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Russia and China have condemned the US indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro, as Secretary of State Rubio signalled cautious optimism over a potential US-Iran deal.

This comes as the EU criticised the UK for quietly rolling back Russia sanctions without notifying G7 allies, and Ukraine reinforced its northern border after intelligence identified five potential Russian offensive scenarios.

Read more below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇨🇺 Russia and China condemn Castro indictment: Both countries pushed back against the US decision to charge former Cuban President Raúl Castro over the 1996 downing of two planes that killed four people, with Moscow calling the pressure campaign borderline violent and Beijing urging Washington to stop weaponising sanctions and courts. The charges come as the Trump administration escalates pressure on Cuba through fresh sanctions, oil blockades, and increased surveillance.

2️⃣ 🇮🇷 Rubio sees signs of Iran deal but warns of red lines: The secretary of state said there are encouraging signs a deal to end the US-Iran war could be within reach, and warned that any agreement would collapse if Iran proceeds with tolling the Strait of Hormuz. Key sticking points remain, including Iran's near weapons-grade uranium stockpile, with Trump threatening a full-scale assault if talks fail and Iran's Revolutionary Guard vowing to expand the conflict if attacked again.

3️⃣ 🇬🇧 EU blindsided by UK Russia sanctions rollback: Brussels criticised London for quietly exempting Russian-origin jet fuel and diesel from a planned import ban without notifying G7 allies, with Economy Commissioner Dombrovskis insisting this is not the time to ease pressure on Moscow. Ukraine also appears to have been caught off guard, while the UK government defended the exemptions as temporary measures to protect consumers from energy market instability caused by the Middle East conflict.

4️⃣ 🇵🇱 Trump reverses course on Poland troop deployment: Trump announced he will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, appearing to walk back a Pentagon decision earlier this week to delay a planned rotation of 4,000 troops that had alarmed Warsaw and drawn criticism from Congress. The announcement comes ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Sweden, where Rubio is set to confront allies over their refusal to support the US-Israeli campaign against Iran.

5️⃣ 🇺🇦 Ukraine bolsters north amid Russian offensive fears: Kyiv is reinforcing its northern regions after President Zelensky said intelligence identified five Russian scenarios for a new offensive in the Chernihiv-Kyiv direction, with Ukraine also set to increase diplomatic pressure on Belarus over its role in facilitating Russian operations. No troop movements have been detected at the border yet, but unusual activity in the area has been noted in recent weeks.

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Major Story

🇨🇦 Alberta to hold referendum on staying in Canada

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has announced a provincial referendum for October 19, asking residents whether the province should remain in Canada or begin the constitutional process toward a binding separation vote — the country's most significant unity test in decades. The move follows a citizen-led separation petition that collected over 300,000 signatures.

Smith stated she and her government will vote to stay, but said she felt compelled to act after a court ruling invalidated the original separation petition following a challenge by indigenous First Nations groups over consultation rights. 

Should Albertans vote to advance toward separation, any subsequent binding referendum would be governed by the federal Clarity Act, requiring a clear majority and unambiguous question, with oversight from the federal House of Commons before lengthy negotiations could begin.

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Other News

1️⃣ 🌍 UN backs landmark climate obligations ruling: The UN General Assembly voted 141-8 to endorse an ICJ ruling that states have a legal obligation to act on the climate crisis, with the US, Russia, Saudi Arabia and five others voting against. The resolution, championed by Vanuatu, affirms that climate action is a binding legal duty, though the US had previously lobbied member states to reject it.

2️⃣ 🇲🇱 Jihadists tighten Bamako blockade ahead of Eid: Al-Qaeda-affiliated group JNIM has burned dozens of vehicles on roads leading into Mali's capital as part of an ongoing fuel blockade, driving up prices and disrupting the supply of livestock ahead of Eid al-Adha. The blockade has also deterred residents from travelling home for the holiday, deepening pressure on the military junta that has failed to contain the insurgency despite Russian paramilitary support.

3️⃣ 🇪🇺 EU tech sovereignty is not protectionism, digital chief says: Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen said the bloc's push for technological sovereignty is about reducing risky dependencies and building capacity in critical sectors like semiconductors and cloud services, not retreating from global partners. The Commission is pursuing legislative proposals and public procurement reforms to strengthen homegrown technology as Europe looks to compete in the global AI race.

4️⃣ 🇱🇻 Russia targets Latvia with unfounded drone accusations: Russia's foreign intelligence service accused Latvia of allowing Ukraine to use its territory to launch drone strikes against Russia, with Moscow's UN envoy threatening military retaliation and claiming NATO would not come to the Baltic state's defence. Analysts describe the move as a rhetorical escalation timed to follow a major Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region, designed to manage domestic narratives while exploiting Latvia's current political instability.

5️⃣ 🇨🇩 US funding cuts hamper Ebola response: Aid workers and health experts say the dismantling of USAID, US withdrawal from WHO, and CDC budget reductions have significantly weakened the response to an Ebola outbreak in northeast DRC that has killed over 100 people across nearly 600 suspected cases. The State Department disputed the claims and announced $23 million in emergency funding, but former officials warn the loss of staff, infrastructure, and local partnerships has left responders critically short-handed.

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