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At the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers in Toulon, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron urged tougher secondary sanctions on countries aiding Russia’s war in Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported.

In a joint statement, they pledged to step up pressure on Moscow’s war machine, send additional air defence systems to Kyiv, and open a strategic dialogue on nuclear deterrence.

Both leaders questioned Vladimir Putin’s commitment to talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, despite President Donald Trump’s mediation efforts, warning the war could continue for months.

The US has revoked visas for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and about 80 officials, barring them from next month’s UN General Assembly in New York. Washington accused the Palestinian leadership of undermining peace by pushing for unilateral statehood recognition and failing to denounce terrorism, BBC reported.

The move, welcomed by Israel, is unusual as the US is expected to allow access for all delegations under the UN Headquarters Agreement. Abbas’ office condemned the decision as unlawful, while the UN said it was in talks with Washington to resolve the issue.

France, backed by the UK, Canada and Australia, is leading efforts at the Assembly to recognise Palestine—a step opposed by President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Palestine is recognised by 147 UN member states but lacks defined borders and remains under Israeli occupation, according to BBC.

President Donald Trump is moving to cut $5bn (£3.7bn) in foreign aid using a rarely invoked “pocket rescission,” which allows funds approved by Congress to lapse if left unspent by the end of the fiscal year, according to BBC.

The plan targets USAID, State Department programmes, international peacekeeping, and democracy-promotion efforts. The White House says it is aimed at curbing wasteful spending, but critics argue it sidesteps Congress’s constitutional control over federal funds.

Republican Senator Susan Collins called the move unlawful, while Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned it could disrupt budget processes and risk a shutdown. The tactic was last used in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter, BBC reported.

India and Canada have appointed new high commissioners to each other’s countries, easing tensions after the 2023 killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver.

Last year, Ottawa expelled India’s envoy over alleged links to the murder, which Delhi denied, and India retaliated by expelling Canadian diplomats. The standoff marked a major low in otherwise cordial ties, BBC reported.

Following a June meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Canadian PM Mark Carney, both countries agreed to reinstate senior diplomats. Canada named Christopher Cooter as envoy to Delhi, while India appointed Dinesh K Patnaik to Ottawa.

While the move signals renewed engagement, differences remain over Canada’s handling of pro-Khalistan groups, a longstanding concern for India. Canada hosts about 770,000 Sikhs, the largest diaspora outside Punjab, according to BBC.

At least 49 people have died and around 100 remain missing after a migrant boat sank off Mauritania’s coast, officials said. Seventeen survivors were rescued, and search efforts are ongoing, BBC reported.

The vessel had left The Gambia six days earlier with about 160 people, mostly Gambians and Senegalese, heading for Spain’s Canary Islands. Survivors said it capsized after passengers rushed to one side on spotting coastal lights near Nouakchott.

According to BBC, the Canary Islands route has become one of the deadliest paths to Europe. Rights group Caminando Fronteras warned the toll could be higher, calling the sinking one of the summer’s worst tragedies.

Elon Musk is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which oversees financial markets and investor protections, accusing him of delaying disclosure of his Twitter investment to save about $150m, according to BBC.

The SEC says Musk should have revealed crossing the 5 percent ownership threshold by March 14, 2022, but waited until April 4. His lawyers argue the case is baseless, insisting the late filing caused “no intent, no harm” and was corrected immediately.

They also accuse the SEC of targeting Musk with unusually harsh penalties. The regulator declined to comment, BBC reported.

President Donald Trump has revoked extended Secret Service protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a memo seen by the BBC.

Harris, entitled by law to six months of security after leaving office in January, had her protection extended by Joe Biden for an additional year. Trump cancelled that order in a directive dated Thursday, instructing the Secret Service to end any extra measures beyond legal requirements starting September 1.

The decision comes just weeks before Harris begins a national book tour promoting her memoir 107 Days, which recounts her brief 2024 presidential bid. The White House and Secret Service have not commented yet according to BBC.

Britain has barred Israeli officials from next month’s DSEI arms fair in London, reflecting growing tensions over the war in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.

The Ministry of Defense said no Israeli government delegation would be invited, though private defense firms may still attend. Israel denounced the decision as discriminatory and vowed to withdraw entirely.

The move comes after the UK suspended some arms export licenses, froze trade talks, and sanctioned two Israeli ministers. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also warned he will recognize a Palestinian state if Israel fails to agree to a ceasefire and take steps toward ending its occupation.

Across Europe, pressure on Israel is rising, with France restricting its arms displays and EU ministers set to debate further sanctions, according to Al Jazeera.