President Donald Trump said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has replied to his request for talks, describing their exchange as positive. Trump also ordered the Pentagon to reduce joint military drills with South Korea, linking the decision to Seoul’s refusal to support a U.S.-led war effort against Iran.
Key Facts
President Trump said Kim Jong Un responded to his request for a conversation.
Trump described the interaction between him and Kim as “very positive” but gave no details.
Trump ordered a significant reduction in U.S.-South Korea military exercises.
He said these drills send a hostile message to North Korea and are costly.
Trump criticized South Korea for not helping the U.S. in a military operation against Iran.
South Korea said the drills started as planned and are meant to protect peace, not attack North Korea.
North Korea has strengthened ties with Russia and China and supported Russia in the Ukraine conflict.
Trump's relationship with Kim has been less prominent than during his first term, but he remains interested in direct talks.
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Simon Levy, a registered sex offender, was sentenced to life in prison for killing two women who were involved in sex work. The case highlights how women who sell sex often face violence and do not receive proper protection or support from the justice system.
Key Facts
Simon Levy was sentenced to a rare whole life tariff for murdering Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkins.
Both victims, and others targeted by Levy, were vulnerable women involved in sex work.
Levy believed he could harm these women without consequences because of their profession.
Women who sell sex often face high levels of violence but are reluctant to report it to police.
A UK charity, National Ugly Mugs, helps sex workers report violence, mostly anonymously.
Only 8% of violent incidents reported to this charity are shared with the police.
A 2024 Scotland survey found 90% of women in prostitution experienced violence; many had past sexual abuse or exploitation.
Police have shown dismissive attitudes towards sex workers, contributing to ongoing risks.
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Scientists have opened a new sanctuary in Antarctica to keep ice core samples safe from melting glaciers. These ice cores store important information about Earth’s past climate that scientists can study in the future.
Key Facts
The sanctuary is located at the Concordia Station on the Antarctic Plateau.
Ice cores come from endangered glaciers and hold data about historical atmospheric conditions.
The project is led by the Ice Memory Foundation, which includes European research institutes from France, Italy, and Switzerland.
The first ice cores stored came from Mont Blanc in France and Grand Combin in Switzerland.
Samples were transported over 50 days using refrigerated transport.
The sanctuary keeps the ice at about -52°C (-61°F) to preserve the cores.
Scientists plan to add ice cores from glaciers worldwide to the sanctuary over time.
The goal is to protect these samples as glaciers melt due to global warming and to allow future scientists to study them using new technologies.
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Sam Wilmot has spent seven years reviewing over 300 public benches on his Instagram account "Rate This Bench." On his wedding day, he gave his first perfect 10/10 rating to a bench at St John The Baptist Church in Old Sodbury, which holds special meaning for him and his wife Sophie.
Key Facts
Sam Wilmot started the "Rate This Bench" Instagram account in 2019 to humorously rate benches he found while walking.
He has reviewed benches in England, Wales, and Dubai, rating them based on design, comfort, location, and "wow factor."
Before this, no bench had received a perfect 10/10 score; the highest was 9/10.
The bench awarded 10/10 is at a church near Old Sodbury, overlooking countryside views toward Bristol and Wales.
This bench is personally significant to Sam and Sophie, as it was part of their wedding day and photoshoot.
The rating system values features like armrests, backrests, wooden material, a solid base, and a good view or plaque.
Sophie Wilmot has been the photographer for the Instagram account and shares the sentimental value of the benches.
Sam plans to continue the account because many followers share meaningful stories about benches worldwide.
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Iran's foreign ministry said the 60-day deadline for negotiations with the United States is no longer valid because of what it calls violations by the U.S. Meanwhile, the U.S. envoy Jared Kushner hopes Hamas will start disarmament within 30 days. Additionally, Iraq is investigating a drone attack on the Kurdistan prime minister’s office, which Kurdistan blames on Iran.
Key Facts
Iran declared the 60-day negotiation deadline with the U.S. null and void due to U.S. violations.
The deadline was part of a June memorandum of understanding between Iran and the U.S. on a lasting settlement.
U.S. envoy Jared Kushner met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Kushner expressed hope Hamas would begin disarming within 30 days.
Iraq announced an investigation into a drone attack on the Iraqi Kurdistan prime minister’s office.
Kurdistan authorities said two drones came from Iran and targeted the intelligence chief’s home.
Iran described the drone attack as an attempt to harm relations with Iraq.
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Germany has started using a new law to fight smugglers who store and send small boats used by migrants to cross the English Channel illegally. Police seized more than 9,000 life jackets, dozens of dinghies, engines, and pumps this spring and are keeping them in a secret location in western Germany.
Key Facts
Germany conducted raids under a new law targeting migrant smuggling gangs storing boats and equipment in its territory.
Police seized over 9,000 life jackets, dozens of dinghies about 9 meters long, engines, and 360 pumps.
The seized dinghies could have transported more than 2,000 migrants across the English Channel.
The new German law criminalizes helping migrant smuggling to the UK, which was not covered before Brexit.
Raids were part of a joint operation with the UK and France in the North Rhine-Westphalia region.
Much of the smuggling equipment originates from China and is transported to Europe, often via Turkey.
Kurdish criminal networks are believed to control the small boat smuggling business in western Germany.
Western Germany is a key storage area because of its location near northern France, where boats launch to the UK.
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Experts say more people are getting diagnosed with ADHD but are not following up with treatment. They warn that some private assessments are low quality, leading to confusion and complaints about NHS doctors. ADHD is seen by some as both a real brain condition and a social idea.
Key Facts
Many people seek an ADHD diagnosis but do not start or continue treatment afterward.
Some view ADHD as an identity rather than a medical disorder.
Low-quality private assessments may falsely make people believe they have ADHD.
Complaints have risen against NHS doctors who reject unreliable private diagnoses.
ADHD shows real brain differences, but its definition has expanded socially.
Private companies provide most ADHD assessments in the UK, unlike other medical areas.
Experts worry about diagnoses increasing due to private companies profiting during NHS strain.
There is concern that normal behavior is sometimes medicalized to give people labels or benefits.
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At least 30 children, mainly from the UK, may have been born using the wrong sperm or egg donors during IVF treatments at a clinic in northern Cyprus. Parents say they carefully picked donors based on detailed information, but DNA tests suggest the donors used were different from those chosen. The clinic involved, Dogus IVF Centre, has been blacklisted by a large sperm bank since 2016 and is under investigation by local health authorities.
Key Facts
Around 30 children were conceived using IVF in northern Cyprus with potentially wrong sperm or egg donors.
Most affected families are British and chose their donors based on traits like medical history and appearance.
About half of these cases involve the Dogus IVF Centre.
Staff involved include Dr Firdevs Uguz Tip, Dr Sevket Alpturk, and patient coordinator Julie Hodson.
The world's largest sperm bank, Cryos International, blacklisted Dogus clinic in 2016.
Northern Cyprus is a region where EU laws do not apply and fertility clinics are loosely regulated.
DNA tests on 11 children showed genetic links to Turkey or nearby countries, raising doubts about donor origins.
The local Ministry of Health has started an official investigation but has not provided further details.
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China is holding a low-key funeral for former Premier Zhu Rongji, who died at age 97. The government is controlling public mourning and censoring online posts, wary that nostalgia for Zhu's era might lead to criticism of current leader Xi Jinping.
Key Facts
Zhu Rongji was China’s premier from 1998 to 2003, known for important economic reforms.
He died recently at 97 and is being cremated in Beijing with a quiet ceremony.
The government has lowered flags and increased security around official sites.
State media calls Zhu a loyal and outstanding Communist Party member.
Online posts praising Zhu’s leadership era have been censored, including one essay describing it as a time with more freedom and hope.
Past deaths of senior officials sometimes sparked public protests, causing the government to be cautious now.
Zhu ruled during rapid economic growth, China’s entry into the World Trade Organization, and reforms like closing failing state companies.
Zhu and Jiang Zemin, who governed at the same time, are remembered for their direct style and connection with people.
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A large rock formation called Spitze Stei above the Swiss village of Kandersteg is at risk of collapsing due to thawing permafrost caused by climate change. This collapse could cause a major landslide similar to one that damaged a nearby village, Blatten, in 2025. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and have prepared evacuation plans to protect residents.
Key Facts
Spitze Stei is a mountain rock formation above Kandersteg, Switzerland, that may collapse.
Thawing permafrost, frozen soil and rock that helps hold mountains together, is causing instability.
Rising temperatures linked to climate change are melting glaciers and permafrost in the Alps.
A similar landslide occurred in May 2025 in the nearby Loetschental valley, damaging the village of Blatten.
The collapse could involve 15 to 20 million cubic meters of rock.
Local authorities are monitoring the rock constantly and have evacuation plans ready.
Experts expect the rock to break down gradually rather than in one big collapse.
Residents feel safer due to preparations and ongoing monitoring but acknowledge risks from global warming.
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Hakainde Hichilema won re-election as president of Zambia with 60% of the vote. The vote counting was briefly stopped due to attacks on election officials.
Key Facts
Hakainde Hichilema won a second term as Zambia’s president.
He received 60% of the votes in the election.
The vote count was paused because some election officials were attacked.
Zambia is the second-largest producer of copper in Africa.
Copper is important for global energy technologies, like electric cars and renewable energy.
Both China and the United States are interested in Zambia's copper resources.
The election results were announced after the vote count resumed.
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A man named Duane "Keffe D" Davis is on trial in Las Vegas for the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. He faces one murder charge and has pleaded not guilty. Both the prosecution and defense gave their opening statements as the trial began.
Key Facts
The trial is taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Duane "Keffe D" Davis is 63 years old.
He is accused of murdering Tupac Shakur in a drive-by shooting on September 7, 1996.
The charge against Davis is murder with a deadly weapon.
Davis denies the murder and has entered a not guilty plea.
The trial opening statements have been presented by both sides.
Tupac Shakur was a famous rapper at the time of his death.
This trial has been long awaited by the public and media.
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Researchers studied a tomb in Egypt’s Theban necropolis to learn how burial practices changed over time. They found that ancient Egyptians shifted from burying people individually in coffins to reusing tomb spaces, placing new bodies alongside older ones in a careful and respectful way.
Key Facts
The tomb studied is called Tomb 209, located in the Theban necropolis, an area with over 400 ancient tombs.
Tomb 209 dates back to the early 25th Dynasty (754–656 BCE) and was used until the Ptolemaic period (305–30 BCE).
The original owner of the tomb was probably a high official named Nisemro, of Nubian origin.
Researchers found 16 mummified people, one mummified dog, and remains of at least four more individuals in one chamber.
The tomb was subject to flash flooding, making the site archaeologically complex.
Early burials were individual and separated by gender; later burials reused tomb space, increasing body density.
The study used a detailed approach combining body positions, coffin use, and bone analysis to understand burial timelines.
Around 80% of Theban tombs show evidence of reuse, with remains from different time periods placed together.
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Forty leading economists and academics are urging Prime Minister Andy Burnham to have the UK join a new United Nations initiative called the International Panel on Inequality (IPI). This group aims to study global inequality and suggest ways for countries to reduce it, with the UK expected to play a key role as it prepares to lead the G20 in 2027.
Key Facts
Forty prominent progressive academics, including Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz, signed the open letter.
They want the UK to support the creation of the International Panel on Inequality (IPI) at the UN.
The IPI will provide trusted global evidence and policy advice on inequality issues.
The UK will chair the G20 in 2027, a forum including major global economies like China, India, Brazil, and others.
Burnham previously worked on reducing inequality as mayor of Greater Manchester.
Some Labour MPs want the party to return to spending 0.7% of national income on overseas aid, a target set in the past by Gordon Brown.
Recent aid cuts have reduced help to some African countries by up to 90%.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband wants to prioritize international development, including UK involvement in the World Bank.
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A student at a Catholic junior high school in Zamboanga City, Philippines, was shot and killed by a fellow student who then died by suicide. This is the second school shooting in the Philippines within two months.
Key Facts
The shooting happened at a Catholic junior high school in Zamboanga City, southern Philippines.
The shooter brought a .45-calibre pistol into the classroom.
The suspect fired at a teacher but missed, then shot a student who later died.
The shooter took his own life after the incident.
Authorities confirmed the situation was controlled with no other threats.
Two months ago, a similar school shooting in Tacloban City killed three students and injured 20.
The earlier suspects were linked to playing a violent online game called Gorebox, which is banned in the Philippines.
Southeast Asian countries are considering limits on social media use for minors due to concerns about exposure to violent content.
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Thousands of people gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square to mourn Jason Arday, a former Cambridge professor who died after intense media coverage over plagiarism claims. Mourners accused the press of racism and harassment that contributed to his death, while Cambridge University and other institutions responded to the controversy.
Key Facts
Jason Arday was the youngest Black professor at Cambridge University.
He died at age 41 in his south London home; the death was unexpected but not considered suspicious.
Arday faced allegations of plagiarism and exaggerating his personal story related to his 2015 doctoral thesis.
He denied the allegations and resigned from Cambridge in early August, citing the toll on his family and himself.
Liverpool John Moores University cleared him of plagiarism, while Cambridge reviewed his appointment after originally defending him.
Thousands of mourners held a vigil in London, carrying signs accusing the media of racism and harassment.
A petition demanding a public investigation into the media’s role in his death received over 96,000 signatures.
Media analysis showed heavy coverage with nearly 250 articles in the weeks before Arday’s death, intensifying after his resignation.
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A high school student in southern Philippines shot and killed a classmate before shooting himself at a school on the Ateneo de Zamboanga University campus. The attacker carried two guns and may have livestreamed the event using a body camera.
Key Facts
The shooting happened at a high school in Zamboanga, southern Philippines.
The attacker was a student who had two firearms.
He first fired at a teacher, but it is unclear if the teacher was hurt.
He then shot a fellow student, who died from the wounds.
The attacker then shot himself and died.
Two other people were injured during the incident.
The suspect may have livestreamed the attack using a body camera.
The information was reported by Zamboanga city’s mayor and local police.
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A student opened fire at Ateneo de Zamboanga high school in the southern Philippines, killing two people, including himself. Local officials and police are working to secure the school and gather more information.
Key Facts
The shooting happened at a high school in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines.
Two people died: both were students, one of whom was the gunman.
The gunman was a Grade 7 student who fired inside a classroom.
Police are currently securing the school campus.
Local officials provided information through radio and media outlets.
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Colombian singer Shakira visited the region of Chocó, Colombia, which was badly damaged by a recent earthquake. She promised to help build at least 10 new schools there and announced funding from several groups to support rebuilding efforts.
Key Facts
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, killing at least 287 people and destroying many homes and schools.
The hardest-hit area is Chocó, one of Colombia’s poorest regions, with over 3,100 homes and 265 educational sites damaged.
Shakira toured damaged schools in Quibdó, the capital of Chocó, and expressed concern about the future of children’s education.
She plans to build at least 10 new schools through her foundation, Fundación Pies Descalzos, which has worked in Chocó for 22 years.
Howard Buffett’s foundation, Global Citizen, and Live Nation have each pledged $500,000 to help rebuild schools.
Chocó has poor infrastructure, making aid and communication difficult; many towns are connected mainly by rivers and unpaved roads.
The population of Chocó is about 600,000, including many Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities living mostly in poverty.
Shakira also plans to focus on rebuilding a local technological university in the region.
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Colombian singer Shakira visited schools damaged by a strong earthquake in the Chocó region of Colombia. She promised to help rebuild at least 10 schools, working with the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and other groups to support children’s education after the disaster.
Key Facts
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit western Colombia on August 10, killing at least 287 people and destroying over 26,000 homes.
The earthquake damaged more than 265 schools in the Chocó province, where Shakira’s foundation has worked for 22 years.
Shakira visited Quibdó, Chocó’s capital, to see the damage, meet students, and pledge support for school reconstruction.
The Howard G. Buffett Foundation will partner with Shakira’s Fundación Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Foundation) to rebuild schools.
Global Citizen and Live Nation each contributed $500,000 to aid the rebuilding effort.
Chocó is a poor, remote region with difficult communication and transportation, mainly inhabited by Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities.
The government reports 194 people missing, though some estimates suggest over 4,100 may be unaccounted for.
Shakira emphasized the importance of rebuilding schools quickly so children do not lose future educational opportunities.
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