Latest news for 1 September 2025

AFGHANISTAN

Hundreds killed in quake.

A shallow earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has left at least 600 dead overnight, with the mountainous terrain likely to further complicate rescue efforts. (Al Jazeera)

CHINA

All Eyez on Me.

President Xi has welcomed Russia’s Vladimir Putin, India’s Narendra Modi, and ~20 other regional leaders to Tianjin for this week’s Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, ahead of Xi’s big WWII Victory Day parade on Wednesday. (NYT $)

Comment: This summit has been in the works for months, but the timing and optics all now play neatly in Xi’s favour: amid US tariffs and other moves, world leaders are now gathering around Xi. Indian outlets are channelling a real sense of national betrayal over US tariffs, but once these photo opps are over, Modi still faces a choice between his $17B windfall buying cheap Russian oil, or the $37B cost of US tariffs.

UKRAINE

Suspect arrested.

President Zelensky says authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with Saturday’s assassination of former parliamentary speaker Andriy Parubiy, a leading pro-West voice in the 2014 Maidan protests. Meanwhile, Ukraine ended August notching up a dozen or so hits on Russian energy infrastructure, disrupting an estimated 17% of Russia’s total refining capacity. (Kyiv Independent)

GREENLAND

On your side.

France’s foreign minister was in Greenland over the weekend, voicing solidarity with Denmark and its autonomous territory amid reports US officials were there trying to identify Greenlanders sympathetic to anti-Denmark rhetoric. (Barron’s)

Comment: The visit came just after Denmark’s prime minister (Frederiksen) delivered a long-awaited apology over a decades-long involuntary birth control campaign impacting indigenous Greenlandic women and girls.

BRAZIL

You’re fined.

A Brazilian labour court has fined German automaker Volkswagen ~$30M over slave-like working conditions at an Amazonian farm (owned via a subsidiary) from 1974 to 1986. (ABC)

Comment: VW says it’s appealing the fine, reportedly Brazil’s largest reparation order in history.

PHILIPPINES

Delegation in town.

Beijing is warning Manila not to “play with fire”, amid reports the Philippines just hosted a visit by Taiwan’s foreign minister (leading a delegation of investors). (AP)

Comment: Two-pronged messaging at play here: hosting Taiwan’s foreign minister is always a show of defiance against the country (China) claiming Taiwan as its own. But refusing to acknowledge the visit in public (while downplaying the visit in private) is also a reminder how much capitals still avoid directly poking Beijing in the eye.

YEMEN

Leadership strike.

Houthi forces have raided local UN offices after an Israeli airstrike killed the Iran-backed group’s prime minister and other reps. (Al Jazeera)

Comment: This prime minister was more of a figurehead, with the group’s actual leader still Abdul Malik al-Houthi (the founder’s brother) — they’re vowing revenge.