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Republican senator asserts control over Trump recess appointments

Senator John Thune, the Republican Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate, has moved to control President Donald Trump’s ability to make recess appointments by using a procedural maneuver that keeps the Senate in pro forma session every three days.

Under the U.S. Constitution, presidents may make temporary appointments while the Senate is in recess. These so-called recess appointments have been used by both parties to circumvent political gridlock and accelerate staffing. Trump, however, was reportedly preparing to use the recess to install a wave of loyalists across key government posts—including judgeships, cabinet positions, and federal prosecutors—many of whom might have struggled to survive the formal confirmation process.

Thune’s action reflects a growing rift within the Republican Party, as some senior lawmakers seek to reassert congressional oversight and restrain the White House’s more aggressive tactics. The procedural block signals to the executive that the Senate will not relinquish its advisory and consent role, even under a president from the same party.

Although the Senate will technically be “in session,” it will conduct no legislative business and will be attended by only a handful of members on rotation. The move requires no vote and has historically been used to deny recess appointments to presidents of both parties.

Trump allies have expressed frustration at what they see as a betrayal by Thune, who has generally aligned with the administration on policy but is seen as more institutionally minded. Whether this will trigger a broader confrontation between the White House and Republican Senate leadership remains to be seen.

It’s America vs China, everyone needs to pick a side

Russia-Ukraine war update

President Donald Trump stated that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff may travel to Russia on Wednesday or Thursday.

On the ground, Russian forces continue to advance, despite sustaining extremely high casualties. Since early 2025, Russian personnel losses have remained among the highest recorded since the war began. Yet Ukraine has also faced a sharp increase in desertions and cases of soldiers absent without leave. The pace of Russian territorial gains now exceeds that of the same period in 2024.

Russia is ramping up drone production, becoming more organized and increasingly dominant in drone warfare—both in quantity and operational sophistication. The entire kill chain has improved, and training for drone operators has expanded significantly.

Ukraine continues to suffer from manpower shortages. A more pressing issue is dissatisfaction with mobilization policies, which is complicating recruitment efforts. As Russia enhances its drone capabilities, Ukraine’s previous advantage in unmanned warfare is steadily eroding.

Russia’s economic vulnerabilities remain genuine. The threat of U.S. secondary sanctions is becoming more tangible.

Meanwhile, banks in the United Arab Emirates have launched sweeping account closures targeting Russian firms. According to Russian media reports, 20% to 30% of these companies are now facing audits, operational restrictions, or outright closures. The UAE, which hosts more than 4,000 Russian companies, is tightening payment controls under growing pressure from U.S. sanctions.

Perhaps due to the increasing U.S. pressure, Russian President Vladimir Putin said today through the Kremlin Spokesperson, that, once preparatory work is done, he is prepared to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The time frame for this, however, remains undetermined.

India and the Philippines hold joint naval drills in the South China Sea

Coinciding with the state visit of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to India, the navies of the two countries conducted bilateral maritime exercises in the South China Sea this week.

The Indian Navy deployed INS Kadmatt, an anti-submarine warfare corvette, while the Philippine Navy was represented by BRP Ramon Alcaraz, a former U.S. Coast Guard cutter. The two vessels carried out formation exercises, cross-deck helicopter operations, and coordinated patrols in contested waters claimed by Beijing as part of its so-called “nine-dash line.”

The joint activity signals growing security cooperation between New Delhi and Manila, both of whom have raised concerns over Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.

During his visit, President Marcos and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed multiple agreements, including on defense industrial collaboration and maritime domain awareness. India also reiterated its support for a rules-based maritime order and the 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea.

Birth pangs in the birthplace of civilization

The Gaza war stalls amid growing threat of famine

Launched in mid-May with much fanfare from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Operation Gideon’s Chariots in Gaza is now effectively over.

Despite its dramatic beginning, the campaign has failed to achieve its stated aims. No deal has been secured for the return of hostages, and Hamas has not surrendered. Political and military leaders in Israel are now debating how to formally declare the operation's conclusion, given that none of its key objectives has been met.

Hamas, for its part, has issued a fresh ultimatum: it will not disarm unless Palestine is granted international recognition with Jerusalem as its capital.

A shift in strategy appears imminent. Israeli media report that both Israel and the U.S. are finalizing a new ultimatum to Hamas. The joint proposal reportedly includes the following conditions:

Several countries, including the United Arab Emirates, have resumed airdrops of food into Gaza as the risk of a full-scale famine rapidly grows.

President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority has reiterated his vision for “an unarmed State of Palestine” living alongside Israel. According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, Abbas stated, “We are preparing to hold general elections that will not include political forces or individuals who do not adhere to the program and commitments of the Palestine Liberation Organization and international legitimacy.”

He continued, “This excludes anyone who does not accept the principle of one state, one law, and one legitimate weapon, and the importance of implementing the two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative, as outlined at the International Peace Conference in New York…We want the State of Palestine to be unarmed, including in the Gaza Strip.”

An open letter was yesterday signed by over 600 former defense and security officials, including almost every living former head of the Israeli Defense Forces, Police Commissioner, Shin Bet, and director of Mossad, calling on the Israeli government to halt the war now and bring back the hostages.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun vows justice on 5th anniversary of Port blast

Marking the fifth anniversary of the catastrophic 2020 Beirut Port explosion, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun issued a solemn address reaffirming his administration’s commitment to justice and accountability. In a nationally televised speech, Aoun declared that uncovering the truth behind the blast and holding those responsible to account “remains a top priority for the Lebanese state.”

The explosion, which occurred on 4 August 2020, was caused by the detonation of over 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate and killed more than 220 people (the exact number will never be known due to the force of the explosion and the number of undocumented migrants living next to the port), injured thousands, and left large parts of the capital in ruins.

Aoun, who assumed the presidency in January 2025 following over two years of political impasse, used the anniversary to signal a break from what he called a “culture of impunity.”

Regional observers note that Aoun’s remarks come amid renewed foreign pressure, including from the U.S., European Union and the United Nations, to resume the stalled investigation.

Syria, Druze militias launch offensive against strategic point outside Sweida

On Monday, pro-Hijri Druze militias in southern Syria launched an assault on Tell Hadid, a strategically significant hill west of Sweida city. Fighters initially made gains before being pushed back in a counterattack by opposing forces.

Clashes and intermittent shelling continued across several areas along the front line. Later in the day, Israeli warplanes entered the area, deploying flares over eastern Daraa province. The maneuver appeared to serve as a warning to pro-Damascus forces not to intervene against Druze fighters.

Meanwhile, in the north-east, the Kurdish-led and U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have reported clashes today with government forces. The details are still unclear, but are another warning sign of the growing geopolitical turbulence to which Syria is currently subject.

U.K. Palestinian state recognition

In what may appear to be a reversal, following his threat last week to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September, Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom has been warned that such a move could “destabilize” the international legal order.

According to a newly issued legal opinion, the proposed recognition “would create a troublesome precedent and could well challenge, and ultimately destabilize, an international system founded upon a common understanding of what it is to be a state.”

Instability from Sahel to Horn of Africa amid state fragility, Russian interference, & Islamist insurgencies

Launch of a new campaign by al-Qaeda-aligned JNIM in Mali and Burkina Faso

In Mali, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) reported that weekend attacks by Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) in Wabaria and Douentza were repelled. According to the military, several militants were killed and weapons recovered. JNIM, however, claims that “dozens” were killed in an ambush in Tenenkou, including at least five fighters from the Russian mercenary Afrika Corps. The group reported the capture of a vehicle, 16 Kalashnikov rifles, two PK machine guns, ammunition, and other equipment. Four additional vehicles, including one armored vehicle, were reportedly destroyed. On Sunday morning, JNIM also claimed to have attacked two military checkpoints on the outskirts of Gao.

In Burkina Faso, JNIM stated that dozens of soldiers were killed and 14 captured during an assault in Fatouri last Friday. The group claims to have seized a mortar, six PK machine guns, 47 Kalashnikov rifles, two pistols, 16 boxes of ammunition, 294 magazines, and other supplies. On Saturday, JNIM said it carried out an improvised explosive device attack on an army patrol between Barsalogho and Pensa. That same morning, the group reported attacks on three security checkpoints in Douentza, where Afrika Corps personnel were allegedly involved in the fighting. Affiliated channels claimed the attack was repelled, though no evidence was provided. A separate assault targeted a military position in Youba on Sunday evening, according to JNIM.

Islamic State attacks in Niger

The Islamic State in the Greater Sahara Province (IS-SP) claimed to have killed 31 government-aligned militiamen in the Anzourou area of Tillabéri on Thursday. In a statement released over the weekend, the group accused the militias of “numerous crimes against Muslims in the region.” The assault follows an earlier IS-SP operation that reportedly left 28 militiamen dead elsewhere in Niger, underscoring the group’s sustained efforts against local paramilitary forces.

Multiple attacks have been recorded along the Niger-Mali border, where JNIM is also accelerating its operations. However, IS-SP has suffered recent setbacks. The Malian army recently killed one of the group’s commanders, while another surrendered to authorities along with several of his men. Mali’s FAMa also announced the killing of a foreign fighter and several other militants in the border area in recent weeks.

Islamist militants massacre worshippers in church attack in eastern Congo

Islamist militants affiliated with the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group linked to the Islamic State, attacked a church in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo on Sunday, killing at least 43 Christian worshippers. The assault occurred in the province of North Kivu, a region plagued by chronic instability and escalating jihadist violence.

Eyewitnesses reported that armed men stormed the building during a morning service, opening fire indiscriminately and setting parts of the church ablaze. Dozens were injured, some critically, and many more remain unaccounted for as local authorities comb through the rubble. Survivors described scenes of panic as congregants attempted to flee through windows and side exits.

The ADF, originally a Ugandan rebel group, has in recent years expanded its operations in the eastern DRC and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province.

The Congolese military responded by dispatching reinforcements to the area, though security forces have struggled to contain the ADF’s insurgency despite regional support from Uganda and United Nations peacekeepers. President Félix Tshisekedi condemned the attack as a “cowardly act of terror” and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The massacre underscores the deteriorating security situation in North Kivu and raises concerns about the Islamic State’s growing influence in Central Africa. It also adds to the mounting death toll in a conflict that has displaced hundreds of thousands and left vast swaths of territory effectively beyond state control.

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