Israel-Lebanon Escalation: Far-right Israeli ministers doubled down after four soldiers were killed, with Itamar Ben-Gvir calling for “all of Lebanon must burn” and Bezalel Smotrich urging “fire” and “the gates of hell,” as strikes hit eastern Beqaa and officials warn the US-Iran ceasefire framework may not restrain Israel’s response. US-Iran Deal Fallout: US Vice President JD Vance told Israeli ministers not to attack Washington over the Iran MoU, framing it as a path to a 60-day ceasefire and future talks on missiles and the Strait of Hormuz. UN Children in Conflict: A new UN report says 38,558 grave violations against nearly 25,000 children were recorded in 2025, with government forces identified as the main perpetrators for the first time. World Bank Clean Cooking (Liberia): The World Bank and partners ran a workshop to validate Liberia’s clean cooking strategy as access remains among the lowest globally. Regional Trade & Women (ECOWAS): ECOWAS launched a fortnight to empower women cross-border traders and push regional integration. Digital Government (Sharjah): Sharjah’s government media bureau tested an AI-powered single workspace to speed content and improve analytics for public communications. Water Security (Vietnam-World Bank): Vietnam’s deputy PM met World Bank water officials on climate resilience and water security cooperation.