Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Washington and Ankara’s use of peacekeeping rhetoric while supplying weapons to the Kyiv regime inevitably erodes mutual trust. She pointed to repeated assurances from Turkish officials that Turkey avoids providing lethal aid to Kyiv.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that supplying the Ukrainian army with large quantities of new weapons could not significantly affect the course of the special military operation. She was commenting on US-Turkish plans to supply weapons to the Kiev regime.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has asked Washington and Ankara to clarify reports about plans to supply weapons to Ukraine, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. She linked the request to information released by the US Congress.
New weapons supplies to Kyiv will inevitably harm Moscow’s relations with Washington and Ankara, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. She warned that the damage would extend beyond casualties and destruction to serious harm to bilateral relations.
Turkey does not intend to provide Ukraine with domestically produced weapons, international security expert Canan Tercan told TASS. She said the arms may have been made in Turkey using US technology and are effectively American weapons, meaning their re-export requires approval from Congress.
Expert: Only Previously Manufactured US Weapons Can Be Supplied to Ukraine from Turkey
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇬🇧 UK farmer hit with slashed crop yields
With giant dust clouds emerging from his parched fields in Suffolk, farmer John Pawsey has noted a staggering 30 percent drop in crop yields after the driest July on record.
🇬🇧 UK farmer hit with slashed crop yields
With giant dust clouds emerging from his parched fields in Suffolk, farmer John Pawsey has noted a staggering 30 percent drop in crop yields after the driest July on record.
ETFs are already known for their tax efficiency, but this popular part of the market is taking those benefits further than ever through the 351 conversion ETF.
Switched on Pop cohosts Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding are known for detailed examinations of pop music theory and production. After 12 years and nearly 500 episodes, the podcast recently moved to video on Netflix, where the pair also discuss metronomes, fresh vegetables, and their guitar-pedal habits.
Lucasfilm unveiled the first trailer for Star Wars: Ahsoka season two at D23 ahead of its January 20, 2027 debut. Ryan Gosling also previewed Star Wars: Starfighter, though its footage remains exclusive to attendees; the film is scheduled for theaters on May 28, 2027.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup Island in the Southern Kurils on August 13, his first trip to the disputed chain claimed by Russia and Japan. The visit came amid tensions over Japan’s sanctions and the territorial dispute. Moscow rejected Tokyo’s protest, reaffirmed Russian sovereignty and said the issue was not open to discussion.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa is set to make his first state visit to China this month as the countries mark 10 years of their comprehensive strategic partnership. Bilateral trade reached $17.33 billion in 2025, and the free trade agreement that took effect in May 2024 has accelerated commerce. Cooperation is also expanding into energy, infrastructure, finance, science and technology, culture and education.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa is set to make his first state visit to China this month as the countries mark 10 years of their comprehensive strategic partnership. The visit aims to broaden rapidly growing trade cooperation, which has expanded since their free trade agreement took effect in 2024, into areas including energy, infrastructure, science and technology, and finance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing at the Kremlin on August 18 during the latter’s official visit to Russia. The leaders are expected to discuss ways to expand bilateral cooperation and current international and regional issues.
The Kyiv Independent’s Polina Moroziuk visits Darnytsia, one of Kyiv’s most heavily targeted districts, to examine the safety of its local bomb shelters.
An article by Xi Jinping on improving disaster prevention, mitigation and relief capabilities will appear Sunday in the 16th issue of Qiushi Journal this year. It calls for Party leadership, a prevention-first approach, stronger risk assessment and early warnings, greater use of science and technology, and improved grassroots emergency response capacity.
The Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo has become the second-largest ever recorded, with more than 2,100 deaths and spread into a sixth province. Health workers are struggling to contain its rapid growth amid community resistance, misinformation, strikes by unpaid staff and threats from rebel groups.
In eastern Congo, Gédéon Banga Ngbape and his team of community health workers are working tirelessly to track the country’s fastest-growing Ebola outbreak, but the disease is spreading faster than contact tracing can keep up.
Democratic Republic of the CongoEbolaoutbreakhealth workers
As Yemen’s conflict continues to spill into the Red Sea, forces aligned with the internationally recognised government have recently used drones against Houthi positions across several fronts, including Marib, Taiz and al-Makha. The Houthis retain an advantage in missile and drone capabilities, but the government’s growing use of drones could force changes in Houthi deployments and supply routes and signal preparation for a possible ground war.
President Donald Trump made crime a central campaign issue Friday as Republican prospects for the November midterms continue to weaken over his handling of the economy and the war in Iran.
Passengers booking one of Europe’s premier airlines may board a brand-new, ultra-modern Airbus A350 and pass 34 lavish business-class suites, only to be told that none may be occupied.
A shooting involving multiple suspects at Virginia State University left five people with gunshot wounds, one of them critically injured. The temporary campus lockdown has been lifted, while Chesterfield County Police lead the investigation; no arrests have been confirmed.
A shooting near Virginia State University’s residence halls wounded five people early Saturday and prompted an hours-long campus lockdown. All five were hospitalized, one critically injured. The university said multiple suspects were involved; the lockdown was lifted, but a significant police presence remains as the investigation continues.
🇬🇧 UK charity races to raise millions to buy historic English estate
A leading UK conservation charity is crowdfunding £30 million to buy a swathe of rolling moorlands and woodlands, in the largest land sale in England for three decades.
🇬🇧 UK charity races to raise millions to buy historic English estate
A leading UK conservation charity is crowdfunding £30 million to buy a swathe of rolling moorlands and woodlands, in the largest land sale in England for three decades.
The Verge reviews OhSnap’s $50 Snap Grip Stand, praising its slim 3.7mm design, strong magnets, versatile grip, vertical stand, and partial wireless-charging support. Despite its high price, the reviewer bought one after using the test unit for months and never wanting to take it off.
Marvel unveiled the cast of its upcoming untitled X-Men film at D23 in Anaheim. Sadie Sink will play Jean Grey, Inde Navarrette will play Rogue and Adam Driver will portray Mister Sinister. The film is scheduled for release on May 5, 2028.
Rhoda Roberts, a Widjabul Wieybal woman of the Bundjalung nation and one of Australia’s prominent cultural ambassadors, has received the Naidoc lifetime achievement award posthumously. She was honoured for a lifetime of promoting and preserving First Nations culture through language, dance and ceremony; she died in March aged 66.
Children’s backpacks can become too heavy when loaded with laptops, textbooks and other items. Pediatricians say the commonly cited limit of 10% to 15% of a child’s body weight is not supported by enough evidence to serve as a universal rule.
Young people are flocking to Grand Rapids, a rare pocket of relatively affordable homes and plentiful job opportunities for those seeking to buy their first home.
Grand Rapidsfirst-time homebuyershousing affordability
The Midwest City Keeping the American Dream Alive for First-Time Homebuyers
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan turns to cloud-seeding
In an effort to tackle severe droughts that plague the country, Kazakhstan has turned to cloud seeding, using special aircraft to disperse a substance that sticks to cloud droplets, making them heavy enough to fall as rain.
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan turns to cloud-seeding
In an effort to tackle severe droughts that plague the country, Kazakhstan has turned to cloud seeding, using special aircraft to disperse a substance that sticks to cloud droplets, making them heavy enough to fall as rain.
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said Ukrainian cyber specialists attacked Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries on Aug. 10–11, disrupting customer service and partially destabilizing payment infrastructure. Users reportedly complained about failed transactions, while Wildberries blamed payment delays on unspecified “technical problems.”
France’s Constitutional Council struck down a law barring social media access for children under 15, finding that the blanket measure disproportionately infringed freedom of expression and failed to reflect minors’ differing circumstances. The Elysee Palace said Emmanuel Macron had tasked Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu with promptly revising the bill in line with the ruling and European regulations.
France’s Constitutional Court has rejected a law banning children under 15 from social media, saying it disproportionately restricted freedom of expression and raised privacy issues over age checks. The government plans a revised bill, while Emmanuel Macron pointed to social media’s effects on children’s mental and physical health.
Francesocial mediachild safetyfreedom of expression
France’s Constitutional Council has upheld Emmanuel Macron’s landmark assisted dying law while striking down a proposed social media ban for children under 15. It said the measure disproportionately infringed on children’s freedoms, prompting the government to prepare a revised bill.
A wildfire in western Germany has stabilised after forcing thousands of people to evacuate on Friday, local authorities said Saturday. Residents were still not allowed to return home.
Authorities in Hungary have begun sinking two barges to raise the Danube’s water level near the country’s only nuclear plant, helping keep it operating and avoid an expensive full shutdown.
CNN analysis says photos of Boris Yeltsin begin circulating on social media whenever Mayor Zohran Mamdani provides new details about his plan to open five government-owned supermarkets in New York City.
New York CityZohran Mamdanipublic supermarketsBoris Yeltsin
Mamdani’s public supermarket plan prompts Yeltsin images to circulate online
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇨🇴 Colombian woman reunited with cat rescued from earthquake rubble
Vickye Giraldo, a 56-year-old lawyer whose building was destroyed by the earthquake in Colombia's Cali, happily greets Polux, one of her pet cats rescued from the rubble.
🇨🇴 Colombian woman reunited with cat rescued from earthquake rubble
Vickye Giraldo, a 56-year-old lawyer whose building was destroyed by the earthquake in Colombia's Cali, happily greets Polux, one of her pet cats rescued from the rubble.
Afghans gathered in Kabul to mark five years since the Taliban returned to power. Women were largely absent from public ceremonies, while Afghanistan remains diplomatically isolated, humanitarian needs are growing and women are increasingly excluded from public life.
The UN says armed groups opposing Afghanistan’s Taliban government remain active but have not seriously challenged its control or held territory. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, several fronts have claimed attacks in different provinces. Renewed fighting in Badakhshan has revived questions about whether the opposition is expanding or merely fragmented.
The Taliban has brought relative security and stability across Afghanistan, weakened the Islamic State-Khorasan threat and kept the economy afloat after the 2021 shock. But its finances remain opaque, state institutions are weak, and restrictions on women and girls’ education have deepened social exclusion while leaving the country short of female professionals.
Dr Jason Arday was found dead days after resigning from Cambridge University amid plagiarism allegations brought by DEI critic Nathan Coftas. His family condemned a ‘campaign of misinformation’, saying UK media published 188 articles about him in nine days.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said 1,743 UAVs flew toward the Moscow region from August 8 to August 15. Most were neutralized at a distance by air defenses, while 123 were destroyed on the immediate approach to Moscow.
Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyov said air defenses shot down or suppressed eight drones overnight. A drone struck a private house in Shatura, injuring a 55-year-old woman and a 9-year-old boy; the boy is in critical condition and will be transferred to the Leonid Roshal Children’s Clinical and Research Center.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said air-defense units had shot down five more “enemy drones” approaching the Russian capital. He had previously reported that seven Moscow-bound drones were destroyed.
Russia’s Defense Ministry says Russian forces used Geran-4 Seeker drones to strike a Ukrainian attack-drone storage and launch-preparation site in Pekurovka, Chernigov Region. A separate strike destroyed a 110 kV power substation in Gorodnya, it said.
Moroccan police have used force against sub-Saharan migrants at the border with Spain’s autonomous city of Ceuta, El Pais reports. Officers are detaining undocumented migrants and blocking hundreds from entering. The move follows social-media reports of preparations for another mass crossing, prompting Morocco and Spain to tighten security.
Spain and Morocco have reinforced security around Ceuta after social media calls urged Moroccan migrants to attempt another mass border crossing into Ceuta and Melilla. More than 72,000 people entered Ceuta during the July event; about 5,000 remain, while at least 96 people died. Morocco arrested several people accused of circulating the inciting messages.
Border workers’ unions say they warned Spain’s central government weeks before more than 70,000 migrants rushed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. They said social-media-fuelled arrivals by sea were increasing and feared the situation would escalate.
Morocco has installed new barbed wire and deployed additional police near Spain’s Ceuta enclave after online calls for another mass crossing. Residents say stricter border controls do not address why young people are risking their lives to leave.
A 1939 news collection published by two Japanese news agencies contains a firsthand account of mass killings of defeated Chinese soldiers during the Nanjing Massacre. The collection, along with letters, postcards and French diplomatic documents on Japan’s atrocities in Nanjing, was donated to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders after being gathered by young people from China and abroad.
An Austrian activist in Vienna is taking the city to court over public toilet charges, arguing that women face discrimination because they must pay to use cubicles while men can use urinals for free.
Sicily’s Catania airport resumed flights on Saturday after authorities lowered the aviation alert for Mount Etna’s recent volcanic activity from red to orange.
Tickets for the Bayeux tapestry exhibition at the British Museum sold out within a day after lengthy online queues. Five-star hotel One Aldwych, a corporate partner, has reserved a small quota for guests, prompting MP Helena Dollimore to call the arrangement outrageous because hotel customers can secure access while others struggle for tickets.
Stephanie White was welcomed with cheers rather than boos, while Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever continued their surge. After recent turmoil, the team and its supporters had plenty to celebrate by the end of the night.
🇷🇺 Russia's only pro-peace party prepares for key election
In Russia, where protests against the war in Kyiv are promptly repressed, the old Yabloko liberal party has resurfaced three months before the September Duma elections, drawing in young voters.
🇷🇺 Russia's only pro-peace party prepares for key election
In Russia, where protests against the war in Kyiv are promptly repressed, the old Yabloko liberal party has resurfaced three months before the September Duma elections, drawing in young voters.
CrossPoint Reader’s new third-party plugins let Xteink’s X3, X4, and X4 Pro access DRM-protected ebooks borrowed through OverDrive’s Libby and books bought from stores such as Kobo. The beta feature requires alternative firmware, the Plugin Store, and account authorization.
Years of intensive sand extraction have badly affected the Chari River, especially near N’Djamena. Chad’s Mines Ministry has banned the practice to protect the environment and wildlife, but the move is controversial because thousands of people in the capital rely on sand mining for their livelihoods.
False social media claims that the Morocco-Ceuta border would open for Spain’s Assumption holiday prompted migrants to gather near the crossing. Moroccan and Spanish authorities have tightened security after a recent mass influx into Ceuta, while Morocco says those spreading the claims could face legal action.
Iran and Oman have reached an agreement on a shipping traffic map for the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported Saturday, citing Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei.
Firefighters and local farmers are working through the night to contain a wildfire in Luglon, southwestern France, after it burned more than 1,500 hectares. Hot spots continue to threaten homes, while crews hope forecast rain will help bring the blaze under control.
FRANCE 24 journalist Jamie Smith-Maillet, newly back from Indonesia, assesses the damage from the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the Flores region. Rescue teams are searching the rubble for survivors after an aftershock hit the area, fuelling fears of more casualties.
Dozens have died after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s Flores Island. Rescue teams are searching for survivors amid continuing aftershocks, while many parts of East Nusa Tenggara remain difficult to access.
At least 38 people have died in Indonesia’s magnitude 7.7 earthquake, Reuters reported, citing disaster agency chief Suharyanto. Strong aftershocks prompted a tsunami warning and evacuation advice for coastal residents on Flores Island. Government buildings, homes, schools, medical facilities and religious institutions were damaged.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia’s coast, damaging and toppling buildings and homes and killing at least 38 people. The quake sparked panic in a region prone to deadly earthquakes.
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Flores island on Saturday morning, killing more than a dozen people, damaging buildings and driving residents from their homes.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia’s Flores region, killing at least 38 people and injuring six. Rescuers are searching collapsed buildings for survivors, while aftershocks, power outages and widespread destruction hinder the operation.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia’s Flores island early Saturday, killing at least 20 people and leaving others trapped under collapsed buildings. Landslides blocked roads while residents moved to higher ground over tsunami fears, as emergency crews worked to reach affected communities.
The latest powerful earthquake in Indonesia has killed at least five people, The Straits Times reports, citing the governor of East Nusa Tenggara. Five bodies were recovered from collapsed buildings. The quake struck off the coast near Flores Island, where aftershocks reached magnitude 6.1 and residents were advised to move at least 2 kilometers inland amid a tsunami threat. Buildings across the island were damaged or destroyed.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least five people. Dozens of aftershocks followed, while landslides blocked roads across the region.
The death toll has climbed to 20 after a magnitude-7.7 earthquake and several powerful aftershocks struck off eastern Indonesia’s Flores Island, AFP reported, citing an emergency official.
At least five people were killed when a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off Flores island in eastern Indonesia early Saturday, the provincial governor said. Search teams are looking for people trapped in damaged buildings after dozens of aftershocks. A tsunami warning was lifted about three hours later, while around 2,000 residents were evacuated.
Indonesiaearthquaketsunami warningsearch and rescue
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s coast early Saturday, killing a man and a woman, The Straits Times reported. Aftershocks followed, including one measuring 6.1. Residents along Flores Island’s coast were advised to move at least 2 kilometers inland because of a tsunami threat.
A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia, damaging buildings and prompting residents to flee to higher ground. Authorities issued a tsunami warning and recorded several aftershocks.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s Flores Island, killing two people at L Say Maumere port and injuring another. Authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged residents to leave beaches and riverbanks for inland or higher ground as they assess damage and aftershock risks.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers off Indonesia’s Flores region, prompting a tsunami warning and followed by at least two aftershocks. No immediate damage or casualties were reported.
A shallow magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s Flores region early Saturday, with the epicentre 68km north-northwest of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara. No immediate casualties or damage were reported. Indonesia’s meteorology agency issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to move away from beaches and riverbanks and seek higher ground.
Two people have died after a magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s Flores Island, an official said. Authorities warned residents to watch for aftershocks, while the tsunami warning issued after the quake was lifted. Rescue teams are assessing damage and casualties across affected areas.
A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s coast in the Flores region at 5:58 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake was 10 kilometers deep.
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake was recorded off the Indonesian coast, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center said. The epicenter was 161 kilometers northeast of Labuan Bajo at a depth of 35 kilometers. A tsunami alert has been issued, with no deaths or casualties reported so far.
Seventeen-year-old Irish student Alex McKee is believed to have died instantly after picking up a showerhead in a rudimentary outdoor bathroom at a holiday home on Kimolos. Greek police are investigating the water heater and wiring, while the death has prompted calls for stricter electrical checks at tourist accommodation.
Zambia resumed counting votes on Friday after a nationwide halt prompted by alleged attacks on polling staff and the theft of marked ballot papers. The suspension came a day after presidential and parliamentary elections, while opposition leader Brian Mundubile had already claimed victory.
Ernesto Castro, president of El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly, will lead a delegation to China from August 17 to 22 at the invitation of Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.
A delegation headed by Ernesto Castro is scheduled to travel to China between Aug. 17 and 22. The Salvadoran assembly leader is making the trip at the invitation of Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.
US mortgage rates slipped slightly for the first time in six weeks after new data showed the labor market cooling and suggested the Iran war may have had a more muted effect on inflation last month.
US Mortgage Rates Edge Lower for the First Time in Six Weeks
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🐶 Jennie Leu has been crowned the winner of the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma County Fairground in Santa Rosa, California. The pug rescue took the top prize in the annual competition that celebrates dogs with distinctive looks. 📸 Josh Edelson
🐶 Jennie Leu has been crowned the winner of the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma County Fairground in Santa Rosa, California. The pug rescue took the top prize in the annual competition that celebrates dogs with distinctive looks. 📸 Josh Edelson
A resident in Zhejiang discovered an unusually rare Schizophyllum commune growing on a rotten apple in 2024 and sent the sample to researchers at the Kunming Institute of Botany. After eight generations of selective breeding and crossbreeding with space-bred strains from Shenzhou-12, the team developed the eighth-generation “king fruit mushroom,” which has few spores, a crisp sweet taste and a 15-to-20-day growth cycle. It is now being trial-grown and sold on a small scale in Yunnan.
scientific researchfungal breedingcitizen scienceking fruit mushroom
The Russian Defense Ministry says Geran unmanned aircraft destroyed a refueling point for Ukrainian military hardware in Verbovka, Kharkov Region, the previous day. It said objective monitoring confirmed the target’s destruction.
Russia-Ukraine conflictdrone strikesKharkov Region
As anti-immigration sentiment and far-right parties gain ground in Europe, Afghan refugees face growing uncertainty. The Netherlands and other countries are tightening residency policies and engaging with the Taliban over possible deportations, while many recognised refugees remain on temporary permits.
Tropical storm Lala is expected to strengthen into a hurricane before approaching Hawaii’s Big Island on Saturday. Governor Josh Green has declared a state of emergency, while the island faces hurricane warnings and risks of heavy rain, flooding, mudslides, storm surge and dangerous surf. A landfall would be the Big Island’s first hurricane strike since 1871.
China will provide Colombia with emergency cash assistance and humanitarian supplies for disaster response and reconstruction, according to a Chinese development agency spokesperson. A magnitude-7.5 earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, killing more than 280 people, injuring thousands and destroying over 12,000 homes across several cities, including hospitals and schools.
China will provide Colombia with emergency cash assistance and humanitarian supplies for disaster response and reconstruction, according to a spokesperson for the China International Development Cooperation Agency. A magnitude-7.5 earthquake in western Colombia on August 10 has killed more than 280 people, injured thousands and destroyed over 12,000 homes across several cities, damaging hospitals and schools.
Former 80th Air Assault Brigade commander Colonel Emil Ishkulov is reportedly expected to take command of Ukraine’s 11th Army Corps, replacing Brigadier General Oleksii Maistrenko after about six months. The appointment has not been officially announced. The corps defends the Sloviansk and Kramatorsk sectors in Donetsk Oblast.
Ukraine militarymilitary appointmentsDonetsk Oblast
Former 80th Brigade commander Emil Ishkulov reportedly set to lead corps defending Sloviansk, Kramatorsk
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇮🇳 India's youth protests highlight mistrust in 'lapdog' media
Youth-led protests in India last month turned television journalists into targets, exposing a deepening crisis of trust in flagship broadcasters accused by demonstrators of being government mouthpieces.
🇮🇳 India's youth protests highlight mistrust in 'lapdog' media
Youth-led protests in India last month turned television journalists into targets, exposing a deepening crisis of trust in flagship broadcasters accused by demonstrators of being government mouthpieces.
Officials say a Massachusetts teen charged in the double killing of his mother and younger brother used ChatGPT to search for “theoretical ideas or fantasy stories” about killing his family.
Sony’s A7R VI is a 66.8-megapixel high-resolution flagship that pairs a stacked sensor with the Bionz XR2 processor. It can shoot full-resolution images at up to 30 frames per second without viewfinder blackout, silently, while adding usable 8K video, 8.5 stops of stabilization, and AI autofocus. Its ergonomics and battery compatibility are weaker points.
The 140th edition of Installer rounds up this week’s things to watch, read, and try, including a surprisingly good dinosaur movie, Google’s new phone, and writer Hugh Howey’s book-writing tool, Neo. The author also announces a parental-leave break, with Jay Peters taking over for several weeks.
At least 14 civilians were killed and dozens injured in an attack on Um Arada, southwest of El Obeid, according to Sudanese sources. The Rapid Support Forces claimed “full control” of the area, while the Sudanese army said it repelled an RSF assault. Fighting across North Kordofan is worsening humanitarian conditions.
Sudan conflictUm AradaRapid Support Forcescivilian casualties
Russia is building high-rises in occupied Mariupol on the sites of homes destroyed during the war. Former residents describe being driven out without their belongings, while online forums show that newcomers — including Russian security personnel, officials and military logistics workers — are buying or renting the new apartments, encouraged by cheap mortgages for Russian citizens.
MariupolRussian occupationhousing constructionUkraine war
China's Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin condemned Japanese officials' donation and visit to Yasukuni Shrine as a blatant violation of historical justice. He accused Japan's right-wing forces of denying wartime aggression and seeking to revive militarism, urging Tokyo to confront its history and abandon neo-militarism.
A tour bus carrying Russian tourists in central Vietnam collided with a truck parked in an emergency lane. A Russian woman born in 1988 died, while a Russian man born in 1983 suffered a broken leg and another man sustained a back injury. Other passengers had minor injuries, and authorities are investigating.
Local authorities said Ukraine struck industrial infrastructure in Russia’s Samara region on Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the attack, saying a rocket plant and an air base were hit.
Israel’s military actions in Gaza and settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank have largely isolated it internationally, but Latin America’s authoritarian right sees an opportunity for strategic partnership. Venezuela is restoring consular services, while Colombia has renewed diplomatic ties and plans to move its embassy to Jerusalem, reflecting a broader alignment with Israel and US foreign policy.
IsraelLatin Americadiplomatic tiesauthoritarian right
Russia’s Defense Ministry says its air defenses intercepted seven guided bombs, 17 Flamingo long-range cruise missiles, four US-made HIMARS rockets and 1,328 Ukrainian fixed-wing UAVs over the past 24 hours. Russian forces also struck logistics, fuel, energy and transport facilities, along with drone and unmanned-boat assembly plants in Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry says Ukrainian Armed Forces losses across all sectors of the special military operation reached about 1,375 service members over the past 24 hours. It reported losses of up to 245 in the North, over 210 in the West and over 220 in the South, with more than 355 in the Center, over 315 in the East and up to 30 in the Dnepr area.
Russian attacks killed at least one person, including a 3-month-old child, and injured 49 others across Ukraine over the past day, local authorities said. Russia launched 152 Shahed-type drones and loitering munitions overnight, while Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 124 drones. Strikes hit several regions.
The US will begin collecting tariffs Saturday on imported quartz slabs used in countertops, backsplashes and bathroom tiles. The measure has divided the industry between critics who foresee greater pressure on consumers and supporters who say protection will generate jobs.
Taiwan has long prepared for a possible Chinese military invasion, but the wars in Iran and Ukraine are exposing new threats. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has fueled fears that China could use similar tactics in the Taiwan Strait, with potentially severe global consequences for semiconductor supplies. Taiwan is preparing for a maritime blockade, while residents insist they will never surrender.
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo agreed on additional measures to improve monitoring and verification of commitments under the Washington Accords at a Geneva meeting of their Joint Security Coordination Mechanism. They also plan a third preparatory meeting in October 2026, while the United States will review the proposals.
RwandaDemocratic Republic of the CongoWashington Accordspeace process
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Maoist-influenced Naxalite armed rebellion had largely been eliminated, but warned that its ideological backers still pose a threat. He said “intellectual Naxals” seeking opportunities to create violence must be “identified and isolated”.
The Minutes Reader extension turns the original page into a focused reading view and translates articles and video subtitles on demand. It is in limited beta.
TASSOriginal★★★★☆2026-08-15 15:03
