What We’re Watching: Trump signs security guarantee with Qatar, Papua New Guinea and Australia make defense deal, and Israel intercepts Gaza aid flotilla

October 02, 2025

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U.S. President Donald Trump talks with Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, May 15, 2025.

REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Trump signs security guarantee with Qatar

Yesterday, it was made public that Donald Trump signed a NATO-style security pledge with Qatar on Monday, the same day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House. The order upgrades the US’s security obligation to Qatar in the event of a future attack, and is a “compensation” for Israel’s strike last month on Hamas leaders in Doha. While the executive order’s legal weight is questionable, the move is as much about countering Saudi Arabia’s new defense pact with Pakistan as it is about the Israeli strike, underscoring pressure on the US to prove it remains a reliable security guarantor for its Gulf state allies.

Papua New Guinea and Australia to seal defense pact

The cabinet of Papua New Guinea has approved a defense pact with Australia. The move, expected to be approved by both countries’ lawmakers, comes as China broadens its push for influence in the South Pacific. The Solomon Islands, located just east of Papua New Guinea, have been a major focus of Chinese investment and security activity in recent years. (For more see our recent explainer here.) Under the PNG-Australia agreement, the two countries are obligated to come to each other’s defense, but can also maintain alliances with third-parties.

Israel intercepts Gaza aid flotilla

Israeli forces have intercepted 39 boats that were sailing towards the Gaza Strip as part of a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid. Celebrity activist Greta Thunberg was among those arrested, along with several European politicians. Israeli officials indicated one of the boats may still be on its way to Gaza, and would also be stopped if it approaches the war zone.

How the circular economy empowers small businesses

Imagine an economy where products are designed to be reused, repaired, and regenerated instead of ending up as waste. That’s the circular economy, a model that redefines recycling and transforms how small businesses operate. In this episode of Local to Global: The power of small business, host JJ Ramberg sits down with Ellen Jackowski, Chief Sustainability Officer at Mastercard, and Rachel McShane, Chief Financial Officer at Depop, to discuss the scale of the circular economy, why circular practices boost both sustainability and profitability, and where the industry is headed next.

What We’re Watching: Trump signs security guarantee with Qatar, Papua New Guinea and Australia make defense deal, and Israel intercepts Gaza aid flotilla

Trump signs security guarantee with Qatar

Papua New Guinea and Australia to seal defense pact

Israel intercepts Gaza aid flotilla

GZEROMEDIA

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What We’re Watching: Trump signs security guarantee with Qatar, Papua New Guinea and Australia make defense deal, and Israel intercepts Gaza aid flotilla

Trump signs security guarantee with Qatar

Papua New Guinea and Australia to seal defense pact

Israel intercepts Gaza aid flotilla

GZEROMEDIA

Subscribe to GZERO Media's newsletter: Signal

More from GZERO Media

The Trump administration is moving closer to a direct confrontation with Venezuela, raising the possibility of what the president once vowed to avoid: another US-backed regime change.

Are there more autocracies than democracies in the world today, and why does it matter? María del Carmen Sacasa (UNDP LAC) argues we’re in a paradigm shift, not a terminal crisis.

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Subscribe to GZERO Media's newsletter: Signal

Household debt rose to $18.39T in Q2. Payments are manageable now, but higher mortgage costs and student loan delinquency may soon strain household spending. Can consumers sustain resilience if the labor market continues to soften? Subscribe to Bank of Institute to read the full report.

Here is a look at how many workers of the 2 million civilian federal workers are in jeopardy until the government reopens.

After a spate of Russian drones appeared in European airspace, the European Commission is exploring a so-called “drone wall,” an air defense system that aims to detect and destroy drones that pass through Europe’s eastern borders.