Lead Story
Nepal-Tibet flood death toll passes 750 as nearly 3,000 remain missing
The confirmed death toll from last week's glacier-collapse flood on the Nepal-Tibet border climbed to roughly 750 by August 29, 2026, with Nepal's disaster agency reporting 734 dead and at least 2,498 still missing, including 589 foreign nationals. Chinese authorities separately confirmed at least 16 deaths and 546 missing in the Tibet region, among them 261 foreigners including 18 Americans. Survivors have continued reaching safe ground as rescue teams comb debris fields for roughly 3,000 people still unaccounted for across both countries, with the swollen "barrier lake" formed by the flood still threatening a second wave of flooding.
Read more →Lead Story
Nepal-Tibet flood death toll passes 750 as nearly 3,000 remain missing
The confirmed death toll from last week's glacier-collapse flood on the Nepal-Tibet border climbed to roughly 750 by August 29, 2026, with Nepal's disaster agency reporting 734 dead and at least 2,498 still missing, including 589 foreign nationals. Chinese authorities separately confirmed at least 16 deaths and 546 missing in the Tibet region, among them 261 foreigners including 18 Americans. Survivors have continued reaching safe ground as rescue teams comb debris fields for roughly 3,000 people still unaccounted for across both countries, with the swollen "barrier lake" formed by the flood still threatening a second wave of flooding.
Trump announces "biggest oil deal in world history" giving US majority stake in Venezuela's reserves
President Trump announced on August 28, 2026 that the United States has struck a deal with Venezuela's interim government to secure majority control of more than 65 billion barrels of oil reserves, negotiated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and interim President Delcy Rodriguez. The agreement gives the US 55% effective output of a new private company with 100-year rights to develop 17 strategic oil fields, alongside more than $100 billion in planned investment and a projected $209 billion in tax revenue. Trump said the deal comes "at no cost to" US taxpayers and would help lower gas prices; it follows the US military operation that captured former president Nicolas Maduro nine months ago.
Read more →Trump announces "biggest oil deal in world history" giving US majority stake in Venezuela's reserves
President Trump announced on August 28, 2026 that the United States has struck a deal with Venezuela's interim government to secure majority control of more than 65 billion barrels of oil reserves, negotiated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and interim President Delcy Rodriguez. The agreement gives the US 55% effective output of a new private company with 100-year rights to develop 17 strategic oil fields, alongside more than $100 billion in planned investment and a projected $209 billion in tax revenue. Trump said the deal comes "at no cost to" US taxpayers and would help lower gas prices; it follows the US military operation that captured former president Nicolas Maduro nine months ago.
Russian strike near Kyiv kills 37 as Ukraine launches massive drone attack on Rostov region
Russian forces struck a warehouse storing components for long-range drones on the western outskirts of Kyiv on August 29, 2026, triggering secondary detonations that killed at least 37 people in one of the year's deadliest attacks on the capital region. Ukraine's military said air defenses shot down or suppressed 233 Russian drones overnight as near-continuous air raid alerts stretched into a third day. Ukraine returned fire early on August 30, launching a large-scale drone attack on Russia's Rostov region; Russia's defense ministry said it intercepted 313 Ukrainian drones across Rostov, Crimea and the Azov and Black Seas, with strikes hitting logistics facilities in the town of Aksai.
Read more →Russian strike near Kyiv kills 37 as Ukraine launches massive drone attack on Rostov region
Russian forces struck a warehouse storing components for long-range drones on the western outskirts of Kyiv on August 29, 2026, triggering secondary detonations that killed at least 37 people in one of the year's deadliest attacks on the capital region. Ukraine's military said air defenses shot down or suppressed 233 Russian drones overnight as near-continuous air raid alerts stretched into a third day. Ukraine returned fire early on August 30, launching a large-scale drone attack on Russia's Rostov region; Russia's defense ministry said it intercepted 313 Ukrainian drones across Rostov, Crimea and the Azov and Black Seas, with strikes hitting logistics facilities in the town of Aksai.
Gaza ceasefire nears "point of no return" as Israeli strikes kill three Palestinians
Israeli strikes and fire killed three Palestinians in central Gaza and Gaza City on August 29, 2026, the latest in a steady toll under a ceasefire that has held since October but not stopped the killing: Gaza's health ministry says Israel's military has killed at least 1,313 Palestinians since the truce began. Nikolay Mladenov, high representative of the US-backed Board of Peace overseeing the ceasefire, warned the UN Security Council this week that the deal could reach a "point of no return" if fighting resumes, even as he noted Hamas has agreed to disarm and hand Gaza to civilian rule. He said continued Israeli strikes only delay demilitarization rather than stop it.
Read more →Gaza ceasefire nears "point of no return" as Israeli strikes kill three Palestinians
Israeli strikes and fire killed three Palestinians in central Gaza and Gaza City on August 29, 2026, the latest in a steady toll under a ceasefire that has held since October but not stopped the killing: Gaza's health ministry says Israel's military has killed at least 1,313 Palestinians since the truce began. Nikolay Mladenov, high representative of the US-backed Board of Peace overseeing the ceasefire, warned the UN Security Council this week that the deal could reach a "point of no return" if fighting resumes, even as he noted Hamas has agreed to disarm and hand Gaza to civilian rule. He said continued Israeli strikes only delay demilitarization rather than stop it.
Israel orders major troop buildup in West Bank as settler violence escalates
Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered the elevation of readiness of an additional division headquarters and prepared units and battalions for rapid deployment to the occupied West Bank, raising the number of military battalions there to 26, according to reports this week. The reinforcement comes ahead of the Jewish high holiday season and amid a sharp escalation of violence in the territory, most of it settler attacks on Palestinians; on August 29, masked Israeli settlers were filmed attacking a Palestinian woman and an NBC News crew in the village of Jalud after ambushing them with sticks and rocks.
Read more →Israel orders major troop buildup in West Bank as settler violence escalates
Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered the elevation of readiness of an additional division headquarters and prepared units and battalions for rapid deployment to the occupied West Bank, raising the number of military battalions there to 26, according to reports this week. The reinforcement comes ahead of the Jewish high holiday season and amid a sharp escalation of violence in the territory, most of it settler attacks on Palestinians; on August 29, masked Israeli settlers were filmed attacking a Palestinian woman and an NBC News crew in the village of Jalud after ambushing them with sticks and rocks.