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North Korea has informed the United Nations that its status as a nuclear-armed state is irreversible and rejected outside pressure to abandon its weapons programme. The declaration, delivered through UN channels, signals Pyongyang's continued defiance of Security Council resolutions and international disarmament efforts, underscoring stalled diplomacy over the Korean peninsula's denuclearisation.

Vladimir Putin has signed a decree immediately increasing the size of the Russian armed forces to 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 military personnel. The decree replaces all previous ones on army strength and marks the seventh such expansion of Russian force levels since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine says it sent grenade-launcher-equipped ground robots to attack Russian shelters while its infantry stayed out of direct contact, with operators controlling the machines from positions tens of kilometers away. Ukraine's Third Army Corps says no one has used similar tactics in this war before, and the claim is being circulated via United24. Observers are weighing what the tactic means for manned assault operations.

New satellite imagery indicates North Korea is expanding its uranium enrichment facility at Yongbyon, its main nuclear complex north of Pyongyang. Analysts say the construction could increase the country's capacity to produce weapons-grade uranium. The finding adds to concerns over Pyongyang's advancing nuclear program amid stalled diplomatic talks and continued United Nations sanctions.

Sudan has two rival power structures but no recognised government. The army-backed administration controls much of the formal state apparatus, while the Rapid Support Forces exercise authority over territory they hold. Washington says neither side represents legitimate constitutional governance, leaving the country's international representation and sovereignty questions unresolved.

Russian forces carried out large-scale strikes on Kyiv, with claims that attacks targeted military hubs and what Moscow describes as NATO specialists in the Ukrainian capital. The strikes reportedly burned Ukraine's military infrastructure. The claim of foreign specialists being killed has not been independently verified, and the fighting continues to draw intense international attention as the war grinds on.

Counter-terrorism arrests have been made near a UK air base, drawing attention to security around military sites in Britain. Details of those arrested and the suspected motive have not been confirmed. The story is prompting discussion about threats to armed forces personnel and installations.

Taiwan's government says US arms sales to the island continue as normal, but a large weapons package worth about $14 billion has not moved forward and remains on hold. Officials are playing down any suggestion of a policy shift, though the delay is drawing attention given rising tensions with China and questions about how quickly Washington will deliver promised defensive equipment to Taipei.

Kazakhstan has put forward an offer to host talks on nuclear arms, according to Aju Press. The proposal comes from the Central Asian country that gave up the Soviet nuclear arsenal left on its territory after independence. Details on which parties would take part and when the talks might happen have not been reported.

The UN arms embargo covering Sudan's Darfur region expires on Saturday and must be renewed by the UN Security Council. Discussion is focused on whether the embargo will be extended amid the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, with attention to arms flows and regional actors including the United Arab Emirates.

US forces have completed their withdrawal from Iraq, ending a military presence of roughly two decades that began with the 2003 invasion. Observers warn the departure leaves a power vacuum that Tehran is well placed to fill, given its influence over Iraqi political factions and armed groups. The withdrawal marks a major shift in the region's balance of power and raises questions about Iraq's future stability.

CNBC's Daily Open newsletter highlights a growing split in the artificial intelligence world: prominent AI creators are publicly warning about the technology's risks, even as companies press ahead with massive spending on data centers and computing infrastructure. The piece frames the tension between caution from the technology's own architects and the commercial momentum driving investment forward.

Germany is shifting its economic strategy toward large-scale military rearmament, with defence spending increasingly framed as an engine for industrial growth. Observers are debating whether the country can revive its stagnant economy through arms production and defence investment, and what the move means for European security and Germany's fiscal priorities. The debate has drawn wide attention among economics and policy audiences.

Reports are circulating about a suspected bomb plot near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. According to an account circulating online, a farmer driving home in the early hours found three white vans blocking a village road with no one inside, and turned around after becoming suspicious. Details remain limited and unconfirmed, and the story is drawing heavy attention as people await official confirmation from police or the Ministry of Defence.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for renewed negotiations among nuclear-armed states as Kazakhstan marks 35 years since the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. Speaking on the anniversary, he warned that global arms-control safeguards are weakening, urging world powers to return to the negotiating table to prevent a renewed nuclear arms race.

Sudanese authorities have called for an immediate end to foreign interference in the country and insisted that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) be disarmed. The demand comes as Sudan's civil war, which began in April 2023 between the army and the RSF, continues to drive one of the world's largest humanitarian crises, with outside powers widely accused of fuelling the conflict.

Analysts are explaining the consequences of global warming surpassing the 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement. Crossing this limit is tied to more severe heatwaves, droughts, and sea-level rise, and would signal that governments have fallen short of their climate pledges. Commentators stress the milestone carries both symbolic and practical weight for global climate policy.

OpenAI is paying a network of influencers across Instagram and other platforms to promote ChatGPT and cast the company as 'good for the world', according to a Business Insider report. The strategy includes sponsorships and ad partnerships as the company works to shape public perception of its AI tools.

A farmer's tip-off is credited with helping to stop a suspected terrorist plot at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England. The alert reportedly prompted police action at the airbase, a key site for US military operations in the UK. Few further details about the suspected plot or any arrests have been confirmed, and people are discussing what happened at the base and how the tip-off unfolded.

An analyst told French broadcaster RFI that Washington has alienated the Sudanese army in what he described as a complex war. The comment highlights growing friction between the United States and Sudan's military leadership as the conflict, which began in April 2023 between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, drags on. Other outlets, including Modern Ghana, have picked up the remarks, underscoring debate over whether US diplomacy in Sudan has undermined a key actor in any future settlement.

President Putin has signed off on an expansion of Russia's armed forces, adding 15,500 active personnel and raising the total to 1.55 million troops. The move signals Moscow's continued effort to grow its military despite heavy losses in the war against Ukraine. The increase, announced via a decree, is being widely covered as a sign that the Kremlin is preparing for a prolonged conflict.

A foreign and security policy analysis argues that living with nuclear weapons is once again a central challenge for international politics. Amid renewed great-power rivalry, eroding arms control treaties and ongoing conflicts involving nuclear-armed states, policymakers and commentators are debating how deterrence, disarmament and civilian protection can coexist in a more dangerous world.

A UN news roundup highlights US migration policies triggering what officials call a cascade of human rights violations, alongside warnings over funding shortfalls for refugee programmes. The brief also covers a new global report on the state of the world's forests and progress on restorative justice efforts in Colombia as the country continues dealing with the legacy of its armed conflict.

The Canadarm2, the large robotic arm aboard the International Space Station, has stopped working, according to an Ars Technica report. The arm is critical for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment and supporting spacewalks, so a failure would complicate station operations. Details on the cause of the failure and whether engineers can restore it have not been made clear.

The United Nations has added a wind farm developer to a blacklist over alleged links to human rights violations, according to trade outlet Recharge. The designation places the company alongside entities accused of complicity in abuses, raising questions about its access to international financing and renewable energy supply chains.

TimesLIVE reports that the head of Hamas' armed wing has been killed in Gaza City. The report marks a significant development in the conflict, as the commander led the group's military operations. Details about the circumstances of the killing and official confirmations from either side have not yet been fully set out in the available reporting.