The United Nations says it has had to temporarily suspend its aid operation in the Gaza Strip because of Israeli military evacuation orders in the centre of the Palestinian territory.

A senior official told the BBC that its humanitarian staff had been unable to operate on Monday because of safety concerns.

Israeli evacuation orders covering the central town of Deir al-Balah, where the UN has its main command centre, had forced staff to relocate quickly and leave equipment behind, they said.

However, the official stressed that UN agencies would not be leaving Gaza and were now trying to find somewhere to operate safely.

The UN is the primary provider and distributor of humanitarian aid inside the territory, which has been devastated by 10 months of war between Israel and Hamas.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas in response to an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

More than 40,430 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, and about 1.9 million people have been displaced.

EU warns of full-blown war in the Middle East

Tensions in the Middle East have reached a boiling point and EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, has expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict, warning of a potential ‘full-blown war’ if immediate actions are not taken.

With recent Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon and Hezbollah’s fierce response, the situation is more volatile than ever, he said. As the world watches, global leaders are urging de-escalation to prevent a catastrophic regional war.

European defence companies cash in as military budgets increase

The biggest European defence and aerospace companies are experiencing record order and cash flow levels, as new weapon orders from governments soar.

These include German firm Rheinmetall, British BAE Systems, France’s Thales and Sweden’s Saab.

The uptick in orders can primarily be explained by escalating geopolitical uncertainties, given the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict.

As a result, government military budgets have been increasing, which has meant more orders for defence contractors.

For 2024, the European Defence Agency has set aside a general budget of over €48,000m.

With this extra cash, companies are diverting more funds towards share buybacks and dividends, and forecasters expect more mergers and acquisitions on the horizon.

French electrical systems and defence company Thales recently reported a 26 per cent jump in order intake levels for the first half of the year, amounting to €10.8bn. This took the company’s order book to a new record high, at €47bn.

Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose 10.4 per cent to €1,096m for the first half of 2024, while sales also soared 8.9 per cent, coming to €9.5bn.

Guterres launches global ‘SOS’ on rising Pacific

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has launched a global “SOS” on climate at a Pacific Islands summit, unveiling research that shows the region’s seas are rising much faster than global averages.

“I am in Tonga to launch a global SOS – Save Our Seas –  on rising sea levels. A global catastrophe is endangering this Pacific paradise,” he said.

Guterres has said that big polluters have a clear responsibility to cut emissions – or risk a worldwide catastrophe. “The Pacific is today the most vulnerable area of the world,” he told the BBC at the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga. “There is an enormous injustice in relation to the Pacific and it’s the reason I am here.”

4 dead as Russia pummels Ukraine power grid

A hydroelectric power station at Kyiv’s main reservoir has been damaged by a Russian airstrike, Ukrainian media reports.

News agency UNIAN reported the strike after a footage of the damage appeared on Russian Telegram channels.

A fire in the turbine room of the hydroelectric power station and the road on the dam was damaged, the report said.

Russia launches drone and missile strikes across Ukraine

Russia launched a deadly large-scale attack across Ukraine on Monday, sending drones and cruise and ballistic missiles toward at least 15 regions, Ukrainian officials said.

The strikes were among the largest such aerial attacks since the war began in 2022, with Russia using at least 127 missiles and 109 drones in an attack that lasted over eight hours, according to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.

“And like most previous Russia strikes, this one is just as dastardly, targeting critical civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said.

Critical infrastructure, the energy sector and railroads were targeted in the attack, Zelenskyy said. At least seven people were killed and at least 47 others, including four children, were injured as a result of the attacks.

Zelenskyy calls for allied support against Russian airstrikes

President Zelenskyy has called for “decisive action” from Kyiv’s western partners following Monday’s large-scale Russian missile and drone strike. Stating that “weakness and inadequate responses fuel terror,” Zelenskyy called on Ukraine’s allies to lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons they have supplied, which currently prevent Ukraine from striking deeper into Russian territory.

“Ukraine cannot be constrained in its long-range capabilities when the terrorists face no such limitations,” Zelenskyy said, as the death toll from Monday’s attacks rose to five.

“America, Britain, France, and our other partners have the power to help us stop this terror. The time for decisive action is now.” He also called for western powers to intervene directly to help protect Ukraine from Russian air strikes.

Russian President in free fall

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suffered a major setback to his image in Kursk, 30 months into the war.

Official sources consulted by the independent press, Western experts and Russian military bloggers agree that it will take months for Moscow to drive enemy troops out of its territory.

The bold Ukrainian operation has overshadowed the clear Russian advances in the Donbas, where Ukrainian troops are clearly in retreat.

According to the Kremlin-friendly Public Opinion Research Centre, Putin’s image has suffered its biggest setback since the so-called “special” military operation began 30 months ago.

The poll, conducted between August 12, six days after the Ukrainian incursion began, and August 18, shows a 3.5 per cent drop in the president’s approval rating, from 77.1 per cent drop the previous week to 73.6 per cent drop.

Poll shows Kamala Harris up seven points over Donald Trump

A controversial new poll has Vice-Presoident Kamala Harris with a substantial lead over Donald Trump.

According to a survey released by the Fairleigh Dickinson University, Harris is leading at 50 per cent compared to Trump’s 43 per cent. With Independent voters, Harris has a slightly smaller lead of 38 per cent to Trump’s 33 per cent.

The poll was conducted before the Democratic National Convention wrapped up between August 17 and 20, and when RFK Jr. remained in the race.

But the poll appears to be an outlier as the Real Clear Politics average has her up over Trump just 1.5 points, well within the margin of error.

Trump warns of ‘World War III’ as he blasts Biden’s Middle East strategy

In a scathing critique of the Biden administration’s handling of the escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict, former US President Donald Trump warned that the situation could spiral into World War III.

Trump accused President Joe Biden of weak leadership and questioned Vice-President Kamala Harris’s diplomatic capabilities.

His comments came amid a series of intense Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, leading to heightened fears of a broader conflict in the region. The criticism highlights growing concerns over the administration’s strategy as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise.

Democrats sue to block new GOP-backed Georgia election rules

Democrats, with the backing of Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, on Monday sued to block controversial new election rules in Georgia that they warned could lead to post-election “chaos” in the presidential battleground state in November.

The lawsuit, filed in Georgia state court by the Democratic National Committee, the Georgia Democratic Party and Democratic members of several county election boards, takes aim at two rules passed recently by the Georgia State Election Board that allow election officials to conduct a “reasonable inquiry” before certifying election results and permit members of county election boards to investigate ballot counts.

The lawsuit marks a significant escalation of a controversy that has been brewing for weeks over the action of three Republican members of the state elections board, who recently won praise from Donald Trump for their moves.

Trump lost Georgia by just over 10,000 votes in 2020, and it was at the centre of his attempt to overturn the election with claims of voter fraud, though none was found.

Democrats are seeking a court ruling that makes clear that election superintendents do not have the discretion to delay the certification of election results or to refuse to certify the results altogether.

They are asking for the court to declare that “absent a valid judicial order to the contrary, election superintendents must certify the results of the November 5, 2024 election no later than 5:00pm on November 12, 2024”.

The complaint cites several cases dealing with Georgia elections to argue that “Georgia law has long treated election certification as non-discretionary”.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s arrest not political – Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said there was “no political motive” behind the arrest of the Russian-French Telegram founder. Russia said it has demanded access to Durov, but France will not cooperate.

French-Russian tech billionaire Pavel Durov, founder of the messaging app Telegram, will remain in French custody, with authorities extending his detention into Monday according to media reports.

After a maximum 96-hour initial detention for questioning, a judge can either free the 39-year-old or press charges and keep him in further custody.

With Russia and Elon Musk leading a charge of questions, claims, and demands for Durov’s release, President Macron took to X to denounce baseless speculation, saying: “I have seen false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov.”

“France,” Macron continued, “is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication,” adding: “The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision.”

EU Commission distances itself from French Telegram spat

The arrest of Pavel Durov, on suspicion of allowing criminal activity on his platform, has nothing to do with the company’s obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a spokesperson for the European Commission told Euronews on Monday.

“Criminal prosecution is not among the potential sanctions for a breach of the DSA. The DSA does not define what is illegal nor does it establish any criminal offence and can therefore not be invoked for arrests. Only national [or international] laws that define a criminal offence can be invoked,” the spokesperson said.

“We are closely monitoring the developments related to Telegram and stand ready to cooperate with the French authorities should it be relevant,” the Commission added.

Pakistan militant attacks leave dozens dead

A string of militant attacks in Pakistan left dozens dead, officials said on Monday. The attacks targeted civilians and policemen and were carried out by separatist insurgents.

“We have confirmed 39 people killed in several coordinated attacks carried out by the Baluch Liberation Army terrorists,” Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the Balochistan provincial government, told AFP.

The attack took place in the Balochistan region of Pakistan, which borders both Iran and Afghanistan. It was the most widespread assault by separatist insurgents in the area in many years.

Mariah Carey loses mother and sister on same day

Mariah Carey has had a double tragedy: the singer lost her mother and sister on the same day over the weekend. “My heart is broken. I lost my mom, and in a tragic turn of events, my sister died on the same day,” Carey told People magazine.

Carey’s mother, Patricia, was 87. Her sister, Alison, was 63. Mariah said she felt “lucky” to have been able to spend the last week of her life with Patricia. The 55-year-old singer had previously had difficult relationships with both women.

She had not had any relations with Alison in particular, a former drug addict who was HIV-positive and often homeless, for 30 years, traumatised because her sister had “drugged her with Valium, offered her cocaine, burned her with third-degree burns and tried to sell her to a pimp” when she was just 12.