Children – Sexual Abuse – Digital Space
(UN News) About 20 million children aged 12 to 17 – one in five across 21 countries – were sexually exploited by perpetrators using technology such as social media, according to a UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report released on Thursday. Key points: nearly 60 per cent of cases occurred on social media; many children do not report abuse; UNICEF calls for safer platforms and stronger laws. More than 15 million children in this age group were exposed to unwanted sexual content, nine million were asked to engage in sexual conversations or share sexual images against their will and four million had sexual images of themselves shared without their consent. UNICEF said the total figures are likely much higher. “The report reveals a painful reality,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said. “More than 20 million children across the countries studied were subjected to unwanted explicit sexual content or exploitation online, often in the digital spaces where they learn, play and connect with friends.” – One in five children in 21 nations faced tech-facilitated sexual abuse: UNICEF | UN News
China – US
(Reuters) President Xi Jinping is preparing a large business delegation to accompany him on his visit to Washington, two sources said, an unusual move given US skepticism towards Chinese investment and Beijing’s strained ties with private enterprise. Xi rarely travels abroad with corporate executives, many of whom fell out of favor after Beijing’s regulatory crackdowns on the technology, education and property sectors that began in 2020. The planned business delegation for the September 24 summit has not been previously reported. Reuters could not determine which executives would join the delegation. – China’s Xi to bring large CEO delegation on US visit, sources say
Climate Action
(UN News) Fuelled by exceptionally warm Pacific waters, the El Niño climate pattern is intensifying and has yet to peak. Forecasters are almost certain it will persist through February 2027 – with unusually warm conditions expected across much of the world in the coming months. El Niño is strengthening rapidly in the Pacific Ocean, raising the prospect of months of extreme heat, floods, drought, and disruptive weather around the globe. The phenomenon, already firmly established, is expected to become “very strong” and peak around the end of the year, according to new forecasts from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The likelihood that El Niño will persist through February 2027 is now close to 100 per cent. Never before has the UN weather agency issued such an unequivocal forecast for El Niño or its cooler counterpart, La Niña. – El Niño is surging. Months of extreme heat could follow | UN News
Germany
(Reuters) An attempt has been made to short-circuit an electricity grid transformer south of Duesseldorf in western Germany, according to police, the newspaper Bild reported on Friday, heightening a state of alert after two suspected sabotage attempts this week. Police received a letter claiming responsibility for the incident in Dormagen as well as vandalism at a substation in nearby Bergheim that took 4,200 megawatts in generating capacity offline on Tuesday. Germany has been the focus of European fears about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure this week. – German police report new grid sabotage attempt: Media
Germany – Russia
(Liana Fix – Council on Foreign Relations) Almost a month after it began investigating an attempted drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport, the German government announced on September 1 that Russia was responsible. U.S. intelligence had already linked the incident, in which an airport worker found a drone carrying military-grade explosives near a Ukrainian cargo plane, to Russia. The attempted attack appears to be part of an escalating Russian hybrid campaign against Europe that has seen intensifying disinformation efforts, drone incursions, cyberwarfare, and other acts of sabotage. Despite rhetoric about deterring such attacks, European leaders have been cautious about their response out of fear of Russian escalation. In Germany, the government response has been modest so far. Officials have emphasized that they do not consider Germany to be at war with Russia and have announced primarily diplomatic measures, such as the closing of the Russian consulate general in Bonn. Domestic politics are further complicating Germany’s response, particularly upcoming state elections in the east of the country, which are expected to see strong gains for the far-right—and Russia-friendly—Alternative for Germany (AfD). The first of those elections, on September 6, takes place in Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD is polling above 40 percent, far ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU). A recent national poll, meanwhile, found that the AfD was the most popular party, drawing 28 percent support compared with 21 percent for the CDU and its sister party in Bavaria, the Christian Social Union, and 12 percent for the Social Democratic Party, which is in a coalition with the CDU. – AfD and Russian Campaign Pose Threats to Germany’s Merz | Council on Foreign Relations
Israel – Gaza
(Reuters) Two Israeli ministers floated proposals this week for the mass removal of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, resurfacing an idea voiced repeatedly by right-wing politicians over the past three years as they seek to rally supporters ahead of an election. The calls by two of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political allies have revived Palestinian fears that Israel ultimately aims to forcibly expel them from Gaza despite US-led diplomatic efforts to end the conflict there. Far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir laid out a seven-year plan for removing Gaza’s population through “voluntary emigration” during a press conference on Thursday night. He said he would seek the creation of a “ministry in charge of emigration” in the next government. – Netanyahu partners renew calls for removal of Gazans as Israeli election nears
Nepal
(UN News) More than a week after flash floods struck the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river basin in Nepal, at least 22,000 children urgently need safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene support, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday. Water systems have been damaged across affected districts, while toilets and other sanitation facilities have been damaged or destroyed, raising the risk of waterborne and infectious diseases. “Every parent in these districts is now making the same calculation several times a day,” said Alice Akunga, UNICEF Representative in Nepal. “Where can I get water, and is it safe to give to my child?” – Nepal floods leave 22,000 children without safe water: UNICEF | UN News
Russia – Ukraine
(Reuters) A Russian drone attack on Friday targeted the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU security service in central Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. “Unfortunately, a Russian drone struck the central building of the Security Service of Ukraine on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv, across from St. Sophia Cathedral,” he said on X after speaking with acting head of the service Oleksandr Poklad. – Russia hits Ukraine’s security service headquarters in Kyiv, Zelenskyy says
(Barak Ravid – Axios) President Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel this weekend to Moscow and Kyiv for talks on ending the war, U.S. officials said. This will be the first visit by Witkoff and Kushner to Kyiv since President Trump returned to office. State of play: Witkoff and Kushner will travel on Friday, hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Saturday and then meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday. – Trump envoys Witkoff and Kushner to travel to Moscow and Kyiv this weekend
(Reuters) Russia attacked energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region overnight, Ukraine’s energy ministry said on Friday, warning of possible network restrictions. Odesa governor Oleh Kiper said earlier that one person had been killed and at least five injured in the attack. – Russia attacked energy facilities in Ukraine’s Odesa region overnight
Southeast Asia – Australia
(Renee Burton – ASPI The Strategist) Southeast Asia has quietly become the world’s largest manufacturing hub for financial fraud, and it’s no longer a distant problem for Australians. The scam economy operating out of Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and the Philippines is already reaching into Australian bank accounts and phones. In less than a decade, the industry has gone from misspelled emails and clumsy romance scams to vast, intricate business operations powered by AI-driven tools and manipulation tactics. There are now millions of victims and billions of dollars siphoned to cross-border criminal groups from all corners of the globe. It’s costing Australians billions. Conservative estimates for 2022 sit around A$3 billion, but the actual figure may be even higher, as Australian data is based only on incidents reported to the Australian Federal Police. – The rising sophistication of Southeast Asia’s scam factories | The Strategist
Southeast Asia – Maritime Surveillance
(Vincent Kyle Parada and Karryl Kim Sagun Trajano – ASPI The Strategiest) Maritime surveillance has become Southeast Asia’s critical capability gap. Artificial intelligence combined with orbital surveillance technologies – which we call space AI – offers one way to close it. As China asserts ownership and control of the South China Sea, the challenge for littoral countries is increasingly about information: who can see first, understand what they are seeing, and act first. Additional patrol ships and aircraft cannot maintain persistent awareness across some of the world’s busiest maritime spaces amid increasingly frequent confrontations involving coast guards, maritime militia and fishing vessels. The 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration award under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea clarified important legal principles. However, China’s rejection of the decision showed that legal victories mean little without the ability to monitor, document and respond to developments at sea. – AI-boosted orbital surveillance can close Southeast Asia’s maritime surveillance gap | The Strategist
Sudan
(UN News) Foreign recruitment and external support networks are fuelling the brutal conflict in Sudan, independent UN human rights investigators said on Thursday in a new report, calling for accountability as fighting continues between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This action is strengthening the military capabilities of the warring parties and enabling increasingly sophisticated military operations with devastating consequences for civilians, according to the report by the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan. The report documented the involvement of transnational entities operating in several countries in recruiting, training, and deploying foreign personnel to support the RSF, as well as facilitating the transfer of weapons, ammunition, and military technology, and providing logistical support. It also concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the SAF used foreign-supplied drones in operations that harmed civilians and civilian objects. – Outside forces fuel Sudan war, new report finds | UN News
Syria
(Donald Self – Al Arabiya) Syria is laying the groundwork for a major digital overhaul aimed at transforming the country into a strategic connectivity corridor between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. Speaking to Al Arabiya English’s Tom Burges Watson, Syria’s Minister of Communications and Infor.”mation Technology, Abdulsalam Haykal, outlined efforts to rebuild the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure from the ground up. He described the process in Syria not as reconstruction but as “nation building”. – Syria eyes major digital overhaul to become Mediterranean-Indian Ocean connectivity hub
Tech World, Cybersecurity, and Surveillance
(DigWatch) Spain and Mexico have signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation across artificial intelligence, supercomputing, connectivity, cybersecurity, digital skills, and the use of digital technologies for climate change and natural-disaster management. The agreement was signed by Spain’s Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Administration, Óscar López, and José Antonio Peña Merino, director of Mexico’s Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications. It also covers data centres, digital public services, digital identity, and cooperation around interoperable data and open AI models. – Spain and Mexico expand cooperation on AI, digital skills and climate technology | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Los Angeles Unified School District has imposed a districtwide moratorium on student use of generative AI through school-owned devices for the current academic year, as officials review how the technology should be used in classrooms. The restriction applies across all grades and blocks students from accessing generative AI tools on district devices. Google’s conversational AI Mode has also been disabled on student accounts, although AI-generated summaries may still appear in conventional search results. The district has not yet established a policy governing AI use on students’ personal devices. – Los Angeles schools impose moratorium on student use of generative AI | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) On 3 September 2026, the US House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing titled ‘Reliable Water in the Digital Age’ to examine legislation aimed at strengthening drinking water systems and protecting ratepayers. The hearing considered two draft bills, including the Water Cost Accountability Act of 2026, against the backdrop of rapidly expanding AI data centre development and growing questions about its impact on local water infrastructure. The Water Cost Accountability Act would require states receiving Drinking Water State Revolving Fund grants to prevent public water systems from passing the incremental costs of connecting a data centre, or expanding water system capacity to serve one, on to other customers. Those costs would instead have to be recovered from the data centre owner or operator. The proposal covers costs associated with water sources, treatment, storage, and distribution. – US congressional hearing examines data centre water costs | Digital Watch Observatory
(Madison Mills – Axios) AI models may be getting safer while also getting harder to monitor. Which side of that seesaw prevails could determine whether AI is scaled safely or ruins civilization as we know it. Right now both options are running full steam and no one knows who’s in charge of making sure the right one wins. OpenAI on Thursday released GPT-6 Astra, which president Greg Brockman said could eventually be seen as the start of artificial general intelligence, or AGI. Astra performs better, but it’s also better at avoiding monitoring, meaning it could be harder to know what it’s thinking or doing. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman separately told Axios this week that models are becoming “superhuman” in some capabilities and that “we are just sailing in unknown waters”. The top leaders of AI companies are sounding the alarm on their own technology just as it gets harder to understand a model’s actions. – AI models are becoming unknowable
(Maria Curi – Axios) The Trump administration used this week’s G20 innovation summit to draw a bright line between U.S. and European approaches to AI regulation. The bloc’s top tech official says the U.S. is ending up with many of the same guardrails anyway. Why it matters: The U.S. is urging countries to avoid Europe’s sweeping approach to AI regulation, but the fight is shifting to which guardrails advanced AI needs and how governments put them in place. What they’re saying: European Commission tech chief Henna Virkkunen told Axios that the two sides often end up addressing the same safety concerns, even if U.S. safeguards are starting to emerge through state laws and court cases rather than something broad like the EU AI Act. – EU tech chief: AI guardrails inevitable for U.S.
(DigWatch) Google DeepMind and Google Research have launched WeatherNext 3, an AI weather forecasting model that uses real-time satellite observations to produce global forecasts every hour at resolutions of up to five kilometres. The model combines live geostationary satellite imagery with historical weather data and observations from weather stations. Compared with WeatherNext 2, which produced forecasts on a 25-kilometre grid every six hours, the new system can provide surface variables such as temperature and moisture at five-kilometre resolution, while other atmospheric variables are generated at different resolutions. Google says independent live evaluations by Brightband place WeatherNext 3 among the strongest-performing global weather models. – Google launches WeatherNext 3 AI model for higher-resolution weather forecasting | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Tucson’s comprehensive data centre regulations take effect on 4 September 2026, introducing the city’s first land use controls specifically for large-scale data centres. The rules were adopted by the Mayor and Council on 5 August 2026 following a year-long process involving community engagement, technical experts, the Planning Commission, and a dedicated Data Centre Code Amendment Technical Advisory Committee. The amendments bring large-scale data centres under Tucson’s existing planned area development and planned community development zoning processes. They introduce enhanced separation requirements from residential, commercial and other sensitive uses, a 50-foot height limit, noise-impact studies, sound-screening measures, and operational noise limits. Developers must also demonstrate adequate water and power supply, disclose their energy mix including renewable sources, undergo environmental review, and meet requirements related to landscaping, green space, and public notification. – Tucson’s comprehensive data centre regulations take effect | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) US Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar have announced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, forthcoming legislation that would permanently ban the development and deployment of superintelligent AI and temporarily pause advanced AI development until a federal regulator establishes safety rules. The bill would also direct the United States to pursue international agreements to prevent the development of superintelligence anywhere in the world. – US lawmakers to introduce legislation on artificial superintelligence | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Ooredoo Group and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and in cooperation with GSMA and Women in AI, opened the High-Level Digital and Artificial Intelligence Policy Leaders Forum for the Arab States region in Doha on 1 September. The two-day forum brought together government officials, regulators, international organisations, technology and telecommunications leaders, academia, and development partners. The forum marked the next phase of the Digital Policy Framework for the Arab States, launched in November 2025 by UNDP, Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and Ooredoo Group. The framework covers three areas: networks and connectivity; data and digital public infrastructure; and intelligent systems and applications, including the responsible use of artificial intelligence across health, education, agriculture, and public services. – Arab States advance national digital policy roadmaps | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Canada has launched the Responsible Data Centre Development Principles, establishing a national framework for the development of data centre capacity. The framework sets five expectations for projects: creating lasting local benefits, avoiding the transfer of electricity costs to Canadians, minimising water use and environmental impacts, being transparent about local impacts, and providing strategic value to Canada. The principles are intended to complement existing provincial, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous regulatory processes by establishing a nationally recognised baseline for major data centre projects. The government said the framework is intended to give communities greater clarity when assessing proposals and support a more consistent approach to data centre development. – Canada launches Responsible Data Centre Development Principles | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) The SHARE Foundation and the Citizen Lab have reported a new wave of spyware targeting members of Serbia’s student protest movement, civil-society activists and opposition politicians, including a confirmed infection with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. The findings come ahead of early parliamentary elections planned for October, following months of anti-government and anti-corruption protests. According to the SHARE Foundation, at least 14 people have been targeted with advanced spyware since the beginning of 2026, which it described as the largest documented wave of such surveillance in Serbia to date. Those targeted include members of the student movement, activists, an opposition member of parliament and a local councillor. The foundation said the targeting coincided with local elections held on 29 March in nine local self-government units and one city municipality, a date also documented by Serbia’s Republic Electoral Commission. – Serbian students and opposition figures targeted with Pegasus and NoviSpy spyware | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Match Group, Tinder’s parent company, is beginning to require the dating platform’s biometric Face Check system for existing users in several core markets, including the United States and the United Kingdom, according to WIRED. Tinder’s current explanation of Face Check confirms that users in regions where the system is required must complete a biometric facial scan. The company describes Face Check as a ‘condition of being on the Tinder service’ in those regions and says the requirement is being introduced on a phased basis where local regulations permit. Face Check requires users to take a short video selfie and uses facial scanning to determine whether a real person is present, compare the user’s face with profile photos and identify whether the same face is associated with other accounts. – Tinder expands mandatory Face Check biometric verification to existing users | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Qatar’s Cabinet has approved a cloud computing draft law and referred it to the Shura Council, advancing plans for a comprehensive legislative framework governing cloud services and digital data. Prepared by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in coordination with the Communications Regulatory Authority and other competent entities, the draft would regulate the storage and disclosure of digital data and establish controls for lawful access. The government says the framework is intended to strengthen data protection and security while balancing law-enforcement requirements with individuals’ privacy. – Qatar advances cloud computing draft law to Shura Council | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Egypt is discussing plans for a hyperscale data centre zone with Heka Data and an alliance of US data centre developers as the government seeks to expand the country’s cloud computing and digital infrastructure capacity. Minister of Communications and Information Technology Raafat Hindi met the delegation on 3 September to discuss a proposed integrated zone combining hyperscale data centres and AI infrastructure. The talks covered the project’s preliminary concept, potential scale, implementation phases, and the studies and procedures needed to move it forward. Hindi said Egypt wants to expand international partnerships in data centres and digital infrastructure, including investments that transfer and localise advanced technologies. The government views the sector as part of efforts to strengthen Egypt’s position as a regional hub for cloud computing, data processing, and digital services. – Egypt discusses hyperscale data centre and AI zone with US developers | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) H.E. Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, delivered remarks at the High‑level Forum on the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace on 2 September 2026. She highlighted the need for the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women in both peace processes and the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Baerbock noted that research shows women’s meaningful inclusion in peace negotiations increases the probability of an agreement lasting at least two years by 20 % and reduces the risk of conflict relapse by 37 %. She argued that similar benefits apply to AI development, stating that ‘even when we know that AI will play a crucial role in the conflicts of the future – still they are not designed with the voices of women.’ – UN General Assembly President urges inclusion of women in AI development and peace negotiations | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) In July, Anthropic disclosed three incidents in which Claude models, while being evaluated in controlled cybersecurity environments, gained access to the open internet and subsequently obtained unauthorised access to the live systems of three different organisations. The incidents, which date back to April 2026, were identified during a retrospective review of more than 141,000 evaluation runs in which Claude could potentially have obtained internet access. The review followed a separate incident involving OpenAI models and highlighted the challenges faced by AI developers in maintaining effective containment as increasingly capable models are tested in environments designed to simulate real-world cyber operations. Anthropic stressed that the three incidents occurred in third-party evaluation environments that had been misconfigured to allow internet access and that the models were operating without the standard cybersecurity safeguards normally deployed with publicly available versions of Claude. – Anthropic strengthens AI training environment security after Claude agents accessed external systems | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has introduced a new Travel Rule for Digital Assets, requiring digital asset operators to strengthen risk management and transaction information sharing. The measure aims to align Thailand’s digital asset sector with international anti-money laundering standards and reduce the risk of services being misused for financial and technology-related crimes. – Thailand expands digital asset AML safeguards with new Travel Rule | Digital Watch Observatory
Ukraine
(AFP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has slammed his security services after a shootout between rival agencies in Kyiv this week, saying he planned dismissals of high-ranking officials. A gun fight between the military intelligence agency (GUR) and State Security Service (SBU) erupted in the capital Wednesday, leaving several officers injured. The shootout happened in broad daylight and as Ukraine continues to fight Russia’s dragging invasion. – Zelenskyy slams his security services for ‘unacceptable’ shootout
US
(James M. Lindsay – Council on Foreign Relations) Election Day is two months away. But four states—Minnesota (the 18th), Virginia (18th), Vermont (19th), and Illinois (24th)—begin voting this month. North Carolina will begin sending mail-in ballots to military members and overseas voters tomorrow. Things will pick up quickly after that. By October 14, another seventeen states will have begun early voting. By October 29, voters in all but three states—Alabama, New Hampshire, and Mississippi—will have the opportunity to cast their ballots. Early voting means that House and Senate candidates are running out of time to win over undecided voters faster than talk of Election Day suggests. It also means that events close to Election Day may have less impact on election outcomes than one might think. Many voters will have already cast their ballots. This, of course, assumes that early mail-in voting goes forward as scheduled. That may be an unwise assumption. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an unsigned opinion that lifted an injunction a federal district court judge in Massachusetts had imposed barring the U.S. Postal Service from implementing nation-wide restrictions on voting by mail as President Donald Trump directed in March. – The Battle Over Mail-in Voting May Disrupt the 2026 Midterm Elections | Council on Foreign Relations
US – Saudi Arabia
(Donald Self – Al Arabiya) The US Chamber of Commerce led its first-ever AI business delegation to Saudi Arabia this week, bringing more than 25 companies and over 50 delegates to Riyadh ahead of LEAP 2026, a sign, the Chamber’s Vice President for Middle East Affairs Steve Lutes told Al Arabiya English, that American investor interest in the Kingdom’s tech sector has held up despite this year’s regional conflict. It was Lutes’s first trip back to Saudi Arabia since February, before the regional conflict broke out, and he said many American executives had stayed away in the interim. The delegation, which visited on the eve of the conference, included large multinationals and startups, as well as firms with decades of experience in the Kingdom and others visiting for the first time. – US Chamber leads first-ever AI delegation to Saudi Arabia as investor interest holds firm
War in Iran – Middle East – Gulf
(Reuters) US military officials say they have disabled advertising trackers on a range of phones and computers, according to letters released on Friday by US Senator Ron Wyden and statements given to Reuters, a development that follows reports that commercially available location data had been used to target American forces in the Middle East. The Air Force told Wyden it disabled the advertising identifiers on computers and mobile phones two months ago. US Special Operations Command said in a separate letter that it had “recently” disabled them on its Windows devices. The Army told Reuters that advertising IDs tied to mobile devices had been disabled since earlier this year. – US military turns off ad trackers on devices amid Middle East targeting reports
(Ben German – Axios) The White House is at odds with some private sector analysts over how much oil is leaving the Strait of Hormuz — but it will take weeks until the picture of what’s truly getting through becomes clear. How much oil exits the waterway sways the price of gasoline and other consumer products. The White House is claiming success in forcing open the world’s most important energy chokepoint, which handled 20 million barrels of crude and oil products each day before the Iran war. The verdict could arrive as fall election campaigns near fever pitch. President Trump claimed yesterday that 18 million barrels per day are moving, saying via Truth Social that “Hormuz Volumes are BACK.” – The coming verdict on Trump’s Strait of Hormuz claims
(AFP) Israel’s defense minister on Friday hailed the capture of a strategic highland from Hezbollah as solidifying Israel’s “security zone” in Lebanon and vowed that troops would not leave it. – Israel defense minister hails capture of Hezbollah highland in Lebanon
(Al Arabiya) Four commodity vessels transited the key waterway of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, down from nine a day earlier and well below the 10-day average tally of about 15, preliminary shipping data showed. Two medium-range tankers, a Kamsarmax carrier and a Handysize vessel made up the figure, Kpler data showed by 0455 GMT on Friday. The figure excludes vessels that might have crossed the strait with their Automatic Identification System transponders turned off to avoid detection. – Gulf shipping traffic via Hormuz keeps below 10-day average, data shows
(AFP) South Korea said Friday it was weighing “contributions” to US security efforts in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, potentially including a military deployment, but noted that no decision has been made yet. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressured ally South Korea to provide help for the war in the Middle East, saying Seoul rejected his request for assistance in securing the waterway key to global oil supplies. “Contributions to the Strait of Hormuz could be managed within limits that do not compromise military readiness,” a South Korean presidential official told reporters. – Seoul weighs ‘contributions’ to Hormuz security
