CHINA - China has adopted an increasingly hostile stance towards its neighbours as it seeks to assert its claims over the crucial body of water. China could trigger a global trade crisis should Beijing further escalate regional tensions to secure full control of the South China Sea. The People's Republic of China (PRC) has been embroiled in a decades-long dispute with several of its neighbours as it claims sovereignty over the majority of the Western Pacific Ocean section. The South China Sea is at the centre of a major row between China and at least seven other countries, including the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Beijing has grown increasingly hostile over the past two years, with its Coast Guard repeatedly clashing with their Filipino counterparts.

UK - Britain's navy cannot mount a proper defence of the Falkland Islands should it be attacked again by Argentina, according to a former officer. Argentina's military junta ordered its army to seize the Falklands in April 1982, which sparked a 74-day war with the UK. The British government led at the time by Margaret Thatcher sent a naval task force to liberate the islanders from their Argentinian captors. Argentina lost 649 soldiers, while 255 British Armed Forces personnel were killed during the conflict and 777 were injured. A former officer of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) said the current British fleet could not mount a similar operation in its current state.

SWITZERLAND - Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, does not pose the same public health threat as Covid-19, and will not lead to a “cycle of panic” and lockdowns, Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) regional director for Europe, has said. Earlier this month, the WHO declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, the same designation it gave to Covid-19 in early 2020. While a mild variant of the virus – dubbed Clade 2 – spread around the world in 2022, a more infectious strain – Clade 1b – has killed hundreds of people in central Africa and was detected last week in Sweden. In a UN briefing on Tuesday, Kluge said that by supplying enough vaccines to affected nations in Africa and encouraging close observation of mpox patients, the spread of the disease can be controlled.

USA - A massive new statue has been unveiled in the United States, with the gargantuan construct not honoring a famous American or historical figure but rather a polytheistic group’s god with the head of a monkey. The “Statue of Union” was inaugurated August 18 at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Hindu Temple in Sugar Land, Texas. It depicts the Hindu god Lord Hanuman, one of the religion’s countless deities. Hanuman, a god of strength, devotion and selfless service, is most often depicted with the head and tail of a monkey. The monument stands exactly 89.7 feet tall, making it the third-tallest statue in the United States, according to the “Statue of Union” website.

ISRAEL - Antony Blinken in Israel: “I come before you, not only as the US Secretary of State, but also as a Jew. My grandfather… fled pogroms... My stepfather…survived concentration camps. So... I understand... the harrowing echoes that Hamas’ massacres carry... for Jews everywhere.”

IRAN - With Iran's hardliners pushing hard, some form of retaliation against Israel following the assassination of Hamas's leader seems inevitable, said Dr Burcu Ocelik. Iran is likely to be pondering two options as it mulls retaliation against Israel following the assassination of two high-profile military commanders, a UK-based expert has said. Meanwhile, frantic negotiations are continuing to wrap up a Gaza ceasefire which could be key to dissuading Tehran from sanctioning an attack that could have “severe” worldwide implications, Dr Burcu Ocelik told Express.co.uk.

IRAN - Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that Tehran’s retaliation over the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh may only come after a long wait, according to Reuters. Following the incident, Iran promised to inflict “harsh punishment” on Israel, which has neither denied nor acknowledged any role in the killing. The Middle East has been bracing for Iran’s avowed retaliation, which has not so far materialized. “Time is in our favor and the waiting period for this response could be long,” Alimohammad Naini, spokesperson for IRGC, an elite and influential branch of the Iranian military, reportedly said on Tuesday, adding “the enemy” should wait for a “calculated and accurate” response. The killing of Haniyeh has sparked global concerns about an all-out war between Israel and Iran.

USA - If you’re worried about the recent market volatility…You need to see what Former CIA and Pentagon Advisor Jim Rickards is predicting for this November. Jim is a lawyer and economist who’s worked at the highest levels of Wall Street and international finance across five decades. And he correctly predicted the last two major financial crises in America.

HOLLAND - Several Dutch MPs from the right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV) have grilled the country's government on whether it is prepared to “reconsider” relations with Ukraine, should it be found to have sabotaged the Nord Stream pipeline. Three PVV members, including leader Geert Wilders, submitted a written query to the country’s top officials, including Prime Minister Hendrikus Schoof, on Thursday asking for their reaction to recent reports alleging that Germany had issued the first arrest warrant related to the Nord Stream explosion in September 2022.

UK - The summer is yet to officially end but many haven't let that stop them getting in the Christmas spirit this August. Pubgoers and shoppers alike have been left baffled as festive sweet treats begin to appear on supermarket shelves, and firs cascaded with baubles begin to sprout in boozers.The Air Balloon pub in Filton, Bristol, has not let the time of the year get in the way of their Christmas spirit, putting up Britain's first festive tree of the year. Although the floor-to-ceiling looks stunning with its blue fairy lights and co-ordinated glittery ornaments, punters were shocked to see the tree as well as a board advertising their festive menu so early in the year. One customer, Laura, said: 'I came up for a pint in the sun - I wasn't expecting to see a Christmas tree.'

USA - Harley-Davidson has been forced into backtracking on their DEI policies after being targeted by a conservative activist. The $6 billion-a-year firm known for its macho and rebellious image faced backlash after campaigners exposed its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and urged riders to steer clear of the American icon. Conservative influencer and filmmaker Robby Starbuck cited CEO Jochen Zeitz's support for hardline policies on trans care for kids, critical race theory, climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. In a statement released on Monday, the company said they had renounced DEI and other initiatives that had caused bikers to abandon the legendary brand.

USA - Do you remember what happened when the Democrats held their convention in Chicago in 1968? The Democrats are really hoping to avoid a repeat of what we witnessed 56 years ago, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson insists that law enforcement authorities in his city are ready. We shall see. Tens of thousands of protesters from 264 different radical protest groups have descended upon Chicago, and the war in the Middle East is what they are upset about more than anything else. They are determined to get as much attention as possible, because so far the Biden administration has not been responsive to their demands.

USA - Those that are applying for jobs with the Harris campaign have “nine different options for pronouns” that they are allowed to choose from…The presidential campaign for Kamala Harris is now including special pronoun options for job applicants, as part of their commitment to diversity and inclusion. The job application for the Harris campaign includes nine different options for pronouns, including ‘xe/xem,’ ‘ze/hir,’ ‘ey/em,’ ‘fae/faer’ and ‘hu/hu.’ ‘Fae/faer,’ indicates a gender-fluid person but non-masculine, sometimes of Celtic origin. ‘Hu/hu,’ pronouns are third person gender-neutral pronouns referring to both a man and a woman.

GERMANY - Germany plans to reduce its military support for Ukraine to about 6 per cent of what it is now by 2027. Earlier this summer, Berlin announced it would halve its funding for Kyiv from the current €8 billion (£6.8 billion) to just €4 billion in 2025. But a draft budget seen by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper reveals plans to cut spending to a mere €500 million in 2027. The draft budget has sparked a torrent of criticism as Ukrainian forces seek to defend the country against Russia’s invasion. Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, has struggled to find budget cuts to meet a huge hole in Berlin’s finances, with aid to Ukraine apparently falling victim to the shortfall.

USA - In a new interview with independent journalist Tucker Carlson, brother and sister whistleblowers Calley and Casey Means detail how Big Pharma has co-opted government agencies and the food industry in order to keep Americans sick and in need of medication. Casey Means pointed to historically high rates of autism, diabetes, infertility, and obesity as Americans’ life expectancy has decreased. “The thing that people need to understand is that all of these conditions are caused or driven by the exact same thing, which is metabolic dysfunction. This core foundational issue of how our bodies on the cellular level function, which is driven by our toxic food system and our toxic environment,” she added.