GLOBAL BRIEFS - CPA

• Israel has officially rejected a Gaza peace plan proposed by Donald Trump, signaling continued diplomatic friction over the region's future. • New details have emerged regarding tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting increased military volatility in a critical global shipping lane.

• On August 8, 2026, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened to maritime traffic. • The decision follows a reported agreement where the United States accepted specific conditions set by Iran to de-escalate tensions.

• Ukraine has evolved from a perceived burden into a significant military powerhouse, shifting the dynamic of its strategic relationship with the United States. • Ukrainian officials are now adopting a transactional approach to diplomacy with Donald Trump, focusing on mutual benefits rather than moral or humanitarian appeals.

• Iran has demanded compensation from the United States and set six crucial conditions that must be met before it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz. • The closure follows more than four months of conflict between the two nations, which has triggered renewed escalations in Yemen.

Jeremy Greenwood tells inquiry he instructed the factional group ‘not to keep going’ because ‘it became so toxic’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Liberal figure under investigation for allegedly accepting illegal donations has told the corruption watchdog that it does not have a “shred of evidence” that he was part of a conservative factional group, saying he told members “not to keep going” after it became “toxic”.Consultant and lobbyist, Jeremy Greenwood, 37, who is named in two of the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s (Icac) allegations as part of Operation Rosny, gave evidence on Monday. Continue reading...

Authorities warn that days of intense rain could trigger widespread flooding and landslides as storm moves north and further inlandMore than a million people were moved to safety across eastern China by Sunday evening as powerful Typhoon Dolphin made landfall amid fears torrential rain would cause flooding and landslides.Wenzhou, a coastal city in Zhejiang province, said it relocated more than 900,000 people and opened more than 1,500 emergency shelters. In neighbouring Fujian, 98,900 people were moved from high-risk areas. Continue reading...

Average sea surface temperature outside polar regions was highest on record for July, beating previous high in 2023The world’s seas were hotter last month than in any July on record, scientists have said, as devastating heat struck western Europe.Sea surface temperatures hit record highs for July on the Atlantic coast and western Mediterranean, the EU’s Copernicus climate change service found, with severe marine heatwaves roiling Europe’s seas. Globally, the average sea surface temperature outside the cold polar regions was the highest on record for the month, beating the previous July record set in 2023. Continue reading...

Observatory says 36.9C posted on Sunday is city’s highest official temperature since its records began 142 years ago, with storm driving intense heat in regionHong Kong has officially recorded its highest ever temperature as Typhoon Dolphin swept warm air over the city, the meteorological service said.The city’s weather observatory posted a temperature of 36.9C on Sunday, the highest recorded since records began in 1884, the Hong Kong Observatory said in the afternoon. Continue reading...

Scharf, who helped president win approval for $400m ballroom, to replace David Warrington on 1 SeptemberDonald Trump announced on Sunday that ⁠Will ​Scharf, the staff secretary who helped secure approval for the $400m White House ballroom project, will become ⁠White House counsel and assistant to the president.Effective 1 September, Scharf will replace David Warrington, who will be leaving the administration to join the private sector. Warrington ​formerly served ​as a ​personal counsel and a ​lawyer ‌for Trump’s ​2024 campaign. Continue reading...

US congresswoman to share journey online as she criticizes Trump administration’s attacks on reproductive careAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez has announced she is going to freeze her eggs and will be sharing the process online.The progressive New York congresswoman, 36, revealed her decision to undergo fertility treatment in a series of Instagram stories this weekend. “This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life,” Ocasio-Cortez said. Continue reading...

First of PM’s ‘everyday fixes’ to be banning fake discounts and making it easier to cancel unwanted subscriptionsAndy Burnham: I’ll end the rip-offs that people hateAndy Burnham has promised a series of measures to tackle the cost of living, including a ban on fake discounts and making it easier for people to escape unwanted subscriptions.The crackdown on “rip-off” business practices is expected to benefit consumers to the tune of £400m a year and will be the first in a range of “everyday fixes” to be implemented in the coming months. Continue reading...