While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Aug 18, 2025
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US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meeting on the sidelines of Nato summit in The Hague, Netherlands on June 25, 2025.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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Nato-like protection in focus for Trump meeting with Ukraine, Europe
US President Donald Trump could offer Nato-like protection of Ukraine, and Russia is open to the idea, one of his top foreign policy officials said on Aug 17 ahead of a meeting with Ukraine and European leaders to hammer out details of possible security guarantees for Kyiv.
"We were able to win the following concession, that the United States could offer Article 5-like protection," Mr Steve Witkoff, Mr Trump's special envoy to Russia, told CNN's State of the Union programme. "The United States could offer Article 5 protection, which was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that."
Mr Witkoff was referring to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which regards any attack against one of its 32 members as an attack on all. He suggested that a security guarantee of that scale could be offered to Ukraine in lieu of Nato membership, which Mr Putin has ruled out.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has been gradually advancing for months in the deadliest war in Europe for 80 years.
Global markets face shaky week ahead as US pressure mounts on Ukraine
PHOTO: REUTERS
Defence stocks and energy markets are likely to be in focus this week, as European leaders rushed to back Ukraine in talks with US President Donald Trump that may pressure Kyiv to accept a peace deal favouring Russia.
Investors are watching for signs that the US may move closer to Russia in a bid to exploit vast, untapped Arctic energy resources, in a major geopolitical shift that piles pressure on Europe to rapidly boost defence spending.
Mr Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended their weekend summit in Alaska without securing a Ukraine ceasefire agreement, with the US president then saying he now wanted a rapid peace deal that Kyiv should accept.
Air Canada flight attendants continue strike despite order to return, airline delays restart
PHOTO: REUTERS
Air Canada flight attendants remained on strike on Aug 17 past the deadline in a government-backed labour board’s order to return to work, causing the country’s biggest airline to delay restarting operations.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a statement that members would remain on strike and invited Air Canada back to the table to “negotiate a fair deal,” calling the order to end its strike unconstitutional. The airline said it would delay plans to restart operations from Aug 17 until the evening of Aug 18.
On Aug 16, the Canadian government under Prime Minister Mark Carney moved to end a strike by more than 10,000 flight attendants by asking the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to order binding arbitration.
Spain battles 20 major wildfires amid scorching heat, deploys more troops
PHOTO: EPA
Scorching heat hampered efforts to contain 20 major wildfires across Spain on Aug 17, prompting the government to deploy an additional 500 troops from the military emergency unit to support firefighting operations.
In the north-western region of Galicia, several fires have converged to form a large blaze, forcing the closure of highways and rail services to the region.
Southern Europe is experiencing one of its worst wildfire seasons in two decades, with Spain among the hardest-hit countries.
Arsenal capitalise on keeper error to secure 1-0 Premier League win at Man United
PHOTO: REUTERS
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said his side can beat anyone in the Premier League despite beginning their season with a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.
Riccardo Calafiori scored the only goal at Old Trafford. The Italian defender pounced on a mistake by United’s stand-in goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.
The Red Devils had 22 shots and enjoyed over 60 per cent possession.
