President Donald Trump brokered a historic peace agreement Friday, between Armenia and Azerbaijan, ending decades of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The deal, signed at the White House, commits both nations to lasting peace, the reopening of borders, and the development of a new transit corridor through Armenia, named the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" (TRIPP), which will link Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave.

Trump described the moment as ending "35 years of death and hatred" and starting an era of "love and respect." Both Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev praised the agreement and expressed their intention to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

At the signing ceremony, Trump declared the end of a 35-year conflict, stating, "It’s a long time — 35 years they fought, and now they’re friends. And they’re going to be friends for a long time." He emphasized the deal's significance, calling it a "landmark achievement for international diplomacy" and a "historic peace summit." He highlighted the US's exclusive development rights to the TRIPP corridor and the lifting of restrictions on military cooperation with Azerbaijan. Trump also noted the agreement's potential to reshape regional politics and boost prosperity 

President Aliyev said the agreement would allow the nations to "turn the page of standoff, confrontation, and bloodshed and provide a bright and safe future for our children," and praised Trump for achieving a "miracle" in six months. Prime Minister Pashinyan called the event a "significant milestone" and affirmed that the peace process was only possible due to Trump's "personal engagement and his resolute commitment to peace."  Both leaders expressed their support for nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has roots in the late 1980s over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, leading to two major wars after the collapse of the Soviet Union. A 2020 ceasefire brokered by Russia introduced peacekeepers but failed to resolve the core dispute. In 2023, Azerbaijan intensified control, leading to the surrender of Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh and the exodus of nearly all ethnic Armenians to Armenia.

This event heightened calls for a formal peace treaty. The new agreement includes a commitment to stop fighting, resume full diplomatic relations, and respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. A key component is the disbanding of the OSCE Minsk Group, which had been tasked with mediating the conflict.

The TRIPP corridor, which will operate under Armenian legal jurisdiction, is expected to include rail, oil and gas lines, and fiber optics, facilitating trade and energy exports. While the agreement is seen as a major diplomatic breakthrough, experts note significant questions remain about the corridor's implementation, border demarcation, and potential constitutional changes in Armenia, which could pose future obstacles.

Meanwhile Trump has announced a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15, in Alaska to discuss peace efforts for the war in Ukraine. This summit, the first between the two leaders since 2019 and the first U.S.-Russia presidential meeting since the start of the war in 2022, comes on the day of Trump's deadline for Russia to agree to a Ukraine ceasefire.

Trump said he is optimistic about reaching a peace deal and hinted at a potential "swapping" of territories as part of a resolution.

Putin presented a proposal to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff during a meeting in Moscow on Wednesday, offering a full ceasefire in exchange for Ukraine ceding control of its eastern regions.

Under the proposal, Ukraine would withdraw its forces from Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, granting Russia full control of these territories, along with Crimea.

This comes amid a broader diplomatic effort where the U.S. is reportedly considering a proposal that would involve a ceasefire, with de facto recognition of Russian-occupied territories postponed for 49 or 99 years.

The U.S. proposal would involve the lifting of most sanctions on Russia, with long-term energy cooperation. This U.S. proposal reportedly does not include guarantees against NATO expansion, a key Russian demand.

The proposal would require Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to order a withdrawal of troops from parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions still held by Kyiv, handing Russia a victory that its army couldn’t achieve militarily since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Under the terms of the deal, Russia would halt its offensive in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine along the current battlelines.

Putin on Friday held phone calls with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as with the leaders of South Africa, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus to share details of his Aug. 6 meeting with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow, according to the Kremlin.

The U.S. is working to get buy-in from Ukraine and its European allies on the deal.

"The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska. Further details to follow," Trump wrote on Truth Social late Friday.

The announcement followed Trump's earlier statement that he would meet "very shortly" with Putin to discuss ending the war. Trump indicated he is willing to meet with Putin without Zelensky being present.

Trump has expressed increasing frustration with Putin’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire. The two leaders held six phone calls since February and Witkoff met with Putin five times in Russia to try to broker an agreement.

Ukraine is seeking security guarantees to ensure any truce holds and is urging allies to keep Russia’s economy under pressure through sanctions.

The Alaska meeting will mark the first visit to Alaska by a Russian head of state since Alaska was sold by the Russians to America for $7.2 million in 1867.

President Donald Trump demanded the immediate resignation of Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan in a post on Truth Social Thursday, calling him "highly CONFLICTED" and stating there is "no other solution to this problem."

This call for resignation follows concerns raised by Senator Tom Cotton regarding Tan's extensive business ties to China, including investments in hundreds of Chinese firms, some linked to the Chinese military, and his past leadership at Cadence Design Systems, which pleaded guilty to violating U.S. export controls by selling technology to a Chinese military university.

The demand came shortly after Senator Cotton sent a letter to Intel's board chair, Frank Yeary, expressing concerns about the security and integrity of Intel's operations and Tan's connections to China.

Tan, a Malaysian-born American businessman, was appointed Intel's CEO in March 2025 to lead the company's turnaround, which includes significant cost-cutting and restructuring efforts. His past investments, made through his venture capital firm and other entities, reportedly totaled over $200 million in hundreds of Chinese advanced manufacturing and chip firms, some with links to the Chinese military.

He also served as CEO of Cadence Design Systems from 2009 to 2021, during which time the company faced a criminal case over export control violations.

Intel in a statement, said that both the company and Tan are "deeply committed to the national security of the United States and the integrity of our role in the U.S. defense ecosystem" and that they would address the questions raised by Senator Cotton directly. The company has not issued a public statement on Tan's future or the resignation demand.

Intel's stock price fell significantly in pre-market and early trading on Thursday, following Trump's post.

The company is grappling with a severe crisis, struggling to keep pace with competitors’ superior products while reeling from a leadership overhaul and significant layoffs.

Trump administration emphasizes boosting U.S. manufacturing, particularly in the semiconductor industry. Intel has received federal funding to build massive new chip fabrication plants in Ohio, alongside its existing facilities in Oregon, Arizona, and New Mexico. These investments are critical to Intel’s strategy to revitalize its manufacturing capabilities.

However, Intel’s foundry ambitions are faltering. In July, the company alarmed markets by suggesting it might exit chip manufacturing if it cannot secure customers for its upcoming 14A process, set for 2028 or 2029.

The lack of major clients for Intel’s foundry operations has raised doubts about the viability of its strategy, with former board members urging a drastic rethink, including a proposed “Operation Warp Speed II” to nationalize Intel’s fabs through a public-private partnership.

Other companies are moving to increase manufacturing footprint in the U.S. to comply with Trump's America first policy 'MAGA' policies. Apple CEO Tim Cook on Wednesday, presented Trump with a golden plaque after announcing $100 billion in U.S. manufacturing investments. Nvidia, an Intel rival, committed $500 billion to U.S. production amid soaring AI-driven profits, and its CEO Jensen Huang secured relaxed export restrictions on AI chips.

Iranian authorities executed Roozbeh Vadi on Wednesday, for spying for Israel by passing information about a nuclear scientist killed during the 12-day conflict with Israel in June. The judiciary confirmed the execution followed judicial proceedings and Supreme Court approval, with the conviction stemming from his alleged role in leaking classified information from one of Iran's "key and sensitive organizations."

Vadi was reportedly a nuclear scientist employed at the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the country's top nuclear body, and held a PhD in nuclear engineering from Amir Kabir University of Technology in Tehran. Iranian state media, including IRIB, reported he had co-authored academic papers with two other nuclear scientists who were killed in the June Israeli strikes.

According to a video confession aired by IRIB, Vadi admitted to providing information on key nuclear facilities like Fordo and Natanz, as well as details on the movement of nuclear material. He was allegedly recruited online by Israel's Mossad spy agency and met with Mossad officers five times in Vienna, Austria.

The 12-day war in June 2025 began with an unprecedented Israeli bombing campaign targeting Iran's military sites, senior commanders, and nuclear scientists, resulting in the deaths of numerous individuals, including several nuclear scientists.

Iran responded with missile and drone strikes. In the aftermath, Iran has vowed swift trials for individuals arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Israel, leading to a significant increase in executions for espionage, with at least eight death sentences carried out in recent months.

The execution of Vadi was announced on the same day as the execution of another man convicted of being a member of the Islamic State group. He was allegedly planning terrorist operations inside Iran, as reported by Mizan.

Vadi’s execution is part of a broader crackdown, with authorities announcing multiple arrests and several executions of individuals convicted of working with Mossad.

Iran is noted as the world’s second-most prolific executioner after China, according to human rights organizations like Amnesty International. The country frequently uses the death penalty for offenses ranging from espionage to other security-related crimes, drawing international scrutiny.