Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
Honduras Election Turmoil Intensifies as Nasralla Blames Trump for Shift in Results 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
Taiwan Signals Openness to Renew Ties with Honduras as Election Unfolds 
U.S. Defense Chief Pete Hegseth Defends Controversial Second Strike on Suspected Drug-Smuggling Vessel 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
Australia and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
Israel Receives Body of Deceased Hostage as Rafah Crossing Reopening Hinges on Final Returns 
U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
New Orleans Immigration Crackdown Sparks Fear as Federal Arrests Intensify 
U.S.-Russia Talks Leave Ukraine Peace Efforts Uncertain 
Trump Administration Halts Immigration, Green Card, and Citizenship Processing for 19 Countries 
UN General Assembly Demands Russia Return Ukrainian Children Amid Ongoing Conflict 
Trump and Lula Discuss Trade, Sanctions, and Security in “Productive” Phone Call 
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative 
Pentagon Probe Finds Hegseth’s Use of Signal Risked Exposing Sensitive Yemen Strike Details 
Even as a deal was reached on exporting grain, Russia has continued to bombard Ukraine, almost derailing the export. Russian rockets hit the southern city of Mykolaiv, killing Ukraine’s grain exporter.
Mykolaiv Governor Vitaly Kim reported on the Telegram messaging platform that Russian strikes hit the city Sunday and killed one of Ukraine’s largest grain exporters, Oleksiy Vadatursky, who owns the agriculture company Nibulon. Vadatursky’s wife was also killed by the strikes.
Nibulon is based in Mykolaiv, the city that borders the Russian-occupied territory of Kherson. The company specializes in the production and export of wheat, barley, and corn, and has its own fleet and shipyard.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Vadatursky’s death was “a great loss for all of Ukraine” and that Vadatursky was building a modern grain market that involved a network of transhipment terminals and elevators.
“It is these people, these companies, precisely the south of Ukraine, which has guaranteed the world’s food security,” said Zelenskyy in his nightly address. “This was always so, and it will be so once again.”
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine’s social and industrial potential as well as its people and its capabilities are “more powerful than any Russian missiles or shells.”
Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych said on Ukrainian television said three more people were also wounded from the strike in the area, and that 12 missiles hit residences and educational facilities.
Senkevych said the strikes were “probably the most powerful” on the city in the five months of the war. Dnipropetrovsk Governor Valentyn Reznichenko said on Telegram that up to 50 Grad rockets hit residential areas in Nikopol Sunday, with one person wounded from the strikes.
Friday last week, Zelenskyy said the death of the prisoners in a Russian-held jail was an indication that Russia must be labelled a state sponsor of terrorism. Zelenskyy called for the United States to make the designation.
“I am appealing especially to the United States of America. A decision is needed and it is needed now” said Zelenskyy, who was referring to the legislation introduced by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham back in May that would note the US Senate’s stance that Russia engages in acts of terrorism. Both Blumenthal and Graham traveled to Kyiv last month to promote the measure.
