Aug 25, 2026, 04:30 AM UTC

US President Donald Trump has issued a warning to Oman, threatening military action if the Gulf sultanate interferes with Washington's negotiations regarding the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with Fox News, Trump stated that the US would retaliate militarily if Muscat "gets in the way" of American talks with Tehran, urging Iran to "put up the white flag" of surrender.

The remarks follow statements from Iran's Foreign Ministry indicating that Tehran and Muscat were finalising an agreement on maritime passage through the strategic chokepoint. While Trump asserted that direct communications were active with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Iranian military group denied engaging in any such discussions. Trump also warned of economic consequences against nations offering assistance to Tehran, as maritime traffic through the waterway remained steady.

Sources: BBC News, Cyprus Mail, France24, Sweden Herald, The Guardian.

Czech child protection services registered over 10,000 cases of abuse, neglect, and exploitation over the past year, marking a multi-decade peak. Official records show an annual increase of nearly 1,300 incidents, while court-ordered removals of children from families climbed to 3,616.

Child welfare specialists emphasize that official statistics capture only a fraction of the problem, pointing to severe shortages in specialized family support services and ambiguous operational guidelines. Analysts remain divided on whether the surge reflects heightened socioeconomic pressures or greater public vigilance.

The figures emerge amid ongoing reforms across the welfare and legal systems. The Justice Ministry has proposed lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 for serious violent crimes, sparking debate among legal and welfare experts. Meanwhile, President Petr Pavel signed legislation raising the national parental allowance to 400,000 Czech korunas.

Sources: Český rozhlas Plus, Deník N, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Seznam Zprávy.

Armed gang members killed at least 40 people during an overnight raid in Kenscoff, a mountainous municipality near Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, local officials reported on Monday. Some reports placed the death toll at 42.

According to local mayor Massillon Jean, armed men raided the area, set residences on fire, and targeted displaced residents seeking refuge inside a church, describing the incident as "a night of terror." Several victims were reportedly executed, and search operations remain underway as multiple individuals remain missing.

The attack has been attributed to the Viv Ansanm criminal gang coalition amid persistent insecurity across the Caribbean nation, where escalating gang control around the capital has displaced over a million people in recent months.

Sources: Die Zeit, El Día, France24, Le Monde, Sweden Herald.

A fast-moving wildfire has forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate in and around Reno, Nevada, as strong winds pushed flames toward the city. The blaze, identified as the Hawk Fire, burned thousands of hectares after igniting over the weekend, spreading across the Sierra foothills toward northern neighbourhoods and the University of Nevada campus.

At the peak of the emergency, local officials placed roughly 42,000 residents under mandatory evacuation orders, with an additional 45,000 advised to prepare for departure. The fire has injured at least six people and destroyed several structures. While some evacuation orders were later scaled back to encompass around 24,000 residents, shifting winds and dry conditions continue to hinder containment efforts.

Sources: The Guardian, Cyprus Mail, France24, BBC News, Sweden Herald

The Trump administration has launched two major immigration measures targeting both employment-based and humanitarian visa categories.

Under a new regulatory proposal, the administration plans to impose an employer fee exceeding $100,000 on high-skilled H-1B visas. The initiative revives a policy previously struck down by a federal court, with revenue intended to help fund broader immigration enforcement programs.

Simultaneously, officials announced plans to revoke non-immigrant visas held by foreigners who entered on short-term visas and later requested asylum. The revocation could affect up to 200,000 individuals, marking what could be the largest mass visa cancellation in US history. The State Department stated that current applicants for these categories must certify they will not seek asylum and intend to return home.

Sources: Bloomberg, Daily Sabah, France24, Sweden Herald