On Friday 24 July, President Trump imposed a new round of tariffs of 10–12% on imports from more than 80 countries. The move follows a February Supreme Court ruling that he had acted unlawfully by introducing previous tariffs without congressional approval. In response, Mr Trump enacted a temporary 150-day global tariff, which expired on 24 July, prompting this latest package. The new measures rely on Section 301 of the Trade Act 1974, which allows the president to impose tariffs without congressional approval if the US Trade Representative finds unfair labour practices affecting American commerce following an investigation. The tariffs, affecting major trading partners including the UK, Canada, Mexico and India, are likely to face legal challenges. According to the US Trade Representative, each country was assessed on whether it was doing enough to prevent imports produced with forced labour from entering the US. With American consumers expected to bear nearly 90% of the cost, the political consequences may become clearer by November's midterm elections.

One of the most well-known accusers of Jeffrey Epstien, Virginia Guiffre released her book, ‘Nobody’s Girl’, posthumously on 21st October. This is a shocking revelation of the abuse and sex trafficking that Guiffre survived as one of Epstein’s victims. In the book, Guiffre details being trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell to have sex with Prince Andrew. She details an underage orgy where he allegedly had sex with “approximately eight other young girls” on Epstein’s Caribbean Island, Little St James, as well as three other sexual encounters with Andrew. She wrote, “He was friendly enough, but still entitled — as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright." Furthermore, Guiffre writes of the legal pressures she faced from Andrew’s team, and how news organisations refused to publish her story through fear they would lose access to the royal family. These new details of Andrew’s role in Epstein’s grotesque power circle of rape have elevated pressures against the royals. Over the last week, growing calls for the government to vote to revoke Prince Andrew’s titles led to him give them up himself, stating, “continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.” Whilst Andrew no longer holds his royal titles, nor can access taxpayers’ money, is this truly justice? Without Guiffre alive to speak for herself, having committed suicide at age 41 in April 2025, these revelations are somewhat bittersweet. Should Andrew face trial for his crimes? Should he be behind bars? Whilst the disgraced former prince still protests his innocence, the story of a young woman whose life was destroyed by years of abuse orchestrated by Epstein, and allegedly exploited by Andrew, must remain at the forefront of the public discussions. The victim’s voices risk being drowned out, as they are so often, by powerful men with agendas, and an ‘image’ to uphold.

Parliamentary elections in Moldova took place on 28th September. To the surprise of many, the ruling pro-western party, Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) led by President Maia Sandu has secured over 50% of the vote as of Monday morning. This comes after Sandu had announced warnings that Russia had spent “hundreds of millions of euros” in a bid to sway the result, in an election so monumental for Moldova’s future and potential path to the European Union. With the Ukraine-Russo war raging one border away, this election has been marked with high levels of tension. Upon this election defeat, Igor Dodan, head of the Patriotic Bloc and former President called for protests to take place on Monday outside the parliament in the capital Chisinau, with the Moldovan authorities having been warned prior of the risk of disruption and street violence once polls closed. Sandu herself said there was ‘a lot at stake’ in this election, and with this new election victory under her belt, EU membership may be more firmly within Moldova’s sight, undermining the lucrative Russian attempts at interference in the former soviet state’s democracy. While Sandu was widely praised for securing EU candidate status for Moldova in 2023, some voters grew frustrated with the slow pace of reforms and soaring gas prices after Russia halted supplies, forcing the country to seek new procurement deals with Romania. However, it is important to note that with the threat posed by Russia for the future of many countries on the Ukrainian border, the victory of a party willing to stand up to Putin and far-right proxies across Europe is something that Moldova can today celebrate.

On Tuesday 9th September, Israel carried out a strike on Doha, Qatar, where the Israeli government claimed they were targeting a senior Hamas official. Qatar has condemned this action as "reckless" and breaching international law. The area that was bombed was a complex in the residential area of Wadi Rawdan Street, close to the West Bay Lagoon district north of central Doha. Israeli media reported that 15 Israeli fighter jets carried out the operation, launching 10 munitions at one specific target. However, Hamas has said that their officials who were targeted survived the attack, however six others were killed including a Qatari security official. Since 2012, Qatar has hosted Hamas’s political bureau and, following the October 7 attacks, has taken a central role in mediating indirect talks between the group and Israel. In Doha, the Qatari government denounced the attack as reckless, cowardly, and a clear breach of international law and norms. “The State of Qatar strongly condemns this assault and affirms it will not tolerate Israel’s reckless conduct, its continued destabilization of regional security, or any actions that threaten Qatar’s security and sovereignty,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. Israel may insist it acted alone, but Washington is left to pick up the diplomatic pieces. The strike jeopardizes the fragile relationship with Qatar that the Trump administration has spent months nurturing as a rare point of leverage in the Israeli Palestinian conflict, risking not only regional stability but also America’s credibility as a broker. The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres also said of the attack- "this flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar". However, Trump has so far not made any major statement on the attack, leaving the US somewhat as an crossroad between it’s relationship with Israel and the Gulf states.

On the 25th August 2025, the Israeli army carried out a devastating double attack on Nasser Hospital in Gaza, killing 22 people including 5 journalists: Hossam Al-Masri, Mariam Abu Daqqa, Mohammed Salama, Ahmad Abu Aziz, and Moaz Abu Taha. The number of journalists killed in Gaza has now reached 246. In a powerful act of global solidarity, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the campaign network Avaaz have mobilized more than 250 media outlets across over 70 countries to go dark, blacking out front pages, website homepages, and even broadcasts to denounce the Israeli army’s killing of journalists in Gaza. The General Director of the RSF warns, “At the rate journalists are being killed in Gaza by the Israeli army, there will soon be no one left to keep you informed.” 70% of all journalists killed globally since October 2023 have been killed in Gaza, making this the most deadly period for journalists in contemporary history. The blackout is a reminder that journalism itself is under siege in Gaza. Each life taken is not only a personal loss but an assault on the very possibility of bearing witness. This crisis is compounded by Israel’s deliberate ban on international journalists, leaving local reporters to face the danger alone. That ban must be lifted. To allow this silence to continue is to abandon the defence of truth itself.

Overnight on August 28th Russia carried out its latest and most deadly drone strike bombardment of Kyiv, leaving 23 dead. Including four children. Ukrainian forces have said Russia fired around 600 drones and 30 ballistic and cruise missiles against the capital in the early hours of the morning. Among key locations hit include the EU's diplomatic mission and nearby British Council. Ursula Von Der Leyen has since made a statement that there had been a “massive strike on Kyiv which also hit our EU offices.” She added that Vladimir Putin “must come to the negotiating table.” When a residential block targeted in the south-eastern Darnytskyi district on Kyiv's left bank left children aged two, 14 and 17 dead, it is now more apparent than ever that any progress towards peace made at Trump’s Alaska meeting with Putin was superficial at best. Whilst the Kremlin has said it is ‘still interested’ in negotiations, this grim and brutal attack that has left so many innocent civilians dead must now emphasise to Trump and other world leaders that Putin’s ‘word’ cannot be trusted. This has been evident since well before the beginning of the invasion and is becoming increasingly impossible for the West to ignore. Any peace negotiations going forward will be laced with cynicism and uncertainty, as Russia once again shows the undeniable and continued aggressiveness of their war machine. This cannot be so easily controlled by flattery and false promises, as President Trump continues to assume.