Russian rights group Kovcheg says its support bot received 6.3 times more questions about leaving the country in the first 20 days of August than during all of May 2026, while moderator inquiries reached 5.27 times May’s level. Russians are chiefly asking about Armenia, Georgia, Serbia, Argentina, and Latin America. Kovcheg connects the rise to rumors of post-election mobilization and exit visas, though Russian officials deny plans for a new wave.
Pro-Russia social media users have claimed that Vladimir Putin travels without a security team, portraying the Russian president as beloved by his people. But video from his latest trip to Siberia shows him accompanied by a large security contingent.
Russia’s Justice Ministry has placed the independent outlet Mediazona on its “foreign agent” registry, effectively marking the second such designation. The ministry also listed the Pervym Reysom project and six individuals, including journalists Miloslav Chemodanov, Igor Sadreev, and Natalya Kiseleva. Mediazona said its founding legal entity had previously been listed but was later removed after liquidation.
Former presidential office deputy chief Iryna Mudra and ex-lawmaker Maksym Mykytas appeared at Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court on Aug. 21 in a corporate raiding investigation. Prosecutors sought Mudra’s detention with Hr 150 million bail; Mykytas was also ordered detained, with bail set at Hr 200 million. Both are suspects in NABU’s “Forest Gump” case.
A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked a lower-court order that would have given thousands of players who left college after last season an additional year of eligibility.
Close Trump aide Natalie Harp expressed her utmost loyalty to him in at least two letters addressed to the president, published by The Daily Beast on Thursday as scrutiny of her relationship with Trump intensified.
NATO’s eastern European members are offering to reduce the costs of US troops stationed on their territory, according to people familiar with the matter, in an effort to discourage the Trump administration from shrinking its military presence in the region.
Israeli settlers entered a stone quarry in Wadi Al-Rakheem near Hebron overnight and burned heavy machinery. Palestinian residents found their equipment damaged in the morning, while Israel’s military said soldiers discovered evidence of arson and graffiti that police are investigating.
The UK, Canada and Australia called Israel’s refusal to open a criminal investigation into the 2024 strikes on a World Central Kitchen convoy “shameful”. Seven humanitarian workers were killed. The three governments said the victims and their families deserved justice and accountability, while Israel’s military cited serious failures but said the commanders’ decisions did not create reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct.
Five-time Grand Slam champion and world number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from this year’s US Open because he has not recovered from a right knee injury. The Italian, who won Wimbledon after beating Alexander Zverev, said he still needs more time to recover.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner says he will miss this year’s US Open because his right knee injury still requires more recovery time. The Italian had already withdrawn from the Montreal and Cincinnati Masters 1000 events with the same injury.
The Kyiv Independent’s journalists Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko accompanied Ukrainian military medics from the battlefields of war-torn Ukraine to peaceful Swedish forests for a brief mental health retreat.
Ukrainewartime electionsmilitary medicsmental health
Leaders of the so-called Coalition of the Willing will meet on Monday to discuss further support for Ukraine, AFP reported, citing the Elysee Palace press service. Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and Andy Burnham are to co-chair the hybrid meeting, while European Council President Antonio Costa will attend in Kyiv.
French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will jointly chair a Monday meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, a group of countries supporting Ukraine.
JPMorgan Chase is bringing veteran dealmaker David Fishman over from Bank of America to lead a newly formed investment banking group focused on key technology-sector clients, according to a memo seen by Reuters.
Russian authorities aim to optimize planned refinery maintenance to reduce the risk of fuel shortages. A meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak also covered fuel distribution, quality control, pricing and labeling, while officials urged higher domestic gasoline and diesel supplies, fair prices and greater sales transparency.
Russian authorities have ordered oil refineries to optimize planned maintenance schedules to reduce the risk of fuel shortages and distribute available supplies more evenly across regions. The cabinet also discussed measures to secure domestic supplies, maintain fair prices and improve transparency in fuel sales.
Iranian Navy commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani says the Navy maintains a strong presence in the Strait of Hormuz and other Gulf straits. He says it will defend Iran’s national interests and security against enemy attacks and prevent adversaries from approaching.
TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov said Russia is carrying out a “surgical operation” during its special military operation in Ukraine to avoid damaging exclusively civilian infrastructure and causing unjustified civilian casualties. He made the remarks in Syktyvkar while presenting his documentary Airport at the CIS International Film Festival.
Russia-Ukraine conflictRussiacivilian safetyfilm festival
TASS chief: Russia conducting ‘surgical operation’ in Ukraine to avoid harming civilians
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇰🇷 South Korea holds civil defence drill as US scales back joint army exercises
Police officers clear the road for fire engines as people descend into designated shelters, with South Korean authorities holding a civil defence drill simulating a national emergency such as an air raid.
🇰🇷 South Korea holds civil defence drill as US scales back joint army exercises
Police officers clear the road for fire engines as people descend into designated shelters, with South Korean authorities holding a civil defence drill simulating a national emergency such as an air raid.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said it would be a good time to seek an end to the war with the United States, arguing that Iran was in a position of strength and dignity. He said Tehran would not bow to intimidation. His remarks came as the June partial truce remained ambiguous and Donald Trump threatened harsher economic pressure on Iran.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said Russian forces struck a Ukrainian Navy patrol boat in Chornomorsk port on Friday. The boat was escorting ships carrying military cargo. The ministry also reported a strike on a fuel-and-lubricants tank and military-cargo storage facilities at Yuzhny port, saying attacks on ports and vessels used by Ukraine continued throughout the day.
German security authorities found handguns hidden in a forest near Berlin last year and believe the weapons were intended for assassinations carried out on behalf of Russian intelligence, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported on Friday.
The UN Security Council is set to hold a second informal straw poll on Friday to assess support for the eight candidates seeking to replace Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Guterres will finish his second five-year term at the end of the year, amid deep divisions within the organisation.
United Nationssecretary-general raceAntonio Guterres
FIFA has suspended three Argentina players over clashes with Spain players after the World Cup final. Leandro Paredes received a 10-match ban for grabbing Eric Garcia by the throat and pushing Gavi, while Nahuel Molina was suspended for seven games and Thiago Almada for one. Spain’s Gavi also received a one-match suspension.
FIFA said Friday that midfielder Leandro Paredes and several Argentina players were suspended and fined for their involvement in clashes with Spain players during the World Cup final. Paredes received a 10-game ban.
FIFA suspended three Argentina players on Friday for striking Spain opponents shortly after the World Cup final. Midfielder Leandro Paredes received the longest punishment, a 10-match ban.
Russian forces carried out a daytime drone attack on a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih on Aug. 21, killing at least five people and injuring more than 90, including six children, Ukrainian local officials said. Twenty-one injured people were in serious condition. A rescue operation began, but the extent of the damage and casualties was still being assessed after a second attack on the site.
China is reportedly considering a proposal to host the United Nations’ annual climate summit in 2028. The move would signal an effort to demonstrate greater global leadership on climate issues.
Merck and Moderna’s success with a personalized cancer vaccine designed to keep melanoma at bay is opening a new treatment avenue that doctors hope could work against many types of tumors.
US drugmakers Merck and Moderna said a personalised cancer treatment reduced melanoma recurrence in a late-stage trial. Experts called the result a breakthrough, marking the first positive outcome for an mRNA cancer treatment in a large, late-stage clinical trial.
Seven months into what Cuba describes as an effective oil blockade imposed by the Trump administration, worsening fuel shortages have increased power cuts and reduced access to running water. The number of people struggling to obtain water has risen from 2.6 million in August 2025 to 3.5 million, about one-third of the population, bringing health risks across the island.
Fidel Antonio Castro Smirnov, grandson of Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro and a professor at Havana University, told TASS that Cuba has endured US pressure for decades and can cope with it today. He said international solidarity, diversified ties and mutual support among countries are vital for sovereign development.
Japanese farmers are shifting to night work as intense summer daytime heat makes farm labor dangerous. North of Tokyo, flower grower Motoaki Iijima harvests in a lit greenhouse after sunset after a worker suffered heatstroke there three summers ago. Nearby, poultry farmer Tetsuya Usuba wakes his flock at 2:30 am to feed.
Iraq has sent a delegation to Saudi Arabia to seek a higher OPEC production quota as it plans to raise oil output to between 8 million and 10 million barrels per day over the next six years, the prime minister said on Friday.
Leaked audio reportedly captures US vice-president JD Vance mocking Canada for conceding ground in trade talks and taunting Prime Minister Mark Carney over an effort to “out-tough” Donald Trump. The recording comes as negotiations continue under Trump’s threat of 50% tariffs on Canada.
A Texas court reduced a $50 million judgment against Infowars founder Alex Jones to $1.5 million. Jones had falsely claimed that the 2012 Newtown school shooting was a hoax.
Former Zelensky spokeswoman Yulia Mendel said Ukraine should beg Russia for peace to save the country. Citing closed Black Sea ports and soaring fuel prices, she called peace a matter of Ukraine’s “survival” and said Zelensky’s stubbornness was causing the country to collapse further.
Russian missile attacks are causing record civilian deaths in Ukrainian cities, while Ukraine’s long-range strikes have damaged Russian fuel and military supply networks. As Russia’s economy struggles, a leading expert warned that social unrest could emerge and subsequently lost his job. The UN said Russian forces killed 437 people and injured 2,610 in July.
Former Brazil football star Ronaldinho, who retired in 2015, says he will return to action 11 years later with Italian third-division club Ravenna, aiming to score his 300th goal.
Former Brazil star Ronaldinho says he will return to football 11 years after retiring, joining Italian third-division side Ravenna in an attempt to score his 300th goal. He ended his glittering career in 2015, with his last official appearance coming for Brazilian club Fluminense.
Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho is set to return to football with Italian third-tier club Ravenna, more than a decade after his last professional appearance. Although some suspect a publicity stunt, Ronaldinho says he wants to help the team win and pursue a 300th professional goal.
Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fyodorov has reportedly launched a comprehensive campaign against President Vladimir Zelensky and his inner circle, Strana says. His supporters are reportedly targeting Zelensky, Servant of the People parliamentary faction leader David Arakhamia and Kirill Budanov through information efforts and possibly criminal proceedings, with Valery Zaluzhny potentially next. The publication says Fyodorov will face resistance.
The Environmental Protection Agency plans to extend the September 1 deadline for oil refiners to demonstrate compliance with U.S. biofuel blending laws. The move could give the industry more flexibility as it faces elevated compliance costs.
EPA plans to extend renewable fuel compliance deadline for refiners
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇲🇽 Young Mexicans battle for 'aura' in latest social media trend
Young Mexicans face off in one of the latest social media trends, the 'aura battle,' a contest where rivals showcase their best moves, poses and meme-inspired gestures to see who has the most 'aura'.
🇲🇽 Young Mexicans battle for 'aura' in latest social media trend
Young Mexicans face off in one of the latest social media trends, the 'aura battle,' a contest where rivals showcase their best moves, poses and meme-inspired gestures to see who has the most 'aura'.
New South Wales is considering an appeal after Supreme Court justice Desmond Fagan rejected a terrorism-related supervision order for Mohommed Farhat. Fagan said Farhat’s anti-Israel slogans were political comment rather than antisemitism, while a Jewish group condemned the ruling and a Greens MP sought an investigation into police handling of the case.
New South Walescourt rulingantisemitismanti-Israel vandalism
Former New South Wales MPs David Elliott and Eleni Petinos believe their own party brought them down. An ICAC inquiry into alleged illegal secret donations and branch-stacking gave Elliott, appearing as a witness, an opportunity to air long-held suspicions, including claims that developer Jean Nassif damaged his career, had him followed and spread rumours about him.
New South Wales politicsICAC inquiryBranch stackingProperty developers
Spanish police have moved migrants in Ceuta into makeshift shelters. Weeks after a surge at the border, as many as 10,000 migrants—including women and children—remain in the city amid a humanitarian crisis.
Eurostat data shows fuel prices in Romania rose 24.2% over the past 12 months, the highest increase in the European Union. Germany and Lithuania followed at 22.9%, while the EU average was 16.9%; Hungary was the only member to record a decline, at 0.1%.
U.S. investors were net buyers of equity funds for a second consecutive week through August 19. Strong earnings and cooler inflation supported demand, while a bond-market selloff and higher oil prices weighed on markets.
In rural Kurdistan, the village of Kulak now has round-the-clock electricity from solar panels and batteries, keeping water pumps and cold storage operating and giving farmers more control over their livelihoods. The initiative trains residents to maintain the systems and links energy access to agricultural development, presenting decentralised power as a long-term solution for remote communities rather than a temporary bridge to grid expansion.
Australia’s Senate Foreign Affairs Committee has proposed 11 measures to strengthen sanctions on Russia, including legislation to seize sanctioned Russian assets and transfer them to Ukraine. The report cites loopholes and weak enforcement, while Labor senators call the asset estimates speculative and warn of major legal and constitutional barriers.
India’s foreign exchange reserves rose to $716.9 billion in the week through August 14, their highest level in about six months. Inflows under central bank measures aimed at strengthening the balance of payments helped drive the increase.
The US has seen a stream of recalls involving eggs potentially contaminated with salmonella, lettuce linked to a cyclospora outbreak, tainted peppers, and products posing E. coli or glass risks. Experts say recall activity appears elevated, but the number through July 31 was not clearly higher than in the previous two years. Several recalls affected unusually large quantities, while intense media and social-media coverage may be creating recall fatigue and eroding trust.
More than 300 filling stations in Ukraine have been damaged or completely destroyed over the past six months, Energy Minister Denis Shmygal told parliament, causing major economic losses. Reports of damaged stations are arriving from various regions almost daily.
Australian insurance broker Steadfast Group said on Friday it had accepted a A$7.7 billion ($5.52 billion) takeover offer from a consortium backed by U.S. investment giant KKR.
The Israeli military said it struck a building in the security zone in southern Lebanon after several suspected radicals entered it in the Baraashit area and posed a threat to IDF soldiers. The IDF said it would keep removing immediate threats while remaining committed to the agreement with Lebanon.
Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury says his long-awaited November bout with Anthony Joshua now appears unlikely. Fury accused Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn of seeking more money, while the date and venue remain unsettled; reports say Saudi organisers favour Madison Square Garden in New York, despite a contract for the fight to take place in the UK.
South African prosecutors have withdrawn fraud and corruption charges against crime intelligence chief Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and six other police officers. They had been arrested over the allegedly unlawful appointment of a civilian to a senior intelligence post; the case was formally dropped at a court in Pretoria.
South Africacorruption chargespolice intelligenceprosecution
China’s 2026 summer movie season is setting box-office and attendance records. Total year-to-date revenue, including presales, has topped 26.5 billion yuan, while the summer season has attracted more than 290 million moviegoers. The boom is also boosting tourism, retail and dining, as cinemas add food, games, virtual reality and live performances.
China filmsummer box officemovie attendanceconsumer spending
Enzo Maresca says Manchester City can reproduce the success of Pep Guardiola’s era, but only with time to manage major changes to the squad and club. The new manager faces Bournemouth in his first Premier League match in charge on Sunday and aims to make City competitive for trophies as soon as possible.
Manchester CityPremier LeagueEnzo MarescaBournemouth
Moroccan families are looking for relatives who went to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta during last month’s large migration wave. Many are camping outside the Tarajal border crossing on the Moroccan side while seeking information. Spain has created a special missing-persons office.
Tornadoes struck New York and Delaware as severe storms brought torrential rain, heavy winds and power outages across parts of the Northeast. Atlantic Beach on Long Island was affected, while police reported no serious injuries there.
Google’s Pixel 10A is discounted from $499 to $424 at Amazon, Best Buy, and the Google Store. It adds faster wired charging, Satellite SOS, and AI tools such as Camera Coach and Auto Best Take, while retaining the Pixel 9A’s Tensor G4 chip and dual-camera setup.
Google Pixel 10Aphone dealsartificial intelligence
Canada’s retail sales increased 0.6% in June, exceeding the 0.4% average analyst forecast, according to data released Friday. Sales surged at clothing and general merchandise stores.
Finnish Freedom Alliance member Armando Mema accused European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of hypocrisy for calling peace the EU’s mission while urging member states to rearm. He said the €800 billion rearmament plan threatens peace and would be seen by Russia as a direct security threat, and accused von der Leyen of baselessly alleging Russian airspace violations while ignoring the Nord Stream explosions.
Several people were injured in a sword attack at Brinell School in Fagersta, central Sweden. Police arrested a man and searched the building, while eight other local schools were placed under lockdown. Authorities said there was no current danger to the public.
A machete-wielding attacker entered a school in Fagersta municipality, Sweden’s Västmanland County, injuring several people, SVT reported. Police detained the attacker, while emergency services, officers and a police helicopter responded. The government said it was closely monitoring the situation.
Local officials in Sweden say an attacker armed with a sword wounded several people at a school. The suspected perpetrator has been taken into custody.
Several people were injured when an assailant armed with a sword entered Brinellskolan in Fagersta, central Sweden, authorities said. Police detained one person, searched the school and urged the public to follow roadblocks and instructions. Other schools in the area were locked down.
Several people were wounded when an individual armed with a sword attacked a high school in Fagersta, central Sweden. Police said one person had been taken into custody and urged the public to follow instructions around the scene. Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said the government was in close contact with police.
An attacker armed with a sword injured several people at Brinellskolan high school in central Sweden on Friday, according to authorities. Fagersta municipality said the suspect was detained, while Swedish media reported that police shot a person wielding a machete.
U.S. services recorded their strongest growth in nearly two years, driving a sharp acceleration in overall business activity in August. That expansion offset slower manufacturing growth, which was constrained by reduced inventory building and supply disruptions from the U.S.-led war with Iran, S&P Global said.
President Donald Trump said he would permit tariff relief for some ground beef imports in an effort to bring down prices for American consumers. The cost of food is a key concern ahead of the November midterm elections.
President Donald Trump said the United States would permit up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef imports without counting them against tariff quotas under a 90-day arrangement intended to reduce prices as consumers struggle with grocery costs.
Donald TrumpUnited Statesbeef importstariff quotas
This year’s El Niño could become the strongest ever recorded, threatening extreme weather worldwide and potentially making 2027 the hottest year on record by a wide margin. The UK Met Office’s long-range forecasting chief called it the most “intense” event in more than a century. Experts say, combined with human-caused climate change, the temporary heat could preview conditions expected by the late 2030s.
The UK Met Office says this year’s El Niño could be the strongest in more than a century, with tropical Pacific sea-surface temperatures forecast to rise by more than 3C in coming months. The event would raise risks of drought, heat, heavy rain and other extremes, and is very likely to help make 2027 the hottest year on record globally.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is expanding at an exponential rate, with more than 2,500 deaths recorded, according to a senior UN disease coordinator. Half of those deaths occurred in the past 20 days. The outbreak is the largest in the country’s history and is spreading faster than any recorded Ebola outbreak.
Julien Harneis, a senior UN coordinator for Ebola, said Friday that the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo had taken more than 2,500 lives and was growing exponentially across a territory exceeding France in area.
The UN says Ebola is spreading “exponentially” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with more than 2,500 deaths reported. Conflict, funding shortages and attacks on health workers and facilities have left the epidemic out of control, while available funds may run out within weeks and the virus could reach neighbouring countries.
Bolivia has appointed Oscar Mario Justiniano Pinto as interim economy minister, replacing Jose Gabriel Espinoza, according to a presidential decree published Friday in the Official Gazette.
The United Nations said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was alarmed by reports of illegal Israeli settlement outposts in the West Bank. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warned that development in the E1 area would sever links between the northern and southern West Bank, with severe consequences for the territory’s integrity and the two-state solution.
Israeli settlementsE1 areatwo-state solutionWest Bank
A federal court has ruled that former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is competent to face sex-trafficking and prostitution charges, reversing an earlier finding. Judge Nusrat Choudhury cited medical records and more than 21 hours of recordings from 109 calls as evidence that he understands the proceedings. His trial is due to start on 26 October, with accommodations for his age and cognitive impairments.
More than three decades after joining APEC, China is preparing to host the forum for a third time, with the leaders’ meeting scheduled in Shenzhen in November. Its participation has expanded from trade and investment to connectivity, innovation and sustainable development, while China’s proposed 2026 agenda emphasizes openness, innovation, cooperation and regional economic integration.
Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said relations between Moscow and Beijing are experiencing the best period in their history under the strategic leadership of Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. He cited steadily deepening political trust, major achievements in bilateral cooperation and increasingly close international coordination.
Russia-China relations seeing best period in their history — Chinese ambassador
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇨🇳 Beijing robot expo highlights tech shaping future labour market
Robots of all shapes and sizes go on show at a huge Beijing robotics conference. Firms are showcasing their AI-powered machines as China strives to transform its labour market.
🇨🇳 Beijing robot expo highlights tech shaping future labour market
Robots of all shapes and sizes go on show at a huge Beijing robotics conference. Firms are showcasing their AI-powered machines as China strives to transform its labour market.
A Djibouti government audit has accused the country’s football federation of favouritism in awarding a headquarters contract and inadequate competitive bidding, amid allegations that FIFA and CAF funding and Saudi money for the building were misused. Federation chief Souleiman Hassan Waberi said FIFA found no wrongdoing, while acknowledging shortcomings in some tendering procedures.
Djibouti football federationFIFAfunding allegationsfootball governance
The UK, Australia and Canada called Israel’s decision not to launch a criminal investigation into the April 2024 strike on a World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza “shameful”. Seven humanitarian workers were killed. Israel’s military said troops had mistaken people in the vehicles for armed Hamas operatives and concluded that commanders’ decisions did not create reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct.
A 400-year-old grave contained the body of a young woman, with a rusted sickle placed over her throat and a padlock fastened to her foot. The macabre arrangement suggests a community feared she might rise again after death.
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