- Operation Forrest Gump: Anti-corruption raid heaps pressure on Zelenskyy politico.eu
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy sacks senior aide amid Ukraine corruption crisis The Guardian
- Zelenskyy fires a top aide amid a graft probe as Ukraine's ex-defense minister demands elections AP News
- Fevered Political Moves In Ukraine Amid Anti-Corruption Raids, Fedorov Challenge rferl.org
- Zelenskyy fires presidential office deputy amid corruption probe Euronews.com
Spain to allow 500 children in Ceuta to go to mainland in immigration U-turn
Madrid government changes stance after previously saying anyone who entered territory illegally would be sent back
The Spanish government has U-turned and said it will allow 500 migrant children in Ceuta to relocate to the mainland.
The majority of the estimated 70,000 people who crossed into Ceuta – a Spanish territory on the coast of north Africa – on 30 July have returned to Morocco. However, under Spanish law, the state has a duty of care to young, unaccompanied migrants until they reach the age of 18.
Continue reading...Germany’s firewall was meant to hold the far right at bay. It may have done the reverse
An AfD win in next month’s state election in Saxony-Anhalt would shatter a decades-long political consensus and reverberate throughout the EU
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In just over two weeks’ time, Saxony-Anhalt – home to historic timber-framed houses, the dramatic Harz mountains and the birthplace of Martin Luther – will hold what could prove one of the most significant state elections in Germany’s postwar history.
The vote, on 6 September, could see a far-right party whose local branch is officially classified by the country’s domestic intelligence service as “confirmed rightwing extremist” appoint a state premier and govern a state alone, for the first time.
Continue reading...Putin breaks silence on Ukraine Wildberries attacks – kyivindependent.com
- Putin breaks silence on Ukraine Wildberries attacks kyivindependent.com
- Russia's Putin orders government to help rebuild warehouses destroyed in Ukrainian attacks Reuters
- Putin pledges help for Wildberries warehouses hit by Ukraine ft.com
- Ukraine’s drone attacks are damaging Russia – Putin The Independent
- Putin continues to insist that strikes on Russian facilities have "no critical consequences and never will" Українська правда
Adviser to far-right Latin American leaders arrested for allegedly plotting to kill girlfriend
Fernando Cerimedo, 42, arrested on suspicion of ordering shooting of Bolivian lawyer Nadia Beller
A senior adviser to many of Latin America’s new wave of far-right leaders has been arrested for allegedly masterminding the attempted murder of his girlfriend.
The businessman and political consultant Fernando Cerimedo, 42, had been working as an adviser to the Bolivian president, Rodrigo Paz Pereira, and was one of the main strategists behind Javier Milei’s campaign in Argentina’s 2023 presidential election.
Continue reading...At least 23 die as bus and truck collide in Brazil’s Parana, police say – Reuters
Head-on collision between bus and lorry in Brazil kills more than 20
It is not yet clear what caused the two vehicles to crash into each other in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Bodies of Belgian climbers who vanished in 1992 found in Swiss Alps – Euronews.com
- Bodies of Belgian climbers who vanished in 1992 found in Swiss Alps Euronews.com
- Melting glaciers keep revealing hikers who vanished decades ago NewsNation
- Bodies discovered in Swiss Alps as melting glaciers reveal remains USA Today
- Bodies of climbers who vanished 34 years ago found on melting glacier in Swiss Alps CBS News
- Bodies of 2 Mountaineers Found on Fast-Melting Glacier After They Went Missing in 1992 People.com
Moscow Gas Stations Reimpose Fuel Limits as ‘Second Wave’ of Shortages Hits Russia – The Moscow Times
- Moscow Gas Stations Reimpose Fuel Limits as ‘Second Wave’ of Shortages Hits Russia The Moscow Times
- Ukraine war briefing: Russia running on imported gasoline, government confirms The Guardian
- Moscow's fuel stations limit sales amid shortages Reuters
- Russia’s Oil-Flow Slump Deepens as Ukraine Threatens Key Port Bloomberg.com
- Putin Nemesis Warns Drone Attacks Leave Russia at ‘Breaking Point’ The Daily Beast
Pope Leo XIV: The musical heritage of the Church must be preserved – EWTN News
- Pope Leo XIV: The musical heritage of the Church must be preserved EWTN News
- Pope at Audience: Sacred music is to glorify God and sanctify the faithful Vatican News
- Sacred music must be ‘dignified,’ reflecting the mystery being celebrated, pope says OSV News
- Pope Leo calls on priests to ‘respect’ the post-Vatican II liturgies in new letter America Magazine
- Pope: In the liturgy, we are with the saints aleteia.org
Republican senator Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola advance in Alaska Senate primary
Result tees up marquee race in US midterm elections, which could decide if Republicans or Democrats control Senate
Incumbent Dan S Sullivan, the US senator, advanced in Alaska’s nonpartisan primary race for his seat on Tuesday alongside Mary Peltola, a former Democratic congresswoman.
With the top four candidates moving forward from Alaska’s open primaries to the general election, the Associated Press reported that Sullivan and Peltola, had qualified for the November’s general election.
Continue reading...Spared execution eight times, oldest inmate in US dies at 101
Francis Smith was one of a growing number of elderly people who are incarcerated.
Burnham pledges to get thousands of rough sleepers off streets for Christmas – UK politics live
PM promises to mount ‘Covid-style campaign’ to get homeless people off streets in winter
New Scottish government policy on datacentres marks a “real departure”, the minister in charge has said.
Changes announced earlier this week mean the government has to be notified about applications to build datacentres above a 50 megawatt capacity, PA reported.
Roughly half the savings come from having to build much less grid, fewer pylons and less cables carving up the countryside. The rest of the savings come from lower wholesale prices, lower balancing costs and subsidies.
Basically, we’d pay a lot less money to switch wind farms off when it’s too windy, or for back up when it’s not windy enough.
Continue reading...Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Dan Sullivan lead in Alaska primary for US Senate – US politics live
Incumbent Sullivan is running for third term while Peltola is fighting to flip seat and aid Democrats retake control of Congress
Those unfamiliar with Alaska politics are likely raising an eyebrow at some repeated names.
No, we’re not talking about Dan S Sullivan and Dan J Sullivan, two Republicans with the same name running for US Senate – an issue that went to the state supreme court earlier this summer. We’re talking about the Begiches. Nick Begich III, a Republican, is currently leading the race to represent Alaska in the US House of Representatives for a second term while Tom Begich, a Democrat, is advancing to the general election for governor in November.
Continue reading...Live Updates: Iran says no interest in ceasefire, war must end fully as Trump downplays hope for a deal – CBS News
- Live Updates: Iran says no interest in ceasefire, war must end fully as Trump downplays hope for a deal CBS News
- Iran’s latest warning to the US signals the hardliners are just getting started CNN
- 60 days after signing Iran deal, Trump stuck in quagmire as war drags on washingtonpost.com
- Iran says it will escalate if US does not honour deal within weeks Reuters
- Behind Peace Talks, Iran Hard-Liners Prepare for a Longer, Costlier U.S. War WSJ
Zelenskyy’s office is probed for corruption as fired defense minister demands elections – apnews.com
- Zelenskyy’s office is probed for corruption as fired defense minister demands elections apnews.com
- Ukraine anti-corruption team raids home of top Zelenskyy aide Financial Times
- Zelenskyy sacks deputy head of his office amid reported corruption investigation – Europe live The Guardian
- Zelenskyy fires presidential office deputy amid corruption probe Euronews.com
- Anti-corruption agencies: MPs and presidential officials laundered US$3m to post bail for ex-energy minister Українська правда
China’s Wang Yi in South Korea for talks amid Trump push to revive North Korea diplomacy – Reuters
- China's Wang Yi in South Korea for talks amid Trump push to revive North Korea diplomacy Reuters
- China’s Top Envoy to Visit Seoul as Trump Shakes US-Korea Ties Bloomberg.com
- Wang Yi heads to Seoul as Trump cuts South Korea drills, opening door for China South China Morning Post
- South Korea turns to China as Trump warms up to Kim timesofindia.indiatimes.com
- Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian’s Regular Press Conference on August 19, 2026 中国驻芝加哥总领事馆
France’s ‘aid in dying’ law comes into effect after constitutional approval
Right to assisted dying established for patients with conditions assessed as incurable and causing unbearable pain
Legislation granting incurably ill adults the right to assisted dying has been formally adopted in France after the text was approved by the country’s highest constitutional authority and published in the official journal.
The law, known as a law on “end of life” or “aid in dying” rather than “assisted dying” or “euthanasia”, means France joins the small group of countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada to have legalised the practice.
Continue reading...Humanitarianism is not collapsing. It is being traded and compromised
This is endangering the lives of humanitarian workers and the vulnerable communities they serve.
‘Tit for tat’: Why is Trump cozying up to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un again?
Analysts say Trump's attempted rapprochement with Kim Jong Un is driven by political signals to Pyongyang and Seoul.