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Scientists and commentators say the current El Niño is unlike any previously observed, with ocean temperatures in the Pacific reaching record highs. The event is being linked to extreme weather worldwide, including heatwaves, flooding and droughts, and is fuelling debate about how climate change may be intensifying the natural cycle.

President Trump's second administration is changing how the United States funds the United Nations, with reporting examining cuts and shifts in U.S. contributions to the world body. The changes affect UN programmes and budgets that have long relied on American financial support, and are drawing attention from diplomats and international observers.

The Pentagon is considering a new nuclear strategy intended to deter regional wars rather than solely great-power conflict. Reports indicate the plan would adjust how US nuclear capabilities are postured to discourage limited regional aggressions by nuclear-armed or threshold states. Details of the review, including any changes to employment policy or force structure, remain undisclosed as discussions continue within the Defense Department.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Iran conflict is pushing up prices at US auto shops, with oil changes getting more expensive as crude and lubricant costs climb. The war's impact on global oil markets is filtering down to everyday consumers, adding to household expenses already strained by inflation.

Ukraine says its forces have recaptured another 51 square kilometres of territory in northern Donetsk as part of Operation Vivaldi. The latest gains reportedly bring the total territory retaken in the operation to 176 square kilometres, with five settlements also coming under Ukrainian control. The claims have not been independently verified, and Russia has not commented on them.

The 2023-24 El Niño is described as record-shattering, with analysis of its wide-ranging effects on global temperatures, weather patterns and ecosystems. The event has driven exceptional ocean warming in the tropical Pacific, contributing to record global heat, shifts in rainfall, droughts and flooding in various regions, and stress on fisheries and agriculture. Commentators are weighing how much of the recent temperature surge should be attributed to El Niño versus longer-term climate change.

French attention is turning to how pensions will be revalued in 2027. According to La Tribune, the government is expected to favour scrapping the 10% tax allowance on pension income rather than adjusting indexation rules, as ministers look for ways to fund or offset the revaluation. The debate matters for millions of retirees, since changes to the abattement would reduce net pension income for many households.

The Arab Center Washington DC is highlighting the upcoming UN General Assembly 2026 session, framing it around war, diplomacy, and a shifting regional order in the Middle East. The piece points to expectations that ongoing conflicts and realignments among regional and global powers will dominate the assembly's agenda and debates.

Leaders of Pacific island nations used their addresses at the UN General Assembly to highlight the existential threats climate change poses to their countries, including rising sea levels and extreme weather. They urged the international community to take stronger action on emissions and to support vulnerable states facing displacement and loss of land.

Russia's central bank has lowered the official exchange rates it sets for major currencies against the ruble. The move affects the daily rates used across Russia's financial system for accounting, taxation and currency conversion. It comes amid ongoing volatility in the ruble, which has faced pressure from sanctions, energy export fluctuations and shifts in foreign trade flows since 2022.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is set to tell Labour's conference that critics of the party's approach to Gaza 'were right', in an admission that Labour was wrong on the issue. He will frame the message around change, saying the party is 'not here to accept the status quo but to change it'. The remarks mark a notable shift from a senior minister on one of the most contested foreign policy questions in British politics.

Scientists are developing new approaches to control mosquitoes, the animal responsible for more human deaths than any other, as climate change lengthens mosquito seasons and expands the areas where the insects can spread diseases such as malaria and dengue. Reporting highlights that longer warm periods give mosquitoes more time to breed and transmit dangerous illnesses, prompting research into novel targeting methods.

The United Nations has declared that solving climate change is a 'decisive test of global solidarity', framing collective action on emissions and adaptation as the defining challenge for international cooperation. The statement underscores growing pressure on governments to deliver coordinated commitments, with the UN urging countries to set aside divisions and treat the climate crisis as a shared responsibility requiring joint effort.

Attention is on the European Central Bank's upcoming leadership changes, with reporting framing the succession as a contest shaped by political bargaining among EU governments rather than a purely technocratic decision. Key posts at the bank are expected to open up as senior officials' terms near their end, prompting jockeying over which nationalities and candidates fill them. The process matters because the ECB's leadership steers eurozone monetary policy and its balance between hawkish and dovish voices.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres used his final address to the UN General Assembly to warn that superpowers alone cannot solve the world's problems, touching on climate change and global cooperation. The speech, covered by The Guardian, is being shared widely as it marks the end of his tenure and delivers a pointed message to major powers about shared responsibility.

Germany and Russia are holding their first direct talks since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to DW. The reported meeting has prompted questions about why the two governments are re-establishing contact now, with observers weighing what it could mean for diplomacy over the war, sanctions policy, and Europe's broader posture toward Moscow as the conflict continues.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has recused himself from a major climate change case pending before the court, according to CBS News. The move means only eight justices will weigh in on the decision, raising the possibility of a 4-4 split that would leave a lower court ruling in place. Recusals by Supreme Court justices are rare and often prompt questions about the reasons behind them, which were not immediately explained.

The US Education Department has formally rescinded the Biden administration's Title IX rules, which had expanded protections for LGBTQ+ students and changed how schools handle sexual harassment and assault complaints. The move returns schools to earlier regulatory standards and is expected to trigger legal challenges and renewed debate over transgender athletes and campus misconduct procedures.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito will no longer take part in an upcoming climate change dispute before the court, according to the legal news outlet SCOTUSblog. The removal of one justice from a case involving climate policy can affect the outcome in a closely divided court. No detailed reason for his recusal was included in the initial report.

The Trump administration is moving to roll back federal fuel economy standards for cars, a move described as breaking with five decades of policy aimed at improving vehicle efficiency and cutting fuel consumption. The change is expected to ease requirements on automakers, drawing criticism from environmental groups and potentially reshaping US emissions and energy policy.

Oil prices reversed an early session rally amid speculation about diplomatic progress between the United States and Iran. Traders had bid crude higher before reports of possible talks weighed on the market, easing supply concerns and pulling prices back down. The move highlights how sensitive oil markets remain to any signal of easing or worsening tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The Trump administration is moving to roll back federal fuel economy standards for vehicles, a change expected to affect what cars automakers sell and how much drivers pay at the pump. Coverage explains that weaker efficiency rules could lower upfront vehicle costs but increase gasoline consumption, with knock-on effects for emissions, the auto industry and consumers.

Iran is shifting its trade routes north to the Caspian Sea as the ongoing war impairs shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the main artery for its oil and goods exports. The Strait's disruption has forced Tehran to seek alternatives, including transit via northern ports and routes through Central Asian neighbours. The change signals how the conflict is reshaping Iran's commerce and regional logistics.

The UK government is set to scrap the distinctive Brexit-era warning labels that were required on products such as cars and electrical goods after leaving the European Union. The labelling, introduced when Britain split from EU rules, is being dropped as part of wider moves to diverge from EU regulation. Commentators are debating whether the change is a practical cut to red tape or a symbolic gesture.

President Trump said on Saturday he rejected Iran's latest cease-fire proposal, which would have reopened the Strait of Hormuz and resumed negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for concessions from the United States. The rejection marks another turn in a cycle of proposals and counteroffers between the two countries, with Washington and Tehran still far apart on terms to end the standoff.