Peace

• The UAE is advancing international peace and stability efforts through a combination of diplomacy, dialogue, and humanitarian action. • The government is prioritizing conflict prevention and the protection of civilians to resolve existing global crises. • These diplomatic initiatives aim to build international confidence and foster cooperation between conflicting parties.

• Dr. Emmanuel Kotia published a paper detailing how state intelligence agencies maintain peace and security across African nations. • These agencies perform specific duties including monitoring conflict dynamics, identifying armed groups, and evaluating ceasefire agreements. • Reliable intelligence assessments allow governments to protect civilians and create more effective diplomatic and military strategies.

• UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a review of how the organization deploys and supports peacekeeping operations during a Security Council debate in New York. • Guterres stated that current mission mandates are limited because they lack political agreements, credible ceasefires, and unity within the Security Council. • This review aims to address how changes in the nature of armed conflicts have exposed weaknesses in existing UN peacekeeping strategies.

• Southeast Asia is experiencing a regional arms race characterized by military expansion and increased securitization across Myanmar, the Philippines, and Indonesia. • Intensified military operations and foreign defense cooperation in the Philippines and Indonesia have exacerbated local conflicts and humanitarian crises. • This shift toward military-led approaches risks increasing human suffering and failing to reduce armed or non-armed opposition in the region.

• Oman's Ambassador Alshibani praised India's vision for peace and dialogue during the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. • The Ambassador stated that Oman's foreign policy aligns with India's guiding philosophy of "One Earth, One Family" to promote neighborhood stability. • This alignment emphasizes a shared commitment to conflict resolution and de-escalation amid current geopolitical tensions.

• Philippine senators called for peaceful and orderly conduct during the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on Sept. 14. • Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri urged electoral participants and authorities to remain impartial for the polls, which occur after four postponements. • The outcome of these elections determines the leadership and governance structure for the autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao.

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged on Saturday to strengthen business and transport links to revive diplomatic ties. • The leaders focused on resolving structural trade imbalances, supply chain issues, and the need for predictable market access. • This agreement aims to stabilize the economic relationship between the two largest Asian markets by addressing mutual trade concerns.

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit to discuss strengthening business ties and restoring border peace. • The meeting marks a recovery in diplomatic relations following a violent border clash between the two nations in 2020. • Improved cooperation between these two global powers could stabilize regional trade and reduce geopolitical tensions in Asia.

• The Institute for Economics and Peace released the 2026 Global Peace Index, which indicates that current geopolitical risks have surpassed those seen during the Cold War. • The report notes that the data only partially captures the full impact of the Iran War and its associated aggressions due to the index's data cut-off date. • This shift suggests a heightened state of global instability that increases security risks for international markets and diplomatic relations.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin will meet in New Delhi for the BRICS Summit 2026 to address economic and geopolitical challenges. • Prime Minister Modi specifically called for lasting peace in West Asia and emphasized the safety of seafarers. • The summit aims to boost cooperation among emerging economies and advance the interests of the Global South to counter trade tensions and energy security concerns.

• On Monday, August 31, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled that India cannot unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty. • The five-member tribunal issued a unanimous decision rejecting all arguments presented by New Delhi since April 2025 to justify the suspension. • This ruling is critical for South Asia's water security, as the treaty governs the distribution of vital river waters between India and Pakistan.

Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner is on a diplomatic mission in the Middle East to meet Hamas officials and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in an attempt to salvage a ceasefire in Gaza.The talks come after Netanyahu rejected the US-backed 15-point peace plan for the territory in a rare public break with the Trump administration this month.Nosheen Iqbal speaks to global editor Devika Bhat – watch on YouTube Continue reading...

Jared Kushner set to meet Netanyahu following talks with HamasJared Kushner meets with Hamas ahead of talks with Netanyahu on GazaWelcome to our live coverage of the latest in the continuing conflicts in the Middle East.Donald Trump’s envoys met with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo on Sunday, a diplomatic source said, aiming to advance the US president’s Gaza peace plan, even as Israel pressed on with airstrikes ⁠in the territory.Israel resumed its airstrikes on Gaza in the past few days ‌after scaling back the attacks earlier this month. One of those wounded in the Khan Younis strike died from their wounds, medics at Nasser hospital said later. A separate airstrike, which the Israeli military said targeted another militant, hit an apartment in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, wounding several people, medics said.A senior Israeli official said on Sunday that Israel was concerned about Washington’s demand to end targeted assassinations of Hamas militants in Gaza as the group rebuilds its forces, Reuters reported. Trump’s peace ⁠plan calls for the immediate cessation of military operations in Gaza and foresees Hamas disarming as Israeli troops withdraw from the territory and Gaza is rebuilt.Several regional powers including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Sunday condemned Israel’s rejection of the peace road map, saying the country is obstructing peace efforts.The top US military commander in the Middle East visited the USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea amid reports of mental health and supply issues onboard. Adm Brad Cooper praised the leadership of the long-deployed aircraft carrier. Continue reading...

• The UN Security Council held an open debate on Thursday to address escalating military clashes and deadly attacks in Yemen. • Recent Houthi missile strikes targeting Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping vessels have intensified regional tensions linked to the US-Iran conflict. • These developments threaten to collapse the 2022 truce between the Houthi militia and the Yemeni government, further destabilizing the region.

• Wall Street's main indexes declined on Tuesday as losses in the technology sector dragged down overall market sentiment. • Investors are reacting to fading optimism regarding potential peace deals between the U.S. and Iran, which has increased geopolitical uncertainty. • Rising energy costs linked to the Iran conflict are fueling global inflation concerns, potentially complicating future interest rate decisions for central banks.

Israeli PM is insisting on a full Hamas disarmament before the deal can be implemented. Plus, what it feels like to get locked in to an opera performance that lasts nearly 24 hoursGood morning.Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a US-backed 15-point peace plan for Gaza in a rare public break with Donald Trump. In a statement, Israel’s prime minister said he was confronting a “wave of rumours about Israeli weakness and Israeli withdrawals on all fronts” and rebuked US pressure to end wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran without Israel’s buy-in.What other developments have happened in the region? Iran has issued tough new demands for reopening the strait of Hormuz, while the United Arab Emirates said one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile over the weekend. Tehran said the strait of Hormuz would not open until the US “corrects its behaviour”. Yemen’s Tehran-aligned Houthis have claimed responsibility for an attack on a refinery in Saudi Arabia on Sunday morning.What impact is the conflict having on seafarers in Hormuz? The US-Iran war has stranded up to 20,000 seafarers, mostly Indian and Filipino crews, with none knowing when the nightmare will end. Seventeen seafarers have died since hostilities began, the majority following Iranian strikes.What sort of exercises did they take part in? Justin Vail, who leads the DC office of the non-partisan advocacy group Protect Democracy, said: “These tabletop exercises are a standard planning tool for experts and stakeholders to prepare for potential scenarios. We’re not predicting exactly what would happen. But we do want to create a realistic context that can help us identify gaps, test our assumptions, and strengthen coordination, and then ultimately develop some recommendations to increase our preparedness.”How has Trump been working to undermine confidence in US elections? Voting rights advocates pointed toward Trump’s July primetime address as indicative of the president’s intentions – rhetorical attacks on the integrity of voting machines and elections offices, potentially escalating into more direct interference. Trump threatened the broadcast licenses of networks that refused to carry that address live, and in his speech, he again implored Congress to pass the Save America Act, which would ban mail-in ballots nationwide and impose new identification requirements on voters when they register and report to polls. Continue reading...

In rare public break with Trump, Israel’s prime minister says IDF will not withdraw until Hamas is disarmedMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesIsrael’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected a US-backed 15-point peace plan for Gaza in a rare public break with Donald Trump.In a statement on Sunday, Netanyahu said that he was confronting a “wave of rumours about Israeli weakness and Israeli withdrawals on all fronts” and rebuked US pressure to end wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran without Israel’s buy-in. Continue reading...

UK hosts decades-old event for first time where many participants are from opposite sides of global disputes from Israel and Palestine, to India and PakistanOn the surface it looks like a normal summer school in the Devon countryside, with teenagers playing volleyball in the sun, doing arts and crafts in the hall, and preparing for the night’s talent show.But behind the scenes, intensive discussions are taking place. Many of these teenagers come from opposite sides of historical national conflicts – from Israel and Palestine, India and Pakistan. Continue reading...

• European stock markets reached record highs driven by strong corporate earnings and investor optimism regarding a potential peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran. • Key contributors to the rally included resilient technology shares and sectoral advances led by companies such as Deutsche Telekom and Glanbia. • The surge in sentiment is significant as it eases global energy supply concerns and reflects improving earnings expectations across the region.

Exclusive: Louisiana firm awarded tender to build rudimentary outpost to house Moroccan troopsDonald Trump’s Board of Peace, which was set up in January to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza, has finally issued its first construction contract in the devastated territory: a project to build a rudimentary 150-person military outpost to house Moroccan troops, a source familiar with the matter told the Guardian.The contract, which has not yet been finalised, was awarded to Arkel International, a Louisiana-based firm that has previously carried out work with the US government in countries such as Iraq. Continue reading...

• The STOXX Europe 600 Index reached a record closing high for the second consecutive day on May 5, though overall gains were tempered by shifting Middle East peace hopes. • Novo Nordisk shares plummeted 4.3% after sales of the oral version of its obesity drug, Wegovy, failed to meet market expectations despite an increase in 2026 full-year guidance. • In the pharmaceutical sector, reports from Reuters indicated that AstraZeneca is not currently engaged in concrete merger talks with any U.S. companies.

• Ukraine has appointed Umerov to lead a combined portfolio overseeing foreign intelligence, peace negotiations, and defense-technology priorities. • His key responsibilities include managing critical military initiatives, specifically drone procurement deals and the Freyja anti-ballistic program. • This consolidation of power aims to align Ukraine's intelligence capabilities with its diplomatic efforts and technological defense needs.

• A suicide bombing occurred on Sunday outside the Kabal Police Station in Pakistan's Swat district, targeting a peace rally. • The attack resulted in at least seven deaths and left 18 other people injured. • This incident highlights the ongoing security challenges and the persistent threat of militant violence in the region.

• South Korea’s Kospi index experienced a historic record surge on July 31, 2026, soaring 17.91% to reach 6,595.45 points. • The benchmark index jumped by 1,001.89 points in a single day, while the KOSDAQ also saw a significant increase of 11.63%. • This rally signals a return to "buying mode" for global investors, coinciding with a geopolitical shift as Donald Trump reverses his stance on Iran to pursue peace.

• Donald Trump has characterized a proposed Gaza peace deal as a "great breakthrough" on August 1, 2026. • Despite Trump's optimism, both Israel and Hamas continue to disagree on several key conditions required to finalize the agreement. • This diplomatic friction highlights the ongoing difficulty in securing a lasting ceasefire and stability in the region.

• The provided text argues that peace diplomacy should not be measured by quantitative metrics or traditional weighing systems. • The core objective of these diplomatic efforts is to prevent the onset of conflicts and wars, reduce escalation during active hostilities, and facilitate post-war rebuilding. • This perspective highlights the qualitative nature of diplomacy, suggesting that the value of preventing a war is often invisible and cannot be easily calculated.

• President Trump announced via social media that a government-established group has agreed on a process for Hamas to begin disarming in the Gaza Strip. • The White House claims a peace deal is near, though the administration has not yet provided specific details regarding the disarmament process. • Separately, new bipartisan Senate legislation introduced on Thursday proposes transferring the management of dozens of federal courthouses from the General Services Administration to the judiciary.

• Iran's foreign ministry rejected claims that the U.S. can dictate the "timing of war and peace," countering assertions by Donald Trump that Tehran had requested negotiations. • The statement follows efforts by mediators to revive a collapsed interim deal and restore diplomatic relations between the two nations. • While Iran indicated a positive response to mediators' requests for diplomacy, it emphasized that it will not allow talks to be dragged on indefinitely.

• Global stocks are rising following optimistic expectations for peace talks with Iran. • Recent data from Asian economies, including Taiwan and Singapore, indicates that the high-tech employment share has remained largely unchanged or even declined despite the ongoing AI boom. • This trend suggests a potential disconnect between the economic contribution of the tech sector and actual job growth in these regions.

• The FTSE 100 rallied 1.3% over the week, while the FTSE 250 and AIM all-share indices rose by 0.8% and 1.6% respectively. • Market gains were driven by reports suggesting that peace talks between Iran and the United States could potentially resume. • Investors are now focusing on upcoming economic indicators, including Germany's Ifo business climate and US durable goods orders on Monday.