World Signal

At midnight on 12 August 2025, in Hamilton, Canada, Madonna posted an appeal on Instagram addressed to Pope Leo XIV, urging him to bring hope and comfort to the children of Gaza before it is too late. She expressed that, as a mother, it is heartbreaking to witness the suffering of Gaza’s children and reminded that all the world’s children are a collective responsibility. She noted that the Pope is the only person who can enter Gaza without obstruction and stressed that there is no time left to save the children. In her message, Madonna called for the immediate opening of humanitarian routes to assist the innocent victims and ended with the plea, “Please say you will go. Love, Madonna.” She connected this appeal to her son Rocco’s birthday, describing it as the best gift she could give him — a gesture aimed at protecting children caught in the conflict. She clarified that her message was not politically motivated and that meaningful change stems from human compassion, not politics. Mado...

On August 11, 2025, at a United Nations Security Council session, the United States and China engaged in a tense exchange over the Panama Canal. The U.S. argued that China’s expanding role in the canal’s operations could endanger international trade and security. In response, China dismissed the accusations, saying they were simply a cover for Washington to try to gain control of the route. Chairing the meeting, Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino stressed that the canal remains neutral and fully under Panama’s sovereignty. U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea raised concerns about Beijing’s influence in port facilities and related infrastructure. China’s U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong rejected these concerns, backed Panama’s authority over the canal, and criticized the U.S. stance as unfounded and destabilizing. The dispute reflected deeper geopolitical friction between the two powers, following earlier American efforts to limit Chinese involvement in canal-linked port operations. On Monday, August ...

On August 11, 2025, at around 10:51 in the morning, a powerful explosion shook the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works facility in Clairton, Pennsylvania, about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh near the Monongahela River. The blast was triggered by a fire in the “reversing room” of the plant’s 13/15 battery, an area that controls the even heating of coal in ovens. The incident left many injured, with some trapped under rubble, and later reports confirmed one death, dozens of injuries, and at least two people still missing. Emergency crews and the plant’s fire team evacuated victims, while local hospitals treated multiple patients. Witnesses described the shock as thunder-like, shaking buildings and sending thick black smoke into the air. Authorities advised residents within a one-mile radius to remain indoors, seal windows and doors, and avoid outside air, although air quality tests showed no dangerous levels of soot or sulfur dioxide. The Clairton facility, the largest coke-producing plant in ...

On August 11, 2025 at 12:10 local time, updated at 12:40, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that Ukrainian Armed Forces suffered approximately 1,335 military casualties in the previous 24 hours in the special military operation zone; the Ministry reported that Russian forces struck Ukrainian mechanized units, motorized infantry brigades, Jaeger units, air-assault brigades and regiments, assault regiments, marine brigades and territorial defense brigades across seven operational groupings — Northern (Sever), Kharkiv direction, Western (Zapad), Southern (Yug), Central (Center), Eastern (Vostok) and Dnieper (Dnepr) — in towns and villages in Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and that Russian strikes destroyed numerous armored combat vehicles including MaxxPro and Snatch vehicles, military trucks and automobiles, field artillery pieces, electronic warfare stations and radar systems, a multiple rocket launcher, and several ammunition depots. On...

On August 10, 2025, an Israeli airstrike struck a media tent located near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The tent was being used by media workers to cover events in the area. The attack killed five Al Jazeera journalists — Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa — along with two other individuals, bringing the total death toll to seven. The Israeli military stated that the strike was aimed at Anas al-Sharif, accusing him of being a leader of a Hamas cell and of involvement in launching rockets. No verifiable evidence was provided to support these allegations. Al Jazeera condemned the strike as a deliberate killing of journalists, while the United Nations Special Rapporteur and several press freedom organizations also denounced the attack, calling the accusations against Anas al-Sharif unsubstantiated. The incident took place on August 10, 2025. The incident was in Gaza City. An Israeli airstrike hit a tent used by media workers. The media ten...

On August 9, 2025, President Donald Trump announced his choice of Tammy Bruce as the Deputy Representative of the United States to the United Nations. Tammy Bruce currently serves as the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department and is known for her background as a conservative commentator and former Fox News contributor. She has held her current role since January 2025 and is also an author of a book that critiques left-wing politics. Tammy Bruce previously led the Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for Women before shifting her political stance. This nomination comes at a time when the U.S. does not have a permanent ambassador to the United Nations, as Mike Waltz’s confirmation is still pending. If confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, Tammy Bruce will serve under Mike Waltz and take on ambassador duties when he is unavailable. President Trump praised her as a dedicated patriot and influential public figure. President Donald Trump announced Tammy Bruce’s nomin...

On August 9, 2025, the government of Haiti declared a three-month state of emergency following a sharp rise in gang violence. The measure covers the West, Artibonite, and Centre regions, which are important for rice farming. Officials reported that between October 2024 and June 2025, more than 1,000 people were killed, over 200 were injured, and 620 were kidnapped in these areas. The ongoing violence has also displaced more than 239,000 residents from central Haiti. To address the crisis, the government appointed André Jonas Vladimir Paraison as interim head of the National Police, replacing Normil Rameau. Paraison, who once served as head of security at the National Palace, was present during the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. The National Police is now working with a Kenya-led mission supported by the United Nations to restore order. These actions are part of a broader effort by the transitional presidential council, led by Laurent Saint-Cyr, to prepare for national e...

In South Africa’s Kruger National Park, a small Cessna Caravan plane carrying American tourists collided with a giraffe while flying. The giraffe died as a result of the accident. The plane, owned by a private company, was on its way to a nearby lodge when the collision happened. Fortunately, none of the American tourists on board were injured. Local authorities in South Africa have started an investigation to find out more about the incident. The park is a famous wildlife reserve, and the plane was flying at low altitude during the time of the crash. The private company operating the aircraft has not been publicly identified. A small Cessna Caravan plane with American tourists hit a giraffe while flying in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The giraffe died because of the accident. The plane belonged to a private company and was going to a nearby lodge. The American tourists did not get hurt. South African authorities are looking into what happened. The crash took place inside Kruger...

On August 8, 2025, Armenia and Azerbaijan reached a historic peace deal at the White House, with U.S. President Donald Trump hosting the event. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed the agreement, which is intended to bring an end to nearly forty years of conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The deal grants the United States exclusive rights to develop a vital South Caucasus transit route, officially named the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,” connecting Azerbaijan to the Nakhchivan region through Armenian territory. Alongside the peace accord, the United States also signed separate agreements with both Armenia and Azerbaijan covering cooperation in energy, technology, infrastructure, trade, and security. Both national leaders publicly praised Donald Trump’s mediation efforts and expressed their intention to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. This agreement is seen as a major geopolitical shift, reducing Rus...