Updated: Multiple casualties feared after 6.0-magnitude earthquake rocks eastern Afghanistan

At least 20 killed and dozens more feared dead in Afghanistan quake

 BBC 

Taliban government officials have urged aid organisations to aid the rescue effort in the remote mountainous areas.

The police chief of Kunar province tells the BBC toads to the area are blocked due to landslides caused by flooding and quake aftershocks.

He said rescue operations can only be carried out by air. 

The Taliban officials say they have limited resources and are requesting help from international organisations to provide helicopters to reach affected areas.

Modelling suggests hundreds of possible deathspublished at 20:52

20:52

The US Geological Survey (USGS), a governmental department which monitors earthquakes, suggests hundreds of people could be killed in this quake.

Modelling on its website estimates that "significant casualties are likely" as the disaster is potentially "widespread". 

The USGS notes that previous earthquakes in the region at the same alert level have required a regional or national level response.

So far 20 people have been confirmed to be killed.

Whole villages are under rubblepublished at 20:36

20:36BREAKING

Multiple sources from the Taliban government have told the BBC that “dozens of houses are under rubble” and it is now feared that hundreds of people could be killed and wounded in the earthquake.

It is believed that mostly houses are damaged in Mazar valley, in the Norgal district of Kunar province which shares a border with Pakistan.

The valley is located in a mountainous area. 

So far 20 people have been confirmed killed in the quake.

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Multiple casualties feared after 6.0-magnitude earthquake rocks eastern Afghanistan

Billy Stockwell

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan’s eastern region near the Pakistan border on Sunday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

USGS reported that the quake occurred 27km (16.77 miles) north-east of Jalalabad, in Nangarhar Province, and at a depth of 8km (4.97 miles). It struck at 11:47 p.m. local time. USGS models estimate the shaking could result in hundreds of fatalities.

Nearly half a million people likely felt strong to very strong shaking, which can result in considerable damage to poorly built structures, according to the USGS.

At least nine people were killed and 25 others were injured in Nangarhar, Reuters reported, citing Ajmal Darwaish, spokesman for the province’s health department.

“Unfortunately, tonight’s earthquake has had human casualties and financial damages in some of our eastern provinces,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid posted on X.

“Right now, local officials and residents are making all the efforts to rescue affected ones. Support teams from the capital and nearby provinces are also on their way. All available resources will be used for the rescue and relief of the people,” he added.

Around 20 minutes after the quake struck, a 4.5-magnitude aftershock hit the same region, according to USGS, later followed by a 5.2-magnitude aftershock — both at a depth of 10km (6.21 miles).

An orange alert was issued by the USGS PAGER system, which predicts economic and human loss after earthquakes.

“Significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread. Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response,” it said.

Ahmad Zameer, 41, a resident in Kabul, told CNN the earthquake was strong and jolted his neighborhood more than 100 miles from the epicenter. He added that everyone from the nearby apartment buildings rushed to the street in fear of being trapped inside.

'We Have Many Options': US Warships Pass Through Panama Canal Toward Southern Caribbean

'We Have Many Options': US Warships Pass Through Panama Canal Toward Southern Caribbean

 TYLER DURDEN

U.S. warships were seen entering the Panama Canal while navigating east toward the Atlantic, according to photos taken on Aug. 30.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Aug. 19 that President Donald Trump was “prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into [the United States] and to bring those responsible to justice.”

“Many Caribbean nations and many nations in the region have applauded the administration’s counterdrug operations and efforts,” Leavitt added.

As Jacob Burg reports below, the previous day, a White House official told The Epoch Times that U.S. naval and air assets would deploy to the southern Caribbean Sea amid a heightened counternarcotics effort.

That deployment puts U.S. warships a short distance off Venezuela’s northern coastline, following years of strained relations between the United States and Venezuela.

In 2017, Trump told reporters, “We have many options for Venezuela, including a possible military option, if necessary.”

Trump rejected the 2018 snap presidential election, in which Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner. He also backed then-Venezuelan National Assembly President Juan Guaidó’s efforts to declare himself the rightful head of state of Venezuela until new elections commenced.

In 2019, Guaidó led a short-lived attempted uprising against Maduro. A year later, the U.S. Department of Justice declared that Maduro was linked to both drug and weapons trafficking and offered $15 million for information leading to the regime leader’s arrest.

When Maduro claimed he had won Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election, the Biden administration rejected the results, and accusations mounted that the outcome was rigged for Maduro.

Now, the Justice Department is offering $50 million for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.

Maduro denounced the news that U.S. warships were traveling to the Southern Caribbean this week.

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Zelensky threatens ‘new deep strikes’ into Russia

Zelensky threatens ‘new deep strikes’ into Russia

RT

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has threatened new strikes into Russia, days after claiming that Kiev possessed a brand-new long-range missile capable of reaching Moscow.

Zelensky wrote on Telegram that he had been briefed by Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Aleksandr Syrsky, on the current battlefield situation.

“We will continue our active actions exactly as needed to protect Ukraine. Forces and means are prepared. New deep strikes have also been planned,” he said on Sunday, without providing further details.

Earlier this month, Zelensky claimed Ukraine had developed the long-range Flamingo missile with a reported range of 3,000 kilometers – which would be enough to reach not only Moscow but also Russian cities beyond the Ural mountains. The Ukrainian leader, however, said that mass production is not expected for the next several months.

However, British media outlets cast doubts on whether the Flamingo was developed in Ukraine, noting similarities with the FP-5 cruise missile produced by the UK-based Milanion Group and unveiled at an arms expo in Abu Dhabi this year. The UK has also been supportive of Kiev’s long-range strikes, having provided it with Storm Shadow missiles in the past.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that there is “nothing surprising” in the similarities, adding that “Ukraine has long turned into a testing ground for Western weapons. There are more than enough examples.”

On Friday, the Kyiv Independent also reported that Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau had launched an investigation into Fire Point, the defense firm linked to the development of the Flamingo missile, after reports it misled the government on pricing and deliveries

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US had blocked Ukraine from carrying out strikes deep inside Russian territory. Throughout the conflict, some of Kiev’s Western backers have been wary of authorizing unrestricted strikes into Russia using Western-supplied weapons, citing concerns over escalation with Moscow.

Ukraine has regularly carried out long-range attacks inside Russia, which Moscow says frequently hit civilian areas and critical infrastructure. Russia has retaliated with strikes on Ukrainian military-related facilities and defense enterprises but maintains that it never targets civilians.

‘EU warmongers sabotaging’ Trump’s Ukraine peace efforts

‘EU warmongers sabotaging’ Trump’s Ukraine peace efforts – Putin envoy

RT

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has accused the EU of deliberately undermining US-led peace efforts in Ukraine, following media reports that Washington increasingly believes European leaders are obstructing negotiations.

In a series of posts on X, Dmitriev said Brussels is “sabotaging a real peace process” by encouraging Kiev to pursue what he called “impossible demands.” His remarks came after reports in Axios and The Atlantic that the White House is growing frustrated with EU governments for undermining US President Donald Trump’s peace initiative.

“EU warmongers exposed… Even Washington now sees it – EU leaders are prolonging the conflict in Ukraine with impossible demands,” Dmitriev wrote, urging the bloc to “drop Biden’s failed logic” and “stop sabotaging a real peace process.”

“I warned about these efforts to sabotage the Trump peace plan before,” he added in a separate post. The envoy, who was part of the Russian delegation at the Alaska summit between Trump and Putin, also criticized a recent Politico report on Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, which he described as an attempt to discredit the American side’s mediation.

“Afraid of a peace plan, EU/UK warmongers push ‘foreign influence’ ops in the US and worldwide to undermine US-Russia talks. Dialogue will prevail – more key people see the massive effort to derail progress,” he wrote.

Dmitriev has previously praised Trump for seeking what he described as a “real solution”to the conflict. He has also denounced Brussels’ repeated sanctions packages against Russia, arguing that they are aimed at prolonging the war and blocking cooperation between Moscow and Washington.

Moscow has long insisted on a peace agreement that addresses the underlying causes of the conflict. It has demanded that Ukraine maintain neutrality, stay out of NATO and other military blocs, demilitarize and denazify, and accept the current territorial reality – including the status of Crimea and other regions that voted to join Russia in referendums in 2014 and 2022.

Leaked Hamas Documents Reveal Protests Weakened Israel, Paved Way for Oct. 7 Massacre

Leaked Hamas Documents Reveal Leftist Protests Weakened Israel, Paved Way for Oct. 7 Massacre (Video)

RAIR Foundation

Leaked Hamas intelligence documents reveal that leftist protests weakened the Israeli military, emboldened Hamas, and directly paved the way for the October 7 massacre—exposing a dangerous nexus between international protest movements and Islamic jihad.

In one of the most underreported revelations to come out of Israel this past week, documents captured by the IDF from Hamas headquarters—and traced directly to the desk of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar—have exposed just how deeply the terror organization monitored and exploited Israel’s internal protests before October 7, 2023.

The Hebrew press, led by i24NEWS, broke the story after classified Hamas intelligence assessments were leaked. These reports show Hamas meticulously tracked weekly anti-government demonstrations across Israel, especially noting the refusal of Israeli Air Force reserve pilots and other elite IDF units to report for duty.

The documents reveal that Hamas concluded Israeli society was “in chaos,” that the IDF’s operational strength was collapsing, and that the crisis in Israel’s unity presented the perfect opportunity for a major strike. According to these captured files, the number one motivator for Hamas’s October 7 attack was the perception of weakness caused by the protests themselves.

One Hamas assessment dated July 25, 2023—two and a half months before the massacre—reads:

“The enemy’s army experiences a crisis of severe distrust among the Israeli armed forces and reserve officers, especially in the Israeli Air Force. This crisis has a negative effect on operational abilities. Since the uprising, rebellion will increase significantly. Likewise, the uprising affects readiness and willingness to deal with challenges at the front lines.”

The report specifically cited the “Brothers in Arms” movement—a group of reserve soldiers leading judicial reform protests—highlighting its threats that 10,000 reservists would refuse service. Hamas listed names, ranks, units, and the extent of refusals. The terror group noted how the Israeli Chief of Staff and Air Force commander publicly acknowledged concern over the military’s fractured state.

Hamas’s conclusion: Israel was vulnerable, divided, and ripe for a devastating assault.

More...

German Political Parties (Ex-AfD) Sign 'Fairness Pact' That Prevents Criticizing Immigration

German Political Parties (Ex-AfD) Sign 'Fairness Pact' That Prevents Criticizing Immigration

Thomas Brooke

In Cologne’s upcoming local election campaign, all major parties except the Alternative for Germany (AfD) have pledged to speak only positively about immigration and avoid linking it to social problems.

The CDU, SPD, Greens, FDP, Left Party, Volt, and Die Partei signed a “fairness agreement” initiated by the “Cologne Round Table for Integration” association.

The pact commits the signatories not to blame migrants or refugees for unemployment, crime, or security concerns. 

It also promises an active fight against racism and antisemitism, with compliance monitored by Protestant and Catholic church representatives. Citizens are encouraged to report possible breaches of the agreement by party campaigners or candidates.

The agreement explicitly excluded the AfD from the process, with those involved insisting the right-wing party does not share their values and should not be welcomed to sign, not that there was any suggestion that the party would do so.

The deal has sparked sharp criticism from both academics and political rivals. Political scientist Werner Patzelt told Bild that the decision was “tactically stupid,” arguing that leaving migration concerns unaddressed hands the AfD an open goal.

“Our parties are so stupid that they don’t see the tactical disadvantage and are so weak-minded that they don’t see that they themselves are damaging our democracy by not wanting to talk about important issues,” he said.

The AfD condemned the agreement as an attempt to silence debate.

The party’s Cologne district spokesperson, Christer Cremer, told RTL, as cited by T-Online:

“I view this fairness agreement somewhat critically, because I believe it is intended to suppress debate. Especially during the election campaign, it must be possible to address all issues, including issues of migration, but also many other things.”

Taking to X, the local AfD party wrote:

“The AfD is not going along with this. We won’t allow the left to forbid us from saying what we say. We address problems and propose solutions.”

More... 

Xi welcomes Putin and Modi in China: LIVE UPDATES

Xi welcomes Putin and Modi in China: LIVE UPDATES

RT

Chinese President Xi Jinping is welcoming top leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit is set to open in Tianjin on Sunday. More than 20 heads of state and representatives from ten international organizations are attending. 

The summit, which wraps up on September 1, unfolds against the backdrop of rising global tensions – from the Ukraine conflict and Israel’s war in Gaza to escalating trade disputes sparked by US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. The summit will address regional security, economic cooperation, and cultural ties, along with transport, energy, digitalization, AI, and green development.

On September 2, Putin will travel to Beijing for talks with Xi focused on trade, security, the Ukraine conflict, and ties with the US. The next day, he will take part in events marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. He is also expected to hold around ten bilateral meetings with leaders including India’s Narendra Modi, Türkiye’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian.

• 11:38 GMT

  Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived at the SCO summit in Tianjin, where he was personally welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan.

10:38 GMT

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit as “fruitful,” noting that they discussed the positive momentum in India-China relations.

• 10:30 GMT

  During a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the two countries should remain “friends and good neighbors.”
  

  “The World is going towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilizational countries. We are the world’s two most populous countries and part of the Global South,” Xi said. “It is vital… [for] the Dragon and the Elephant to come together.”
  

  “We must also step up to our historic responsibilities to uphold multilateralism, a multipolar world, and more democracy in international institutions and work together for peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world,” he added.

MORE...

Canada Sprays Cancer-Linked Glyphosate from Helicopters Over Forests and Families

Canada Sprays Cancer-Linked Glyphosate from Helicopters Over Forests and Families

RAIR Foundation

Canada is dumping poison from the sky. On August 24th, RAIR Foundation USA filmed three Ontario women who are leading the charge to stop the government’s aerial spraying of glyphosate — better known as Roundup — across forests and communities that families depend on for food, water, and life itself.

Officials claim the chemical is needed to “manage” forests and protect young pine trees from competing vegetation. In reality, the spraying kills everything in its path — plants, wildlife, soil health — while exposing nearby towns to a toxin internationally linked to cancer, water contamination, and ecological collapse.

This is not forest management, it is chemical warfare against the land and the people who live on it.

Burns stressed that the government and its partners are presenting this spraying as lawful and responsible stewardship, when in reality, they have no sweeping authority to poison these lands. The public has been deliberately left ignorant of their property rights, creating the illusion of compliance. The Ministry of Natural Resources claims the practice protects forests, but in truth, it violates Ontario’s own Endangered Species Act and federal environmental protections. Glyphosate does not “manage” forests — it annihilates them, killing plants, animals, and habitats alike.

This is being done under the guise of environmental care, Burns warned, but in reality, it is part of a centralized agenda where bureaucrats and private corporations wield power over land that rightfully belongs to the people. Crown land is not government property — it is shared, lived on, and depended upon by citizens, and must never be treated as a chemical dumping ground.

Burns pointed to Quebec, where in 2001, citizens successfully forced a ban on aerial glyphosate spraying after massive public opposition. That decision not only safeguarded health and the environment, it also created new forestry jobs in manual management. Ontario could achieve the same — but only if citizens act.

Burns’ warnings were followed by young mother and environmental activist Charity Parisian, who explained how she stumbled into leadership. One night, after putting her four children to bed, she saw the Ministry’s announcement about spraying and went looking for a protest to join. Finding none, she created one herself. By morning, she had launched the “Stop the Spray in the Ottawa Valley” group, sent a barrage of emails, and begun organizing a demonstration outside the Ministry’s Pembroke office.

Armed with a background in environmental technology, Parisian dismantled the forestry company’s claim that glyphosate was needed to protect white pine saplings from berries and shrubs. This isn’t responsible forestry, she argued — it is plantation-style farming disguised as conservation. Worse still, chemicals won’t simply kill raspberries and blackberries, but will poison entire ecosystems, weaken soils, and leave behind tinder-dry ground primed for wildfires.

More.....

Severe flooding in Punjab kills 24, inundates 1,000 villages

Severe flooding in Punjab kills 24, inundates 1,000 villages and damages 148,260 acres of farmland

Rishav Kothari

Severe flooding affecting Punjab since mid-August has claimed 24 lives as of August 30, impacting over 1 000 villages and destroying vast areas of farmland. The floods continue to ravage the state.

A total of 11 330 persons have been evacuated to safer locations from flood-affected areas through combined efforts of the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Border Security Force (BSF), and district authorities.

Evacuations include 2 819 persons from Ferozepur, 1 052 from Hoshiarpur, 240 from Kapurthala, 4 771 from Gurdaspur, 24 from Moga, 1 100 from Pathankot, 60 from Tarn Taran, 25 from Barnala, and 1 239 from Fazilka.

In the past 24 hours alone, 4 711 persons were evacuated and moved to safer areas. These include 812 from Ferozepur, 2 571 from Gurdaspur, 4 from Moga, 60 from Tarn Taran, 25 from Barnala, and 1 239 from Fazilka.

As of August 28, 77 of the 87 relief camps set up in flood-affected areas remain fully operational, sheltering 4 729 persons.

According to local officials, 1 018 villages across the state have been affected by flooding. This includes 81 in Pathankot, 52 in Fazilka, 45 in Tarn Taran, 64 in Sri Muktsar Sahib, 22 in Sangrur, 101 in Ferozepur, 107 in Kapurthala, 323 in Gurdaspur, 85 in Hoshiarpur, and 35 in Moga.

More than 60 000 ha (148 260 acres) of farmland has been inundated. Reports from district headquarters indicate 16 632 ha (41 102 acres) affected in Fazilka, 10 806 ha (26 701 acres) in Ferozepur, 11 620 ha (28 720 acres) in Kapurthala, 7 000 ha (17 297 acres) in Pathankot, 9 928 ha (24 531 acres) in Tarn Taran, and 5 287 ha (13 063 acres) in Hoshiarpur.

The flooding has been driven by swollen Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, along with seasonal rivulets, following heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

US believes EU blocking Ukraine peace with ‘unreasonable‘ demands

US believes EU blocking Ukraine peace with ‘unreasonable‘ demands – Axios

RT

The White House believes certain European governments are quietly obstructing efforts to end the Ukraine conflict by encouraging Kiev to push for unrealistic demands, despite publicly endorsing President Donald Trump’s peace initiative, Axios has reported.

Trump administration officials are increasingly frustrated with what they describe as the EU’s “maximalist” position and its expectations for Washington to shoulder the burden while contributing little themselves, the publication wrote on Saturday.

“The Europeans don’t get to prolong this war and backdoor unreasonable expectations, while also expecting America to bear the cost,” an anonymous top US official said. “If Europe wants to escalate this war, that will be up to them. But they will be hopelessly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.”

“Some of the Europeans continue to operate in a fairy-tale land that ignores the fact it takes two to tango,” another unnamed source said.

Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this month and later hosted Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky in Washington. He pushed for a lasting peace rather than a ceasefire. He also threatened to impose tariffs and sanctions on both Ukraine and Russia if they failed to make meaningful progress in talks.

Trump’s frustration with both Kiev and EU allies has also grown in recent days, according to The Atlantic, which reported that the president now sees Ukraine and its European backers as standing in the way of a negotiated settlement. During private conversations, Trump has reportedly voiced dissatisfaction over Zelensky’s unwillingness to consider concessions and the EU’s refusal to support what the White House considers a “realistic” outcome.

“He just wants this over. It almost doesn’t matter how,” a senior official told The Atlantic, adding that Trump has urged Ukraine to “show some flexibility.”

Moscow has long insisted on a peace agreement that eradicates the underlying causes of the conflict. It has demanded that Ukraine maintain neutrality, stay out of NATO and other military blocs, demilitarize and denazify, and accept the new territorial reality – including the status of Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye as part of Russia – territories that voted to join the country in referendums in 2014 and 2022.

Hizballah threatens civil war after Lebanon’s decision to disarm it, says ‘treasonous’ government must fall

Hizballah threatens civil war after Lebanon’s decision to disarm it, says ‘treasonous’ government must fall

Christine Douglass-Williams

In early August, Lebanon declared that it was no longer under Iranian patronage or dictates, and then vowed to disarm Hizballah.

A Foreign Policy article entitled “Why Hezbollah Is Rich and Lebanon Is Poor” tells part of the story of how the people of Lebanon suffered an economic collapse under Hizballah. And now, Hizballah is determined to hold on to power, threatening to provoke a civil war in the face of efforts to disarm the group.

Hizballah referenced the Lebanese government as “treasonous”; in Hizballah’s view, Lebanon should be focused on Islam and Islamic jihad, with the priority being “death to Israel…death to America.” To oppose that vision is treasonous in Hizballah’s view.

Hizballah still hasn’t learned from Israel’s exploding pagers incident. Instead, it declares “We will fight as we fought in Karbala.” This signals Hizballah’s determination to continue the bloody jihad no matter what the losses. The Battle of Karbala happened in 680 CE, when Husayn ibn Ali, Muhammad’s grandson, led a small army against the forces of the Umayyad Caliph Yazid I, but was defeated. The battle lead to the “martyrdom” of Husayn, his family and many of his followers. Historically, this was the beginning of the Sunni-Shi’ite split; Shi’ites still mourn the death of Husayn annually. That Hizballah would reference this battle shows the extent of zeal driving the group. Despite the passage of time since Karbala, Hizballah is ready to fight to the death at attain “martyrdom” in the way of Allah. It also underscores the extent of the Islamic zeal that motivates jihadists.

It’s also obvious, however, that the Lebanese government will put up a fierce fight, and that Israel will side with Lebanon against the threat of Hizballah, should it indeed rise again.

“Hizbullah Threatens Civil War Following Government Decision To Disarm It, Says The ‘Treasonous’ Government Must Fall,” by N. Mozes, MEMRI, August 28, 2025:

The Lebanese government’s historic decision on August 7, 2025 to disarm Hizbullah and the other militias in the country, and to restrict the possession of weapons to the Lebanese Army and official security forces, was met with fury by Hizbullah, which hurried to clarify that it would not relinquish its weapons even at the cost of sparking an internal conflict or civil war in Lebanon.

Hizbullah – which disputes the legality of the decision on the grounds that the Lebanese Constitution and the Taif Agreement both sanction its activity against Israel[1] – accuses Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and his government of treason and of succumbing to Israeli and American dictates. It calls to overthrow the government, although its representatives have not resigned from it and continue to hold their positions in it.[2]

In its messages to the public, Hizbullah characterizes its weapons as sacred and a senior Shi’ite cleric even referred to them as “the weapons of Allah.” Videos circulated by the organization on its media and social media platforms featured speeches by former Hizbullah officials, including  the organization’s former secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah, which underlined the duty of jihad and the sanctity of the weapons, among them videos titled “My Weapons Are Too Sacred to Be Removed”[3] and  “We Shall Not Be Traitors and Shall Not Relinquish Our Weapons.”[4]

In an attempt to enlist maximum support from the Shi’ite public, Hizbullah officials describe the government’s decision as a blow to the entire Shi’ite sect, which must be opposed.

These officials also lent the conflict a religious-historical dimension by comparing the Lebanese government and Hizbullah’s political rivals to the second Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Mu’awiya (Yazid I), who in Shi’ite Islam is an emblem of oppressive tyranny that must be fought, and promised to fight the government’s decision just as the Shi’ite Imam Hussein ibn Ali fought Yazid in the historic Battle of Karbala.[5]

Hizbullah’s patron Iran and other elements in the resistance axis – specifically the Houthi Ansar Allah movement in Yemen and the Iran-backed Shi’ite militias in Iraq – have come to Hizbullah’s defense. They attacked the Lebanese government and its decision, urged Hizbullah to oppose it and clarified that they would help it do so.

This report reviews Hizbullah’s responses to the Lebanese government’s decision to disarm it.

We Will Not Give Up Our Weapons; We Will Fight As We Fought In Karbala…

Russia and China Forge a Beacon of Strength

Russia and China Forge a Beacon of Strength for the Global Majority

Sputnik

Russia and China can definitely serve as an example for cooperation within BRICS+ nations, Ashraf Patel, a research associate with the South African Institute for Global Dialogue, tells Sputnik.

"The relationship between both Russia and China is very strong," Patel says. "These relations have been rooted in the World War II era, in the fight against fascism and the victory, and they have continued in the current era." 

How is it evolving? 

Russia and China collaborate bilaterally as well as via international platforms like BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization 

Russia is a leading exporter of oil and gas to China, and the countries collaborate in technology sharing, infrastructure, agriculture, security and innovations 

Since 2021, trade turnover between Russia and China has increased by around $100 billion, Russian President Vladimir Putin says. In 2024, trade between China and Russia reached a new record of $245 billion. 

The dollar and the euro now make up only a negligible share of trade payments between Russia and China 

Russia and China set a great precedent in the eyes of developing countries of the G77 group.

"G77 is very important," says Patel. "G77 is the poorer nations that are suffering because there is no World Trade Organization that is functioning. And we need BRICS nations to assist G77 nations in infrastructure, fair trade and climate finance."

Putin stressed in his interview with Chinese news agency Xinhua this week that Russia and China advocate for the reform of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. 

"It is important to prevent the use of the financial sphere for neo-colonial purposes that contradict the fundamental interests of the Global Majority," Putin said.

Russian Naval Drones Send Strong Message to Ukraine and NATO

Russian Naval Drones Send Strong Message to Ukraine and NATO

Sputnik

Russia used unmanned surface vessels (USVs) to destroy the Ukrainian surveillance ship Simferopol in the Danube delta. Why were USVs chosen for the task, rather than missiles? 

Russia demonstrated its ability to destroy enemy ships in coastal zones protected by air and ground defense systems, military expert and historian of air defense forces Yuriy Knutov tells Sputnik. 

The Simferopol was a former fishing trawler that Ukraine converted into a reconnaissance vessel. Ukraine assumed that by keeping the ship in the estuary, Russian intelligence would not find her. 

The USVs had to pass through a mined area, but the boats have a shallow draught so the mines did not affect them, Knutov says. The boats succeeded in moving unnoticed. 

Knutov views the attack as Russia's "readiness to use unmanned boats against other ships that will deliver weapons and military equipment to the port of Odessa" 

The attack sends a strong message to Ukraine and its NATO backers: Russia is operating at a level that is on par with or surpassing the military capabilities of the US and the UK 

The destruction of the Simferopol could give additional leverage in Russia-Ukraine negotiations — "because we now possess capabilities that allow us to remotely and effectively neutralize enemy naval vessels," carrying military cargo from NATO states 

New USVs Show Russian Defense Sector is Adapting Fast 

Russia already had unmanned boats a year ago, but it was necessary to test them in real combat conditions 

The first combat use of the USVs occurred almost one month after Russia's July Storm exercises, in which their deployment was demonstrated publicly 

The Russian Ministry of Defense released footage showing 'the Baltic Fleet forces destroying a mock enemy ship through the combined use of unmanned maritime systems' as an unnamed naval drone hit a large sea target with a spectacular explosion