Axios

Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan have surrounded his home to prevent police from arresting him on terrorism charges.

Why it matters: Since being ousted in April, Khan has been mobilizing huge crowds while railing against the government and breaking a long-standing taboo by criticizing the military. The threat of arrest raises the stakes of that showdown dramatically.

The State Department said Monday that it is discouraging former NBA player Dennis Rodman from visiting Russia in a bid to help free WNBA star Brittney Griner.

Why it matters: Rodman has a history of conducting informal diplomacy on the U.S.' behalf and said over the weekend that he "got permission to go to Russia" to help Griner, whom the U.S. has declared as wrongfully detained. She is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence after being convicted on drug charges.

Nearly 9,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed throughout Russia's illegal and unprovoked invasion of the country, Ukraine's military chief Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi said Monday.

Why it matters: It's the first formal death toll provided by the Ukrainian military since the start of the invasion nearly six months ago, according to Reuters.

Inflation in the United Kingdom is on track to exceed 18% in January 2023, according to new projections from U.S. banking giant Citi.

Why it matters: This would be the highest inflation peak in nearly 50 years, The Guardian notes.

The extreme heat and drought that has been roasting a vast swath of southern China for at least 70 straight days has no parallel in modern record-keeping in China, or elsewhere around the world for that matter.

Why it matters: Based on recent studies, the question facing climate scientists is how much climate change contributed to this disaster.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) arrived in Taiwan Sunday as part of a U.S. delegation on a four-day trade trip, officials in Taipei announced.

The big picture: A U.S. congressional trip to Taiwan led by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) last week further angered China's government, which earlier this month conducted military drills near the self-governing island to protest House Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei.

The U.S. and South Korea launched their largest joint military exercises since 2017 on Monday in the face of threats from North Korea, Reuters reports.

Details: The "Ulchi Freedom Shield" drills, which are due to continue through Sept. 1, are designed to bolster Seoul's readiness for evolving war patterns and for cyber threats against facilities such as "chip factories and supply chains," South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday.

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan was charged under the country's antiterrorism act Sunday for allegedly threatening senior police and a judge in a speech, per multiple reports.

Why it matters: The charge is a significant escalation in the struggle for power between the former cricket great and the current government following Khan's April ouster from power in a no-confidence vote, and there are concerns the action may spark fresh unrest in Pakistan, the New York Times notes.

A superyacht formerly owned by sanctioned Russian tycoon Dmitry Pumpyansky will be sold on Tuesday, according to auction house Howe Robinson Partners.

Why it matters: The 240-foot Axioma is the first of several superyachts seized in response to the Russian military's invasion of Ukraine to be sold at auction, Nigel Hollyer, a Howe Robinson Partners broker, told Bloomberg on Sunday.

Former basketball player Dennis Rodman told NBC News on Saturday he's planning a visit to Russia to help secure the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who's been detained in the country since February.

The big picture: Rodman, who has a relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has a history of conducting informal diplomacy on the U.S.' behalf during multiple trips to North Korea.

The daughter of an influential Russian philosopher and ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin was killed by a suspected car bomb outside Moscow late Saturday evening.

The latest: Russian law enforcement has opened a criminal investigation into the death of Darya Dugina, who was killed by a car bomb placed on the underside of the car, the Russian Investigative Committee said in a Telegram post on Sunday.