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Palestinian communities in the Israeli-occupied West Bank are enduring worsening water shortages, forced to rely on public taps and costly deliveries as supplies run dry. The UN has documented dozens of attacks on wells and pipelines this year, often linked to extremist settlers, according to Reuters.

Rights groups accuse Israel of restricting water access to pressure Palestinians off their land, while Israeli authorities cite investigations and allegations of water theft. No suspects have been identified.

Since the Hamas-Israel war in 2023, settler violence has escalated, intensifying fears of displacement. For many Palestinians, the loss of water has become both a daily struggle and a stark reminder of deepening insecurity, Reuters reported.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired a missile at the Israeli-owned tanker Scarlet Ray in the Red Sea, days after an Israeli strike killed the group’s prime minister and senior officials, Al Jazeera reported.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations said the missile missed, with the ship’s crew reporting a loud bang and splash nearby. No injuries were reported, and the vessel continued its journey.

The attack follows a string of Houthi strikes on shipping linked to Israel, which they say are in response to the Gaza war. Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi condemned Israel’s raid, calling the slain leaders “martyrs of Yemen.”

Tensions remain high as the Houthis also hold UN staff in custody, despite global calls for their release. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned the group will “pay a heavy price” for its actions, according to Al Jazeera.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plane experienced GPS disruption while approaching Plovdiv Airport in Bulgaria, with Bulgarian authorities suspecting Russian interference, though it is unclear if the aircraft was deliberately targeted. The incident occurred on September 1, 2025, BBC reported.

Pilots navigated using paper maps, and the plane landed safely. Von der Leyen continued her Eastern Europe tour without incident. The European Commission noted repeated GPS jamming in the region, prompting sanctions on some companies linked to such activities.

Von der Leyen, a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has consistently called for stronger support to Ukraine, according to BBC.

Taiwan has condemned China’s planned military parade in Beijing on September 3, marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender. Taiwanese officials estimate the event will cost over 36bn Yuan ($5bn), roughly 2 percent of China’s annual defense budget, calling it excessive amid domestic economic challenges, Reuters reported.

The parade also stirs historical disputes. China credits the Communist Party with resisting Japan, while Taiwan emphasizes the Republic of China’s role. Beijing has labeled Taiwan’s denial as “blasphemy,” intensifying tensions.

Set to showcase advanced weaponry under President Xi Jinping, the parade highlights China’s growing military power and underscores ongoing friction with Taipei over history and national identity, according to Reuters.

A government report has raised concerns over selfie-based age-verification software intended to enforce Australia’s social media ban for under-16s starting December. While generally fast and privacy-conscious, the system struggles near the 16-year threshold, especially for non-Caucasian users, females, and those close to the cut-off. Sixteen-year-olds had an 8.5 percent chance of being misidentified as underage, highlighting the need for backup methods like ID checks or parental consent, according to Reuters.

Platforms such as Instagram and YouTube must show adequate measures to block underage users or face fines up to A$49.5 m ($32m). Experts warn the short timeline and accuracy variation pose challenges, though effective, privacy-conscious options exist. The report underscores that age-verification tools can help but are not foolproof.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the immediate release of 11 UN staff arrested by Houthi authorities in Yemen. The detentions occurred during raids on offices of the World Food Programme, UNICEF, and WHO in Sanaa and Hudaydah, UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg said.

Guterres condemned the arbitrary arrests, forced entry into UN premises, and property seizures. The Houthis have held 23 other UN personnel since 2021, with one detainee dying earlier this year. Grundberg said such actions impede aid delivery and peace efforts, BBC reported.

The arrests follow heightened tensions after an Israeli strike killed the Houthi prime minister. Yemen’s conflict has killed over 150,000 people, displaced 4.8m, and left nearly half the population in need of aid.

A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan around midnight, killing over 800 people and injuring at least 3000, mainly in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, Reuters reported.

Three villages in Kunar were completely destroyed, while many other communities suffered significant damage.

Rescue teams are actively working, with helicopters evacuating victims and providing emergency aid to those affected.

The Taliban administration has called for international assistance, emphasizing the country’s vulnerability to earthquakes and the urgent need for support, according to Reuters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed the West for provoking the Ukraine war, citing NATO’s expansion and support for Ukraine’s 2013-14 uprising. Speaking at the SCO summit in Tianjin on September 1, 2025, he said Russia’s military actions were reactive, not the cause of the conflict, Al Jazeera reported.

Putin stressed that lasting peace requires addressing these root causes and highlighted talks with leaders including US President Donald Trump, China’s Xi Jinping, India’s Narendra Modi, Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian, and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Despite these efforts, negotiations remain stalled, with Russia seeking territorial concessions Ukraine considers unacceptable. Putin’s comments reinforce Moscow’s view that Western policies fuel the conflict, according to Al Jazeera.