According to documents submitted to the United Nations Security Council, military equipment from the UK was found in Sudan being used by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused of genocide and war crimes. The equipment included UK-made small arms training target systems and engines for armored personnel carriers, reportedly routed through the UAE before entering RSF-controlled areas.

Between 2015 and 2024, the UK issued multiple export licenses for military training equipment to the UAE, some under “open licenses” with no end-use tracking. Evidence shows UK-made engines were installed in UAE-manufactured Nimr armored personnel carriers. Even after warnings that the UAE might supply weapons to sanctioned or conflict zones, the UK continued issuing export licenses.

The UK government responded that its arms export control system is among the strictest globally, with every license assessing “end-use/end-user” risks. Nevertheless, the appearance of UK equipment in Sudan raises concerns about practical implementation gaps in the system.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles met with his Pacific counterparts in Viña del Mar, Chile, to discuss expanding the Pacific Response Group (PRG) — a multinational body originally focused on humanitarian disaster response — to include regional stability and security missions.

The PRG currently includes Australia, New Zealand, Chile, France, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Tonga. During the meeting, ministers instructed their defence chiefs to explore the feasibility of broadening PRG’s mandate and establishing a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) to allow freer troop deployment and coordination among member nations. Officials said the group could evolve into a rapid-response force capable of handling regional crises.

However, the plan may prove controversial among Pacific nations with security ties to China. Analysts suggest that Australia’s move could be perceived as an attempt to exclude China from regional security affairs, heightening great-power competition and potentially straining Australia’s diplomatic relations with its neighbours.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that humanity has effectively missed the 1.5°C global warming target set under the Paris Agreement unless urgent and radical action is taken immediately. He cautioned that further delays in cutting emissions could accelerate the crossing of catastrophic “tipping points” in ecosystems such as the Amazon, the Arctic, and the world’s oceans.

Guterres noted that despite repeated scientific warnings, fewer than one-third of countries have submitted sufficient climate action plans. Existing commitments would only reduce emissions by around 10%, far short of the 60% reduction needed to stay within the 1.5°C limit. He urged world leaders to “change course” at the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, calling for the rapid phaseout of fossil fuels and greater inclusion of Indigenous communities in climate decision-making.

Brazil’s newly announced Tropical Forests Forever Facility aims to raise US$125 billion to protect existing rainforests, with one-fifth of the funds going directly to Indigenous communities.

Guterres also appealed for leaders to draw on Indigenous wisdom to achieve harmony with nature, warning that without a drastic shift, the world risks a future of “survival competition” in which only wealthy nations and corporations can shield themselves from climate disasters, deepening global inequality.