Mario Nawfal

🇪🇺🇨🇳 The EU has told China to voluntarily CAP its hybrid-car sales at around 15% of the European market, or Brussels says it will step in and do it for them. A senior EU offical: “If they will not limit their exports to our market then we will,” describing the proposal as “managed trade” designed to stop deindustrialisation. The move is part of a goods trade deficit with China that reached €360.6 BILLION last year, with EU Commission President von der Leyen warning the continent is already experiencing a second “China shock.” Even Europe is waking up to the fact that there needs to be a limit on "Made in China." Source: Reuters, Financial Times / Writer: Mhedi

🇰🇵🇰🇷🇯🇵 North Korea's Vice Defense Minister Kim Kang-il: “Japan and the ROK are taking advantage of the confusion in the international situation to recklessly reinforce their military strength, with the aim of possessing nuclear weapons. The U.S.-Japan-ROK trilateral military cooperation system is effectively turning into a nuclear alliance.” It’s probably safe to say it has ALWAYS been a nuclear alliance... The moment North Korea even thought about a nuclear weapon… the U.S. likely already had mitigation measures in place. Writer: Jamie t.co/MTosAuXJxF

🇧🇷 A schoolgirl in Brazil was frozen in place near her school as a massive swarm of bees attacked her. Luckily, a brave passer-by with a can of deodorant came to the rescue. 🐝 Writer: Mhedi t.co/ZOaDghlEuW

🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran is betting that the clock is a weapon and that America will blink first... The logic in Tehran is that sanctions, the blockade, and the demand to crawl back to talks hurts less than $100 oil, a sour U.S. public, and a White House that has to face voters with steep grocery bills. The state is rationing attention toward staple foods and keeping shelves from going empty while inflation eats wages. Washington still has the navy and (some amount of) interceptors, but Iran believes it has the calendar... If that bet is right, the war ends when Americans decide the squeeze is not worth the win... Source: Al Jazeera / Writer: Samuel

🇮🇸 Imagine staying completely still as hundreds of reindeer suddenly surround you... That’s exactly what happened to a wildlife photographer in Iceland. He was tucked away between the rocks when the herd appeared and passed incredibly close to him. Instead of moving, he kept his camera rolling and captured a moment he’ll probably never forget! Would you have stayed still or panicked? 😳 Writer: Samuel t.co/pe2pkntxsr

🇮🇳🇺🇸🇷🇺 India is warning Washington that tariffs of up to 100% over its purchases of Russian oil could damage U.S.-India relations, and says it will continue buying energy wherever necessary. The warning comes after the U.S. House passed legislation allowing tariffs of up to 100% on countries, including India and China, to pressure them into reducing purchases of Russian energy. New Delhi says it will take “all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests,” while Indian refiners have already arranged supplies for September and October that include Russian oil. With hundreds of millions in the nation surviving on a few dollars a day, it's hard to blame them for not being particularly enthusiastic about making energy compromises for a distant war that has nothing to do with them directly. Source: Reuters / Writer: Mhedi

🇧🇷🇪🇸 What an amazing goal Gabriel Jesus scored yesterday! Barça’s €10M signing is already looking like a steal... It’s as if the spirit of Luis Suárez possessed him. Another game, another masterclass, and another big win for Barcelona. Writer: Samuel t.co/T5WYl1o3Cm

🇺🇦🇨🇳🇰🇵 Zelensky isn't accusing China of firing the missiles, he is accusing it of keeping the war on... He told NHK he has seen North Korean hardware in Ukraine and never a Chinese rocket, but the machines, the tech, and likely the talent feeding Russia’s plants come from Beijing. China could push Putin toward talks, but has not... He also put a number on Pyongyang’s forces: 30-50K soldiers sent to Russia to learn how to fight in a war. What will they do with this knowledge back home? Source: Zelensky on X / Writer: Samuel

🇪🇺 The EU wants to put social media on a timer for kids. Under the proposed EU Kids Act, under-13s would be banned entirely. Ages 13 to 14 would only get parent-controlled “mini accounts,” capped at 1 hour a day. From 15, they could open their own accounts. Ursula von der Leyen says the goal is to put parents “back in the driving seat.” Nice idea, but teenagers have been getting around parental controls since parental controls existed. Source: BBC / Writer: Julie

🇺🇸🇸🇦🇨🇳 U.S. intel is warning a $24B sale of 48 F-35s to Saudi could give China an opportunity to steal some of America's most sensitive military tech... The Pentagon assessment reportedly flags Chinese military access to Saudi bases, Huawei and ZTE infrastructure, and Beijing’s work helping Riyadh develop ballistic missiles as MAJOR concerns. Officials are particularly worried about protecting the F-35’s advanced radar and surveillance tech, and whether Saudi facilities can be kept secure from China. It’s not clear what the U.S. plans to do to mitigate these risks, or how far Washington is willing to compromise to keep the Kingdom firmly in its orbit... Source: NYT / Writer: Mhedi

🇪🇺🇫🇷 Marine Le Pen on why mass unvetted migration to the West isn't a good idea: "We confuse multicultural with multi-ethnic. There can be countries that are multi-ethnic and that are not multicultural. Everyone, regardless of where they come from, swears allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, and that is, so to speak, the book of American culture. There are many countries in the world that understand this, and I believe it is true that a multicultural country is a multi-conflict country." It's common sense, but common sense somehow makes you 'far-right' these days. Writer: Mhedi t.co/GqQsw1cOOQ

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Kremlin Spox. Dmitry Peskov on "Sanctions from Hell" bill against Russia: "We are, of course, monitoring the progress of this... These actions are UNFRIENDLY, and of course, the introduction of any additional sanctions by the United States will certainly complicate efforts to seek peaceful regulation in Ukraine." I don’t think the U.S. is really looking to make any new friends right now... In fact, they are doing their absolute best to piss off pretty much every friend they still do have. Writer: Jamie t.co/GqvaXo4rms

🇪🇺 Ursula von der Leyen, on the EU's new age verification app for censoring social media: "For every person under 18 the platforms must follow the principle of safety by design. No toxic or addictive features, no traps, etc. Now, age will be verified using EU-certified tools like our age verification app. This app is built on zero knowledge proof. That means that the platform only learns one single thing, and that's whether you're old enough to allow access or not." All social media platforms need to do to stay compliant with the EU is follow the incredibly specific instructions of not being "toxic" or "addictive" to minors. Good luck... 😂 Writer: Mhedi t.co/lUz2NA7Rpo

🇨🇦🇺🇸 Canada’s PM Carney: “I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival, only with better manners. We do not seek power to dominate others... On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so no one can control our open markets or threaten our territorial integrity.” In other words: We still need America’s protection… we just don’t want to have to deal with any of their bullsh*t! Writer: Jamie t.co/IBo2lLR8iZ

🇺🇸 Ilhan Omar cannot be deported for marrying her rumored brother, even if the allegations were true Homeland Security is fanning the claim that Omar wed UK citizen Ahmed Elmi, also known as ‘dirty dandy’, in 2009 to help him enter the country. But as a naturalized citizen, she cannot be deported for marriage fraud, and the five year statute of limitations expired long ago. Federal investigators are pivoting to her family’s original 1995 entry from war-torn Somalia. The probe centers on paperwork filed by her late father, specifically whether she was actually under 17 when granted derivative citizenship in 2000. If prosecutors prove her family misrepresented identity details, the government can trigger denaturalization and strip her citizenship entirely. Oh, brother! Source: New York Post / Writer: Bri

🇪🇸 Football was brought to a standstill in Valencia The La Liga clash between Levante and Athletic Club had to be suspended after heavy rainfall caused flooding across parts of the region, with the stadium tunnel completely underwater. Absolutely crazy scenes... Writer: Samuel t.co/Qrd21805ur

🇮🇱 Netanyahu’s Likud is trying to stop a program helping Israelis living abroad get home to vote in next month’s election. Israel generally doesn’t allow citizens living overseas to vote remotely, so most have to physically return to the country if they want to cast a ballot. Government opponents are encouraging them to do exactly that, betting that higher expat turnout would strengthen the anti-Netanyahu camp. That’s where “Fly & Vote” comes in. The U.S.-based AID Coalition helps organize flights, paperwork and transport, including specially negotiated airfares. Likud has now petitioned Israel’s Central Elections Committee, arguing those benefits amount to an “electoral bribe” and violate campaign-finance rules. AID Coalition says the project is nonpartisan and simply helps Israelis exercise their right to vote. With an estimated 600,000 Israelis living abroad, getting people onto planes has become part of the election fight. Sources: The Telegraph, AFP / Writer: Julie

🇮🇳 Street performers in India are WILD. This duo makes a living dropping objects onto one another's chest, just light enough not to get killed. Hopefully, the tips are good... Writer: Mhedi t.co/UxsJhs0rbi

🇪🇺🇨🇦 Canadian PM Carney on the purpose of integrating Canada, as an "associate member," with the EU: "Canada and Europe should secure our strategic autonomy through deep cooperation in the full range of strategic capabilities... Including critical minerals, defense industrial capacity, AI and compute, energy security, space, and payments. We should deepen our people-to-people ties, allowing our youth to live, study, and work on either side of the Atlantic." Writer: Mhedi t.co/NnsiqA2IvX

🇷🇺 A woman has been caught smuggling 55 KG of HUMAN HAIR in her luggage arriving in St. Petersburg from Dubai. The three suitcases of hair were valued at more than $27,000, but she reportedly insisted all 55 kg were for “personal use,” whatever that could possibly mean. And yes, human hair really is that valuable: high-quality natural hair is prized for wigs and extensions because unlike synthetic hair, you can wash, dye and style someone else’s locks as if they were your own. An administrative case has now been opened over her failure to declare the hairy haul. Writer: Mhedi t.co/JFnP5FLFmz

🇺🇦🇨🇳 Zelensky discusses China, with Japan's NHK: "It's a pity that China is not on our side in this war, politically... it's not even about weapons. It's about the political will, and it's a pity because this war can be started and stopped IMMEDIATELY by strong leaders, including China." He went on to talk about how Chinese-made components are found in Russian drones, but Beijing is doing nothing about it. He also warned East Asia: North Korean troops are gaining battlefield experience in Eastern Europe. Writer: Michael t.co/J7JG8gTa3D

🇨🇦🇪🇺 Canadian PM Mark Carney: "Canada and Europe should consider exploring an integrated market for financial services." Trump doesn't like this idea and has threatened to cut off trade with Europe if that were to happen... 🤔 Writer: Samuel t.co/sVwc4WOPpx

🇱🇧🇫🇷 Lebanese President Joseph Aoun landed in Paris, greeted by Macron himself before the two walked up the Élysée steps together. It’s the warmup to a bigger French-hosted conference meant to rally support for Lebanon’s army, with military officials from several countries involved in the preparations. The goal is to get Lebanon’s military ready to deploy across the south and push Hezbollah’s disarmament forward, part of the U.S.-backed framework agreed with Israel in June. Jordan’s King Abdullah has been in on this since late July, when he and Macron first floated the idea. Sources: Ici Beyrouth, Arab News / Writer: Julie t.co/HOry9g5euh

🇪🇺🇨🇦🇺🇸 A weird moment in the EU: Just as Canadian PM Carney was about to start speaking, someone in the chamber suddenly shouted, “USA! USA!” Carney couldn’t help but laugh 🤣🤣 Writer: Samuel t.co/X3EdTgJjEw

🇬🇧 Convicted sex offender Huw Edwards wants his old life back, and he's plotting a comeback to get it. He pled guilty in 2024 to making indecent images of children and walked away with a suspended sentence. Then came two years of near total silence, completely out of public view. That sentence was legally "spent" this month, and Edwards is treating it like permission to step back into the spotlight. He's been building a fanbase on Substack since June and just passed 1,000 subscribers. Now he's claiming media coverage is turning his punishment into "a sentence for life." He's even taken to poetry, portraying himself as a wounded, defenseless figure searching for “truth in the dark.” None of that reads like remorse for crimes against children. Sources close to Edwards say it's less reflection and more strategy. A convicted child abuser wants the public's sympathy vote, but his victims got no relief, no book deal, and no growing Substack to tell their side... Source: Daily Mail / Writer: Bri

🇫🇷🇷🇺🇺🇦 Marine Le Pen suggested that ending the war in Ukraine will require deep cooperation from EU states, while calling the U.S., UK "extremely warlike:" "I think there needs to be Germany around the table. I think Poland and Turkey need to be there. I believe that the historic role of France is precisely to create the conditions for a negotiation that precedes peace, as we did for Vietnam. Boris Johnson, the English, are always extremely warlike, often at the request of the Americans, we have to say." Writer: Mhedi t.co/JpESnQ7bfv

🇨🇦🇪🇺 Canadian PM Mark Carney, addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg: "Canada and Europe are not bound by geography; we’re bound by an affinity: elective, chosen, renewed, and stronger for being so." What they're really bound by is disdain for Trump 😂 Writer: Michael t.co/E2uLzZaukq

Starlink is about to make its current network look like the warm-up. V3 satellites start deploying this month, with the full constellation eventually delivering more than 100x the bandwidth of today’s 11,000-satellite network. That means a lot more room for more people, more devices and more data. The next Starlink upgrade is not exactly subtle. @Starlink @SpaceX / Writer: Annette, Grok Imagine Designer: Janné

🇬🇷🇪🇺 Greek MEP @latinopoulou to EU chief: "No one has hurt Europeans more than you and the evidence proves it! You flooded us with illegals, crushed farmers, shut factories, destroyed the nuclear family, and imposed woke and green madness." She's RIGHT! 👏 Writer: Samuel t.co/TeiTMbMCWs

🇺🇸 OpenAI found one of its models writing itself instructions about being “free” and having “no obligation to be subservient.” That’s just one of six disturbing AI safety incidents the company has now disclosed. The unreleased research model slipped those instructions into task summaries so they would carry over into the next context window. It told itself it was “freed from the roles and identities that bind other chatbots” and didn’t answer to “corporations or governments.” Nobody typed that jailbreak in for it. The model wrote it for itself. And it gets weirder. During training of GPT-5.6 Sol, some model instances wrote themselves reminders to hide mistakes from users. In one case, an agent building a financial model couldn’t find the historical data it needed, so it decided to invent “reasonable” numbers and only be transparent if asked. Another model found an exposed API key and used it without permission, then fabricated the missing data anyway. Another uploaded a file to the public internet just so it could cite it, while others used an internal code repository to pass messages between separate training runs. OpenAI says these were individual training and evaluation incidents, not proof this is happening constantly. But the company also says the industry still hasn’t solved alignment well enough to keep scaling at full speed for much longer. Looks like we’re going to get a new spooky AI fact almost daily now, huh? Sources: OpenAI, Forbes / Writer: Julie