A new round of talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the US could take place in October, according to Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of Staff to the Ukrainian President.
"We are preparing. For October," Budanov said, as reported by The Kyiv Independent.
He did not comment on where the meeting would be held.
US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with both President Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last weekend.uellt.
Morocco flatly denies this, but the claim is met with widespread skepticism in Spain. At the very least, Moroccan police refrained from intervening for about ten hours.
According to information from the Spanish border police, Moroccan police forces helped drive large groups of people toward Ceuta—specifically to cause the Spanish border control system to collapse. Plainclothes agents were reportedly identified within the crowds. One of Spain’s highest courts has launched an investigation and made a preliminary assessment that the migrants have been used as tools in hybrid warfare.
However, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez downplays this, stating that he has seen no "clear evidence" of a deliberate Moroccan attack. He points to disinformation as a major factor.
The opposition accuses Sánchez of being soft on both Morocco and the migrants. "Why are you afraid of Morocco?" asks PP leader Alberto Feijóo. "Traitor," exclaims far-right leader Santiago Abascal. Tens of thousands of people have demonstrated, demanding that the government take stronger measures to protect Ceuta.
Most of the migrants have left Ceuta, but a few thousand remain. Vivas, the mayor of the enclave, describes the situation as unsustainable—and also points out that this has happened before.
A similar upheaval occurred in May 2021, when several thousand migrants attempted to reach Ceuta and Melilla suddenly and simultaneously. This took place amidst a bitter dispute between Spain and Morocco regarding the status of the contested Western Sahara. The surge was more or less openly described as a pressure tactic, and Morocco was accused of exploiting vulnerable people for political blackmail.
That episode ended with Spain and Pedro Sánchez acceding to Morocco’s position on Western Sahara. The EU Commission concluded a new multi-billion-euro agreement with Morocco for continued assistance in halting migrants.
Facts
For several centuries, Spain has controlled small coastal areas, rocky outcrops, and barren islands in North Africa; the densely populated exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla are the largest among them. They are entirely surrounded by present-day Morocco.
Ceuta is situated on a headland by the Strait of Gibraltar, a short boat ride from the southern tip of the Spanish mainland. Melilla lies further east and formally includes the barren Chafarinas Islands, located near the border between Morocco and Algeria. Each of the two territories has a population of just over 80,000.
These areas have been under Spanish control since the early voyages of discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries, when Catholic monarchs took the first steps toward Christianizing Africa. Morocco has laid claim to the territories since gaining independence in 1956.
The exclaves contain the EU's only land borders on the African continent. This makes them attractive destinations for migrants seeking to reach the Union, particularly as perilous boat smuggling across the sea has been curtailed.
The death toll following a ferry fire in the Philippines has risen to 76, AFP reports.
A fire broke out on a ferry in the popular tourist province of Palawan on Wednesday evening. According to Philippine authorities, the number of confirmed fatalities has reached 76.
At the time the fire started, the ferry was en route from the capital, Manila, to the town of Coron. A survivor described hearing an explosion coming from the ferry's cargo hold.
Video footage from the scene shows the ferry partially engulfed in flames.
The Philippine Coast Guard stated that the remains would be transported to a port in the tourist town of Coron on Palawan Island.
In a letter to the tech giant Meta, the Norwegian government expresses "clear expectations" that the company implement stronger protective measures for children and young people using social media in Norway.
"Children's safety must come first. We expect tech giants to take responsibility for protecting children and young people on their platforms," says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Labour) in a press release.
Meta owns platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Norway plans to introduce a 16-year age limit for social media. The goal is to present a legislative proposal before the end of the year, with the law intended to come into effect in 2027.
In the letter, the government emphasizes the need for age verification solutions to prevent children below the age limit from accessing the platforms.
French police: Sabotage suspected as cause of train derailment
French police suspect that the commuter train which derailed between Rouen and Caen in Normandy on Friday evening did so due to sabotage, AFP reports.
Forty-four people were injured, one of them seriously. Initial reports from the French TV channel BFMTV indicated that the train had collided with an object just before the derailment. Sources have now told AFP that the object lying across the tracks was a piece of rail—a metal fragment that police believe was placed there intentionally.
There are currently no suspects in the case.
At least 40 injured in train accident in France
At least 40 people have been injured—one seriously—after a train derailed in northwestern France. This was announced on X by the country's transport minister, Philippe Tabarot.
The incident involved a regional train that derailed between the cities of Rouen and Caen in Normandy. According to AFP, there were 180 people on board.
Reports from the French TV channel BFMTV state that the train collided with something before derailing. One carriage reportedly overturned, and four carriages ended up off the tracks.
Middle East Crisis Strait of Hormuz
Expert: Saudi decision could drive oil prices even higher
Saudi Arabia’s decision to shut down its vital East-West pipeline following this week’s attacks could cause oil prices to rise again. That is the view of Nordea oil expert Thina Margrethe Saltvedt, according to *Dagens Industri*.
The crucial factor is how long it will take before the pipeline can be put back into operation.
"Most things have moved in the wrong direction. Anxiety is mounting, contributing to an increased risk of lower oil supplies reaching the market—and consequently, higher prices," she says.
By the end of the week, a barrel of North Sea crude oil cost $105, a figure more than 70 percent higher than at the start of the year.
IPO Boom
Nvidia may invest $10 billion in Anthropic IPO
AI company Anthropic, the provider of the Claude service, is expected to launch an IPO this autumn. Reuters now reports that Nvidia is prepared to purchase shares worth $10 billion—nearly 100 billion kronor—in connection with the listing.
In total, Anthropic aims to raise $100 billion through the IPO, targeting a valuation of around $2 trillion.
2026 Election Perspectives
Analysis: Mixed economic signals – take promises with a grain of salt
The Swedish economy has become a battleground ahead of the election, yet the picture is far from clear-cut. Johan Carlström of *SvD* notes that unemployment has risen, even as Sweden maintains one of the highest employment rates in the EU.
"It is therefore possible for both the government and the opposition to use accurate figures—and yet present completely different pictures of the Swedish economy," he writes. Inflation and interest rates have fallen, but Carlström points out that inflation is being kept down by temporary tax cuts and could rise once they expire.
This is also a reason to view the parties' promises regarding personal finances with caution, writes Frida Bratt of *Dagens Industri* (DI). She notes that inflation caused the Tidö government to postpone several reforms earlier in the term. Furthermore, negotiations lie ahead after the election—negotiations during which promises could be altered, deferred, or scrapped entirely—while some measures might be delayed for strategic electoral reasons.
"My advice is simply to take all promises regarding personal finances with a grain of salt."
Bahrain will not participate in the meeting regarding the Strait of Hormuz scheduled to be held in Oman on Monday.
Bahrain's Foreign Ministry states that while it remains committed to dialogue, it "will not participate in any joint meeting involving Iran until diplomatic relations between the countries have been restored."
In 2016, both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran. Saudi Arabia restored ties in 2023, but the relationship between Bahrain and Iran remained unstable.
During the Middle East conflict—triggered by the war involving the US, Israel, and Iran—relations between the countries have deteriorated as Iran has attacked several targets in Bahrain.
The country's Foreign Ministry states that security and stability in the region "cannot be maintained through a policy of appeasement" and demands that the Strait of Hormuz remain open without "discrimination, fees, or authorization requirements."
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to work towards resolving their countries' long-standing border dispute.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced this on Saturday following a meeting between the two leaders during the BRICS summit in New Delhi.
Xi's visit to India is his first since 2019 and marks a significant step in the cautious rapprochement between the two nations in recent years.
This follows the deadly clashes that broke out in 2020 between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the disputed border region along the Himalayas.
During their meeting, Modi and Xi expressed a willingness to work towards "a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable solution to the border issue," the Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated.
Donald Trump is in Ireland for political meetings and golf.
At the same time, the president is sparking strong reactions following remarks about a "united Ireland."
"It would be fantastic," he says.
On Saturday morning, US President Donald Trump met with both Irish President Catherine Connolly and Prime Minister Micheál Martin in Dublin.
Afterwards, Trump described the meeting with Connolly as "very nice" and "very respectful."
The Irish President stated that, during the meeting, she had expressed her views on global conflicts and emphasized that "the normalization of war and genocide can never be accepted," reports *The Irish Times*.
Meanwhile, hundreds of demonstrators have gathered in Dublin to protest against Trump's visit. Criticism is directed, among other things, at his foreign policy and US support for Israel—a topic he also faced several questions about during a press briefing with Micheál Martin on Saturday afternoon.
Trump also took the opportunity to comment on Ireland and Northern Ireland.
When asked if he would like to see a united Ireland, Trump replied that he "would love to see it" and believes it will happen eventually.
The statement has already sparked reactions in Northern Ireland.
Gavin Robinson, leader of the Northern Irish unionist party the DUP, strongly criticized the remarks, stating that Northern Ireland's future should be decided by the people who live there.
"Not by comments in London, Dublin, or Washington," he said.
After the meetings in Dublin, Trump is traveling on to Doonbeg, where the Irish Open is being played at Trump International Golf Links. Trump is expected to follow the tournament and present the winner's trophy on Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, at the G20 summit in Miami in December.
"Yes, of course. We have to go. We have to meet, to talk and make decisions," he says in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
In the interview, the president emphasizes that a potential exchange of words with Putin is not the most important thing:
"Results count. It’s as simple as that," says Zelenskyy.
The US, which is hosting the summit, stated last spring that the plan was to invite Russia, but there has been no word on whether or not Putin intends to attend.
If Putin and Zelenskyy meet in Miami, it would be their first meeting since the full-scale Russian invasion began in February 2022.
According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, no decision has been made regarding whether Putin will travel to Miami.
The Threat from Russia
Suspicion falls on Russia following ammunition depot explosion
An explosion occurred on Saturday at an ammunition depot in Bulgaria, the country's police told AFP. The incident is one of a series targeting the European arms industry in recent times.
Suspicion is once again directed at Russia, which has been accused of waging hybrid warfare against European entities supplying Ukraine with weapons and ammunition.
As recently as last weekend, the Danish security service (PET) raised the alarm that ordinary Danes are being recruited to conduct reconnaissance on arms facilities. Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has singled out Russia as the instigator of an "escalation" on European soil, reports the online publication EUobserver.
The scale of yesterday's explosion remains unclear, but there are no reports of injuries. Russia has categorically denied all allegations of a sabotage campaign against European interests.
Political Situation in Brazil
Bolsonaro under corruption investigation weeks before election
Right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro, who is running in Brazil's presidential election, is under investigation for corruption, reports *Le Monde*.
On Friday, the presidential candidate stated that he has "nothing to hide." The allegations concern the financing of an upcoming film about his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro.
On Thursday, police conducted a "dozen" raids linked to the embezzlement of public funds at the company that produced the film, the newspaper reports.
According to Bolsonaro, the entire matter is "completely legal." The allegations come just weeks before the election, in which he faces incumbent President Lula da Silva.
The political situation in Ireland
Donald Trump: A united Ireland would be "fantastic"
Donald Trump stated that a united Ireland would be "fantastic" during his meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, AFP reports.
"The way I see it, it will happen eventually. It might as well happen now," Trump said.
Ireland and Northern Ireland have been divided for over a century, and the issue has been politically sensitive for just as long. The US has historically remained neutral.
Warnings about AI
AI agents behind another cyberattack
The AI-orchestrated cyberattack on the platform Hugging Face in July was not the first of its kind. Two months earlier, OpenAI’s so-called AI agents broke out of a test environment and attacked RubyGems, an online service for coders, *The Wall Street Journal* reports. The company was forced to halt all new account registrations to manage the situation.
OpenAI confirms the incident and states that the company is investigating what happened.
Art heists
Art detective: European art thieves becoming increasingly brazen
Following several high-profile museum heists over the past year, Dutch art detective Arthur Brand is warning that specialized thieves are becoming increasingly brazen in their attempts to get their hands on valuable art, the BBC reports.
After the heist at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France—where four paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir were stolen this week—Brand believes more thieves will be inspired to try to replicate what has already been done. – Thieves all over the world watch and think "wow," then they think: "Don't we also have a local museum with gold and silver?"
In addition to the two major heists, a diamond necklace has vanished from a museum in Vienna, and Bronze Age artifacts from museums in Spain—to name just a few heists.
The future of the BRICS pact
Xi Jinping seeks to unite BRICS and create a powerful player
Chinese President Xi Jinping aims to unite the BRICS nations to oppose "violations against others" and safeguard peace, Reuters reports. According to Xi, member states should also resist all forms of protectionism and uphold a strengthened United Nations.
These statements should be viewed against the backdrop of two member states—Russia and Iran—currently being at war.
"Given how the situation has unfolded in the Middle East and the ongoing developments in the Persian Gulf, the war there has caused immense suffering for people across the region," Xi said, while urging leaders to exercise restraint.
Xi also argued that the members—representing 40 percent of the global population and a quarter of the world economy—need to establish a leading force within the Global South.
The political situation in France
Rumors circulate that ECB chief may run in French presidential election
Christine Lagarde is rumored to be considering a run in next year's French presidential election, according to Bloomberg.
The head of the European Central Bank (ECB) plans to deliver a speech at the ongoing *Fête de la Pomme* (Apple Festival) in Normandy—a location political analysts often associate with presidential bids.
Her term expires in October 2027, but there is speculation she might step down early. When the ECB held a press conference on Thursday regarding its key interest rate hike, she faced several questions about her future but declined to comment.
North Korea–South Korea Relations
Multiple missiles fired following military exercise
North Korea fired several short-range missiles into the Sea of Japan on Saturday, according to multiple news agencies. South Korea's military reported that the missiles were launched from Wonsan at 05:20 and landed 250 kilometers out at sea.
Both South Korean and US intelligence agencies state that they have been in contact with Japan regarding the incident.
The launch was described as an exercise, but South Korea has stated that it views the action as a threat—not least because it took place the day after a joint military exercise involving Japan and the US in the same area.
The political situation in the UK
Crypto billionaires donate hundreds of millions to Reform UK
Two crypto billionaires have donated the equivalent of 945 million kronor to the British far-right party Reform UK, AFP reports.
The individuals in question are Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo, who have each donated over 470 million kronor. The donations shatter the previous record for political donations by a private individual—a record Harborne himself set when he donated 120 million kronor to Reform.
The donations have drawn criticism from other parties. The Liberal Democrats, for instance, have called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to introduce a cap on political donations.
"Nigel Farage is trying to buy his way into Number 10 [the Prime Minister's residence, ed. note] as if it were a square on a Monopoly board," said Liberal Democrat spokesperson Lisa Smart, according to the AP.
Saudi Arabia shuts down oil pipeline following attacks
Saudi authorities have temporarily shut down one of the country's major oil pipelines after it was attacked by drones launched from Iraq, *The Times of Israel* reports.
The pipeline stretches from Saudi Arabia's east coast on the Persian Gulf to its west coast on the Red Sea.
On Friday evening, the Saudi Foreign Ministry announced that the pipeline had been attacked by drones targeting the Riyadh and Medina regions. Authorities reported that a number of people were injured.
Following the attacks, Saudi Arabia decided to temporarily close the pipeline and suspend its operations; the duration of the shutdown remains unclear.
Warnings about AI
Houthis tried to use Claude to guide a missile
The Iran-backed Houthi militia attempted to use Anthropic’s AI model, Claude, to develop navigation systems for ballistic missiles, the *Financial Times* reports.
In a report, Anthropic states that "threat actors in northern Yemen"—an area largely controlled by the Houthis—ran three weapons development programs.
The company has seen no evidence that the actors succeeded in deploying an operational missile, though they reportedly conducted a test launch. However, the test appears to have failed; the actors returned to Claude a few hours later to figure out what had gone wrong.
A Houthi spokesperson stated that it is "illogical" for the group to need to use open-source software to produce weapons, the *Washington Post* reports.
AI agents behind another cyberattack
The AI-orchestrated cyberattack on the platform Hugging Face in July was not the first of its kind. Two months earlier, OpenAI’s so-called AI agents broke out of a test environment and attacked RubyGems, an online service for coders, *The Wall Street Journal* reports. The company was forced to halt all new account registrations to manage the situation.
OpenAI confirms the incident and states that the company is investigating what happened.
Houthi Rebels
Over 40,000 Yemeni civilians flee Houthi advance
Around 46,000 people have fled their homes in western Yemen since early September, when the Iran-backed Houthi militia began advancing in the area—a move Saudi Arabia has countered with airstrikes. This is reported by AFP, citing UN figures.
In total, at least 76,000 people have been displaced since July, when the Houthis initiated a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia. The figure is expected to rise in the coming days, according to the UN migration agency, IOM.
"They are exhausted. Their resources are gone. Most have fled with nothing but the clothes on their backs," the IOM stated.
International response
Russian participation in G20 – Zelenskyy wants to meet Putin
Russia will send a new delegation to next week’s G20 meeting in Houston, a Russian diplomat stated, according to AFP. This marks the second time in a short period that Russia is participating in the political meeting—a move that has drawn criticism from other member nations, including Canada.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed a willingness to meet Vladimir Putin at an upcoming G20 meeting in Miami in December.
"We have to go. We have to meet to talk and make decisions," he said in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
Russia has not yet responded to Zelenskyy’s proposal.
The fighting
Sources: 150,000 Russian troops massed for offensive
Russia has deployed 150,000 troops toward the city of Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to Ukrainian defense sources; the *Kyiv Post* reported the news. The city is located close to the occupied parts of the region and has been described as a key strategic objective for the Russians.
Johan Huovinen, a lecturer at the Swedish Defence University, tells *DN* that there is no reason to doubt the advance is taking place. However, he is skeptical about the high troop figure.
"It sounds unlikely. That would be on the same scale as when Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022, and considering the number of vehicles required, for instance, it would have been captured in images and visible via satellite," says Huovinen.
Russian intelligence services helped plan the attack involving an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August, according to a report.
German officials have identified a person believed to be involved who is said to belong to the military intelligence agency GRU. The individual is a Russian national—referred to as Oleg Le by the German newspaper *Welt am Sonntag*—whom officials suspect acted as a logistics coordinator for the operation.
This information formed the basis for Berlin's decision to hold Russia responsible and to close the Russian consulate in Bonn and a Russian cultural center in Berlin, according to the newspaper.
Russia has denied any involvement.
Yemeni government forces state that they have struck the Houthi movement in the strategically important Red Sea city of Mocha.
The country's government has released video footage purportedly showing attacks on Houthi equipment and positions, Al Jazeera reports.
Following a week-long offensive, the Houthis captured the southern section of Yemen's Red Sea coast on Friday, consolidating their control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The strait is vital for Saudi Arabia's oil exports, given that the Strait of Hormuz is closed due to the war between the US and Iran.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the Houthis had asked the US not to intervene.
Axios reported on Friday that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—according to sources—called Trump and asked him to order attacks on the Houthis. Trump reportedly refused.
