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Saudi Arabia Bets $7B on Three Paris-Area Theme Parks
1 day ago•Source: Deadline
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14.845 min•4 days ago
Harry, Elton John Hit With $13M Costs Bill in Daily Mail Privacy Case
Prince Harry, Elton John and several other privacy-claimants were ordered to pay about $13 million in legal costs to Associated Newspapers Limited (the Daily Mail publisher) after their privacy lawsuit was dismissed by a High Court judge. The seven claimants must make the payment by August 28, with the total bill likely to exceed $46 million when all costs are accounted for. The group had claimed unlawful information gathering and other privacy breaches, but the court rejected the allegations and the claims were dismissed as insufficiently proven; Harry called the ruling a whitewash."
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UAE says Iran struck ADNOC tanker in Strait of Hormuz, third attack in a week
The Hill•10 days ago
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Global researchers unite to strengthen Guyana’s leishmaniasis fight
Guyana Chronicle•23 days ago
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UNIC Pushes for Harder EU Remedies Over Paramount-WBD Merger
UNIC, representing exhibitors across 39 European territories, says the European Commission’s conditional approval of Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery should have gone further, arguing the remedies address only a narrow set of concerns. It highlights risks outside UIP territories and calls for remedies that extend beyond the UIP footprint, including issues like theatrical windows and access to back catalogs. The EC’s rule includes a 10-year ban on co-distribution with Universal in UIP markets within the EEA, but UNIC says broader safeguards are still needed and it will monitor developments in the US for potential European implications.
Zelensky shakes Ukraine’s military leadership amid protests
President Volodymyr Zelensky fired Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, after nationwide protests calling for top military leadership changes; Mykhalio Drapatyi, a former defense minister, was named his replacement, while Mykhailo Fedorov was offered a new role as reform pressures on Ukraine’s defense establishment continue.
Ortega signals end of presidential elections in Nicaragua
Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega said at a rally that the country is moving toward not holding a presidential election next year, as he tightens his grip on power with co-president Rosario Murillo and constitutional reforms that extend terms. The announcement follows years of crackdowns on opponents and a disputed 2021 vote, drawing strong condemnation from the United States and others who say the regime is eroding democracy and human rights.
Patti LuPone Slams Turkey Over LGBTQ+ Cruise Ban
Broadway star Patti LuPone blasted Turkey after authorities barred the Atlantis cruise ship—carrying LGBTQ+ passengers and LuPone—from docking at Turkish ports over alleged “moral standards” and “family values.” The Scarlet Lady, operated by Virgin Voyages for Atlantis Events, was set to sail from Greece to Turkey, with planned ports including Kuşadası and Istanbul, but will instead stop in Cairo and Crete as a result of the ban; LuPone said she was shocked and furious yet would continue performing on the voyage as the ship re-routes.
Bangladesh Bets on China for Teesta River Management
Bangladesh and China signed 13 memoranda of understanding to boost cooperation on the Teesta and broader river management, including a Teesta Master Plan, flood-risk mitigation and dredging, during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit. The move signals closer Dhaka-Beijing ties and could affect India-Dhaka dynamics given India’s sensitivity over Teesta water sharing and the pending expiry of the Ganges treaty, as China seeks deeper Belt and Road cooperation and other strategic collaboration with Bangladesh.
Ukraine War Day 1,564: Russian Momentum Falters as Kyiv Strikes St. Petersburg at SPIEF
Frontline updates describe a weakening Russian campaign as Ukrainian forces repel multiple attacks across sectors, report advances near Kostyantynivka, and launch long-range strikes including a second round on St. Petersburg during SPIEF. Kyiv says strikes hit the Kronstadt Naval Base and oil depots and aim to undermine Moscow’s narrative at the forum; Russia meanwhile faces fuel shortages spreading across occupied Ukraine and neighboring regions. Overnight, Russia launched 272 drones; Ukrainian air defenses downed 249, while Ukraine attacked Russian fuel infrastructure in Krasnodar Krai and targeted major GLOC corridors, with a total of 183 combat engagements reported on the day.
Europe pivots to deportation centers under new Return Regulation
The EU’s new Return Regulation moves Europe toward detaining and deporting migrants in third countries, potentially hosting facilities in Africa or Asia. While Brussels says the framework will boost removals of rejected asylum-seekers and deter irregular arrivals, NGOs warn it could trap hundreds of thousands of people in detention for up to 30 months, with risks including family separations and rights violations. The practical details—where centers will be located, how long people can be held, and how children’s education will be safeguarded—remain unresolved, and past attempts (like Italy’s Albania model) have struggled to deliver results.
Ratcliffe’s Havana talks mark milestone in US‑Cuba diplomacy amid Cuba’s energy crunch
CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s high‑profile meeting with Cuba’s Interior Minister and the head of Cuban intelligence in Havana marks the clearest public milestone yet in two months of opaque U.S.–Cuba negotiations, unfolding as Cuba grapples with a severe fuel shortage and blackouts under an energy embargo. The talks come amid mixed signals from Washington about openness to diplomacy and aid conditioned on reforms, while Havana stresses bilateral cooperation and maintains its security apparatus, even as protests over living conditions intensify.
Khartoum as a Ghost Town: Sudan’s Civil War Wages On
A year after the SAF retook Khartoum, much of the capital is a ghost town as fighting continues across Sudan, exposing a massive humanitarian crisis with millions in need and displaced. Foreign backers, political infighting, and a politicized aid system complicate relief, while local activists and health officials voice resilience and advocate decentralizing health services to help rebuild the country.
Trump’s Selective Blockade: Iran’s Regime under Pressure
Victor Davis Hanson argues that Trump’s selective blockade against Iran could rapidly cripple Tehran by cutting its oil revenue and pressuring its proxies, while forcing Gulf exporters to reroute trade, thereby portraying Iran as a “paper tiger” and revealing the Left’s underestimation of U.S. military and economic leverage.