Stepan Haftko
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.
According to the General Staff, Russian forces' casualties have reached 1,460,400 personnel. Moscow is more actively recruiting foreigners and may conscript up to another 500,000 in the autumn.
On the evening of August 12, Russian forces attacked two men with a drone in Kherson's Korabelnyi District. Both died from their fatal injuries.
Poland’s Minister of Digital Affairs reported a data breach in the MyDr healthcare system that affected nearly 19 million people. More than 2 terabytes of information were stolen, and the investigation is ongoing.
U. S. President Donald Trump said he would like to run for a third term, but the law prohibits it. He noted that everyone is asking him to do so, but the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution limits presidents to two terms.
The first shipment of Indian gasoline arrived in the Russian Federation on August 5 from Nayara Energy. Due to a fuel shortage, Moscow banned the export of gasoline and diesel fuel.
U. S. ICE plans to purchase thousands of Glove electroshock gloves worth up to $20 million. Human rights advocates have expressed concern about possible abuses.
Taiwan called the planned exercises by China and Indonesia off its east coast dangerous, accusing Beijing of trying to create the impression of control over the waters. Taipei is demanding an explanation from Indonesia.
On the night of August 12, Russian forces launched a massive drone attack on Kherson. Two civilians were killed and two injured; homes and equipment were damaged.
On the night of August 12, Russian forces attacked Odesa. Infrastructure and a residential building were damaged; there were no casualties.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported Russia’s losses over the past day: 1,260 military personnel and 480 weapons and pieces of equipment. Russia’s total losses since the beginning of the war have reached more than 1.46 million people.
On August 12, North Korea launched a ballistic missile from the Wonsan area, marking the second test in a week. The launch took place amid preparations for joint U.S.–South Korean exercises.
The United Kingdom seeks to restore direct lines of communication with the Russian command to prevent incidents that could escalate into confrontations. The last high-level contact took place in 2022.