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Germany has said Russia was behind a drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany last month, after officials reviewed equipment used in the incident and intelligence assessments. The attack was discovered on 4 August, when a drone carrying an explosive device was found at the airport near Ukrainian cargo aircraft. The device did not detonate, with investigators concluding that the detonator was faulty. German authorities said they believe a second drone then collided with a nearby cargo aircraft, while a third drone was reportedly found at the site ten days later. Drone Attack At Leipzig/Halle AirportInterior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the episode followed what he described as a long-established pattern of Russian “hybrid operations” in Europe, adding that Germany had assumed it could be targeted again. He said the examination of the explosive equipment, together with intelligence findings, showed Russian involvement. Germany has previously said it believed “foreign powers” could be behind the Leipzig incident but had not publicly identified Russia. German Response And Russian RetaliationForeign Minister Johann Wadephul said Germany would take further steps against Moscow. He said he would order the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn and terminate the contract for the Russian House in Berlin, a venue that many observers have linked to espionage and Russian propaganda. Wadephul also announced tighter entry controls for Russian nationals and said Germany would increase pressure on Russia’s “shadow fleet” — old tankers used to help circumvent Western sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He said he had summoned Russia’s ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechayev, after the announcement. Nechayev was seen arriving at Germany’s foreign ministry shortly afterwards. Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry, said Moscow would respond in a “mirror-image” manner to Germany’s measures, and told the German Press Agency that Berlin was “sponsoring terrorism” in reference to military and economic support for Ukraine. Russia has consistently rejected allegations of involvement in such attacks. Reactions In NATO And The EUNato chief Mark Rutte said the alliance was “in full solidarity with Germany”, adding that the evidence was clear and that he welcomed the steps announced by Berlin. He posted the comment on X. The measures were expected to be discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Ireland later on Tuesday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X that the EU would stand against Russian aggression and deter those seeking to undermine European freedom and security, adding that additional sanctions against Russia were being prepared. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Russia was “escalating tension across the whole region”. Polish prosecutors are investigating whether foreign intelligence services were involved in a fire at a factory making drone components on Monday. In the UK, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Russian efforts to undermine support for Ukraine were “futile and doomed to fail”. Other Security Incidents And PoliticsLeipzig/Halle Airport is used for military transport involving Germany and Nato allies, and it is also a base for Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines, which carries most of the country’s air freight. Germany has reported drone sightings at airports, military and industrial sites over the past year. Chancellorship security officials have warned that Germany is a “daily target” for hybrid warfare, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last week that those carrying out hostile acts would “pay a price”. The government has said it is looking to strengthen intelligence powers, which critics have described as limited. The announcement comes as Merz faces political pressure at home. A key state election in Saxony-Anhalt could give the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) a state-level role for the first time. The AfD, Germany’s largest opposition party, wants to stop sending support to Ukraine and to reopen ties with Russia. An MP from Merz’s CDU, Roderich Kiesewetter, said the steps taken so far “fall far short” and that Moscow “just laughs” when the ambassador is summoned. Separately on Tuesday, German police said they are investigating the discovery of improvised explosive and incendiary devices at a power substation in Brandenburg. A power line was damaged, causing a temporary outage, and it is not known who planted the devices. Join the discussion? 2 September 2026

Andy Burnham used his first appearance in the House of Commons as prime minister to argue that Britain’s weak economic performance over the past decade stems from “wrong turns” taken over the last 40 years, singling out Brexit and former prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Speaking around six weeks after taking office, Burnham told MPs he wanted to build “substantial change” and restore optimism, saying the country was “not where any of us would wish it to be” and that “things are not working as they should”. Brexit Hit Shown In Company DataEconomists’ analysis of internal Bank of England data on thousands of UK firms found the economy took a 6% hit from the effects of Brexit following the referendum a decade ago. Burnham, whose Makerfield constituency voted for Brexit, said the leave decision reflected a chain of earlier policy failures that began in the 1980s and were later compounded by leaving the EU. He also reiterated that he believed rerunning the referendum would be a mistake, while saying he wanted Britain to rejoin in his lifetime. He suggested the next UK–EU reset summit could take place in November. Government Priorities for Cost, Communities And ControlAs Keir Starmer stepped down as an MP shortly before Burnham’s Commons address, prompting a byelection in a seat where the Greens are expected to do well, the prime minister set out plans his cabinet was briefed on earlier this week. He said the government’s priorities were cutting the costs of essentials such as childcare and mortgages, regenerating communities, and increasing public control over water, housing and energy. Burnham’s deputy, Louise Haigh, will lead task forces on each of the areas, according to reporting, and the ministers had been told they must be “relentless” in delivering the priorities. The proposals are set against a difficult economic outlook. The chancellor’s “headroom” against Labour’s fiscal rules could be cut by about half at his first budget if a current global bond sell-off continues, economists have warned. Mortgage rates could also rise this autumn. Defence, Water Renationalisation And Electoral ReformIn the Commons, Burnham also made a series of signals on policy. He hinted the government would commit to spending 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, saying he appointed John Healey as chancellor because of his stance on military spending. On water, Burnham said he is looking at “all possible solutions” and said the sector is a “leaking monument” to the failures of privatisation, leaving open the prospect of renationalisation. He also indicated Labour could revisit electoral reform in its next manifesto. Burnham said there would need to be a mandate and that achieving a consensus would be necessary for any change to be implemented in the following parliament. Cop31 Trip And A Pragmatic Energy ApproachBurnham said he will attend the Cop31 climate summit in Turkey and continue pursuing green energy, while arguing he would be “pragmatic” on energy supply. He said it would be wrong to frame policy as choosing between options for political purposes, saying the UK would need “both”. The speech was made while he was flanked by Healey and Haigh, and Burnham linked his argument to earlier changes in power and industry, saying political authority had been centralised, economic power privatised, and the country de-industrialised, before austerity hollowed out councils. He said honesty about what went wrong was a starting point for change and added that his government would be “relentless” in delivering the “ownership and control” it had promised. Join the discussion? 2 September 2026

Rep. Thomas Massie said he read out the names of more than a dozen people he described as “Epstein coconspirators” on the House floor on Monday, as he pushed for further action related to files connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a post on X, Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, said he had shared the names in the chamber and argued they should be investigated and prosecuted. In the same update, he said he had started collecting signatures for a discharge petition designed to force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II. Massie Presses For A Vote On The Next BillMassie’s post included a video clip showing him speaking on the House floor. He said it had been a year since the president signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, legislation he introduced the previous year together with Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California. In his remarks, Massie said the administration continued to withhold a large number of records. He claimed the government was still holding back more than three million files, and said that was the reason he and others had brought forward the second bill. Massie said the aim of the Epstein Files Transparency Act II is to shift the fight into state courts, increase accountability at the Department of Justice, and help survivors seek closure. He also said he wants those he believes were involved to face investigation and prosecution. Names Included Prince Andrew And Les WexnerMassie’s floor comments included the name of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who formerly held the title of Prince Andrew. He was accused of sexual abuse by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that the abuse occurred after Epstein trafficked her. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied that he ever met Giuffre. The list also included Les Wexner, a billionaire retail entrepreneur. Massie said earlier on Monday that the bill would involve access to relevant records for legal action. Wexner denied firsthand knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct during a deposition in February connected to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Wexner had employed Epstein as a financial manager in the 1990s and early 2000s. What Massie Says The Act II Would DoMassie said in a separate earlier post on Monday that the Epstein Files Transparency Act II would give state attorneys general access to Epstein files that are needed to prosecute offences under state law. He also said the legislation would make it easier for survivors to sue in order to obtain their records. Alongside the push for the House to take up the measure, Massie said he was working to gather 218 signatures for the discharge petition. A discharge petition, if successful, can bring a bill to the floor for a vote. The latest push comes after Massie and Khanna’s first Epstein files bill, which they said led to the release of some records connected to Epstein following the president’s signature last year. Despite that, Massie said the remaining withheld material justified further legislative action, and he used Monday’s House-floor remarks to outline what he described as additional individuals who should be investigated. Join the discussion? 1 September 2026

The United States carried out fresh air strikes on Iranian targets on Tuesday, in a move that could further inflame a six-month-old standoff that has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and pushed up global oil prices. The strikes came after an exchange of fire over the weekend—the first since July—and after two tankers were hit on Monday. The Strait of Hormuz is the key sea route for international crude supplies, and Iran has effectively restricted shipping there. Brent crude futures, which were already higher earlier in the day, rose again following reports of the new strikes, according to market data. US Central Command Says It Targets IRGC SitesThe US Central Command said its forces began striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (1600 GMT). It said the attacks followed what it described as attempted attacks by the IRGC on commercial shipping in the strait and on American service members in the region. Iranian state media said explosions were reported on Qeshm Island, on the northern side of the strait. Nour News reported further blasts near ports including Bandar Abbas and Chabahar on the southern coast. IRNA and other state outlets also reported explosions near Jask and Sirik, and said US forces attacked a civilian airport in Jiroft in southern Iran. A US embassy in Qatar urged Americans in the region to exercise “heightened vigilance”, adding that there could be flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruption. Tehran Rejects Threats, Warns Oil Exports Will StopTehran warned it would not allow oil exports from the Gulf. It has rejected US threats of further strikes, even as President Donald Trump said on social media that retaliation would be met with new attacks at a “harder and higher” level. The US administration also signalled a potential new wave of economic pressure. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned last week that Washington would significantly escalate sanctions on countries that do business with Iran, although the United States has not set out details. Iran has faced heavy sanctions for decades, and officials have not shown signs of backing away from their position despite repeated US threats. Scale Of Latest Hostilities UnclearThe scope and duration of the latest phase of fighting remained unclear. Iranian state-linked outlets cited an IRGC-linked spokesperson warning that the US would “regret” the new attacks. The conflict has shifted between armed exchanges and diplomatic and economic pressure. It began escalating on February 28 after US and Israeli strikes, and has since killed thousands in Iran and Lebanon, according to the memorandum framework described by both sides. Before Tuesday’s strikes, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at a regional summit in Kyrgyzstan that Tehran would respond immediately if Washington met its commitments under a June Memorandum of Understanding intended to halt the fighting. The MOU ended active hostilities but postponed difficult issues and opened a 60-day negotiation period, which ended without agreement. Since then, Iranian officials have not publicly indicated any willingness to concede. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf was quoted by Iranian media as saying that if others wanted Iran not to export oil from the Persian Gulf, “no one” would be able to do so. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told a press conference in Tehran that Washington was “addicted to making excessive demands” and had mistaken negotiations for imposing terms. Analysts said the ongoing tit-for-tat missile exchanges have reinforced concerns that, even without a wider “forever war”, the conflict could continue for some time. Join the discussion? 2 September 2026