Mr. Donald Trump called on NATO allies to increase their defense spending. (Source: Reuters)

Europe

* Ukraine is preparing to use chemical weapons, according to accusations by Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov - Commander of the anti-radiation, chemical and biological weapons forces of the Russian Armed Forces.

Responding to the press conference, Mr. Kirillov clarified: "According to urgent information, servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are being trained to use chemical ammunition for Western-made artillery systems."

He reiterated his call on the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to “conduct a factual and objective investigation into the use of toxic chemicals by Ukraine, taking into account the evidentiary base presented by Russia, and to inform the States Parties to the Convention of the results as soon as possible.”

Ukraine has not commented on the allegations. (RT)

* Ukraine was attacked by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the capital in the early morning of August 27, according to a statement by military officials in the area around Kiev on the messaging app Telegram.

Later, the head of the military administration in Kiev, Serhiy Popko, said that Ukrainian air defense forces had shot down about 15 UAVs and several missiles near the capital. (Reuters)

* Russia has commissioned a new small missile corvette of Project 22800 Amur, also known as the "Karakurt class," according to an announcement from the Russian Defense Ministry on August 26.

Karakurt-class missile boats carry the Kalibr multipurpose vertical launch cruise missile system and, in the future, the Zircon hypersonic missile. These boats have a relatively small size and displacement, allowing them to operate in near-seas and on inland river routes. (THX)

* Telegram founder arrest: On August 27, the Paris prosecutor said that Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging service, will be detained for up to 48 hours in a cybercrime investigation, after his arrest on August 24.

France also said his arrest was related to 12 charges, including illegal transactions, child pornography, fraud on the Telegram app and refusing to provide information to authorities.

French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that the arrest was not a political decision, while Russia said it did not yet know what exactly Mr. Durov was accused of. However, Moscow said it would closely monitor the situation and was ready to provide legal assistance to the billionaire, who has multiple nationalities, including Russian.

Chairman of the State Duma (Lower House) of Russia Vyacheslav Volodin said that the US was behind the arrest of Mr. Durov.

Against this backdrop, the number of downloads of the Telegram app on the App Store, Apple's app store, has increased in France. (Sputnik, AFP)

* The EU has condemned the Taliban's new restrictions in Afghanistan, called the "Law on the Propagation of Morality and Prevention of Vices". Under the law, women are required to cover their entire body and face when going out, and are banned from participating in public activities, including speaking.

The EU said that the decree not only confirms but also further tightens restrictions on the lives of Afghan people, especially women, violating the fundamental rights of Afghan women and international law. (EC)

* Russia has detected high levels of tritium in seawater samples taken in the Far East after Japan's Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant discharged treated radioactive wastewater into the sea.

According to a statement issued by Russia's Pacific Oceanographic Institute, scientists at the institute noted elevated tritium levels in the main branch of the Kuroshio Current and in the area of ​​the Southern Kuril Islands (which Japan also claims and calls the Northern Territories). (THX)

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Asia-Pacific

* China denounced sanctions related to Ukraine as "illegal and unilateral" and "not based on facts", according to China's Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui.

"A particular country has taken advantage of this crisis... to shift blame in an attempt to fabricate the so-called opinion of China's responsibility and threaten countries that have normal economic and trade relations with Russia with illegal and unilateral sanctions," Mr. Li Hui said.

According to him, these words and actions are "entirely for their selfish interests and not based on the truth, the international community will never accept them." (Reuters)

* Japan accused a Chinese Y-9 spy plane of violating its airspace on the morning of August 26. The Japanese Defense Ministry said it had scrambled jets to respond. A day later, a Japanese government spokesman said the incident was "completely unacceptable."

Responding to Tokyo's accusations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said that China is gathering information and verifying the situation, and the two sides maintain communication through existing channels.

Mr. Lam Kien also emphasized that China has no intention of violating the airspace of any country. (THX, Kyodo)

* China conducted live-fire drills near the Myanmar border from August 27-29, involving air force and army, aimed at testing reconnaissance, early warning, area control and weapon capabilities.

The exercise is to ensure units are "ready to respond to any unexpected situations, ensuring the goal of protecting national sovereignty, stabilizing borders and ensuring the safety of people's lives and property." (SCMP)

* South Korea wants to increase its defense budget by 3.6 percent in 2025, according to a proposal by the country's Defense Ministry, to strengthen its ability to cope with growing military threats from North Korea.

Earlier in the day, the country's Cabinet approved a budget bill of 61.59 trillion won ($46.3 billion) for 2025, compared with 59.42 trillion won this year.

The South Korean government will submit the bill to the National Assembly on September 2. If passed, it will be the first time that South Korea's defense budget has exceeded 60 trillion won. (Yonhap)

* Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed his attendance at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, in October, during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 27.

In addition, Mr. Modi shared with President Putin his views on the situation in Ukraine after the Indian Prime Minister's visit to the Eastern European country on August 23. He stressed New Delhi's commitment to supporting a peaceful, lasting solution to the conflict.

Earlier, Mr. Modi also spoke to US President Joe Biden on the phone and reaffirmed India's stance in support of dialogue and diplomacy. (Business Standard)

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Middle East-Africa

* Iran calls on Muslim countries to unite against Israel: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called on Muslim countries to act together to force Israel to end its actions in the Gaza Strip, as he held talks with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Tehran.

"Muslim nations and all nations committed to international law and frameworks must unite and through joint actions force Israel's supporters to restrain themselves and end their crimes... in Gaza," said Masoud Pezeshkian.

Iran's president welcomes Qatar's efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza. (THX)

* The US insists that ceasefire talks in Gaza are still making progress , despite clashes between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement.

"Our team on the ground continues to describe the talks as constructive," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. (AFP)

* Israel calls on the UN Security Council to condemn Hezbollah: On August 26, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Danny Danon released a letter calling on the Security Council to condemn Hezbollah following the movement's large-scale missile and drone attack on Israel on August 25.

In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Israel blamed Lebanon and Hezbollah for the escalating tensions along Israel's northern border, which have forced 60,000 Israelis to flee their homes.

Israel also criticized Iran for playing a “directing” role in Hezbollah, and called for strict implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which requires the Islamist movement to stay away from the area south of the Litani River. (Times of Israel)

* Libya faces the risk of economic collapse caused by unilateral decisions, according to a statement by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

According to UNSMIL, the dispute over control of the Central Bank of Libya has raised alarms about the potential misuse of the country's financial resources.

UNSMIL is convening an emergency meeting with all parties involved in the Libyan Central Bank crisis, to reach a consensus based on political agreements, existing laws and the principle of Central Bank independence. (UNSMIL)

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America

* Mr. Donald Trump asked NATO allies to increase defense spending: On August 26, Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump called on members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to spend at least 3% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defense.

Speaking at the National Guard Association conference in Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Trump asserted: "The 2% spending is the robbery of the century, especially when we have to pay for it. It's unbelievable."

Under President Trump, he has repeatedly pressured NATO members to increase their defense spending to reduce the burden on the United States, the largest spender on the alliance. (Yonhap)

* The US is ready to escort Philippine ships on supply missions in the South China Sea , according to Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command.

He stressed that this was a "completely reasonable choice" within the framework of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the two countries, but this escort required consultation between the two allies.

On the Philippine side, Army Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner affirmed that Manila prioritizes carrying out supply missions itself and will try all available options, but is also ready to seek support not only from the United States but also from other like-minded countries if necessary. (Reuters)

* The US has pledged more than $64 million in humanitarian aid to sub-Saharan Africa , the US State Department announced on August 26, bringing Washington's total humanitarian aid to the region in fiscal year 2024 to more than $3.8 billion.

The new funding will enable host countries to meet the urgent, life-saving needs of refugees, vulnerable and displaced people across sub-Saharan Africa.

The US also called on international partners to increase support for the region, encourage countries outside Africa to provide aid to refugees, and support the implementation of sustainable solutions to the remaining problems here. (VNA)