World

International affairs, events, and conflicts

World
Putin seeks economic victories from US talks on Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin may plan to use this week’s talks with United States President Donald Trump to negotiate an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to improve Russia’s struggling economy. Trump and Putin will meet in Alaska on Friday. Russia’s economy has faltered in recent months due to a slump in its oil revenues, high inflation, and international sanctions. Russia could seek U.S. investment or economic collaboration at these talks, the Kremlin has suggested. “Incidentally, the economic interests of our countries intersect in Alaska and the Arctic, and there are prospects for implementing large-scale and mutually beneficial projects,” said Putin advisor Yuri Ushakov. Trump has said the U.S. will drastically raise tariffs on countries purchasing oil from Russia, such as India, but has so far declined to add further sanctions on Russia. The U.S. also will impose tariffs of 100% on Russian goods if no deal is reached to end the war. While Trump has initially set a 50-day deadline for this peace agreement last month, he later cut this to “10 or 12 days”, and has said tariffs could begin before the deadline. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not been invited to the Alaska talks, though the White
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Netanyahu defends Gaza plan despite protests
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has defended his plan to seize the Gaza Strip, which could displace much of the population along the strip. He made the comments at a press conference in Jerusalem despite tens of thousands of Israelis protesting the plan, which was approved by Israel’s Security Cabinet late last week. “We have about 70 to 75% of Gaza under Israeli control, military control. But we have two remaining strongholds. These are Gaza City and the central camps in Al Mawasi,” Netanyahu told reporters. “Given Hamas’s refusal to lay down its arms, Israel has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas” During an emergency weekend session of the UN Security Council in New York, there were repeated warnings that the move would cause a dire humanitarian crisis, rather than end the 22-month war. “If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza, reverberating across the region and causing further forced displacement, killings, and destruction,” UN Assistant Secretary General, Miroslav Jenca said. According to Gaza’s health ministry, five more people, including two children, have died from malnutrition, bringing the number of children who have die
World
Japan's ageing society suffers record low birth rate
Japan's demographic emergency has deepened further, with just 686,061 births recorded in 2024 - the lowest figure since government records began in 1899. With nearly 1.6 million deaths occurring simultaneously, the nation now witnesses more than two deaths for every birth, marking the steepest population decline since surveys commenced in 1968. It's the 16th consecutive year of population contraction, creating mounting pressure on Japan's pension and healthcare infrastructure while fundamentally reshaping investment landscapes across multiple sectors. The overall population declined by 0.44 percent from 2023 to ~124.3 million at the start of 2025, with elderly residents aged 65 and over now making up a whopping 30% of the population - the second-highest proportion globally after micro-nation Monaco. The working-age demographic between 15 and 64 has contracted to just 60% of the total population, creating acute labor shortages that are driving corporate strategies toward automation and international expansion. While only slightly offsetting population and labour challenges, foreign residents reached a record high of 3.6 million people as of January this year - about 3% of Japan's population. Once one of the toughe
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US Envoy has productive peace talks with Vladimir Putin
United States Envoy Steve Witkoff spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin about a peace agreement in Ukraine. Witkoff met with Putin for around three hours on Wednesday local time in hopes of a breakthrough in the three-and-a-half-year war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to U.S. President Donald Trump, the meeting had been “highly productive” and “great progress was made”. “Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come,” he said on Truth Social. Despite the successful talks with Putin, a White House official said that Washington is still planning to follow through with secondary sanctions on countries that import Russian oil, including adding 25% to Indian tariffs. After a phone call with Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was “now more inclined to a ceasefire”. "The pressure on them works. But the main thing is that they do not deceive us in the details — neither us nor the US," he said. The Kremlin also said the talks were “useful and constructive”. Following the meeting between Witkoff and Putin, Trump said that there was a “good chance” that there would be a meeting between him and t
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Canadian wildfires cause air quality warnings in the US
Wildfires in Canada are beginning to impact air quality as the smoke continues to waft into parts of the U.S.. At least 741 wildfires are burning in Canada, with 304 of them labelled out of control that have burned more than 16 million acres this year, which is more than double their 10-year average to date. They have become the third most destructive Canadian wildfires since records started in 1983. Plumes of smoke have travelled to the U.S., turning skies orange over major cities including New York. The smoke has prompted the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to declare a “Code Orange Quality Action Day” in more than 40 counties, including the city of Philadelphia. "On a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities," the Pennsylvania EPA said. A code orange is just one level below a code red alert, which would signal unhealthy air for all individuals on the EPA's Air Quality Index Guide. The index guide also has a "code purple" level signifying "very unhealthy air" and a "code maroon" for hazardous air

World
US calls for all or nothing ceasefire deal in the Gaza
U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for an all-or-nothing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that would see the end of hostilities and all hostages returned. His Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff told hostage families the news over the weekend and said there can be “no piecemeal deals” in a leaked audio from Israeli news site Ynet. “Now, we think that we have to shift this negotiation to all or nothing. Everybody comes home,” Witkoff says later in the recording of the meeting with hostage families, which was also reported on by The New York Times. Daniel Lifshtiz corroborated the comments, saying Witkoff spoke to hostage families for nearly three hours and that Witkoff said the U.S. was looking “shift from partial deal to a full-scale deal”. “He spoke about shifting because there is nothing else to do now,” Lifshitz told NBC News. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Daniel Lifshitz's grandparents, Oded and Yocheved Lifshitz, were among the around 250 people taken hostage in the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leans towards expanding military operations for a full “conquest of the Strip”. “The die is cast – we’re goi
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Russian volcano erupts for first time in over 500 years
The Krasheninnikov Volcano in far eastern Russia erupted for the first time in more than 500 years, and experts believe it could be linked to last week’s massive earthquake. The eruption caused a second earthquake, which led to tsunami warnings in three areas of the peninsula. Both events are thought to be connected to an 8.8 magnitude earthquake that shook the region and caused tsunami warnings in French Polynesia and Chile. The volcano threw up an ash plume up to 6km high overnight, but Russia’s emergency ministry said there are no threats to populated areas. "The plume is spreading eastward from the volcano toward the Pacific Ocean," Kamchatka's emergencies ministry wrote on Telegram during the eruption. "There are no populated areas along its path, and no ash fall has been recorded in inhabited localities." The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team said the volcano’s activity was decreasing but that “moderate explosive activity” could continue. The eruption of the volcano has been assigned an orange aviation code, indicating a heightened risk to aircraft, the ministry said. The last recorded eruption of the Krasheninnikov Volcano was in the 15th century, according to the head of the Kamchatka Volcan
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India resumes visas for Chinese nationals after freeze
India has officially resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals as of 24 July, 2025, ending a five-year suspension that began in 2020 following the Galwan Valley border clash and pandemic-related restrictions. The move signals a cautious normalisation of bilateral relations and is expected to support tourism and cross-border engagement. India’s inbound tourism sector, which saw over 2 lakh Chinese tourist visas issued in 2019, is poised for a gradual recovery. The reopening could help revive revenue streams for the airlines, hospitality, and retail sectors impacted by the freeze. Chinese applicants must complete an online form, schedule an appointment, and submit documents in person at Indian Visa Application Centres in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Only tourist visas are currently available; the business and student categories remain restricted. The decision follows recent high-level meetings, including Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to Beijing and resuming direct flights. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said the move was part of broader efforts to restore people-to-people ties.
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China launches A$2k child subsidy to lift birth rate
China has introduced its first nationwide child-rearing subsidy, offering parents up to 10,800 yuan (approximately A$2,307) per child under three in a bid to reverse declining birth rates. The policy, announced on 29 July, provides annual payments of 3,600 yuan ($769) per child and is retroactive to 1 January 2025. Families with children born between 2022 and 2024 are also eligible for partial subsidies. The initiative is expected to benefit around 20 million families and comes amid growing demographic concerns, including a shrinking and aging population. Despite ending its one-child policy nearly a decade ago, China’s birth rate continues to fall. In 2024, the country recorded 9.54 million births — half the number seen in 2016 — and experienced its third consecutive year of population decline. Local governments have already piloted similar incentives: Hohhot offers up to 100,000 yuan per baby for families with three children, while Shenyang provides 500 yuan monthly for third children under age three. Beijing has also urged municipalities to expand free preschool access to ease financial burdens on young families. China's cost of raising a child averages $116,052 through age 17, making it one of the most e