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CRUISE MISSILE DEVELOPMENT

Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed on Sunday that Moscow has tested a new nuclear-capable and nuclear-powered cruise missile that has been in production for years. Although the Kremlin didn’t specify which type of missile was tested, Western experts believe it was the Burevestnik.

Little is known about the Burevestnik besides Putin claiming in 2018 that it will have an unlimited range, allowing it to circumnavigate the globe undetected by U.S. missile defense systems. But some Western experts are skeptical of its capabilities, arguing that a nuclear engine could be highly unreliable.

Still, Putin remains adamant that the new missile will soon be deployed to the Russian military. The test comes as Moscow has resisted calls for a cease-fire with Kyiv and cautioned Western powers against supplying long-range weapons to Ukraine and imposing oil and gas sanctions on Russia.

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US & Australia

On Monday, Australia became the latest country to sign a critical minerals agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump, joining a growing coalition aimed at countering China’s dominance in global supply chains. The deal, finalized during Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to the White House, caps months of negotiation and could serve as a strategic tool for Australia in future trade and defense discussions with Washington.

Under the agreement, both governments will invest over $3 billion in critical mineral projects within the next six months. This includes establishing an advanced gallium refinery in Western Australia with an annual capacity of 100 metric tons. According to the White House, the recoverable resources from these projects are valued at approximately $53 billion.

“In about a year from now, we’ll have so much critical mineral and rare earths that you won’t know what to do with them,” Trump said on Monday.

China currently dominates global rare-earth supply chains, accounting for about 85 percent of processing and 92 percent of magnet production—especially in heavy rare earths that are essential for U.S. military technology. “Rare earths and critical minerals have become the Achilles’ heel of the United States in its trade tensions with China,” noted Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes, former U.S. Energy Department deputy director for batteries and critical minerals, in an interview with FP’s Christina Lu in July.

Australia, however, holds substantial reserves of lithium, cobalt, tungsten, and other essential minerals vital for advanced technologies and renewable energy. The U.S. hopes to leverage Canberra’s resources to lessen its dependency on Beijing.

Just last week, Trump threatened to impose 100 percent tariffs on Chinese imports starting November 1, following China’s move to restrict exports of key minerals. Similarly, the Albanese government has sought to diversify Australia’s export markets away from China—even though Beijing remains its largest trading partner, heavily reliant on Australian iron ore and coal.

Beyond minerals, Trump and Albanese also discussed expanding defense ties, including progress on the AUKUS trilateral pact involving Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Valued at nearly $240 billion, the deal will see Australia acquire U.S. nuclear-powered submarines by 2032 and later co-develop a new submarine class with the U.K.

Whether this latest minerals agreement and enhanced defense cooperation will prompt Trump to ease tariffs on Australia remains uncertain. Currently, Washington maintains a 10 percent base tariff on most Australian goods, alongside a 50 percent tariff on steel, aluminum, and certain copper products; 25 percent on auto parts and wood furnishings; and 10 percent on softwood lumber.

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PAK-AFGHAN TENSIONS

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed on Wednesday to a 48-hour cease-fire following intense border clashes over the weekend that left dozens dead. Both governments claim that the other side pushed for the truce. Diplomatic sources said Qatar and Saudi Arabia intervened to de-escalate the fighting, amid fears that the renewed hostilities could create space for terrorist organizations like the Islamic State and al-Qaeda to regroup in the region.

For years, Pakistan has accused the Taliban of sheltering militants responsible for killing hundreds of its security personnel. Kabul continues to reject these accusations, despite U.N. reports suggesting that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has received financial backing from Afghanistan’s Taliban government.

Earlier this year, a series of China-brokered talks appeared to signal a thaw in relations between the two neighbors. However, tensions flared last Thursday when the Taliban accused Pakistan of orchestrating two explosions and an airstrike in Kabul—the same day Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited India for the first time since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover. Islamabad has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in the incidents.

The ensuing violence, with each side blaming the other for starting it, has resulted in the deaths of more than 200 Taliban fighters and about 58 Pakistani soldiers. Afghanistan also alleges that Pakistan’s strikes killed over a dozen civilians and injured more than 100 others, a claim Islamabad firmly denies.

LATEST FROM NATO

NATO defense ministers convened in Brussels on Wednesday to announce new, large-scale military aid commitments to Kyiv. The pledges are part of a fast-track program that allows European countries and Canada to purchase U.S. weapons and other equipment—such as air defense systems, radar systems, and ammunition—to give to Ukraine in its war against Russia. Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal has estimated that Kyiv will need $60 billion in foreign assistance in 2026 to stave off Moscow’s assault.

Among the pledges made on Wednesday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius vowed to purchase $500 million worth of U.S. weapons as part of a more than $2 billion aid package. Berlin will also separately provide Ukraine with “another two Iris-T air defense systems, including a large number of guided missiles, as well as shoulder-fired air defense missiles,” Pistorius said.

Meanwhile, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, and Sweden joined the fast-track program on Wednesday. According to NATO chief Mark Rutte, more than half of the alliance has now signed onto the initiative, adding that participation in the program will count toward members’ minimum defense spending requirement, which is 5 percent of their GDPs.

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LATEST FROM MIDDLE EAST (ME)

Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians in northern Gaza on Tuesday, killing at least six people. The Israeli military stated that troops had targeted individuals who crossed the U.S.-brokered “yellow line,” which marks the boundary of Israel’s partial withdrawal from the area.

According to Israeli officials, this incursion breached the terms of the Israel-Hamas peace agreement that took effect four days earlier. However, a Palestinian news outlet reported that Israeli drones had attacked residents who were inspecting their damaged homes. It remains unclear whether this was the same incident Israel cited as an act of defense near the yellow line.

The shooting occurred just a day after top mediators, including U.S. President Donald Trump, gathered in Egypt to formalize the Gaza cease-fire accord. During his address to Israel’s Knesset on Monday, Trump emphasized that he expects Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to uphold the truce. Israel had previously violated the last cease-fire in March.

Meanwhile, Israel and Hamas carried out a long-awaited hostage exchange on Monday. Hamas released all 20 surviving hostages along with the bodies of four deceased captives, while Israel freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Publicly, Israel condemned Hamas for not returning the remains of the remaining 24 slain hostages, as required under the U.S.-negotiated deal. Privately, however, officials acknowledged that recovery could take time, since some of the bodies may lie under rubble or in areas no longer under Hamas’s control. According to UN satellite data, over 80 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed during the conflict.

Negotiations in Egypt have now turned to the next steps of the cease-fire deal.

Three major issues remain unresolved:

Hamas’s disarmament: Israel insists on full demilitarization, while local reports suggest that militants are already trying to reclaim evacuated areas. Sources close to the talks indicate that Hamas may agree to partial disarmament but continues to reject complete demilitarization.

Gaza’s governance: Hamas has expressed willingness to transfer administrative control to a Palestinian technocratic government, provided it operates under the Palestinian Authority and not an external entity. This position contradicts Trump’s 20-point plan, which calls for an international transitional administration.

Reconstruction of Gaza: With over 67,000 Palestinians dead, hundreds of thousands in need of aid, and nearly the entire 2.1 million population displaced, rebuilding the enclave will be a massive challenge. The process may face further obstacles after Israel announced it would keep the Rafah crossing with Egypt closed on Wednesday—despite the peace deal’s requirement to facilitate greater humanitarian access.

LATEST FROM US-CHINA

China and the United States imposed new port fees on ocean shipping companies on Tuesday, heightening tensions in their ongoing trade war. The additional charges are expected to disrupt supply chains between the two largest global economies and may jeopardize an upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.

The trade conflict began in March when Trump initiated tariff measures against China, leading to multiple negotiation rounds aimed at reducing steep tariff levels. Tensions escalated last Friday after Trump threatened a new wave of 100 percent tariffs in response to Beijing’s decision to expand export controls on rare earth elements and related technologies—restrictions set to take effect in November and December.

In addition to these tariffs, Trump introduced new fees targeting commercial vessels connected to China, referencing a Biden-era investigation that accused Beijing of using unfair practices to dominate the global shipping, logistics, and shipbuilding industries.

Beijing retaliated by announcing special fees on ships owned, operated, built, or registered in the United States, while exempting Chinese-built vessels. “If the U.S. chooses confrontation, China will see it through to the end,” China’s Commerce Ministry declared on Tuesday. “If it chooses dialogue, China’s door remains open.”

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The U.S. Commerce Department expanded its export blacklist on Monday to include 28 new companies. A handful of these corporations have allegedly violated international sanctions by supplying Russia with military equipment, such as components for unmanned aerial drones.

Firms from Russia, China, Pakistan, Finland, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Germany were targeted.

“Our actions send a clear message to those trying to evade our export controls that there will be consequences for behavior that seeks to undermine U.S. national security interests,” said Alan Estevez, the undersecretary of commerce for industry and security.