Stepan Haftko
The United States imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane and senior counsel Fadi El Abdallah. The decision was made by the Trump administration to protect Americans from the court's actions.
On the morning of August 18, Russian forces shelled Izium with a "Tornado-S" multiple rocket launcher system, injuring five people, including a 9-year-old boy. Twenty private houses were damaged, and an investigation has been launched.
In temporarily occupied Sevastopol, fires broke out at military equipment warehouses in Alsu and near the Kirovskoye airfield following a nighttime drone attack. The fires were detected in satellite imagery; there is currently no information about the damage.
At a school on the campus of Ateneo de Zamboanga University, a high school student opened fire, killing a classmate and a teacher before shooting himself. Two other people were injured, and police are establishing the circumstances of the incident.
The village of Kandersteg is under threat of a landslide due to the unstable Spitze Stein rock, whose condition is deteriorating because of permafrost thaw. Residents are not afraid, as the authorities have taken precautionary measures.
On the night of August 18, the Moscow region came under a massive drone attack, causing fires and damage to buildings, cars, and warehouses. The Russian side reports that air defense and electronic warfare systems were deployed, but the information requires independent confirmation.
China's leader is unlikely to travel to New York to attend the UN General Assembly in September, but will meet with Trump on September 24. Sources report that he will spend three days in the United States, while China's Foreign Ministry is not commenting on the information.
The "ATESH" movement reports hidden checks of men of mobilization age at airports in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg. Passengers may be detained without official grounds and denied permission to leave.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that over the past day, the Russian army lost approximately 1,210 servicemen and 548 pieces of weaponry. Two tanks, 55 artillery systems, and 1,962 UAVs were destroyed.
Negotiations between the United States and Canada have stalled over disagreements regarding auto tariffs, with Canada insisting on a reduction to 10%, while the United States is calling for 15%. The deadline for the new tariffs expires on August 19, and Trump threatened 50% tariffs on Canadian goods.
FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour left the organization after criticizing Infantino's plan to sell a stake in the commercial rights. UEFA and other associations withdrew their support for the FIFA president.
Finnish outlet Yle noticed that on Yandex satellite maps, the positions of Bal coastal missile systems in Kronstadt had been replaced with an image of forest, although they are visible on Google Maps. The reasons for this concealment are unknown, and its effectiveness against Ukrainian intelligence is questionable.
In the state of Oklahoma, lightning struck the Glenpool tank farm operated by Explorer Pipeline, igniting three tanks containing natural gasoline. The company halted operations, and the incident could cause disruptions in the fuel market.
Russians installed a «Pantsir-S1M» on a 35-meter tower to protect Moscow from drones and missiles. The system has 57E6 missiles, guns, and TKB-1055 anti-drone missiles.
The U. S. Army is considering the development of a new AHSS long-range missile capable of striking targets more than 1,000 km away and being launched from HIMARS. The program is planned to receive $246 million in funding in 2027–2031.
The Russian Embassy in London said that Ukraine's use of British drones to strike Russian territory indicates an escalation by London. Moscow threatened consequences and a "high price" for supporting Kyiv.
Adrien Brody and Sean Penn have landed the lead roles in Doug Liman’s film "Snake Island" about the sabotage of gas pipelines. Filming is underway in Croatia, and the movie will tell the story of a team of Ukrainian divers.
The U. S. Department of Defense has signed a seven-year, $22.9 billion contract with Raytheon to increase Tomahawk missile production to more than 1,000 annually. The agreement will help replenish stocks of precision-guided weapons following deliveries to allies and the war with Iran.
Iran may strike in the Strait of Hormuz if talks with the United States fail. Negotiations on a peace agreement have reached an impasse, and the August 18 deadline has expired.
Seoul is counting on the resumption of talks between Washington and Pyongyang following Trump's order to scale back joint military exercises. Experts doubt Kim Jong Un will quickly agree because of his nuclear capabilities and cooperation with Russia.
The prosecutor told the court that Tupac Shakur's murder in 1996 was revenge for the attack on Duane Davis's nephew. According to the prosecution, Davis organized the shooting but did not pull the trigger himself.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Trump's approval falling to 33%, the lowest level of his term. This is happening against the backdrop of the war with Iran and rising gasoline prices.
Paramount Skydance Corp. is demanding a $1.88 billion bond from 12 states over an antitrust lawsuit against its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. The case is scheduled for trial in March.
Elon Musk responded with a heart emoji to Mykhailo Fedorov's words, in which he called him the most important technologist for Ukraine. Fedorov stated that Starlink saved Ukrainian aviation and the lives of thousands of civilians.
Actress Hayden Panettiere shared a black-and-white photo with her friend Randall Slavin a month before her death. Her family confirmed her death on August 16 at the age of 36.
The Trump administration suspended work on a border security project in Big Bend National Park in Texas. The decision was made after criticism from environmentalists and a lawsuit over possible harm to nature.
The death toll from the ferry capsizing on Lake Kariba has risen to more than 90 people. About 80 people have been rescued, several passengers are missing, and the search is ongoing.
The Trump administration has cut its biosecurity team, but is now analyzing AI risks related to the creation of pathogens. Specialists are studying billions of antibody mutations to protect against pandemics and biological attacks.
Two British World War II mines were discovered in the Danube in Slovakia and detonated. The water level fell due to the heat, leading to the discovery of the explosive devices.
A 30-year-old tourist from the United States died after being struck by lightning on Mount Etna while climbing a closed section during a thunderstorm. Another tourist died in South Tyrol, and four Spaniards were evacuated.