After conquering the music world with their unique style of rock, Green Day are now turning their sights to Hollywood with the new film "Nimrods." "I think it represents the spirit of where we come from" says Green Day Bassist, Mike Dirnt.
After conquering the music world with their unique style of rock, Green Day are now turning their sights to Hollywood with the new film "Nimrods." "I think it represents the spirit of where we come from" says Green Day Bassist, Mike Dirnt.
The 2027 Corvette Grand Sport X is a 721-horsepower super-hybrid with an advanced all-wheel-drive system and a new LS6 V-8. The review presents it as a track-focused sports car that brings electric and gasoline power together, while reflecting hybrids’ growing share of the US market.
Suno’s Studio 2.0 adds MIDI, automation, built-in effects and a synth, moving the generative AI editor closer to a digital audio workstation. Its project-aware chatbot can generate lyrics and musical parts, apply processing and create reusable custom effects plugins, though third-party plugins and VSTs do not yet appear to be supported.
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema voted in the capital, Lusaka, as he seeks a second term. The election will test whether his government’s economic reforms can overcome concerns about the rising cost of living.
Zambians voted Thursday in an election shaped by economic hardships in the copper-rich country, where President Hakainde Hichilema is pursuing a second term.
Zambians are voting for president and parliament, with more than eight million people registered. President Hakainde Hichilema is seeking another five-year term, but unemployment and high living costs have weakened his appeal. The contest is largely seen as a race between Hichilema and challenger Brian Mundubile.
Zambiapresidential electionparliamentary electioncost of living
Voting has begun in Zambia’s presidential election, with incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema seeking a second term. The contest will test whether his government’s economic reforms can overcome widespread frustration over the rising cost of living. Voters are also electing 226 members of parliament.
Zambians have begun voting in a presidential election that will test whether President Hakainde Hichilema’s economic reforms can overcome widespread frustration over the cost of living.
Zambiapresidential electionHakainde Hichilemacost of living
As Zambia votes, President Hakainde Hichilema is seeking a second term while his feud with the family and supporters of late former president Edgar Lungu continues. Opposition leader Brian Mundubile and running mate Makebi Zulu have pledged to return Lungu’s body for a dignified burial. The Tonse Alliance also accuses Hichilema’s government of authoritarian campaign tactics, allegations his team firmly denies.
Zambians are voting Thursday in a general election that is widely expected to return President Hakainde Hichilema for a second term. The ballot will test public opinion of his economic record. Voters frustrated by the rising cost of living are expressing discontent, while opposition parties are seeking to turn that frustration into support. Their efforts are complicated by deep divisions among the opposition. The election therefore combines an expected presidential outcome with a broader test of economic satisfaction and political discontent.
Zambiageneral electionHakainde Hichilemacost of living
Mali’s President Assimi Goïta has pardoned French national Yann Vezilier, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison over an alleged plot to destabilise the government. Mali says the pardon does not overturn the trial’s findings and that Vezilier will be immediately removed from the country. France, which called the spy allegations unfounded, has not commented.
Mali President Assimi Goïta pardoned French national Yann Vézilier on Thursday. Mali’s military-led government had accused Vézilier last year of taking part in a plot to destabilise the West African country, for which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump’s administration alleging that Harvard University failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students from harassment.
The UK has provisionally recorded its hottest day of the year, with 38.1C at Kew Gardens as a heat dome covers Europe. Temperatures were expected to exceed 40C in parts of France and Spain, raising wildfire fears, while extreme heat warnings, drought and low river levels put pressure on health services, water supplies and power generation.
Europe heatwaveUK temperatureswildfire riskdrought
Polish authorities detained a Russian citizen suspected of being recruited by Russian intelligence to plot a murder. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the man was arrested on August 7 in an operation involving Polish and U.S. intelligence, and had allegedly targeted a person holding Ukrainian and U.S. passports. Neither name has been disclosed.
Poland has detained a Russian national allegedly planning to kill a Ukrainian-American dual citizen in Warsaw, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said. He described it as the first attempt by someone acting on Russia’s orders to attack an American citizen on NATO territory.
Gazprombank Autoleasing told TASS that new hybrid-car sales in Russia rose 112% year on year in July to 14,100 units, up 48% from June. Plug-in electric vehicles reached an 11.7% market share. The Geely EX5 hybrid crossover led sales with 2,600 units. An expert said fuel problems boosted demand, but the segment’s rapid growth may be ending.
The European Broadcasting Union said the Eurovision winner will not be eligible to host the following year’s contest if the country is involved in an armed conflict or a “sensitive geopolitical situation” that could threaten event safety. The rules were revised after an annual review on August 12.
The FIA has removed all restrictions previously placed on Russian auto racing athletes, Russian Automobile Federation Vice President Vitaly Petrov told TASS. Since March 1, 2022, Russian and Belarusian racers had been required to compete under a neutral flag and sign a document imposing several conditions.
Ukraine has proposed that Russia mutually stop attacks on civilian targets in the Black Sea, Reuters reports, citing a source. A third party conveyed the proposal, and Moscow has not responded. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan previously said Ankara was monitoring maritime security and had offered a moratorium on military action. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Moscow had not received a formal proposal.
Ideas for a possible moratorium on hostilities in the Black Sea have been conveyed through various channels, but Russia has received no formal proposals, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko says. He warns that ceasefires could let Ukraine regroup and build up forces, arguing that lasting peace requires addressing the conflict’s root causes.
Michigan health officials said Thursday that cases linked to a cyclosporiasis outbreak have reached 13,909, up by more than 1,400 since their previous update on Aug. 6.
Vasily Tarasov, head of the LPR Association of Veterans of the Special Military Operation, said Vladimir Zelensky was facing the consequences of his own choices after Russian airstrikes on Ukrainian military targets in the Black Sea. He said Russia had long anticipated such precise strikes against infrastructure and vessels used by Ukraine’s military.
A person has agreed to pay a 50,000-kroner fine after sounding a vessel’s foghorn and waking a polar bear sleeping on land in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. Local rules prohibit needlessly disturbing, attracting or pursuing polar bears, which are protected in the region.
Food makers are betting that some products can lose their familiar colors as natural dyes prove difficult and costly to use. For blue-raspberry-flavored items, the answer may be that they do not really need to be blue.
Higgsfield’s AI film Cully Hill Boys follows three struggling East London rappers whose lives change after they accidentally steal a crime lord’s money. Its Edgar Wright- and Guy Ritchie-inspired style, human-written script, and licensed actor likenesses show how heavily the project’s strongest elements depend on human artists.
An explosion at a medium- and large-caliber ammunition plant near Rome triggered a fire, ANSA reports. The facility was formerly the Sammel Difesa ammunition factory and is now owned by defense company KNDS Ammo Italy. Several firefighting crews are working at the site, but containing the blaze remains difficult.
The KSK grain terminal in Novorossiysk has suspended unloading, ship loading, and other operations to protect workers and infrastructure after a Ukrainian attack. Two other major terminals had already stopped the previous day. The strike also damaged Russian naval vessels and homes, while three people, including an eight-year-old child, were killed across Krasnodar Krai.
A recent series of deadly Houthi attacks has heightened fears that Yemen could return to all-out war. Clashes with Saudi-backed government forces have intensified over the past month, causing civilian and military casualties, while Saudi Arabia is strengthening regional security ties amid threats to Red Sea shipping and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Millions across Europe watched a rare solar eclipse on Wednesday evening. Guardian readers describe the spectacle and the sense of community it created, recalling homemade viewing methods including welding visors, cereal boxes, colanders and pizza boxes.
Israeli troops moved to protect three homes in Qusra, in the occupied West Bank, after settlers surrounded them for several days. One property belongs to a Palestinian American, prompting unusually harsh criticism from US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who called the conduct criminal and an act of terror. The IDF said it dismantled two nearby illegal outposts and detained one Israeli.
Israeli forces moved on Thursday against rogue settlers besieging Palestinians, amid unusually strong criticism from the United States. At the same time, Israel inaugurated an emblematic settlement elsewhere in the West Bank.
Israeli settlers have surrounded three homes in the occupied West Bank for several days, including one belonging to a Palestinian American. The US ambassador described the action on Thursday as a “horrific act of terror.” The situation is discussed with Allegra Pacheco, head of the West Bank Protection Consortium.
Israeli forces moved on Thursday against rogue settlers besieging Palestinians in the West Bank, amid unusually forceful criticism from the United States. At the same time, Israel inaugurated a symbolic settlement elsewhere in the territory.
Israeli settlers have surrounded Palestinian families inside their homes in the occupied West Bank, cutting off water and electricity. Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim spoke with a resident whose relatives are trapped in a house in Qusra village.
Israel’s military said on Thursday that it had deployed additional troops to a West Bank village where Jewish settlers have confined Palestinian families to their homes. Palestinians say the siege is intended to force them off their land.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee denounced Israeli settlers’ siege of Palestinians in the West Bank village of Qusra as a “horrific act of terror.” He said Israeli troops intervened on Wednesday after a US request but failed to remove the settlers.
Israeli settlers have encircled three Palestinian homes in Qusra, cutting families off from food, water, electricity and other supplies. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called the days-long action an “act of terror”. Israel’s military said it dismantled two nearby illegal outposts and detained one Israeli.
Israel’s military says it will deploy more troops to Qusra in the occupied West Bank after failing to remove settlers who have trapped two Palestinian families in their homes since Sunday. The families say their water and electricity were cut off and food supplies are running low. The incident has renewed scrutiny of settler violence and the military’s response.
Three Palestinian families in Qusra in the occupied West Bank are trapped inside their homes as Israeli settlers block roads and cut off water and electricity. Settlers returned within hours after the Israeli army evacuated a nearby outpost following a two-day standoff.
Gaza’s beekeepers are tending swarms and gathering the small amount of honey produced by colonies that survived the war as they try to restore their livelihoods. Ibrahim al-Dabbeh, head of the Gaza Strip’s Cooperative Association of Beekeepers, says the conflict destroyed more than 95% of the bee sector.
European rivers including the Loire, Danube, Rhine and Po are recording exceptionally low water levels. Following record temperatures at the start of summer, the drought threatens river transport, energy production, ecosystems and water supplies.
Israel’s defence minister said on Thursday that Israeli forces would not withdraw from southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, qualifying remarks he made a day earlier that had suggested the troops would leave.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached a sixth province after a man died in previously unaffected Bas-Uele following travel from Haut-Uele. The WHO says the outbreak could surpass West Africa’s 2014–16 epidemic as the deadliest on record. More than 2,100 people have died among over 4,500 cases.
Democratic Republic of the CongoEbolaoutbreakpublic health
Europe provided nearly €11 billion in aid to Ukraine in May and June, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy said. The package included €4.3 billion in military aid and €6.7 billion in financial and humanitarian support. The United Kingdom was the leading bilateral donor, contributing about €1.5 billion. The report said Europe’s military backing remains dependent on U.S. weapons systems, particularly Patriot systems.
The European Commission plans to transfer another 19.5 billion euros to Kiev this year for weapons, but says it is not yet clear whether the funds can be used to obtain Patriot air-defense missiles. European experts say the central obstacle is the missiles’ extremely limited supply, meaning Ukraine may not receive them soon even after signing a contract.
European CommissionUkrainePatriot missilesair defense
The U.S. government will fully resume activities across western Mexico’s Michoacan state, the embassy said in a Thursday security alert. The move follows a partial restart last week in the violence-hit state, Mexico’s leading avocado-producing region.
Rebuilding Wildberries warehouses and other infrastructure damaged in Ukrainian drone attacks is estimated to cost 147–223 billion rubles, potentially rising to 169–278.9 billion if buildings must be demolished and sites cleared. Combined losses for the retailer and sellers could reach 600–800 billion rubles. More than 400,000 sellers were affected, with some losing up to 95 percent of their inventory.
The AK Party’s secretary-general and İzmir MP portrays the party’s 25 years since its 2001 founding as a period of democratic change, development and uninterrupted stability that raised Turkiye’s global standing. He attributes its endurance to translating social expectations into policies and contrasts its record with the political collapse and economic crises of the 1990s.
President Vladimir Putin made his first visit on Thursday to Russia’s Far Eastern Kuril Islands, prompting a protest from Japan, which also claims the territory.
Japan summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdryov and lodged a strong protest over Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup. Moscow called the move an unjustified demarche and reaffirmed that the southern Kuril Islands are Russian, while Tokyo said the islands, including Iturup, are historically and legally Japanese territory.
Vladimir PutinIturupJapan-Russia relationsKuril Islands
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made his first visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, travelling to Iturup, one of four islands claimed by both Russia and Japan. Tokyo strongly protested, describing the visit as “absolutely unacceptable.”
Vladimir PutinIturupKuril IslandsRussia-Japan relations
Japan has sharply condemned Vladimir Putin’s first visit to the disputed Kuril Islands. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called it “absolutely unacceptable” and said the islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories, belong to Japan both historically and under international law. Japan also summoned Russia’s ambassador.
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said Japan’s claims to the Kuril Islands would change nothing and warned that those who failed to understand this would face “monstrous consequences.” He said the islands were, are and will remain Russian land, after Japan protested Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup had complicated the medium- and long-term restoration of relations between Tokyo and Moscow. Japan summoned Russia’s ambassador and strongly protested, maintaining that Iturup and the other Northern Territories are inherently Japanese territory.
Vladimir PutinIturupRussia-Japan relationsterritorial dispute
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands for the first time on Thursday. The Russian-controlled Pacific island chain is also claimed by Japan, prompting a protest from Tokyo.
Vladimir PutinKuril IslandsJapanterritorial dispute
Vladimir Putin has made his first visit to the Kuril Islands, traveling to Iturup and visiting local facilities. Japan’s Foreign Ministry said it “strongly protests” the trip. Putin blamed Tokyo for changing its position on the islands and said the shift was unprovoked by Russia.
Vladimir PutinKuril IslandsRussia-Japan relationsterritorial dispute
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup during his trip to the Sakhalin Region, touring a fish-processing plant and a school before speaking with residents and meeting the regional governor. It was his first personal visit to the Kuril Islands. Japan lodged a “decisive protest” and reiterated its claim to the southern Kurils.
Vladimir PutinIturupKuril IslandsRussia-Japan relations
Russian state media reported that President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to the far-eastern Kuril Islands, visiting a fish-processing plant on Iturup. Japan strongly protested, maintaining that the Northern Territories are inherent Japanese territory under history and international law. The dispute has long hindered relations and prevented a formal World War II peace treaty.
Vladimir PutinJapanKuril Islandsterritorial dispute
Japan’s Foreign Ministry says it has lodged a “strong protest” over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup in the Kuril Islands. Tokyo calls the southern Kurils, including Iturup, the “northern territories” and claims they are Japan’s “ancestral territory” historically and legally, while Moscow says its sovereignty is not open to debate.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the far-eastern Kuril Islands near Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido for the first time on Thursday. Tokyo responded with a strong protest over the disputed territory, which Japan claims and the Soviet Union seized in 1945.
Russian state media reported that President Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands, marking his first trip there. Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the islands are inherently Japanese territory under history and international law, and declared the government’s strong protest. The dispute has prevented Moscow and Tokyo from signing a postwar peace treaty.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup in the Kuril Islands during a trip to the Sakhalin Region, touring the Yasny fish-packing factory. Before the visit, he attended the final stage of Pacific Fleet drills in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
With the U.S.-Iran war dragging on and no end in sight, oil traders and policymakers are confronting a critical question: whether global oil stocks can sustain the market through another six months of conflict.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is under its management and control, rejecting President Donald Trump’s claim that the United States has “total control” of the waterway. Iranian officials said vessels need Tehran’s permission to transit and that the strait will not reopen unless the US meets commitments under an interim deal.
Iran on Thursday rejected Donald Trump’s claim that Washington controlled the Strait of Hormuz as “lies and fabrications.” Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s central military command, said the waterway was fully under Tehran’s control. Trump had said a day earlier that the US had “total control” of the strait.
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesman for Iran’s armed forces headquarters, said Iran has full control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian television quoted him as saying that no commercial ship or tanker can safely pass without permission and supervision from Iran’s armed forces. Donald Trump said the previous day that the US had “total control” of the strait.
The US and Iran remain locked in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz while mediators try to revive talks. Iran rejects Washington’s claim of control and says the waterway will stay closed until its demands on US aggression, reparations and sanctions are met. Shipping has fallen to a one-week low as Iran restricts passage, while the US maintains a naval blockade around Iranian ports.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that the United States controls the Strait of Hormuz. Iran says it will not fully reopen the strait until Washington meets its conditions, while experts say the situation is much more complicated than Trump’s proclamation suggests.
The remains of Yevhen Konovalets, founder of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, have been returned to Ukraine with full state and military honors. Konovalets, who devoted his life to Ukrainian independence, was assassinated in Rotterdam in 1938 by an undercover Soviet agent and will be reburied near Kyiv.
The Chinese film Once Upon a Time in the Middle East follows chef Xu Fu as he tries to save lives, feed people and preserve ordinary life amid war in the Middle East. Viewers have praised its emotional force, while some scholars call it China’s first realist anti-war film. Its focus on shared meals and everyday kindness offers a perspective centered on civilians rather than soldiers.
Chinese cinemaanti-war filmMiddle East warhumanity
Instagram has introduced a new wordmark, replacing the cursive typeface it has used for the past decade. The half-cursive, half-print design has drawn criticism for being less legible, while head Adam Mosseri described it as a cleaner, more modern refresh that references Instagram’s original style.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Moscow Faisal Niaz Tirmizi said the military alliance among Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia was formed solely for defensive purposes. He said it targets no country or group, including Russia, and that its members support stability, peace and cooperation among peoples.
A Turkish Defense Ministry official says the joint defense agreement signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is not directed against any particular country. Its stated aims are regional security and stability, closer military cooperation and stronger joint responses to potential crises; an attack on one party is treated as aggression against all three.
Turkiye’s defence ministry says Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will establish senior-minister mechanisms, conduct land, naval and air exercises, and expand defence-industry cooperation under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed last week. The pact treats an armed attack on one member as an attack on all three.
The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement among Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey reflects growing Gulf doubts about the reliability and limits of the US security umbrella, Professor Ding Long said. He described it as a gradual move toward greater regional security autonomy and less reliance on Washington, not “de-Americanization”; for now, the alliance remains political rather than operational.
Russell Westbrook, the NBA’s career leader in triple-doubles and its 2017 MVP, has announced his retirement after 18 seasons. He was also selected to the league’s 75th anniversary team, with his farewell video narrated by Michael B. Jordan.
Former NBA MVP and triple-double record holder Russell Westbrook has announced his retirement after 18 seasons. He recorded 209 career triple-doubles, including a full-season triple-double average in his 2016-17 MVP campaign, and made nine All-Star teams.
Vast amounts of college land and buildings are being put up for sale as financially distressed schools close across the US, with more campuses expected to follow.
college closurescampus saleshigher educationreal estate
A One Nation staffer is accused of posing as a representative of the progressive page Toilet Paper Australia while interviewing protesters at rallies opposing Pauline Hanson. Videos posted on One Nation and Hanson’s social accounts appear to show the host trying to embarrass leftwing demonstrators, while attendees said they did not realise he was linked to the party.
Australian politicsOne Nationsocial mediaPauline Hanson
Australia’s buy now, pay later sector is slowing after rapid expansion. At least eight platforms have exited since 2022, while 2025 reforms requiring credit checks have made instant approvals less appealing. New BNPL account applications fell 35% year on year, though Afterpay, Klarna, PayPal and Zip remain major operators.
A two-hour demo of Insomniac’s Marvel’s Wolverine revealed delightfully gory claw combat, but Logan’s characterization proved more compelling. As the player learned to chain attacks, dodge and parry, the game presented Wolverine as both a lethal fighter and a vulnerable, isolated man who wants connection but fears hurting those around him.
Kalashnikov Group has begun mass-producing the RDG-U smoke grenade, CEO Alan Lushnikov says. The device is intended to help users evade drones fitted with AI-based target-seeking systems; he said demand for visual camouflage is extremely high and the first production contract has been fulfilled.
Karoline Leavitt is due to leave as White House press secretary at the end of the month, but no successor has been chosen. Possible candidates include Alina Habba, Katie Miller, Anna Kelly, Sage Steele and Steven Cheung. The role involves managing difficult media relations, coordinating across the White House and meeting Donald Trump's demanding expectations.
White HouseKaroline LeavittDonald Trumppersonnel change
Historical records released by the Unit 731 evidence exhibition hall in Harbin include a 70-minute testimony from former Hailar branch medic Hitoshi Tanizaki. He said Japanese forces burned their facilities during retreat and secretly buried large quantities of poison-gas shells. Files on 156 members also show how Unit 731 activities were concealed and investigated after the war.
Unit 731Japan war crimeschemical weaponshistorical records
An independent appeals board found all five former Canada junior players acquitted of sexual assault charges violated Hockey Canada’s code of conduct. It recommended continued international suspensions for Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Carter Hart, while Alex Formenton is being reinstated. The ruling does not affect their NHL eligibility.
Canadian hockeysuspensionssexual assault caseHockey Canada
Russian artistic swimmers will take a break after the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in Paris and hold national team screening and try-outs in October, head coach Svetlana Romashina said. All athletes will participate, followed by a training camp. Russia won three gold, one silver and three bronze medals at the championships.
Russiaartistic swimmingnational team try-outsEuropean Aquatics Championships
Court records show that Margarita Reutt, a Russian citizen detained by the FSB over a bombing in Sevastopol that killed a serviceman, was fined 30,000 rubles in 2025 for discrediting Russia’s Armed Forces. Authorities say she acted on orders from Ukrainian special services; investigative measures continue and a criminal case may be opened.
Sevastopolbomb attackFSBUkrainian special services
A bomb blast killed a Russian serviceman in occupied Sevastopol. Russia’s FSB said it detained a Russian citizen born in 1994 on suspicion of carrying out the attack on orders from Ukrainian intelligence, while anonymous Russian sources identified the victim as navy officer Robert Shageev. That identification, and reports that a woman was detained, remain unconfirmed.
A Russian Defense Ministry service member died from injuries sustained in an explosion in Sevastopol. The FSB said it detained a Russian woman born in 1994 who allegedly carried out the bombing on instructions from Ukraine’s special services; a criminal case has not yet been decided. Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev credited residents and FSB officers with the swift detention.
The FSB says a Russian Defense Ministry serviceman died after a bombing in Sevastopol. A Russian citizen born in 1994 was detained and allegedly carried out the blast on instructions from Ukrainian special services. Operational and investigative measures are underway as authorities consider opening a criminal case.
Astra, an independent Russian Telegram channel, reported that an explosive device killed a man in Russian-occupied Sevastopol on Aug. 13. The pro-Kremlin Mash channel said it was placed in a trash can and killed him instantly. Unconfirmed reports identified him as Robert Shageev, a former Ukrainian Navy officer who defected to Russia. Ukraine has not commented.
A local resident was killed in an explosion in occupied Sevastopol, according to Telegram channels Mash and Baza, which are close to Russian security services. An unverified claim identified the victim as Russian Navy officer Robert Shageev; another channel said a first-rank captain died. The device was reportedly placed in a trash bin in a park on Stoletovsky Avenue.
India is prepared to cooperate with Russia on developing the Northern Sea Route and expanding collaboration in shipbuilding and ship repair, according to Venkatesapathy Sivaperumal, a joint secretary at India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. He said engines and hulls for modern merchant vessels could be built in India.
Ukrainian operators from the 412th Unmanned Systems Forces regiment rapidly destroyed vehicles from a U.S. armored brigade during the Combined Resolve exercise in Germany, The Wall Street Journal reported. American troops later improved by dispersing, camouflaging positions, and using electronic warfare more effectively. Ukrainian personnel were then equally effective while supporting the U.S. side’s offensive operations.
Ukraine Unmanned Systems Forcesdrone warfareU.S. Armymilitary exercise
Columbia historian Adam Tooze argues that the “China squeeze” narrative rests on counterfactual assumptions and a universal model of development rather than observed economic realities. He says domestic factors such as infrastructure, regulation, labor markets and political choices also shape manufacturing prospects. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning likewise rejected the concept as inconsistent with the facts.
China squeezeGlobal Southmanufacturingeconomic development
Military expert Vitaly Kiselyov told TASS that the Kiev regime is using dry cargo vessels calling at Odesa as part of the grain deal to transport and launch UAVs. He said launches may come from the neutral waters of Azerbaijan and Turkey, and that an attack on an Iranian vessel may have been carried out from one of the ships.
Eurostat says more Ukrainian refugees are leaving Poland than any other EU member state, with over 6,000 departing in June alone. Italy, the Czech Republic and Germany were among the leading destinations, while 961,000 Ukrainians remain under temporary protection in Poland.
West Ham United’s signing of Israeli winger Manor Solomon has triggered an online backlash. Pro-Palestine fans criticize his repeated public support for Israel, while some West Ham supporters argue that politics and football should be separated and that he should be judged mainly on his ability.
Pro-Palestinefootball fans lament West Ham signing Manor Solomon
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇮🇹 🌋 Tourists rush to Mount Etna as Italian volcano erupts
Spectacular images of lava flowing down the slopes of an erupting Mount Etna -- the tallest active volcano in Europe -- have drawn flocks of tourists to the mountain on the southern Italian island of Sicily
🇮🇹 🌋 Tourists rush to Mount Etna as Italian volcano erupts
Spectacular images of lava flowing down the slopes of an erupting Mount Etna -- the tallest active volcano in Europe -- have drawn flocks of tourists to the mountain on the southern Italian island of Sicily
Chinese space scientist Wang Xiji died in Beijing on August 12 at age 105. A recipient of the “Two Bombs, One Satellite” Meritorious Service Medal, he helped develop early sounding rockets, the Long March 1 launch vehicle and China’s first recoverable satellite, while later contributing to discussions on crewed spaceflight, lunar exploration and space stations.
Wang XijiChina space programTwo Bombs, One Satellitesatellite technology
Wang Xiji, a pioneer of China’s space program, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and recipient of the “Two Bombs, One Satellite” Meritorious Service Medal, died in Beijing on Wednesday after an illness. He led work on China’s first sounding rocket and helped design the Long March-1, laying groundwork for the country’s first satellite launch.
Wang XijiChina space programLong March-1Two Bombs, One Satellite
A federal judge in Miami is set to hear arguments Thursday on whether influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate should remain in custody while contesting extradition to the United Kingdom. The brothers are accused there of rape and sex trafficking. Researcher Cecile Simmons joins the analysis of Andrew Tate’s standing in the manosphere.
Alexander Dudchak, a senior researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries, said a Ukrainian serviceman’s proposal to mobilize women without children would almost ensure they never have children and further reduce Ukraine’s already declining population. He described it as part of an alleged deliberate genocide policy in areas controlled by the Kiev regime.
The second World Humanoid Robot Games will open on August 22 at Beijing’s “Ice Ribbon,” expanding to five days with 51 events and 1,301 matches. A record 666 teams and 2,056 robots from 16 countries will compete, with new real-world scenario challenges and stricter autonomy requirements.
The second World Humanoid Robot Games open on August 22 at Beijing’s “Ice Ribbon,” featuring 51 events and 1,301 matches. A record 666 teams and 2,056 robots from 16 countries will compete, with expanded scenario events testing autonomous performance in settings including homes, industry, logistics and emergency rescue.
The second World Humanoid Robot Games will take place in Beijing from Aug. 22 to 26, with 2,056 humanoid robots from 16 countries registered across 666 teams. The 51-event program includes soccer, combat, weightlifting, dance and practical skills, with most contests requiring autonomous operation.
Russia and Ukraine carried out another civilian exchange at the Novaya Guta checkpoint on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border, BelTA reported. Eight people went to Russia and seven returned to Ukraine. The ICRC accompanied the humanitarian mission, while food, water and medical assistance were available at the checkpoint.
The Arctic Floating University expedition recorded only background levels of radioactivity during shore missions on Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land in 2026, with no anomalies detected. Radon, alpha and gamma radiation were measured, while researchers said monitoring should continue because warming could release radionuclides.
Hopes of finding additional survivors after the powerful earthquake that struck Colombia earlier this week were waning on Thursday. Rescue teams were narrowing their searches while families in the hardest-hit areas awaited word about missing relatives.
Oil from the grounded tanker Caroline Bezengi has reached Oman’s coastline after weeks of largely unchecked leakage. The slick now spans more than 2,000 square kilometres and could affect about 40km of coast near Ras Madraka and parts of Masirah Island, threatening a marine reserve and rare sea turtles.
Ukraine damaged Russia’s grain export terminals in an attack on the port of Novorossiysk, while Russia struck grain infrastructure in Ukraine’s Odesa region. The tit-for-tat attacks between major global grain exporters threaten food security in import-dependent countries on the brink of famine.
Sergey Rybalko of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council says the halt in maritime transport has left farmers unable to sell their harvest or secure funds for seasonal work. Ukraine’s agricultural exports could fall from more than 4 million tons a month to 2-2.5 million, and possibly 500,000 tons next month. Storage capacity could be exhausted by October, putting over 9 million tons of grain and oilseeds at risk.
Ukraine agricultureBlack Sea portsgrain exportsfarmer aid
France has opened disciplinary proceedings against its ambassador to the Central African Republic, Bruno Foucher, after reports that he brought about 30 young women to his official residence from January 2024 to March 2026. The visits raised security concerns; the foreign ministry said the proceedings are ongoing.
France has opened disciplinary proceedings against its ambassador to the Central African Republic, Bruno Foucher. He is accused of bringing about 30 women to his official residence in Bangui, with some allegedly staying overnight and some having sex with him, prompting an investigation into a potential security breach.
🌓 🌑 😎 🇪🇸 Millions gaze in awe as eclipse plunges swathe of Spain into darkness
The total eclipse plunged parts of the country -- from Galicia in the northwest to the Mediterranean coast and Balearic Islands -- from daylight into darkness, drawing gasps and applause from crowds gathered to watch
🌓 🌑 😎 🇪🇸 Millions gaze in awe as eclipse plunges swathe of Spain into darkness
The total eclipse plunged parts of the country -- from Galicia in the northwest to the Mediterranean coast and Balearic Islands -- from daylight into darkness, drawing gasps and applause from crowds gathered to watch
A Nature Medicine study says the Ebola outbreak ravaging the Democratic Republic of the Congo began with a new animal-to-human spillover, not a variant from earlier outbreaks. More than 2,000 of 4,449 recorded patients have died. Researchers say transmission has since been predominantly human-to-human, while no vaccine exists for the Bundibugyo strain.
EbolaDemocratic Republic of the Congozoonotic spilloveroutbreak
Wholesale inflation fell last month as gas prices gave back part of their Iran war-driven surge and other costs cooled as well, suggesting consumer inflation may gradually ease in the months ahead.
A new study finds that extraordinary compensation deals for Elon Musk have paved the way for chief executives at other S&P 500 companies to secure enormous pay packages.
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Reuters
