World News

A Russian drone hit Ukraine’s SBU headquarters in central Kyiv as U.S. envoys prepare weekend peace stops in Moscow and Kyiv, Western powers drafted an IAEA resolution to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council, and Hawaii watched Category 4 Hurricane Lowell. Ten stories as of Friday evening, September 4.

1. Kyiv. A Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) in the heart of the capital on Friday afternoon, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, targeting a room used by security chief Oleksandr Poklad. Zelenskyy said he had spoken with Poklad and ordered an “appropriate, tangible response.” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said people were injured in the strike and in related hits across the city; Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called it a “major escalation” launched during a renewed peace push. The SBU building sits near St. Sophia Cathedral; images showed smoke from windows on the front façade. BBC.

2. Moscow / Kyiv / Washington. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are set to visit Moscow and then Kyiv this weekend with a proposal “to end the war,” President Donald Trump told reporters Friday. Russian state media and Ukrainian officials pointed to Saturday in Moscow and Sunday in Kyiv—the envoys’ first trip to Ukraine. Zelenskyy said Ukraine would hold back aerial strikes during the visit for the negotiators’ safety and urged Moscow to do the same. Putin had said Thursday there was a chance of a deal while keeping maximalist territorial demands. The diplomatic track lands against the SBU strike and continued long-range exchanges. Al Jazeera; BBC.

3. Vienna / Iran. The United States, Britain, France, and Germany have drafted a resolution for the IAEA Board of Governors seeking to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council for failing to comply with nuclear nonproliferation obligations, diplomats told the Associated Press. The text, also reported by Reuters, is still under negotiation and has not been formally submitted; a vote is expected at next week’s board meeting. An IAEA report this week warned that continued denial of inspector access after the June 2025 strikes on nuclear sites is a proliferation risk requiring “utmost urgency.” Russia and China hold Security Council vetoes, so immediate U.N. sanctions are unlikely even if the board acts.

4. Bandar Abbas / Strait of Hormuz. The Persian Gulf and Bandar Abbas were comparatively calm on Friday after this week’s biggest U.S.–Iran flare-up since July, AP reported, with commercial vessels still anchored and traffic well below pre-war levels. Washington is still investigating the Kuhestak wedding strike that Iranian officials say killed five and wounded nearly 70; CENTCOM says it never targets civilians. Thursday’s Iranian fire at Kuwait was intercepted by Kuwaiti defenses. Brent has been trading in the mid-$90s as Hormuz shipping stays constrained.

5. Trishuli valley / Nepal. Rescuers pulled two hydropower workers, Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan, alive from the Upper Trishuli 3A tunnel nine days after the glacier-collapse floods, the BBC and Al Jazeera reported. Maharjan was in critical condition; a third person’s body was recovered in the same tunnel. Officials believe dozens more may still be inside Trishuli 3A alone, and hundreds remain missing across hydropower sites. Nepal’s confirmed dead climbed past 1,280 with more than 5,000 still listed missing; Chinese figures put Tibet’s toll in the dozens dead and hundreds missing. Australia’s drone specialists arrived Friday to help the search.

6. Ituri / eastern Congo. Africa CDC said Thursday it is still too early to call the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak under control, even as some zones show fewer new cases. Government figures through September 1 stood at 6,250 confirmed cases and 3,039 deaths (case fatality about 48.6%), with transmission still active across most of 60 health zones in six provinces. There is no approved vaccine for Bundibugyo; Ervebo, made for Zaire ebolavirus, is being given to front-line workers under compassionate use while efficacy studies continue. WHO has called the epidemic the second-largest on record and among the fastest-moving it has seen.

7. Central Pacific / Hawaii. Hurricane Lowell remained a powerful Category 4 storm Friday with maximum sustained winds near 150 mph about 590 miles south-southwest of Honolulu, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said. Forecasters expect a sharp turn north early next week and warn Lowell could still be near major-hurricane strength when it nears the western Hawaiian Islands late Monday. Governor Josh Green has issued a statewide emergency proclamation. Watches could be required for western islands Saturday; heavy rain, surf, and rip currents are the near-term hazards statewide.

8. Koror / Palau. The 55th Pacific Islands Forum closed Friday after leaders registered “concern” over China’s July ICBM test that overflew members without adequate notice and called for at least 24 hours’ advance notification of future tests, ABC Australia and regional outlets reported. The communiqué did not name China; Naoero (Nauru) formally dissented from the clause. Leaders also endorsed a tiered system for external partners. New Zealand will host the Forum in 2027.

9. Lima / Peru. Peru has declared a 60-day state of emergency in 893 districts across 22 regions plus Callao over the threat of intense rainfall tied to El Niño, per Supreme Decree 124-2026-PCM published September 1 in El Peruano and reported by Andina and other outlets. Coastal El Niño alerts remain in force; authorities have warned that roughly 1.2 million people could face flood and landslide risk as the season builds. The decree authorizes regional and local response from existing budgets.

10. Ottawa / Washington. Canada’s dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs are still due Tuesday, September 8, with U.S.–Canada trade talks frozen since August 21 after Washington imposed 50 percent tariffs on a large Canadian goods package. Prime Minister Mark Carney has said Washington needs to drop “memes” and toughness before talks restart. The deadline lands the same day the 81st U.N. General Assembly session opens in New York.

Coming up. Tuesday 8 September — 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly opens, New York; Canadian counter-tariffs take effect. Wednesday 9–Thursday 10 September — ECB rate decision, Berlin. Saturday 12–Sunday 13 September — BRICS summit, New Delhi. Sunday 13 September — Sweden general election. Tuesday 15–Wednesday 16 September — Federal Open Market Committee, with projections. The standing calendar is at The Watch.

Sources: BBC (Kyiv), Al Jazeera (envoys), BBC (envoys), AP (IAEA), AP (Hormuz), BBC (Nepal), Al Jazeera (Nepal), Africa CDC / ECDC (Congo), CPHC/NHC (Lowell), ABC Australia (Palau), Andina / El Peruano (Peru).