- Putin Revealed His True Intentions With Japan by Visiting Disputed Islands The Moscow Times
- Putin visits disputed island near Japan, drawing Tokyo's ire Reuters
- Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 13, 2026 Institute for the Study of War
- ‘Absolutely unacceptable’: Japan PM Takaichi condemns Putin’s visit to disputed Kuril Islands CNBC
- Putin Visits Islands Seized From Japan in World War II, Angering Tokyo The New York Times
Trump hails Mecca pact: Can it replace the region’s US security umbrella?
As Trump pushes allies to do more for their own defence, three US partners have created a security pact of their own.
This New Daily Tracker Can Tell You if Smelly Sargassum Is Headed for Your Beach Vacation—Before You Even Arrive – Travel + Leisure
- This New Daily Tracker Can Tell You if Smelly Sargassum Is Headed for Your Beach Vacation—Before You Even Arrive Travel + Leisure
- Atlantic’s Sargassum Problem Is Reaching Record Levels SURFER Magazine
- Mexico races to clear record seaweed surge from Caribbean beaches Reuters
- Images from space reveal a previously unknown structure stretching almost 5,000 miles in the Atlantic Ocean Diario AS
- Tracking sargassum at sea University of Miami News
Meet the only known trebuchet casualty in history – Ars Technica
- Meet the only known trebuchet casualty in history Ars Technica
- This Medieval Skeleton Had 160 Broken Bones, and Scientists Just Figured Out What Hit Him Gizmodo
- A Medieval Man's Injuries Reminded One Archaeologist of Modern-Day Car Crash Victims. They Turned Out to Be the Work of an English Trebuchet Smithsonian Magazine
- A skeleton found beneath Scotland's Stirling Castle had more than 160 fractures; researchers say it is the first confirmed death from a trebuchet The Times of India
- 'Skeleton 150' Is First Confirmed Trebuchet Victim Newser
German Christian Democrats Are Paralyzed by a Far-Right Surge – Jacobin
- German Christian Democrats Are Paralyzed by a Far-Right Surge Jacobin
- How the anti-AfD firewall broke German politics The Economist
- Germany divided over proposals to outlaw the far right EL PAÍS English
- Germany’s Far-Right Is On the Rise. The Implications Are Global. News of the United States - NOTUS
- Germany Election AFD Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Saudis Offer to Sell Oil Near Oman, a Possible Sign They’re Sailing Dark Through Hormuz – Bloomberg.com
- Saudis Offer to Sell Oil Near Oman, a Possible Sign They’re Sailing Dark Through Hormuz Bloomberg.com
- Saudi Arabia resumes oil loadings, sales from inside Strait of Hormuz Reuters
- Asian Refiners Ask to Pick Up Saudi Oil Outside Risky Red Sea Yahoo Finance
- Saudi Arabia ramps up oil exports through Mediterranean pipeline to avoid attacks in Red Sea CNBC
- The Week in Charts: Red Sea traffic holds firm despite Houthi blockade | NOAA upgrades El Niño warning and outlook for Panama Canal worsens Lloyd's List
American tourist killed by lightning strike on Italy’s Mount Etna, reports say – cbsnews.com
- American tourist killed by lightning strike on Italy's Mount Etna, reports say cbsnews.com
- US tourist dies after being struck by lightning on Italy’s Mount Etna The Guardian
- American Hiker Dies After Lighting Strike on Mount Etna in Italy The New York Times
- US hiker dies after being struck by lightning on Mount Etna BBC
- US hiker dies after lightning strike on Mount Etna, Italian media reports Yahoo
French Serie A footballer Yael Trepy in intensive care after near-drowning
Italian media reports that the Cagliari forward was rescued after swallowing a lot of water in a swimming pool in Porto Cervo.
Russia and Ukraine trade more deadly strikes
Moscow says nine people have been killed in the past 24 hours, while Kyiv reports four deaths.
Why Kushner met Hamas leaders, and what it means for Trump’s Gaza roadmap
Jared Kushner to meet Netanyahu next, after Israel rejected Trump's 15-point Gaza roadmap.
Cameroon celebrates after winning first ever WAFCON title
Cameroon wins its first WAFCON title, beating Malawi 3–0 in the final.
EU Plans Most Far-Reaching Sanctions Against Russia, Kallas Says – The Moscow Times
- EU Plans Most Far-Reaching Sanctions Against Russia, Kallas Says The Moscow Times
- EU plans most far-reaching sanctions against Russia in coming months, Kallas says Reuters
- EU to propose tougher sanctions on Russia this autumn, Kaja Kallas says Euronews.com
- EU is preparing largest sanctions package against Russia Українська правда
- New EU sanctions target leaders of Russia’s space industry SpaceNews
The Nazi Relics Emerging From Drought-Stricken Danube – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
- The Nazi Relics Emerging From Drought-Stricken Danube Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
- Remains of two Wehrmacht soldiers found in Danube: one served in Waffen-SS Euronews.com
- Danube river's low water levels reveal remains of WWII German soldiers in Hungary BBC
- News - Drought Exposes Roman Bridge in Bulgaria Archaeology Magazine
- Record low Danube levels reveal sunken World War Two warship wrecks Reuters
Ukraine takes aim at Russia’s economy and morale by attacking online retailer – AP News
- Ukraine takes aim at Russia’s economy and morale by attacking online retailer AP News
- Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 16, 2026 Institute for the Study of War
- Ukraine takes aim at Russia's economy and morale by attacking online retailer Wildberries PBS
- Why Kyiv keeps attacking Russian retail giant Wildberries DW.com
- Putin Faces Homefront Crisis Over Billion-Dollar Humiliation The Daily Beast
Ukraine takes aim at Russia’s economy and morale by attacking online retailer – AP News
- Ukraine takes aim at Russia’s economy and morale by attacking online retailer AP News
- Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 16, 2026 Institute for the Study of War
- Ukraine takes aim at Russia's economy and morale by attacking online retailer Wildberries PBS
- Why Kyiv keeps attacking Russian retail giant Wildberries DW.com
- Putin Faces Homefront Crisis Over Billion-Dollar Humiliation The Daily Beast
Temperatures to fall across Europe as substantial rain heading for parts of UK
Temperatures could drop by more than 15C compared with last Thursday as cold front moves in
Relief from the unrelenting heat is finally arriving this week across western Europe, with more unsettled conditions bringing the chance of rain. Temperatures are expected to fall back towards the seasonal norm, with some parts of the UK even falling about 3C below normal by Thursday. After such a scorching summer, and with a temperature drop of more than 15C compared with last Thursday’s heat, it may feel surprisingly chilly.
There are signs that some substantial rain could be on the cards for the south of the UK this week as a cold front moves in from the Atlantic on Monday night into Tuesday. As of Monday, parts of southern England had endured 62 consecutive days of no rainfall – this is observed at a Met Office weather station in Wisley, Surrey. Even the last recorded rainfall here on 16 June amounted to just 0.4mm.
Continue reading...Temperatures to fall across Europe as substantial rain heading for parts of UK
Temperatures could drop by more than 15C compared with last Thursday as cold front moves in
Relief from the unrelenting heat is finally arriving this week across western Europe, with more unsettled conditions bringing the chance of rain. Temperatures are expected to fall back towards the seasonal norm, with some parts of the UK even falling about 3C below normal by Thursday. After such a scorching summer, and with a temperature drop of more than 15C compared with last Thursday’s heat, it may feel surprisingly chilly.
There are signs that some substantial rain could be on the cards for the south of the UK this week as a cold front moves in from the Atlantic on Monday night into Tuesday. As of Monday, parts of southern England had endured 62 consecutive days of no rainfall – this is observed at a Met Office weather station in Wisley, Surrey. Even the last recorded rainfall here on 16 June amounted to just 0.4mm.
Continue reading...Yemen’s drone war: Rivals flex growing aerial muscle
Houthi and government forces exchange drone attacks, marking a major shift in war tactics.
Zambia’s Hichilema re-elected though cost-of-living pressures dent his support – Reuters
- Zambia's Hichilema re-elected though cost-of-living pressures dent his support Reuters
- Zambia Says President Won Re-election After Tumultuous Campaign The New York Times
- Zambia’s Hichilema wins second term as president Al Jazeera
- Top Zambian opposition figures arrested days after presidential vote BBC
- Zambia’s election is a test of metal The Economist
Trump scales down war games with South Korea: Why it matters – Al Jazeera
- Trump scales down war games with South Korea: Why it matters Al Jazeera
- Trump has handed a gift to Kim Jong Un and deepened concerns over US reliability CNN
- Trump alarms South Korea with call to scale back military drills and deference to Kim Jong Un NBC News
- Trump’s Overture to Kim Jong-un Strains Alliance With South Korea The New York Times
- Trump Will Make South Korea Pay for His Iran Humiliation The Atlantic