Nepal is waiving climbing permit fees for 97 peaks in the northwestern Himalayas for two years. This decision aims to attract tourists to lesser-known mountains and stimulate the development of poor border regions.
A 5. 65 magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico. Its epicenter was at a depth of 10 km.
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas is convening a meeting of EU member states' foreign ministers on August 11. The position on ending the Russian-Ukrainian war and the situation in the Gaza Strip will be discussed.
The wildfire on the outskirts of Athens has been localized, but evacuation continues due to expected strong winds. One person has died as a result of the fires, and homes and land have been destroyed.
Canada is lowering the price cap on Russian oil to $47. 60 per barrel. This decision increases economic pressure on Russia due to the war in Ukraine.
Russian aircraft manufacturers produced only one commercial aircraft out of 15 planned due to sanctions and high interest rates. This is part of a broader slowdown in industrial production in Russia.
In a conversation with Putin, Xi Jinping supported the efforts of the US and Russia to promote a political settlement of the crisis in Ukraine. Beijing insists on peace talks and a diplomatic resolution of the conflict.
US gold futures hit a record high, exceeding $3534. 10, due to the imposition of tariffs on bullion imports. This caused a widening spread between futures and spot prices.
US President Donald Trump has launched an economic attack on buyers of Russian oil by imposing 25% tariffs on goods from India. This could destabilize global markets and create political risks for Trump himself.
A state-owned explosives manufacturer in Russia acquired Siemens equipment through an intermediary that procures technology from Chinese wholesalers. This allowed for the expansion of production despite Western sanctions.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing cryptocurrencies and other alternative assets to be included in 401(k) pension plans. This move aims to increase returns for retirees, despite potential risks.
The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan will sign a peace agreement in Washington on August 8. The agreement will grant the US exclusive rights to develop a strategic transit corridor through the South Caucasus.
In July 2025, China increased crude oil imports by 11. 5% to 47.2 million tons. The growth is due to high activity of state-owned oil refineries.
In the tourist city of Xiatata in Xinjiang, a cable on a suspension bridge broke, killing five people and injuring 24. The authorities closed the area and launched an investigation into the incident, which occurred on August 6 at 6:18 PM local time.
Negotiations between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have concluded.
OpenAI is soon to release GPT-5, the next version of its AI model. Early testers note its capabilities but consider the leap from GPT-4 less significant than from GPT-3 to GPT-4.
Gold prices slightly decreased due to the strengthening dollar and investors' expectations of Trump's decisions regarding appointments to the Fed. Spot gold fell by 0.2%, futures by 0.1%.
India says its purchases of Russian oil have helped stabilize global prices by preventing shortages. The country is the third largest oil importer and buys more than a third of its oil from Russia.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin does not accept Donald Trump's ultimatum to end the war, as his entourage is interested in continuing the aggression. At the same time, the Center for Countering Disinformation believes that the dictator was again "deceived" by people from his own entourage, who told him about "Ukraine falling in 2-3 months."
Donald Trump said the US is close to a trade deal with China. He will meet with Xi Jinping by the end of the year if a deal is reached.
The European Union is preparing to impose sanctions against China due to its support for Russia in the war against Ukraine. This decision is related to the supply of Chinese drone engines to Russia through shell companies.
On August 5, Hong Kong recorded over 350 mm of precipitation, which is the largest daily amount in August since 1884. This led to the closure of schools, courts, clinics, and the cancellation of 20% of flights in the region.
Two barges caught fire at a fireworks festival in Yokohama, causing chaos. Five workers were rescued, one sustained minor injuries.
Rosneft's Ryazan oil refinery halted about half of its capacities due to UAV attacks. This led to an increase in gasoline prices on the Russian wholesale market, with AI-95 reaching a new historical record.
From January to July 2025, Gazprom exported 9. 93 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe, which is the lowest figure since the early 1970s. This happened after the loss of transit through Ukraine, which led to an almost twofold decrease in supply volumes.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda accepted the resignation of Gintautas Paluckas's government. Finance Minister Šadžius has been appointed as interim prime minister.
Oil prices fell after OPEC+'s decision to increase production by 547,000 barrels per day in September. However, fears of disruptions to Russian oil supplies to India due to possible US sanctions limited losses.
China stated that it would not change its energy policy under external pressure, responding to US calls to stop purchasing oil from Russia and Iran. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that it would ensure energy supply in accordance with national interests.
The naval forces of Russia and China have begun joint exercises in the Sea of Japan, practicing anti-submarine and anti-aircraft tasks. The maneuvers will last until August 5, including artillery firing and search and rescue operations.
Stephen Miller, advisor to the President of the United States of America, accused India of funding Russia's war against Ukraine through oil purchases. He noted that India is effectively linked with China in purchasing Russian oil.
