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The Defense Ministry in Moscow reported sinking the vessel earlier on Thursday The Russian Defense Ministry has released UAV footage of a naval drone strike on the Ukrainian reconnaissance ship Simferopol. Kiev confirmed to the media on Thursday that the vessel had been hit. The Simferopol was struck by a “Russian high-speed unmanned boat at the mouth of the Danube River,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. “As a result of the attack, the Ukrainian Navy ship sank,” it added. The ministry also published aerial footage taken from a UAV showing the moment of impact. The video, taken on a thermal camera, s…

Washington has dismissed Danish concerns after Copenhagen summoned a top US diplomat over alleged covert influence operations Washington has told Copenhagen to “calm down” after the US charge d’affaires was summoned by the Danish foreign minister over alleged attempts to push Greenland toward secession. The island is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Copenhagen’s protest came after local media reported that at least three Americans with ties to US President Donald Trump had allegedly been working to weaken relations between Greenland and Denmark and to recruit people for a secession movement. Danish Foreign …

The exodus comes after Kiev lifted its wartime travel ban on men under 23 earlier this month Young men are leaving Ukraine in large numbers after Kiev lifted its travel ban on males aged 18 to 22, a border official announced on Thursday. Earlier this month, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky ordered authorities to allow men in the age group to leave, marking a significant shift in the application of martial law. Males aged 18 to 60 were barred from travelling abroad beginning in February 2022. Only women, children, and men either below conscription age or formally removed from the military register had been permitted to leave, with limited…

Russia has consistently said it would be opposed to the presence of NATO troops in the neighboring country under any pretext EU nations are willing to explore the possibility of a neutral third country helping to enforce a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Politico reported on Thursday, citing sources. The bloc’s defense and foreign ministers are set to gather in Copenhagen this week, with the talks centering on what Politico described as a two-pronged effort to “turn the screws on Moscow,” combining sanctions with increased assistance for Kiev. However, unnamed EU officials told the outlet that the discussions are al…

Kiev has targeted the Druzhba conduit three times this month alone, cutting Slovakia and Hungary off from Russian oil The European Commission has warned against strikes on the Druzhba oil pipeline, calling it vital to the continent’s energy security. Ukrainian forces hit the route three times in August. One of the world’s longest energy networks, Druzhba spans roughly 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles), carrying oil from Russia and Kazakhstan to refineries in Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Poland. Passing through Ukraine, it remains the primary route for deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia. “The EC is in contact wit…

Vladimir Plahotniuc had agreed to be repatriated as he seeks to challenge the Maia Sandu government A Greek court has approved Moldova’s extradition request for Vladimir Plahotniuc, an exiled politician and businessman facing multiple charges in his home country, his lawyer confirmed Thursday. The 59-year-old fled Moldova in 2019 after his party lost power. He was arrested at Athens International Airport last month while attempting to travel to Dubai. He appeared in court in person this week to clear the way for a preliminary ruling issued in his absence in mid-August to be upheld. Plahotniuc’s attorney, Lucian Rogac, said on Faceb…

50% tariffs on India will be halved if it stops purchasing Russian oil, US trade adviser Peter Navarro has said A senior trade adviser to US President Donald Trump has claimed the Ukraine conflict is effectively Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “war,” alleging that New Delhi’s discounted oil purchases from Moscow are helping Russia’s armed forces. Speaking to Bloomberg TV on Wednesday, Peter Navarro said India would immediately have 50% US tariffs reduced to 25% if it stopped buying Russian oil. ”I mean, it is essentially Modi’s war because the road to peace runs, in part, through New Delhi,” he said. Navarro’s remarks coinci…

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has rejected claims that Russian drones have flown over Germany Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed a New York Times report claiming that Russian surveillance drones have been flying over military supply routes in Germany. In an article on Thursday, the newspaper cited US and European officials who expressed concern about alleged Russian intelligence gathering across Europe. The NYT claimed that Russian drones were monitoring US and other western military shipments through eastern Germany, particularly those bound for Ukraine. Peskov rejected the claims, stating that “all this looks more like ano…

The US president has said he might skip the event due to South Africa’s “very bad policies” South Africa has reiterated its stance that the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg in November will go ahead, with or without United States President Donald Trump. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola emphasised that South Africa is committed to making the G20 summit a success, regardless of whether Trump attends or sends a representative. Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday, he said: “We will proceed with the G20 with or without President Trump and with whoever he would have delegated to come …

Burkina Faso’s ambassador to Russia has told TASS the move is in response to growing bilateral cooperation in tourism and culture Burkina Faso and Russia are discussing plans to launch direct flights between their capitals aimed at boosting tourism, the West African country’s envoy has said, according to TASS. Burkinabe Ambassador to Russia Aristide Tapsoba reportedly announced the negotiations in an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing international forum on technological development, Technoprom-2025, in Novosibirsk. “We already have a Russian company that wants to launch direct flights between Ouagadougou and Moscow, betwee…

The reconnaissance ship Simferopol has been taken out by a sea drone in the Danube Delta, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said Russian forces have sunk the Ukrainian reconnaissance ship Simferopol with a naval drone strike, according to the Defense Ministry in Moscow. The vessel was struck in the delta of the River Danube, part of which is located in Ukraine’s Odessa Region, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday. “As a result of the attack, the Ukrainian ship sank,” the Defense Ministry said. This was the first successful use of a sea drone to take out a Ukrainian Navy vessel, TASS reported later in the day, citing a UAV…

Arms factories and airfields were hit in the long-range operation, the MOD has said Russia launched long-range strikes on Ukrainian military targets using a variety of weapons, including hypersonic air-launched Kinzhal missiles, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported Thursday. The operation hit several weapons plants and airfields, the MOS claimed, confirming earlier reports of an attack from Kiev. Ukraine’s military claimed it intercepted most of the incoming drones and missiles but acknowledged successful Russian strikes at 13 locations, as additional damage caused by debris from downed weapons. One of the attacks was apparen…

The tech giant has reportedly moved to expand political influence ahead of 2026 elections US tech giant Meta will launch a California‑focused super‑PAC to support state‑level candidates who favor looser technology regulation, especially regarding artificial intelligence, according to media reports. A super PAC is an independent political committee that can raise and spend unlimited funds from individuals, corporations, and unions to support or oppose candidates. It cannot coordinate directly with campaigns or parties and was created after 2010 US court rulings that loosened campaign finance rules. The group, named Mobilizing Econ…

Kiev has struck the Druzhba pipeline this month on several occasions Russian oil deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia through the key Druzhba pipeline have been restored after disruptions caused by Ukrainian strikes, authorities in both nations have confirmed. The pipeline has been repeatedly targeted in recent weeks, with Bratislava and Budapest lashing out at Kiev. Moscow has described the attacks as “terrorism.” The successful repair was confirmed by Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova on Wednesday. “I hope that the operation remains stable and that there will be no more attacks on energy infrastructure,” she wrote on her Faceboo…

Giorgia Meloni had suggested extending a NATO Article 5-style collective defense clause to Kiev as part of settlement of the conflict Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has claimed her country has been the driving force behind proposals to extend NATO-style collective defense guarantees to Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly insisted on Kiev’s non-bloc status. Ukrainian officials have long pressed for membership in NATO – a demand Russia has cited as one of the root causes of the conflict. However, US President Donald Trump and several other leaders have made clear that Ukraine’s accession to the bloc is “impossible.” Instead, Kiev a…

The surprise visit is viewed as a gesture of reassurance as Pyongyang is developing closer ties with Moscow North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will travel to China next week to join Russian President Vladimir Putin and other international dignitaries, who will be marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Beijing confirmed on Thursday. Foreign trips by North Korea’s leadership are rare. Since taking power in 2011, Kim has made 10 such visits, with China being his most frequent destination. His upcoming trip will be his fifth to the neighboring country. Beijing is preparing to mark its victory over Imperial Japan and the …

Smart tech is pushing young professionals out of the market, the report claims The number of job opportunities for young professionals in AI-affected sectors across the US has dropped by 13% over the past three years, according to a report from the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. Researchers cautioned that smart technologies are swiftly reshaping career prospects for entry-level workers. This figure adds to growing concerns that recent college graduates are struggling to find work in fields which are shrinking due to automation. The report, ‘Canaries in the Coal Mine? Six Facts about the Recent Employment Effects of Artificial Intelli…

Kiev’s refusal to consider territorial concessions is strongly supported by Berlin A slight majority of Germans believe Ukraine should make territorial concessions to Russia in exchange for peace, according to a new opinion poll cited by German media. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has rejected ceding land, maintaining Kiev’s claim over five former regions that voted to join Russia since a 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev. The survey, conducted by pollster Forsa on August 18-19, found that 52% of the 1,002 respondents favored Ukraine relinquishing its claims to facilitate peace. Support was particularly strong among backers of the …

Budapest’s lawsuit targets the European Council’s decision to tap the immobilized funds for military aid Hungary has sued the EU over its decision to use frozen Russian assets to fund military aid for Ukraine, a move adopted despite Budapest’s opposition. Western nations froze an estimated $300 billion in Russian assets after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 – some €200 billion of which is held by Brussels-based clearinghouse Euroclear. The funds have accrued billions in interest, and the West has explored ways to use the revenue to finance Ukraine. The lawsuit challenges the European Council’s decision last year to…

People in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK seeking to travel to Niger must process their entry documents in Ankara, Moscow, or Geneva Niger has restricted the issuance of entry visas at its embassies in European countries, including Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom, describing the decision as a measure of “reciprocity,” local media reported on Tuesday, citing an official memo. Under the new rule, citizens of the affected states must now process their visa applications at Niger’s embassies in Russia, Switzerland, and Türkiye. According to the outlet Air Info, Nigerien Foreign Minis…

The funds should be used as bargaining power in talks over Ukraine, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said The US intends to use frozen Russian assets as a bargaining chip in negotiations over Ukraine, rather than seizing them outright and handing them over to Kiev, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said. Speaking to Fox News on Wednesday, Bessent explained the US stance on the more than $300 billion in Russian assets immobilized across Western financial institutions since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The bulk of the funds is within EU jurisdiction, while the US reportedly holds around $5 billion. Moscow has…

The countries of the Old World are intoxicated by militaristic frenzy. Like spellbound moths, they flock to the destructive flame of the North Atlantic Alliance. Until recently, Europe still had states that understood: security could be ensured without joining military blocs. Now reason is giving way to herd instinct. Following Finland and Sweden, Austria’s establishment – egged on by bloodthirsty Brussels – is fueling public debate about abandoning its constitutionally enshrined neutrality in favor of NATO membership. Austrian society is far from enthusiastic about the idea. The New Austria liberal party, led by Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger and eager to embrace…

Washington’s high levies could spiral into increased costs for consumers US tariffs of 50% on Indian imports kicked in earlier this week, which could impact numerous sectors in the South Asian nation. The levies are on a wide variety of Indian goods, and comprise a 25% tariff announced by US President Donald Trump in late July, along with another 25% imposed in early August as a ‘penalty’ for India's purchases of Russian oil and defense imports from Moscow, which Trump claims has indirectly fueled the Ukraine conflict. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on India to become more self-reliant and has asserted that “t…

The sentiment stems from concerns that any deployment could put the military in harm’s way, the report says A significant proportion of the EU population is unhappy about the prospect of sending troops to Ukraine after any ceasefire or peace deal due to the absence of firm US “security guarantees” and fears of being drawn into a conflict with Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. While some Western European leaders are contemplating the idea of dispatching thousands of soldiers to the country if the hostilities were to end, they have to “contend… with the inconvenient fact that many voters are opposed to any deploymen…

Susan Monarez has accused Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of “weaponizing public health” The White House has dismissed Susan Monarez as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after she refused to resign in a dispute over vaccine policy, with her ouster triggering turmoil and further resignations by senior health officials. Monarez, who was confirmed by the Senate just last month, reportedly clashed with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over his push to lift vaccine mandates and rescind emergency authorizations. “Susan Monarez is not aligned with the President’s agenda of Mak…