IAEA said the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant's sole external power line has been disconnected, leaving the nuclear safety situation extremely fragile.

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Peru's Ayacucho region at about 1300 local time on Aug. 20, the Geophysical Institute of Peru said. The epicenter was around 35 km north of Coracora in Parinacochas province, at a depth of 108 km. Tremors were felt in the Lima area; no casualties have been reported so far.

US Treasury official Bessent said the cap on a single bond buyback could exceed $4bn, partly as a signal that yields do not reflect fundamentals. The Treasury may announce stepped-up fiscal consolidation and Bessent said the deficit has very likely already peaked. He dismissed a $40 trillion debt headline as not especially meaningful and said markets are somewhat overreacting. Any balance-sheet changes would be coordinated with the Federal Reserve, he added, and interest-rate decisions are unrelated to buyback choices. Market indicators point to lower inflation ahead. A press briefing on Iran-related economic sanctions is scheduled for next Monday.