Trump orders the Mexico border wall painted black so it "heats up in the sun and makes it harder for migrants to climb."

DR Congo: Human Rights Watch accused AFC/M23 rebels of executing 141 people in 14 villages near Virunga National Park, Rutshuru, North Kivu, in July.

UPDATE: Armed bandits attacked a mosque during morning prayers in Katsina State, killing at least 27 people and wounding many others.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent:

We are selling arms to Europeans who pass them to Ukrainians, and Trump’s taking a 10% markup, maybe enough to cover the air cover.

Note: A markup is the added percentage on a product’s cost to make profit.

NEW leaked image shows a large flying-wing Chinese UAV.

No confirmed ID yet.

BREAKING: 14–17 Palestinian fighters emerged from a tunnel near Khan Younis, Gaza armed and carrying stretchers to abduct Israeli soldiers.

IDF managed to kill 9; the rest fled back underground.

Three Israeli soldiers were wounded. One seriously, two lightly.

NEW: 7 Israeli soldiers critically wounded after an old Syrian bomb exploded at an army camp on Mount Hermon.

225 Jewish settlers from Canada and the U.S. arrived in the occupied Palestinian territories today, moving into homes and land taken from Palestinians.

NEW: Israel has officially approved the long-stalled E1 settlement plan east of occupied Jerusalem.

The project, pushed by Finance Minister Smotrich, involves building 3,400+ housing units to link Ma’ale Adumim with Jerusalem.

This move splits the West Bank in two, cuts off East Jerusalem, and makes a contiguous Palestinian state nearly impossible.

Smotrich calls it a way to “bury” the idea of a Palestinian state and secure Israeli sovereignty.

It threatens Bedouin communities (e.g. Khan al-Ahmar) and seizes ~3,000 acres of Palestinian land.

Elon Musk says the WSJ report is fake.

Russian vehicle dodges a Ukrainian FPV drone, but then hits an anti-tank mine.

US Navy’s big plan for drone fleets to counter China is stumbling hard.

Test boats are crashing due to software bugs, a key autonomy contract with L3Harris got paused, and the Navy even fired the admiral running the program.

Billions are being poured in, but right now the drones aren’t ready and the whole effort’s under review.

Source: Reuters

A phone call between Putin and Turkish President Erdogan took place, the Kremlin reported.

Putin gave his assessments of the Russian-American meeting held in Anchorage.

The Russian side noted with satisfaction Türkiye's assistance in facilitating negotiations between representatives of Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.

NEW: Fire broke out aboard the USS New Orleans (LPD-18) while docked at White Beach, Okinawa, Japan.

US Navy & Japan Self-Defense Forces fought the blaze.

Cause, damage, and casualties not yet confirmed.

Fire reported near Tabriz International Airport, Iran.

Firefighting efforts said to be underway, but no official confirmation yet.

Details on cause, damage, or location remain unclear.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov:

Russia agrees that Ukraine's security guarantees should be ensured on an equal basis with the participation of countries such as China, the US, the UK, France.

Russian FM Lavrov:

By the time Europe “finally decides in two months” to recognize Palestine, there will be nothing left to recognize.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov:

The Russian Federation has proposed raising the level of heads of delegations at negotiations with Ukraine.

India just cleared a $7.4 billion deal to buy 97 Tejas Mk1A jets from HAL.

This adds to the 83 already ordered in 2021.

Total 180 Tejas Mk1As for IAF.