English-language Moscow newspaper; online since 1992
Researchers have found two critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a language that runs roughly 70% of identifiable websites. PHP developers have released emergency patches and dozens of governments and major firms have urged operators to update or temporarily take sites offline after AI-assisted research and a public leak triggered millions of exploitation attempts.
A Ukrainian drone campaign has expanded its strikes into Russia, hitting Wildberries warehouses in Krasnodar and Stavropol regions and causing casualties and fires. Attacks have also targeted logistics hubs and an oil depot, while Russia and Ukraine have exchanged strikes near Ukraine’s ports and in the Black Sea region.
Ukrainian drone strikes have damaged Wildberries’ largest logistics hubs in Elektrostal (Moscow region) and Kotovsk (Tambov), causing significant disruption and an estimated 7% hit to the retailer’s logistics. Restoring facilities is costly; merchants face losses as stock is destroyed, with compensation policies under review.
The AP News snapshot shows rising costs pressuring households and businesses as AI investment fuels memory and energy costs. Inflation is cooling modestly, but higher mortgage rates and persistent price pressures could prompt further policy action. Retail spending softens in June even as online sales rise around Prime Day.
Russia's FSB has accused Telegram of failing to remove channels, chats and bots that it says Ukrainian intelligence and extremist groups used to coordinate sabotage, terrorism and cyber-fraud inside Russia, and has placed founder Pavel Durov on an international wanted list; Telegram responded by posting an image of Durov making a rude gesture.
Ukrainian drone attacks have struck multiple Wildberries warehouses and nearby energy and port facilities across Russia's Volga and southern regions over recent weeks, causing fires, evacuations and injuries. Russian authorities say they have intercepted hundreds of drones; Wildberries says some logistics centres have halted operations but denies assisting the military.
A Russian court has granted Rodina’s lawsuit to remove Yabloko from the federal ballot amid allegations of foreign funding, copyright violations, and extremism. Supporters gathered outside the Supreme Court as the ruling was delivered; Yabloko plans to appeal. The party remains the only registered pro-peace liberal option amid a broader crackdown.
German officials have found a drone fitted with semtex explosives beside a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle airport and have called the incident a "hybrid" security threat. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has returned from holiday and has said Germany is facing sustained hybrid attacks. Investigators and US officials are examining whether the drone is linked to a foreign intelligence service.
Robert Gilman, a 32-year-old American teacher detained in Russia since 2022, has been in a dissociative stupor for 47 days and has developed a high fever and elevated blood pressure. He has been moved from prison to a civilian hospital, put on a feeding tube and remains handcuffed to his bed while the U.S. State Department has raised his case with Russian authorities.
Russia has intensified ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv and surrounding areas in recent nights. At least several people have died and many were wounded as debris damaged homes and sparked fires. Ukrainian authorities warn residents to shelter as the fighting continues and regional officials report ongoing strikes.
A drone has exploded inside Bulgaria close to the Romanian border and about 1km from the Trans‑Balkan gas pipeline's compressor station. Bulgaria has reported no casualties; debris analysis and initial statements have not identified the drone's origin. Kyiv has denied intentionally directing assets at Bulgaria and said it is cooperating to clarify the incident.
Traders have participated in Tuesday’s tenders with Bunge, CHS and Olam. A new wheat tender is expected to close on August 18, with shipments planned for September-October. Russia’s export tax changes and congestion at Black Sea ports have shaped a cautious market, while forecasts point to a potential fall in August grain exports.
A Ukrainian drone attack on Novorossiysk has killed a child and injured several people, with damage reported to dozens of buildings as regional authorities confirm ongoing strikes across southern Russia and Ukraine. Authorities say the broader Krasnodar region has seen multiple casualties and infrastructure damage, while Russia reports counter-drone activity.
A blast in Sevastopol has killed a Russian Defense Ministry officer, with a Russian national detained on suspicion of carrying out the attack on behalf of Ukrainian intelligence. Authorities say the suspect acted on Kyiv’s instructions while the wider security picture remains murky, as Kyiv denies involvement.
A daytime Russian drone strike has hit a busy shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, in two waves. Rescue teams have continued searching the rubble; authorities have reported at least 14 dead, about 121–130 wounded and several people missing, including children. Kyiv has renewed appeals for more air-defence support.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe has visited Moscow after a U.S. C-17 transport landed at Vnukovo, flight-tracking data shows. Russian and U.S. officials have not detailed the meetings. U.S. sources told Axios that Washington asked Kyiv to pause strikes while the delegation travelled; Moscow later confirmed Ratcliffe met Russian security officials.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe has flown to Moscow for undisclosed talks with Russian intelligence officials. The Kremlin has said President Vladimir Putin was briefed but did not meet Ratcliffe. U.S. officials and the CIA have declined to comment. Washington told Kyiv in advance and asked Ukraine to pause strikes on parts of Russia while the delegation was in the capital.
A fire at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex near Svobodny has injured 19 workers with severe injuries among 1 Chinese national and more. Authorities say primary equipment remains undamaged and air quality is within normal range as firefighting and controlled burning of residual gases continue. An investigation into the cause is underway and a commission has been formed.
A Russian military officer has been killed and his wife injured when their car exploded in the Pushkinsky suburb of St. Petersburg. Investigators have opened a criminal probe; Kyiv has denied involvement in the attack, while Moscow has blamed Ukraine for previous assassinations. The incident follows a series of high-profile blasts targeting Russian military figures.
Russia has held a three-day parliamentary election from Sept. 18–20 that is set to return a United Russia-dominated State Duma. Most anti-war candidates were barred, the liberal Yabloko party was disqualified from the nationwide list, voting is being held in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, and Moscow reported large drone attacks and a sustained cyberattack on electronic voting in the capital.
Russia has announced the closure of Goethe-Institut centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, following Germany’s decision to shut a Russian cultural center in Berlin after a drone incident near Leipzig/Halle. Moscow says Berlin’s move ends their shared cultural presence and escalates tensions as the EU considers further sanctions.
Two cases of political imprisonment and alleged mistreatment have drawn international concern. A Russian-born critic detained in Israel and an Azerbaijani opposition figure detained pre-trial in Baku face scrutiny over rights abuses. Activists demand transparency, access to legal counsel, and humane treatment as trials loom.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek has leaders from China, Russia and India attending as partners discuss regional cooperation. Talks point to China and Russia strengthening ties and expanding influence, with India hedging its position amid competing regional interests. Turkiye seeks a more permanent role while maintaining ties with the West.
An avalanche on Mount Mizhirgi in Russia’s North Caucasus hits a group of climbers. Ten have descended safely; several others remain unaccounted for as rescue efforts continue amid treacherous terrain and ongoing avalanche risk. Reports from multiple outlets confirm ongoing recoveries and casualties as agencies coordinate search operations.
Russia has instructed Germany to cease operations at its consulate in St. Petersburg by Sept. 18 in retaliation for Berlin’s closure of Russian diplomatic sites. Moscow says Berlin provoked the escalation after an alleged drone attack on Leipzig–Halle Airport, while Germany accuses Moscow of aggression and planting evidence. The move widens a diplomatic rift between Moscow and Berlin.
A study traces Scotland’s cultural and social shifts from the mid-1960s to the 1966 general election, highlighting changes in family planning, rebirth of media, housing redevelopment in Glasgow, and youth culture shaped by The Beatles and Dylan.
Energy ministers and key delegates from G20 nations, including Canada and Saudi Arabia, gather in Houston for discussions on energy security as gas storage in Europe strains ahead of winter. Russia’s attendance has stirred debate amid ongoing tensions over Ukraine and Iran, with US officials highlighting the need for affordable, reliable energy.
Congress has passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 and President Trump has signed it into law. The law expands sanctions on Russian officials, banks and a "shadow fleet" of tankers, and grants the president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
Prosecutors have opened a probe into criminal negligence as Russia’s brown bear population has more than doubled since 1990, now about 307,000. Fatal and non-fatal bear attacks are rising this year, with authorities reporting several deaths and residents near affected towns under siege by bears.
Russian presidential decrees have placed the Russian operations of several Western retailers and food companies under temporary administration, transferring control to newly registered or Kremlin‑linked firms. The moves follow earlier 2023 seizures and are taking place as Moscow and Berlin exchange diplomatic and security accusations, putting German firms such as Metro and Globus at risk.
EU countries reach a compromise to extend sanctions on nearly 3,000 individuals and entities for three years while delisting Russian-Uzbek tycoon Alisher Usmanov and Russian-Israeli Mikhail Fridman from the bloc’s sanctions list. Latvia abstains, prompting tensions with Kyiv; France and Luxembourg argued for delisting on national-security grounds linked to a prisoner-release context.
Russia has intensified strikes on Ukraine’s data centres and internet networks, disrupting connections for about 100,000 Kyiv-area households. Kyiv confirms outages, while Datagroup’s site is damaged and Ukraine says the impact extends to banks and public services. Poland reports an arson at a Starlink facility, linked to Moscow. Kyiv says the aim is to disrupt the flow of information.
The Tu-95 strategic bomber has crashed during a training flight in the Amur region near Krasnoyarovo. Officials say the aircraft was not carrying weapons and one crew member has survived and is hospitalized. Investigators are at the scene to determine the cause, with mixed reports from multiple agencies about possible factors.
A laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Anti‑Plague Institute has died after hospitalisation with severe pneumonia; regional officials have placed the hospital under quarantine and put nearly 200 contacts under medical observation. Authorities and Russia's consumer watchdog have said tests are negative so far; local leaders have cancelled public events.
Ukrainian drone strikes have targeted Moscow and nearby regions, aiming at energy and transport infrastructure. Authorities report interceptions of most drones with casualties and damage in several towns as officials caution about intensified attacks and winter pressures.
Latvia has declared a persona non grata a Russian commentator based on material from authorities, with officials citing national security reasons. The move follows prior expulsions of Russian cultural figures and signals intensifying scrutiny of Russia-linked voices in Latvia’s public sphere.
A Liberian-flagged Aframax Rio has been attacked off Sochi, triggering a fire and the evacuation of 23 Indian crew. Sochi and Sirius have closed beaches; authorities report no confirmed oil contamination and monitoring shows no oil slicks as of now. Investigations link the tanker to sanctions-evading routes; firefighting is ongoing and the vessel is drifting along the coast.
Russian authorities have arrested a Japanese reporter identified as Yuki Imai of the Hokkaido Shimbun on Sakhalin and flown him to Moscow on suspicion of gathering information on Russia's defence capabilities for Japanese intelligence. Tokyo has demanded consular access, summoned Russia's ambassador and called for the reporter's fair treatment; Moscow says the case is not isolated.
Foreign nationals have been detained by Russia’s FSB on mercenary or espionage charges amid a string of arrests linked to Ukraine conflicts. A German veteran says he joined Ukraine in 2025, claiming pay issues led to desertion. Other cases include a Swedish national and a Japanese journalist; Washington and Moscow discuss prisoner exchanges.
Japan has demanded consular access and the journalist’s immediate release after a Japanese national working for Hokkaido Shimbun was arrested on Sakhalin Island on espionage suspicions. Tokyo is urging Moscow to provide fair treatment amid a long-running Kuril Islands dispute.
Russia and Ukraine have engaged in renewed talks mediated by the United States, with a new round possible as early as next month. The exchange of fallen soldiers at the Belarus border adds urgency to discussions on a post-conflict security framework.