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Kim Jong Un has called for a rapid expansion of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, condemning US-South Korea military exercises as hostile and war-provoking, Reuters reported.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which began this week, are described by Washington and Seoul as defensive, but Pyongyang sees them as invasion rehearsals. Kim said the involvement of a “nuclear element” highlights the need for stronger deterrence.

Experts estimate North Korea has material for up to 90 warheads, though around 50 are believed operational. Pyongyang also plans to add a third Choe Hyon-class destroyer by 2026 and is testing new cruise and anti-air missiles, according to Reuters.

President Donald Trump has promised that the US will help guarantee Ukraine’s security in any eventual peace deal with Russia, though the scope of support remains unclear. He made the pledge during a White House summit with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders, days after talks with Vladimir Putin, Reuters reported.

Zelenskiy welcomed the assurances as a “major step forward” and said they could be formalized within 10 days. Trump is also arranging a meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy, possibly in Hungary, which could be followed by a trilateral summit.

European leaders urged Trump to insist on a ceasefire first, but he argued that broader peace talks could move forward even as fighting continues. France and Germany warned that any deal must address wider European security, according to Reuters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said security guarantees for Kyiv could be finalised within 10 days following talks in Washington with US President Donald Trump and European leaders. He described his meeting with Trump as the “best” so far, highlighting US willingness to take part in a framework ensuring Ukraine’s security, Reuters reported.

Zelenskiy noted that the guarantees would likely be formalised on paper soon and include a US weapons package worth around $90bn, covering aircraft and air defence systems. He added that Washington had also agreed to purchase Ukrainian drones once exports resume.

While a peace deal with Russia remains distant, Zelenskiy said Ukraine was prepared to negotiate “in any format,” with territorial issues to be addressed directly with President Vladimir Putin although no date for such talks has been set, according to Reuters.

European leaders have rushed to Washington after President Donald Trump signalled a sharp change in his approach to the Ukraine war following talks with Vladimir Putin. Trump abandoned earlier demands for a ceasefire as a condition for peace talks and ruled out further sanctions on Russia, a move that European officials fear tilts US policy closer to Moscow, BBC reported.

France’s Emmanuel Macron, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and other EU and NATO leaders quickly altered their schedules to urge Trump against backing a settlement that leaves Ukraine weakened or cedes the Donbas to Russia. They argue Ukraine’s security must be guaranteed through long-term military strength, allied funding and intelligence support, not vague assurances or demilitarisation.

According to BBC, the leaders’ immediate goal is to slow talk of land-for-peace deals and instead press for a ceasefire framework, broader security guarantees for Europe, and a potential trilateral summit involving Trump, Zelensky and Putin.

Hamas has accepted a ceasefire and hostage-release proposal brokered by Egypt and Qatar, according to Palestinian officials. The plan, based on a framework advanced by US envoy Steve Witkoff, includes a 60-day truce during which Hamas would free about half of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages. Talks on a permanent ceasefire and Israeli troop withdrawal would continue during this period, according to BBC.

Israel has not formally responded. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently said any deal must secure the release of all hostages at once. Meanwhile, Israel’s cabinet is expected to approve an expanded military offensive in Gaza, including plans to seize Gaza City.

The war began after Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry says more than 62,000 people have been killed in the territory, BBC reported.

Hurricane Erin has re-intensified into a Category 4 storm, bringing heavy rains to the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos of the United States though no direct landfall is expected. Puerto Rico saw widespread power outages, but most electricity has been restored.

Forecasters warn Erin will stay “large and dangerous” as it moves between Bermuda and the US East Coast this week. North Carolina’s Outer Banks have begun evacuations on Hatteras Island, while officials caution that life-threatening surf and rip currents could affect much of the eastern seaboard, BBC reported.

Amnesty International has accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon in Gaza, warning that famine is spreading as Israeli attacks intensify, Al Jazeera reported.

Based on testimonies from displaced Palestinians and medical workers, the rights group said Israel is deliberately destroying the health and social fabric of life in Gaza, calling it part of an “ongoing genocide.” Accounts include a pregnant women fearing for her baby’s survival and an elderly resident who feels she has become a burden on her family.

According to Al Jazeera, nearly 62,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, while almost a million in Gaza City now face further displacement under escalating bombardment.

Palestinian families are fleeing eastern Gaza City amid heavy bombardment and fears of an Israeli ground offensive that could uproot hundreds of thousands. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called Gaza City Hamas’ last stronghold, but Israeli officials warn an assault could endanger the 50 hostages still held and lead to prolonged urban warfare, according to Reuters.

The planned offensive has sparked mass protests in Israel demanding a ceasefire and hostage release. In Gaza, unions have called for demonstrations urging Hamas to push harder in negotiations.

Egyptian and Qatari mediators have intensified ceasefire talks in Cairo with Hamas and allied groups. While previous efforts collapsed in July, Hamas has indicated willingness to consider a US-proposed 60-day truce with partial hostage release as part of a wider deal to end the war, Reuters reported.