Stepan Haftko
Putin visited the Kuril Island of Iturup for the first time; the island is the subject of a territorial dispute with Japan. He inspected a fish-processing plant, demonstrating Moscow's position regarding control over the islands.
Venezuela’s opposition and interim government have completed the first round of negotiations, agreeing on judicial system reform and access to frozen assets. Some of the funds are planned to be used for recovery following the earthquakes in June.
Karoline Leavitt will leave her position as White House press secretary at the end of August. Among the candidates to replace her are Anna Kelly, Sage Steele, Jason Miller and others.
Meta deactivated 756,000 accounts belonging to Australians under 16 on Facebook and Instagram. Australia was the first to introduce a social media ban for children, but more than 80% continued to use them.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, over the past day Russian forces lost about 1,310 servicemen, three tanks and 51 artillery systems. Russia’s total losses since the start of the invasion amount to approximately 1,462,970 servicemen.
Two people were killed in the crash of an AH-64 Apache military helicopter in Texas. A fire broke out after the crash, leading to the evacuation of homes.
The U. S. military plans to fully leave Iraq by September 30, ending a presence that began with the 2003 invasion. The Iraqi prime minister called this date fixed, and the withdrawal from Erbil is already underway.
The US and Japan are considering a project to mine rare earth elements from the seabed near Minamitorishima Island at a depth of 6 km. This is intended to reduce dependence on China, which dominates the market.
Oil prices are rising for the fifth consecutive day amid a lack of progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and an expected crude supply shortage. The IEA forecasts a deficit of 1.8 million barrels per day in the third quarter of 2026.
The Russian dry cargo ship MECHTA S was spotted in a Turkish port with World War I-era "dazzle" camouflage. However, such protection is ineffective against modern drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras.
Ukraine could receive 70 ATACMS M39 ballistic missiles from Turkey, with a range of approximately 165 km. These missiles could strike targets in Russia’s Belgorod, Kursk, and Bryansk regions.
Ford plans to move production of Lincoln models, including the Nautilus, from China to the U. S. in 2030 due to high tariffs. CEO Jim Farley said the decision was made to strengthen the company's manufacturing base.
The lawyers for Tyler Robinson, charged with Charlie Kirk's murder, said that the bullet flew over the crowd, so the death penalty should not be applied. They also dispute a political motive, pointing to a lack of evidence.
The President of Turkey said that the Israeli government is using the chaos in the Middle East to push the Palestinian issue aside. He pledged support for the establishment of a Palestinian state and welcomed plans to hold elections.
A group of 32 countries, including 29 European states, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, condemned Iran for sentencing participants in the protests to death. Since the beginning of the year, at least 56 people have been executed in Iran on charges related to national security.
French authorities are tightening forest controls after record fires destroyed more than 100,000 hectares. A total of 420 people suspected of causing the fires have been detained, including 166 minors.
Due to the threat of attacks by Yemen's Houthis, Saudi Arabia is cutting oil exports through the Red Sea, and tankers are switching off their tracking systems. Oil shipments through Egypt are increasing, reaching a record 2.17 million barrels per day.
On the evening of August 12 and during the night of August 13, explosions were heard in the occupied cities of Sevastopol, Berdiansk, Melitopol, Henichesk, Donetsk, and Mariupol, after which large-scale disruptions to electricity supplies began. The partisan movement “ATESH” reported a fire in the area of the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant and a complete blackout in Mariupol.
The U. S. federal budget deficit reached a record $432 billion in July due to increased spending, particularly on Medicare. In the first 10 months of fiscal year 2026, the deficit totaled $1.8 trillion, while debt payments rose by 15%.
The Pentagon plans to reach an agreement with the FAA and the Department of Homeland Security to use lasers against drones at airports. This follows incidents in which military lasers shot down unmanned aircraft without coordination with aviation authorities.
The United States has minted the first batch of commemorative gold coins featuring President Donald Trump, dedicated to the 250th anniversary of independence. The coin is made of 24-karat gold, with Trump depicted on the obverse and a bald eagle on the reverse.
Millions of people in Britain and Europe saw a rare solar eclipse, which became the largest for Britain since 1999. A total eclipse could be observed in Spain, Greenland and Iceland, and it lasted less than two minutes.
The German government has approved a reform allowing the BND to conduct offensive cyber operations and sabotage. This is a response to daily hybrid attacks, including espionage, by foreign states.
The Ebola outbreak in the Congo could become the deadliest in history. More than 4,300 cases have been recorded, of which over 2,000 were fatal.
Polish Deputy Minister Maciej Duszczyk said that Ukrainians are filling the labor shortage and that without them the economy would have ground to a halt. He criticized the deportation of unemployed Ukrainians, calling it ineffective.
Travis Kelce spoke for the first time about his wedding to Taylor Swift at Madison Square Garden, calling it the best night. There were about 1,100 guests at the ceremony, some of whom signed nondisclosure agreements.
Iran and the United States have made no progress in talks on restoring the temporary peace agreement concluded in June. The parties accuse each other of violating the agreements, while the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked.
An oil spill from the tanker “Carolina Besengi” off Oman has spread across more than 2,000 square kilometers, threatening an environmental catastrophe. Due to damage to the vessel, its entire cargo of 800,000 barrels could enter the water.
Anatolie Nosatii interrupted a NewsMaker journalist who began her question in Russian, saying that he did not understand. He asked her to rephrase it in Romanian and praised her command of the official language.
PSG defeated Aston Villa 2–1 in the UEFA Super Cup on August 12 in Salzburg. It is the third team in history to win the trophy two years in a row.