*) Taiwan unveils record defence budget

Taiwan has proposed a record 19 billion dollars in defence spending for next year. This comes weeks after China conducted large-scale military exercises around the island. China sees Taiwan as its sovereign territory.

The proposed defence budget is an increase of almost 14 percent compared to last year.

The double-digit increase includes an additional three and a half billion dollars in spending for new fighter jets.

*) Türkiye: Grain deal could restart Russia-Ukraine negotiations

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said that the landmark Türkiye-brokered grain deal could work as a platform to restart negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Kalin said Türkiye believes that the trust built between the two sides could in fact work as a platform to restart the negotiations.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed a deal last month to resume grain exports from the Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

*) Ethiopia's government, rebels trade blame over renewed clashes in Tigray

Ethiopia’s government and rebels in the restive Tigray region have traded blame after fighting erupted, ending a months-long truce and severely denting hopes of lasting peace.

The government accused Tigray rebels of carrying out attacks on Ethiopian forces near Kobo district and effectively breaking the cease-fire.

However, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front said Ethiopian forces have launched a “large-scale offensive” on rebel positions.

*) Drought hits half of China in the worst heatwave on record

Half of China is now experiencing drought as the country goes through its hottest summer on record.

A chart from the National Climate Centre shows swathes of southern China, including the Tibetan Plateau, experiencing "severe" to "extraordinary" drought.

Scientists say the extreme weather phenomena are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

*) Pakistan to send troops for FIFA World Cup security in Qatar

Pakistan is set to provide its troops for the security of the FIFA World Cup scheduled to be held in November in Qatar.

The Pakistani government approved the agreement between Pakistan and Qatar to provide troops for the mega event.

The development came ahead of Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s visit to Qatar, during which the two countries reaffirmed their resolve to further enhance bilateral cooperation.

*) Ukraine braces for stepped-up Russian attacks around Independence Day

Ukraine has banned public events celebrating the country's 31st Independence Day fearing renewed Russian attacks.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned Moscow that there would be consequences if Russia escalated its attacks to coincide with the anniversary.

Meanwhile, the leader promised to restore his country's control over the Crimean Peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014

*) Somalia's Mohamud pledges 'all-out war' against Al Shabab

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has pledged "an all-out war" to eliminate the Al Shabab terror group.

He said without elaborating that weakening the group was a priority for the government and that preparations for the implementation of the plan were ongoing.

This was his first statement to the nation since Al Shabab staged a 30-hour hotel siege in capital Mogadishu, which left at least 21 people dead.

*) US claims targeting Iran-linked groups in Syria strikes

The US military has confirmed carrying out air strikes in Syria's Deir Ezzor, apparently targeting facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps.

The strikes on Tuesday came even as the United States aimed to respond to a draft agreement proposed by the European Union that would bring back the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.

Washington said that such strikes were aimed at protecting US forces from attack by Iran-backed groups.

*) ​​China sees 'severe threat’ to harvest amid hottest summer on record

Chinese authorities warn that autumn harvest is under "severe threat" from high temperatures and drought.

They have urged action to protect crops in the face of the country's hottest summer on record.

The world's second-largest economy has been hit by record temperatures, flash floods and droughts this summer.

And finally…

*) Texas drought peels back river to expose giant dinosaur tracks

Drought in the US state of Texas has dried up a river flowing through Dinosaur Valley State Park, exposing tracks from giant reptiles that lived some 113 million years ago.

Photos posted on Facebook show three-toed footprints leading down a dry tree-lined riverbed in the southern state.

The accompanying caption states it is "one of the longest dinosaur trackways in the world."

*) Over 300 classified documents recovered from Trump's Florida home – NYT

The US government has recovered more than 300 classified documents from former president Donald Trump's Florida estate.

The documents include materials from the CIA, the National Security Agency and the FBI, the New York Times has reported.

On Monday, Trump's legal team requested that a federal judge appoint a third-party attorney to review evidence the FBI gathered from his Mar-a-Lago home two weeks ago.

*) US rejects Ukraine's demand to impose blanket ban on Russians

The United States has rejected Ukraine's demand for a blanket visa ban on Russians.

Washington said it would not want to close off pathways to refuge for Russia's dissidents and others who are vulnerable to human rights abuses.

A State department spokesperson said that it is important to draw a line between the actions of the Russian government and its policies in Ukraine, and the people of Russia.

*) Pakistan's flash floods kill hundreds in last two months

Flash floods caused by abnormally heavy monsoon rains have killed 777 people across Pakistan over the last two months.

Rescuers backed by troops continue to race against time to evacuate thousands of marooned people.

Since June 14, rain and flooding have affected 1.8 million people, and over three hundred thousand of them were still living in relief camps across the country.

*) ​​Desperate to exit $44B Twitter deal, Musk subpoenas Dorsey for records

Elon Musk has served former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey with a subpoena in a hunt for material to help him get out of buying the giant social media platform for 44 billion dollars as agreed.

Records made public on Monday show Dorsey was served with a legal order to give Musk any communications or documents related to the takeover deal signed in April.

Tesla boss Musk, the world's wealthiest man, has accused Twitter of fraud, alleging the company misled him about key aspects of its business.

And finally…

*) 'House of Dragon' premiere draws nearly 10 million viewers

The premiere of “House of the Dragon” drew nearly 10 million viewers on Sunday on television and the HBO Max streaming service.

It is the largest audience for any new original series in the history of the network, HBO reported.

Anticipation for the series, set 200 years before HBO's "Game of Thrones," fanned conversation on social media, where "House of Dragon" remained a top trending topic on Twitter for 14 hours.

*) US-Afghan talks on release of frozen assets to continue

US President Joe Biden's administration will press ahead with talks on releasing billions of dollars in Afghanistan's foreign-held assets.

This is despite the late Al Qaeda leader's presence in Kabul, and Washington's frustration with the pace, according to sources with knowledge of the situation, Reuters news agency has reported.

The decision to pursue the initiative to help stabilise Afghanistan's collapsed economy underscores growing concern over a humanitarian crisis as the United Nations warns that nearly half the country's 40 million people face "acute hunger" as winter approaches.

*) Russia's Ukraine soldiers trial to undermine talks

Russia might take the provocative step of putting Ukrainian soldiers on trial as Kiev marks 31 years of independence on Wednesday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned.

Zelenskyy warned: "If this despicable court takes place, if our people are brought into these settings in violation of all agreements, all international rules, there will be abuse."

Ukraine's Independence Day on August 24 will also mark six months since Russia attacked the former Soviet republic, in a devastating war that has cost thousands of lives.

*) Police file terrorism charges against Pakistan's Imran Khan

In Pakistan, police have filed terrorism charges against former prime minister Imran Khan, escalating political tensions in the country.

Pakistan's media watchdog has banned the live telecast of Khan's speeches, after he was accused of threatening top police officials and a female judge during a rally in Islamabad.

Following that rally, Islamabad police registered a criminal complaint against Khan under the country's anti-terrorism act.

*) ​​US, S Korea begin biggest military drills since 2018 amid N Korea backlash

The United States and South Korea have begun their biggest combined military drills since 2018 – a move likely to enrage North Korea, which has been ramping up its nuclear threats.

The two countries have long carried out joint exercises, which they insist are purely defensive but North Korea sees them as a rehearsal for invasion.

The annual joint military drills mark the resumption of large-scale training sessions after they were scaled back due to Covid-19 and a bout of failed diplomacy with Pyongyang.

*) Computer-animated movie 'Dragon Ball' slays at box office in North America

Computer-animated martial arts film "Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero," the 21st in the Japanese franchise, has seized control of the North American box office.

With an impressive $20.1 million in ticket sales, it was hailed as the best global opening ever for an anime movie by distributor Crunchyroll.

The film outshined the $11.6 million take of another new release, Universal's "Beast".

*) Erdogan stresses Ukraine diplomacy, warns against nuclear plant fighting

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed possible ways of ending the Ukraine conflict in a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy and United Nations chief Antonio Guterres.

Erdogan said the fighting between Russia and Ukraine will eventually end at the negotiating table, adding that Zelenskyy and Guterres had a similar view.

Erdogan added that Türkiye, which has taken the lead in mediating between Kiev and Moscow, will discuss the outcome of the talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

*) UK spy head says Russia is losing 'information war' in Ukraine

Jeremy Fleming, head of Britain's intelligence service, wrote in an op-ed in The Economist that Russia has failed to gain ground in cyberspace against Ukraine.

Fleming said Russia had deployed WhisperGate malware to destroy and deface Ukrainian government systems, adding that online disinformation is a major part of Russia's strategy.

Fleming wrote that "Putin comprehensively lost the information war in Ukraine and in the West,” but warned that Russian disinformation could be effective in the rest of the world.

*) North Korea says won't give up nukes for South's aid plan

The sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, has said the country will never deal with a South Korean proposal to boost the North's economy in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons.

State media reported her as saying "the plan to barter 'economic cooperation' for the North’s honour, nukes, is the great dream, hope and plan of South Korea.”

"No one barters its destiny for corn cake."

*) UN, EU condemn Israel's closure on Palestinian NGOs

Israel's closure of Palestinian nonprofit organisations has caused diplomatic backlash, drawing criticism from the UN, EU, and the US.

The UN said "Israeli authorities have not given any compelling evidence to UN agencies nor NGO partners working in occupied Palestinian territories to support these designations."

The Office of the European Union Representative to Palestine said the allegations were "unproven", and the US State Department spokesman said Washington is "concerned" about the closures.

And finally…

*) Qatar sends 1,300 buses onto streets in World Cup transport test

Qatar's World Cup organisers have sent 1,300 buses onto the streets of capital Doha in a test mimmicking the schedule for the busiest days of the tournament when about 300,000 fans occupy the city.

Amid sweltering summer heat, hundreds of air-conditioned but mainly empty buses went out to stadiums, metro stations and pickup points.

Chief operating officer of Qatar's bus and taxi services said the move was "the most complex transport operation ever mounted for a major sporting event."

*) Erdogan heads to Ukraine for trilateral summit with Zelenskyy, Guterres

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has embarked on a visit to the Ukrainian city of Lviv where he will meet his Ukrainian counterpart and the UN chief.

Erdogan will hold a bilateral meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Potocki Palace and discuss aspects of Türkiye-Ukraine relations at the strategic partnership level.

The bilateral talks will be followed by a trilateral summit with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss steps for an end to the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

*) US says it doesn't support Taiwan's independence

The US remains committed to the "One China" policy and is not supporting Taiwan's formal independence, Washington's top diplomat said.

China has been carrying out military drills around Taiwan this month to show its anger at a visit to Taipei by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Kritenbrink said China used the trip as an excuse to increase pressure on Taiwan.

*) NATO calls for ‘urgent’ inspection of Ukraine nuclear plant

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned that the UN's atomic watchdog must be allowed to inspect the Russian-held nuclear power plant in Ukraine as soon as possible.

Russia's seizure of the plant "poses a serious threat to the safety and the security of this facility (and) raises the risks of a nuclear accident or incident," he said.

"It is urgent to allow the inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency and to ensure the withdrawal of all Russian forces," he added.

*) Bus crash in Morocco's Casablanca

A bus crash east of Morocco's economic capital Casablanca has left 23 people dead and another 36 injured, marking one of the deadliest accidents in recent years.

The bus overturned on a bend of a motorway in central-western province, local authorities said. An investigation has been opened into the accident.

The bus was travelling between Casablanca and the rural region of Ait Attab, near the town of Beni Mellal at the foot of the High Atlas mountains.

And finally…

*) Elon Musk: Tweet about buying Manchester United was a 'joke'

Elon Musk has tweeted that he is "not buying any sports teams", clarifying that a viral post about him purchasing Manchester United was a joke.

Embroiled in a lawsuit over his bid to buy Twitter, Musk was subsequently asked on the platform if he was serious about owning Manchester United.

Despite calling it a joke, the tweet could land him in trouble with US regulators.

*) Biden inks landmark climate crisis, health care bill into law

US President Joe Biden has signed into law the most significant climate legislation in US history.

The Inflation Reduction Act is a 750 billion dollar package aiming to reduce carbon emissions and extend health insurance subsidies. It also imposes new taxes on large corporations.

Not a single Republican in the Senate or the House backed the bill targeting four billion tons of emissions.

*) Donetsk separatist chief seeks North Korea's cooperation

Donetsk separaist head Denis Pishilin has written a letter to North Korea’s Kim Jong-un.

It states that the east Asian country and the Russian-backed separatist region of Ukraine will develop "equally beneficial bilateral cooperation," according to North Korean state media.

In July, North Korea recognised the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics in eastern Ukraine's Donbass region, as independent states.

*) ​​Zimbabwe measles outbreak kills scores of children

A measles outbreak in Zimbabwe has killed at least 157 children, with more than 2,000 infections reported across the country.

Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the government was going to step up vaccinations.

The government has also invoked special legislation allowing it to draw money from the National Disaster Fund to deal with the emergency.

*) UN ship with grain for Africa leaves Ukraine: ministry

A UN-chartered vessel carrying 23 thousand tonnes of wheat departed from Ukraine for Africa on Tuesday following a deal to relieve a global food crisis.

The MV Brave Commander left the Black Sea port of Pivdennyi and will sail to Djibouti "for delivery to Ethiopia", the infrastructure ministry said on Telegram.

It is the first ship chartered by the UN World Food Programme to leave Ukraine since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February.

*) US police rush to zoo after monkey dials 911

A 911 call has forced Californian police to rush to a zoo only to find it had been placed by a mischievous monkey.

Dispatchers sent officers to investigate a possible emergency after receiving a call on Saturday night that had disconnected. Finding no humans in trouble, the officers began to investigate the source of the call.

They soon realised that it was likely Route the Capuchin monkey, who had picked up the zoo’s cell phone in the golf cart used to travel around the grounds.

*) Violent protests erupt in Kenya after deputy president Ruto wins election

Violent protests have erupted in Kenya after deputy president William Ruto was declared the winner of the presidential election.

The result has caused uproar among the rival candidate Raila Odinga’s supporters, who allege mismanagement and irregularities in the process.

Four of seven members of the electoral commission have refused to endorse the result, describing it as "opaque".

*) China sanctions seven Taiwanese 'independence diehard' officials

Beijing has sanctioned seven Taiwanese officials over their support for the island's independence.

A Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson said that those sanctioned would not be able to visit China, Hong Kong and Macau. Firms and investors related to them will also not be allowed to profit in China.

China has also conducted more military exercises in response to a US Congressional visit to Taipei earlier this month.

*) 'Catastrophe' at Zaporizhzhia threatens whole of Europe

In Ukraine, recently taken satellite images show scorch marks in fields surrounding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

It follows reports of renewed shelling near the facility.

Moscow and Kiev have been blaming each other for the attacks, with Ukraine warning of a possible Chernobyl-like disaster.

A "catastrophe" at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine would threaten the whole of Europe, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned.

*) UN envoy makes first visit to Myanmar

A senior UN official is travelling to Myanmar on a rare visit that comes amid domestic political turmoil and fraying ties between the country and its Southeast Asian neighbours.

The UN special envoy for Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer arrived in the country for the first time since she was appointed to the post last October.

The trip followed the UN Security Council’s latest call for an immediate end to all forms of violence and unimpeded humanitarian access in the strife-torn country.

And finally…

*) Space mission shows Earth's water may be from asteroids: study

Water may have been brought to Earth by asteroids from the outer edges of the solar system.

This is according to scientists analysing rare samples collected from the asteroid Ryugu in 2020 by a six-year Japanese space mission called Hayabusa-2.

In a new paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, scientists said the samples could give clues to the mystery of how oceans appeared on Earth billions of years ago.

*) Afghan Taliban mark first year in power

The Taliban have marked the first anniversary of their return to power in Afghanistan with a national holiday.

Exactly a year ago, the group captured Kabul after their nationwide lightning offensive against government forces ended 20 years of US-led military intervention.

A chaotic withdrawal of foreign forces continued until August 31, with tens of thousands of people rushing to Kabul's airport hoping to be evacuated on any flight out of Afghanistan.

*) Russia, North Korea to 'expand' relations: Putin to Kim Jong-un

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that the two countries will "expand the comprehensive and constructive bilateral relations with common efforts".

In a letter to Kim for North Korea's liberation day, Putin said that closer ties would be in both countries' interests and would help strengthen the security of the Korean peninsula, according to Pyongyang's state media.

Kim also sent a letter to Putin saying Russian-North Korean friendship had been forged in World War II with victory over Japan, which had occupied the Korean peninsula.

*) Zelenskyy defends fighting as all eyes are on Zaporizhzhia plant

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has defended fighting against Russian and Moscow-backed forces, including those positioned at Europe’s largest nuclear power station in Zaporizhzhia.

His statement comes as Ukrainian forces reported heavy Russian shelling and attempts to advance on several towns in the eastern region of Donetsk.

The General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces also reported Russian shelling of more than a dozen towns on the southern front – particularly in Kherson, mainly controlled by Russian forces.

*) Five dead and 15 wounded after gunfire erupts in Ecuador’s port city

Gunfire and a subsequent explosion have left at least five people dead, 15 wounded with several others missing in the Ecuadoran port city of Guayaquil.

Government officials blamed the attack on organised crime.

Eight houses and two cars were destroyed in the blast in Guayaquil, the country's second-largest city, according to the Secretariat for Risk Management.

And finally…

*) ‘Bullet Train’ tops for second week as ticket sales slow down to a trickle

The Brad Pitt action film “Bullet Train” has led all movies in ticket sales for a second straight weekend, according to studio estimates.

Meanwhile, a quiet spell in theaters and incredible staying power has allowed “Top Gun: Maverick” to rocket back into third place in its 12th week of release.

After launching the previous weekend with about $30 million at the box office, “Bullet Train” pulled in $13.4 million in its second go-around.

*) US attorney general says 'personally approved' Trump home search

US Attorney General Merrick Garland has said he "personally approved" the dramatic raid on former American President Donald Trump's Florida estate.

In a highly unusual move, he also requested the warrant justifying the search be made public — though he did not reveal the reason for the search.

The Washington Post has reported that federal agents were looking for documents relating to nuclear weapons. It was not clear if such documents were recovered.

*) IAEA chief warns of 'grave hour' at Ukraine nuclear plant

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog has told the Security Council that the agency must be allowed to inspect Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia (zah-POH-reeja) nuclear plant.

Rafael Grossi told an emergency meeting via video feed that fighting between Russian and Ukrainian soldiers near the site sparked a "grave" crisis.

The clashes at and around Zaporizhzhia have led to urgent international calls for an end to fighting around the plant, the largest of its kind in Europe.

*) Hostage drama at Beirut bank ends after armed man turns himself in

A hostage standoff in which a gunman demanded a Beirut bank let him withdraw his trapped savings so that he could pay his father's medical bills ended seven hours later.

After hours of negotiations on Thursday, 42-year-old food-delivery driver Bassam al Sheikh Hussein accepted an offer from the bank to receive part of his savings.

He did not actually receive any of the money, according to his lawyer. His wife told reporters after his arrest that her husband “did what he had to do".

*) Sri Lankan ex-president Rajapaksa arrives in Bangkok after fleeing protests

Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has arrived in Bangkok after his visa ran out following a month-long stint in Singapore.

The Thai foreign ministry said it received a request from Colombo for the 73-year-old deposed leader to visit and an assurance that he would not seek political asylum.

Earlier, Rajapaksa flew into Singapore from the Maldives on July 14 after fleeing a deepening economic crisis and widespread protests in Sri Lanka.

And finally…

*) Switzerland's mountain pass set to lose all ice within weeks

The thick layer of ice that has covered a Swiss mountain pass for centuries will melt away completely within a few weeks, a ski resort has warned.

While the ice measured around 50-feet thick in 2012, the ground underneath "will have completely resurfaced by the end of September", the Glacier 3000 ski resort said in a statement.

Following a dry winter, the summer heat waves hitting Europe have been catastrophic for the Alpine glaciers, which have been melting at an accelerated rate.