Morning Brief: US, Europe Weigh New Russia Sanctions; Kim Oversees Final Test for New Long-range Nuclear Missiles

· Guy D. McCardle

North Korea conducts final solid-fuel engine test for its new long-range nuclear missile. (KCNA/X)

Good morning, here’s what’s moving the world on Tuesday, September 9, 2025: The Trump administration battles in the Supreme Court over a $5B foreign aid freeze, while a US appeals court weighs a $42M Abu Ghraib torture verdict. Washington and Europe explore new sanctions on Russia, Colombia rescues dozens of captured soldiers, and a WWII bomb discovery halts traffic in Bratislava. In Ukraine, a Russian glide bomb kills 21 civilians, as Red Sea cable damage disrupts internet across continents. Activists push ahead with a Gaza aid mission after a fire on their boat, Israel orders a full evacuation of Gaza City, and the ICC opens its first in-absentia hearing against Joseph Kony. Elsewhere, ISIS-linked rebels massacre villagers in Congo, the US signs a $500M mineral deal with Pakistan, North Korea edges closer to a new ICBM, and Vanuatu stalls an Australian security pact.

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Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Reinstate Freeze on $5B in Foreign Aid

The Trump administration requested an emergency Supreme Court order Monday to keep nearly $5 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid frozen.

President Donald Trump invoked a “pocket rescission” last month, a rarely used maneuver that prevents Congress from acting in time to stop funds from going unspent.

US District Judge Amir Ali ruled the move likely illegal, saying only congressional approval can rescind appropriations. A federal appeals panel declined to block Ali’s order, prompting the administration to turn to the high court.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer called the injunction unlawful and harmful to interbranch relations, while plaintiffs argued the freeze violates federal law and disrupts urgent humanitarian programs.

The case, involving broader questions of executive power over appropriated funds, remains unresolved as the fiscal year deadline approaches.

 

Court Hears Appeal of $42M Verdict Against US Contractor Over Abu Ghraib Abuse

A federal appeals court heard arguments Tuesday in the case of CACI, a Virginia-based military contractor appealing a $42 million civil verdict holding it liable for the torture and mistreatment of three former detainees at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison two decades ago.

The plaintiffs — Suhail Al Shimari, Salah Al-Ejaili, and Asa’ad Al-Zubae — testified they endured beatings, sexual abuse, forced nudity, and other cruel treatment during the US occupation. They alleged CACI interrogators conspired with military police to “soften up” detainees, though they did not claim CACI staff directly inflicted the abuse.

A jury awarded each man $3 million in compensatory and $11 million in punitive damages. CACI has denied wrongdoing, emphasizing its employees are not accused of direct abuse.

The case marks the first time a US jury has ruled on claims from Abu Ghraib detainees since photos of abuse emerged in 2004, sparking international outrage.

 

US, European Officials Weigh New Sanctions and Tariffs on Russia in Treasury Talks

US and European officials met late Monday at the Treasury Department to discuss expanding economic pressure on Russia, including potential new sanctions and tariffs on Russian oil.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and senior officials from the White House, State Department, and US Trade Representative joined European counterparts focused on energy, sanctions, and trade.

The two-hour meeting covered coordinated tariff measures, collective sanctions enforcement, and management of Russian sovereign assets held in Europe.

Talks will continue on Tuesday.

The discussions follow President Donald Trump’s push for stronger action to end the war in Ukraine, stressing he expects full European cooperation.

Trump recently failed to secure a breakthrough with Russian President Vladimir Putin and acknowledged the conflict has proven harder to resolve than expected, though he voiced confidence that an agreement can be reached.

 

Colombia Rescues 27 Soldiers, 45 Still Held in Guerrilla-Controlled Cauca

Colombian authorities rescued 27 of 72 soldiers captured Sunday in Cauca, a guerrilla-dominated region known for drug cultivation, while 45 remain detained.

The soldiers were surrounded by about 600 people in San Juan de Micay during a military operation aimed at disrupting drug trafficking and illegal mining routes.

The area is controlled by the Central General Staff, a FARC dissident faction resisting government offensives launched in 2024.

President Gustavo Petro urged the soldiers’ release and called for dialogue on crop substitution.

Similar detentions have occurred in recent months, reflecting escalating violence from groups that rejected the 2016 peace accord.

 

WWII Bomb Discovery Triggers Mass Evacuations in Bratislava

Authorities in Slovakia evacuated several blocks of downtown Bratislava on Tuesday after construction workers discovered a 500-pound World War II bomb.

The security zone included a major Danube River bridge, halting public transport and traffic during morning rush hour.

Bomb experts planned to defuse the device by midday.

The area had been targeted in Allied air raids in 1944, when Slovakia was a Nazi-aligned puppet state.

 

Russian Glide Bomb Kills 21 Civilians in Donetsk Village, Ukraine Says

A Russian glide bomb struck the village of Yarova in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Tuesday, killing at least 21 people and wounding 21 others as residents lined up to collect pensions, Ukrainian officials said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as “brutal” and urged the US, Europe, and the G20 to impose stronger sanctions on Russia.

Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin called the strike “pure terrorism.”

The incident came two days after Russia launched its largest aerial assault on Kyiv since the war began in 2022. Glide bombs, retrofitted Soviet-era weapons, have been heavily used in eastern Ukraine and can weigh up to 3,000 pounds.

Yarova, located near the front line, was occupied by Russia in 2022 before being retaken by Ukrainian forces.

 

Ship Likely Cut Red Sea Cables, Disrupting Internet Across Africa, Asia and Middle East

A commercial vessel likely severed four major undersea internet cables in the Red Sea, disrupting service in at least 10 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, experts said Tuesday.

The damaged lines include the SEA-ME-WE 4, India-Middle East-Western Europe, FALCON GCX, and Europe India Gateway cables.

Analysts believe an anchor drag off the coast of Saudi Arabia caused the outage, though authorities and cable operators have not confirmed details.

The International Cable Protection Committee noted that dragged anchors account for about 30 percent of cable damage incidents worldwide. While rerouting has kept nations such as India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) online, users face slower speeds and higher latency.

The incident underscores the vulnerability of global internet infrastructure in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint where 15 cables converge, and comes amid heightened security concerns following Houthi rebel attacks on shipping in the region.

 

Activist Gaza Aid Boat Reports Drone Strike in Tunisia, Authorities Cite Fire

An international activist flotilla preparing to deliver aid to Gaza said one of its boats, the “Family Boat,” was struck by a drone while docked in Tunisia, though no one was injured.

The Global Sumud Flotilla released footage showing a flash and fire aboard the vessel, which sails under a Portuguese flag and carries high-profile activists including Greta Thunberg and former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau.

Tunisian authorities denied a drone was involved, attributing the incident to a fire in a life jacket, and said they are investigating.

The flotilla, which left Barcelona last week, plans to defy Israel’s maritime blockade by transporting food, water, and medicine to Gaza. The group said the incident would not halt its mission.

Israel has not commented, but has previously dismissed such efforts as publicity stunts aimed at undermining its blockade.

 

Iran, Venezuela Pledge Stronger Ties, Condemn US Pressure in Leaders’ Call

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro held a phone call Monday, voicing opposition to US policies and pledging deeper bilateral cooperation.

Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran’s support for Venezuela’s sovereignty, linking national unity to resilience against foreign interference. Maduro accused the US of waging psychological warfare and spreading false narratives, claiming millions of Venezuelans are prepared to resist external aggression.

Both leaders highlighted their countries’ shared struggle under US sanctions and discussed strengthening diplomatic and economic ties, framing their alliance as a defense of peace and sovereignty.

 

Israel Orders Full Evacuation of Gaza City Ahead of Expanded Offensive

The Israeli military on Tuesday called for a full evacuation of Gaza City, warning residents to move south ahead of an expanded ground offensive.

The order marks the first citywide evacuation directive in the current fighting.

Israel has already demolished dozens of high-rise buildings in Gaza City, which it says Hamas uses for military infrastructure, as part of an operation to seize the group’s last stronghold.

Despite the warnings, few Palestinians have left, with the United Nations citing prohibitive costs, overcrowded shelters, and lack of infrastructure to support mass displacement.

Gaza health officials reported six adults died of malnutrition in the past 24 hours, bringing total starvation-related deaths since late June to 259, alongside 140 child deaths since the war began.

The conflict, triggered by Hamas’ October 7 attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel and led to ongoing hostage-taking, has so far killed more than 64,500 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

 

ICC Opens First In-Absentia Hearing Against Fugitive Ugandan Warlord Joseph Kony

The International Criminal Court (ICC) will begin presenting evidence Tuesday against Joseph Kony, the fugitive leader of Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army, in its first-ever in absentia hearing.

Kony, wanted since 2005, faces 39 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, sexual enslavement, and the recruitment of child soldiers committed in northern Uganda in 2003-2004.

Prosecutors will outline their case while a court-appointed lawyer represents Kony. Judges will then decide whether to confirm the charges, though he cannot be tried without being in custody.

Kony, who gained global notoriety in 2012 through the viral “Kony 2012” campaign, has evaded capture despite a $5 million US bounty. The hearing is seen as a precedent-setting case for other figures unlikely to be detained, such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu.

Survivors in Uganda welcome the move, though some critics argue the process is symbolic without Kony’s arrest.

 

ISIS-Linked Rebels Kill at Least 60 in Attack on Village in Eastern Congo

An overnight attack by the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) killed at least 60 people in Ntoyo, North Kivu province, eastern Congo, officials said Tuesday.

The assault occurred after residents gathered for a burial.

Local administrator Col. Alain Kiwewa said the death toll could rise as authorities assess the number of victims, many reportedly beheaded. A survivor described armed assailants using machetes to force villagers together before killing them.

Authorities have deployed teams to confirm casualties in the area.

 

US Firm Signs $500M Mineral Investment Deal with Pakistan

Missouri-based US Strategic Metals signed a $500 million agreement Monday with Pakistan’s Frontier Works Organization to establish a poly-metallic refinery and collaborate on mineral development.

The deal follows a recent US-Pakistan trade agreement aimed at attracting investment in Pakistan’s resource sector. A second deal was signed between Pakistan’s National Logistics Corp and Portugal’s Mota-Engil Group.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said the partnerships will begin with exports of antimony, copper, gold, tungsten, and rare earth elements, while also developing value-added processing capacity.

The US embassy called the agreements a sign of strong bilateral ties.

Pakistan says its untapped mineral reserves could be worth trillions, though many lie in Balochistan, where separatist groups have resisted foreign extraction efforts.

 

Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Solid-Fuel Engine Test for New ICBM, North Korea Says

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the ninth and final test of a solid-fuel engine intended for long-range nuclear missiles, state media reported Tuesday.

The test, described as the last stage in development, suggests a full launch of a new intercontinental ballistic missile could take place within months.

The engine, made with carbon fiber composite materials, is designed to increase missile range and durability.

Analysts said the announcement signals an imminent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test and noted possible Russian technical support in exchange for North Korean military aid to Moscow.

The development follows the unveiling of North Korea’s new Hwasong-20 ICBM last week and Kim’s recent trip to Beijing for a military parade alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Pyongyang continues to reject calls for denuclearization, saying its nuclear arsenal is central to its national prestige and security.

 

Vanuatu Delays Signing Security and Economic Pact With Australia Over Funding Concerns

Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Jotham Napat said Tuesday his government is not ready to sign a proposed $500 million Australian dollars ($330 million) security and economic treaty with Australia, citing concerns it could restrict access to infrastructure funding from other countries.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had hoped to finalize the deal during his visit to Port Vila, part of Canberra’s effort to counter Chinese influence in the Pacific.

Napat said more discussions are needed, particularly on wording, while confirming that some members of his government worried about limits on foreign financing.

Albanese expressed confidence the pact would be signed soon.

Vanuatu has previously relied on Chinese loans and aid for major infrastructure, and analysts say its leaders are trying to balance ties with both powers.

The talks came ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum in Solomon Islands, where Australia is expected to announce a separate bilateral security deal with Papua New Guinea.

 

Sources: News Agencies