Author: Press Room
Published on 21/08/2026 – 11:32 GMT+2 International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane of Japan warned on Friday against “the demise of international rule of law” after the United States targeted her with sanctions. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “The sanction against me this time was something I had anticipated to an extent, so I’m not surprised,” Akane said in a statement released on X by her publisher Bungei Shunju. “The important thing is not to let this be the beginning of the demise of international rule of law.” The United States sanctioned Akane and trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal on Tuesday as…
By Franziska Müller Published on 21/08/2026 – 8:09 GMT+2•Updated 9:51 The unusually low water level of the Danube in Budapest has revealed relics that had remained hidden on the riverbed for more than 80 years. Among the discoveries are the remains of two German soldiers from the Second World War, their military identity tags and a DKW military motorcycle buried in the mud. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT For decades, the fate of the two soldiers was unknown. They were listed as missing, with no confirmation of where or how they had died. Now, the discovery of their remains and identity tags could finally…
Published on 21/08/2026 – 8:38 GMT+2•Updated 8:44 A border crossing with Moldova in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region was damaged by Russian drones overnight, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine said in a statement on Friday morning. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Traffic through the Tabaky checkpoint has been suspended and diverted to other crossings, the border service said on Telegram. Moldovan authorities in Chișinău have been informed, the statement added. The announcement comes a day after a Romanian F-16 fighter jet destroyed an explosive-laden maritime drone close to Europe’s largest offshore gas project, hours after another drone entered the NATO member’s airspace…
Germany registered a record of around 14,000 heat-related deaths this summer as Europe struggled through a series of punishing heatwaves, official data showed on Thursday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Around 9,600 of those deaths were recorded in one week in late June when Germany baked in temperatures of over 40C, according to the Robert Koch Institute. The heatwaves and drought have fuelled a historically hot summer in Europe, contributing to a spike in heat-related mortality in the worst-hit countries. Spain’s public health institute registered nearly 4,500 heat-related deaths since 1 June, figures showed on Thursday and French health authorities said they had…
Published on 20/08/2026 – 18:24 GMT+2 In Saxony-Anhalt, the interior ministry is aware of around 80 cases and across Germany, there are said to be hundreds of such incidents of Ukrainian troops deserting after completing their military training. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The federal government has not yet published any official nationwide statistics. Nor are any publicly confirmed figures currently available from other states. Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, around 29,000 Ukrainian soldiers have undergone training in Germany, according to the Bundeswehr. The training takes place at numerous sites. The soldiers learn, among other things, how to handle…
The intensifying use of drones against civilians and humanitarian workers is a dangerous obstacle for aid operations in Ukraine, the UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, said on Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Fletcher spoke to the Associated Press news agency in an interview after a visit to the southern city of Kherson, where he witnessed how communities are coping while living under the constant threat of Russian drone strikes. Fletcher described the visit to Kherson, split by the Dnipro River which acts as an active front line, as “quite chilling.” Russian forces occupy the eastern bank, while Ukrainian forces hold the western…
Published on 20/08/2026 – 15:58 GMT+2 Belgium’s largest wildfire in a century was brought “under control” on Thursday after a seven-day fight involving hundreds of firefighters in the boggy terrain of the High Fens nature reserve. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT “At this stage, the fire is now under control in its entirety and should no longer spread,” barring a major change in weather conditions or other unforeseen factors, the local governor’s office said. The High Fens fire mushroomed over the weekend to half the size of Manhattan, charring a huge expanse of peatland, pine trees and hiking trails. Firefighters wrestled “numerous flare-ups”…
Published on 20/08/2026 – 14:30 GMT+2•Updated 15:00 Six years after stepping back as working royals, Harry and Meghan are set to return to the UK within weeks with their two children, who are expected to start school in September, according to British media. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The family plans to live in a private residence outside London while keeping their homes in California and Portugal. Meghan is expected to continue running her As Ever company from the UK, while Harry will focus more on his UK-based charities. Why Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal life The Duke and Duchess of…
Published on 20/08/2026 – 12:09 GMT+2 Romania scrambled NATO fighter jets after a drone entered its airspace during a major Russian missile and drone attack on neighbouring Ukraine. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Romania’s Defence Ministry said military radar detected a group of aerial targets close to the Ukrainian border, north of the eastern county of Tulcea, at 02:23 local time on Thursday. Two Spanish F-18 fighter jets in Romania as part of NATO’s air policing mission were scrambled to monitor the situation, while a Romanian IAR-330 SOCAT military helicopter was sent on a reconnaissance mission. Authorities also issued an alert to people…
Published on 20/08/2026 – 12:29 GMT+2 Russia deployed Banderol munitions in its overnight large-scale attack on Ukraine on Thursday, in what has become Moscow’s growing use of a low-cost weapon designed to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defences. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Ukraine’s Air Force said the Banderols were intercepted during a barrage that also included cruise missiles and Shahed-type drones. First recorded in Ukraine in spring 2025, the Banderol has become an increasingly common weapon of Russian attacks. Also known as the S8000, it is a small jet-powered loitering munition that combines features of a cruise missile and a jet-powered attack drone. It…