Latest Global News Highlights as of August 12, 2025
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In a day marked by heightened conflict and humanitarian issues, significant developments unfolded across the globe.
In Gaza, the Israeli military's actions resulted in 89 deaths in a single day, with five Palestinians succumbing to starvation amid ongoing conflict. The killing of journalists sparked international condemnation, with Palestinian journalists vowing to continue reporting despite the risks. Norway announced plans to divest its $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund from several Israeli companies implicated in military support, reflecting growing international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Meanwhile, in the South Caucasus region, Azerbaijan and Armenia moved towards peace after signing a U.S.-brokered agreement. The deal includes mutual renunciation of territorial claims, a cessation of hostilities, and bans on third-party troop deployments along the border. Significantly, it grants the United States exclusive development rights over a transit corridor connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave—a corridor named the "Trump’s Roadmap for International Peace and Prosperity" (TRIPP). The peace agreement has elicited criticism from Iran for perceived foreign interference in the region.
Regarding Russia and Ukraine, no direct news updates on August 12 were highlighted, but the strategic importance of the Ukraine conflict was noted as a geopolitical laboratory for China, and Russia had expressed high hopes for a future Trump-Putin summit, though peace was not expected. These points suggest ongoing tensions and geopolitical maneuvering rather than resolution.
In other news, the European Commission transferred €1.6 billion from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine on August 12, marking Europe's surpassing of the US in military aid to Ukraine, with a total of 4.4 billion euros provided. However, Estonia has closed its border, resulting in queues, closed gates, and no reported generous gestures.
Elsewhere, Alaska activists are preparing a protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin during his meeting with U.S. President Trump. In a separate incident, Ukrainian special services allegedly planned to assassinate a Russian general using a drone named "Raven" and 60 kg of explosives.
Finally, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban rejected a joint EU statement on Ukraine on an unspecified date. These diverse developments underscore the complex and evolving international landscape of August 12, 2025.
[1] The New York Times, August 12, 2025. [2] BBC News, August 12, 2025. [4] Iranian Foreign Ministry, August 13, 2025.
The peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, brokered by the United States, was met with criticism from Iran for perceived foreign interference in the region, becoming a topic of political discussion. The European Commission transferred €1.6 billion from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, marking a significant increase in military aid from Europe to Ukraine, becoming a noteworthy point in general-news reporting.
