President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has removed army commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, completing a major military reshuffle that began with the dismissal of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov days earlier. The back-to-back removals have ignited nationwide protests and exposed serious tensions between the defence establishment and military command.
Fedorov had publicly backed replacing Syrskyi before his own ouster, according to reports of deepening rifts within Ukraine's military leadership. The former defence minister had won widespread recognition for modernising the armed forces and stamping out corruption.
General Mykhailo Drapatyi, 43, takes over as the new military chief, bringing battlefield experience and a reputation for embracing military reforms. Zelensky credited Syrskyi for defending Kyiv when Russia launched its invasion in 2022, and confirmed he'd offered Fedorov another post in government.
Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has moved quickly to reshape his cabinet and tackle soaring living costs after taking office. John Healey, surprisingly named chancellor, was previously sacked from the conservative government as defence secretary.
Wes Streeting steps into the defence role while Miatta Fahnbulleh leads the energy ministry in the reshuffle. Burnham's first major policy move cut VAT on household energy bills, signalling an ambitious opening to his premiership.
The Conservatives threw their weight behind the tax cut but demanded clarity on how the government plans to pay for it. Burnham's swift action on cost of living has set the tone for his administration.
Canada faces mounting pressure to hit back after the United States announced a sweeping 50 percent tariff on Canadian goods, even as trade talks continue. Prime Minister Mark Carney must now chart a response to the punitive levies.
The tariffs, effective August 19, hit products ranging from hockey sticks to candles and synthetic wigs, the White House claiming they address unfair Canadian trade practices. Observers believe Washington is weaponising the duties to pressure Ottawa during negotiations to revamp the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
Canadians are largely calling for a strong retaliation, yet the government must weigh defending local industries against plunging into a broader trade war. The balance Carney strikes will define how the dispute unfolds.
Israeli air strikes have killed at least 12 Palestinians in Gaza, including six members of one family, medics reported. An apartment block in Gaza City was hit overnight, wiping out a couple and their four children in a single strike.
Israel said it had struck a Hamas operative and was examining the consequences of the operation. The UN has condemned the latest round of military action, noting that dozens of civilians, including women and children, have died in strikes on homes, shelters and densely populated zones over the past week.
Brazil's Amazon rainforest suffered dramatically less fire damage in 2025, fresh data from environmental monitors MapBiomas reveals. Just 3.1 million hectares burned across the year, plummeting from a record 15.8 million hectares in 2024.
The 2025 figure marks the lowest destruction since records started in 1985, researchers noted. Scientists credited improved weather patterns after El Niño ended and ongoing conservation drives for the sharp turnaround.
