“China on Tuesday objected to Taiwan’s presence at the Pacific Islands Forum saying the democratically ruled island was not qualified to attend the summit, but Australia and New Zealand said the Pacific bloc would decide the guest list. China [pretends Taiwan is] its own territory, and tensions between both have featured prominently at the annual meeting of the 18-member group that counts Australia, New Zealand and Pacific island nations as members. … China’s special envoy for Pacific island affairs Qian Bo said on Monday that Taiwan’s presence would have consequences — without specifying what they would be.” (08/31/26)
“Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is expected to step down in the coming days after the White House accepted his resignation, according to a person familiar with the matter and a White House official. NBC News reported last week that Driscoll had told close associates that he wanted to leave the administration by Labor Day. Driscoll visited the White House last week to discuss his future, according to three U.S. officials, but it wasn’t clear what came of the meeting. … Driscoll is the latest high-profile official at the Defense Department to depart; Navy Secretary John Phelan and the Army chief of staff, Gen. Randy George, were pushed out this spring. … Driscoll had differed over a number of issues with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who removed George, Phelan and other high-ranking Pentagon officials. He has also blocked the promotions of several senior Army officers.” (08/31/26)
“The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Monday that construction of the White House ballroom can continue, lifting a block on above-ground work as President Trump asserts the project is necessary for national security. It halts a lower court ruling that would’ve restricted construction until Congress provided additional approvals. Five of the court’s conservative [sic] justices, including all three of Trump’s appointees — Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — sided with the president. They ruled a preservationist group likely has no right to sue over one of its members’ concerns about the project. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s three liberal [sic] justices in dissent.” (08/21/26)
“Senior US military influencers were discreetly placed in government positions as part of a covert Pentagon operation, The Washington Post reported on Monday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter and corroborating material. According to the report, the influencers in question have worked to push against criticism of the Trump administration while advancing the positions of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, being assigned as ‘special government employees (SGE)’ or ‘highly qualified experts (HQE).’ The report noted that HQEs are permitted to work either part-time or full-time with no compensation limitations, whereas SGEs may work up to 130 days per year. The sources, which named two of the influencers as US Air Force Col. (ret.) Rob Maness and US Army Col. (ret.) Kurt Schlichter, told the Washington Post that several of the veterans are in positions powerful enough to potentially influence policy changes.” (08/31/26)
“Congo’s authorities said Monday that the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history has topped 6,000 cases with 2,911 deaths. More than 1,360 people have recovered from the virus, in what authorities said was an ‘encouraging’ development. The outbreak in eastern Congo is spreading under extremely difficult conditions, fueled by insecurity, displacement, a health workers’ strike and intense population movements. The situation is particularly concerning at displacement sites, where residents already live in extremely precarious conditions. Last week, the virus spilled into two new health zones in the region. The World Health Organization has said that it remains out of control and is on track to surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the deadliest on record, which killed more than 11,000 people, primarily in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.” (08/31/26)
“Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have launched an investigation into a controversial policing tactic that permitted staggering amounts of deadly fentanyl to reach the streets as federal authorities sought to build bigger drug cases. The committee’s chairman, Rep. James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, sent a letter Monday to Attorney General Todd Blanche requesting records related to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s controversial strategy of monitoring — yet not seizing — major fentanyl shipments. The request echoes concerns raised by officials in New Mexico, the epicenter of the fentanyl crisis and where DEA whistleblowers recently reported being ordered to stand down rather than seize hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills in possible violation of Justice Department rules intended to safeguard communities.” [editor’s note: In the war on drugs, drugs will always win. That war created the demand for fentanyl, and there’s no way it, or duplicate shipments, wouldn’t have “reached the streets” – TLK] (08/31/26)
“Japan’s Defense Ministry on Monday asked for a record-high 8.9 trillion yen for the coming fiscal year, about $55.6 billion, with the cost of about 100 items left blank. The proposed spending plan — the 15th consecutive increase in as many years — seeks an outlay for ‘new ways of fighting,’ including artificial intelligence, unmanned vehicles and further spending on standoff missiles. The request focuses on three main pillars of Japan’s deterrence and response capabilities for the coming fiscal year, which begins in April. Along with AI, unmanned systems and missiles, the budget aims to build sustained response capabilities for prolonged conflicts and a stronger base for defense equipment acquisition and support.” (08/31/26)
“A massive long-term oil deal expected to grant the U.S. access to a fifth of Venezuela’s crude reserves has energy experts and lawyers questioning its legality and eventual execution, while calling on both governments for contract transparency. The unprecedented pact, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday and confirmed by Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez, will put a whopping 65 billion barrels of recoverable oil under Washington’s control, a volume that surpasses total U.S. proved oil reserves of 46 billion barrels. The agreement did not pass through a competitive process, and its negotiation remained a secret until last week, even amid a sweeping reform of Venezuela’s primary hydrocarbons law and the migration of dozens of joint ventures and contracts to new terms, which authorities and operators have not completed.” (08/31/26)
“California’s billionaire tax proposal is splintering the state’s Democratic Party, with party leaders opposing the wealth tax even as voters, and especially young voters, appear eager to increase taxes on the rich. The latest division appeared last week when the San Francisco Democratic Party voted to oppose Proposition 40, the controversial wealth tax on the November ballot. The decision goes against the state party, which endorsed the plan earlier in the month. Michael Nguyen, a candidate for the SF Board of Supervisors, said the local party’s rejection of the state party’s position on the tax was unprecedented, and he called out local Democrats for supporting the ultrawealthy. … Polling shows that Democrats overwhelmingly support the measure, which would impose a one-time 5% wealth tax on any resident who was worth more than $1 billion and be implemented next year.” (08/31/26)
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for the first time since war broke out in the Gulf following US and Israeli attacks on Tehran. PM Modi met Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. In a post on X, Modi shared pictures from the meeting and said the two leaders discussed the prevailing situation in the region. He added that India would continue to support all efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace in the region.” (08/31/26)
