September 8: Russia Strikes Kyiv as Britain Tests Veteran Recall

In Britain Britain plans a major exercise next year to test whether it can recall, equip and deploy former Army, Navy and RAF personnel from its 95,000-strong strategic reserve. Defence leaders say the current system for tracking veterans is inadequate. Proposed legal changes would raise the maximum call-up age from 55 to 65 and widen the circumstances for mobilisation. In Ukraine Russia struck Kyiv after a three-day pause that coincided with visits by U.S. envoys. Fighting has also resumed at points along the front, despite U.S.-mediated discussions that one envoy described as encouraging. The White House says further steps will be announced in the coming weeks. In Yemen Yemeni forces have launched a counteroffensive against Houthi fighters, saying they intend to retake the capital, Sanaa. Clashes have intensified in al-Bayda and al-Jawf provinces, opening another active front in a country already divided by conflict. Energy costs climb in the United States U.S. gasoline prices have reached a record Labor Day level, averaging $4.14 a gallon, according to AAA. Diesel has also hit a record high. A Brown University estimate puts the Iran war's added cost to U.S. consumer energy bills at $100 billion so far, with higher diesel prices likely to feed into freight, travel and household costs. In France The Eiffel Tower closed after staff protested arrangements for a private visit by people linked to the Hindu organisation BAPS. Female workers were reportedly removed from some posts and restricted from certain areas after the delegation requested limited interaction with women. The tower operator, SETE, said those conditions should never have been accepted, apologised to staff and opened an investigation. In Tibet and Nepal China's expanding “Clean Internet” campaign is restricting information that contradicts official narratives, compounding uncertainty after flooding in Nepal and Tibet. Tibetans abroad say relatives missing in Nepal have appeared on government lists, while information about family members in Tibet remains unavailable.