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Heavy rainfall across China has caused over 16bn yuan ($2.24bn) in road damage, affecting 23 provinces and regions, the transport ministry said.

Since the flood season began on July 1, authorities have allocated 540m yuan for emergency repairs. Floods, landslides, earthquakes, and droughts led to 52.2bn yuan in economic losses in July alone, Reuters reported.

Struggling with high debt, local governments face mounting pressure to fund public services, support businesses, and create jobs amid growing climate risks.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the killing of journalists in Gaza, calling the attack “unjustifiable” and a threat to press freedom. According to Reuters, the statement followed Israel’s strike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on Monday, which killed at least 20 people, including five journalists from Reuters, the Associated Press, and Al Jazeera.

Speaking at a political conference in Rimini, Meloni urged Israel to halt its military operations in Gaza, allow humanitarian aid, and stop expanding settlements in the West Bank. She described the hospital strike as disproportionate, stressing the need to protect innocent civilians and preserve the two-state solution, Reuters reported.

Russia launched overnight drone attacks on energy and gas facilities across six Ukrainian regions, leaving over 100,000 people without power. Key infrastructure in Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Chernihiv was hit, with hospitals and water services relying on backup power. Poltava’s electricity has since been restored, according to Reuters.

Ukraine’s Air Force shot down 74 of 95 drones, but 21 struck targets. The energy ministry called the strikes a deliberate effort to disrupt civilian infrastructure ahead of winter, while Russia maintains it targets systems supporting Ukraine’s war effort.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron aim to decide on the future of the Franco-German fighter jet program FCAS by year-end. Merz said the issue would not be discussed in upcoming government consultations but stressed Europe’s need for a new fighter jet, Reuters reported.

The €100bn project faces delays over leadership and work-share disputes, with France’s Dassault seeking dominant control while Germany favors a balanced consortium including Airbus and Indra. The disagreement threatens the start of FCAS’s second phase: developing airworthy demonstrators.

Merz will meet Macron Thursday, with ministers joining talks Friday, according to Reuters.

Pope Leo on Wednesday called for an end to the nearly two-year Israel-Hamas conflict, urging a permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages, and safe delivery of humanitarian aid. Speaking at the Vatican, he emphasized the need to protect civilians and fully respect international humanitarian law, including prohibitions on collective punishment and indiscriminate violence, Reuters reported.

The conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, has killed over 1,200 Israelis and at least 62,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, with 251 Israelis held hostage. Leo, the first US pope elected in May, has taken a more cautious approach than his predecessor, Pope Francis, who previously raised concerns about possible war crimes in Gaza.

A majority of French citizens want new parliamentary and presidential elections as Prime Minister Francois Bayrou’s minority government nears collapse. Two-thirds also favor President Emmanuel Macron’s resignation, according to Reuters.

Bayrou’s upcoming confidence vote on September 8 over the 2026 budget has sparked market turmoil, with opposition parties set to vote against him. If the government falls, Macron could appoint a new prime minister or call elections, though he opposes resigning.

Polls show 56–69 percent support dissolving parliament, highlighting widespread frustration with ongoing political instability, Reuters reported.

Shane Christie, former Highlanders and New Zealand Maori rugby player, has died at 39. Christie, who suffered multiple concussions during his career, suspected he had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain condition linked to mood, memory, and behavioral changes, according to Al Jazeera.

He had planned to donate his brain to research to help make rugby safer and co-founded the Billy Guyton Foundation to raise awareness about concussion risks. Since retiring, he experienced headaches, memory lapses, and other symptoms linked to repeated head injuries.

New Zealand Rugby expressed condolences, praising Christie’s passion for the sport. The growing concern over CTE has also led over 1,000 former rugby players in the UK to pursue legal action against governing bodies, seeking compensation and reforms to protect player safety, Al Jazeera reported.

Around 30 United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees have been placed on administrative leave after signing an open letter criticizing agency leadership and warning that budget cuts and policy changes under President Trump could undermine disaster response. The letter, released on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, drew over 190 signatories, many anonymous due to fear of retaliation, Al Jazeera reported.

Stand Up for Science called the suspensions retaliation against whistleblowers. Employees will continue to receive pay and benefits. FEMA has seen significant staff losses this year, and the letter warns that key post-Katrina reforms are being undone.