Dr. Simon Williams, a WHO consultant and public health researcher at Swansea University, says the health effects of extreme heat—especially on older adults—are appearing earlier and at lower warming levels than previously understood. With global warming already around 1.3°C, harsher summers are revealing vulnerabilities including reduced ability to cool the body and underlying cardiovascular conditions.
The Volgograd Regional Court dismissed the case against pensioner Nikolai Mukhin and ordered his confiscated shotgun returned. Mukhin had been fined 40,000 rubles for firing at Ukrainian drones over his yard outside a designated shooting area. The court cited actions taken out of urgent necessity.
Russia’s daytime strike on Kyiv on Aug. 20 killed at least one person and injured three, following an overnight assault that left at least 15 dead and about 40 wounded. Kyiv’s mayor said a critical infrastructure facility was deliberately targeted for the first time in months, potentially disrupting hot-water supplies in two districts.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko says Russian strikes have damaged 4,000 of the city’s 12,000 apartment buildings since the start of the full-scale war. A major missile and drone attack on August 20 killed 15 people, injured dozens, and damaged residential buildings, warehouses, and critical infrastructure. August 21 was declared a day of mourning.
Russian ballistic missile strikes in Kyiv killed 12 people and injured more than 30. The attacks sparked fires, damaged buildings and cut power supplies to parts of the Ukrainian capital.
Overnight Russian bombardments killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens in Kyiv and the surrounding region, Ukrainian authorities said. Long-range attacks by both sides have intensified in recent months, increasing civilian deaths during the four-and-a-half-year war.
At least a dozen people were killed and more than 30 others wounded in what Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called a “massive” Russian attack overnight into Thursday.
Ukrainian authorities say Russian strikes on Kyiv and nearby areas killed at least five people and wounded about 23. Residential buildings, a medical facility and an educational institution were damaged. Poland began preventive aviation operations to protect its airspace.
Officials say a Russian ballistic missile attack on Kyiv killed at least three people and wounded 20, with 14 hospitalised. A nine-storey residential building collapsed and caught fire, while a children’s hospital was damaged. Domestic tensions also grew after the ousted defence minister called for Ukraine to move towards elections during wartime.
Geminy CEO and founder Leïla Mörch says the landmark trial against Meta could matter not only because the social media giant is being held answerable for harms linked to social media, but because the legal focus is moving from user content to platform infrastructure. The case highlights recommendation systems, infinite scroll, attention-maximising features and design choices shaping how users encounter and engage with content.
Metasocial media regulationplatform liabilityrecommendation systems
Australia’s online safety regulator, eSafety, says testing found Roblox continued to expose children to risks, including contact with adult strangers and publicly visible account information. Roblox plans stronger privacy defaults, limits on adult contact, improved complaint reporting, and an independent audit of its safeguards.
Ukrainian diver Volodymyr Zhuravlev, suspected of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream explosions, was detained in Pula, Croatia, under a European arrest warrant requested by Germany. German media reported that he had also advised on Snake Island, a film dramatizing the alleged sabotage and starring Sean Penn.
The US Treasury has extended until September 19 a general license exempting negotiations over the sale, disposition or transfer of Lukoil International GmbH and its foreign assets from American sanctions. The license has been renewed repeatedly since restrictions were imposed on Lukoil and its subsidiaries last October.
US extends license for talks on Lukoil’s foreign assets until September 19
FlashTranslated by Minutes
VIDEO: Spanish firefighters and military emergency crews are battling a new wildfire near Cerezal, in the western Spanish region of Extremadura. The blaze comes just weeks after a wave of fires burned around 27,000 hectares of land west of Madrid and forced the evacuation of nearly 60,000 people.
VIDEO: Spanish firefighters and military emergency crews are battling a new wildfire near Cerezal, in the western Spanish region of Extremadura. The blaze comes just weeks after a wave of fires burned around 27,000 hectares of land west of Madrid and forced the evacuation of nearly 60,000 people.
At least 50 people died when an overloaded boat capsized in a river in Nigeria’s northwestern Sokoto state. Local officials said around 40 children were among the casualties, while rescue operations continued.
An overloaded boat capsized in Nigeria’s Sokoto state, and about 40 bodies had been recovered, a local official with the inland waterways authority said on Thursday.
The ruble-denominated MOEX Index fell 2.34% to 2,121.53 points, while the dollar-denominated RTS Index slipped 0.26% to 801.79. The yuan edged down to 12.32 rubles. Analysts attributed the afternoon decline to corporate news flow and a stronger ruble.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has followed through on his threat to eliminate the long-term broadband targets set under the Biden administration: gigabit download and half-gigabit upload speeds. The article condemns the decision as lowering national ambition and questions the agency’s reliance on industry-backed data and apparent disregard for the public interest.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned about the continued escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, including its spread to Russian territory, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. He called for an immediate end to attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, which he described as clear violations of international humanitarian law wherever they occur.
Russia conducted an hours-long overnight barrage of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones against Kyiv and the surrounding region, killing at least 16 people and injuring dozens. The attack struck 28 locations across Ukraine.
A Russian missile barrage hit Kyiv overnight on Thursday, killing at least 16 people and injuring 40 as explosions rang out across the capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had prepared the attack “for a long time.”
The New York Times says recent attacks show growing Russian confidence in overcoming Ukraine’s air-defense systems. Ukrainian officials and politicians regularly cite shortages of air-defense missiles and seek greater Western deliveries, while Russian security agencies have said Patriot missiles are seriously depleted and ammunition may be held in reserve.
Russia launched a massive nighttime aerial assault on Kyiv with missiles and drones, killing at least 16 people in the city and the surrounding region.
Russian forces attacked Ukraine overnight on August 20 with cruise and ballistic missiles as well as attack drones, making Kyiv the main target. Authorities said 12 people were killed and more than 30 injured in the city, while homes, warehouses, and critical infrastructure were damaged. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed missile and drone plants and military warehouses were hit. Kyiv declared August 21 a day of mourning.
Ukrainian officials say Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv early Thursday, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens more. They said civilian infrastructure, including a children’s hospital, was targeted.
At least 12 people were killed and 40 injured in Russian attacks on Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow had prepared the assault for a long time, combining ballistic and cruise missiles with drones against civilian infrastructure. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko declared Friday a day of mourning.
Russian attackKyivUkrainemissile and drone strikes
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russian forces launched a ballistic-missile strike on Kyiv overnight on August 20. By 8:15 a.m., 12 people had been killed and 33 injured. Fires and damage were reported across several districts. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the targets included defense-industry enterprises, a logistics center, and warehouses.
Russian ballistic missile strikes hit Kyiv early Thursday, killing 12 people and injuring more than 30, according to authorities. Buildings were damaged and power was cut in parts of the Ukrainian capital.
At least nine people were killed and 33 wounded in a Russian missile barrage over Kyiv overnight on Thursday, local authorities said. Explosions rang across the capital throughout the night.
Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv early Thursday, killing at least six people and injuring more than two dozen. Fires broke out across the capital after reports that the strikes hit a children’s hospital and an apartment building.
Ukrainian authorities say overnight Russian missile strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region killed at least eight people and injured 33. Apartment blocks, warehouses and industrial sites were hit, while rescuers searched collapsed buildings. Romania reported a drone entering its airspace, and Poland began defensive air operations.
A heavy overnight Russian bombardment killed at least six people and wounded dozens in Kyiv and the surrounding region, Ukrainian authorities said. Missiles damaged homes, a medical facility and an educational institution, while an attack in Brovary district killed one man and injured another.
Bangladesh’s parliament elected Bangladesh Nationalist Party veteran Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir president by 255 votes to 88. He succeeds Mohammed Shahabuddin, who resigned early for health reasons. The largely ceremonial presidency also carries the roles of head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been elected Bangladesh’s 23rd president in a parliamentary vote. The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party candidate received 255 votes, while opposition-backed Oli Ahmad won 88. It was the first Bangladeshi presidential election in 35 years to feature two candidates.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, 78, was elected president in a parliamentary vote. He received 255 votes against 88 for his sole rival, Oli Ahmad, and will be sworn in on Friday evening.
Bangladesh is voting in its first contested presidential election since 1991. Ruling BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir faces former army officer Oli Ahmad, nominated by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party opposition alliance. Alamgir is widely expected to win because the BNP holds a decisive majority among the 349 eligible lawmakers.
Bangladesh's parliament is due to elect a new president on Thursday. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party is widely expected to win, as the party holds more than a two-thirds majority and the presidency is largely ceremonial.
Nvidia plans to begin shipping small quantities of an AI chip designed for Chinese customers by the end of the year, The Information reported on Thursday, citing two employees.
A recent Israeli attack on a Syrian airbase is part of a broader pattern of incursions. Residents in southern Syria say Israeli troops have detained people, destroyed homes and infrastructure, restricted farmland and water sources, and established bases, with documented incursions increasing and reaching farther into Syria.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of dragging Turkey into “dangerous adventures in Syria” and warned him not to test Israel’s resolve. The warning followed Israel’s strike on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur airbase. Turkey rejected Israel’s claims about a Turkish deployment, while Washington is seeking stronger deconfliction measures to prevent an accidental confrontation.
About 10% fewer international students applied to attend US colleges this fall, the steepest decline in at least a decade, according to data released Thursday by the country’s most widely used college application platform.
Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have bought Strancally castle and its 178-hectare estate in County Waterford as a base for visits to Ireland. The gothic mansion was built in 1830, and the off-market purchase was estimated at €20m-€30m.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has purchased a 19th-century Gothic-style castle overlooking a river in southeastern Ireland, a company spokesperson said Thursday. The property is 200 kilometres (125 miles) from Meta’s European headquarters.
The United States is set to impose new sanctions on Lebanon’s Hezbollah on Thursday, including redesignating the group under a terrorism authority. The move is intended to underscore Hezbollah’s links to the Iranian government.
Humanoid robots are emerging as a leading front in China’s pursuit of technological supremacy, highlighted at Beijing’s World Robot Conference. Chinese companies are racing US rivals as Beijing bets on the machines to raise productivity.
China’s World Robot Conference opened in Beijing on Wednesday, bringing together more than 300 exhibitors showcasing everything from dancing humanoid robots to industrial arms designed for welding, lifting and parcel sorting.
World Robot ConferenceChinese companieshumanoid robots
More than 300 companies are showcasing humanoid, industrial and service robots at Beijing’s five-day World Robot Conference, which opened on August 19. The event coincided with Unitree’s market debut, when shares of China’s best-known humanoid robot maker rose nearly sixfold. Robotics is emerging as a new front in US-China rivalry.
The 2026 World Robot Conference opened in Beijing, highlighting robots for companionship, healthcare and workplace assistance. More than 300 Chinese and foreign robotics companies are presenting over 3,000 exhibits during the five-day event, including companion, massage, desktop assistant and humanoid robots.
The 2026 World Robot Conference opened in Beijing on Wednesday, with more than 300 Chinese and international companies displaying over 3,000 advanced robotic products. Morphi Robot demonstrated a wheeled robot performing household chores for 15 minutes, while Neuromeka unveiled an automated welding system for shipyards.
Some Framework Laptop 13 owners with Ryzen 7040-series boards said BIOS version 3.20 left their machines unable to boot on Windows and Linux. Framework says confirmed affected boards, including those out of warranty in eligible cases, will be replaced, while a future “Crisis Recovery Mode” is being developed.
Cameroon President Paul Biya returned home on Thursday after the longest recorded stay abroad since he took power more than four decades ago, ending months of speculation about his health and whereabouts.
Bulgaria will reduce the output of Unit 5 at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant by 120 megawatts on August 21 because the Danube’s water level has reached a critical low. The Energy Ministry said the measure is intended to prevent a potential emergency and ensure safe operation. It is the first capacity cut at the plant in 52 years for environmental reasons.
Ukraine’s Military Intelligence said Ukrainian forces struck airfields in Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Russian-occupied Donetsk overnight on Aug. 20. The attacks hit Russian drone storage and launch sites and two radar systems, damaging ground equipment and launchers and causing fires, according to HUR.
Construction of a Danish plant for solid fuel used in Ukrainian missiles under the Fire Point project has been pushed back to the end of 2027, Euractiv reports. The cost has tripled from €50 million to €150 million after the company bought a building that failed safety requirements for explosive and toxic materials; Fire Point now plans to build the facility itself.
Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers reportedly failed to return to their units after training in Germany, Die Zeit says. More than 80 deserted from one Saxony-Anhalt facility since 2022, with several hundred cases recorded nationwide. Ukrainian law classifies them as deserters and allows prison terms of up to 12 years if they return.
Dozens of Ukrainian soldiers reportedly deserted while training in Germany, including about 80 cases in Saxony-Anhalt. One recruit, pianist Volodymyr Shulgin, said he left after alleged abusive treatment and threats from Ukrainian officers. Deserters may face up to 12 years in prison in Ukraine, while their prospects for staying in Germany remain uncertain.
A Bali court sentenced Swiss tourist Luzian Andrin Zgraggen to one year in prison over social media posts authorities said insulted Hindu tradition. He had shared videos of himself outdoors during Nyepi and made profane remarks.
Children in Gaza’s displacement camps spend their days waiting for water trucks and seeking food, taking on responsibilities far beyond their years. A doctor says the strain and exhaustion are causing muscle problems, hernias and scoliosis, while shortages and reduced aid services continue.
A filing with EU regulators says China’s e-commerce giant JD.com has put forward remedies for its $2.5 billion offer to acquire German electronics retailer Ceconomy, which is being examined by the bloc.
Massachusetts lawmakers are pursuing what could become the nation’s toughest state-level protections for artificial intelligence. The proposal has split the industry as the governor’s office simultaneously works to attract it.
Prince Harry is returning to Britain with Meghan and their children for an extended stay, six years after they stepped back from royal duties and moved to the United States. Their departure created a rift with King Charles III and Prince William.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children plan to relocate from the US to the UK later this month. Harry and Meghan left Britain and stepped back from royal duties in 2020, and family relations have remained strained. King Charles III welcomes their return but, according to the BBC, was only told on Sunday; the Prince of Wales has made no official comment.
A year after announcing their withdrawal from royal duties, Prince Harry said the move was partly prompted by the actions of a “toxic” British press that was damaging his mental health.
North Korea fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward waters east of the Korean Peninsula as shortened US-South Korea military drills neared their end. South Korea held an emergency security meeting and condemned the launches as violations of UN Security Council resolutions. Donald Trump has sought to scale back the drills and revive diplomacy with Kim Jong Un.
North Koreaballistic missilesUS-South Korea drillsDonald Trump
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the United States should explain why it decided to reduce joint military exercises with South Korea. She said sovereign states may set the drills’ parameters, but exercises must comply with international law, pose no threat and avoid aggression; steps that reduce conflict potential and security risks can be welcomed.
Kim Yo Jong said US security assistance to South Korea was no longer free, arguing that Donald Trump’s decision to scale back the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises exposed Seoul’s dependence on Washington. She also criticized President Lee Jae Myung’s remarks as showing a “contradictory mentality.”
North KoreaSouth Koreajoint military exercisesUS security assistance
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said on Thursday that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s reaction to the US move to reduce joint drills amounted to “double-dealing remarks” revealing uneasiness and impatience.
Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has publicly urged Ukraine to hold elections during the war, breaking a politically sensitive taboo. He called for a safe, realistic system protecting the voting rights of soldiers, Ukrainians abroad and people in frontline areas. Zelensky’s team considered an autumn election but ultimately rejected it.
Ukraine’s former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov is urging President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to hold a presidential election, arguing that democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia. Former foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba reportedly backed the idea, while observers say voting is nearly impossible amid frequent missile and drone attacks.
Arsen Zhumadilov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Procurement Agency, said he will resign and leave the post on Aug. 31. Oleh Klots, a former head of the state-owned Medical Procurement of Ukraine, will serve as interim chief after parliament backed Evhen Khmara as the new defense minister. Zhumadilov said the decision was his own and had not been influenced by anyone.
The Daily Telegraph reported that former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fyodorov’s video appeal for elections revived questions over Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy. The paper said his remarks intensified doubts in Ukrainian society and deepened skepticism toward Kyiv in Washington.
A fast-moving wildfire threatening communities in western Spain has forced at least 800 people to evacuate. Authorities say it has burned more than 4,800 hectares and is reportedly the region’s worst fire this year.
Como mayor Alessandro Rapinese will ban cycling on about 30 streets in the historic centre from September after he was struck by an e-bike. Riders must dismount, but the measure also covers ordinary bicycles. Locals have launched a petition and organised a protest ride against the ban.
Como mayor Alessandro Rapinese will ban bicycles from about 30 streets in the lakeside city’s walled historic centre from September after he was hit by an e-bike. He denies the measure is a personal vendetta, but residents, politicians and cyclists are protesting, while critics say it punishes sustainable transport and delivery workers.
Federal agents seized electronic devices from former Rep. Eric Swalwell and searched his Washington home as part of an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct involving the former California Democratic congressman.
Eric Swalwellfederal investigationsexual misconduct
FBI agents seized former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s devices and later searched his home as part of an ongoing investigation tied to sexual assault allegations.
The U.S. Justice Department urged a judge on Thursday not to schedule an immediate hearing on Disney’s lawsuit seeking to block the Federal Communications Commission from conducting an early review of licenses for the entertainment company’s eight company-owned ABC stations.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the United States’ tighter sanctions amounted to “economic terrorism” and a crime against humanity, warning that those who devised or enforced them would face appropriate punishment. It called the measures a continuation of failed US policy and said they would not weaken Iran’s resolve to defend its independence and sovereignty.
Iranian Consul General in Mumbai Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh said Donald Trump’s appeal to US allies over Iran demonstrates Washington’s weakness. He accused Trump of seeking to isolate and pressure Iran to make up for a military defeat, while saying the Iranian people would continue resisting. He added that countries trading with Tehran would coordinate to prevent disruption.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that he will hold a press conference on Monday to explain exactly what the United States plans to do regarding Iran.
Polish presidential spokesman Rafal Leskiewicz called the East Shield fortifications being built along the borders with Russia and Belarus “full of holes,” describing them as a government PR stunt and saying the air-defense system protects only a narrow part of the sky along the eastern border. The project is estimated to cost 10 billion zlotys and is due for completion in 2028.
Russian Senator Alexander Voloshin says European countries have effectively added screening for Ukrainian refugees. He argues that men and women must now show they are not evading military service to qualify for EU temporary protection, making protection increasingly dependent on whether they are seen as useful to mobilization.
Nathan Cofnas, the U.S. academic who questioned the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday’s work over alleged plagiarism, says Ghent University in Belgium has suspended him and opened a discrimination investigation.
Nathan Cofnas, who had questioned plagiarism involving the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday, said on Thursday that Belgium’s Ghent University had suspended him.
Representatives of around 120 Tajik companies met a Russian business mission in Dushanbe on August 19-20 to discuss importing Russian products. Delegates from 20 Russian firms sought new trade ties, while the Russian Export Center also arranged visits for Tajik companies to Russia to strengthen bilateral business cooperation.
Heated waste piles can turn into environmental disasters. A Bloomberg Businessweek analysis says many landfill operators and regulators are not intervening at the level experts say is necessary.
Ongoing drought in Europe is drying up rivers and damaging crops, raising transport costs and food prices. Research institutes have not yet quantified the effect on German inflation, but restricted Rhine shipping, higher energy transport costs and climate change could create more persistent price pressures.
Police in Ceuta, Spain, are clearing hundreds of migrants from makeshift beach camps and sending them to formal Social Security and Migration shelters. The operation follows the mass crossing of migrants over the Moroccan-Spanish border in July.
Spain says it will create shelters for 1,800 migrants in Ceuta to ease the humanitarian crisis that followed last month’s influx from Morocco. Government figures say about 72,000 people crossed into the North African territory on July 30-31, and 70,000 have since returned to Morocco.
Spanish authorities have cleared El Trampolín beach in Ceuta and relocated about 1,500 migrants and asylum seekers, according to official government figures. The large-scale operation responds to the humanitarian crisis that began when thousands crossed the border from Morocco on July 30 and 31.
In Ceuta, the fate of migrants who crossed into the Spanish enclave at the end of July remains unclear. Many of those still there, including unaccompanied minors, are forced to sleep in dangerous conditions, while families have received little or no information about loved ones who attempted the crossing.
After a surge of migrants entered Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta, more than a dozen migrant women reported sexual assaults. Some created makeshift camps while awaiting registration at a migrant centre, where they recounted experiences of harassment.
Women who entered Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta during a mass crossing on July 30 say sleeping rough while awaiting registration has been compounded by threats and fear of sexual harassment. Authorities say 5,000 to 8,000 people remain there more than two weeks after 72,000 crossed from Morocco in a deadly border surge.
Syria has detained police investigator Ahmad Jawad and referred him to the public prosecutor after an inquiry found he slapped Mohammad Ghamira, a 29-year-old White Helmets volunteer with haemophilia. Ghamira died after his release, with investigators saying the blow may have caused a brain haemorrhage. Two other officers are being investigated.
A barn owl stranded about 70 nautical miles offshore was rescued by a surprised British Army sailing crew taking part in a demanding race around Britain and Ireland.
At least 13 people were killed and seven injured when a landslide struck an illegal gold mine in Policarpa, in Colombia’s southwestern Nariño region. Authorities said improper ore extraction weakened the mine’s base and caused the collapse; everyone reported missing was later found.
At least 13 people were killed and seven injured when a slope collapsed at an illegal gold mine in Colombia’s southwestern Nariño department. A government official attributed the collapse to mining activity.
Thirteen workers lost their lives and seven were hurt when an open-cast mine slope failed in Policarpa, southwestern Colombia’s Narino department, local officials reported.
At least 13 workers died and seven were injured when a landslide struck an unlicensed open-air artisanal gold mine near Policarpa in southern Colombia. Witnesses reported an explosion shortly before the workers were trapped. Four of the dead were from the same Indigenous family.
Iran’s Defense Ministry says hostilities in the Persian Gulf have tested the country’s defense industry and underscored the need to use domestic resources effectively. It says repeated pressure and sanctions opened opportunities for Iranian specialists, whose work, combined with the army’s capabilities, thwarted many adversary plans and objectives.
The piece argues that proposals for Ukraine to trade territory for peace overlook the millions of Ukrainians living under an occupation designed to erase their identity. Russia is described as using legal and political integration, the ruble, forced passportization, and programs targeting children to replace Ukrainian identity with a Russian one.
Powerful storms sweeping across the East Coast on Thursday are expected to arrive during the evening commute, threatening millions in the Northeast with flash flooding and destructive winds.
Riyadh sees Sudan’s unity and stability as inseparable from Saudi security across the Red Sea. The two countries signed an agreement in Riyadh on August 17, 2026, establishing a coordination council designed to develop long-term strategic, economic and investment cooperation, including security, defence and reconstruction.
The Bank of Russia set the official dollar rate for August 21 at 83.355 rubles, down 1 ruble 77.43 kopecks from the previous rate. The euro rate fell to 96.7335 rubles, while the yuan rate rose to 12.4057 rubles.
As OpenAI navigates lawsuits, executive departures, and preparations for an IPO, co-founder and president Greg Brockman has steadily accumulated authority. Sam Altman remains CEO, but Brockman is now effectively the company’s second-in-command and the dominant figure in day-to-day operations, product strategy, and commercial scaling.
Low river levels are disrupting the movement of goods across Germany, Europe’s largest economy, adding to the difficulties facing its already tentative recovery, the Bundesbank said on Thursday.
Twenty people deported by the United States have arrived in Liberia under a new agreement covering 1,200 migrants, including nationals from Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean. Advocates and immigration lawyers say third-country deportations can leave people facing safety risks and function as a legal loophole to push asylum-seekers back toward countries they fled.
US deportationsLiberiaimmigration policyTrump administration
The United States has sent 20 deportees to Liberia. They arrived Thursday as part of a new agreement under which the African country will receive 1,200 migrants.
Walmart’s quarterly comparable sales came in below estimates on Thursday for the first time in at least five years, highlighting pressure on consumer spending from higher fuel costs. Its shares fell 8% in early trading.
Poland detained 63-year-old Ukrainian citizen Serhiy P. in Warsaw over suspicions that he tried to assassinate an unnamed Ukrainian defense-industry representative in Irpin. Authorities say he placed a homemade remote-triggered explosive under the target’s car, but it malfunctioned. Investigators believe Russian intelligence services directed him, and a Warsaw court ordered his arrest on attempted-murder charges.
Poland’s Internal Security Agency says it detained 63-year-old Ukrainian citizen Serhiy P. in Warsaw over an alleged attempt to assassinate a Ukrainian arms-industry representative in Irpin. Investigators say he allegedly acted for Russian secret services; the remotely triggered explosive failed, and he fled to Poland. He faces attempted-murder and explosives charges and three months of pretrial detention.
The Ukrainian Book Institute says Russian attacks on publishing, printing and warehouse facilities in July and early August destroyed about 10m books, including roughly 8m at an RNK-Ranok warehouse in Kharkiv and more than 1.5m in Kyiv. Publishers warn that the country’s entire book ecosystem could collapse and are seeking international support.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre says six armed people boarded the Seamull tanker off Yemen, took control and redirected it towards Somalia. The incident comes amid a marked resurgence of Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden, while authorities investigate and the crew’s safety remains unclear.
Micron Technology said it plans to invest $10 billion over the next decade in its newly established research lab in Boise, Idaho. The facility will advance memory technologies, develop compute systems and support future chip manufacturing.
Pavlohrad in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk Oblast was once a relatively safe refuge from fighting farther east. As Russia’s weapons reach deeper, recent guided aerial bomb and drone attacks have killed and wounded civilians, damaged local business and left residents worried about schools, shelters and a possible evacuation.
Google’s HiLight notification LED on the Pixel 11 Pro has limited built-in functions and just five color choices. Developer Dhananjay_Tech’s HiLight Studio adds customizable effects for notifications, including colors, brightness, intensity, saturation, and timing. It is not yet on the Play Store and must be sideloaded from GitHub.
NewNew Shipping Line CEO Ke Jin said the company expects major growth in Murmansk Region, citing support from regional authorities and the port’s status as western Russia’s only ice-free harbor. Six larger vessels are set to begin calls in late October, while the company is ready to invest in infrastructure. A Chinese container ship made the port’s first Northern Sea Route delivery on August 19, carrying automotive components.
NewNew Shipping Line plans to raise cargo volumes on the Northern Sea Route to 1.2 million tons by 2027. CEO Ke Jin said six new container ships would be progressively deployed by the end of October. On August 19, the first container ship from China reached Murmansk via the route, carrying automotive components.
NewNew Shipping Line says it is ready to invest in Murmansk port’s berthing facilities so the harbor can accommodate large vessels being built for the route. The company plans to begin sending new ships there as early as late October, with six currently ready to call, while the investment amount remains undisclosed.
NewNew Shipping CEO Ke Jin says the Northern Sea Route could become the safest and most reliable container route linking Russia, China and Europe because the Black Sea route between China and Russia is effectively closed. The company is interested in developing a container port in Murmansk, where the first China-bound container ship to arrive via the route was welcomed.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Finnish weapons entering Ukraine would become legitimate targets for Russia’s armed forces and that no hostile action by Helsinki would go unanswered. She also said Finland had become one of the “most ardent sponsors of the Kiev regime” since 2022.
In the Middle Ages, narwhal tusks were sold as unicorn horns believed to neutralize poisons and cure disease. Monarchs and nobles prized them at values exceeding their weight in gold. They had no such powers, but remain mysterious objects today.
The United States is stepping up efforts to bring Libya’s two rival governments together, with Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye also backing a return to “One Libya”. A reported US proposal would encourage investment in Libya’s oil fields if the sides cooperate and could involve a power-sharing deal keeping Abdul Hamid Dheibah as government leader while Saddam Haftar becomes president. Critics say the plan lacks Libyan input and could entrench political dynasties.
Can the US and Middle Eastern powers unite Libya 15 years after Gaddafi’s overthrow?
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇭🇰 Hong Kong's bamboo theatre builders fight to keep tradition alive
As workers erect timber posts and bamboo sticks for a theatre that hosts traditional Cantonese opera performances for both worshippers and deities, a veteran builder worries about the future of the Hong Kong tradition
🇭🇰 Hong Kong's bamboo theatre builders fight to keep tradition alive
As workers erect timber posts and bamboo sticks for a theatre that hosts traditional Cantonese opera performances for both worshippers and deities, a veteran builder worries about the future of the Hong Kong tradition
South Korea says North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday after Donald Trump suggested he could meet Kim Jong Un this year. Pyongyang also mocked Seoul as a U.S. “servant” while South Korea and the United States held a shortened Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise following Trump’s order to scale back the drills.
North Koreaballistic missilesUS-South Korea drillsDonald Trump
South Korea says the DPRK launched more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea during ongoing US-ROK exercises. The projectiles reportedly fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, while Seoul condemned the launch as a grave violation of UN Security Council resolutions and ordered its military to remain fully ready.
North Koreaballistic missilesUS-ROK drillsKorean Peninsula
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