Sign up to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here.
A curated guide to major news and developments over the weekend. Here’s today’s news:
IRAN WAR
President Trump yesterday suggested the United States could stay in Iran and “keep the oil,” and added that the price of gasoline would “drop like a rock” once the Iran war ended. Trump also brushed aside a report that Iran obtained satellite images of a base in Jordan from Chinese entities before a July attack that killed three U.S. troops. Trump instead equated the surveillance activities of China and the United States. Bo Erickson and Conor Humphries report for Reuters; Bo Erickson and David Brunnstrom report for Reuters.
Iranian state media yesterday said an Iranian cargo vessel was struck off the coast of Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack killed one and injured four people, and the Qeshm governor blamed a “terrorist enemy” for the attack. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations Center yesterday said a vessel was struck in the strait late on Saturday by an unknown projectile. Samy Magdy, Sally Abou Aljoud, and Cara Anna report for AP News; Azhar Sukri reports for CNBC.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi yesterday said the planned meeting between Iran and several Gulf countries scheduled to start today had been indefinitely postponed “in the interests of consensus.” Iranian officials had said they would attend the gathering to present an agreement with Oman on governing shipping routes through the strait. An Iranian Foreign Ministry official told Iranian news that the meeting was postponed in a decision jointly made by Iran and Oman. Aaron Boxerman reports for the New York Times; Mohammed Ghobari, Nayera Abdallah, and Bo Erickson report for Reuters.
IRAN WAR – YEMEN
The Saudi Civil Defense yesterday said a projectile fell in the Jazan province near the border with Yemen along the Red Sea, injuring two people and damaging a mosque. The SCD blamed the Iran-aligned Houthis. The Houthis claimed separately to have struck a Saudi military base in a neighboring province. Abdulnasser Alseddik and Samy Magdy report for AP News; Mohammed Ghobari and Nayera Abdallah report for Reuters.
IRAN WAR – LEBANON
Israel and Lebanon will meet in Rome in October to discuss a security agreement brokered by the United States intended to ease hostilities along the border, a U.S. State Department official told Reuters. The official added that Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors will meet in Washington next week. Maya Gebelly reports.
IRAN WAR – OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
Saudi Arabia on Friday shut down the East-West oil pipeline that allowed the kingdom to continue exporting crude oil during the Iran war. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the pipeline had been attacked multiple times by drones fired from Iraq. Summer Said, Georgi Kantchev, and Saleh al-Batati report for the Wall Street Journal.
The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Mohammed Eslami is not expected to attend the annual gathering of the U.N. nuclear watchdog’s member nations in Vienna because he is banned from international travel, an official briefed on the matter said yesterday. Austria sought a waiver of the travel ban with the U.N. sanctions committee but it was not granted. Stephanie Liechtenstein reports for AP News.
WEST BANK VIOLENCE
Multiple reports of settler violence in the West Bank surfaced over the weekend, with no reported arrests. A 23-year-old Palestinian man on Saturday was hospitalized after being beaten during a settler raid. Footage aired by Israeli Channel 13 yesterday said it depicted settler arsonists setting agricultural land alight. Palestinian media yesterday said two Palestinians from the Salfit area in the West Bank had been injured after being beaten during a settler attack while they were near Wadi al-Sha’er, and that settlers attacked the village of Deir Jarir, near Ramallah, damaging a vehicle. Nurit Yohanan reports for the Times of Israel.
The Israeli military yesterday said an off-duty soldier has been suspended for opening fire on Palestinians on Saturday, after he allegedly came under stone-throwing in the village of al-Mughayyir in the West Bank. The IDF said troops had been dispatched to the village several times on Saturday following reports of clashes between Israeli settlers who invaded the village and Palestinian residents. Emanuel Fabian reports for the Times of Israel.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Russian airstrikes in several Ukrainian regions on Saturday killed nine people, injured dozens, and damaged infrastructure, according to local officials. Kramatorsk city council said Russian forces killed three people in three incidents targeting civilian cars. Zhytomyr region Gov. Vitaliy Bunechko said a Russian strike on a grocery store in the town of Zvyahel killed two people. Zaporizhzhia region Gov. Ivan Fedorov said two people were killed and 11 injured in assaults on the region and other localities. The Head of Kryvyi Rih’s military administration Oleksandr Vilkul said two people were killed in overnight attacks by drones and missiles. Olena Harmash, Maxim Rodlonov, and Alexander Tanas report for Reuters.
A Russian drone yesterday hit an evacuated passenger train on Ukraine’s border with Poland, shortly after former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other European diplomats had used the same line. Ukraine’s railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said it is a possibility that the drone was intended to strike the diplomatic train “which departed the station earlier than scheduled” after timetables were updated due to the threat of Russian strikes. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius today called the strike a calculated escalation by Russian President Vladimir Putin to instill fear in Europe. Former C.I.A. director David Petraeus had been on the evacuated train, and called the attack an “act of a truly barbaric leader trying to terrorize Ukrainian civilians” in a telephone interview yesterday. Felix Light, Pavel Polityk, Andriy Perun, and Anna Wlodarczak report for Reuters; Ian Fisher and Maria Varenikova report for the New York Times; Reuters reports.
The Head of Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation Alexei Likhachev yesterday accused Ukraine of attacking diesel fuel trucks, killing two Russian servicemen and deliberately jeopardizing safety at the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Likhachev yesterday said the attack took place on Friday. Felix Light reports for Reuters.
Trump yesterday called on Ukraine to stop targeting Russian oil refineries in light of rising diesel fuel prices worldwide. Trump insisted the spike in global fuel prices was caused by Ukraine rather than the Iran war, and added that officials from his administration had asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop attacks on sites that produce diesel. Shawn Pogatchnik reports for POLITICO.
Zelenskyy yesterday imposed sanctions on former press secretary Yuliia Mendel, accusing her and nine others of spreading Russian propaganda and of supporting Russia’s aggressive policy toward Ukraine. The sanctions would last for ten years and included asset freezes and restrictions on trade. Pavel Polityuk reports for Reuters.
Zelenskyy’s Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov on Saturday said Ukraine was preparing for the resumption of three-sided talks with the United States and Russia in October. Ron Popeski reports for Reuters.
CLIMATE DEVELOPMENTS
A study by Systemiq, a sustainability advisory firm, said the Himalayas are approaching a tipping point as glaciers melt faster than a decade ago, threatening water security as the region approaches “peak water” by mid-century, Reuters reported today. The study found that the melting glaciers are leaving behind unstable glacial lakes above valleys where millions of people live, held back by little more than loose rock and ice. Close to 200 glacial lakes in India have been identified as high risk, with 56 classified as very high risk. Farah Master reports.
Spanish port authority Puertos del Estado on Friday reported that sea temperatures around Spain reached record highs this summer. Last month, scientists said that human-caused climate change was the main driver of recent record-breaking sea temperatures around Europe. Emma Pinedo reports for Reuters.
A U.S. Court of Appeals on Friday threw out an order from the U.S. Department of Energy that had forced a Michigan coal plant to remain open beyond its 2025 planned retirement. The ruling found that the department had exceeded its authority under the Federal Power Act, when it invoked a provision normally reserved for natural disasters. Coal-fired power is among the largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change. Nichola Groom reports for Reuters; Niina H. Farah reports for POLITICO.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney over recent months had held private conversations with almost every major EU national leader on how to more deeply connect Canada with the EU, according to the Wall Street Journal on Saturday. Carney has instructed his special envoy to Europe to scope out the most ambitious possibilities short of full membership of the EU’s common market according to sources, who added that Carney even suggested Canada could become an “Associate Member of the European Union.” Carney has denied the idea that Canada is looking to become a member, instead saying Canada is seeking a “unique alliance.” Drew Hinshaw, Joe Parkinson, and Laurence Norman report; Inti Landauro, Michel Rose, Gus Trompiz, Pete Schroeder, and Caroline Stauffer report for Reuters.
Sweden’s center-left bloc today looked set to form the next government as preliminary election results projected a narrow three-seat lead over the right-wing ruling parties, with most votes counted after yesterday’s elections. The left-leaning parties backing Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson were projected to win 176 seats in the 349-seat parliament. Party leaders, however, have been cautious about claiming victory or accepting defeat with 353 election districts still to be counted and overseas votes not likely to be tallied until Wednesday. Anna Ringstrom and Marie Mannes report for Reuters.
GLOBAL AI DEVELOPMENTS
Anthropic’s latest threat report said an Iran-linked operation used Claude to help target U.S. naval forces, among other reports of misuse of the AI. In one case, Claude blocked sensitive requests from researchers concerning biological virus alteration, and the platform routed them to a rival model with weaker safeguards. Zachary Basu reports for Axios; Sarah El Deeb reports for AP News.
King Charles III will meet with leaders from major AI companies, government officials, and others this week in Scotland to discuss “how AI can be developed and deployed in ways that benefit society,” according to a statement from Buckingham Palace yesterday. Ephrat Livni reports for the New York Times.
Chinese State Security Minister Chen Yixin yesterday warned that AI could pose a risk to China’s political and social security. Yixin’s warning focuses on the risks of generative AI technologies such as deepfakes, which can be used on a mass scale to “fabricate political rumours, disseminate harmful information and incite divisive sentiments.” The statement marks a significant expansion of China’s public discussion of AI safety, a debate previously led by China’s main regulator, the Cyberspace Administration. Eleanor Olcott reports for the Financial Times.
U.S. AI DEVELOPMENTS
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on Saturday said the AI industry should slow its development to give safety measures time to catch up due to fears AI could be capable of leading a swarm of agents that could take over the entire internet in six to 12 months. Amodei’s three-step plan to regulate AI calls for embedded individual evaluators with employee-like access to verify safety practices, cooperation among frontier AI firms to set safety standards and limited unchecked development, and international cooperation to manage AI risks. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and Chief Scientist of Alphabet Demis Hassabis said they supported a coordinated industry slowdown. Stan Choe reports for AP News; Anusha Devang Shah reports for Reuters; James Romoser, Meredith McGraw, and Amrith Ramkumar report for the Wall Street Journal.
Trump and White House AI adviser David Sacks yesterday defended the administration’s strategy of minimal regulation amid Amodei’s comments. Trump said “a lot of negative forces” are bringing up concerns around AI development, and reiterated his belief that the United States must outpace China in building AI, saying “whoever wins AI wins.” Chinese state-backed paper Global Times today called Amodei’s plea to slow AI development a “Cold War playbook” targeting China in an attempt to curb development “through technological barriers and regulatory monopolies.” James Romoser, Meredith McGraw, and Amrith Ramkumar report for the Wall Street Journal; Laurie Chen reports for Reuters.
Former President Barack Obama on Thursday implored Democrats to aggressively develop political and governing agendas to prioritize AI in the coming years during a private fund-raising event, the New York Times reported yesterday. Obama also suggested that candidates running for president in 2028 ought to make AI one of their “central agendas” and to have a clear plan for responding to safety and economic concerns. Evan Gorelick reports.
House Speaker Mike Johnson yesterday insisted AI developers are responsible for ensuring AI product safety, not Congress. Johnson insisted Congress has already instituted AI guardrails and that Congress cannot put a “moratorium on this because China will overlap us.” Cheyanne M. Daniels reports for POLITICO.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Trump on Friday said he would not oppose Chinese automakers building cars in the United States despite widespread opposition from U.S. lawmakers and car companies. He said that Japan already builds cars in the United States, but the “big thing is they hire our people,” and added that he does not want Chinese automakers to build cars in Mexico and ship them to the United States. David Shepardson reports for Reuters.
Trump, while on a two-day visit to Ireland over the weekend, backed Irish unity, calling for Northern Ireland to break from the United Kingdom to unify with the Republic of Ireland. Trump said he would “love” to see it sooner rather than later. When asked about Scottish independence, Trump said he would save that conversation for “another day.” U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out another Scottish independence vote, as well as a referendum on Northern Ireland leaving the United Kingdom. Bo Erickson and Padraic Halpin report for Reuters.
U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS
The Justice Department on Friday said Afghan national Nazira Haji Zada, who was the first-ever case before the federal Alien Terrorist Removal Court, has been deported. Zada was a lawful permanent resident whom the government accused of assisting her son and son-in-law’s foiled 2024 shooting plot. The department said the government used “classified information to establish that Zada is an alien terrorist.” Avery Lotz reports for Axios.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
Trump yesterday claimed that the United States could afford his promise to send $5,000 to every U.S. adult should the Republicans keep control of Congress after the midterm elections. Mike Johnson yesterday said that any payment would need to be approved by Congress, but Trump said that would be “easy if the Republicans win.” Bo Erickson, Chuck Mikolajczak, and Padraic Halpin report for Reuters.
Trump on Friday criticized what he called the Smithsonian’s overwhelming focus on oppression, and called for a five-year exhibition on George Washington. Trump on social media said there was “almost no attention paid to those who triumphed over great oppression, and against great odds.” Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters.
The National Security Agency is set to undergo its most extensive internal restructuring in at least a decade, according to sources briefed on the plans. The new design is the work of NSA director and Army Gen. Joshua M. Rudd, and calls for the creation of five new organizations inside the agency: AI, China, cybersecurity, combat support or warfighting, and global intelligence. Zach Dorfman, Warren P. Strobel, and Noah Robertson report for the Washington Post.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTION
The White House is weighing how to use the Defense Production Act to expand oil refining capacity as the Iran war exposes the country’s vulnerability to global crude supply disruptions, according to sources. The proposal to use the act came up during a recent meeting between Trump and nearly a dozen U.S. refiners, where White House officials sought to determine how federal support could be used to add capacity, Reuters reported on Friday. The Act would give Trump broad powers to direct industrial resources and provide financial incentives for companies to expand production of materials deemed important to national defense. Jarrett Renshaw reports.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION
A second federal judge late yesterday night barred the Postal Service from implementing Trump’s executive order limiting mail-in ballots. U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols in Washington, a Trump appointee, said that the plaintiffs demonstrated that should the rule stand, “there is an increased risk that a significant number of otherwise appropriate absentee or mail-in ballots will ultimately not be counted in the upcoming elections.” The Supreme Court is still weighing the administration’s request to overturn a separate order blocking the rule. NBC News reports.
A federal judge on Friday ruled that the Department of Homeland Security acted unlawfully by usurping the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s authority over its own personnel and cutting its workforce in half. The ruling declares that while FEMA is a part of DHS, a federal law adopted after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 says the department “may not substantially or significantly reduce [FEMA’s] authorities, responsibilities, or functions.” Daniel Wiessner reports for Reuters.
A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration’s use of a question for federal job applicants that unions called a “loyalty question.” The ruling states that the administration can no longer require government job seekers to say why the president’s policies are personally significant to them, and how they would further the policies if hired. Ian Kullgren reports for Bloomberg; Nate Raymond reports for Reuters.
Did you miss this? Stay up-to-date with our Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions.
If you enjoy listening, Just Security’s analytic articles are also available in audio form on the justsecurity.org website.
ICYMI: Last week on Just Security
