Ukrainian forces launched overnight long‑range strikes on a major Russian oil refinery and the Engels airfield in the Saratov region, about 600 km from Ukraine’s border, killing eight people according to Russian officials. The attacks mark a deepening of the conflict into Russian territory as both sides intensify strikes on energy and military infrastructure while diplomatic efforts remain stalled.

Since the full‑scale invasion began in February 2022, front‑line positions have largely stabilized, but both Russia and Ukraine have increased attacks on energy facilities, logistics hubs and civilian infrastructure.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces struck a major oil refinery and the Engels airfield in the Saratov region, roughly 600 km from Ukraine’s border. Russian officials reported eight deaths and said 635 drones were shot down or intercepted. The Ukrainian military said the attack on the airfield ignited a fire that damaged the base used by strategic aviation bombers. Regional governor Roman Busargin said a drone attack damaged civilian infrastructure in Saratov and Engels and that two people were killed. Additional reports indicated three deaths in the Udmurtia region and three in Belgorod after drone strikes on civilian vehicles. An oil depot in Kaluga and a drone launch site in Bryansk were also hit. Russia said it targeted two Ukrainian ports and two vessels in the Black Sea overnight, while Ukraine reported one death from a Russian strike on a postal terminal near Kharkiv. Wildberries announced a warehouse fire in the Samara region caused by a Ukrainian strike, with no reported casualties, and Rozetka said its largest warehouse was hit by Russian drones but recorded no injuries. The exchanges highlight the expanding geographic scope of the war and the lack of progress toward a negotiated settlement.

The Sudanese army carried out a drone strike on a traditional court in the village of Garra al‑Zawaya in North Darfur on Sunday, killing 35 people and wounding others, according to the Emergency Lawyers group.

The court session was taking place under a tree and involved local community leaders, a witness told AFP, who requested anonymity for safety. Garra al‑Zawaya lies near Kabkabiya and is under the control of the Rapid Support Forces, which have been engaged in armed conflict with the army since April 2023.

The strike occurred at approximately 13:00 local time (11:00 GMT). The witnesses reported that four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders were among those killed. The RSF's self‑declared administration said 37 people were killed and 50 others wounded, while the army has not issued an immediate response.

Drone attacks have become increasingly common since the army lost El‑Fasher to the RSF in October 2023. The United Nations has documented more than 1,000 civilian deaths from drone strikes in the first five months of 2026. The war between army chief Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, millions of displacements and a severe humanitarian crisis, with both sides accused of war crimes.

The United Nations has warned that RSF advances toward El‑Obeid and the wider Kordofan region could precipitate further mass atrocities, a risk highlighted by the recent court strike.

The death toll from a mass migration surge into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta rose to at least 72 on Sunday, as officials recovered five additional bodies along the North African coast.

The surge began on Thursday when more than 50,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta by land and sea, marking the largest single-day influx since the enclave's establishment.

Spanish government representative Miguel Angel Perez said that, in addition to the fatalities, more than 1,000 people had received health services and that conditions in the enclave had improved.

Moroccan Interior Ministry officials reported 11 deaths, mostly from drowning, and attributed the increase to social media misinformation, human trafficking networks, and a Spanish ruling on the immediate return of migrants intercepted at sea.

Spanish authorities said more than 48,000 of the migrants returned to Morocco within 48 hours, while the remainder remained in Ceuta.

Ceuta leader Juan Jesus Vivas told local newspaper El Pais that the city's morgue had received 88 corpses, including those from earlier attempts to reach the territory.

Authorities reinforced police and army patrols and installed a 500‑meter floating barrier off the coast on Saturday.

Twenty‑two EU member states wrote a letter requesting coordinated action to protect external borders, and Italy suspended Schengen passport‑free travel with Spain for one month.

Spain has offered residency to more than half a million undocumented migrants and denied that its policy encouraged the surge, stating that irregular entrants cannot travel to mainland Spain or other Schengen states.

A French resident in Ceuta expressed grief over the deaths, saying that economic hardship and social media rumors had driven many to attempt the crossing.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Iran nuclear talks will begin on Monday, after he postponed a planned military strike. The president made the announcement on Sunday while aboard Air Force One, saying that Gulf allies urged him to delay the attack to pursue diplomacy. Trump said a plan had been prepared for a large-scale attack, but he halted it to give negotiations a chance, adding that a deal on the Strait of Hormuz and a denuclearisation of Iran were in place. He noted that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also warned against the strikes, citing possible unintended consequences. The announcement followed a second phone call between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, which was also attended by Pakistani Army Commander Asim Munir, to discuss security and stability in West Asia. Earlier, Iran’s news agency reported that Tehran and Oman were in the final stages of talks over the Strait of Hormuz, focusing on a new routing that officials said was unrelated to whether the waterway would be opened or closed. Oil prices fell sharply after the strike was called off, with Brent futures down 4.6 percent to $83.85 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate down 4.7 percent to $80.66 per barrel, reversing a recent surge driven by heightened regional tensions. The talks are set to start Monday afternoon, though no venue or participants have been disclosed, and the outcome remains uncertain.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he canceled planned US strikes on Iran at the request of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iran. He said negotiations would resume the next afternoon. The cancellation follows the collapse of a US‑Iran ceasefire and renewed fighting that has killed 18 American service members. Iranian officials said they are close to finalizing a deal with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. Trump said a deal on the Strait of Hormuz and on Iran’s nuclear program is being pursued. Regional mediators have been passing messages between the United States and Iran. Analysts noted that military action alone would not achieve a reopening of the Strait. The United States has reimposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports. It has also increased strikes after the ceasefire ended. Iran has escalated attacks on Kuwait, Jordan and shipping in the Gulf. More than 600 US service members have been wounded and 18 have been killed since the conflict began. The upcoming talks aim to end hostilities and restore the June agreement that called for the Strait to be reopened for 60 days. The outcome of the talks remains uncertain as both sides continue to exchange statements about adherence to the agreement.

Wildfires burned hundreds of structures and forced thousands of residents to evacuate in Spokane, Washington, on August 3, 2026.

The National Weather Service warned of extremely critical fire weather conditions caused by strong winds and prolonged drought, a situation intensified by the return of El Niño, which has increased the likelihood of extreme weather events across the region.

Three separate fires ignited in eastern Washington and spread into Spokane. The Old Trails fire crossed the Spokane River on Saturday afternoon and entered the city. Collectively, the fires had charred 5,390 acres (2,181 hectares) and were reported at 0 % containment as of Sunday morning, according to emergency officials. The Spokane Convention Center was opened as an evacuation shelter, and authorities issued a "Go Now" alert for northern neighborhoods affecting thousands of people, based on the city's evacuation map.

Mayor Lisa Brown said the city is providing support to residents affected by the fires and will remain engaged for the long term. Sheriff John Nowels noted that no deaths or injuries have been reported to date, but investigations may change given the active fire conditions. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency and said the state is coordinating with federal officials, including President Donald Trump, to obtain additional resources.

David Upthegrove, head of the Washington Department of Natural Resources, described the situation as an extraordinary wildfire season in the Pacific Northwest, citing a confluence of weather conditions and multiple fires across the West that have strained response resources.

Weather conditions improved on Sunday with reduced wind, but the fires remained uncontained, and officials continued to assess the potential for further loss of life or property.

At least 13 people, including several children, have been killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza City, Khan Younis and Deir el‑Balah, according to Palestinian health officials, after two consecutive nights of bombing. The attacks occurred days after Hamas announced it would hand over its weapons to a US‑appointed Board of Peace, a component of a US‑brokered ceasefire plan. Israeli aircraft struck Gaza City, Khan Younis and Deir el‑Balah, killing two Hamas commanders from the Nukbha and Maghazi Battalions and another from the Jabalia Battalion, whom Israel said were planning attacks on Israeli targets. Palestinian health officials reported two civilian deaths, including a child, in a residential building in Gaza City, and a family of three—a father, mother and their nine‑year‑old son—in a house in Khan Younis. Another man and woman were killed after an apartment block was hit in Deir el‑Balah. The Israeli Energy Minister, Eli Cohen, said on Sunday that no agreement had been reached to halt attacks on Gaza, a territory under Israeli control. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said the draft agreement was not acceptable. The ceasefire plan, unveiled in September 2023, creates a Board of Peace to oversee implementation, mandates Hamas disarmament, calls for Israeli troop withdrawal and Gaza reconstruction. A 15‑point roadmap released on Friday details steps for inventory and storage of heavy weapons, conditional on Israel fulfilling its commitments under the initial ceasefire agreement. The method for transferring weapons to the Board of Peace has not been specified, but heavy weapons are expected to be stored and managed by the Palestinian National Committee, a group of independent technocrats to which Hamas has agreed to hand over power; the committee has been operating from Cairo and has not entered Gaza. UN estimates put the amount of debris generated since October 2023 at about 60 million tonnes. Negotiations continue as the second phase of the ceasefire plan remains unimplemented.

Cuba's national electricity grid collapsed on Sunday, plunging the entire country, including Havana, into darkness. The state utility Union Nacional de Energía (UNE) reported a total disconnection of the national system. Residents in affected areas gathered on streets, some setting piles of trash on fire or banging on pots and pans to express frustration. The Ministry of Energy said that protocols to reactivate the grid were underway. The power outage follows a series of nationwide blackouts, including a collapse in western Cuba the day before. The grid failures have disrupted water supplies and halted ceiling fans, making daily life difficult. The United States has authorized the arrival of a Russian tanker carrying 100,000 tons of crude oil in March, but those reserves have been exhausted. In addition to an existing oil blockade, the United States has increased sanctions on Cuban state-owned enterprises, leading some foreign firms to suspend operations. The United States also indicted former president Raul Castro over the downing of two civilian aircraft three decades ago. Negotiations between Havana and Washington have yielded limited results. Havana has implemented free-market reforms intended to stimulate the economy. The blackout highlights persistent energy challenges with no apparent immediate solution.

The Pentagon announced it will end its leadership role in a U.S.-funded organization that provides assistance to Ukraine, as the United States shifts its approach to European security cooperation.

The decision follows a series of policy adjustments made by the Trump administration to the decades‑old transatlantic alliance.

The aid organization, which has been overseen by Pentagon officials since its creation, continues to receive funding while operating independently of direct U.S. military command. The administration has emphasized a desire to recalibrate its involvement in European security matters.

The move leaves the future of the aid program and the broader U.S.–European security relationship open to further discussion.

Chipotle opened its first restaurant in Mexico this month at the Plaza Fiesta San Agustín shopping mall in Monterrey, a city with twice the national per‑capita income. The American fast‑casual chain, which operates more than 4,000 locations in the United States, chose the northern city as its inaugural market, a location with strong ties to the United States and a concentration of high‑income residents.

The opening attracted long lines and full seating, with many patrons ordering bowls and burritos rather than tacos. Javier Gámiz, a visitor who has dined at the restaurant more than a dozen times in two weeks, said he preferred the chain’s convenience and ingredient quality. In contrast, construction worker Daniel Jiménez Morales said he had never heard of Chipotle and described it as “gringo food for gringos.”

University of Toronto taco historian Jeffrey Pilcher noted that Chipotle differs from Taco Bell, which he described as “junk food,” while Chipotle markets itself as a healthier alternative using fresh ingredients prepared in view of customers. Pilcher said the chain’s menu is based on the San Francisco burrito and does not aim to replicate traditional Mexican cuisine.

Pablo de Brito, director of Chipotle Mexico, said the company is focusing on wealthier neighborhoods where residents have traveled to the United States and are familiar with the brand. He added that the initial locations target consumers with higher purchasing power.

El Bocadito, a long‑standing Mexican buffet in the same mall, said it does not view Chipotle as a threat. Cook Felicitas Martínez Hernández said the restaurant’s success comes from cooking with love and serving family‑style meals, a philosophy she believes reflects Mexican food.

Chipotle has indicated plans to open additional sites across Mexico, though the pace will depend on consumer response. The company’s early performance in Monterrey suggests a stronger start than Taco Bell’s previous, unsuccessful attempts to enter the Mexican market.