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France and Slovakia blocked renewal of EU sanctions on Russia by demanding oligarch Alisher Usmanov be removed from the blacklist, forcing ambassadors to extend measures for one week until the 22nd of September to allow negotiations. Slovakia has long pushed for delisting. France’s recent support—citing unspecified “national security” concerns—surprised diplomats. Reports say pressure from Turkey and Central Asian states may be influencing the move. President Zelenskyy denounced efforts to shield individuals tied to Russia’s war effort. The brief extension buys time for talks but exposes deep divisions within the EU over sanctions strategy.
Nine EU countries, including France, Portugal and Italy, have requested more time to introduce full fingerprinting under the EU Entry‑Exit System (EES), delaying complete rollout at some busy airports, ports and train terminals. The EES records facial images and fingerprints of most non‑EU travellers to replace passport stamps and detect overstayers and identity fraud. While about 200 million registrations have been made and tens of thousands prevented from entering, partial implementation means inconsistent checks and potential delays at certain holiday hubs.
Iran’s judiciary has seized assets from 240 dissidents, journalists and public figures and frozen 182 bank accounts, accusing them of “propaganda” and acting for “hostile governments,” state-affiliated Mizan reported. Police Chief said more than 6,000 people have been arrested in connection with January’s protests. Authorities conducted 143 seizures in Tehran and made over 2,000 inquiries to the central bank. Further actions are planned. Iran Human Rights says at least 532 people have been executed since January, including 29 linked to the protests.
Israel’s culture minister Miki Zohar called to strip citizenship from Oscar-winning directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor after their documentary, NAZA alleges Israeli intelligence used AI-powered targeting that led to mass civilian deaths in Gaza. The film, featuring 24 military and intelligence whistleblowers and winning a Venice prize, claims commanders approved strikes expecting hundreds of civilian casualties. Senior ministers and the military denounced the documentary as “blood libels” and warned of legal action, whilst supporters and press-freedom advocates praise the film for exposing Gaza’s civilian toll.
