have been deployed to help with evacuations and stand by for search and rescue operations if needed.
- Spain Faces Record-Breaking Heatwave, 1149 Deaths Reported: Spain is experiencing an intense heatwave this month, the most extreme on record, both in terms of temperatures and impacts, the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has said.
- India Partners with World Food Programme to Fight Global Hunger: Under this initiative, the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD), Government of India, offers WFP the opportunity to supply fortified rice from India, aiding in fulfilling the food and nutritional requirements of the most vulnerable populations.
- Four journalists among 20 dead in Israeli strike on hospital, Gaza officials say: At least 20 people, including four journalists, are reported to have been killed in an Israeli strike on a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip. A Reuters cameraman and an Associated Press journalist were among those killed in the attack.
- After Texas and California, These States Are Also Considering Redistricting: Both Republicans and Democrats have in the past utilized redistricting—or the redrawing of congressional district borders following the population census every 10 years—for political gain. But in July, amid pressure from President Donald Trump.
- Israeli airstrikes on Gaza hospital kill at least 19 people, including 4 journalists: An Israeli strike hit a southern Gaza’s main hospital Monday, killing 19 people, including four journalists, said Zaher al-Waheid, the head of the Gaza Health Ministry’s records department. The victims on the fourth floor of Nasser Hospital were killed.
- Why Ethiopia’s Tigray could be on the brink of another conflict: Fears of instability rise again as the TPLF and the federal government appear to be gearing up for a showdown. Former Tigrayan fighters wounded in the recent war wait to be tended to at the Ortho-Physiotherapy Centre in Mekelle in the Tigray region.
- Here’s how close Hurricane Erin was to being another Sandy: Despite being hundreds of miles offshore, there were dozens of reports of coastal flooding, storm surge, rip currents and high surf from Florida to New York.
- Beyond the ‘bling’, China aims for deterrence in military show: HONG KONG, Aug 25 (Reuters) – As China stages its largest-ever military parade through Beijing next week, it will be highlighting not just advancements in arms hardware, but also the vital technology required to protect, control and command the weapons.
- Texas Republican Says He Spoke With Top GOP Mapmaker as Dems Prepare to Filibuster: Senate Democrats sought to subpoena Kincaid to answer questions at a redistricting committee hearing, but Republicans blocked the request. King has disclosed little information about how the proposed congressional map was drawn, but he deviated slightly.
- Powerful typhoon makes landfall in Vietnam after more than 500000 people ordered to evacuate: A powerful typhoon has made landfall over eastern Vietnam, and is battering coastal areas with strong winds and heavy rain. Typhoon Kajiki has delivered gusts up to 118-133 km/h (73-82 mph), the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting says.
- Global famine deaths rise as leaders use food as a weapon: For decades, the number of people dying from famine was in retreat, reduced to almost nothing by a world intolerant of witnessing people starving to death. Not anymore. From Sudan to Afghanistan, Yemen and Gaza.
- Russian Foreign Minister Says No Meeting Between Putin and Zelensky: Russia’s Foreign Minister said on Sunday there were no plans for a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, dealing a setback to President Donald Trump’s peace efforts.
- Texas Legislature Gives Final Approval to Redistricting Map: A colorful map of Texas showing the redrawn district lines is in focus in the background. The new lines on Texas’ congressional districts were drawn to deliver Republicans up to five U.S. House seats.
- FAO: Famine confirmed for first time in Gaza: FAO, UNICEF, WFP and WHO reiterate call for immediate ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access to curb deaths from hunger and malnutrition. More than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine, marked by widespread starvation.
- Lyle and Erik Menendez have been denied parole: Their separate hearings this week come nearly 30 years after the brothers were convicted of first-degree murder for the 1989 killings of their parents. They were sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1996.
- Putin’s New Cyber Empire: But Patrushev also had a more specific message. Flanked by Sergei Naryshkin, the head of the Kremlin’s SVR Foreign Intelligence Service, Patrushev informed the audience that Russia’s top cybersecurity companies could help their governments .
- Risk reduction key to boosting Japanese investment in Africa: At the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD 9, which ended Friday, Japan promised to help African states develop 300,000 workers in cooperation with Japanese firms and to urge its companies to make investments and expand.
- Visitors return to Hatteras Island after Hurricane Erin evacuations: High waters and high sand still lined parts of the coast in Dare County, on Sunday, and double red “no swimming” flags remained posted to warn beachgoers. Conditions weren’t perfect.
- Gov. Stein says state ‘dodged a bullet’ with Hurricane Erin while touring cleanup: RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Governor Josh Stein was on the coast on Friday after Hurricane Erin moved further offshore into the Atlantic Ocean. The storm brought some damage to coastal towns, but overall, the Governor says the state is in good shape.
- Heatwave that fuelled deadly wildfires was Spain’s ‘most intense on record’: A 16-day heatwave Spain suffered this month was “the most intense on record”, the country’s state meteorological agency (AEMET) has said.
- Elderly woman dies in unit fire at Bateau Bay on NSW Central Coast: A woman has died in a fire at a unit on the New South Wales Central Coast. Emergency service crews were called to a property on Melissa Close, at Bateau Bay, about 9:30pm on Sunday. The blaze had burnt itself out, but the body of a 77-year-old was found.
- Russia says it has captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region: After failing to advance on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in the early weeks of the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops have focused on the eastern Donbas region, announcing almost daily the capture of new villages.
- For Indigenous communities, AI brings peril — and promise: For Indigenous peoples, this new form of extraction has raised questions about who controls their histories, languages, and cultural knowledge and whether the technology will erase or distort them entirely.
- Amid Gaza famine, Palestinian girl struggles to survive: Bones and skin are all that is left of seven-year-old Mai Abu Arar. The Palestinian girl is one of tens of thousands of children facing malnutrition in Gaza as Israel’s man-made famine deepens with the Israeli military stepping up its assault on Gaza.
- Southwest in a ‘mega-drying’ zone due to groundwater loss, study finds: The American Southwest – including Arizona, New Mexico, and portions of Nevada, Colorado, Utah and California – is linked to one of four continental-scale “mega-drying” regions worldwide that have undergone unprecedented rates of drying.
- Republicans started the redistricting arms race. It’s up to Democrats to finish it: This is an adapted excerpt from the Aug. 21 episode of “All In with Chris Hayes.” The redistricting arms race is upon us. On Thursday, California lawmakers passed the Election Rigging Response Act, a law that would give the state’s voters a chance.
- Unpacking the US Sanctions on a UN Special Rapporteur: The Trump administration’s first five targets under its ICC sanctions program were court officials sanctioned for their prosecutorial and judicial work.
- Public cut out of rushed law to ban protests outside homes: The New Zealand Government also overruled officials’ recommendation that arrests only be allowed after police first issued a warning to protesters, which they said would have been a more reasonable limit on people’s rights.
- Amid Gaza famine, Palestinian girl struggles to survive: United Nations official says Palestinians in Gaza are experiencing ‘hell in all shapes’ as Israel steps up its Gaza City assault. … Bones and skin are all that is left of seven-year-old Mai Abu Arar.
- Displacement and Conflict Haunts Southern Congo : Bishops decry worsening conditions and gov’t/UN inattention: Bishops in southern Congo have denounced growing separatist violence in Katanga province and criticized the national government for ignoring it. “Besides grave violations of human rights, socio-political insecurity is disrupting our province’s economic.
- Open Day is now AI Day for students: This year, many school-leavers will meet universities not through brochures or open days, but through AI-generated answers. That shift has major implications for trust, visibility, and how public knowledge reaches its audience.
- It’s Time to Show Putin that the US is Serious: As we reach a temporary ceasefire in diplomatic progress aimed at ending the war in Ukraine – a war that has cost the lives of more than a million people and has caused billions of dollars in damage.
- Sudan’s RSF shells hospital, abducts 8 in El-Fasher: rescuers: Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces shelled a hospital in North Darfur’s besieged city of El-Fasher and abducted six women and two children from a nearby displacement camp, rescuers and a medic said on Sunday (August 24, 2025).
- Trump Administration Live Updates: Russia’s Top Diplomat Says ‘No Meeting Planned’ Between Putin and Zelensky: Ukraine war: NBC’s “Meet the Press” is set to broadcast an interview on Sunday with Russia’s foreign minister in which he says that “there is no meeting planned” between President Vladimir V. Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.
“Far too late’: Palestinian despair mounts after UN declaration of famine in Gaza: Conditions in the Gaza Strip continue to deteriorate after the United Nations on Friday officially declared a famine there. Palestinians recounted feeling like “the end is near” amid “absolutely catastrophic” scenes of destruction Saturday. - The Guardian: ‘No place is safe’: families flee Gaza City as Israel vows to press on with offensive. Witnesses reported the sound of continuous explosions overnight from Saturday night into Sunday morning in the areas of Zeitoun and Shejaia. Meanwhile, tanks shelled houses and roads in the nearby Sabra neighbourhood and several buildings were blown up.
- Venezuela’s Maduro rallies civilian militia volunteers, citing US invasion ‘threat’: Thousands of Venezuelans on Saturday queued up across Caracas to enlist in a civilian militia in response to “threats” of a US invasion.
- Uganda signs deal to take in migrants deported from the United States under Trump policy: In a statement released on Thursday, Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Kampala had agreed to host third-country nationals who are set for deportation from the US but are unwilling to return to their home countries.
- Samia demands transparency and fairness from INEC for October 2025 General Election: President Samia highlighted that the upcoming elections in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar provide citizens with a unique opportunity to choose their leaders.
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Botswana’s health system is in crisis mode – postponed surgeries and emergency trucks are the order of the day. New president Duma Boko didn’t sugarcoat it: the medical supply chain’s collapsed, hospitals are bare, and soldiers are now medicine couriers.
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Temu and Pinduoduo owner, PDD, beat revenue forecasts but saw profits slide as discounts, shipping tariffs, and Temu’s US push squeezed margins. With China’s e-commerce giants locked in a price war and Amazon looming, PDD is buying growth today and praying for profit tomorrow.
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Germany’s Commerzbank is trimming 3,900 jobs while UniCredit quietly tightens its grip with a 26% stake. CEO Bettina Orlopp insists independence is the plan—but it’s starting to look more like a defensive crouch than a strategy.
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US Detects First Human Case of Flesh-Eating Screwworm: The first human case of the flesh-eating screwworm parasite has been detected in the United States, involving an individual in Maryland, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said.
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Iran Rejects Direct Talks With US: Iranian leader Ali Khamenei has turned down direct talks with the United States over his country’s nuclear program and said the current situation was “unsolvable.” Tehran suspended negotiations with Washington.
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California’s Redistricting Plan: n Nov. 4, Californians will go to the polls to vote in a referendum over whether to authorize replacing the state’s current congressional map with one designed to favor Democrats,
World News – 25 August 2025
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