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US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced tough questioning from senators over his vaccine policies, including the dismissal of CDC Director Susan Monarez and the cancellation of $500m in COVID vaccine contracts. Critics say these moves have limited public access to vaccines and undermined scientific standards, according to Reuters.

Kennedy defended his actions, claiming the CDC misled the public during the pandemic. Since Monarez’s removal, four CDC officials have resigned, citing concerns over misinformation and anti-vaccine policies. Over 1,000 health professionals and several senators have called for Kennedy’s resignation amid falling vaccination rates.

President Trump voiced support for Kennedy while noting their policy differences, highlighting the ongoing debate over the government’s public health direction, Reuters reported.

Finland has joined an international declaration supporting a two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The initiative, launched at a July UN conference co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France, aims to establish “tangible, timebound, and irreversible” steps toward two sovereign states, prioritizing an end to the nearly two-year conflict in Gaza, according to Reuters.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen called it the most significant global effort in recent years for peace. While Finland supports the initiative, it has not formally recognized Palestine, reflecting divisions within its government.

The United States is sending 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico to strengthen operations against drug cartels in the southern Caribbean. This deployment adds to the existing US presence of seven warships, a nuclear-powered submarine, and over 4,500 personnel, Reuters reported.

The move aligns with President Donald Trump’s effort to curb drug trafficking into US. The jets, expected to arrive by late next week, will focus on designated narco-terrorist groups.

The escalation follows a US strike on a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, which left 11 dead. The Pentagon has labeled Venezuela’s government a “narco-trafficking cartel,” a claim denied by President Nicolas Maduro, further heightening regional tensions, according to Reuters.

At least 30 people, including seven children, were killed in Gaza on Friday as Israeli forces struck residential areas in Gaza City. The city’s center is now at the heart of the ongoing offensive.

Israel says it controls 40 percent of Gaza City, while UNICEF calls the situation “unthinkable.” Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that nearly one in three victims of Israeli attacks has been a child, averaging 28 child deaths per day since October 2023, Al Jazeera reported.

Since the war began in October, over 64,000 Palestinians have died and more than 161,000 wounded.

South Korea, Japan and the United States will begin their annual Freedom Edge military drills on September 15, aiming to sharpen cooperation in the air, at sea and in cyberspace, Reuters reported.

Officials in Seoul said the exercises come at a time when North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats are growing, making close coordination between the allies more important than ever.

The drills, held every year, are designed to strengthen joint readiness and reassure the region of the allies’ commitment to peace and stability. Military leaders stressed that all activities will be carried out in line with international law, according to Reuters.

President Vladimir Putin warned that any Western troops sent to Ukraine during the war would be treated as legitimate targets by Russia, Reuters reported.

His comments came after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 nations had agreed to provide postwar security guarantees to Kyiv, including a possible international force.

Putin said Russia’s invasion was driven by the need to block NATO’s presence in Ukraine, stressing that foreign soldiers deployed now would be “targets for destruction.” He added that if peace is reached, there would be no justification for outside military forces in the country.

The United States has imposed sanctions on three Palestinian human rights groups after they urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Israeli military actions in Gaza, Reuters reported.

The sanctions target Al-Haq in Ramallah and the Gaza-based Palestinian Centre for Human Rights and Al Mezan Center for Human Rights. In 2023, these groups called on the ICC to examine Israeli airstrikes, the Gaza blockade, and mass displacement—moves that later led the court to issue arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders.

Washington’s decision underscores its long-standing rejection of the ICC’s authority, aligning the US with countries like Israel, China, and Russia in opposing the court’s jurisdiction.

According to Reuters, the sanctions come as international experts accuse Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a charge Israel firmly denies.

US immigration agents detained more than 70 people, mostly Mexican workers, in raids on a nutrition bar factory in Cato, New York. Many of those taken were parents, Reuters reported.

Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the action, saying it tore families apart without making communities safer. She stressed that New York will support efforts against violent criminals but not the separation of working families by armed agents.

Factory owner Mark Schmidt insisted his employees were legally documented. ICE said the operation was part of a court-authorized investigation but gave no further details.