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China has postponed its Chang'e-7 lunar mission, which was set to search for water ice at the moon's south pole. The China Manned Space Agency said the mission does not meet launch conditions and cannot take place during the planned window this year, without elaborating on the reasons. Some reports attribute the delay to poor weather from Tropical Depression Narra.
The UN says two of its Afghan staff members detained in Herat on August 9 have been released in good health. The mission is still seeking details on the reasons for their arrest and detention.
Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in departed for Mongolia on Sunday to attend the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification COP17, where he will speak and meet Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. India's Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav also arrived in Ulaanbaatar to participate in the conference, which runs from August 17-28.
The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warned that December's first national elections could reignite conflict and heighten the risk of atrocity crimes if held without essential safeguards. The commission cited converging risk factors, including renewed armed conflict, weakened institutions, and the unimplemented 2018 peace deal.
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 10 people in Gaza on Wednesday, two days after U.S. negotiators reportedly asked Israel to draw down attacks. The strikes, along with an Israeli raid across the ceasefire line, have cast doubt on efforts to advance the tenuous ceasefire.
The Organization of American States has voted overwhelmingly to convene an urgent meeting of foreign ministers over Nicaragua, declaring that representative democracy 'no longer exists' there. The move follows proposed constitutional reforms that would extend President Daniel Ortega's term and ban opposition figures from elections. Nicaragua withdrew from the OAS in 2023, limiting the body's leverage to diplomatic action.
The International Criminal Court denounced U.S. sanctions against its president and a trial lawyer as a 'flagrant attack' on its independence, drawing widespread international support from the EU, Japan, and others. The U.S. defended the measures as part of a campaign against a 'sham of a court,' while the ICC vowed to continue its mandate.
Syria and Israel held high-level, US-mediated talks in Jordan on Sunday aimed at easing tensions after recent Israeli strikes, with discussions focused on halting attacks and reviving security negotiations. Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Syria expects talks to resume soon despite a lack of trust, while reports of a separate meeting between al-Shaibani and Mossad chief Roman Gofman surfaced.
The Sudanese army announced that 318 Rapid Support Forces fighters, including four commanders, have defected and joined its ranks, arriving with up to 50 combat vehicles in Northern State. The move follows a similar defection of 300 personnel last week and reflects mounting pressure on the paramilitary group amid ongoing conflict.
Ahead of South Carolina's GOP Senate runoff, Sen. Darline Graham faces criticism after admitting she is "not that informed on national security" during a debate, while President Trump and Sen. Tim Scott rally to her defense.
Uganda's candidate for UN secretary-general, Olara Otunnu, presents his vision to member states on August 19, emphasizing reform as an imperative. The contest, featuring eight candidates, continues with straw polls and a second informal vote planned, as the UN seeks a successor to António Guterres.
Israel's military has ordered criminal investigations into the 2024 killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab and the 2025 deaths of 15 Palestinian paramedics, while declining to probe three other attacks on aid workers. The announcement marks the first such probes into troop conduct in Gaza, but rights groups and relatives cast doubt on the prospects for accountability.
Australia's foreign minister expressed outrage after Israel's military cleared personnel of criminal wrongdoing in the 2024 strike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six others. The decision, announced on World Humanitarian Day, drew condemnation from Australia, Britain, Canada, and Poland, while Israel's ambassador defended the investigation and suggested reparations could be considered.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged 103 prisoners of war each on August 19, 2026, in a swap mediated by the United Arab Emirates. Ukrainian President Zelensky confirmed the return of servicemen from several branches, while Russian officials reported that freed soldiers were in Belarus for medical care. Another exchange is expected before the end of the month.
Israel's housing ministry issued a tender for 1,234 housing units in the contested E1 area east of Jerusalem, drawing condemnation from European countries and Palestinian authorities. The plan, part of a larger 3,400-unit project, would link settlements between East Jerusalem and Maale Adumim, potentially dividing the West Bank. Bids close just before Israel's elections, raising concerns about the move's political timing.
The UN reports that 907 aid workers were victims of violence in 2025, with 350 killed, as armed drones increasingly target humanitarian operations in conflict zones. Gaza remains the deadliest context for the third consecutive year, with 186 aid workers killed.
Six people deported by the U.S. to Liberia refused to get off the plane and were instead flown to Equatorial Guinea, where they are held in a hotel without medical staff and face deteriorating conditions, according to a fellow deportee and a lawyer.
Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the U.S. over the next year, with the first group of 20 expected to arrive Thursday. Liberian officials describe the move as humanitarian, while the U.S. provides support for the program.
Turkey has denied Israeli allegations that it planned to deploy troops at a Syrian air base struck this week, an action that a U.S. envoy said brought the sides close to direct confrontation. Israeli officials said the strike enforced a security status quo, while Syria condemned the attack as aggression against its sovereignty. U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack said Israel did not warn Washington beforehand.
The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on ICC President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, barring them from the US and its financial system. The ICC called the move a 'flagrant attack' on its independence, while Japan expressed regret and other nations voiced concern.