A fire and explosion at the Elastik industrial plant in Russia’s Ryazan region killed 24 people and injured at least 157, officials said Monday. The blaze, which broke out in a gunpowder workshop, reduced parts of the facility to rubble and triggered ongoing rescue operations. Authorities declared a day of mourning and opened a criminal case into industrial safety violations, ruling out a Ukrainian attack, … Continue reading Explosion and fire at factory in Russia kill 24 people, injure over 150

Russia launched its largest overnight assault on Ukraine in weeks, firing 270 drones and 10 missiles, with major strikes targeting energy facilities in the Poltava region. The attack coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meetings in Washington with President Donald Trump and European leaders to discuss a path toward ending the war. Trump suggested Ukraine could strike a deal with Russia, ruling out NATO membership … Continue reading Russia launches largest attack of August on Ukraine after Trump-Zelenskyy meeting

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced plans to deploy 4.5 million militia members nationwide in response to U.S. “threats,” after Washington increased its bounty for his arrest to $50 million and launched anti-drug operations in the Caribbean. The militia, created under Hugo Chávez, is officially said to number 5 million, though the true figure is likely smaller. Maduro condemned U.S. sanctions and accusations linking him to … Continue reading Maduro Says Mobilizing Millions Of Militia After US ‘Threats’

South Korea and the U.S. launched their 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise Monday, involving 21,000 troops in command simulations and field training. The allies say the drills are defensive, but North Korea condemned them as invasion rehearsals and warned of retaliation. The exercise comes as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung prepares for an Aug. 25 summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, amid concerns Trump may … Continue reading South Korean and US militaries begin annual summertime drills

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced tougher measures against anti-government protesters after days of violent clashes across the country. Despite his threats, thousands demonstrated Sunday in Belgrade and other towns, demanding the release of detained protesters. Vucic denounced the unrest as “terrorism” allegedly orchestrated by the West, though without evidence, and warned of harsher state action within a week. The unrest, which has seen offices of … Continue reading Serbia’s populist leader vows tough response to protesters following riots

A 63-year-old American tourist was seriously injured in a shark attack while spearfishing near Big Grand Cay in the Bahamas on Sunday, authorities said. He was first treated at a local clinic before being airlifted to the U.S. The Bahamas, which has one of the world’s highest rates of shark attacks, has recorded 34 confirmed incidents in the past 400 years, CBS News has reported. … Continue reading U.S. tourist attacked by a shark while spearfishing in the Bahamas

Iraqi authorities have begun excavating a suspected Islamic State mass grave at Khasfa, near Mosul, believed to contain thousands of victims, including Iraqi security forces, Yazidis, and Shiites. The effort, launched August 9 by Iraq’s Martyrs’ Foundation, is in its early phase—collecting visible remains and surface evidence while preparing for full exhumation, which requires international support due to site hazards like sulfur water and unexploded … Continue reading Iraq starts excavation of large mass grave left by Islamic State

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis joined nationwide protests and a strike on Sunday, with organizers estimating over one million participants throughout the day. The demonstrations, centered at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, demanded the government secure the release of 50 hostages still held in Gaza. The protests coincided with the release of a video of captive Matan Zangauker, intensifying public pressure on leaders. Families of hostages, … Continue reading Protesters in Israel demand hostage deal in one of the largest demonstrations since war

A hiker in his 20s was killed by a brown bear on Mount Rausu in Hokkaido, northern Japan, after being dragged into the forest on Thursday. Authorities found his body and personal items near the scene on Friday, and hunters killed a bear nearby; DNA tests will confirm if it was responsible. Hokkaido’s brown bear population has slightly declined, but human-bear encounters are rising, with … Continue reading Hiker’s body found after bear drags him from trail into forest in Japan

Australia has launched its largest-ever military exercises with the Philippines, involving over 3,600 personnel in live-fire drills, maneuvers, and a beach assault near the disputed South China Sea. The drills, called Alon, feature fighter jets, a guided-missile destroyer, troop aircraft, anti-tank weapons, and special forces, and will run until August 29. Observers from the U.S., Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, and Indonesia are participating. … Continue reading Australian and Philippine forces launch largest military exercises near disputed South China Sea

Flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Chositi village, India-controlled Kashmir, have killed at least 56 people and left around 80 missing, while rescuers saved about 300 others. The floods and landslides destroyed homes, vehicles, and a community kitchen used by pilgrims, suspending the ongoing annual Hindu pilgrimage. Dozens of injured people are being treated in hospitals, and more heavy rains are forecasted. Rescue efforts … Continue reading Torrential rains trigger flash floods in Kashmir, killing at least 56 and leaving scores missing

A passenger train collided with a vehicle at a level crossing near Tinglev in southern Denmark on Friday, killing one person and injuring around 20 others. Several train carriages were derailed or overturned. Emergency services, including drones and search dogs, responded to the scene, according to Banedanmark, which operates Denmark’s rail network, the Associated Press has reported. Continue reading Train collides with vehicle in Denmark, killing one person and injuring about 20 others

Clashes between pro- and anti-government groups in Serbia have left dozens injured and nearly 50 arrested, marking the second consecutive night of street violence amid months of anti-corruption protests. The unrest, sparked by a deadly railway station collapse in Novi Sad last year, escalated after ruling party supporters attacked demonstrators in Vrbas. In Belgrade and Novi Sad, masked pro-government groups hurled projectiles at protesters, prompting … Continue reading Dozens injured in Serbia as protesters clash with pro-government supporters

Malian authorities have arrested two army generals, dozens of soldiers, civilians, and a suspected French intelligence agent over an alleged plot to destabilize the country. Security Minister Daoud Aly Mohammedine said the coup attempt, which began on August 1, involved foreign support and has been “completely foiled.” The French suspect, identified as Yann Christian Bernard Vezilier, is accused of working on behalf of France’s intelligence … Continue reading Mali’s military arrests generals, suspected French agent in overthrow plot

Wildfires fueled by hot, dry weather continued to burn across Spain, Portugal, and Greece on Friday, coinciding with major religious holidays in the region. Spain battled 14 major fires, including large blazes in Galicia that closed highways and suspended high-speed rail, with temperatures over 40°C expected through Monday. Portugal deployed nearly 4,000 firefighters to seven major fires under an extended state of alert. In Greece, … Continue reading Spain, Portugal, and Greece battle wildfires as heatwave is expected to last for days

Torrential rains have triggered flash floods in India and Pakistan, killing over 280 people and leaving many missing. Rescuers evacuated around 1,600 people from mountainous areas, while in Pakistan, a relief helicopter crashed in bad weather, killing all five aboard. In India, floods halted a major Hindu pilgrimage and forced thousands to evacuate, the Associated Press has reported. Experts link the surge in destructive cloudbursts … Continue reading Death toll from flash floods in northwest Pakistan has jumped to 157

Former U.S. Navy SEAL Erik Prince’s security firm, Vectus Global, plans to send about 200 contractors from multiple countries to Haiti under a one-year deal to combat gang violence and help reclaim territory from heavily armed gangs. The team will support Haiti’s National Police and a struggling U.N.-backed Kenyan-led mission, and later advise on restoring revenue collection. Critics warn the deployment may violate U.S. law … Continue reading Blackwater founder to deploy nearly 200 personnel to Haiti as gang violence soars

Israeli gunfire killed at least 25 people seeking aid in Gaza, according to health officials and witnesses. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his call for what he terms “voluntary migration” of Palestinians from the territory, a plan critics warn could amount to ethnic cleansing. Witnesses said many of the victims were shot while traveling to aid distribution points or waiting for convoys in Gaza City, … Continue reading Israeli gunfire kills at least 25 in Gaza

A homeless man, Ross Judd, 34, has been charged with the murder of a pregnant woman, Athena Georgopoulos, 39, and her partner, Andrew Gunn, 50, in Melbourne, Australia. Police found the couple’s bodies Monday evening, with Gunn decapitated. Authorities say the attack appears targeted, though the relationship between Judd and the victims is unclear. Graffiti reading “betrayal” and “enough is enough” outside the unit is … Continue reading Man charged with murder of Australian couple in graffiti-covered house

Peru’s President Dina Boluarte has signed a contentious law granting amnesty to soldiers, police, and militias accused or convicted of atrocities during the 1980–2000 conflict with Maoist rebels, defying an order from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to halt it. The measure could free those over 70 and affect over 600 trials and 156 convictions for crimes including massacres, torture, and sexual violence. Human … Continue reading Peru president issues amnesty for hundreds accused of atrocities

Typhoon Podul crossed southern Taiwan, prompting school and office closures as heavy rain threatened crops in the southeast. The storm, 120 km wide, hit Taitung before moving west toward China, where Fujian and Guangdong evacuated 15,000 people. One person is reported missing in Taiwan. While no major damage occurred, several southern counties faced flooding, flight disruptions, and agricultural risks, the Associated Press has reported. Podul … Continue reading Typhoon Podul brings no major damage as it crosses Taiwan and heads for China

The UK, France, and Germany (the E3) have warned they will reimpose UN sanctions on Iran’s nuclear programme if it does not resume negotiations by the end of August 2025. In a letter to UN chief António Guterres, the foreign ministers said they were prepared to trigger the “snapback” mechanism, restoring previous sanctions, after Iran failed to respond to an offer to extend talks. Iran … Continue reading UK, France and Germany ready to reimpose sanctions on Iran over nuclear program

U.S. authorities have indicted Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, a Haitian gang leader, and Bazile Richardson, a naturalized U.S. citizen, for conspiring to send U.S. funds to finance Chérizier’s gang. Chérizier, currently a fugitive believed to be in Haiti, was sanctioned in 2020 under the Magnitsky Act for human rights abuses, including the 2018 La Saline massacre. Richardson was arrested in Texas for allegedly sending money to … Continue reading Feds unseal charges against ‘Barbecue,’ Haitian gang leader with $5M bounty on his head

China says it warned and expelled the U.S. destroyer USS Higgins after it sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, accusing Washington of violating its sovereignty and destabilizing the South China Sea. The U.S. Navy rejected Beijing’s claims, saying the mission was a lawful “freedom of navigation” operation. The shoal, claimed by both China and the Philippines, lies in a region of frequent maritime clashes. The … Continue reading China says it ‘drove away’ U.S. warship near the disputed Scarborough Shoal

Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked the famine-stricken Abu Shouk displacement camp near el-Fasher on Monday, killing 40 people and injuring at least 19, according to local rights groups. The camp, home to 450,000 displaced people, has faced repeated assaults during the RSF’s war with the Sudanese military. Satellite imagery and eyewitness reports indicate RSF fighters targeted civilians in their homes, used ethnic slurs, … Continue reading Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces kill 40 people in North Darfur displacement camp attack