World News Today: Zelenskyy vows ‘mirror’ response after Russian drone hits Ukraine security headquarters

The war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified as the conflict stretches into its fifth year following Moscow’s invasion of Kyiv.

Firefighters work at a residential building after a Russian drone attack struck in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv. (AP Photo)

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday said that a Russian drone struck the central building of the Security Service of Ukraine on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv, across from St. Sophia Cathedral. The president added that all emergency services are on the scene and that “All those who were injured will receive the necessary assistance.”

In a post on X, Zelenskyy added, “I instructed Poklad to deliver an appropriate, tangible response and, where possible, one that mirrors this strike, to the Russians once everything is ready. Our military will support this response.”

Story continues below this ad

Meanwhile in Nepal, nine days after flash floods ravaged the country, two mechanical engineers trapped inside the Trishuli 3 ‘A’ hydropower tunnel were pulled out alive, raising hopes that others still stuck inside the tunnel could also be found alive. Rescue teams said they had also heard voices deep within the tunnel, a sign that gave fresh hope to relatives of the hundreds of workers still missing across a dozen damaged hydropower projects. Israeli police said separately that they arrested a settler allegedly involved in an attack on Palestinians last week. Here’s a look at the latest developments across the Middle East and in Nepal’s flood recovery effort.

Sirens sounded in Kuwait early on Thursday, where air defences intercepted missiles and drones during what the country’s Defence Ministry called a “blatant Iranian aggression” in a post on X.

Key Updates

Story continues below this ad

No war, says Vance. Asked whether the conflict would end before the November midterms, Vance said he wouldn’t call it a war since there was no active shooting at the moment. He added that major combat only lasted six weeks after the fighting between the US and Israel started on February 28.
South Korea reviews its options. South Korea is reviewing options, including military measures, to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the presidential office said on Friday, while denying media reports that the government had already decided on a deployment.
Iran strikes Kuwait and UAE. Iran said it carried out attacks on bases in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, framing them as retaliation for what it called US crimes against the Iranian people.
Two engineers pulled out alive. Sanjay Saha, 30, and Kabir Maharjan, 45, both mechanical engineers, were rescued from a depth of 170 metres inside the tunnel on Friday morning, the Nepal Army confirmed.
Death toll passes 1,250. The floods, which struck two districts on August 26, have killed more than 1,250 people and substantially damaged a dozen hydropower projects, with many workers still missing.

Follow the latest world news and major international developments here. This live blog is a rolling curation of the day’s key global stories, with updates added as events unfold and the news agenda changes. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed throughout the day to reflect the stories that matter most at that moment.

Live Updates

Sep 4, 2026 09:04 PM IST

Nepal flash floods: 275 Indian nationals remain missing, says MEA

At least 275 Indians remained missing while 166 others were rescued following the devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.

It said that 1,907 Indian nationals have safely crossed over to Nepal from China.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India supplied around 95 tonnes of relief material to Nepal since the flash floods hit the country on August 26. (PTI)

Sep 4, 2026 08:51 PM IST

US issues sanctions on Turkish bank that it calls a 'critical financial lifeline' for Iran

The US Treasury announced Friday it has imposed sanctions on a Turkish financial institution as part of its latest effort to sever “critical financial lifelines” for the Iranian government.

The actions against Golden Global Yatirim Bankasi Anonim Sirketi come nearly a week after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced “Operation Economic Outcast” as the new effort by Washington to get Tehran to capitulate to its demands after more than six months of war.

- AP

Sep 4, 2026 07:43 PM IST

US issues new Iran-related sanctions, Treasury Department website shows

The United ⁠States has imposed fresh Iran-related sanctions ⁠and a ‌new general ⁠licence ⁠on Friday, ⁠according ‌to a posting ‌on ‌the Treasury Department's website.

Sep 4, 2026 07:24 PM IST

Zelenskyy vows ‘mirror' response after Russian drone hits Ukraine security headquarter

I spoke with the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Oleksandr Poklad. Unfortunately, a Russian drone struck the central building of the Security Service of Ukraine on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv, across from St. Sophia Cathedral. All emergency services are on the scene.…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 4, 2026

The president added that all emergency services are on the scene and that "All those who were injured will receive the necessary assistance."

In a post on X, Zelenskyy added, "I instructed Poklad to deliver an appropriate, tangible response and, where possible, one that mirrors this strike, to the Russians once everything is ready. Our military will support this response."

Sep 4, 2026 06:49 PM IST

US job market rebounds as employers add 162,000 jobs; unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%

The US job market rebounded in August as employers added a surprising 162,000 jobs. The unemployment rate stayed at a low 4.1 per cent.

The jobs report, issued by the Labour Department on Friday, could be good news for US President Donald Trump two months before midterm elections, in which the health of the economy is weighing on voters' minds. (AP)

Sep 4, 2026 06:06 PM IST

Belgium PM mocks ‘arbitrary’ tariffs in veiled Trump jibe in Mumbai

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever took a dig at US President Donald Trump without naming him over tariffs at an event in Mumbai.

"There are More tariffs to be imposed; some do it arbitrarily. They decide something on Monday, and revoke it Wednesday and reinstall it on Saturday. You all know who I am talking about!"

"I am not going to say the name, but you know, these people arbitrarily do it without any logic," Wever further said this amid loud approval from a gathered audience of the Indian and Belgian business community.

Present on the stage were Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

- Alok Deshpande reports

Sep 4, 2026 05:36 PM IST

Manjit Singh Bedi arrested: Punjab Police arrest US ‘Most Wanted’ fraudster

The Punjab Police have arrested Indian-born American citizen Manjit Singh Bedi, who is reportedly on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) ‘Most Wanted Fraudsters’ list for running a fraudulent scheme linked to the US government’s food benefits programme, DGP Gaurav Yadav said on Friday.

DGP Yadav said the Jalandhar police apprehended Manjit Singh Bedi, who carries a reward of US $150,000.

“Bedi was reportedly placed on the US Most-Wanted Fraudsters list in connection with a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits fraud case in the USA and had allegedly fled to India via Canada in April 2026 to evade the law “ the DGP said.

As per FBI reports, Bedi is a naturalized United States Citizen (citizenship granted to a person born outside the United States after completing the legal process) currently believed to be residing in India.

Bedi was allegedly involved in the benefits fraud scheme that defrauded the United States of at least $600,000 between March, 2024 and June, 2025.

Bedi operated a small grocery store in Tacoma, Washington, called Asian Grocery Store. He purportedly sold food to participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. However, instead of selling participants food, Bedi is alleged to have swiped their cards and given them cash, keeping half of the proceeds for himself.

After being indicted for wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud, Bedi was allowed to appear in court without being arrested. He was ordered to give up his passport and remain in Washington. However, Bedi soon drove across the border to Canada and then fled to India.

Read full story

Sep 4, 2026 04:09 PM IST

Andrew Tate faces Romania indictment over sex trafficking of minors

Romanian prosecutors, after years of investigation, have indicted Andrew Tate on charges including trafficking minors and money laundering.

Prosecutors also indicted Tate for sex ⁠with a minor, ⁠witness tampering ‌and his brother Tristan ‌for complicity, The Independent reported.

Sep 4, 2026 03:55 PM IST

Iran war pushes US diesel prices to record high

Diesel prices have soared to a record high in the United States, as the war in Iran continues to disrupt the energy supply chain worldwide.

A gallon of diesel in the US has jumped to $5.85 per gallon, according to the AAA Motor Club's national average prices, which is more than 55 per cent higher since the Russia-Ukraine war started, the New York Times reported.

Sep 4, 2026 03:13 PM IST

Trump envoys to visit Russia and Ukraine at weekend: Report

US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have led the campaign to broker a peace agreement in Ukraine, will visit Russia and Ukraine on Saturday and Sunday, Russian news agency TASS reported, citing a source.

Witkoff and Kushner last visited Moscow in January, when they held four hours of late-night talks with President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.

Sep 4, 2026 02:42 PM IST

Sri Lanka ex-president Mahinda ⁠Rajapaksa's son arrested on graft charges: Police

Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda ⁠Rajapaksa's son, Namal ‌Rajapaksa, has ⁠been arrested ⁠on graft charges, a police ‌spokesperson ‌said on Friday, Reuters reported.

Sep 4, 2026 11:49 AM IST

Iran targets Kuwait in retaliation for US bombardments, and other

Iran fired at Kuwait on Thursday as part of its retaliation for US bombardments earlier in the week. Meanwhile, Israeli police said they arrested a settler allegedly involved in an attack on Palestinians last week.

Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East. Full coverage can be found here.Iran fires at KuwaitSirens sounded in Kuwait early on Thursday, where air defenses intercepted missiles and drones during a “blatant Iranian aggression,” the Defense Ministry said in a post on X.

Sep 4, 2026 11:36 AM IST

Two workers rescued from Nepal tunnel 9 days after flash flood

Nine days after flash floods ravaged Nepal, two engineers trapped in the Trishuli 3 ‘A’ hydropower tunnel have been rescued, raising hopes that others stuck in the tunnel could also be alive.

Sanjay Saha (30) and Kabir Maharjan (45), both mechanical engineers, were rescued on Friday morning. The survivors have said more people are trapped inside the tunnel. Read more

Sep 4, 2026 10:20 AM IST

Moment workers are rescued from Nepal tunnel

Two people have been pulled out alive from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal nine days after deadly flash floods left them trapped.

The workers were rescued during an ongoing operation at the Trishuli 3A tunnel, a hydropower project in one of the areas worst-affected by last week’s deadly Nepal floods, according to army spokesperson Brig Gen Raja Ram Basnet.

VIDEO | Trishuli, Nepal: One person rescued alive from Trishuli 3A tunnel after 10 days; search for others continues.

(Source: Security Force)

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) pic.twitter.com/7Z0WU4O6ll
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 4, 2026

Sep 4, 2026 09:10 AM IST

Nepal flood losses estimated at $2.56 billion, official says

Property, housing and infrastructure worth at least $2.56 billion (387.5 billion Nepalese rupees) was damaged in ⁠the Nepal's catastrophic floods last week, the country's disaster authority chief ⁠told Reuters on Friday.

The estimated ‌cost of early recovery in the first four months to build ⁠roads, temporary ⁠shelters, provide drinking water and ⁠electricity ‌would be around $52.6 ‌million (7.95 billion Nepalese rupees), Dharma Raj ‌Upreti, chief of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority ⁠said.

Sep 4, 2026 07:52 AM IST

Iran oil minister says industry continues to bypass US blockade

Iran's oil industry is still finding ways around the blockade imposed by US forces, according to Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad. Speaking to the semi-official ISNA news agency, Paknejad said Tehran has managed to keep exporting oil despite the restrictions, though not without setbacks.

Key Points

Mixed success getting past the blockade. Paknejad said Iran faced restrictions on moving oil past the blockade line, adding: "In some cases we managed to get through, and in some cases that was not possible."

Reaching customers far from the Gulf. He said Iran has used workaround measures to sell and deliver oil to buyers located, in his words, "perhaps thousands of kilometers" from the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Production up after the 12-day war. Paknejad said Iran raised its oil output by roughly 70,000 barrels per day following the 12-day war.

Sep 4, 2026 06:30 AM IST

US airlines weigh safety system to prevent midair collisions ahead of legal mandate, provider says

Some airlines are not waiting for a US legal mandate to look at outfitting planes with an additional system to avert midair collisions, according to the CEO of Acron Technologies, which retrofits Airbus jets with the equipment.

Acron, which has equipped American Airlines' single-aisle Airbus planes with the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In platform, is talking with most US carriers and could see another order by year's end, Acron CEO Alan Crawford said ⁠on Thursday.

Sep 4, 2026 06:28 AM IST

Eric Trump mocked after showing off new passport featuring Trump’s face

Eric Trump has posted a video showing his new US passport, which carries an image of his father on its cover. The document, called the “patriot passport,” includes President Trump’s own signature and a “250” stamp marking the country’s 250th anniversary, celebrated on July 4 this year. The special edition was created to commemorate the anniversary and is limited to 250,000 applicants.

Eric Trump shared the video on X, holding the passport up to the camera for viewers to see, but the reveal quickly drew mockery online, with critics accusing the design of promoting a “cult of personality” and questioning why Trump’s image appears on the document at all. Read more

pic.twitter.com/athqdGq0LU
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) September 2, 2026

Sep 4, 2026 06:11 AM IST

Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon continue

The Israeli military has attacked Wadi al-Salouki in the Bint Jbeil district, which sits south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon, reports the Lebanese government’s National News Agency.

The agency also reported that the Israeli military has been bombing al-Mansouri, a municipality in the coastal Tyre district, in addition to bombarding the outskirts of Nabatieh district’s al-Fawqa and Doha Kfar Remman with artillery shelling.

Sep 4, 2026 05:31 AM IST

US probes Iran wedding strike that analysis shows was likely direct hit by US munition

US Vice President JD Vance said that the United States was investigating a deadly strike on an Iranian wedding earlier this week that an analysis published by Reuters showed likely resulted from a direct hit by a US munition.

An explosion that ripped through a wedding celebration in southern Iran on Tuesday likely resulted from a direct hit by a US munition and not a ricochet off another target, according to an analysis on Thursday by weapons experts who reviewed images and video verified by Reuters.

Sep 4, 2026 04:57 AM IST

Iran war is not a war, US VP Vance says

US Vice President JD Vance said he would not categorise the Iran war as a war, despite continuing clashes with Tehran six months after the start of the conflict, AFP reported.

Vance's comments came amid growing signs that President Donald Trump is trying to draw a line under the conflict that has bogged down his administration.

"I wouldn't call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting," Vance told a White House briefing when asked if the war would be over by US midterm elections in November.

Vance added that "I recognise there have been places where this has flared up" but said major combat operations only lasted for six weeks after the US-Israel war started on February 28.

"But when you ask when will this end, you're asking me a question like when will the Iranians stop shooting at ships? I think the reality is I don't know the answer to that question. You would have to ask the Iranians," he said.

After several weeks of calm, fresh clashes began with US raids on Sunday, deepening the impasse in the six-month war, as Iran maintains a stranglehold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Vance insisted that the United States would not reopen talks with Iran until it ended attacks on commercial shipping.

Sep 4, 2026 04:53 AM IST

US hits Cuba with new sanctions as island's crises multiply

The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Cuba on Thursday, targeting officials and companies tied to the island's government in a move aimed at deepening its economic and energy troubles. The new measures come as blackouts across Cuba grow longer and more frequent, leaving many residents without power for days at a time.

Key Points

Who's affected. The sanctions hit Fidel Ernesto Castro, grandson of former President Raúl Castro, along with Cuba's Oil Industry Supply Import Company, known as Abapet, which handles imports of equipment needed to keep the country's power grid running. Experts say the goal is to knock out critical machinery and worsen Cuba's energy crisis, forcing the government to seek costlier workarounds that would drive up inflation.

Growing hardship on the ground. Outages across Cuba now last more than 24 hours a day in many areas as the aging power grid deteriorates and fuel supplies run low, a situation that worsened after President Trump threatened tariffs on countries supplying oil to the island. Sanctions expert Brett Erickson said the pressure is designed to create enough civilian hardship that Cubans are pushed toward ousting their own government.

Sharp exchanges between officials. Cuban officials condemned the move, with Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga calling the US embargo "genocide" and Cuba's ambassador in Mexico accusing Washington of trying to make life unbearable for ordinary Cubans. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the sanctions on social media, saying they target a "corrupt" network benefiting Cuba's elite while ordinary citizens struggle.

Sep 4, 2026 04:50 AM IST

Welcome to our live blog

Hello and welcome to our world live blog. We'll bring you all the latest top stories from across the globe. Stay with us as we cover the day's biggest developments.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram