Briefer News

U.S. commits $2 billion to critical minerals.

Today's events

• American mining.

  Trump announced over $2 billion in critical-minerals projects — $1.4 billion for silicon-carbon battery anodes, $400 million for the world's first primary scandium mine, and $150 million for rare-earth-free magnets.¹Aug 7 · WH
• Colombia's new president.

  Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche led the U.S. delegation to Abelardo de la Espriella's inauguration; Washington intends to announce $1 billion in security assistance and welcomed Colombia into the Shield of the Americas.²Aug 7 · State
• South China Sea.

  The State Department rejected China's enforcement of a “national nature reserve” at Scarborough Reef, which bars Filipino fishermen from traditional grounds recognized in the 2016 arbitral award.³Aug 8 · State
• Iran sanctions.

  The United States sanctioned six entities and one individual — two major digital-asset exchanges plus a network ringleader and his firms — and offered up to $15 million for information disrupting Revolutionary Guard finances.⁴Aug 7 · State
• Armenia–Azerbaijan route.

  Rubio announced the Trans-Caspian Enterprise Fund is operating with $201 million in U.S. funding, one year after Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a White House declaration opening a South Caucasus transit route.⁵Aug 8 · State
• Senate war powers.

  S.J. Res. 211, introduced in the Senate on August 6, would direct the removal of U.S. armed forces from hostilities against Iran that Congress has not authorized.⁶Aug 6 · Congress
• Mineral price floors.

  Trade Representative Jamieson Greer welcomed new S&P Global price benchmarks for gallium, germanium, tungsten, antimony, and rare earths, calling them a step toward border-adjusted price floors in a planned trade agreement.⁷Aug 7 · USTR
• July jobs report.

  The Labor Department said private employers added 30,000 jobs in July and 426,000 this year, with gains concentrated in construction and manufacturing.⁸Aug 7 · DOL
• Battery storage.

  U.S. utility-scale battery storage reached nearly 52 gigawatts after operators added 8.3 gigawatts in the first half of 2026; another 54 gigawatts are planned by 2028.⁹Aug 7 · EIA

Allied Governments

• Russian ships off Britain.

  Royal Navy warships and helicopters spent 21 days in July monitoring Russian vessels in UK waters — activations up 25% year-on-year — shadowing the frigate Neustrashimy as it escorted shadow-fleet tankers.^aAug 8 · UK MoD
• Georgia's occupied regions.

  Britain, France, Germany, and Italy marked 18 years since Russia's invasion of Georgia and warned that a May alliance pact with South Ossetia's authorities points toward annexation.^bAug 7 · UK FCDO
• Nagasaki anniversary.

  Japan's State Minister for Foreign Affairs attended the 81st Nagasaki Peace Ceremony, visited the atomic bomb museum, and heard requests from groups of survivors.^cAug 9 · Japan MoFA

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