World in brief: September 8, 2026

Middle East / 8 September 2026 UAE claim they warned Israel in advance of October 7 attack 8 September 2026 World / 8 September 2026 US sinks an Ecuadorian boat in the Pacific 8 September 2026 Germany / 8 September 2026 Nazi AfD claims ‘democracy demands’ other parties work with them after German state election win 8 September 2026 Latin America / 8 September 2026 Cuba says no talks planned with US despite ‘genocidal’ blockade 8 September 2026 Middle East / 8 September 2026 Israel’s removal of Gaza rubble risks removing war crime evidence, says Albanese 8 September 2026 Middle East / 8 September 2026 Yemen’s Houthi-led forces attack Saudi oil facilities 8 September 2026 FRANCE: The Eiffel Tower reopened yesterday, a day after one of the world’s most-visited landmarks was closed by a strike to protest against what a union official called “unacceptable” management instructions limiting the presence of women during a visit by a Hindu delegation on Saturday.

Management told employees that female workers should not be in contact with a visiting delegation from Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha.

SERBIA: Top European Union officials yesterday expressed shock after Serbia gave a hero’s funeral to Ratko Mladic, a Bosnian Serb general who died while serving a life sentence for war crimes and questioned Serbia’s fitness to join their bloc.

Mr Mladic was buried in Belgrade on Monday with military honours. The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije, led the funeral service and Serbian army soldiers carried Mr Mladic’s flag-draped coffin at the cemetery.

HUNGARY: Budapest ordered 10 members of Russia’s diplomatic mission to leave the country yesterday over activities deemed unacceptable for diplomats, the government said on Tuesday.

The Russian ambassador was informed that “according to the assessment of the Hungarian authorities, 10 members of the Russian mission had engaged in “unacceptable” activities in Hungary.

AUSTRALIA: Australian social media users will be given a choice to opt out of algorithms under proposed laws announced by the government yesterday that would let users have more control over what they see on their social media feeds.

“We’ll require social media platforms to provide user empowerment tools that give people over the age of 16 genuine and enduring choice about what they see in their feeds,” said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.