❗️Ukraine and the EU finalized talks on an €8.35B macro-financial assistance memorandum under the EU loan. European Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis signed it this morning, with Ukraine now expected to sign and ratify the document.

South Africa’s inflation finally caught up with global chaos.

Who knew a war in the Middle East could make filling up a bakkie so painfully expensive?
The central bank is now eyeing a rate hike, because nothing says “we’ve got this” like raising borrowing costs while shrugging at the fallout.

🇹🇼🇨🇳 Lai Marks Two Years With Cross-Strait Salvo

On the second anniversary of his inauguration, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te held a press conference positioning Taiwan as a guardian of cross-strait stability while labeling Beijing the primary disruptor — citing PLA military exercises now extending into the western Pacific and continued force buildup in the East and South China Seas. When asked whether he would speak with Trump, Lai said Taiwan-US communication channels remain open and he would convey Taiwan's public sentiment if given the opportunity.

Lai outlined three points he would raise with Washington: that cross-strait peace is essential to global security; that Beijing is the source of regional instability; and that Taiwan's rising defense budget and arms procurement from the US are necessary instruments for both Taiwan's security and broader strait stability. His remarks come after Trump signaled post-Xi summit he would soon decide on a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan, while declining to commit on US intervention in a potential conflict.

Lai's framing directly contests Beijing's narrative ahead of any potential Trump-Lai engagement and reinforces Taipei's push to keep US arms transfers on track.

#Taiwan #China

@asianomics

The General Staff confirmed the strike on the AVT-6 primary oil refining unit at the "Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez" refinery in Kstovo. This unit accounts for more than half of the refinery’s total primary processing capacity.

Минобороны РФ - о ходе операции на Украине:

➖ Российские военнослужащие в течение суток сбили 780 украинских беспилотников.

➖ В течение суток поражены объекты топливно-энергетической инфраструктуры, которые используют в своих интересах вооруженные силы Украины, уничтожена зенитная установка Gepard украинской армии.

➖ Группировка "Восток" продвигается вглубь обороны армии Украины, войска группировок "Север", "Запад", "Южная" и "Центр" улучшили положение в зоне СВО.

@interfaxonline

♨️Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps:

This time the war will spread beyond the region.

🔻The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps🇮🇷 issued a statement strongly warning Zionist and imperialist enemies, emphasizing that if they act recklessly this time, the war will spread beyond the region.

#Iran
#US