Taliban mark five years in power

US President Donald Trump claimed during an address in Las Vegas that the word ‘affordability’ was invented by the press and political opponents to criticize his administration’s economic record. Speaking at the Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa, the president reflected on tax policies and economic performance, arguing that costs were coming down significantly compared to high inflation during his initial transition into office. Trump asserted that reporters began using affordability as a newly devised buzzword on his first day in office to framed cost-of-living concerns. The remarks build on earlier statements from late 2025 where Trump characterised affordability as a political narrative promoted by Democrats to downplay economic progress.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has cautioned Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that ongoing Russian strikes on commercial shipping in the Black Sea pose a direct threat to regional food security and grain exports across Africa and the Middle East. Speaking via X, Zelenskyy noted that significant supply reductions are already driving up global grain prices and warned of severe consequences if attacks on cargo vessels persist. In response to proposals for a maritime truce, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova rejected a third-party proposal from Kyiv to halt strikes on civilian shipping. Moscow dismissed the initiative as a “half-measure” that would merely grant Ukrainian forces operational breathing space, accusing Kyiv of attempting to destabilise Black Sea shipping routes. The diplomatic standoff coincides with several broader geopolitical developments across the region. Russian authorities acknowledged domestic petrol shortages after a Ukrainian strike forced the six-month closure of the Orsk oil refinery, located 1,300 km from the front line. Meanwhile, Polish officials warned that Russian cyber actors are exploiting historical grievances over World War II massacres to strain relations between Warsaw and Kyiv. Further escalating regional concerns, Romanian defence officials confirmed that a second unidentified drone crashed inside NATO territory near the border village of Plauru, whilst Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed deep security cooperation with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during commemorations marking the end of Japanese colonial rule.

More than 80,000 people have been forced to flee their homes and holiday accommodation across south-west France and central Spain as fierce, uncontained wildfires continue to sweep through the region. Fanned by relentless winds and intense heatwave conditions, the blazes have triggered national emergency declarations and prompted urgent requests for international military and civilian aerial support. In France, authorities ordered the total evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula on the Atlantic coast as a vast wildfire in the Gironde department consumed over 12,500 hectares of forest and destroyed at least 80 homes. With the main access road threatened by advancing flames, hundreds of residents and holidaymakers were evacuated by sea using ferries and local boats. A secondary blaze further south near Biscarrosse has burned an additional 2,500 hectares, leaving coastal emergency services struggling to contain the perimeter. Across the border in Spain, the central government declared a national emergency after two massive blazes merged outside Madrid and threatened to join a third active fire in the neighbouring province of Ávila. Over 19,000 people were evacuated overnight across affected municipalities as thick acrid smoke reached the capital’s outskirts. Spanish officials described the convergence of high temperatures, parched terrain, and strong winds as an unprecedented crisis for the region. Both nations have activated the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism to request specialized firefighting aircraft, with reinforcements deployed from Portugal, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Slovakia. Environmental scientists highlight that Europe is warming at roughly twice the global average rate, warning that prolonged droughts and extreme seasonal weather patterns are driving wildfire destruction to historic levels across the continent.

Former Israeli ambassador to the United States Mike Herzog has said Israel’s ability to influence decisions in Washington has declined significantly during President Donald Trump’s current administration. He also warned that support for Israel among the American public has been steadily weakening, creating long term challenges for the country’s relationship with its closest ally. Speaking in an interview with Israeli radio station 103FM, Herzog said the close personal bond that once existed between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump no longer appears as strong as before. While Netanyahu recently described his latest meeting with Trump at the White House as one of their best meetings, Herzog argued that the event should be viewed more carefully. In his opinion, the meeting lacked the warmth and personal interaction that previously defined the relationship between the two leaders. Herzog said one positive outcome for Netanyahu was that Trump avoided publicly criticising Israel or placing any visible demands on the Israeli government during the meeting. He suggested that this helped Netanyahu present the visit as a diplomatic success, particularly as Israel moves closer to national elections. According to Herzog, the prime minister had a political interest in showing that his ties with Trump remain strong despite growing speculation that relations between the two leaders have cooled. The former ambassador also pointed to several details surrounding the visit that, in his view, reflected a more distant relationship. Netanyahu entered the White House through a side entrance instead of receiving a more prominent arrival. There was no private one on one meeting between the leaders and media attention surrounding the visit remained limited. Herzog said these diplomatic signals suggested the White House wanted to avoid creating the impression that Trump was closely aligned with Netanyahu. He linked this cautious approach to political concerns in the United States following the conflict with Iran. Herzog said many Americans believe Israel played a major role in drawing the United States into the confrontation. Since the conflict has been unpopular with parts of the American public, he believes Trump is careful not to appear as though he acted under pressure from the Israeli leadership. Even so, Herzog said there are currently no major disagreements between Washington and Tel Aviv over Iran, although the relationship is no longer as close as it once was. Beyond the immediate political situation, Herzog warned that Israel’s overall standing in the United States has suffered lasting damage. He said changes in American society, political shifts, economic developments, international campaigns against Israel and policy decisions made by successive Israeli governments have all contributed to a steady decline in public support. He also acknowledged that the actions of Israel’s current government and the ongoing military campaign in Gaza have negatively affected how many Americans view the country. Netanyahu himself recently admitted that support for Israel has weakened in the United States, arguing that social media has played a major role in shaping public opinion. His comments came as recent polling showed a noticeable increase in negative attitudes toward both the Israeli government and the Israeli people. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that public opinion has shifted over the past several years. The percentage of Americans holding unfavourable views of the Israeli people rose from 28 percent in 2019 to 42 percent in 2026. During the same period, favourable views of the Israeli government fell from 41 percent to 32 percent. International criticism of Israel has also intensified since the war in Gaza began in October 2023. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. According to reported figures, more than 73,000 people have been killed during the conflict, which has continued despite a truce agreement reached in October 2025.