9 September 2025
US Drug War
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, made an unexpected visit to Puerto Rico to express that the Marines stationed there on a training exercise are on the front line of the drug war against Venezuela. 10 F-35s are also due to be deployed to Puerto Rico to assist with anti-drug operations.
Venezuelan President Maduro deployed 25,000 troops along the country’s borders with the Caribbean coast and with Colombia as tensions continue to rise.
Ethiopia
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam, was officially inaugurated today. The project, announced in 2011, was completed despite strong protest from Ethiopia’s northern neighbours, Sudan and Egypt, which depend on the Nile for water and agriculture. GERD, located on the Blue Nile, is 14km away from the Sudanese border. Last week, Sudan and Egypt released a joint statement calling Ethiopia’s actions “unilateral” and saying the dam posed a “continuous threat to stability”. In the past, Egypt has threatened military action on the dam.
Norway
Norway’s Labour Party won a second term in Monday’s elections, with incumbent Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s Labour and four smaller, left-leaning parties winning 87 seats, above the 85 needed for a majority, with 99 per cent of ballots counted. Despite the left’s victory, Monday’s ballot showed a shift further to the right among conservative voters, with the populist, anti-immigration Progress Party of Sylvi Listhaug, 47, making its best-ever showing in an election. Progress secured 48 seats in the 169-seat parliament, more than double its allocation from four years ago, as the party’s promise of significant tax cuts appeared to have resonated with many voters.
Israel-Gaza Strip
Israel today ordered a full evacuation of Gaza City as it expands its ground offensive against Hamas in the area. The military said the order applied to anyone present in Gaza City, currently home to nearly half of the Gaza Strip’s population, and warned that remaining in the area would be extremely dangerous. Hamas has urged people to stay in Gaza City to thwart Israel’s advance.
Qatar
Israel has confirmed it targeted senior Hamas leadership in Qatar after explosions were reported in Doha. It is not clear who, if anyone, was killed at this time.
Mali
Al-Qaeda affiliate, JNIM, is setting up a blockade along Mali’s borders with Senegal and Mauritania. It appears that the strategy is to cut Mali off from fuel and other supplies that sustain the military junta. There have been other developments in Mali as of late, and we do plan to cover them shortly.
Nepal
Nepal lifted its social media ban after 19 people were killed in anti-corruption protests. The government planned to ban 26 social media platforms from the country, including YouTube, Facebook, and X. The Nepalese Prime Minister has also resigned. The protests were sparked by a social media campaign called “Nepo Kid,” which highlighted the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children and accusations of corruption.
Feature Photo: “Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam construction” – Water Alternatives, Flickr, 2025
The Wires Brief is a weekly breaking news report incorporating wire service news and social media updates. DefRep cannot verify the authenticity of social media reporters nor the accuracy of social media updates