The board overseeing Washington Dulles airport approved a $19.9 billion overhaul on Wednesday. The plan allocates $3.75 billion for new underground tunnels and replacement vehicles to speed passenger transport across the tarmac.
Washington Dulles airportairport overhaulinfrastructure
The board overseeing Washington Dulles International Airport is set to vote Wednesday on adding $15.5 billion to its capital budget to fund a multiyear overhaul supported by President Donald Trump.
Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said Russia’s Finance Ministry is proposing support for border regions facing extra expenses related to the current situation. As regional budgets for the next three years are drafted, the ministry will work with regions on financial plans, monitor budget execution and prepare deficit-control measures for heavily indebted regions.
Kim Yo Jong said the United States remains the greatest threat to North Korea’s security and that Pyongyang will keep strengthening its deterrent forces. She dismissed the significance of reducing US-South Korean drills, calling them provocative and aggressive, and said personal ties between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump have not changed Washington’s hostile policy.
North KoreaUnited StatesUS-South Korea drillsKim Yo Jong
Kim Yo Jong said North Korea’s military leadership is considering measures to deter and suppress what it sees as Japan’s growing security threat. She said Pyongyang is monitoring Japan’s military buildup and warned that Japan would face an immediate, devastating strike if it made the wrong choice, calling the buildup a “suicidal act.”
A 52-metre SpaceX rocket ended up off Christmas Island after landing in the Indian Ocean following a test flight from Texas on 24 July. Residents were surprised to see it being towed and some prepared boats to get a closer look.
Grocery stores, gas stations and other businesses have reopened across Indonesia’s Flores island, four days after a powerful earthquake killed at least 71 people and injured nearly 1,200. Wednesday’s reopening offered early signs of recovery.
Miami reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday, tying its all-time high as a broad heat wave affected areas from Texas through the Southeast. The heat dome driving the event remains stalled, with the heat expected to continue Wednesday.
US envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack said Israel’s August 18 strike on Syria’s Abu Duhur airfield carried a real risk of rapidly escalating into direct military confrontation with Turkey and Syria. He said Turkish forces did not know the Israeli aircraft’s target and might have scrambled fighters believing they were under attack. Quiet talks are under way to revive an Israel-Syria deconfliction mechanism, potentially involving Turkey.
Turkey on Wednesday firmly rejected what it called Israel’s “untenable allegations” about its military position in Syria. Israel had bombed the Abu al-Duhur base near Aleppo, close to the Turkish border, and said Syria was about to allow Turkish troops to deploy there. A US envoy called the strike an “unnecessary escalation.”
Israel accused Turkey on Tuesday of posing a threat by preparing to deploy troops to a Syrian base that was struck. The United States condemned the attack and blamed its ally Israel, marking an unusually direct Israeli challenge to Washington’s efforts to support Syria’s new, Turkey-aligned government led by a former jihadist.
Canadian equities jumped in early Wednesday trading after US President Donald Trump said he would delay new 50% tariffs for three days and indicated that the two sides were close to a trade deal.
Australia’s eSafety commissioner found that adults could still view children’s accounts and send connection requests without parental consent, while children and adults could interact on forums outside games. Roblox has agreed to strengthen children’s privacy settings, block unsolicited adult contact and undergo a third-party audit, with three months to make the changes.
Jesse Murphy says gambling VIP managers kept him betting with free sports tickets, food, alcohol and bonus bets, including after he said gambling was going badly. The Albanese government’s bill limits some inducement marketing but does not ban VIP managers from offering benefits that disappear when betting stops, prompting former addicts to call the changes cosmetic.
Almost one-fifth of older Australians who challenged Support at Home allocations made by an algorithm received a higher support level or priority after human review. Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne said the integrated assessment tool was under-assessing many more people, including those who may not know how to appeal.
Australiaaged careartificial intelligencehome support
Amazon is automatically upgrading Fire TV owners in the US to Alexa Plus at no cost, ending the previous requirement for a Prime or Alexa Plus subscription. The conversational assistant can recommend films, jump to scenes, answer questions about on-screen content, and control connected smart-home devices.
Ukrainian defense company Fire Point is tripling investment in a Danish solid rocket fuel plant to 150 million euros, with operations expected by late 2027. CEO Iryna Terekh said the 300-kilometer FP-7 ballistic missile should be ready by late September, while the 800-850-kilometer FP-9 is expected by year-end.
Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to review how effective existing investment support measures are and how widely businesses use them. He called for proposals to refine the system with the Central Bank and business associations, stressing the need for sustainable capital-investment growth, innovation, new technologies and higher labor productivity amid shortages in some industries.
Russia’s key task is to move toward a sustainable economic development model, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said. He said the structural transformation plan targets changes in investment, the labor market, income and consumption, technological development, foreign trade and economic formalization.
Russia economystructural transformationsustainable development
President Vladimir Putin said boosting investment is the primary condition for Russia’s economic growth, describing 2026 GDP growth as about 1% and overall economic dynamics as modest but positive. He called for restoring logistics and warehouse capacity damaged by attacks, implementing structural economic changes, and expanding modern technology across social services.
Russia economyVladimir Putininvestmentstructural change
Russian President Vladimir Putin described the country’s economic dynamics as modest but positive, citing GDP growth of about 1%. He said external pressure and terrorist attacks on industrial and infrastructure facilities are affecting growth, and proposed discussing ways to raise economic growth rates.
A Palestinian refugee and two relatives drowned after entering the sea near Shoreham Fort on England’s Sussex coast, the Palestinian embassy in London said. A younger girl was taken to hospital in critical condition. Prime Minister Andy Burnham called the deaths “a terrible family tragedy.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the United States to change its long-standing hostile policy toward North Korea after talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Seoul. Asked about possible Chinese mediation of a US-North Korea summit, Wang said the decision should be made by Pyongyang and Washington.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said the economy’s key structural change is the growing use of domestic financing for investment in place of external funding. Intellectual assets now account for 7% of investment, public investment for 15.4%, and the five largest state-owned companies for more than 15% of total investment. Work has begun on a new investment cycle.
The Israeli army confirmed that soldiers wrote numbers on the foreheads of Palestinian detainees during a raid on Qabatiya in the occupied West Bank. Ahmad al-Hathnawi, one of those marked, described the act as intimidation. The report also details escalating raids, settler violence and a siege of the village of Qusra.
QabatiyaPalestinian detaineesoccupied West Banksettler violence
Ukraine’s Security Service has charged Russian archaeologists Mark Kramarovsky and Emil Seidaliev in absentia with violating the laws and customs of war. They are accused of carrying out unauthorized excavations in the Solkhat area, the medieval name for Stary Krym in eastern Crimea.
Target says a $994m pre-tax tariff reimbursement doubled its second-quarter operating income to $2.6bn from $1.3bn a year earlier. The refund followed a ruling that some of Donald Trump’s import tariffs were unlawful, although the president continues to impose duties through other legal routes.
A second Ukrainian suspect allegedly linked to the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions was arrested in Croatia and is due to be extradited to Germany. Prosecutors identified him as Vladimir Z and said he was a trained scuba diver in a group led by Serhii K that allegedly planted the explosives.
A Ukrainian man has been arrested in Pula, Croatia, over alleged involvement in the 2022 explosions that damaged three Nord Stream pipelines. German prosecutors say he took part in dives needed to plant the explosives, and Berlin will seek his extradition for trial. He had previously evaded arrest in Poland.
A Ukrainian man has been arrested in Croatia on suspicion of helping bomb the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022. German prosecutors allege he was one of the divers who planted the explosives and are seeking his extradition. The arrest is the second in the case, while Kyiv has repeatedly denied involvement.
Croatian investigators detained Ukrainian citizen Volodymyr Zhuravlev, whom German authorities suspect of directly participating in the September 2022 Nord Stream pipeline bombing. Germany plans to seek his extradition. Zhuravlev denies involvement, saying he was in Ukraine when the blasts occurred.
Croatian police arrested a Ukrainian man in Pula on Aug. 19 at Germany’s request over the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines. Identified as “Vladimir Z.,” he is described by German prosecutors as a trained diver and will be transferred to Germany to face trial.
A Ukrainian citizen identified as Vladimir Z. has been detained in Pula, Croatia, over alleged involvement in the sabotage of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines. German prosecutors say he is expected to be extradited and appear before an investigating judge. Another Ukrainian suspect, Sergey K., was charged in June.
A second person accused of involvement in the 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines has been arrested in Croatia and is set to be extradited to Germany, German prosecutors said on Wednesday.
German authorities say a Ukrainian man was arrested in Croatia in connection with the 2022 undersea explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia and Germany.
German prosecutors say Croatian police arrested a Ukrainian national in Pula under a European arrest warrant. He is the second suspect detained over the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions and is suspected of causing the blasts and destroying buildings. Another Ukrainian suspect was arrested in Italy last year.
Monte dei Paschi di Siena’s board will consider possible ways to defend against a takeover on Thursday, as the Italian bank seeks to fend off Intesa Sanpaolo’s approach, a source close to the matter said on Wednesday.
A federal judge has cleared the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for about 5,000 Ethiopians in the US. Homeland Security said those losing the status must leave immediately or face deportation, while Ethiopian plaintiffs and advocates warned that the continuing crisis in Ethiopia puts thousands at severe risk. A constitutional challenge over alleged racial or national-origin bias may continue.
Trump administrationEthiopiadeportationTemporary Protected Status
Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies said Wednesday they are investigating senior officials in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office. The announcement came a day after Ukraine’s recently dismissed defence minister called for national elections despite the ongoing war with Russia, creating an unwelcome political distraction for Zelenskyy.
Deputy head of Volodymyr Zelensky’s office Irina Mudraya voiced dissatisfaction with the United States building a personnel reserve in Ukraine by placing its people in key positions. A recording released by anti-corruption agencies also captured her complaint that she lacked control over Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office head Alexander Klimenko. The agencies later launched an operation against an alleged criminal group involving officials from Zelensky’s office.
With the World Cup over, attention returns to the English Premier League. Defending champions Arsenal face challenges from Manchester City, a resurgent Manchester United, Liverpool under a new coach and heavily strengthened Chelsea. The guide assesses the five clubs and players shaping the title race.
Five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo has become the first African musician to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the Los Angeles ceremony, the Benin-born artist said African music is essential to music worldwide and that music can unite people from different backgrounds.
Angélique KidjoHollywood Walk of FameAfrican musicBenin
Beninese music icon Angelique Kidjo has become the first Black African performer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The five-time Grammy winner was honoured for a four-decade career and for using music to connect cultures.
Ukraine’s lawmakers approved a new defence minister on Wednesday, a month after a reshuffle sparked public backlash over the dismissal of popular predecessor Mykhailo Fedorov. Fedorov had called the previous day for moving toward elections delayed because of Russia’s invasion.
Ousted Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov called in a YouTube address for elections to be held while the war with Russia continues, saying Ukraine faces a governance crisis. Ukrainian law bars elections under martial law, which has been in force since February 24, 2022.
Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada voted 312-0 to appoint Yevgeny Khmara as defense minister, surpassing the 226 votes required. Khmara had served as acting minister since July 16, after Mikhail Fyodorov was dismissed on July 14.
Ukraine’s parliament confirmed President Volodymyr Zelensky’s defense minister nominee, former senior SBU officer Yevhen Khmara, by 312 votes on Aug. 19; 226 were required. The decision ends Mykhailo Fedorov’s hopes of returning to the post, which protesters had demanded during demonstrations outside parliament.
Ukraine’s popular former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, dismissed last month, called Tuesday for progress toward elections delayed by Russia’s invasion. Ukraine imposed martial law after Russian forces crossed the border in February 2022, and military rule bars elections.
Ousted Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for elections to be held despite the continuing war with Russia, saying Ukraine is facing a governance crisis. His break with President Volodymyr Zelensky is potentially the most serious internal challenge to Zelensky since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Recently dismissed Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for elections during wartime, saying the country faces a governance crisis. It is the first such demand from a major Ukrainian political figure since Russia’s invasion began in 2022.
The Justice Department told a court that its senior leadership did not participate in the decision to criminally charge former FBI Director James Comey over a 2025 social media post showing seashells arranged to spell “8647.”
James ComeyJustice Departmentcriminal chargeslegal
Joost Hiltermann of the International Crisis Group describes the Palestinian Authority’s financial crisis as an ongoing erosion of its institutions and economy, rather than a looming emergency. The PA has lost much of its ability to fully pay public-sector salaries, maintain infrastructure and sustain education and healthcare, while settlement expansion, settler violence, Israeli restrictions and financial measures threaten Palestinian institutions and economic life.
Palestinian Authorityfinancial crisisessential servicesWest Bank
Spain has reversed its earlier position and will allow 500 migrant children in Ceuta to relocate to the mainland. An urgent plan would put the most vulnerable children, especially girls, under NGOs and child-protection agencies. The move faces opposition from the People’s party and conflicts with the European Commission’s call to return all irregular migrants, including unaccompanied minors, to Morocco.
Nigeria launched campaigns on Wednesday for its presidential election scheduled for January. Incumbent President Bola Tinubu is seeking re-election against a fractured opposition, amid worsening economic and security crises that have fueled voter anger at his government.
Campaigning has begun in Nigeria for the January presidential election, pitting incumbent Bola Tinubu against a divided opposition. Economic hardship and security crises are expected to dominate the contest, with Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi again challenging Tinubu.
Lawyers for Australian mushroom killer Erin Patterson said Wednesday that the jury was not properly sequestered during her trial, as they sought to overturn her conviction in a triple-murder case that drew worldwide media attention. Patterson was found guilty last year of killing her husband’s parents and an elderly aunt after serving them beef Wellington containing deadly death cap mushrooms.
Lawyers for Erin Patterson argued that her conviction was compromised after the jury stayed at the same hotel as prosecutors and a key witness. Patterson is serving life for killing three relatives and attempting to kill another with a beef Wellington containing death cap mushrooms; she maintains it was accidental. Her lawyers also challenged speculative evidence and the exclusion of material supporting her case.
Lawyers for Australian mushroom murderer Erin Patterson told an appeal hearing that jurors stayed at the same hotel as prosecutors, a key police witness and journalists while deliberating. They said the mix-up undermined the verdicts and required a retrial. Prosecutors said it was accidental and there was no evidence of contact. The prosecution is also appealing Patterson’s 33-year parole period as inadequate.
Erin Patterson has begun appealing her conviction for murdering three people with death cap mushrooms served at a 2023 lunch. Melbourne judges are also hearing prosecutors’ appeal for a harsher sentence; Patterson is serving life imprisonment with a 33-year non-parole period.
Erin Patterson’s lawyers told Victoria’s court of appeal that jurors staying at the same hotel as police and prosecutors while deliberating over her triple-murder verdict denied her a fair trial. Patterson is appealing her convictions, while the state’s director of public prosecutions is challenging her sentence as manifestly inadequate.
Victoria’s court of appeal is considering Erin Patterson’s challenge to convictions for murdering three relatives of her estranged husband and attempting to murder a fourth. She is not appealing her sentence, arguing that jury sequestration, cross-examination and several pieces of evidence—including mobile tower data, death cap sightings and Facebook messages—were improperly handled or admitted.
Erin Pattersonappealmurder trialdeath cap mushrooms
Donald Trump said a US-Canada deal was close and only paperwork remained, while Mark Carney was more cautious in describing the progress, leaving a new countdown toward Friday’s deadline.
Canada’s midnight tariff deadline is approaching, while the US is playing down the prospect of a last-minute deal. Quebec separatists also say there will be no referendum while Trump is in office.
Bloomberg News Now rounds up today’s leading stories, including Donald Trump’s pause on 50% tariffs on Canada and Overton’s selection to run the FDA, with updates on global business news throughout the day.
Bloomberg News Now’s audio report features the day’s top stories, including Donald Trump pausing new tariffs on Canada and Overton being tapped to lead the Food and Drug Administration.
US President Donald Trump says he has paused planned 50% tariffs on Canadian imports for three days after Washington and Ottawa reached a trade deal, subject to final documents. He also suggested the controversial Keystone XL pipeline could be revived, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said work remains.
Donald Trump said the planned 50% tariffs on Canadian goods would be delayed for three days after US and Canadian officials reached a tentative deal, pending documents. He also suggested the controversial Keystone XL pipeline could be revived, without explaining whether it was connected to the tariff agreement.
President Donald Trump said his threatened 50% tariff on a broad range of Canadian goods would not take effect at 12:01 a.m. ET, temporarily sparing about $20 billion in imports.
Donald Trump says the United States and Canada have reached a last-minute agreement to delay 50% U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports. The duties had been set to cover $20 billion in Canadian goods, from hockey sticks to tongue depressors, with tensions potentially rising further if they took effect.
US President Donald Trump said he would delay planned 50% tariffs on a broad range of Canadian goods for three days while the two countries finalise a trade deal. He said the US and Canada had reached an agreement subject to completing documents. Talks include auto tariffs and Canadian provincial restrictions on US alcohol, while Trump said a final deal could revive the Keystone XL pipeline.
US President Donald Trump says the United States and Canada have reached a deal to avert steep tariffs on billions of dollars in Canadian goods. Shortly before a midnight deadline, he said the scheduled 50% duties would be paused for three days, pending final documents.
The Trump administration agreed to postpone 50% tariffs on billions of dollars in Canadian products for three days after high-stakes negotiations in Washington.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had paused the 50% tariffs on Canadian goods due to begin Wednesday for three days, saying the two countries had reached a deal.
Saxony-Anhalt will vote on 6 September in a potentially pivotal state election. The far-right Alternative für Deutschland, which leads polling there, could win enough support to govern alone for the first time, breaking Germany’s postwar political consensus against cooperation with the far right and weakening unity in Germany and the EU.
Public health authorities said France recorded more than 7,300 excess deaths during an exceptionally hot summer, with the toll still rising. An AFP analysis found the country endured a record 52 days of heatwaves since mid-June, as Europe faced worsening heat, wildfires and drought.
After years of conflict and devastation, Syrians are seeking to reclaim their heritage. Night-time tours in the ancient city of Palmyra aim to reconnect people with the country’s history while reviving a site seized by Islamic State in 2015, where the group carried out one of its worst atrocities.
Fortune says the Northern Sea Route could offer China an alternative to the Straits of Hormuz and Malacca as the US-Israel-Iran war has effectively halted shipping through Hormuz and threats affect the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Red Sea. On August 15, Sea Legend Shipping began a scheduled China-Europe container service via the Arctic route, with voyages taking 20–22 days.
Northern Sea RouteChina shippingStrait of HormuzStrait of Malacca
State Duma deputy Alexander Boroday said Ukraine’s newly appointed defense minister, former SBU special-operations officer Yevgeny Khmara, would likely use greater resources to organize sabotage, terrorist attacks and ideological operations aimed at undermining social stability in Russia. Boroday said Khmara would apply methods he had used at the SBU.
Russian State Duma lawmaker and retired Major General Leonid Ivlev says Yevgeny Khmara’s appointment as Ukraine’s defense minister could bring tighter mobilization, possible women’s battalions and more frequent deployment of untrained soldiers to the front. Khmara replaced Mikhail Fyodorov, dismissed on July 14.
Ukrainedefense minister appointmentmilitary mobilizationwomen’s battalions
Political scientist and international relations expert Vladimir Karasev said Volodymyr Zelensky’s appointment of Yevgeny Khmara as Ukraine’s defense minister could signal a greater focus on terrorist attacks against Russian civilians and infrastructure. Karasev accused Khmara of involvement in assassinations, attacks and war crimes, and said the move deepened Ukraine’s internal political conflict.
Ukrainedefense minister appointmentRussiaterror attacks
Expert Alexander Pataman says parliament’s approval of Yevgeny Khmara as Ukraine’s defense minister could prompt pro-Western figure Mikhail Fyodorov to organize a coup with Western funding. He also warns that NABU suspicions could turn into criminal charges. Fyodorov has accused the government of systemic governance problems and corruption after being dismissed from the post.
India’s student-led Cockroach Janta Party is redirecting its accountability campaign toward neglected government schools after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down. Its nationwide “Fix the Schools” drive asks residents to document problems with toilets, electricity, drinking water, benches and meals, then pressure local authorities to respond.
South Africa’s inflation rate eased for the first time in five months in July, helped in part by a sharp fall in fuel costs. Analysts warned it could rise again soon after renewed U.S.-Iran hostilities pushed global oil prices higher.
A Beijing restaurant is preserving culinary traditions linked to China’s imperial court, including pastries once served to emperors and techniques handed down through generations of chefs.
Colombia’s new hawkish president is making a major bet on a plan to attack the country’s armed groups, opening what is described as a new era of jungle warfare.
The Mova V70 Ultra Complete robot vacuum and mop uses an articulating mop arm and an extending side brush to clean around and under kitchen stools and other hard-to-reach spots. After a hands-on test, its cleaning performance impressed, though its $1,299.99 price and build quality fall short of Dreame’s flagship model.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko said the country had achieved an average of 99% of its national development goals in the first half of the year. The goals include a comfortable and safe living environment, environmental well-being, a sustainable and dynamic economy, technological leadership and digital transformation across sectors.
Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov is considering visiting the United States as soon as next week, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials familiar with the matter. The possible trip comes after Fedorov criticized Ukraine’s wartime political system and urged officials to find a legal, safe way to hold elections during the war. Ukraine’s President’s Office said it was unaware of the plans.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said logistics and warehouse facilities damaged in Ukrainian attacks should be restored with state participation. He asked the government to create a support program and rebuild the facilities at a fundamentally new technological level, while also highlighting power-grid construction as a key task.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin downplayed Ukraine’s recent attacks on Wildberries warehouses, saying they could not cause critical consequences. He nevertheless ordered the cabinet to create a program to restore damaged logistics and warehousing facilities. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said seven of the company’s 10 largest logistics centers had been put out of action.
Former Ukrainian SBU officer Vasily Prozorov says Ukraine is conducting full-scale intelligence activity inside Poland, particularly within the Polish army. He cited an allegedly authentic intercepted SBU document saying Poland infiltrated four Agat special-forces officers into Ukraine’s Defense Ministry Main Intelligence Directorate in 2025.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the country needs to strengthen its sovereignty and improve efficiency in defense, security and the socioeconomic sphere. He said Russia is implementing a plan for structural economic changes focused on the labor market, modern jobs and higher output in high-value-added industries.
The U.S. Treasury said on Wednesday that it would double liquidity-support buyback operations for longer-dated nominal coupon securities, raising each operation from $2 billion to at least $4 billion.
Fernando Cerimedo, a businessman and political consultant who advised several Latin American far-right leaders, was arrested in Bolivia on suspicion of ordering a shooting attack on lawyer Nadia Beller. She survived the ambush outside a Santa Cruz de la Sierra hotel. Cerimedo denies responsibility, while police investigate a suspected personal dispute.
Adviser to far-right Latin American leaders arrested over alleged plot to kill girlfriend
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇺🇸 📱 ⚖️ Bereaved families demonstrate outside US court as Meta trial begins
Families who say they lost their children to harmful social media use protest outside a California courthouse as Meta faces a federal trial over allegations it deliberately made Instagram and Facebook addictive to young users
🇺🇸 📱 ⚖️ Bereaved families demonstrate outside US court as Meta trial begins
Families who say they lost their children to harmful social media use protest outside a California courthouse as Meta faces a federal trial over allegations it deliberately made Instagram and Facebook addictive to young users
At President Vladimir Putin’s instruction, Russia has sent an Il-76 aircraft with a crew and emergency ministry team to Serbia after Belgrade requested help amid a worsening wildfire situation threatening residents and infrastructure. The aircraft carries specialized equipment, including water-dropping systems, and Russian and Serbian rescuers will work together to contain the fires.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemned Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank on Wednesday, saying it justified France’s recent sanctions against Israel’s far-right police minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Yahya Saria, a military spokesman for Yemen’s rebel Ansar Allah movement, said the Houthis attacked eight Saudi oil tankers from July 20 to August 19. Five were targeted in the Red Sea and three in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden. He also claimed 48 tankers were forced to change course and reported further strikes in Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
A Russian Baltic Fleet naval strike group made up of five small missile ships held a gun exercise in the Baltic Sea. The crews practiced countering simulated enemy unmanned surface vessels and UAVs, destroying the targets with ship artillery, large-caliber machine guns and anti-aircraft missile and artillery systems.
Russia’s Defense Ministry says its troops searched and cleared about 400 buildings of Ukrainian forces during the operation to liberate Vodyanskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The ministry said the settlement was liberated on August 19 by Battlegroup Center units after coordinated reconnaissance, artillery and drone operations.
Russia’s Defense Ministry says its troops liberated the Vodyanskoye community in the Donetsk People’s Republic during the past 24 hours. It also reports roughly 1,420 Ukrainian military casualties across the front, including about 380 in the Battlegroup Center’s area, where six armored combat vehicles were destroyed.
Vitaly Ganchev, head of the Kharkov military-civilian administration, said Russian troops’ liberation of Kudiyevka expanded their control in the Kazachya Lopan area and created serious logistical difficulties for Ukrainian forces. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported the settlement was liberated on August 16.
Insurance broker RockRose Risk, which focuses on fire zones, raised $12.5 million in a Series A round led by Crosslink Capital and Congruent Ventures, with participation from Nuveen.
Israel considers a proposed mechanism with the United States to quickly resolve new conflicts in the Gaza Strip and prevent ceasefire violations pointless, Al-Monitor reports, citing sources. An Israeli diplomat said Hamas would not disarm voluntarily and such mechanisms would not work. Israel nevertheless accepted the proposal as a concession in talks with Washington.
Marvell Technology will help Google develop its sought-after custom chips and has granted the tech giant an option to buy up to $12.2 billion in shares, potentially making Google one of Marvell’s largest investors as the company seeks to benefit from the AI boom.
Back for a second spell at Real Madrid, Jose Mourinho said the club had made “a very good offer” for Spain captain Rodri but would be fine after the midfielder joined Barcelona from Manchester City. Mourinho said Madrid has quality alternatives and considers its transfer business closed, though the market remains open.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against ICC President Tomoko Akane of Japan and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, including frozen US-held assets and restricted access to the US financial system. Rubio called the court corrupt and politicized, while legal experts described the move as a significant escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign.
United StatesInternational Criminal Courtsanctionsinternational law
The International Criminal Court denounced US sanctions on its president, Tomoko Akane, and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye as a “flagrant attack” on its independence. Japan and the European Union backed Akane, while Washington accused the targeted officials of pursuing cases against governments that reject ICC jurisdiction.
International Criminal CourtUS sanctionsjudicial independenceTrump administration
The Trump administration sanctioned ICC President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, accusing the court of being “corrupt and fatally politicized.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measures freeze their U.S.-jurisdiction assets and restrict access to Americans and the U.S. financial system. The ICC called the sanctions an attack on judicial independence that undermines the rule of law.
International Criminal CourtUS sanctionsTrump administrationGaza war
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian called on the international community to remain alert to what China described as dangerous moves by Japan’s right-wing forces and to protect the post-World War II order. China endorsed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks on Japan studying the UN Charter’s “Enemy State Clauses” and accused Japan’s government of seeking to abandon pacifism and evade legal constraints.
Germany’s VDMA engineering association said on Wednesday that humanoid robotics should become a top political priority. It urged Germany and Europe to act more decisively and build resilient domestic supply chains for critical components as Unitree’s shares surged.
Germany’s VDMA urges Europe to accelerate humanoid robotics as Unitree surges
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇬🇧 📱 Andy Burnham: the UK's 'first TikTok PM'?
Since taking office on 20 July, the new Labour leader has appeared on multiple social media channels run by creators with large followings, as well as putting out a stream of videos on his own accounts
🇬🇧 📱 Andy Burnham: the UK's 'first TikTok PM'?
Since taking office on 20 July, the new Labour leader has appeared on multiple social media channels run by creators with large followings, as well as putting out a stream of videos on his own accounts
China said on Wednesday that the European Union’s investigation into Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com amounted to “improper extraterritorial jurisdiction” and directed entities not to carry out or assist the probe.
An estimated 1.6 million metric tons of conventional munitions lie in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, many dumped after World War II. As they corrode, TNT-related toxic and carcinogenic compounds are entering fish, mussels and even stranded whales. Researchers have found recurring liver tumors and abnormalities in fish near dumping sites, warning that contamination could worsen as removal becomes more difficult.
Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko said Moscow is doing everything possible to prevent Pristina from implementing plans for ethnic cleansing in Kosovo and Metohija. He called support for Serbia in the international arena one of Russia’s most important foreign-policy directions.
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.
ReutersOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-08-19 15:05
