U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to visit Moscow and Kyiv this weekend in a renewed push for peace talks. The planned diplomacy comes as Russian strikes hit Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro, including Ukraine’s SBU security headquarters.
News Mash
U.S. diesel prices reached a record $5.85 a gallon as the Iran conflict continued to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The Trump administration says oil flows are improving, but shipping data cited by CBS News shows traffic remains below pre-war levels.
A Quezon City court ordered the arrest of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte over alleged threats to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife and a former House speaker killed. The case adds to an impeachment trial that could bar Duterte from a 2028 presidential bid.
Two senior Reform UK officials stepped down after a Channel 4 investigation alleged the party arranged for a foreign company to fund political polling. Reform denies wrongdoing and says it was targeted by a hoax, while Labour has asked police to investigate.
U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in August, far above economists’ forecasts, while the unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%. The report showed gains in restaurants, bars and education but raised questions about wages, inflation and the Federal Reserve’s next move.
The far-right AfD is leading polls in Saxony-Anhalt, where candidate Ulrich Siegmund could become the first far-right politician to head a German state government since World War II. Immigration, economic frustration and anti-establishment sentiment are driving the campaign.
The average U.S. diesel price reached a record $5.85 a gallon, driven by war-related supply disruptions, refinery constraints and seasonal demand. The surge is raising costs for freight, farming, groceries and heating fuel in the U.S. and UK.
Two hydropower workers were rescued alive from Nepal’s Trishuli 3A tunnel nine days after devastating floods. Hundreds of workers remain missing at hydropower projects across the country, with many believed trapped underground.