Vista elenco

Ricevuto — 15 Agosto 2026 Stampa Internazionale

Central Synagogue Attack Rattles Jewish New Yorkers

The police said a man on Friday night struck a congregant at the prominent Upper East Side synagogue, as Jews in the city contend with threats, fears and internal divides.

© Kena Betancur/Associated Press

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Central Synagogue was receiving additional police resources after a man disrupted worship there on Friday night.

The Last Hurricane to Hit Hawaii Became a Movie Star

15 Agosto 2026 ore 21:39
Hurricane Iniki devastated Kauai, causing at least seven deaths and $1.8 billion in damage. It also got a cameo in a Spielberg movie.

© Reed Saxon/Associated Press

Rubble left behind after Hurricane Iniki battered the island of Kauai in 1992.

$10 Million in Gold Found Buried Under Former Brewery in Belgium

15 Agosto 2026 ore 21:36
A construction worker’s drill struck gold during a renovation project in East Flanders, setting off a search for the owners of the stashed fortune.

© Lokale Politie Dendermonde

Gold bars found at the site where a 19th-century brewery had stood in Dendermonde, Belgium. The police do not know who put the gold there, or what its fate might be.

$10 Million in Gold Found Buried Under Former Brewery in Belgium

15 Agosto 2026 ore 21:36
A construction worker’s drill struck gold during a renovation project in East Flanders, setting off a search for the owners of the stashed fortune.

© Lokale Politie Dendermonde

Gold bars found at the site where a 19th-century brewery had stood in Dendermonde, Belgium. The police do not know who put the gold there, or what its fate might be.

An Island Used to Storms Readies for One of the Strongest in Decades

Storms regularly sweep across Hawaii, but actual hurricanes are rare. As Lala approached, propane, ice and Oreos were among the priorities.

© Bruce Omori for The New York Times

Maile Madrona placing sandbags at the base of their entrance of Aloho Grown, a local shop in downtown Hilo, Hawaii, on Friday.

Iran urges Qatar to release pilots shot down in Middle East war

Iranian authorities revealed on Saturday that three of Tehran’s pilots who went down early in the Middle East war were still being held in Qatar, calling on the Gulf state to release them. Iran had previously reported one pilot killed and others missing after a sortie to Qatar in March, but news of their alleged capture was not publicised at the time. “Three Iranian pilots were captured alive by Qatari forces after their Su-24 fighter jets crashed during the war,” said General Mohammad...

Iran urges Qatar to release pilots shot down in Middle East war

Iranian authorities revealed on Saturday that three of Tehran’s pilots who went down early in the Middle East war were still being held in Qatar, calling on the Gulf state to release them. Iran had previously reported one pilot killed and others missing after a sortie to Qatar in March, but news of their alleged capture was not publicised at the time. “Three Iranian pilots were captured alive by Qatari forces after their Su-24 fighter jets crashed during the war,” said General Mohammad...

Israeli air strikes on Lebanon kill 11 people in another test to truce

Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people on Saturday, in the deadliest attacks since a truce between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect on June 20. Lebanon’s health ministry and state news agency said an air strike that targeted a home on the edge of Ansar village killed seven people, including three children, and wounded two. The second, on the village of Deir al-Zahrani, killed four and wounded 17. Israel and the Lebanese government announced a “framework agreement”...

Israeli air strikes on Lebanon kill 11 people in another test to truce

Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people on Saturday, in the deadliest attacks since a truce between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect on June 20. Lebanon’s health ministry and state news agency said an air strike that targeted a home on the edge of Ansar village killed seven people, including three children, and wounded two. The second, on the village of Deir al-Zahrani, killed four and wounded 17. Israel and the Lebanese government announced a “framework agreement”...

What Is Happening at the Border in Big Bend National Park?

15 Agosto 2026 ore 15:06
Over the objections of environmentalists, local sheriffs and some state leaders, the Trump administration appears to be moving ahead with border infrastructure in one of Texas’ most beloved parks.

© Brian Finke

Construction workers cleared a road in Big Bend National Park earlier this month.

Syrian Convicted in Austria of Civil War Abuses Is Detained in Syria

Musab Abu Rukbah, a former police chief, left Austria after appealing his eight-year sentence for crimes committed during Syria’s civil war.

© Marylise Vigneau for The New York Times

Musab Abu Rukbah, right, and Roman Valach, one of Mr. Abu Rukbah’s lawyers, leaving a Vienna courtroom after a hearing in June.

Syrian Convicted in Austria of Civil War Abuses Is Detained in Syria

Musab Abu Rukbah, a former police chief, left Austria after appealing his eight-year sentence for crimes committed during Syria’s civil war.

© Marylise Vigneau for The New York Times

Musab Abu Rukbah, right, and Roman Valach, one of Mr. Abu Rukbah’s lawyers, leaving a Vienna courtroom after a hearing in June.

Suspect arrested after 5 people shot at US university

Police in Virginia have arrested a 19-year-old in connection with a shooting on Saturday that left five people injured. No one died in the shooting, though one victim sustained critical injuries. Chesterfield county police announced the arrest of Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia. They found him hiding in a wardrobe on campus on Saturday afternoon. He was not a student at the university, authorities said. Police said they obtained eight felony warrants for his arrest including malicious...

Suspect arrested after 5 people shot at US university

Police in Virginia have arrested a 19-year-old in connection with a shooting on Saturday that left five people injured. No one died in the shooting, though one victim sustained critical injuries. Chesterfield county police announced the arrest of Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia. They found him hiding in a wardrobe on campus on Saturday afternoon. He was not a student at the university, authorities said. Police said they obtained eight felony warrants for his arrest including malicious...

Hong Kong policewoman facing probe over viral video of her dancing in uniform

15 Agosto 2026 ore 17:11
Hong Kong police have launched an internal investigation into a female officer who posted a video of herself dancing in uniform on mainland Chinese social media, and ordered her to remove it. The video, which has gone viral in recent days, shows a short-haired female constable making hand gestures and moving to upbeat music. Her face is partly obscured by a filter featuring dog ears and a muzzle. A police spokesman confirmed to the South China Morning Post that the woman in the video was a...

Iran Says Qatar Captured Its Pilots Months Ago, a Claim Qatar Rejects

Iran said the airmen have been held since March 2 when their fighter jets were shot down. The Qatari government denies detaining any Iranian pilots.

© Mohammed Salem/Reuters

Smoke rising from an Iranian missile attack in Doha, Qatar, in March.

Iran Says Qatar Captured Its Pilots Months Ago, a Claim Qatar Rejects

Iran said the airmen have been held since March 2 when their fighter jets were shot down. The Qatari government denies detaining any Iranian pilots.

© Mohammed Salem/Reuters

Smoke rising from an Iranian missile attack in Doha, Qatar, in March.

Canadian Petition to Expel U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra Takes Off

15 Agosto 2026 ore 16:52
Mr. Hoekstra has been President Trump’s faithful messenger in Canada amid a historic low in relations. More than 170,000 Canadians want him gone.

© Ian Austen/The New York Times

Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, at the embassy’s July 4 party at his official residence in Ottawa.

Heat Deaths in a ‘Cold’ Country Are a Warning to the Rest of Europe

A June heat wave in Belgium and neighboring countries exposed a lethal lack of readiness. That’s a risk as another wave hits Europe.

© Ksenia Kuleshova for The New York Times

Treating a 77-year-old woman for heat-related illness last month at MontLégia hospital in the Belgian city of Liège.

Heat Deaths in a ‘Cold’ Country Are a Warning to the Rest of Europe

A June heat wave in Belgium and neighboring countries exposed a lethal lack of readiness. That’s a risk as another wave hits Europe.

© Ksenia Kuleshova for The New York Times

Treating a 77-year-old woman for heat-related illness last month at MontLégia hospital in the Belgian city of Liège.

Heat Deaths in a ‘Cold’ Country Are a Warning to the Rest of Europe

A June heat wave in Belgium and neighboring countries exposed a lethal lack of readiness. That’s a risk as another wave hits Europe.

© Ksenia Kuleshova for The New York Times

Treating a 77-year-old woman for heat-related illness last month at MontLégia hospital in the Belgian city of Liège.

Wary of Trump, Europe Seeks Role in Eventual Russia-Ukraine Talks

15 Agosto 2026 ore 06:01
French, German and British diplomats are working on a format for future negotiations — even if Russia has shown little interest.

© Nina Liashonok/Reuters

Rescue workers at the site of a Russian strike on a residential building in Odesa, Ukraine, this week.

Wary of Trump, Europe Seeks Role in Eventual Russia-Ukraine Talks

15 Agosto 2026 ore 06:01
French, German and British diplomats are working on a format for future negotiations — even if Russia has shown little interest.

© Nina Liashonok/Reuters

Rescue workers at the site of a Russian strike on a residential building in Odesa, Ukraine, this week.

Taiwan drone defences fall short against Beijing’s evolving technology, audit reveals

Taiwan’s push to build a modern counter-drone shield has come under renewed scrutiny after an official audit uncovered technical shortcomings and a key procurement programme collapsed following repeated testing failures. The developments have fuelled concerns that Taipei’s efforts to match Beijing’s rapidly evolving drone technology are being undermined by capability gaps, procurement failures and delays in building an integrated counter-drone network. According to a recent report by Taiwan’s...

Taiwan drone defences fall short against Beijing’s evolving technology, audit reveals

Taiwan’s push to build a modern counter-drone shield has come under renewed scrutiny after an official audit uncovered technical shortcomings and a key procurement programme collapsed following repeated testing failures. The developments have fuelled concerns that Taipei’s efforts to match Beijing’s rapidly evolving drone technology are being undermined by capability gaps, procurement failures and delays in building an integrated counter-drone network. According to a recent report by Taiwan’s...

Hong Kong stages first counterterrorism drill at redeveloped Huanggang crossing

15 Agosto 2026 ore 14:53
Hong Kong authorities have conducted a counterterrorism drill at the revamped Huanggang border crossing and used a new “crowd flow” test to simulate an unexpected surge in passenger numbers, with about 5,000 civil servants taking part. The counterterrorism exercise on Saturday was the first such drill to be held at the redeveloped checkpoint building. A Security Bureau spokesman said civil servants from around 30 bureaus took part in the drill, which aimed to test authorities’ management of...

What can Hong Kong travellers expect from the revamped Huanggang border crossing?

15 Agosto 2026 ore 14:38
The upgraded Huanggang border crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen is due to begin service following about six years of redevelopment. Sources previously said the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area could open as early as September, becoming the city’s second round-the-clock checkpoint. Following the overhaul, the Huanggang checkpoint will no longer serve goods vehicles. The South China Morning Post sets out what users should know about the new arrangements at the expanded port. How can...

Zhu Rongji’s death a reminder of what US-China relations have lost

With the death of former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, both China and the wider world have lost a great leader. Zhu took personal risks for better US-China ties. He believed that productive Sino-American relations were good for China and for the world. He was a global leader before China had achieved its current great power status. In mid-1990, when I was president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, our organisation invited Zhu, then Shanghai mayor, to the United States....

Zhu Rongji’s death a reminder of what US-China relations have lost

With the death of former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, both China and the wider world have lost a great leader. Zhu took personal risks for better US-China ties. He believed that productive Sino-American relations were good for China and for the world. He was a global leader before China had achieved its current great power status. In mid-1990, when I was president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, our organisation invited Zhu, then Shanghai mayor, to the United States....

Zhu Rongji’s death a reminder of what US-China relations have lost

With the death of former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, both China and the wider world have lost a great leader. Zhu took personal risks for better US-China ties. He believed that productive Sino-American relations were good for China and for the world. He was a global leader before China had achieved its current great power status. In mid-1990, when I was president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, our organisation invited Zhu, then Shanghai mayor, to the United States....

Anchorage un anno dopo: Ucraina, Russia ed Europa nel pantano della guerra

15 Agosto 2026 ore 14:27

Anchorage

Ricorre l’anniversario del summit tra Donald Trump e Vladimir Putin a Anchorage (Alaska) e i media che da quattro anni e mezzo promettono la rapida sconfitta della Russia oggi si affannano a spiegare che quel giorno il presidente russo prese una gran trombata: tante promesse da Trump, concessioni territoriali importanti, baci e abbracci per ritrovarsi adesso impantanato in una guerra senza fine. Mah… è la solita narrazione che i russi sono sì feroci ma anche molto molto stupidi. Davvero qualcuno crede che Putin non ricordasse che Trump (quello che, ci dicevano all’epoca del primo mandato, era stato eletto solo grazie ai maneggi russi) aveva poi tempestato la Russia di sanzioni? Che al Cremlino non avessero capito quale sia la personalità, e l’affidabilità, del presidente americano? E che in questo anno non abbiano seguito i suoi capricci, i suoi cambi repentini di strategia e, soprattutto, le azioni più o meno diretta contro l’influenza, politica ed economica, della Russia, dalla spedizione contro il Venezuela alle minacce a Cuba, dai diversi tentativi (di cui la guerra contro l’Iran è solo il più clamoroso) per danneggiare l’export energetico della Russia? Non è stato Trump, ormai molti mesi fa, a cercare di farsi promettere dall’India che non avrebbe più comprato petrolio russo? Gi è andata male, a giugno il petrolio russo ha fatto più del 50% delle importazioni indiane, ma Trump ci ha provato.

Nel maggio scorso Putin ha fatto l’ennesimo viaggio in Cina per incontrare Xi Jinping. E ciò avveniva poco dopo che lo stesso Trump era stato a Pechino. Uno dei giornalisti al seguito chiese a Yurij Ushakov, consigliere politico di Putin ed ex ambasciatore a Washington, che cosa restava dello “spirito di Anchorage”. Ushakov rispose piatto piatto: “Non so cosa sia lo spirito di Anchorage. Perché non parliamo dello spirito di Pechino”. A dire quali siano gli orizzonti fondamentali della politica russa. Nessuno sa con esattezza che cosa si siano detti Trump e Putin in Alaska. È probabile che Trump abbia proposto (Marco Rubio, il segretario di Stato Usa, ha più volte detto che si trattava di “una proposta e non di un accordo”) a Putin, in cambio del cessate il fuoco, concessioni territoriali sulla Crimea e sul Donbass. Perché Putin avrebbe dovuto dire “no, grazie”? Sapendo benissimo che, comunque, bisognava sempre fare i conti con la resistenza feroce dell’Ucraina e l’interesse politico dell’Europa a supportare tale resistenza?

La vera verità, al di là di qualunque retorica, è che in questa guerra assurda siamo impantanati tutti. La Russia, che si è data obiettivi precisi (la conquista dell’intero Donbass e il mantenimento del controllo sulla Crimea) e deve fare grandi sacrifici per continuare a perseguirli. L’Ucraina, inchiodata dall’avanzata russa alla condizione di dover combattere a tutti i costi, spopolata, ridotta a vivere dell’appoggio finanziario europeo e forte ormai solo dell’industria degli armamenti, anche questa strettamente connessa alle esigenze europee di riarmo. E ovviamente l’Europa stessa, che ha rinunciato a un modello di sviluppo (energia a buon prezzo dalla Russia, trasformazione ed esportazione) e ora non riesce a produrne uno nuovo, avendo nel frattempo tagliato i ponti con mercati importanti come quello russo e quello cinese. L’Europa che ha finora elargito all’Ucraina, in aiuti militari, umanitari e finanziari, più di 200 miliardi di euro: se avessimo investito in sforzi di pace metà di quella somma nel 2022, al momento dei primi negoziati tra russi e ucraini, la guerra sarebbe forse finita da tempo. Impantanata è pure la Nato, che si allarga, fa la faccia feroce, abbatte droni qua e là, fornisce intelligence e supporto all’Ucraina ma non ha ancora dimostrato quanto solida sia la sua promessa statutaria: se il Cremlino, per dire, invadesse la Lituania, tedeschi, francesi e italiani correrebbero a combattere? L’unico che si era tolto dai pasticci, alla maniera sua, era stato Donald Trump, che aveva bloccato gli aiuti all’Ucraina facendoseli invece pagare dall’Europa, la gallina dalle uova d’oro degli Usa. Ma poi ha trovato modo di impantanarsi da solo in Iran, il genio.

Oggi, data anniversaria di Anchorage, la Russia si avvia a un’elezione parlamentare-farsa. Un voto da cui è stato escluso, per il palese timore che ottenesse un buon risultato, il partito Yabloko che fu di Grigorij Yavlinskij, l’unica formazione a essere apertamente contraria alla guerra. E le autorità ucraine consigliano alla popolazione, in vista dell’inverno, di lasciare le città e trasferirsi in campagna. Quelle stesse che, secondo tanti dei nostri media, stanno brillantemente vincendo la guerra. Impantanati, dicevamo. Ma tra essere intrappolati in quella condizione e crogiolarsi nel pantano c’è ancora una differenza. Cerchiamo di non dimenticarlo.

L'articolo Anchorage un anno dopo: Ucraina, Russia ed Europa nel pantano della guerra proviene da InsideOver.

L’eclisse e il referendum sull’Ue: l’estate che può cambiare il destino dell’Islanda

15 Agosto 2026 ore 14:27

eclisse

REYKJAVÍK – Per due minuti il tempo è sembrato fermarsi. Poco prima delle 17.00, il Sole è scomparso dietro il disco della Luna e sull’Islanda è calato un crepuscolo improvviso, quasi irreale. Le voci si sono abbassate, gli sguardi si sono alzati al cielo e migliaia di persone, arrivate da ogni parte del mondo, hanno assistito a uno degli eventi astronomici più attesi del secolo: l’eclisse totale di Sole del 12 agosto 2026, la prima visibile dall’Europa continentale dal 1999. Se in molti Paesi europei il fenomeno è apparso soltanto in forma parziale, l’Islanda è stata una delle grandi protagoniste della giornata. L’ombra della Luna ha attraversato soprattutto le regioni occidentali e meridionali dell’isola, regalando uno spettacolo straordinario tra vulcani, campi di lava, coste battute dal vento e ghiacciai. Reykjavík, la penisola di Reykjanes, la regione di Snæfellsnes e i remoti Fiordi Occidentali si sono trasformati nei luoghi simbolo dell’evento.

Ma l’eclissi non è stata soltanto un fenomeno astronomico. È stata anche un fenomeno turistico senza precedenti. Da settimane gli operatori turistici islandesi parlavano di numeri record, e le previsioni si sono confermate. Secondo i dati riportati da AirDNA, la domanda di alloggi nelle località islandesi interessate dal percorso della totalità è aumentata del 56,9% rispetto all’anno precedente, contro una crescita del 19,2% nel resto del Paese. A trainare la corsa alle prenotazioni sono state soprattutto Kópavogur, con un incremento del 48%, e Reykjavík, con il 44% in più di richieste rispetto allo scorso anno. Ancora più impressionante il dato relativo alle ricerche online di strutture ricettive: la capitale islandese ha registrato un balzo del 250%, uno dei più alti in Europa legati all’evento.

La città si è riempita di astronomi, fotografi, curiosi e semplici viaggiatori desiderosi di vivere un’esperienza irripetibile (tra i quali si trova anche chi scrive). In molti hanno scelto di osservare il fenomeno dalle coste della capitale, altri si sono spinti verso aree meno urbanizzate per approfittare di panorami ancora più spettacolari. D’altronde, la particolarità di un’eclissi totale è che può essere osservata completamente soltanto all’interno di una fascia geografica relativamente stretta, il cosiddetto “percorso della totalità”. Proprio questa caratteristica ha generato una concentrazione eccezionale di visitatori in poche destinazioni selezionate. Secondo gli analisti del settore, l’evento rappresenta uno dei casi più evidenti di crescita dell’astroturismo, una forma di viaggio che unisce la scoperta del territorio all’osservazione dei fenomeni celesti. Ora che l’eclissi è passata, restano le immagini: il cielo che si oscura in pieno giorno, la corona solare che appare attorno a un disco nero perfetto, il silenzio improvviso della folla e la sensazione condivisa di assistere a qualcosa di straordinario. Ma l’eclissi che ieri ha oscurato il cielo islandese è arrivata in un momento in cui l’isola nordatlantica si trova a sua volta a un bivio storico.

Arriva il referendum sull’Europa

Mentre migliaia di visitatori affollavano Reykjavík e le coste occidentali per assistere alla totalità, il Paese si trovava già immerso nel dibattito sul referendum che il 29 agosto deciderà se riaprire i negoziati di adesione all’Unione europea. A rilanciare la discussione europea non sono state semplicemente nuove difficoltà economiche o cambiamenti ideologici, bensì le ripetute dichiarazioni del presidente americano Donald Trump sulla Groenlandia. Le ambizioni statunitensi sull’isola artica, vicina strategicamente all’Islanda, hanno infatti alimentato a Reykjavík una nuova percezione di vulnerabilità e sicurezza regionale. Basti ricordare che lo scorso gennaio, Billy Long, nominato ambasciatore in Islanda proprio dal presidente americano, aveva scherzato pubblicamente sul fatto che l’Islanda sarebbe dovuta diventare il 52esimo stato americano e che lui avrebbe ricoperto il ruolo di governatore.

Una battuta forse, ma che a Reykjavik avrebbero decisamente preso sul serio. Non è passata inosservata nemmeno la gaffe di Donald Trump, che a gennaio di quest’anno, durante il World Economic Forum di Davos, aveva confuso ripetutamente Groenlandia e Islanda mentre parlava delle ambizioni strategiche americane nell’Artico. La Casa Bianca ha poi tentato di correggere il tiro sostenendo che il presidente si riferisse alla Groenlandia come a una “terra di ghiaccio” (“a piece of ice”), ma il lapsus ha scatenato ironie e meme in tutto il mondo. Per gli islandesi, abituati a vivere all’ombra mediatica della ben più grande vicina groenlandese, è stata probabilmente la prima volta in cui il loro Paese è finito al centro di una disputa geopolitica semplicemente per uno scambio di nomi (!). La stessa premier Kristrún Frostadóttir aveva riconosciuto che la “crisi della Groenlandia” avesse toccato un nervo scoperto nell’opinione pubblica islandese.

Per un Paese di appena 400 mila abitanti, tradizionalmente orgoglioso della propria autonomia, si tratta d’altronde di un cambiamento notevole. L’Islanda è membro della NATO dal 1949 ma è l’unico Paese dell’Alleanza a non possedere un esercito permanente. Per decenni la sua sicurezza si è basata sul rapporto privilegiato con gli Stati Uniti. Oggi però le incertezze legate alla politica estera americana e le tensioni nell’Artico hanno spinto una parte crescente della società a guardare a Bruxelles come a un ulteriore ancoraggio strategico. Anche l’Unione europea osserva con attenzione il processo. A marzo 2026 Bruxelles e Reykjavík hanno firmato un accordo di partenariato sulla sicurezza e la difesa, segnale di una cooperazione sempre più stretta. Non a caso, per l’Europa l’Islanda rappresenta un tassello fondamentale nello scacchiere del Nord Atlantico e dell’Artico, una regione destinata ad assumere un peso crescente nelle competizioni energetiche, commerciali e militari tra le grandi potenze.

Il problema (non solo economico) della pesca

Resta però un nodo storico che continua a dividere gli islandesi: la pesca. Il settore vale circa il 12% del PIL nazionale e impiega il 5% della popolazione, numeri che spiegano perché il controllo delle acque territoriali e delle quote ittiche venga percepito come una questione identitaria prima ancora che economica. Proprio le divergenze sulla Politica Comune della Pesca contribuirono a bloccare il precedente processo di adesione nel 2013, e ancora oggi rappresentano uno dei principali argomenti dei contrari all’ingresso nell’Unione. I sondaggi fotografano infatti un Paese profondamente diviso, con il referendum di fine agosto che si preannuncia come uno degli appuntamenti politici più importanti dell’estate europea.

Come, però, ha sottolineato la stessa premier Frostadóttir, si tratta di un voto per “completare il dialogo”, non per entrare immediatamente nell’Ue. In caso di vittoria del “Sì”, il governo otterrebbe infatti il mandato per riaprire formalmente il dossier europeo. A quel punto sarebbero gli Stati membri dell’Unione a dover concordare la ripresa del negoziato, partendo dal fatto che l’Islanda non ha mai ritirato formalmente la sua candidatura presentata nel 2009, la quale per Bruxelles rimane giuridicamente valida, seppure congelata. Il percorso potrebbe quindi rivelarsi più rapido rispetto a quello di altri Paesi candidati perché quando i colloqui furono sospesi erano già stati aperti 28 capitoli negoziali e 11 erano stati chiusi provvisoriamente. Inoltre, grazie all’appartenenza allo Spazio Economico Europeo, l’Islanda applica già una parte significativa della normativa comunitaria, circostanza che potrebbe agevolare un eventuale ritorno al tavolo delle trattative. Prima dell’adesione vera e propria, tuttavia, sarebbe comunque necessario un secondo referendum, chiamato a ratificare l’eventuale accordo finale con Bruxelles.
Il cielo in Islanda è quindi tornato a illuminarsi dopo la storica eclissi solare del 12 agosto: resta da capire se, nelle prossime settimane, anche la rotta europea dell’isola diventerà più chiara

L'articolo L’eclisse e il referendum sull’Ue: l’estate che può cambiare il destino dell’Islanda proviene da InsideOver.

Why US Indo-Pacific ‘burden sharing’ risks deepening polarisation and big power rivalry

The US push to promote “burden sharing” among its allies in the Indo-Pacific has seen it focusing on increasing its military capacity while lowering the political temperature in an effort to reassure its allies. But some analysts have questioned its chances of succeeding, arguing that this deterrence strategy has intensified great power rivalry and polarisation in the region, while driving deeper bilateral cooperation between China and Russia on the one hand and Russia and North Korea on the...

Why US Indo-Pacific ‘burden sharing’ risks deepening polarisation and big power rivalry

15 Agosto 2026 ore 14:00
The US push to promote “burden sharing” among its allies in the Indo-Pacific has seen it focusing on increasing its military capacity while lowering the political temperature in an effort to reassure its allies. But some analysts have questioned its chances of succeeding, arguing that this deterrence strategy has intensified great power rivalry and polarisation in the region, while driving deeper bilateral cooperation between China and Russia on the one hand and Russia and North Korea on the...

Why US Indo-Pacific ‘burden sharing’ risks deepening polarisation and big power rivalry

15 Agosto 2026 ore 14:00
The US push to promote “burden sharing” among its allies in the Indo-Pacific has seen it focusing on increasing its military capacity while lowering the political temperature in an effort to reassure its allies. But some analysts have questioned its chances of succeeding, arguing that this deterrence strategy has intensified great power rivalry and polarisation in the region, while driving deeper bilateral cooperation between China and Russia on the one hand and Russia and North Korea on the...

Beijing issues ecological report to solidify South China Sea claims amid US row

China has published ecological assessment reports on nine disputed South China Sea features, amid an escalating row with Washington over Beijing’s establishment of a “national nature reserve” in the contested waters. On Friday, the Ministry of Natural Resources’ South China Sea Bureau issued its 2025 marine ecological early-warning and monitoring bulletin, alongside a separate marine ecological protection and restoration report for the region. The releases were announced via an article posted on...

Beijing issues ecological report to solidify South China Sea claims amid US row

China has published ecological assessment reports on nine disputed South China Sea features, amid an escalating row with Washington over Beijing’s establishment of a “national nature reserve” in the contested waters. On Friday, the Ministry of Natural Resources’ South China Sea Bureau issued its 2025 marine ecological early-warning and monitoring bulletin, alongside a separate marine ecological protection and restoration report for the region. The releases were announced via an article posted on...

Beijing issues ecological report to solidify South China Sea claims amid US row

China has published ecological assessment reports on nine disputed South China Sea features, amid an escalating row with Washington over Beijing’s establishment of a “national nature reserve” in the contested waters. On Friday, the Ministry of Natural Resources’ South China Sea Bureau issued its 2025 marine ecological early-warning and monitoring bulletin, alongside a separate marine ecological protection and restoration report for the region. The releases were announced via an article posted on...

Israeli Strikes in Lebanon Kill 11, Health Officials Say

15 Agosto 2026 ore 18:09
The Lebanese health ministry said children were among those killed. The Israeli prime minister’s office said Hezbollah had struck first, injuring three Israeli soldiers.

© Abbas Fakih/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

The aftermath of an Israeli strike in Deir al-Zahrani, a town in southern Lebanon, on Saturday.

Israeli Strikes in Lebanon Kill 11, Health Officials Say

15 Agosto 2026 ore 18:09
The Lebanese health ministry said children were among those killed. The Israeli prime minister’s office said Hezbollah had struck first, injuring three Israeli soldiers.

© Abbas Fakih/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

The aftermath of an Israeli strike in Deir al-Zahrani, a town in southern Lebanon, on Saturday.

How Are the Democrats’ Midterm Dreams Shaping Up?

Democratic divisions, polling misses and Ocasio-Cortez’s egg freezing: the week in politics.

© Illustration by The New York Times; photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty

US readies Iran penalties as Trump downplays midterms impact

15 Agosto 2026 ore 12:59
The US is readying unprecedented economic measures against Iran, as President Donald Trump seeks to intensify efforts to force Tehran to capitulate after almost six months of war. The president said in a brief interview with Fox News that the US was planning to hit Iran’s economy hard, and that he did not care if the conflict were to end before the November US midterm elections, which would hinge on voter perceptions of the economy. Trump has struggled to find an off-ramp to the war, which has...

US readies Iran penalties as Trump downplays midterms impact

15 Agosto 2026 ore 12:59
The US is readying unprecedented economic measures against Iran, as President Donald Trump seeks to intensify efforts to force Tehran to capitulate after almost six months of war. The president said in a brief interview with Fox News that the US was planning to hit Iran’s economy hard, and that he did not care if the conflict were to end before the November US midterm elections, which would hinge on voter perceptions of the economy. Trump has struggled to find an off-ramp to the war, which has...

Northern Metropolis and AI vital to Hong Kong’s 5-year plan: business chambers

15 Agosto 2026 ore 12:57
Hong Kong’s inaugural five-year plan should prioritise the Northern Metropolis megaproject, strengthen the city’s position as an international financial centre and advance its artificial intelligence (AI) strategy, major business chambers have said. In submissions for the city’s first five-year plan, groups including the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham) and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI) identified the Northern Metropolis as a key economic driver. Their...

Struggling families urge return of student grant after textbook prices jump

Hong Kong parents and concern groups have urged authorities to reinstate student subsidies after textbook prices recorded their sharpest increase since the Covid-19 pandemic, amid the growing use of digital learning tools. Prices for a list of textbooks now range from HK$4,000 (US$510) to HK$6,000, representing an average increase of 3.6 per cent for the 2026-27 academic year, the highest since the pandemic began in 2020, according to Education Bureau book list data. During the pandemic, prices...

Why Chinese youth are turning to an 84-year-old Cambridge professor for support

Wearing a black mariner’s cap and with a wall-to-wall bookshelf as a backdrop, Cambridge University professor Alan Macfarlane greets his social media audience with a soft ni hao – “Hello” in Chinese. In his latest video, Macfarlane follows this signature opening by thoughtfully answering a question pulled from the comments: why has making genuine friends become so difficult? Few would have expected an 84-year-old British anthropologist and historian from Cambridge University to become a social...

Why Chinese youth are turning to an 84-year-old Cambridge professor for support

Wearing a black mariner’s cap and with a wall-to-wall bookshelf as a backdrop, Cambridge University professor Alan Macfarlane greets his social media audience with a soft ni hao – “Hello” in Chinese. In his latest video, Macfarlane follows this signature opening by thoughtfully answering a question pulled from the comments: why has making genuine friends become so difficult? Few would have expected an 84-year-old British anthropologist and historian from Cambridge University to become a social...

Why Chinese youth are turning to an 84-year-old Cambridge professor for support

Wearing a black mariner’s cap and with a wall-to-wall bookshelf as a backdrop, Cambridge University professor Alan Macfarlane greets his social media audience with a soft ni hao – “Hello” in Chinese. In his latest video, Macfarlane follows this signature opening by thoughtfully answering a question pulled from the comments: why has making genuine friends become so difficult? Few would have expected an 84-year-old British anthropologist and historian from Cambridge University to become a social...

67 milioni di giovani senza lavoro: la disoccupazione torna a crescere nel mondo

15 Agosto 2026 ore 11:39

Nel 2025 il tasso globale di disoccupazione tra i 15 e i 24 anni è salito al 12,4%, coinvolgendo 67 milioni di giovani. Dopo il minimo raggiunto nel 2023, il mercato del lavoro ha ripreso a chiudere le porte proprio a chi sta cercando di entrarvi. Sono i dati che arrivano dal nuovo rapporto dell’Organizzazione internazionale del lavoro (ILO),  Tendenze mondiali dell’occupazione giovanile 2026: Back to the Future. La crescita appare contenuta, appena un decimo di punto percentuale, ma indica un cambiamento di direzione. La disoccupazione degli adulti è infatti diminuita nello stesso periodo, dal 3,7% al 3,6%. Per un giovane, oggi, la probabilità di essere disoccupato è oltre tre volte superiore a quella di un adulto. Il dato più preoccupante riguarda però chi è scomparso anche dalle statistiche della disoccupazione, nel mondo più di 257 milioni di giovani, uno su cinque, risultano fuori dal lavoro, dall’istruzione e dalla formazione, sono i cosiddetti NEET, dal 2023 sono aumentati di circa nove milioni.  Dietro questi dati preoccupanti ci sono giovani che hanno smesso di cercare un impiego, intrappolati in lunghi periodi di inattività, ragazze assorbite dal lavoro di cura e milioni di persone che vivono in Paesi dove studiare o trovare un’occupazione regolare resta un privilegio. Più di due terzi dei giovani NEET sono donne, il tasso raggiunge il 27,4% tra le ragazze, contro il 13,1% tra i ragazzi.

In Italia la situazione è migliore, ma la distanza dall’Europa resta ampia. Secondo il Rapporto annuale 2026 dell’Istat, nel 2025 il 13,3% dei giovani tra i 15 e i 29 anni era fuori dal lavoro, dall’istruzione e dalla formazione, contro una media europea dell’11%. Il dato italiano si è quasi dimezzato nell’ultimo decennio, ma il vero divario emerge osservando quanti giovani riescono effettivamente a lavorare. Tra i 15 e i 34 anni il tasso di occupazione è appena del 43,9%, mentre nell’Unione europea raggiunge il 58,1%. Quattordici punti di differenza che raccontano un Paese nel quale l’ingresso nella vita adulta continua ad arrivare più tardi.  Nemmeno una formazione universitaria riesce a colmare la distanza. In Italia lavora il 74% dei laureati tra i 25 e i 34 anni, contro l’86,5% della media europea. Tra tutti i giovani usciti recentemente dagli studi, il tasso di occupazione si ferma al 71,8%, undici punti sotto la media dell’Unione. Il problema italiano riguarda quindi anche la capacità del sistema produttivo di utilizzare le competenze che il Paese ha contribuito a formare.

L’intelligenza artificiale sta accelerando la trasformazione, ormai è inevitabile. Secondo l’ILO, il 6,1% dei lavori svolti da persone tra i 15 e i 29 anni si trova nelle occupazioni maggiormente esposte ai cambiamenti prodotti dall’IA. La quota è più alta nei Paesi ricchi, dove le attività amministrative e digitali sono maggiormente diffuse. Questo dato descrive un’esposizione, non una previsione automatica di licenziamenti, l’ILO invita infatti alla cautela sul rapporto diretto tra IA e crescita della disoccupazione giovanile. La coincidenza, tuttavia, merita attenzione, proprio mentre diminuiscono i lavori attraverso i quali i giovani entravano nel mercato, arrivano sistemi capaci di svolgere una parte crescente di quelle mansioni. Le professioni altamente qualificate nella scienza, nell’ingegneria, nella sanità e nell’informatica continuano a crescere. Ma una società vive anche di occupazioni accessibili a chi possiede un diploma, sta ancora imparando un mestiere o deve costruire gradualmente la propria esperienza.

Nei Paesi più poveri, milioni di giovani accettano qualsiasi attività pur di ottenere un reddito, quasi nove giovani lavoratori su dieci nei Paesi a basso e medio-basso reddito sono occupati nell’economia informale, privi di adeguate tutele e protezione sociale. Anche nelle economie più avanzate l’ingresso nel mercato del lavoro coincide sempre meno con l’indipendenza.

Se le imprese cercano soltanto lavoratori già formati e gli algoritmi assorbono proprio le mansioni nelle quali si imparava lavorando, cosa rimane?

L'articolo 67 milioni di giovani senza lavoro: la disoccupazione torna a crescere nel mondo proviene da Il Blog di Beppe Grillo.

Prosecutors Examined Firm With Tie to Judge in Trump Hush-Money Trial

16 Agosto 2026 ore 00:26
The U.S. attorney in Chicago subpoenaed a fund-raising firm that had been co-owned by the daughter of Judge Juan Merchan, who conducted the trial that led to Donald Trump’s felony conviction.

© Scott Olson/Getty Images

Andrew S. Boutros, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, ordered a Democratic fund-raising firm to turn over a broad range of sensitive communications.

How Cyclospora Evaded the U.S. Food Safety System to Sicken Thousands

The Trump administration delayed a rule last year that could have sped up the effort to pinpoint the source of the contamination. Critics charge that food safety oversight has eroded overall.

© Al Drago for The New York Times

Last year the Food and Drug Administration cut a program that tracked cyclospora outbreaks and delayed a rule that would have required companies to swiftly provide supply chain records in investigations of foodborne disease outbreaks.

As China Pushes to Expand in Asia, Trump Focuses on Iran

15 Agosto 2026 ore 11:01
Asian allies are beginning to wonder whether the United States would or could defend them in a war.

© Aaron Favila/Associated Press

The Sierra Madre, a Philippine naval ship, in the South China Sea in 2023. Last month, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel began circling the ship and confronted Philippine service members.

La Ue tratta in segreto con Israele lo scambio di dati sensibili: “Rischi per i palestinesi”

15 Agosto 2026 ore 11:25

Altro che sanzioni economiche contro Israele. Bruxelles non pensa minimamente a sanzionare Tel Aviv per il genocidio a Gaza. Anzi. Secondo un’inchiesta di Statewatch, Ong indipendente britannica che monitora i diritti civili in Europa, ripresa dal sito olandese The Rights Forum, la Commissione europea sta portando avanti negoziati segreti con Israele per concedere alla polizia israeliana l’accesso ai dati dell’agenzia di polizia europea Europol. Accordo che secondo gli esperti di diritti umani metterebbe a rischio la vita dei palestinesi e potrebbe violare il diritto internazionale.

Dati sensibili e biometrici in cambio di cooperazione

Secondo la bozza dell’intesa siglata nel 2022, lo scambio prevederebbe di una vasta gamma di dati personali: nomi, numeri di identificazione, localizzazioni, informazioni genetiche e biometriche, e molto altro, tra cui dettagli sulle opinioni politiche personali, sulla salute delle persone, sulle relazioni e persino sull’orientamento sessuale. Secondo Eitan Diamond, giurista menzionato da Novara Media, «i dati trasferiti potrebbero essere usati come intelligence per supportare decisioni mirate ad attaccare e uccidere palestinesi».

Peraltro, già nel 2022 il Servizio giuridico del Consiglio dell’Unione Europea aveva bocciato la bozza, definendola «giuridicamente insostenibile» e rilevando che alcune sue disposizioni erano in «contrasto con il diritto europeo e internazionale». Il motivo? Sebbene fosse stata inserita una clausola che vietava l’uso dei dati relativi ai territori occupati da Israele (come le Alture del Golan e la Cisgiordania), le due eccezioni inserite nella bozza – per «pericolo imminente di vita» e per «prevenzione o perseguimento di reati» – erano considerate troppo vaghe, tali da rendere di fatto inapplicabile il divieto. In buona sostanza, secondo i giuristi il timore è che, con questo accordo, si sarebbe di fatto legittimato l’occupazione israeliana della Cisgiordania, di Gerusalemme Est, della Striscia di Gaza e delle alture del Golan.

Incontri segreti a Bruxelles

E oggi, con un genocidio in corso a Gaza e con la violenza dei coloni che aumenta, le obiezioni sollevate allora appaiono oggi ancora più gravi. Nonostante ciò, la Commissione ha proseguito i negoziati con Tel Aviv in gran segreto. Documenti ottenuti da Statewatch rivelano che tra il gennaio 2023 e il gennaio 2026 si sono tenuti almeno sette incontri tra funzionari della Commissione e diplomatici israeliani.

Nel frattempo, 29 europarlamentari hanno presentato interrogazioni per chiedere chiarimenti sullo status dei negoziati con Tel Aviv. Mounir Satouri, uno dei firmatari, ha parlato di un «doppio scandalo»: «La Commissione – ha affermato – ha negoziato un accordo di cooperazione di polizia con Israele mentre numerosi esperti e un rapporto del suo stesso Servizio europeo per l’azione esterna documentavano gravi violazioni del diritto internazionale umanitario a Gaza. E lo ha fatto nella massima segretezza, sottraendosi al controllo del Parlamento. I negoziati devono essere sospesi immediatamente». Il tutto accade nel silenzio tombale della grande stampa europea: chissà cosa sarebbe accaduto se Bruxelles avesse negoziato segretamente con Mosca?

Fonti:

“Europese politiedienst Europol wil data delen met Israël,” The Rights Forum, 14 agosto 2026, https://rightsforum.org/europese-politiedienst-europol-wil-data-delen-met-israel/.

Giacomo Zandonini, “Exclusive: EU Commission still seeking controversial police agreement with Israel, despite warnings,” Statewatch, July 30, 2026, https://statewatch.org/news/2026/july/exclusive-eu-commission-still-seeking-controversial-police-agreement-with-israel-despite-warnings/.

L'articolo La Ue tratta in segreto con Israele lo scambio di dati sensibili: “Rischi per i palestinesi” proviene da InsideOver.

At Least 47 Dead as 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Indonesia

The temblor was one of the strongest the area had experienced in decades, an official said.

© SELO/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Damaged houses after a strong earthquake hit Indonesia early on Saturday.

Canadian Petition to Expel U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra Takes Off

17 Agosto 2026 ore 03:13
Mr. Hoekstra has been President Trump’s faithful messenger in Canada amid a historic low in relations. More than 200,000 Canadians want him gone.

© Ian Austen/The New York Times

Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, at the embassy’s July 4 party at his official residence in Ottawa.

How Cyclospora Evaded the U.S. Food Safety System to Sicken Thousands

The Trump administration delayed a rule last year that could have sped up the effort to pinpoint the source of the contamination. Critics charge that food safety oversight has eroded overall.

© Al Drago for The New York Times

Last year the Food and Drug Administration cut a program that tracked cyclospora outbreaks and delayed a rule that would have required companies to swiftly provide supply chain records in investigations of foodborne disease outbreaks.

As China Pushes to Expand in Asia, Trump Focuses on Iran

16 Agosto 2026 ore 21:58
Asian allies are beginning to wonder whether the United States would or could defend them in a war.

© Aaron Favila/Associated Press

The Sierra Madre, a Philippine naval ship, in the South China Sea in 2023. Last month, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel began circling the ship and confronted Philippine service members.

Where Future Champions Race Against the Tide

An uninhabited Irish island fills up one day each summer for a treasured amateur horse race in which young jockeys ride across the shifting sands.

© Clodagh Kilcoyne for The New York Times

The jockeys at Omey are young, the sponsors modest, the grand prize less than $1,000.

Where Future Champions Race Against the Tide

An uninhabited Irish island fills up one day each summer for a treasured amateur horse race in which young jockeys ride across the shifting sands.

© Clodagh Kilcoyne for The New York Times

The jockeys at Omey are young, the sponsors modest, the grand prize less than $1,000.

US K-12 immersion schools expand across country for early-age Chinese language education

At the Goodtime Chinese School in the Bethany suburb of Portland, Oregon, an American child stops school director Zhou Yanzhuo, of China, in the hallway to ask a question in English. She requests that he speak in Chinese and the third grader, who has no Chinese heritage, handily switches languages. The child is one of several dozen students attending rigorous summer classes for Chinese language instruction at an age when experts believe language acquisition is easiest. While American...

Professor’s Death Leaves Behind Hard Questions for Cambridge on Race and Hiring

Jason Arday, the school’s youngest Black professor, was found dead on Friday. The school ignored a series of warnings about his life story and his work.

© Joe Giddens/Press Association, via Getty Images

Cambridge University in May. Jason Arday was hired in 2023, becoming the university’s youngest Black professor.

Professor’s Death Leaves Behind Hard Questions for Cambridge on Race and Hiring

Jason Arday, the school’s youngest Black professor, was found dead on Friday. The school ignored a series of warnings about his life story and his work.

© Joe Giddens/Press Association, via Getty Images

Cambridge University in May. Jason Arday was hired in 2023, becoming the university’s youngest Black professor.

Professor’s Death Leaves Behind Hard Questions for Cambridge on Race and Hiring

Jason Arday, the school’s youngest Black professor, was found dead on Friday. The school ignored a series of warnings about his life story and his work.

© Joe Giddens/Press Association, via Getty Images

Cambridge University in May. Jason Arday was hired in 2023, becoming the university’s youngest Black professor.

India’s Modi woos youth with free coaching, AI training after Gen Z protests

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday his government would provide free online coaching lessons for competitive exams, weeks after massive youth-led protests forced the education minister to resign. Modi said the initiative was aimed at easing the financial burden on millions of families caught up in the country’s fiercely competitive education system. The 75-year-old leader made the announcement while speaking from the ramparts of New Delhi’s imposing 17th century Red Fort to...

In South Korea, some savour last season of legal dog meat

15 Agosto 2026 ore 10:18
For decades, the three days of summer considered the hottest of the year were among the busiest for South Korea’s dog meat restaurants, as diners sought traditional stamina-boosting foods to endure the heat. The third “boknal”, or hot day, of 2026 on Friday carried an added sense of finality. It was the last before a nationwide ban on the breeding, slaughter and sale of dogs ‌for meat takes full effect in February 2027. At the Moran Market in Seongnam, once the country’s best-known hubs for dog...

Evidence of earliest silkworm farming outside China found, upending Silk Road timeline

It may not be the most majestic creature on our beautiful planet, but the humble silkworm deserves a place alongside horses, cattle, cats, and dogs due to its profound impact on human civilisation. The luxurious fabric spun from the silkworm’s natural secretion ignited the creation of a vast global trade network, connecting Asia with the Mediterranean. This network became a catalyst for transformative exchanges of goods, ideas, and technologies across continents, significantly shaping the course...

Karaoke in the car? China’s new wave of gadget-laden electric vehicles

15 Agosto 2026 ore 10:00
China’s electric vehicles (EVs) already lead the way in terms of battery and autonomous driving technologies. Now, the country’s auto brands are adding a new dimension to the notion of intelligent cars: turning them into full-scale entertainment centres. A new wave of Chinese-developed EVs is hitting the market equipped with everything from voice-activated artificial intelligence (AI) assistants, to headlights that double up as film projectors and karaoke systems. Some even feature immersive...

Malaysia’s Anwar vows to boost anti-corruption drive after state poll defeats

15 Agosto 2026 ore 09:47
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he would speed up the pace of reforms and strengthen an anti-corruption drive as he sought to rebuild public support after a string of electoral defeats and party departures. Anwar acknowledged shortcomings by his administration that had led to frustration among Malaysians. While the economy grew 6 per cent last quarter and unemployment was low, Anwar said he “won’t deny” that Malaysians faced higher living costs. “The economic numbers are not winning...

Hong Kong suspends contractors over Queen Mary Hospital lift defects

15 Agosto 2026 ore 08:40
Hong Kong authorities have suspended the main contractor and lift subcontractor working on a new clinical block at Queen Mary Hospital from tendering for public works after serious defects left most lifts unreliable and delayed the launch of services. An engineer and a lawmaker said on Saturday that the extent of the defects was “extremely rare” in Hong Kong and unreasonable, while the government’s decision to temporarily stop the firms from tendering for other projects was appropriate. The...

At Least 47 Dead as 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Indonesia

The temblor was one of the strongest the area had experienced in decades, an official said.

© SELO/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Damaged houses after a strong earthquake hit Indonesia early on Saturday.

China slams Japanese officials’ visit to Yasukuni Shrine on WWII anniversary

China has “strongly condemned” Japanese leaders for visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine and making an offering on the 81st anniversary of Japan’s announcement of surrender in World War II. Beijing said it had lodged a formal protest after Japanese defence chief Shinjiro Koizumi and others visited the shrine on Saturday. China and many other Asian countries view the site as a symbol of Japanese militarism. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did not visit in person but she sent a ritual...

China slams Japanese officials’ visit to Yasukuni Shrine on WWII anniversary

China has “strongly condemned” Japanese leaders for visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine and making an offering on the 81st anniversary of Japan’s announcement of surrender in World War II. Beijing said it had lodged a formal protest after Japanese defence chief Shinjiro Koizumi and others visited the shrine on Saturday. China and many other Asian countries view the site as a symbol of Japanese militarism. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did not visit in person but she sent a ritual...

China slams Japanese officials’ visit to Yasukuni Shrine on WWII anniversary

China has “strongly condemned” Japanese leaders for visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine and making an offering on the 81st anniversary of Japan’s announcement of surrender in World War II. Beijing said it had lodged a formal protest after Japanese defence chief Shinjiro Koizumi and others visited the shrine on Saturday. China and many other Asian countries view the site as a symbol of Japanese militarism. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did not visit in person but she sent a ritual...

Extreme caution urged for Hongkongers as data privacy complaints jump 62% in AI era

15 Agosto 2026 ore 07:50
Hongkongers should exercise extreme caution in guarding their personal data, especially during online shopping and membership sign-ups, the city’s privacy watchdog has said after complaints jumped more than 60 per cent year on year in the first half of 2026. Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data Ada Chung Lai-ling said on Saturday that residents’ personal data had become a valuable, tradeable commodity in the age of technology. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data received...

Cyberport fills 50% of phase 5 offices with Lenovo, BrainCo among tenants: chairman

Hong Kong fintech hub Cyberport has added 66,000 square metres (710,420 sq ft) of space in its fifth-phase expansion, with more than half of its offices already leased to tenants including mainland Chinese technology companies, according to its chairman. Simon Chan Sai-ming also said on Saturday that Cyberport was positioning itself as a key driver in Hong Kong’s inaugural five-year plan by pushing artificial intelligence (AI) development as a pillar industry, expanding talent training and...

Russia’s role in Middle East politics endures, shifts to being ‘secondary power’

Russia is confounding expectations that its influence in the Middle East would drastically decline after the downfall of Syria’s Assad regime in 2024. At the time, Moscow operated about 100 military facilities in the war-torn country, following its intervention in the Syrian civil conflict from 2015 to prop up then president Bashar al-Assad in alliance with Iran and its regional proxies. When Assad was forced to flee to Moscow, and control of most of Syria was seized by Islamist rebels led by...

Russia’s role in Middle East politics endures, shifts to being ‘secondary power’

Russia is confounding expectations that its influence in the Middle East would drastically decline after the downfall of Syria’s Assad regime in 2024. At the time, Moscow operated about 100 military facilities in the war-torn country, following its intervention in the Syrian civil conflict from 2015 to prop up then president Bashar al-Assad in alliance with Iran and its regional proxies. When Assad was forced to flee to Moscow, and control of most of Syria was seized by Islamist rebels led by...

South Korea’s president proposes formal end to Korean war talks with North

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung proposed talks with North Korea to formally end the long-running Korean war, as Pyongyang deepens ties with Russia while asserting its status as an “irreversible” nuclear state. The two Koreas remain technically at war because their 1950-53 conflict, triggered by a North Korean attack, ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. Lee made the proposal in his speech at a ceremony marking the anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s 1910–45...

Man Charged With Hate Crime After Disrupting Worship at N.Y.C. Synagogue

15 Agosto 2026 ore 06:15
Larry Montes, 46, faces assault and hate crime charges after striking a congregation member and a security guard at Central Synagogue in Manhattan, the police said.

© Kena Betancur/Associated Press

The Central Synagogue in New York City.

Entrenched, Embattled and Defiant, the Taliban Celebrate 5 Years in Power

15 Agosto 2026 ore 06:01
The Taliban have Afghanistan in a chokehold that spares no one. But threats are starting to crack their veneer of stability and control.

© Tomas Munita for The New York Times

Afghans celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul, Afghanistan, early on Saturday.

Entrenched, Embattled and Defiant, the Taliban Celebrate 5 Years in Power

15 Agosto 2026 ore 06:01
The Taliban have Afghanistan in a chokehold that spares no one. But threats are starting to crack their veneer of stability and control.

© Tomas Munita for The New York Times

Afghans celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul, Afghanistan, early on Saturday.

Heat Deaths in a ‘Cold’ Country Are a Warning to the Rest of Europe

A June heat wave in Belgium and neighboring countries exposed a lethal lack of readiness. That’s a risk as another wave hits Europe.

© Ksenia Kuleshova for The New York Times

Treating a 77-year-old woman for heat-related illness last month at MontLégia hospital in the Belgian city of Liège.

Heat Deaths in a ‘Cold’ Country Are a Warning to the Rest of Europe

A June heat wave in Belgium and neighboring countries exposed a lethal lack of readiness. That’s a risk as another wave hits Europe.

© Ksenia Kuleshova for The New York Times

Treating a 77-year-old woman for heat-related illness last month at MontLégia hospital in the Belgian city of Liège.

Wary of Trump, Europe Seeks Role in Eventual Russia-Ukraine Talks

15 Agosto 2026 ore 06:01
French, German and British diplomats are working on a format for future negotiations — even if Russia has shown little interest.

© Nina Liashonok/Reuters

Rescue workers at the site of a Russian strike on a residential building in Odesa, Ukraine, this week.

Wary of Trump, Europe Seeks Role in Eventual Russia-Ukraine Talks

15 Agosto 2026 ore 06:01
French, German and British diplomats are working on a format for future negotiations — even if Russia has shown little interest.

© Nina Liashonok/Reuters

Rescue workers at the site of a Russian strike on a residential building in Odesa, Ukraine, this week.

Hong Kong’s biodiversity ‘richer than we know’ but many species lack protection

Hong Kong’s lush forests are teeming with more wildlife ranging from birds arriving from neighbouring regions to newly discovered reptile species, experts have found, as they urge authorities to devise a conservation list to protect vulnerable local species. The call by the city’s conservationists to formulate a “red list” – a long-awaited measure since 2014 – coincided with National Ecology Day on Saturday. Marking the occasion, Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing said the...

How Vietnam’s ‘streamlining revolution’ may lead to uneven success

Third plenums are ordinarily the quiet part of Vietnam’s political calendar. Between its five-yearly congresses, the Communist Party of Vietnam governs through numbered plenums of its Central Committee (CC): the first two settle personnel decisions, and the third, six months on, usually does no more than ratify the term’s work programme. This time, the third plenum of the 14th CC, held from July 20 to 24, did more. It set out the next phase of the country’s most sweeping administrative overhaul...

Truck driver flees after vehicle crashes and bursts into flames on Lantau highway

A truck driver fled the scene after his vehicle crashed into roadside barriers and burst into flames on Hong Kong’s Lantau Island early on Saturday, with debris from the collision injuring a taxi driver and a passenger travelling behind. The crash occurred at about 3.15am during an amber rainstorm warning. A 16-tonne truck carrying electronic parts was heading towards the airport when it crashed on the North Lantau Highway near Tung Chung Eastern Interchange. The vehicle skidded on the wet road,...

Meet the Singaporean DJ taking local sounds to the global stage

15 Agosto 2026 ore 05:00
At one of the world’s biggest electronic dance music festivals in Belgium, entranced revellers recently found themselves dancing to sounds more often heard on a Singapore commute than a Tomorrowland stage. They included the MRT warning to “Sila berhati-hati di ruang platform” (“Please mind the platform gap” in Malay), familiar to millions who ride the city state’s metro system, and the piercing, repetitive call of the Asian koel, a bird whose cry is instantly recognisable in many Singapore...

Chinese magnetic sensor breakthrough may help smartwatch detect submarine 500 metres deep

15 Agosto 2026 ore 05:00
Picture a fisherman hauling in his nets on a calm morning at sea, when his smartwatch suddenly vibrates with an alert: “Magnetic anomaly detected – possible submarine passing 500 metres below.” Far‑fetched as it sounds, Chinese scientists have just taken a decisive step towards making that scenario real. A team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science and the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, both under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has created a Hall‑effect...

Chinese magnetic sensor breakthrough may help smartwatch detect submarine 500 metres deep

Picture a fisherman hauling in his nets on a calm morning at sea, when his smartwatch suddenly vibrates with an alert: “Magnetic anomaly detected – possible submarine passing 500 metres below.” Far‑fetched as it sounds, Chinese scientists have just taken a decisive step towards making that scenario real. A team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science and the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, both under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has created a Hall‑effect...

At least 47 killed in Indonesia after magnitude 7.7 quake hits Flores region

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least 47 people, collapsing buildings and homes as well as causing panic in a region prone to deadly quakes. Authorities said more than a dozen people were injured. Authorities issued a tsunami warning but later lifted it when Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said monitoring showed no significant sea-level changes that would pose a threat to coastal communities. The US...

Putin alle Curili, si riaccende la contesa col Giappone

15 Agosto 2026 ore 04:07
Putin alle Curili, si riaccende la contesa col Giappone

Per la prima volta il presidente russo nella più grande delle quattro isole amministrate da Mosca ma rivendicate da Tokyo. La visita è un segnale anche alla Nato, mentre il Cremlino approfondisce l'alleanza con la Corea del nord. Il ministro degli esteri cinese intanto va a Seul

L'articolo Putin alle Curili, si riaccende la contesa col Giappone proviene da China Files.

The US’ future policymakers are questioning the standard ‘China threat’ playbook

For years, the conventional wisdom in Washington was that America’s China policy was moving in one direction: tougher. But walk into a classroom at Georgetown, Rice or another US university where the next generation of diplomats and foreign-policy professionals is being trained, and the picture looks less settled. A generation that has grown up with China’s rise is increasingly sceptical of the idea that Beijing should be treated primarily as America’s great strategic rival. That matters because...

The US’ future policymakers are questioning the standard ‘China threat’ playbook

For years, the conventional wisdom in Washington was that America’s China policy was moving in one direction: tougher. But walk into a classroom at Georgetown, Rice or another US university where the next generation of diplomats and foreign-policy professionals is being trained, and the picture looks less settled. A generation that has grown up with China’s rise is increasingly sceptical of the idea that Beijing should be treated primarily as America’s great strategic rival. That matters because...

The US’ future policymakers are questioning the standard ‘China threat’ playbook

For years, the conventional wisdom in Washington was that America’s China policy was moving in one direction: tougher. But walk into a classroom at Georgetown, Rice or another US university where the next generation of diplomats and foreign-policy professionals is being trained, and the picture looks less settled. A generation that has grown up with China’s rise is increasingly sceptical of the idea that Beijing should be treated primarily as America’s great strategic rival. That matters because...

How Southeast Asia’s monarchies stay relevant in a volatile region

When Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah recently stripped his daughter-in-law of a royal title, the move drew attention for its unusually public glimpse into discipline inside one of the world’s few remaining absolute monarchies. But it also offered a small example of what analysts who study Southeast Asia’s royal families describe as a wider challenge for the region’s monarchies: how to preserve authority through tradition and adaptation as public expectations change. An official announcement...

Lions, tigers from notorious zoo in Argentina begin journey to wildlife sanctuaries

Thirty lions and tigers that were kept alive – barely – for years in cramped concrete cages at a closed Argentine zoo began entering jumbo-size transport crates on Friday as they embarked on ambitious journeys to wildlife sanctuaries halfway across the world in South Africa and the United States. The cats are being rescued from the former Lujan Zoo, about 70km (43 miles) northwest of Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires, after years of uncertainty over their fate. Four Paws, the international...

Lions, tigers from notorious zoo in Argentina begin journey to wildlife sanctuaries

Thirty lions and tigers that were kept alive – barely – for years in cramped concrete cages at a closed Argentine zoo began entering jumbo-size transport crates on Friday as they embarked on ambitious journeys to wildlife sanctuaries halfway across the world in South Africa and the United States. The cats are being rescued from the former Lujan Zoo, about 70km (43 miles) northwest of Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires, after years of uncertainty over their fate. Four Paws, the international...

Hong Kong’s night economy must focus on after-dark vibes, not events

15 Agosto 2026 ore 03:30
More than 86,000 football fans passed through Kai Tak Stadium over two nights recently as Manchester City faced Inter Milan and Chelsea took on Juventus. Supporters filled nearby malls and restaurants, with some merchants reporting foot traffic three to four times higher than usual. For those few hours, Kai Tak offered a glimpse of what Hong Kong’s day-to-night economy could become: international visitors and local residents arriving early and extending the occasion beyond the stadium. The...

Japan PM avoids Yasukuni Shrine on WWII anniversary, 4 ministers visit

di: Kyodo · Kyodo
15 Agosto 2026 ore 03:17
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Saturday skipped a visit to Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine and sent an offering instead, but Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and three other Cabinet members went there on the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II. Despite Takaichi, a conservative, staying away from the shrine that honours convicted war criminals along with the war dead, China said it “deplores” and strongly protests the moves. South Korea also expressed regret and...

‘Enjoying two worlds at once’: work in Hong Kong, live and play in Greater Bay Area

Regional cooperation is a key priority in Hong Kong’s first five-year plan. In the fourth of a five-part series on the plan, we look at how life in the Greater Bay Area can get better, with the right policies. Read part one here, part two here and part three here. Eager to escape Hong Kong’s suffocating housing conditions, university administrative worker Polly Chan decided in 2023 to rent a weekend flat in Guangzhou. On weekdays, she lives with her mother in a cramped 300 sq ft flat in Tai Po....

Chinese boy abducted at 3, who inspired child trafficking film, enters direct PhD programme

15 Agosto 2026 ore 03:00
A young Chinese man who has just graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Technology from the prestigious Wuhan University is set to embark on a new life as a doctoral student at the same institution. Peng Wenle is not just another ordinary 21-year-old; he was abducted at the age of three in 2008 from outside his parents’ telephone service shop in southern China’s Shenzhen and was recovered three years later, thanks to his parents’ tireless search. Wenle seized this academic...

How China’s young managers grappled with billion-yuan mandates as AI shocks hit portfolios

15 Agosto 2026 ore 03:00
As Leopold Aschenbrenner’s US hedge fund saw assets wiped off by more than two-thirds in a single month, some of China’s new portfolio managers also felt the shock across the Pacific, learning bitter lessons early in their careers. The 50-day market turmoil, sparked by a global correction in artificial intelligence stocks in June, turned some of China’s rookie managers into an unwitting focal point. Even seasoned investors faced hard questions from clients as portfolios sagged. For Yuan Zeqiang,...

She Sewed the Blue Angels’ Suits for 40 Years. Then a Big Company Got the Job.

14 Agosto 2026 ore 21:11
Jellie Whitehurst in Pensacola, Fla., was surprised to learn that after decades, the Navy had awarded a $1.7 million contract to a company in Virginia to supply the gear.

© USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Jellie Whitehurst, the owner of The Sewing Box, making flight suits for the Blue Angels in 2019. She started doing that work in 1989.

Wear now, pay later: the new rules of Southeast Asia’s indulgence economy

With its padded leather and gold “CC” lock, Coco Chanel’s instantly recognisable bag is practically part of the uniform for any self-respecting Bangkok property agent – an apt accessory for a city that recently edged into the top 10 anywhere for luxury spending. But in chastened economic times liquidity and luxury are no longer in lockstep, challenging many of those with expensive tastes to find new ways to keep up appearances while balancing their books. Jirapun Ngam, 42, works in the...

Despite Mamdani’s Attempts to Appease, Many Business Leaders Remain Wary

The mayor’s attempt to create a business advisory council has been hampered by some concern that joining the council may be perceived as an endorsement of Mr. Mamdani.

© Victor J. Blue for The New York Times

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has angered some business executives with his frequent statements criticizing Israel’s actions against Palestinians.

FDA Classifies Egg Recall as Class I for Highest Health Risk

15 Agosto 2026 ore 01:06
Nearly 20 million eggs were recalled in July over salmonella concerns. The new classification signals a “reasonable probability” of “serious adverse health consequences or death.”

© Ronaldo Schemidt/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Midwest Poultry Services voluntarily recalled 19 million eggs in July “as a precautionary measure,” the company said.

China rattled by Trump White House chaos weeks ahead of Xi visit. It has happened before

Just months ago, disorganised planning from Washington in the lead-up to US President Donald Trump’s landmark China visit frustrated Chinese officials. Now, Beijing is watching the same story play out on the other side of the world. With less than six weeks until Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned trip to Washington – his first state visit since 2015 – Beijing finds itself increasingly unsettled by the chaos within the Trump administration. Sources told the South China Morning Post that...

China rattled by Trump White House chaos weeks ahead of Xi visit. It has happened before

Just months ago, disorganised planning from Washington in the lead-up to US President Donald Trump’s landmark China visit frustrated Chinese officials. Now, Beijing is watching the same story play out on the other side of the world. With less than six weeks until Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned trip to Washington – his first state visit since 2015 – Beijing finds itself increasingly unsettled by the chaos within the Trump administration. Sources told the South China Morning Post that...

China rattled by Trump White House chaos weeks ahead of Xi visit. It has happened before

Just months ago, disorganised planning from Washington in the lead-up to US President Donald Trump’s landmark China visit frustrated Chinese officials. Now, Beijing is watching the same story play out on the other side of the world. With less than six weeks until Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned trip to Washington – his first state visit since 2015 – Beijing finds itself increasingly unsettled by the chaos within the Trump administration. Sources told the South China Morning Post that...

Can Senator Ed Markey’s Progressive Politics Help Him Overcome the Age Issue?

15 Agosto 2026 ore 01:08
Ed Markey is hoping that his progressive politics will save him in Massachusetts.

© Mel Musto for The New York Times

Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, right, with Representative Jim McGovern and Mayor Joseph Petty of Worcester.

Hawaiian Electric Warns Any Power Outages May Last Days

15 Agosto 2026 ore 00:49
The severe tropical weather conditions from the approaching storm Lala are expected to topple trees and down power lines as it crosses the state.

© Rick Bowmer/Associated Press

Linemen working on poles in 2023 after wildfires in Hawaii. The state’s largest power company advised residents ahead of Lala.

Delcy Rodriguez’s Castro tribute tests Venezuela’s balancing act between US and China

Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez’s tribute to Fidel Castro has drawn a blistering rebuke from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, highlighting the political tensions surrounding Caracas’ rapprochement with Washington even as China seeks to preserve its economic interests in the South American country. Rodriguez marked the centenary of the late Cuban leader’s birth this week by praising Castro as a figure who “transcends time” and invoking his commitment to sovereignty, social justice...

Delcy Rodriguez’s Castro tribute tests Venezuela’s balancing act between US and China

Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez’s tribute to Fidel Castro has drawn a blistering rebuke from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, highlighting the political tensions surrounding Caracas’ rapprochement with Washington even as China seeks to preserve its economic interests in the South American country. Rodriguez marked the centenary of the late Cuban leader’s birth this week by praising Castro as a figure who “transcends time” and invoking his commitment to sovereignty, social justice...

Delcy Rodriguez’s Castro tribute tests Venezuela’s balancing act between US and China

Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez’s tribute to Fidel Castro has drawn a blistering rebuke from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, highlighting the political tensions surrounding Caracas’ rapprochement with Washington even as China seeks to preserve its economic interests in the South American country. Rodriguez marked the centenary of the late Cuban leader’s birth this week by praising Castro as a figure who “transcends time” and invoking his commitment to sovereignty, social justice...

Luigi Mangione’s Case Hit a Cultural Nerve

As the murder of Brian Thompson shocked most Americans, some people, many on social media, began showing Mr. Mangione sympathy and channeled their own frustration with the health care industry.

© Rachel Wisniewski for The New York Times

Some people took to social media to show Luigi Mangione support in the days after the murder of Brian Thompson. That support has taken many faces, though interest appears to be waning.

L’era dei droni cambia anche l’armata russa: il generale Lyamin all’incrocio tra esercito e industria

15 Agosto 2026 ore 00:22

La decisione di Vladimir Putin di affidare al generale Denis Lyamin il comando delle nuove Forze russe per i sistemi senza pilota non rappresenta un semplice avvicendamento ai vertici militari. Segnala piuttosto la definitiva trasformazione della guerra in Ucraina in un laboratorio permanente della guerra tecnologica, nel quale la quantità, la velocità di produzione e la capacità di adattamento contano ormai quanto i carri armati, l’artiglieria e l’aviazione tradizionale.

Mosca prende atto che i velivoli senza pilota non sono più strumenti ausiliari, ma costituiscono un’arma autonoma, dotata di proprie catene di comando, strutture logistiche, centri di addestramento e apparati industriali. La scelta di Lyamin, proveniente dalle forze terrestri e già capo di stato maggiore del raggruppamento Centro, conferma inoltre che il nuovo comando dovrà essere strettamente integrato con le operazioni sul fronte del Donbass.

Il riferimento di Putin alla conquista dell’intera regione di Donetsk chiarisce la priorità operativa. I velivoli senza pilota dovranno sostenere l’avanzata russa individuando le posizioni ucraine, correggendo il tiro dell’artiglieria, colpendo veicoli e depositi e interrompendo le linee di rifornimento. La Russia intende trasformare una moltitudine di iniziative spesso nate dal basso in una forza centralizzata, capace di coordinare ricognizione, attacco, guerra elettronica e produzione industriale.

Una guerra combattuta sopra e dietro il fronte

Il campo di battaglia ucraino ha cancellato la distinzione tradizionale tra prima linea e retrovia. Velivoli economici possono distruggere mezzi dal valore di milioni, mentre apparecchi a lungo raggio raggiungono raffinerie, depositi, industrie militari e nodi ferroviari a centinaia di chilometri dal fronte. Anche Kiev ha creato un comando dedicato agli attacchi in profondità. Le due parti stanno dunque costruendo strutture quasi speculari. La guerra non è più soltanto una contesa territoriale: è una competizione tra sistemi industriali, reti informative e capacità di sostituire rapidamente uomini e materiali.

Sul piano militare, la centralizzazione russa può migliorare l’impiego coordinato dei mezzi senza pilota, ma presenta anche rischi. Una struttura più rigida potrebbe rallentare l’innovazione nata dalle unità operative, spesso capaci di modificare rapidamente apparecchi, frequenze e tecniche di attacco. Mosca dovrà conciliare il controllo dello Stato maggiore con la creatività dei reparti e dei produttori privati.

L’industria militare diventa un fronte interno

Gli attentati contro dirigenti e progettisti del settore mostrano che la guerra tecnologica si combatte anche lontano dalle trincee. L’esplosione dell’automobile di Vladimir Tkachuk, responsabile dell’azienda Uraldronzavod, e il ferimento del progettista Andrei Cherezov indicano la vulnerabilità dell’apparato produttivo russo.

Colpire un progettista o un imprenditore può avere effetti superiori alla distruzione di un singolo stabilimento. Significa eliminare competenze, interrompere reti di finanziamento, rallentare forniture e diffondere insicurezza tra tecnici e dirigenti. L’obiettivo strategico di simili operazioni, indipendentemente da chi ne sia responsabile, è trasferire il costo della guerra dalla periferia ucraina al cuore economico e industriale della Russia.

L’attentato nel centro di Mosca aggiunge un elemento ancora più destabilizzante. Sebbene non vi siano prove pubbliche sul mandante, l’episodio alimenta nella società russa la percezione che il conflitto possa penetrare nella vita quotidiana delle grandi città. Per il Cremlino diventa quindi necessario proteggere non soltanto generali e funzionari, ma anche scienziati, produttori, finanziatori e propagandisti collegati allo sforzo bellico.

Il costo economico della supremazia tecnologica

La creazione di una forza autonoma richiederà investimenti considerevoli. Serviranno stabilimenti, componenti elettronici, sistemi di comunicazione, motori, ottiche, apparati di disturbo e grandi quantità di personale specializzato. La Russia dispone di un’ampia base industriale, ma resta esposta alle restrizioni sulle tecnologie avanzate e alla dipendenza da componenti provenienti dall’Asia.

La guerra dei velivoli senza pilota favorisce tuttavia Mosca sotto un altro profilo: consente di compensare almeno parzialmente le perdite umane e di mezzi corazzati mediante strumenti relativamente economici. Il problema non è più soltanto costruire l’apparecchio, ma garantirne l’impiego in massa, la resistenza alle contromisure elettroniche e la sostituzione continua. Si consolida così un’economia di guerra fondata sulla produzione seriale e sul consumo accelerato. I sistemi vengono modificati nel giro di settimane, talvolta di giorni. Il vantaggio appartiene a chi riesce a raccogliere più rapidamente le informazioni dal fronte e a trasferirle alle fabbriche.

Una svolta destinata a superare il conflitto ucraino

La nuova forza russa non nasce soltanto per l’Ucraina. Mosca sta costruendo uno strumento destinato a entrare stabilmente nella propria dottrina militare. L’esperienza maturata potrà essere impiegata lungo i confini della NATO, nel Caucaso, in Asia centrale e nelle aree in cui la Russia mantiene basi o interessi strategici. La nomina di Lyamin indica quindi una trasformazione più profonda: il conflitto ucraino sta producendo una nuova organizzazione delle forze armate russe. I velivoli senza pilota diventano il punto di incontro tra industria, informazione, logistica e combattimento.

La Russia cerca di trasformare l’esperienza accumulata in superiorità strutturale. L’Ucraina, sostenuta dalle tecnologie occidentali, tenta di impedirlo colpendo anche la profondità economica e industriale dell’avversario. La guerra entra così in una fase nella quale non sarà sufficiente occupare terreno: vincerà chi saprà produrre, innovare, proteggere i propri tecnici e disorganizzare più velocemente il sistema nemico.

L'articolo L’era dei droni cambia anche l’armata russa: il generale Lyamin all’incrocio tra esercito e industria proviene da InsideOver.

Cuba, 7mila container bloccati: l’assedio di Trump colpisce acqua e medicine

15 Agosto 2026 ore 00:21

Cuba Trump

Il vero obiettivo delle sanzioni economiche, soprattutto in un contesto di «massima pressione» come quello imposto dagli Stati Uniti nei confronti di Cuba, è quello di stremare la popolazione fino a provocare il collasso del regime. Sanzioni che colpiscono direttamente la popolazione, dunque, e spesso in maniera brutale. Secondo quanto reso noto nei giorni scorsi dal governo di Miguel Díaz-Canel, più di 7mila container carichi di generi alimentari, risorse energetiche, materiale idrico e farmaci sono rimasti fermi in diversi porti dell’area caraibica a causa delle sanzioni statunitensi nei confronti dell’isola (LEGGI IL NOSTRO REPORTAGE).

A riportare questi numeri drammatici per Cuba è il vice primo ministro e ministro del Commercio estero e degli Investimenti stranieri, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, il quale è intervenuto dinanzi all’Assemblea nazionale del Potere popolare. Le merci bloccate, ha affermato il ministro, sono state acquistate in maniera legale da Cuba nel rispetto delle norme del commercio internazionale: non si tratta dunque di forniture irregolari, ma di scambi commerciali legittimi paralizzati per l’appunto dalle sanzioni di Washington.

“Assedio energetico contro Cuba”

Secondo quanto affermato da Pérez-Oliva, si tratta di un verto e proprio «assedio energetico» ai danni dell’Isola e di una «punizione collettiva» contro la popolazione. Lo stesso Pérez-Oliva ha dichiarato che dall’inizio dell’anno le misure di pressione da parte dell’amministrazione Trump si sono intensificate notevolmente e hanno colpito settori sensibili, che toccano da vicino la vita quotidiana dei cubani.

The Trump regime has blocked 7,000 containers from reaching Cuba. More than 7,000 containers carrying food, energy, hydraulic resources, and medicines remain held at various Caribbean ports because of the U.S. blockade on the islandhttps://t.co/0hj1ZGaD3Q pic.twitter.com/WKtQp17RSM

— tim anderson (@timand2037) August 13, 2026

Le sanzioni dell’amministrazione Usa colpiscono direttamente l’approvvigionamento idrico di Cuba: tra i container fermi ai porti vi sono quelli contenenti materiali destinati al programma nazionale per l’acqua potabile, settore già in grave crisi da tempo. Più di tre milioni di cubani, secondo i dati citati dal governo, si svegliano ogni giorno con difficoltà di accesso a questa risorsa primaria.

Grave la situazione anche sul fronte sanitario. Nei giorni scorsi, l’azienda statale Medicuba ha denunciato il blocco di due container di farmaci antiepilettici nel porto di Cartagena de Indias, in Colombia. A bloccarne la consegna sarebbe stata la compagnia di navigazione tedesca Hapag-Lloyd, che ha giustificato la scelta sottolineando la necessità di rispettare le sanzioni statunitensi. Precedentemente era stata la francese CMA CGM a bloccare decine di container diretti a Cuba, tra cui uno contenente materiale medico-sanitario.

Le “motivazioni” di Rubio

Per il Segretario di Stato Marco Rubio, figlio di esuli cubani, la lotta contro il governo dell’isola è una questione esistenziale. Lo si intuisce dalla retorica incendiaria con cui descrive il regime cubano: «Il regime comunista cubano – ha dichiarato giorni fa – è uno Stato sponsor del terrorismo che spia l’America, arma violenti radicali di sinistra, diffonde una velenosa ideologia marxista e funge da base operativa per Russia, Cina e Iran, a soli 90 miglia dalle nostre coste».

Hegseth claims that Cuba has been threatening the US for a long time, as Washington continues to build the case for war. Expect deafening silence from the European leaders, despite their endless rhetoric about "values." pic.twitter.com/K18Kjh9l8D

— Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) August 14, 2026

«Come ha affermato il presidente Trump – ha aggiunto – gli Stati Uniti non tollereranno uno stato canaglia che ospiti operazioni militari, di intelligence e terroristiche ostili alle nostre porte». Peccato che ciò che afferma Rubio per supportare politicamente la strategia di «massima pressione» contro il regime cubano non sia vero. Come riportato sulla nostra testata, infatti, il 29 gennaio scorso, il tycoon ha firmato un ordine esecutivo che minacciava dazi doganali su qualsiasi Paese avesse rifornito di carburante Cuba. Il documento dichiarava che Cuba rappresenta una «emergenza nazionale» e una «minaccia insolita e straordinaria» per gli Stati Uniti, accusando l’isola di ospitare «la più grande struttura di intelligence segnaletica russa all’estero», che cerca di rubare informazioni sensibili sulla sicurezza nazionale degli Stati Uniti.

Peccato che la base russa, nota come Lourdes – di cui ha parlato anche il New York Times – semplicemente non esista. Come ha documentato in esclusiva la testata Drop Site News, in collaborazione con Belly of the Beast, l’area indicata dal Times come sede della base spia russa – Lourdes, alla periferia dell’Avana – è oggi l’Università di Scienze Informatiche (UCI) di Cuba. La squadra di Belly of the Beast ha trascorso due giorni interi a percorrere il campus, parlare con studenti, docenti e personale, senza trovare alcuna traccia di una base russa attiva o delle attrezzature citate dal Times o dall’amministrazione Trump.

È chiaro, dunque, che si tratta di un espediente per giustificare una mossa politica e una strategia più ampia, quella della mai sopita Dottrina Monroe che presuppone l’egemonia statunitense sull’emisfero occidentale e dunque anche su Cuba. Quella che un tempo poteva apparire come una «strategia difensiva» contro le ingerenze degli europei oggi è una strategia aggressiva e imperialista vecchio stampo basata sull’hard power e sulle sanzioni economiche.

Fonti:

“U.S. Blockade Leaves 7,000+ Cuba-Bound Containers Stranded in Caribbean Ports,” Cuba Solidarity Campaign, accessed August 14, 2026, https://cuba-solidarity.org.uk/news/article/4731/us-blockade-leaves-7000-cuba-bound-containers-stranded-in-caribbean-ports.

Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters, “US Diplomat Rubio Targets Cuban Military Officials, Companies in Sanctions,” Al Jazeera, August 6, 2026, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/6/us-diplomat-rubio-targets-cuban-military-officials-companies-in-sanctions.

“‘To play God’: Cuba’s healthcare system collapses under US pressure,” Al Jazeera, July 30, 2026, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2026/7/30/to-play-god-cubas-healthcare-system-collapses-under-us-pressure



L'articolo Cuba, 7mila container bloccati: l’assedio di Trump colpisce acqua e medicine proviene da InsideOver.

Google Turns On Gemini A.I. for Students Using Its Classroom App

14 Agosto 2026 ore 20:54
Google enabled A.I. features for K-12 schools that have allowed student access to Gemini. Until this week, Google automatically enabled Gemini in Classroom only for students 18 or older.

© Ysa Pérez for The New York Times

Starting this week, a new Gemini tab within Classroom lets some students seek A.I. help on math problems and writing assignments; generate course aids like study guides, quizzes and flashcards; and produce images.
Ricevuto — 14 Agosto 2026 Stampa Internazionale

Trump says he’ll soon declare Strait of Hormuz to be US territory

President Donald Trump on Friday said he would “soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz waterway part of US territory after defeating Iran. “After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated – pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” he said with a chuckle during a political rally at a police academy in Garden City, New York. “It’s true,” he added. It was unclear how seriously Trump intended the remark or whether it represented a new policy...

Trump says he’ll soon declare Strait of Hormuz to be US territory

President Donald Trump on Friday said he would “soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz waterway part of US territory after defeating Iran. “After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated – pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” he said with a chuckle during a political rally at a police academy in Garden City, New York. “It’s true,” he added. It was unclear how seriously Trump intended the remark or whether it represented a new policy...

As Army Fails to Protect Palestinians, Israeli Leaders Sympathize With Settlers

Defense Minister Katz called for the military to turn over to the police the responsibility for protecting Palestinians after two West Bank families were besieged by violent settlers.

© Zain Jaafar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Israeli soldiers patrolling a street Thursday during an operation in the village of Qusra, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Jason Arday, ex-Cambridge professor at centre of plagiarism scandal, found dead

UK academic Jason Arday, who resigned from the University of Cambridge last week amid a high-profile plagiarism storm that featured racism claims, was found dead on Friday, the prestigious British institution confirmed. Arday, 41, was found unresponsive on Friday afternoon at an address in south London, according to the capital’s Metropolitan Police Service, which did not confirm the identity of the deceased person discovered. “We are desperately saddened to hear this tragic news,” Cambridge...

Jason Arday, ex-Cambridge professor at centre of plagiarism scandal, found dead

UK academic Jason Arday, who resigned from the University of Cambridge last week amid a high-profile plagiarism storm that featured racism claims, was found dead on Friday, the prestigious British institution confirmed. Arday, 41, was found unresponsive on Friday afternoon at an address in south London, according to the capital’s Metropolitan Police Service, which did not confirm the identity of the deceased person discovered. “We are desperately saddened to hear this tragic news,” Cambridge...

Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola Pushes Back Against Endorsement From Kamala Harris

14 Agosto 2026 ore 21:13
The campaign of Mary Peltola said it was focused on issues important to Alaska and did not approve a message of support from Ms. Harris.

© Kerry Tasker/Reuters; Philip Cheung for The New York Times

Former Representative Mary Peltola of Alaska did not appear to be happy that former Vice President Kamala Harris put out a fund-raising appeal on her behalf. Ms. Harris lost the 2024 presidential election in Alaska by 14 points.

Chinese drone maker DJI gets another shot at Pentagon blacklist removal

di: Han Li · Han Li
14 Agosto 2026 ore 22:23
A US appeal court on Friday gave Chinese drone maker DJI another chance to challenge its inclusion on a Pentagon blacklist of companies allegedly linked to the Chinese military. DJI, a Shenzhen-based drone maker, has been engaged in a years-long legal battle with the US Department of Defence to be removed from the list. The latest ruling from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit did not remove DJI from the list, but sent the case back to the lower court to reconsider one...

Chinese drone maker DJI gets another shot at Pentagon blacklist removal

di: Han Li · Han Li
14 Agosto 2026 ore 22:23
A US appeal court on Friday gave Chinese drone maker DJI another chance to challenge its inclusion on a Pentagon blacklist of companies allegedly linked to the Chinese military. DJI, a Shenzhen-based drone maker, has been engaged in a years-long legal battle with the US Department of Defence to be removed from the list. The latest ruling from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit did not remove DJI from the list, but sent the case back to the lower court to reconsider one...

Chinese drone maker DJI gets another shot at Pentagon blacklist removal

di: Han Li · Han Li
14 Agosto 2026 ore 22:23
A US appeal court on Friday gave Chinese drone maker DJI another chance to challenge its inclusion on a Pentagon blacklist of companies allegedly linked to the Chinese military. DJI, a Shenzhen-based drone maker, has been engaged in a years-long legal battle with the US Department of Defence to be removed from the list. The latest ruling from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit did not remove DJI from the list, but sent the case back to the lower court to reconsider one...

Stock Trading in Congress Becomes an Attack Line in Midterm Campaigns

14 Agosto 2026 ore 22:23
Republican and Democratic challengers are both using the issue to attack members of Congress as unethical, seizing on a common practice that enrages voters.

© Angela Weiss/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Almost 60 percent of lawmakers in Congress own stock, according to an analysis by Common Cause, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on making government more accountable.

As Army Fails to Protect Palestinians, Israeli Leaders Sympathize With Settlers

Defense Minister Katz called for the military to turn over to the police the responsibility for protecting Palestinians after two West Bank families were besieged by violent settlers.

© Zain Jaafar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Israeli soldiers patrolling a street Thursday during an operation in the village of Qusra, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Iran war: Trump dismisses concerns over conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier

President Donald Trump dismissed concerns on Friday over living conditions and the mental health of service members on a US aircraft carrier deployed against Iran, while confirming the ship would soon rotate out. Asked by reporters whether family members were worried about the situation on the USS Abraham Lincoln, Trump said “no, they’re not”. Trump also rejected the idea that the ship – now at sea for nine months – had been deployed for too long. “No, no, no, not nearly enough,” he said. The...

Iran war: Trump dismisses concerns over conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier

President Donald Trump dismissed concerns on Friday over living conditions and the mental health of service members on a US aircraft carrier deployed against Iran, while confirming the ship would soon rotate out. Asked by reporters whether family members were worried about the situation on the USS Abraham Lincoln, Trump said “no, they’re not”. Trump also rejected the idea that the ship – now at sea for nine months – had been deployed for too long. “No, no, no, not nearly enough,” he said. The...

When a Rare Wolf Got Too Close, Denmark Faced a Conservation Dilemma

14 Agosto 2026 ore 22:35
The authorities tracked the animal after a string of close encounters with residents, reigniting a bitter debate over how a small, densely populated country should live with wolves.

© Ritzau Scanpix/Sipa USA, via Associated Press

A wild wolf in West Jutland, Denmark, last year. The return of the animals to a country with few predators has recently come under scrutiny after a wolf was spotted near a small town, apparently unafraid of people.

When a Rare Wolf Got Too Close, Denmark Faced a Conservation Dilemma

14 Agosto 2026 ore 22:35
The authorities tracked the animal after a string of close encounters with residents, reigniting a bitter debate over how a small, densely populated country should live with wolves.

© Ritzau Scanpix/Sipa USA, via Associated Press

A wild wolf in West Jutland, Denmark, last year. The return of the animals to a country with few predators has recently come under scrutiny after a wolf was spotted near a small town, apparently unafraid of people.

The 5 Congress Members Whose Families Trade the Most Stocks

14 Agosto 2026 ore 21:46
Some lawmakers and their families have traded millions of dollars worth of stocks since the start of this term.

© Jeenah Moon/Reuters

A law passed in 2012, the STOCK Act, emphasizes that insider trading is illegal among lawmakers, as it is for the general public, and requires them to periodically disclose trades of shares held by them and members of their families.

A Prominent Mexican Politician Says U.S. Revoked His Visa

Andrés Manuel López Beltrán, a former president’s son, lashed out at the Trump administration after he said it canceled his visa, another flashpoint in the tense U.S.-Mexico relationship.

© Henry Romero/Reuters

Andrés Manuel López Beltrán is the son of Mexico’s former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who is still a key leader of Morena, Mexico’s dominant political party.

A Prominent Mexican Politician Says U.S. Revoked His Visa

Andrés Manuel López Beltrán, a former president’s son, lashed out at the Trump administration after he said it canceled his visa, another flashpoint in the tense U.S.-Mexico relationship.

© Henry Romero/Reuters

Andrés Manuel López Beltrán is the son of Mexico’s former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who is still a key leader of Morena, Mexico’s dominant political party.

DOJ Charges Kentucky Woman in World War II Memorial Vandalism Case

14 Agosto 2026 ore 21:04
Two felony charges have been filed against a Kentucky woman after spray paint was seen on the memorial in the capital.

© John Mcdonnell/Associated Press

National Guard troops patrol the World War II Memorial on Friday after it was vandalized.

Britain’s Farage Takes a Page From Trump’s Playbook Amid Investigations

14 Agosto 2026 ore 20:19
Nigel Farage, the Reform U.K. leader who resigned from Parliament and won back his seat on Thursday, stays on the offensive and says voters don’t care about allegations of financial impropriety.

© Henry Nicholls/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Nigel Farage arriving to vote in Walton-on-the-Naze, England, on Thursday.

Britain’s Farage Takes a Page From Trump’s Playbook Amid Investigations

14 Agosto 2026 ore 20:19
Nigel Farage, the Reform U.K. leader who resigned from Parliament and won back his seat on Thursday, stays on the offensive and says voters don’t care about allegations of financial impropriety.

© Henry Nicholls/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Nigel Farage arriving to vote in Walton-on-the-Naze, England, on Thursday.

Italian police recover stolen Renoir, Cezanne and Matisse artworks worth millions

Italian authorities recovered three artworks by Renoir, Cezanne and Matisse worth millions of euros that were stolen earlier this year from a private museum near the northern city of Parma, police said on Friday. A statement from the Italian Carabinieri’s art recovery squad said the artworks were discovered during searches ordered by prosecutors, but no details were given. The investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile, Brazilian police said late on Thursday that they had located eight stolen works by...

Italian police recover stolen Renoir, Cezanne and Matisse artworks worth millions

Italian authorities recovered three artworks by Renoir, Cezanne and Matisse worth millions of euros that were stolen earlier this year from a private museum near the northern city of Parma, police said on Friday. A statement from the Italian Carabinieri’s art recovery squad said the artworks were discovered during searches ordered by prosecutors, but no details were given. The investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile, Brazilian police said late on Thursday that they had located eight stolen works by...

July Retail Sales Notch Biggest Drop in Over a Year

14 Agosto 2026 ore 19:15
The data for July showed the biggest drop in more than a year, as American households face the economic strains brought on by persistent inflation

© Zack Wittman for The New York Times

U.S. shoppers spent less in July, as consumers struggled with persistent inflation, higher grocery bills and rising housing costs.

A Timeline of the Luigi Mangione Cases

14 Agosto 2026 ore 19:14
The shooting of a health care executive in December 2024 led to a sprawling manhunt, and two complex and interwoven cases.

© Rachel Wisniewski for The New York Times

Luigi Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania on Dec. 9, 2024, in connection with the murder of Brian Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, the previous week.

Outrage at UnitedHealth and Other Insurers Persists After Brian Thompson Killing

14 Agosto 2026 ore 18:56
Higher premiums and rising medical bills have intensified Americans’ dissatisfaction with their medical coverage.

© Kylie Cooper/Reuters

Stephen Hemsley, chief executive of UnitedHealth Group, left, was among the executives defending insurers’ practices at congressional hearings in January. To his left were David Joyner, chairman of CVS Health, and Gail Boudreaux, chief executive of Elevance Health.

The Taliban Kicked the U.S. Out of Afghanistan. Now They Want It Back.

14 Agosto 2026 ore 18:01
In an interview, Afghanistan’s foreign minister called on the U.S. to reopen its embassy and invest in the country — a near-impossible sell for now, analysts and former diplomats say.

© Tomas Munita for The New York Times

Afghanistan’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, during an interview with The New York Times in Kabul this week.

Mining Claims Staked on Land Cut From Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Monuments

14 Agosto 2026 ore 17:46
Prospectors are eyeing mineral deposits within the former boundaries of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah.

© George Frey/Getty Images

Both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments are rich in wildlife habitat and archaeological treasures but also sit atop vast reserves of uranium and other precious metals.

Why Europe Keeps Being Pummeled by Heat Waves

14 Agosto 2026 ore 17:02
The whole planet is warming, but changes in weather patterns could help explain why the continent is suffering so many bouts of severe heat.

© Fabrice Coffrini/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A tourist at the parched bed of Lac des Brenets on the France-Switzerland border on Tuesday.

Amazon and Alphabet’s Profits Reveal Circular Nature of A.I. Boom

14 Agosto 2026 ore 16:55
Investment gains at Alphabet and Amazon reveal a new way in which technology companies’ fortunes are increasingly linked.

© Lexi Parra/The New York Times

Alphabet and Google have benefited from the rising value of their investments in A.I. companies, adding to profits beyond their core businesses.

Why Japan Is Struggling to Stop the Yen’s Decline

14 Agosto 2026 ore 16:38
The currency has resumed its slide, eroding gains after the U.S. Treasury intervened to prop it up, as concerns mount about the direction of the country’s spending.

© The Yomiuri Shimbun, via Associated Press

The rally in the yen has faded, with the currency approaching 160 yen per dollar, a level that could test the resolve of officials in Tokyo and Washington.

Luigi Mangione pleads guilty in federal case, admits he killed US insurance CEO

14 Agosto 2026 ore 18:01
Luigi Mangione admitted in court on Friday to fatally shooting US health insurance executive Brian Thompson and pleaded guilty to two federal charges of stalking the executive with the intent to kill him. “I shot Mr Thompson in Manhattan and ‌he died,” Mangione said. The guilty plea will avert a federal trial in the closely watched case over the killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, a brazen crime that was condemned by public officials but became emblematic of Americans’ frustration with health...

Luigi Mangione pleads guilty in federal case, admits he killed US insurance CEO

14 Agosto 2026 ore 18:01
Luigi Mangione admitted in court on Friday to fatally shooting US health insurance executive Brian Thompson and pleaded guilty to two federal charges of stalking the executive with the intent to kill him. “I shot Mr Thompson in Manhattan and ‌he died,” Mangione said. The guilty plea will avert a federal trial in the closely watched case over the killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, a brazen crime that was condemned by public officials but became emblematic of Americans’ frustration with health...

The Taliban Kicked the U.S. Out of Afghanistan. Now They Want It Back.

14 Agosto 2026 ore 18:01
In an interview, Afghanistan’s foreign minister called on the U.S. to reopen its embassy and invest in the country — a near-impossible sell for now, analysts and former diplomats say.

© Tomas Munita for The New York Times

Afghanistan’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, during an interview with The New York Times in Kabul this week.

France’s Top Court Strikes Down Ban on Social Media for Children

The move was a setback for President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ban. He vowed to pass a new version before he leaves office next spring.

© Manuel Ausloos/Reuters

France’s Constitutional Council said that the ban was too wide-ranging, and did not take into account the age, maturity or family situation of children.

France’s Top Court Strikes Down Ban on Social Media for Children

The move was a setback for President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ban. He vowed to pass a new version before he leaves office next spring.

© Manuel Ausloos/Reuters

France’s Constitutional Council said that the ban was too wide-ranging, and did not take into account the age, maturity or family situation of children.

Ian Frazier Wrote ‘Coyote v. Acme’ in 1990. Now It’s a Movie.

14 Agosto 2026 ore 16:07
With “Coyote vs. Acme,” Ian Frazier, a soft-spoken reporter and humorist, has finally gone Hollywood.

© Bryan Anselm for The New York Times

Ian Frazier, who has written for The New Yorker since the 1970s, in Montclair, N.J.

URA posts HK$338 million operating surplus after three years of losses

Hong Kong’s Urban Renewal Authority (URA) has recorded an operating surplus of HK$338 million (US$43.3 million) for the 2025-26 financial year, after reporting three straight years of losses. At a banquet on Friday to mark the statutory body’s 25th anniversary, chairman Chow Chung-kong announced that the URA had returned to profit in the 2025-26 financial year, recording an operating surplus to fund ongoing urban renewal initiatives. That followed three consecutive financial years of losses....

Heat Is Hammering Europe, Again. Here’s What That Looks Like.

14 Agosto 2026 ore 17:33
Extreme temperatures and repeated wildfires are pushing infrastructure to the limit and testing the continent’s resolve.

© Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

A sweltering day near Tower Bridge in London on Thursday.

Russell Fry Backs Darline Graham in South Carolina Senate Runoff Amid Trump Pressure

14 Agosto 2026 ore 17:26
The president has been focused on the race since the death of Lindsey Graham in July. Ms. Graham, the late senator’s sister, is competing against Representative Ralph Norman in a runoff on Aug. 25.

© Sean Rayford for The New York Times

Representative Russell Fry, left, will endorse Senator Darline Graham in a special Republican primary runoff on Aug. 25 to permanently replace her brother, the late Senator Lindsey Graham.

Zambia Halts Presidential Election Vote Count Over Violence and Fraud Allegations

14 Agosto 2026 ore 20:01
The electoral commission for the southern African nation said poll workers had been attacked and ballots had been stolen.

© Gianluigi Guercia/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A voting station’s presiding officer holds a marked ballot during the counting process at Woodlands Primary School in Lusaka, Zambia, on Thursday.

Five Arrested in Connection to Stolen Works by Cézanne, Renoir and Matisse, Prosecutors Say

14 Agosto 2026 ore 23:08
The Italian military police said that art collectively valued at more than $10 million had been found five months after being taken in a nighttime heist near Parma.

© Carabinieri Art Recovery Squad, via Associated Press

Five Arrested in Connection to Stolen Works by Cézanne, Renoir and Matisse, Prosecutors Say

14 Agosto 2026 ore 23:08
The Italian military police said that art collectively valued at more than $10 million had been found five months after being taken in a nighttime heist near Parma.

© Carabinieri Art Recovery Squad, via Associated Press

Five Arrested in Connection to Stolen Works by Cézanne, Renoir and Matisse, Prosecutors Say

14 Agosto 2026 ore 19:58
The Italian military police said that art collectively valued at more than $10 million had been found five months after being taken in a nighttime heist near Parma.

© Carabinieri, via Reuters

Italian military police officers with works by Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

Why Europe Keeps Being Pummeled by Heat Waves

14 Agosto 2026 ore 17:02
The whole planet is warming, but changes in weather patterns could help explain why the continent is suffering so many bouts of severe heat.

© Fabrice Coffrini/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A tourist at the parched bed of Lac des Brenets on the France-Switzerland border on Tuesday.

8 Matisse Works, Looted from Library in Brazil, Are Recovered

14 Agosto 2026 ore 12:56
The prints by the French master were taken in São Paulo last year in a brazen daylight heist.

© Agence France-Presse, via São Paulo’s Police Press Office

A handout photo released by the São Paulo police press office showing the recovered Matisse works.

After Notre-Dame Fire, France Restored the Cathedral — but Not These Windows

14 Agosto 2026 ore 11:02
France has faithfully renovated most of what burned at Notre-Dame in 2019. Contentiously, six towering windows will soon be replaced by a new design.

© Mark Landler/The New York Times

An artisan working at the Atelier Simon-Marq, a centuries-old stained glass studio, in Reims, in northeastern France.

How a US crackdown is upending plans for Chinese ‘birth tourists’

14 Agosto 2026 ore 17:00
Li, a woman in her late twenties from southwestern China, is anxious about her coming interview for a 10-year US visa. She has big plans for her travels – a weeks-long stay next year that would be her first visit to the country – followed by a planned return trip in two years while pregnant so her child can attain American citizenship. But those plans have been thrown into doubt. Last week, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking to end “birth tourism”, tightening scrutiny on...

How a US crackdown is upending plans for Chinese ‘birth tourists’

14 Agosto 2026 ore 17:00
Li, a woman in her late twenties from southwestern China, is anxious about her coming interview for a 10-year US visa. She has big plans for her travels – a weeks-long stay next year that would be her first visit to the country – followed by a planned return trip in two years while pregnant so her child can attain American citizenship. But those plans have been thrown into doubt. Last week, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking to end “birth tourism”, tightening scrutiny on...

Pilot dies after helicopter crash in German forest

di: dpa · dpa
14 Agosto 2026 ore 16:52
A helicopter pilot has died after crashing in a forest in eastern Germany while carrying out liming work, the police directorate in the city of Chemnitz said on Friday. Workers managed to pull the man from the helicopter after the impact, police said. Despite immediate first aid administered at the scene, the man died from his injuries. The helicopter had no other people on board. Police did not provide information on the identity of the pilot or the cause of the accident near the small town of...

Pilot dies after helicopter crash in German forest

di: dpa · dpa
14 Agosto 2026 ore 16:52
A helicopter pilot has died after crashing in a forest in eastern Germany while carrying out liming work, the police directorate in the city of Chemnitz said on Friday. Workers managed to pull the man from the helicopter after the impact, police said. Despite immediate first aid administered at the scene, the man died from his injuries. The helicopter had no other people on board. Police did not provide information on the identity of the pilot or the cause of the accident near the small town of...

Bomb-disposal team, light public housing unit win chief executive’s award

14 Agosto 2026 ore 16:42
A bomb-disposal team and a unit behind Hong Kong’s light public housing scheme have won this year’s chief executive’s award, praised for embodying civil servants’ professional spirit in “rising to challenges and pursuing excellence”. City leader John Lee Ka-chiu presented the Chief Executive’s Award for Exemplary Performance to the two interdepartmental teams at a ceremony on Friday. Lee praised them for fulfilling their duties with a steadfast sense of mission and exceptional competence,...

Multi-property owner loses HK$10 million after fraudster poses as possible tenant

14 Agosto 2026 ore 16:41
A woman in Hong Kong who owned multiple properties has lost HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) after being scammed by a fraudster posing as a prospective tenant. The police force revealed on Friday that the 64-year-old retiree, whose properties consisted of residential, commercial and parking spaces, was contacted via WhatsApp by a scammer in May in response to a rental listing she posted on Facebook. Police said that while no tenancy agreement was signed, the con artist struck up a friendship with...

Toxic gas leak kills 8 at Bangladesh ship-breaking yard

di: dpa · dpa
14 Agosto 2026 ore 16:06
At least eight workers have died following a toxic gas leak at a ship-breaking yard in the southeastern Bangladeshi district of Chattogram, officials said on Friday. The incident occurred at the Ferdaus Steel Shipbreaking Yard in Sitakund subdistrict, an area that hosts many ship-breaking yards where old vessels mostly imported from around the world are dismantled. Soon after the leak, many workers lost consciousness and were rushed to a local hospital. Six out of seven people taken to...

Can Polls Measure the True Strength of the Left?

14 Agosto 2026 ore 15:11
Recent polling issues could continue in Democratic primaries in part because progressives are more likely to enjoy taking surveys.

© Illustration by Javier Palma; Photographs via Getty Images (darts)

China, Brazil to launch 24/7 disaster early warning satellite for South America

After almost four decades of international cooperation in space affairs, Brazil and China have unveiled details of a new project to launch a powerful meteorological and environmental satellite. It will be capable of monitoring the whole of South America, according to the space sciences department at Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Adenilson Roberto da Silva, general coordinator of engineering and technology with the INPE, said the satellite would provide “improved weather...

China, Brazil to launch 24/7 disaster early warning satellite for South America

After almost four decades of international cooperation in space affairs, Brazil and China have unveiled details of a new project to launch a powerful meteorological and environmental satellite. It will be capable of monitoring the whole of South America, according to the space sciences department at Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Adenilson Roberto da Silva, general coordinator of engineering and technology with the INPE, said the satellite would provide “improved weather...

What does the first visit to the Kuril Islands by Vladimir Putin mean for China?

Vladimir Putin’s unprecedented visit to the disputed southern Kuril Islands signals a broader joint effort by Moscow and Beijing to pressure Japan, according to analysts. They said the coordinated push aimed to target Tokyo over a range of friction points, including Western sanctions on Russia and Japan’s stance on Taiwan. The Russian president paid a symbolic visit to the Kurils – a volcanic chain north of Hokkaido that Japan calls the Northern Territories – on Thursday, just ahead of...

With Trump’s Hamas Deal in Peril, Kushner Set to Visit Israel for Gaza Talks

14 Agosto 2026 ore 15:20
Jared Kushner, President Trump’s senior aide, is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who has rejected a U.S.-backed deal to disarm Hamas.

© Nathan Howard/Reuters

Jared Kushner, President Trump’s senior aide and son-in-law, at the Capitol in Washington in February.

Philippines’ Marcos says China oil talks have ‘moved forward’ despite maritime row

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr on Friday said talks with China on joint oil and gas exploration had “moved forward” – signalling hopes of a deal before he leaves office in mid-2028, despite ongoing tensions in the South China Sea. Marcos also confirmed for the first time a “provisional understanding” with Beijing over resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal, although he insisted this did not mean Manila was seeking China’s permission or surrendering...

US-China AI decoupling ‘manageable’ for trade – but tech curbs a ‘wild card’: Citi

14 Agosto 2026 ore 15:00
As US-China tech tensions rise ahead of an expected leadership summit next month, analysts argue Washington’s latest restrictions are unlikely to cause a major disruption in China’s AI exports. But they caution that some of the measures – such as limiting access to “open-weight” models – represent a “genuine wild card” that could reshape the global landscape. Hong Kong-based analysts at Citi Research, led by Yu Xiangrong, argued in a Friday note that US tariffs and export controls were “unlikely...

Heat Is Hammering Europe, Again. Here’s What That Looks Like.

14 Agosto 2026 ore 17:33
Extreme temperatures and repeated wildfires are pushing infrastructure to the limit and testing the continent’s resolve.

© Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

A sweltering day near Tower Bridge in London on Thursday.

Heat Is Hammering Europe, Again. Here’s What That Looks Like.

14 Agosto 2026 ore 17:33
Extreme temperatures and repeated wildfires are pushing infrastructure to the limit and testing the continent’s resolve.

© Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

A sweltering day near Tower Bridge in London on Thursday.

Mamdani’s ‘Bro’ Culture in City Hall: Sports, Memes, Nicknames for All

14 Agosto 2026 ore 12:37
As much as Zohran Mamdani’s team runs on leftist idealism and social media hits, its style of governing also relies on humor, sports references and pop culture.

© Victor J. Blue for The New York Times

Mayor Zohran Mamdani peppers his conversations with his aides with references to sports and pop culture, some seeping into his public statements.

US team sent to Taiwan to train coastguards amid surge in mainland Chinese activity

14 Agosto 2026 ore 14:09
The United States has sent a team of coastguards to train their Taiwanese counterparts as Beijing steps up its presence east of the island. Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said on Friday that its personnel were taking part in a two-week training programme led by US instructors. The training, which started on Monday, includes exercises aimed at strengthening small-boat operations and team coordination. “The US instruction team hopes to deepen the partnership between the two sides through...

US team sent to Taiwan to train coastguards amid surge in mainland Chinese activity

The United States has sent a team of coastguards to train their Taiwanese counterparts as Beijing steps up its presence east of the island. Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said on Friday that its personnel were taking part in a two-week training programme led by US instructors. The training, which started on Monday, includes exercises aimed at strengthening small-boat operations and team coordination. “The US instruction team hopes to deepen the partnership between the two sides through...

For China, Trump’s new drone tariffs threaten to deepen trade rift with US

Tariffs of up to 100 per cent that Washington has announced on imported drones would result in a “lose-lose outcome” for the United States and China, analysts said, as the technology is increasingly taking centre stage in the countries’ tech and trade rivalry. The new levies will further complicate manufacturers’ efforts to shift production to third countries or regions, where supply chains are already affected by earlier trade restrictions imposed by both sides, they added. On Thursday, US...

Indonesian families of Lion Air crash victims suffer again, ‘predatory’ lawyer evades jail

For Indonesian families who lost loved ones in the 2018 Lion Air crash that killed 189 people, the latest development in the US courts has deepened their pain that justice remains out of reach. Keith Griffin, a Californian lawyer who worked with disgraced Hollywood celebrity lawyer Tom Girardi in compensation suits related to the crash, was sentenced by a federal court in Chicago last week to one day in prison with credit for time served, meaning he avoided any further time behind...

Wrong radio frequency by Cathay crew led to Nato jet interception: report

14 Agosto 2026 ore 13:36
The cockpit crew of a Cathay Pacific Airways flight from Hong Kong to London selected the wrong radio frequency when mistakenly responding to instructions for another aircraft, leading to a loss of communication with air traffic control in Romanian airspace last month, a Hong Kong investigation report has revealed. The government said on Friday that the Civil Aviation Department had completed a review of the airline’s full investigation report and expressed “serious concern” over the incident,...

Hong Kong garners 16,000 submissions from consultation for city’s first 5-year plan

Hong Kong authorities received more than 16,000 public submissions for the city’s inaugural five-year plan by the close of its consultation on Friday, with an official noting general support for more focused integration into national development and the strategic cultivation of emerging sectors. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse Siu-wa described the blueprint, which is set to be delivered next month, as “a milestone in public administration”, adding that it would...

Miles ahead: China team boosts atom entanglement distance record fourfold

Chinese scientists have achieved the quantum entanglement of cold atoms across a record-breaking 420km (260 miles), a breakthrough they say lays the groundwork for intercity quantum networks. According to a paper published by the peer-reviewed journal Physical Review Letters on August 11, the distance was more than four times previous demonstrations and exceeded the threshold at which direct transmission encounters fundamental physical limits. “Our experiment provides a test bed for studying...

Miles ahead: China team boosts atom entanglement distance record fourfold

Chinese scientists have achieved the quantum entanglement of cold atoms across a record-breaking 420km (260 miles), a breakthrough they say lays the groundwork for intercity quantum networks. According to a paper published by the peer-reviewed journal Physical Review Letters on August 11, the distance was more than four times previous demonstrations and exceeded the threshold at which direct transmission encounters fundamental physical limits. “Our experiment provides a test bed for studying...

8 Matisse Works, Looted from Library in Brazil, Are Recovered

14 Agosto 2026 ore 12:56
The prints by the French master were taken in São Paulo last year in a brazen daylight heist.

© São Paulo Police Press Office, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A handout photo released by the São Paulo police press office showing the recovered Matisse works.

At least 7 killed in India after hydropower project tunnel collapses

A tunnel under construction at a hydropower project in India’s northern hill state of Uttarakhand collapsed overnight, leaving at least seven workers dead, officials said on Friday. A rescue operation was launched after a sudden rush of water and debris entered the tunnel at the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydroelectric project in Chamoli district later on Thursday night, said top district official Gaurav Kumar. Of 22 people who were working in the tunnel, 12 have been rescued alive and another three...

An Unlikely Emergency Appeal to the Supreme Court From a Dog Named Bruce

14 Agosto 2026 ore 14:08
A last-ditch filing this week came on behalf of a dog that a judge found to be “vicious” and shows how the court’s emergency docket has been growing.

© Allison Robbert for The New York Times

The Supreme Court has been inundated recently with emergency requests.

Nato jets shoot down foreign drone after it enters Latvian airspace

di: dpa · dpa
14 Agosto 2026 ore 12:30
A drone entered Latvian airspace and was shot down by Italian Eurofighter jets, the military said on Friday. The decision to shoot it down was taken to avert a threat to Latvia’s population, Defence Minister Raivis Melnis said. An air alert was lifted after the drone was intercepted, Latvia’s military said on social media, after authorities had urged people across the Baltic state to avoid going outside and seek shelter. A spokeswoman for Latvia’s military said the drone was shot down over a...

Nato jets shoot down foreign drone after it enters Latvian airspace

di: dpa · dpa
14 Agosto 2026 ore 12:30
A drone entered Latvian airspace and was shot down by Italian Eurofighter jets, the military said on Friday. The decision to shoot it down was taken to avert a threat to Latvia’s population, Defence Minister Raivis Melnis said. An air alert was lifted after the drone was intercepted, Latvia’s military said on social media, after authorities had urged people across the Baltic state to avoid going outside and seek shelter. A spokeswoman for Latvia’s military said the drone was shot down over a...

Kevin Rideout, American Missionary Kidnapped in Niger, Is Released

14 Agosto 2026 ore 18:50
Kevin Rideout, a pilot, was abducted from his home in the country’s capital, Niamey, last fall. His mission organization said he was in “good health” after his release.

© Associated Press

Niamey, Niger, this year. U.S. officials said it was unclear which group had held the American missionary Kevin Rideout at the end of his captivity.

Could China’s new transport-tanker capability boost PLA power beyond first island chain?

China has confirmed that its new Y-20B heavy transport aircraft can be converted into an aerial refuelling tanker, potentially boosting PLA Air Force capacities deeper into the western Pacific. A documentary aired by state broadcaster CCTV on August 5 said the Y-20B, an improved variant of China’s Y-20 strategic transport powered by domestically developed WS-20 turbofan engines, could switch between transport and aerial refuelling missions using pallet-ready fuel tanks and removable refuelling...

Could China’s new transport-tanker capability boost PLA power beyond first island chain?

China has confirmed that its new Y-20B heavy transport aircraft can be converted into an aerial refuelling tanker, potentially boosting PLA Air Force capacities deeper into the western Pacific. A documentary aired by state broadcaster CCTV on August 5 said the Y-20B, an improved variant of China’s Y-20 strategic transport powered by domestically developed WS-20 turbofan engines, could switch between transport and aerial refuelling missions using pallet-ready fuel tanks and removable refuelling...

UK’s Nigel Farage regains parliamentary seat, fights off Binface challenge

14 Agosto 2026 ore 12:17
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage won his self-triggered by-election in southern England on Friday, but saw his strategy to silence critics backfire when his main rival, Count Binface, a comedian dressed as a trash can, took more than a quarter of the vote. In a highly unusual move, Farage, one of Britain’s leading Brexit campaigners, did not turn up at the vote count in the southern English seaside resort of Clacton because, he said, ‌the police had advised him there was a campaign to disrupt the...

UK’s Nigel Farage regains parliamentary seat, fights off Binface challenge

14 Agosto 2026 ore 12:17
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage won his self-triggered by-election in southern England on Friday, but saw his strategy to silence critics backfire when his main rival, Count Binface, a comedian dressed as a trash can, took more than a quarter of the vote. In a highly unusual move, Farage, one of Britain’s leading Brexit campaigners, did not turn up at the vote count in the southern English seaside resort of Clacton because, he said, ‌the police had advised him there was a campaign to disrupt the...

Russia Campaigned to Derail Moldova’s Pro-Western Government

In the tiny nation, Moscow paid Orthodox priests, conducted a vote-buying scheme and set up training camps on election interference — all in an effort to derail the Western-leaning government.

© Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press

Police officers in Chisinau, the Moldovan capital, watching protesters gather outside the electoral commission after the polls closed for parliamentary elections in 2025.

Gene-editing therapies not yet ready for human trials, Stanford expert says

Gene-editing therapies for the nervous system may need at least another round of studies before they are safe enough to enter human trials, according to one of the world’s most influential figures in the commercialisation of brain science. “The techniques are reasonably well established for animal experiments, but they really haven’t been as mature for human studies,” said Karoly Nikolich, an adjunct professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, in an exclusive interview with the South...

Ex-factory worker and engineer to make history as one of China’s first space passengers

14 Agosto 2026 ore 12:00
A 73-year-old Chinese female entrepreneur has recently become the 22nd passenger of the domestically developed spacecraft CYZ1. On August 8, Huang Xiaochi was officially designated as passenger No 022 for CYZ1, a project by the commercial space start-up InterstellOr. Huang is scheduled to embark on a suborbital mission aboard the spaceship in 2028, reaching the Kármán line, the widely recognised boundary of Earth’s atmosphere where outer space begins, allowing her to view Earth from that vantage...

Will disbarment of Singapore’s Pritam Singh further dent his political standing?

The disbarment of Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh in Singapore is a professional blow for the leading opposition figure, but is not expected to further damage his political standing. Singh, 50, was struck off the roll of advocates and solicitors in a disciplinary hearing on Thursday, a decision that political analysts say reflects the hardline stance of the country’s legal system against dishonesty. On the political front, after years of parliamentary scrutiny, a court conviction and an...

Record-Breaking Rainfall Leaves Eight Dead and Thousands Stranded in Japan

14 Agosto 2026 ore 14:47
Three months’ worth of rain fell in just 12 hours in a region east of Tokyo, leading to deadly flooding.

© Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Vehicles submerged on a flooded road in Sakura, Chiba Prefecture, on Friday.

As Europe Gets Hotter, Its Transportation Systems Struggle to Cope

14 Agosto 2026 ore 11:07
The continent’s railways and roads “were engineered for a climate that no longer exists,” one expert said.

© Christophe Archambault/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Commuters at a train station in Bordeaux, France, during a heat wave in July. Much of Europe’s infrastructure was not built to withstand scorching summer heat.

Trump’s Justice Dept. Targets Smaller Fraud Cases

14 Agosto 2026 ore 11:02
As the Trump administration drops charges against corporations and the wealthy, it is also taking aim at small-scale fraud cases, including against the operator of a weathered food truck in California.

© Alex Kent/The New York Times

Justice Department officials have internally declared that each assistant U.S. attorney should have at least 25 open cases at all times.

Federal Job Cuts Are Making Wildfires Harder to Fight

14 Agosto 2026 ore 11:02
The Trump administration pushed out thousands of veteran U.S. Forest Service staff. An ‘extraordinary’ fire season is testing those who are left.

© Ethan Swope/Associated Press

Firefighters at the Summit fire in Llano, Calif., last month.

How Thrillers Hook You With Their First Sentence

Can our Book Review editor, Tina Jordan, guess thrillers from their first sentence? In this game we explore a few of the books from The New York Times’s “50 Best Thrillers of the 21st Century” list; and learn a bit more about why opening sentences are so important to get people reading.

More Wildfires and Extreme Heat Roil Europe, but Relief Is on the Horizon

Another day of near record heat baked the continent on Friday, but temperatures could retreat to seasonal averages in the coming days.

© Miroslav Lelas/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Chinese museums left red-faced after caption errors mar Communist Party-themed displays

Chinese museums have been criticised for spelling errors in their information boards, including one in Zhejiang province where one of the captions for an exhibition about the Long March turned the Red Army into a “red car”. Such mistakes are especially embarrassing given the high importance the authorities attach to Communist Party history and come amid an ongoing push to promote “red tourism” or revolutionary-themed attractions. The mistake by Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou was one of a...

Chinese museums left red-faced after caption errors mar Communist Party-themed displays

Chinese museums have been criticised for spelling errors in their information boards, including one in Zhejiang province where one of the captions for an exhibition about the Long March turned the Red Army into a “red car”. Such mistakes are especially embarrassing given the high importance the authorities attach to Communist Party history and come amid an ongoing push to promote “red tourism” or revolutionary-themed attractions. The mistake by Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou was one of a...

Chinese museums left red-faced after caption errors mar Communist Party-themed displays

Chinese museums have been criticised for spelling errors in their information boards, including one in Zhejiang province where one of the captions for an exhibition about the Long March turned the Red Army into a “red car”. Such mistakes are especially embarrassing given the high importance the authorities attach to Communist Party history and come amid an ongoing push to promote “red tourism” or revolutionary-themed attractions. The mistake by Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou was one of a...

Dipendenza da social: 29 Stati e oltre 3.000 cause contro i giganti della tecnologia

14 Agosto 2026 ore 11:12

Il 18 agosto inizierà in California il più grande processo federale mai celebrato negli Stati Uniti contro Meta per gli effetti di Facebook e Instagram sui minori. Ventinove Stati americani accusano la società di avere progettato piattaforme capaci di creare dipendenza, di averne nascosto i rischi e di avere raccolto illegalmente i dati dei bambini sotto i 13 anni. La selezione della giuria è già cominciata a Oakland; davanti al tribunale verranno esaminate le accuse presentate da California, Colorado, Kentucky e New Jersey in base alle rispettive leggi sulla tutela dei consumatori, insieme alle contestazioni sulla privacy dei minori avanzate complessivamente dai ventinove Stati.

Secondo le procure, Meta avrebbe progettato Facebook e Instagram per trattenere bambini e adolescenti davanti allo schermo il più a lungo possibile, utilizzando sistemi di raccomandazione, notifiche continue, riproduzione automatica dei video e scorrimento infinito; meccanismi sviluppati per alimentare un coinvolgimento continuo e trasformare l’attenzione dei più giovani in profitto. Gli Stati sostengono inoltre che il colosso di Zuckerberg conoscesse i rischi legati all’utilizzo compulsivo delle piattaforme e abbia presentato al pubblico una versione ingannevole della loro sicurezza. Un’altra parte del procedimento riguarda la raccolta dei dati dei bambini sotto i 13 anni senza un consenso dei genitori ritenuto valido, in violazione della legge federale americana sulla privacy dei minori, la COPPA. Meta respinge le accuse e afferma di avere introdotto strumenti, controlli parentali e protezioni specifiche per gli utenti più giovani. Secondo l’azienda, la salute mentale degli adolescenti dipende da numerosi fattori e non può essere ricondotta a una singola applicazione.

Anche la cifra in gioco ha dimensioni eccezionali, Meta sostiene che il metodo proposto dai quattro Stati per calcolare le sanzioni civili e la restituzione dei profitti potrebbe portare a una richiesta complessiva di 1.400 miliardi di dollari, una somma vicina al valore dell’intera società. La cifra è contestata dall’azienda e potrà essere determinata dal tribunale soltanto in caso di condanna.

Il processo contro Meta rappresenta il fronte più avanzato di una battaglia giudiziaria che coinvolge l’intera industria dei social network. Negli Stati Uniti sono state presentate oltre 3.000 cause contro Meta, Google, TikTok e Snap da parte di giovani, famiglie e distretti scolastici. Le accuse seguono lo stesso principio, le aziende avrebbero progettato deliberatamente i propri prodotti per creare un utilizzo compulsivo, soprattutto tra bambini e adolescenti. I ricorrenti collegano queste caratteristiche alla crescita di ansia, depressione, disturbi alimentari, autolesionismo e difficoltà scolastiche tra gli utenti più giovani.

Nei giorni scorsi la Corte d’appello federale del Nono Circuito ha respinto il tentativo delle società di bloccare preventivamente le cause attraverso la Sezione 230 del Communications Decency Act, la norma che protegge le piattaforme dalla responsabilità per i contenuti pubblicati dagli utenti. Secondo la Corte, quella protezione può essere utilizzata come difesa durante i processi, ma non garantisce alle aziende un’immunità capace di fermarli prima ancora che inizino. I tribunali potranno quindi valutare se le piattaforme debbano rispondere del modo in cui sono stati progettati i loro prodotti, indipendentemente dai singoli contenuti caricati dagli utenti. Il processo arriva dopo due importanti sconfitte giudiziarie per le piattaforme. A Los Angeles una giuria ha riconosciuto Meta e Google responsabili per avere progettato prodotti capaci di creare dipendenza e per avere contribuito ai problemi di salute mentale di una giovane donna. Il risarcimento complessivo è stato fissato in 6 milioni di dollari, con 4,2 milioni a carico di Meta e 1,8 milioni a carico di Google. Entrambe le aziende hanno presentato ricorso. In New Mexico una giuria ha imposto a Meta 375 milioni di dollari di sanzioni. Successivamente un giudice ha ordinato alla società di destinare altri 567 milioni a un fondo per affrontare i danni provocati ai giovani, portando il valore complessivo delle misure economiche a 942 milioni di dollari. La sentenza prevede anche verifiche più efficaci dell’età, limiti all’utilizzo delle piattaforme da parte dei minori, la disattivazione delle notifiche durante la notte e l’orario scolastico e maggiori protezioni nelle interazioni con i chatbot. Meta ha annunciato ricorso.

Il tempo che trascorriamo sui social ha un prezzo, ogni minuto produce dati, pubblicità e denaro, e quando quel tempo appartiene a un bambino, il prezzo diventa inevitabilmente sociale. Più scorriamo, più contenuti vediamo; più contenuti vediamo, più pubblicità può essere venduta. Per un adulto questo meccanismo è già potente, ma per un adolescente, il cui cervello sta ancora costruendo il rapporto con l’approvazione sociale, il corpo e l’autostima, diventa una macchina ancora più efficace.

Lo ripetiamo da anni, i dati che affidiamo ogni giorno a queste aziende sono nostri e il valore che producono deve tornarci sotto forma di reddito.

L'articolo Dipendenza da social: 29 Stati e oltre 3.000 cause contro i giganti della tecnologia proviene da Il Blog di Beppe Grillo.

As Europe Gets Hotter, Its Transportation Systems Struggle to Cope

14 Agosto 2026 ore 18:23
The continent’s railways and roads “were engineered for a climate that no longer exists,” one expert said.

© Christophe Archambault/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Commuters at a train station in Bordeaux, France, during a heat wave in July. Much of Europe’s infrastructure was not built to withstand scorching summer heat.

As Europe Gets Hotter, Its Transportation Systems Struggle to Cope

14 Agosto 2026 ore 18:23
The continent’s railways and roads “were engineered for a climate that no longer exists,” one expert said.

© Christophe Archambault/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Commuters at a train station in Bordeaux, France, during a heat wave in July. Much of Europe’s infrastructure was not built to withstand scorching summer heat.

Investment scam cases in Hong Kong drop 15%, but losses remain high at HK$1.65b

14 Agosto 2026 ore 11:05
Hong Kong recorded a 15 per cent drop in investment scam cases in the first half of this year, but losses remained high at HK$1.65 billion (US$210 million), with police warning of fraudsters posing as representatives of legitimate overseas firms to swindle investors. Senior Superintendent Fanny Kung Hing-fun said on Friday that some of these firms of purported overseas origins did not exist at all, or had records of fraudulent activity in other countries. “For some of them, even their purported...

Is Ocasio-Cortez Ready for the Glass Cliff?

14 Agosto 2026 ore 13:18
She will run as a woman but unlike how every woman before her was forced to run.

© Illustration by The New York Times; photograph by Gordon Welters for The New York Times

After Notre-Dame Fire, France Restored the Cathedral — but Not These Windows

14 Agosto 2026 ore 11:02
France has faithfully renovated most of what burned at Notre-Dame in 2019. Contentiously, six towering windows will soon be replaced by a new design.

© Mark Landler/The New York Times

An artisan working at the Atelier Simon-Marq, a centuries-old stained glass studio, in Reims, in northeastern France.

After Notre-Dame Fire, France Restored the Cathedral — but Not These Windows

14 Agosto 2026 ore 11:02
France has faithfully renovated most of what burned at Notre-Dame in 2019. Contentiously, six towering windows will soon be replaced by a new design.

© Mark Landler/The New York Times

An artisan working at the Atelier Simon-Marq, a centuries-old stained glass studio, in Reims, in northeastern France.

Russia Campaigned to Derail Moldova’s Pro-Western Government

In Moldova, Moscow paid Orthodox priests, conducted a vote-buying scheme and set up training camps on election interference — all in an effort to derail the Western-leaning government.

© Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press

Police officers in Chisinau, the Moldovan capital, watching protesters gather outside the electoral commission after the polls closed for parliamentary elections in 2025.

Russia Campaigned to Derail Moldova’s Pro-Western Government

In Moldova, Moscow paid Orthodox priests, conducted a vote-buying scheme and set up training camps on election interference — all in an effort to derail the Western-leaning government.

© Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press

Police officers in Chisinau, the Moldovan capital, watching protesters gather outside the electoral commission after the polls closed for parliamentary elections in 2025.

Hong Kong raises growth forecast after best half-yearly showing in nearly 5 years

14 Agosto 2026 ore 10:59
Hong Kong has raised its full-year economic growth forecast for 2026 to a range of 3.5 to 4.5 per cent following a 4.3 per cent expansion in the second quarter, supported by buoyant external trade and resilient domestic demand. Releasing its half-yearly economic report on Friday, the government revised its 2026 growth forecast from the previous range of 2.5 to 3.5 per cent, citing a stronger-than-expected performance in the first half of the year and taking into account the near-term outlook. It...

UN atrocity report adds friction to Myanmar junta’s diplomatic push for legitimacy

A UN investigative report accusing Myanmar’s military of carrying out a “sustained campaign of deliberate attacks on civilians” has muddied Min Aung Hlaing’s push for regional acceptance – but analysts say it is unlikely to derail his efforts to win recognition for his post-election government. The report by the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), a body appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, documents a year-long investigation into alleged “war crimes and crimes against...

Just like with the yen, America cannot save the AI bubble

14 Agosto 2026 ore 10:30
In a rare intervention, the US has propped up the Japanese yen. The move is seen as a bid to hold off a further rise in yields for US government bonds – amid Japan’s sell-off of US Treasuries to fund its shoring up of the yen – a rise that threatens the US artificial intelligence bubble. That the United States bought yen for the first time in decades – coordinating with Japan – had a bigger psychological impact on the market than Tokyo’s interventions alone. But give it three or four weeks and...

China urged to avoid ‘us or them’ split with US over AI governance

China should try to make sure that its new international artificial intelligence (AI) body is not seen as “naturally opposed” to the United States and its allies in case it puts off prospective members, analysts have warned. They said the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (Waico) was not designed as an alternative to the US Pax Silica partnership, which was established last December with the aim of reducing “coercive dependencies”. Waico was established at the World...

China urged to avoid ‘us or them’ split with US over AI governance

China should try to make sure that its new international artificial intelligence (AI) body is not seen as “naturally opposed” to the United States and its allies in case it puts off prospective members, analysts have warned. They said the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (Waico) was not designed as an alternative to the US Pax Silica partnership, which was established last December with the aim of reducing “coercive dependencies”. Waico was established at the World...

China urged to avoid ‘us or them’ split with US over AI governance

China should try to make sure that its new international artificial intelligence (AI) body is not seen as “naturally opposed” to the United States and its allies in case it puts off prospective members, analysts have warned. They said the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (Waico) was not designed as an alternative to the US Pax Silica partnership, which was established last December with the aim of reducing “coercive dependencies”. Waico was established at the World...

Hong Kong teen’s will to fight illness ‘incredibly low’ after near-death scares

14 Agosto 2026 ore 10:12
A teenager who fears dying young has narrowly escaped death twice this year after contracting influenza and respiratory virus infection, enduring what he described as his “most emotionally devastating breakdown”. Chen Tsz-kin, 17, was diagnosed with an incurable muscle-wasting disease at the age of 18 months and was told that people with the condition had an average life expectancy of 18. In a Facebook post on Thursday, he revealed that he had experienced two near-death episodes this year,...

US organ donation organisation’s shutdown invokes Chinese students’ worst fears

14 Agosto 2026 ore 09:56
The United States’ organ transplant system has been plunged into a crisis of public trust after federal health authorities decertified a major organ procurement organisation (OPO) over allegations that organs were harvested from donors who may still have been alive. The scandal has sent shock waves through Chinese communities and validated growing fears among Chinese students and parents. On August 5, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the immediate decertification of...

US organ donation organisation’s shutdown invokes Chinese students’ worst fears

14 Agosto 2026 ore 09:56
The United States’ organ transplant system has been plunged into a crisis of public trust after federal health authorities decertified a major organ procurement organisation (OPO) over allegations that organs were harvested from donors who may still have been alive. The scandal has sent shock waves through Chinese communities and validated growing fears among Chinese students and parents. On August 5, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the immediate decertification of...

Diamond buyer jailed for stealing HK$11 million in gems to fund gambling habit

14 Agosto 2026 ore 09:44
A Hong Kong court has sentenced a former jewellery procurement manager to six years and eight months behind bars for stealing HK$11 million (US$1.4 million) worth of diamonds from suppliers to fund his gambling habit. Mui Ka-fai, 63, pleaded guilty on Monday to three counts of theft for reselling the small diamonds he misappropriated for personal gain while working for Tse Sui Luen Jewellery between April 2023 and February 2024. Sentencing the defendant on Friday, High Court Judge Andrew Chan...

Chinese national jailed in Singapore for burgling luxury homes on first visit

di: CNA · CNA
14 Agosto 2026 ore 09:38
A man who decided to burgle homes on his first visit to Singapore after finding the country “rich” was sentenced to three years and eight months’ jail on Friday. Huang Xiaozong broke into a suite at the Capella Singapore and two houses in Serangoon, stealing more than S$100,000 (US$78,000) worth of valuables. The 41-year-old earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of housebreaking, with one count of trespass taken into consideration for sentencing. The Chinese national visited Singapore for the...

Malaysian university slammed for talk by murdered Mongolian’s ex-lover

A Malaysian university has drawn anger over plans to host controversial analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, the former lover of a Mongolian woman whose body was blown up with military-grade explosives in one of the country’s most notorious murders. The controversy has spread beyond social media to the International Islamic University Malaysia’s own academics, who on Thursday called for a review of Abdul Razak’s appearance at the university’s International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation...

Man admits molesting girlfriend’s 11-year-old daughter, taking over 200 photos, videos

14 Agosto 2026 ore 09:37
A moving services manager has admitted to repeatedly molesting the 11-year-old daughter of his girlfriend in their Hong Kong home, and possessing more than 200 videos and photos he took during the seven assaults. Deputy District Judge Ivy Chui Yee-mei on Friday condemned the “despicable and sickening” acts of the defendant, who was 35 years older than the victim at the time of the offences. The 47-year-old defendant admitted to molesting the girl seven times between August 2023 and March 2024....

More Wildfires and Extreme Heat Roil Europe, but Relief Is on the Horizon

Another day of near record heat baked the continent on Friday, but temperatures could retreat to seasonal averages in the coming days.

© Miroslav Lelas/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Rich Chinese embrace domestic high-end EVs as tech and driving experience eclipse prestige

14 Agosto 2026 ore 09:00
For Eric Huang, a Guangdong-based healthcare entrepreneur who owns a Lamborghini Aventador and a Tesla Model S Plaid, the appeal of Chinese premium electric vehicles (EVs) has grown as their technology has caught up with his expectations. “I hold electric cars to strict safety standards, so I used to stick to Tesla,” Huang said. But he added that domestic brands had now met his standards. His next purchase, he said, would be a six-seat premium electric minivan equivalent from a Chinese brand,...

China claims New Zealand’s spy report is product of foreign interference

China’s embassy in Wellington has rejected New Zealand’s latest security assessment as the product of “foreign interference” and a “Cold War mentality”, as tension grows in a relationship already strained by geopolitical and security concerns. The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service’s annual threat report identified China as the only country conducting espionage “at scale”. In the Thursday report, the agency’s director general Andrew Hampton described the current threat environment as “the...

China claims New Zealand’s spy report is product of foreign interference

China’s embassy in Wellington has rejected New Zealand’s latest security assessment as the product of “foreign interference” and a “Cold War mentality”, as tension grows in a relationship already strained by geopolitical and security concerns. The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service’s annual threat report identified China as the only country conducting espionage “at scale”. In the Thursday report, the agency’s director general Andrew Hampton described the current threat environment as “the...

The death of Zhu Rongji, China’s economic reformer

di: SCMP · SCMP
14 Agosto 2026 ore 08:39
Credited as a co-engineer of one of the greatest economic reforms in human history, former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji died on August 12, 2026, at the age of 97. We have put together seven stories from the South China Morning Post’s coverage of Zhu’s death. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Zhu Rongji, China’s chief engineer of economic reform, dies aged 97 2. Zhu Rongji: leading China’s transformation through ‘minefield or abyss’ “Regardless of what...

Jimmy Fallon Reacts to Karoline Leavitt’s White House Exit

14 Agosto 2026 ore 07:34
The “Tonight Show” host said President Trump had been surprised by the press secretary’s decision to step down. “She was like, ‘I wanted to wait for a good time but there hasn’t been one, so.’”

Farage Wins Special U.K. Election That He Initiated, as Expected

14 Agosto 2026 ore 13:56
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform U.K., won the Clacton by-election with 63 percent. Count Binface, a novelty candidate, came second with 27 percent, a personal best.

© Toby Shepheard/Reuters

Nigel Farage leaves a polling station after he voted in the Clacton by-election on Thursday.

Farage Wins Special U.K. Election That He Initiated, as Expected

14 Agosto 2026 ore 13:56
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform U.K., won the Clacton by-election with 63 percent. Count Binface, a novelty candidate, came second with 27 percent, a personal best.

© Toby Shepheard/Reuters

Nigel Farage leaves a polling station after he voted in the Clacton by-election on Thursday.

Farage Wins Special U.K. Election That He Initiated, as Expected

14 Agosto 2026 ore 13:56
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform U.K., won the Clacton by-election with 63 percent. Count Binface, a novelty candidate, came second with 27 percent, a personal best.

© Toby Shepheard/Reuters

Nigel Farage leaves a polling station after he voted in the Clacton by-election on Thursday.

US shifts Iran war goal, says cheaper oil for Americans is top priority

The top US priority now in the Iran war is no longer its nuclear programme but to bring petrol prices down for American consumers, the vice-president said on Thursday, with the treasury secretary adding that new economic punishment to wear down Tehran is imminent. The comments by Vice-President J.D. Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent illustrate the powerful leverage Tehran has gained by shutting down the Strait of Hormuz. Preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon – consistently...

China tests canal link to Southeast Asia; rocket failure concerns: SCMP’s 7 highlights

di: SCMP · SCMP
14 Agosto 2026 ore 06:15
We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China completes milestone test of US$10.8 billion canal link to Southeast Asia Chinese authorities have conducted the first full transit test along a 134.2km (83.4-mile) canal megaproject linking a vast inland region with Southeast...

China tests canal link to Southeast Asia; rocket failure concerns: SCMP’s 7 highlights

di: SCMP · SCMP
14 Agosto 2026 ore 06:15
We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China completes milestone test of US$10.8 billion canal link to Southeast Asia Chinese authorities have conducted the first full transit test along a 134.2km (83.4-mile) canal megaproject linking a vast inland region with Southeast...

Will Sudan’s El Obeid Become the Next El Fasher? What to Know.

14 Agosto 2026 ore 06:01
Taking El Obeid would allow the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to consolidate its hold on western Sudan, a significant strategic goal.

© Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Women gathering for a hot meal in al-Rahmaniyah camp for displaced people near the city of El-Obeid in the southern Kordofan region of Sudan last month.

How AI is helping to open a new chapter for ancient Chinese literature

For generations, working with ancient Chinese texts has been a painstaking task. Specialists would spend years deciphering unfamiliar characters, copying manuscripts by hand, adding punctuation to texts written without it, comparing different editions and tracing references scattered across thousands of years of records. But artificial intelligence (AI) is now changing that process, not only by helping to preserve fragile manuscripts but also by transforming how ancient texts are recovered,...

How AI is helping to open a new chapter for ancient Chinese literature

For generations, working with ancient Chinese texts has been a painstaking task. Specialists would spend years deciphering unfamiliar characters, copying manuscripts by hand, adding punctuation to texts written without it, comparing different editions and tracing references scattered across thousands of years of records. But artificial intelligence (AI) is now changing that process, not only by helping to preserve fragile manuscripts but also by transforming how ancient texts are recovered,...

How AI is helping to open a new chapter for ancient Chinese literature

For generations, working with ancient Chinese texts has been a painstaking task. Specialists would spend years deciphering unfamiliar characters, copying manuscripts by hand, adding punctuation to texts written without it, comparing different editions and tracing references scattered across thousands of years of records. But artificial intelligence (AI) is now changing that process, not only by helping to preserve fragile manuscripts but also by transforming how ancient texts are recovered,...

US sailors endure dire conditions on Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier

Some sailors have reportedly tried throwing themselves into the sea, basic supplies can run short and sanitation is going awry: life on America’s giant Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is increasingly difficult as the Iran war drags on. The ship – now in its ninth month of deployment – is expected to be replaced in the Middle East by another carrier, the George Washington, in a move sure to be welcomed by the Lincoln’s crew and their loved ones. But concerns about conditions on the Lincoln have...

What Nolan’s Odysseus tells us about Western elite’s existential angst

In every civilisation, certain stories capture the psyche so profoundly that they are retold across centuries. In the West, Homer’s Odyssey is the one. Countless adaptations have emerged over millennia, inspiring literary giants from Dante Alighieri to James Joyce. Christopher Nolan’s cinematic adaptation is merely the latest. While it reflects the British-American filmmaker’s personal vision, it also offers a glimpse into the anxieties and self-reflections of today’s Western elite. Homer’s...

Did Aristotle exist? China targets pseudo-history myths claiming West stole civilisations

A provincial propaganda department in China has warned the public against subscribing to growing conspiracy theories on history, such as those stating that Aristotle and Ancient Greece never existed. In a post on Wednesday, “Zhejiang Propaganda” – a social media account affiliated with the Zhejiang provincial publicity department – warned about the rise of the “pseudo-historical school” online. The school promotes conspiracy theories that deny Western history and claim key achievements of...

Did Aristotle exist? China targets pseudo-history myths claiming West stole civilisations

A provincial propaganda department in China has warned the public against subscribing to growing conspiracy theories on history, such as those stating that Aristotle and Ancient Greece never existed. In a post on Wednesday, “Zhejiang Propaganda” – a social media account affiliated with the Zhejiang provincial publicity department – warned about the rise of the “pseudo-historical school” online. The school promotes conspiracy theories that deny Western history and claim key achievements of...

U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln Has Been Deployed for Months, Prompting Concerns

The U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln has been deployed for nearly nine months. Members of Congress are worried about the crew’s well-being.

© K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune, via Associated Press

The U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln in San Diego in 2021. The aircraft carrier, with a crew of about 5,000 sailors, has been at sea for more than eight and a half months.

After 2 Plasma Donor Deaths, Company Pauses Clinics in Canada

14 Agosto 2026 ore 01:41
Grifols, a Spanish company, said “unfounded attention” on its blood plasma business in Canada had led it to temporarily end collections at 17 clinics.

© Enric Fontcuberta/EPA, via Shutterstock

Donating plasma for Grifols at a hospital in Barcelona in 2020. The company has suspended collecting plasma in Canada because of scrutiny over two deaths.

Trump orders US aircraft carriers to go back to steam catapults

14 Agosto 2026 ore 01:40
President Donald Trump ordered the US Navy to return to using steam catapults to launch planes off of aircraft carriers, acting on a long-time complaint despite opposition from many naval officers. In a presidential memorandum, Trump ordered US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to come up with a plan within 60 days on what would be needed to use hydraulic catapults in the next Gerald Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The planned USS Doris Miller will be the fourth ship in the six-vessel...

Engine Blade Hit Window on Jet Before Man Was Partly Sucked Outside, Report Says

14 Agosto 2026 ore 01:20
The National Transportation Safety Board said it had found a bird’s remains and feathers on a broken engine.

© Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters

A Ryanair plane in Thessaloniki, Greece, last May. A full investigation into an incident last month will take at least a year, federal official said.

US accuses 9 Latin American countries of helping China avoid Trump’s tariffs

Three Latin American governments that moved against Chinese commercial interests over the past year were named in a White House report on Thursday, which accused Chinese exporters of routing goods through third countries to evade US tariffs. Mexico, Panama and Colombia now join Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic among more than 40 countries the report says carry elevated risk of illegal transshipment, the practice of moving goods through an intermediate country...

US accuses 9 Latin American countries of helping China avoid Trump’s tariffs

Three Latin American governments that moved against Chinese commercial interests over the past year were named in a White House report on Thursday, which accused Chinese exporters of routing goods through third countries to evade US tariffs. Mexico, Panama and Colombia now join Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic among more than 40 countries the report says carry elevated risk of illegal transshipment, the practice of moving goods through an intermediate country...

Salvage Company Hoping to Sell Titanic Artifacts Challenges Court’s Role

14 Agosto 2026 ore 23:12
A Virginia federal court has awarded the company the rights to collect, but not sell, items from the shipwreck. But the company says its earliest retrievals are governed by a French court.

© Associated Press

A company that has the rights to salvage items from the shipwreck of the Titanic is looking to sell 100 of the artifacts it has recovered at auction.

What to Know About Luigi Mangione’s Court Cases and Potential Plea

Mr. Mangione faces federal charges of stalking that resulted in the death of a health insurance executive. A guilty plea could close the federal case — and complicate a separate state murder trial.

© Jefferson Siegel for The New York Times

Luigi Mangione is facing both state and federal charges in connection with the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive.

Luigi Mangione expected to plead guilty in US CEO killing

14 Agosto 2026 ore 00:46
Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty on Friday to resolve federal charges relating to the fatal shooting of UnitedHealth Group executive Brian Thompson, and prosecutors will recommend he serve life in prison, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The plea would come at a Friday hearing that US District Judge Margaret Garnett set after federal prosecutors and defence lawyers jointly requested one. Court records did not identify the purpose of the hearing, and it is possible...

China’s STEM students turn to Singapore as Western study options shrink

For generations, China’s brightest science and technology minds followed a well-worn path: board a Westbound flight and claim a seat at a globally renowned university. That once-reliable trajectory has fractured. Escalating US-China tech competition and tightening immigration policies across the “big four” study destinations – Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States – have redrawn the map for global student mobility. As Western nations impose ever-stricter access controls and...

China’s STEM students turn to Singapore as Western study options shrink

For generations, China’s brightest science and technology minds followed a well-worn path: board a Westbound flight and claim a seat at a globally renowned university. That once-reliable trajectory has fractured. Escalating US-China tech competition and tightening immigration policies across the “big four” study destinations – Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States – have redrawn the map for global student mobility. As Western nations impose ever-stricter access controls and...

What the Mecca military pact means for China

When Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Mecca defence agreement, they executed a structural overhaul of the Middle East’s security architecture. The pact codifies a defence commitment, where an armed attack on one is treated as an assault on all. Building upon September’s Saudi-Pakistan defence agreement, this tripartite arrangement bridges the financial capital of the Gulf, the...

What the Mecca military pact means for China

When Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Mecca defence agreement, they executed a structural overhaul of the Middle East’s security architecture. The pact codifies a defence commitment, where an armed attack on one is treated as an assault on all. Building upon September’s Saudi-Pakistan defence agreement, this tripartite arrangement bridges the financial capital of the Gulf, the...

What the Mecca military pact means for China

When Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Mecca defence agreement, they executed a structural overhaul of the Middle East’s security architecture. The pact codifies a defence commitment, where an armed attack on one is treated as an assault on all. Building upon September’s Saudi-Pakistan defence agreement, this tripartite arrangement bridges the financial capital of the Gulf, the...

Afghan Women Erased From Public Life in Five Years of Taliban Rule

14 Agosto 2026 ore 07:08
Decrees restricting the rights of women and girls to study, work, travel and act independently now threaten to damage Afghanistan permanently, experts say.

© Tomas Munita for The New York Times

A market in Kabul, Afghanistan, last year. Most women say they have to get a male relative’s permission to leave the house.

Trump Gives Green Light to U.S. Companies to Aim Hacks at Cybercriminals

13 Agosto 2026 ore 22:34
The practice would align the United States more closely with countries like China and Russia, where spy agencies have long relied on private-sector hackers to help with national security missions.

© Vincent Thian/Associated Press

An expert on China’s hacking ecosystem said that historically Beijing had copied various cybersecurity policies from the United States, but that the new Trump policy was a reversal of that arrangement.

Bird remains found in engine after man nearly sucked out of window on Ryanair flight

13 Agosto 2026 ore 22:30
⁠Bird remains were found ⁠in the engine of a Ryanair Boeing 737 NG plane where a passenger was partially sucked through a broken window shortly after take-off from Greece in July, the US National Transportation Safety Board said on Thursday. The NTSB ‌is investigating the incident where a piece of the engine broke off the plane and smashed the window. The plane, headed to Germany, lost pressure and was forced to make an emergency landing. The NTSB said in its preliminary report into the July 10...

US sends new aircraft carrier to Mideast amid concerns over USS Abraham Lincoln

The Pacific-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington has begun heading towards the Middle East, according to Navy statements and open source information on the ship’s movements. This comes as reports have emerged of mental health and supply issues aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose long deployment to the Middle East in support of the Iran war includes a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 240 days. The USS George Washington left port in Da Nang, Vietnam, last week,...

Ricevuto — 13 Agosto 2026 Stampa Internazionale

Kennedy Centre board votes to put Trump’s name on the building – again

The Kennedy Centre board voted on Thursday to add US President Donald Trump’s name to the facade of the performing arts venue and move forward with a two-year closure, according to congresswoman Joyce Beatty, a trustee through her position in Congress, and her lawyers. A representative for the Kennedy Centre did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The moves set up a test of US District Judge Christopher Cooper, who ruled in May that letters affixed to the building and spelling out...

11 injured, as UK train derails and carriages flip

A passenger train derailed on Thursday in southern England, seriously injuring two people and causing minor injuries for nine others after three carriages overturned, the British Transport Police said. The Southern Rail train from Victoria station in London to Eastbourne was carrying about 150 people when it went off the tracks outside the tourist town of Lewes. Passenger Rob Bradley said the train began rocking as it picked up speed and the carriage he was riding in with his six-year-old...

Professor’s alleged role in China programmes leads to ban from US funding

13 Agosto 2026 ore 20:24
A professor managed US funding of computer science research for more than two years while failing to disclose that he was simultaneously involved in Chinese government programmes, according to previously unreported documents. The professor, Tao Li, was a programme officer at the National Science Foundation from 2015 to 2017, a job that included overseeing the awarding of grants for research in areas such as hardware, software and algorithms. During that time, Li took part in two Chinese talent...

La Russia potrebbe puntare la Polonia per sfidare la Nato

23 Luglio 2026 ore 14:13

Mosca intensifica la pressione su Varsavia attraverso disinformazione, sabotaggi e attacchi ibridi. Le minacce del Cremlino alimentano i timori di un’escalation. Da dove potrebbe colpire via terra la Federazione. L'Aquila Bianca può diventare il principale banco di prova della credibilità dell'Alleanza.

La Somalia come mosaico bizantino

21 Luglio 2026 ore 14:39
La rubrica "Le mappe parlanti" di Laura Canali per scoprire tutti i dettagli delle cartine. Questa puntata è dedicata alla Somalia, mosaico di poteri diviso tra governo federale, al-Shabaab, Somaliland, Puntland e Stato Islamico. Dalle strade di Mogadiscio al porto di Berbera, il Corno d’Africa torna al centro della contesa tra rotte, porti e potenze esterne.

Google lancia le "Fonti preferite": ecco come scegliere Limes

9 Giugno 2026 ore 10:16

Google introduce in Italia le "Fonti preferite". Aggiungi Limes alle testate che segui per trovare più facilmente analisi, mappe e approfondimenti geopolitici nei tuoi risultati di ricerca. Scopri anche come seguire Limes su Google Discover per ricevere i nostri contenuti consigliati nel tuo feed.

Train Derails Near Town of Lewes in East Sussex, U.K.

13 Agosto 2026 ore 23:22
Emergency services said they were working at the scene of a derailment near Lewes, in East Sussex, on Thursday. Eighteen other people were less badly hurt.

© Carlos Jasso/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Some cars of a passenger train flipped onto their sides on Thursday in southern England near Lewes. The accident’s cause had not yet been determined.

Poland says it arrested Russian hired to kill Ukrainian-American citizen

13 Agosto 2026 ore 16:25
Poland has ⁠arrested a ⁠Russian man who was ⁠hired by Moscow to kill a Ukrainian-American citizen in Warsaw, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday. The Russian was detained on August ‌7 and had been recruited to kill a man who was “inconvenient to the Putin regime”, Tusk told journalists. The Russian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Moscow has regularly ⁠dismissed accusations by European powers of attacks, saying the West ‌is stoking...

How a Long-Shot U.S. Oil Drilling Project Is Shaking Up Greenland

A U.S. oil company says it could be on the verge of a major discovery in Greenland. The proposal comes at a tricky time for the Arctic island, and locals are lining up against it.

© Esther Horvath for The New York Times

Ittoqqortoormiit, a settlement in eastern Greenland. The remote area has been targeted by a U.S.-British joint venture for potential oil exploration.

Chinese missile AI tracks F-22, F-35-like heat signatures with over 90% accuracy

13 Agosto 2026 ore 16:00
The F-35 and F-22 may be among the world’s most advanced stealth fighters, but they cannot hide one thing: heat. When heat-seeking missiles lock onto aircraft, fighters release flares to confuse infrared sensors and break missile tracking. But the infrared signals produced by fighters, including heat from engine exhaust and air friction over the fuselage, are different from those generated by flares. These heat signatures could provide valuable infrared information for target detection and...

1 dead, 6 wounded in Rotterdam port explosion

13 Agosto 2026 ore 15:57
A blast at a ⁠storage facility for petroleum products at the Netherlands’ Rotterdam port killed one person and wounded six others on Thursday, officials said, as police investigated the cause of the explosion. A spokesperson for major energy commodities trading company Gunvor said an “incident” occurred during maintenance work on a storage tank. A police spokesperson said that there was no immediate ⁠sign of sabotage and that all possible scenarios were under ‌investigation. Rotterdam is...

Satellite images show 50% boost to China’s Type 054B missile capacity

China appears to be adding capacity to the vertical launch system (VLS) of its most advanced guided-missile frigate Type 054B under construction in Shanghai, satellite images show, allowing it to have a larger missile reserve and stronger anti-air defence capabilities. According to satellite images taken by US intelligence company Vantor on June 28, the VLS at the bow of a Type 054B vessel had a different shape compared to the first two Type 054B vessels that have already entered service. The...

Hundreds of Flights Canceled in Sicily as Mount Etna Erupts

13 Agosto 2026 ore 18:25
Etna erupts often, but it usually doesn’t release this much ash, an expert said. Tens of thousands of travelers’ plans have been disrupted in the past week.

© Danilo Arnone/Reuters

Volcanic ash and lava during an eruption of Mount Etna in Sicily on Wednesday.

‘An English Summer Is Not the Same Anymore’

14 Agosto 2026 ore 11:51
With forecasters issuing a warning for very high temperatures, this summer is on track to be one of the hottest yet.

© Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

Another heat wave gripped London on Thursday.

Malaysia’s Anwar looks back on relationship ‘well beyond affairs of state’ with Zhu Rongji

Tributes have been flooding in for former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, the reformist statesman who played a leading role in integrating China’s economy into the global system and charmed neighbouring countries with his candid diplomacy. In a deeply personal tribute posted on social media, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described Zhu, who died on Wednesday at the age of 97, as “a good friend”. The pair worked together to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, building a...

Malaysia’s Anwar looks back on relationship ‘well beyond affairs of state’ with Zhu Rongji

Tributes have been flooding in for former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, the reformist statesman who played a leading role in integrating China’s economy into the global system and charmed neighbouring countries with his candid diplomacy. In a deeply personal tribute posted on social media, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described Zhu, who died on Wednesday at the age of 97, as “a good friend”. The pair worked together to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, building a...

Suspicious object on rail tracks in Germany did not contain explosives: police

13 Agosto 2026 ore 13:11
German police said on Thursday that a suspicious object found on rail tracks in a Bavarian ‌town did not contain explosives, as initially feared. Earlier on Thursday, buildings near the object were evacuated in the town of Treuchtlingen for the item to ⁠be moved safely by a robot. Experts had earlier taken ‌X-ray images of the object that was found in the southern ‌part of the town. The public ⁠had ⁠been urged to steer clear of the area, which ‌was cordoned off, police also said on social...

US accuses Chinese exporters of masterminding ‘Great Transshipment Scam’

The Trump administration on Thursday released a sharply worded report accusing Chinese exporters of orchestrating a system of “illegal transshipment” through more than 40 third countries to dodge US tariffs, branding the practice “The Great Transshipment Scam”. The 25-page document claims Chinese firms have systematically diverted goods through lower-tariff jurisdictions since the US kicked off its trade war with China in 2018. It alleges that exporters use limited assembly, relabelling,...

US accuses Chinese exporters of masterminding ‘Great Transshipment Scam’

The Trump administration on Thursday released a sharply worded report accusing Chinese exporters of orchestrating a system of “illegal transshipment” through more than 40 third countries to dodge US tariffs, branding the practice “The Great Transshipment Scam”. The 25-page document claims Chinese firms have systematically diverted goods through lower-tariff jurisdictions since the US kicked off its trade war with China in 2018. It alleges that exporters use limited assembly, relabelling,...

Tre scenari americani per Cuba

13 Agosto 2026 ore 10:18

Gli Stati Uniti puntano a schiacciare l’isola, ormai quasi Stato fallito. Washington cerca una transizione alla venezuelana, ma controspionaggio locale, carenza di leader disposti a scendere a patti e difficoltà di catturare Raúl Castro complicano la situazione. Dalla continuità castrista all'intervento militare, tre possibili esiti per il futuro. 

Trieste, città a sovranità sospesa

12 Agosto 2026 ore 15:33

Lo status del capoluogo giuliano è un problema storico irrisolto. I documenti riservati della diplomazia americana e il ruolo cruciale dell’occupazione militare britannica. Come le grandi potenze possono sfruttare un regime giuridico ibrido risalente alla guerra fredda. Il disordine mondiale e il disimpegno americano aprono scenari inediti.

Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan Mecca pact ‘far from’ Nato-style defence alliance

The security pact signed on Friday by three of the world’s most powerful Muslim nations with a vow to enhance collective deterrence remains far from what many are calling an Islamic Nato, according to experts. The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, the Persian Gulf’s top oil exporter, Nato member Turkey and Pakistan, a nuclear-armed South Asian state, would be challenged by diverging strategic interests and weak mutual defence capacity, they said. The Mecca pact’s statement that...

Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan Mecca pact ‘far from’ Nato-style defence alliance

13 Agosto 2026 ore 12:22
The security pact signed on Friday by three of the world’s most powerful Muslim nations with a vow to enhance collective deterrence remains far from what many are calling an Islamic Nato, according to experts. The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, the Persian Gulf’s top oil exporter, Nato member Turkey and Pakistan, a nuclear-armed South Asian state, would be challenged by diverging strategic interests and weak mutual defence capacity, they said. The Mecca pact’s statement that...

The 11 key achievements of China’s ‘iron premier’ Zhu Rongji – in his own words

Known for his sharp intellect, no-nonsense demeanour and relentless drive for reform, China’s former premier Zhu Rongji was the primary architect of the country’s transition from an isolated, rigidly planned economy to a market-driven titan connected to the rest of the world. During his tenure from 1998 to 2003, he engineered an economic “soft landing”, steered the nation through the Asian Financial Crisis and secured entry into the WTO, laying the groundwork for the country’s historic...

The 11 key achievements of China’s ‘iron premier’ Zhu Rongji – in his own words

Known for his sharp intellect, no-nonsense demeanour and relentless drive for reform, China’s former premier Zhu Rongji was the primary architect of the country’s transition from an isolated, rigidly planned economy to a market-driven titan connected to the rest of the world. During his tenure from 1998 to 2003, he engineered an economic “soft landing”, steered the nation through the Asian Financial Crisis and secured entry into the WTO, laying the groundwork for the country’s historic...

Zhu Rongji reforms fuel China’s economic transformation

Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, the driver of the nation’s economic reforms, died on Wednesday aged 97 following an illness. Zhu spearheaded China’s 2001 accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), paving the way for an export boom that fuelled the country’s transformation into the world’s second-biggest economy. He also oversaw domestic market reforms that included closing hundreds of loss-making state enterprises and laying off some 30 million workers. The former Shanghai mayor was...

Zhu Rongji reforms fuel China’s economic transformation

Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, the driver of the nation’s economic reforms, died on Wednesday aged 97 following an illness. Zhu spearheaded China’s 2001 accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), paving the way for an export boom that fuelled the country’s transformation into the world’s second-biggest economy. He also oversaw domestic market reforms that included closing hundreds of loss-making state enterprises and laying off some 30 million workers. The former Shanghai mayor was...

China’s travellers raise alarm over error-filled tourist signs in public spaces

A highway operator in Gansu province, northwestern China, apologised on Wednesday after a service area sign for the hot water room, mistranslated in English as “open water rooms”, was shared on social media. Similar translation errors, as well as spelling mistakes, on signage at public facilities have repeatedly drawn attention, including an incident in late March, when a passenger at an airport in the southwestern city of Guiyang discovered multiple misspellings. The mistranslation of the...

China’s travellers raise alarm over error-filled tourist signs in public spaces

A highway operator in Gansu province, northwestern China, apologised on Wednesday after a service area sign for the hot water room, mistranslated in English as “open water rooms”, was shared on social media. Similar translation errors, as well as spelling mistakes, on signage at public facilities have repeatedly drawn attention, including an incident in late March, when a passenger at an airport in the southwestern city of Guiyang discovered multiple misspellings. The mistranslation of the...

What to Know About the U.K. Special Election: Farage vs. Binface

14 Agosto 2026 ore 20:16
Nigel Farage, the right-wing populist leader, won a by-election for his parliamentary seat in Clacton, which he initiated after coming under pressure over his financial declarations.

© Joe Giddens/Press Association, via Associated Press

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform U.K., at a rally for the party in Wymondham, England, last month.

Coming next summer: the ‘eclipse of the century.’

13 Agosto 2026 ore 08:19
The sky will go dark for six minutes or more over landmarks like the Rock of Gibraltar, the casbah of Tangier and the temples of Luxor, Egypt.

© Amir Hamja/The New York Times

Watching the solar eclipse at Washington Square Park in New York in 2024.

Chinese ‘yeast factory’ boosts cancer drug production by 1,000 times

A research team at Zhejiang University (ZJU) has cracked a molecular puzzle, turning ordinary yeast into a powerful factory for an expensive cancer drug and boosting its production by a thousand times. The anticancer drug vinblastine has long been sourced exclusively from the Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) plant. But it takes up to 2 tonnes of dried leaves to yield just 1 gram (0.03 ounce) of vinblastine, making it more expensive than gold by weight. This extreme scarcity has kept...

US-China rivalry takes flight over scramble for contracts at Ethiopia’s Bishoftu airport

Ethiopia’s new US$12.5 billion mega-airport project has thrust the nation into the heart of a geopolitical tug of war between the United States and China. Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier, is developing the massive Bishoftu International Airport, located 40km (25 miles) southeast of the capital Addis Ababa to serve as a primary hub for African trade and travel. The project has triggered intense competition between would-be contractors from around the world, but Chinese state-owned...

US-China rivalry takes flight over scramble for contracts at Ethiopia’s Bishoftu airport

Ethiopia’s new US$12.5 billion mega-airport project has thrust the nation into the heart of a geopolitical tug of war between the United States and China. Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier, is developing the massive Bishoftu International Airport, located 40km (25 miles) southeast of the capital Addis Ababa to serve as a primary hub for African trade and travel. The project has triggered intense competition between would-be contractors from around the world, but Chinese state-owned...

Russian Blockade of Major Ukrainian Ports Threatens Global Grain Supplies

13 Agosto 2026 ore 12:22
The deadly strikes are part of a long-running maritime battle with Ukraine and echo battles over other key shipping routes around the world.

© Reuters

A vessel struck off the coast of Odesa, Ukraine, last month. The Russian campaign has halted nearly all shipping in and out of the port.

What to Know About Thursday’s Special Election in Clacton: Farage vs. Binface

13 Agosto 2026 ore 06:01
Nigel Farage, the right-wing populist leader, forced a by-election in his parliamentary seat of Clacton after he came under pressure over his financial declarations.

© Joe Giddens/Press Association, via Associated Press

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform U.K., at a rally for the party in Wymondham, England, last month.

‘An English Summer Is Not the Same Anymore’

13 Agosto 2026 ore 06:00
With forecasters issuing a warning for very high temperatures, this summer is on track to be one of the hottest yet.

© Toby Melville/Reuters

Sunrise in London on an amber warning day last week. More extreme heat is forecast.

Nirupama Rao and Lin Minwang on India-China fault lines

Welcome to Open Dialogue, a series from the South China Morning Post where we bring together leading voices to discuss the stories and subjects occupying international headlines. In this edition, we invited a leading Chinese scholar of South Asian affairs and a former Indian foreign secretary and ambassador to China to reflect on the deep fault lines in India-China relations. They debate whether the biggest barrier is history or politics, clash over the border, Pakistan and India’s ties with the...

Nirupama Rao and Lin Minwang on India-China fault lines

Welcome to Open Dialogue, a series from the South China Morning Post where we bring together leading voices to discuss the stories and subjects occupying international headlines. In this edition, we invited a leading Chinese scholar of South Asian affairs and a former Indian foreign secretary and ambassador to China to reflect on the deep fault lines in India-China relations. They debate whether the biggest barrier is history or politics, clash over the border, Pakistan and India’s ties with the...

Nearly 200-country study shows China’s Belt and Road Initiative cuts debt and corruption

13 Agosto 2026 ore 04:00
A study analysing data from hundreds of countries and regions suggests China’s Belt and Road Initiative is linked to better governance and economic development, according to researchers from Nanjing University. They found the trade and investment scheme – which spans Africa, Asia, Europe and beyond – was also associated with improved corruption control and that it reduced debt risks. The team – from the university’s Centre for Asia-Pacific Development Studies and led by Mao Weizhun – said their...

US charges 11 over sham marriages involving Chinese nationals and American soldiers

US prosecutors have charged 11 people over an alleged decade-long network that arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages, primarily for Chinese nationals seeking green cards, including matches with at least 14 active-duty American soldiers. About 11 of the soldiers, who were stationed at a US Army base in Kentucky, were paired with Chinese citizens between May 2023 and August 2025, according to a 21-page indictment unsealed on Wednesday in federal court in New York. The indictment did not identify...

US charges 11 over sham marriages involving Chinese nationals and American soldiers

US prosecutors have charged 11 people over an alleged decade-long network that arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages, primarily for Chinese nationals seeking green cards, including matches with at least 14 active-duty American soldiers. About 11 of the soldiers, who were stationed at a US Army base in Kentucky, were paired with Chinese citizens between May 2023 and August 2025, according to a 21-page indictment unsealed on Wednesday in federal court in New York. The indictment did not identify...

Un mondo più caldo sarà un mondo più violento

13 Agosto 2026 ore 00:55
di Mac Margolis e Robert Muggah

L’idea che un clima più caldo possa renderci più violenti non è nuova. Il legame tra mercurio e omicidio è familiare della narrativa pulp e dei classici. “Con queste giornate calde il sangue pazzo ribolle”, dice Benvolio prima del duello tra Capuleti e Montecchi per le strade della soffocante Verona di Shakespeare.

Gli studiosi litigano sull’argomento dal 19°  secolo, ma l’accelerazione del cambiamento climatico promette di accendere il dibattito. Se crediamo, come disse il filosofo francese Montesquieu, che  il calore eccessivo  toglie vigore al corpo e offusca la mente, un numero crescente di sociologi, psicologi e criminologi avverte che il clima estremo è miccia per crimini violenti e comportamenti delinquenti.

L’ex governatore delle carceri scozzesi David Wilson una volta ha fatto pressioni per far installare l’aria condizionata in alcune delle prigioni più violente del paese scommettendo che le temperature più fredde portassero a raffreddare gli animi. Wilson, un criminologo, ha osservato che agosto è il mese più violento, citando studi che indicano un  aumento del 10% degli omicidi  nei morti dell’estate scozzese.

Oggi esiste una ricerca considerevole che indica che alcuni shock e stress legati al clima possono innescare crimini sia violenti che non violenti. Le prove disponibili suggeriscono che il l’aumento della temperatura e l’intensificarsi dell’inquinamento possono provocare un aumento sostanziale della criminalità, a partire dalle aree più densamente abitate e vulnerabili.

Con oltre due terzi della popolazione mondiale che si prevede vivrà nelle città entro il 2030, la connessione clima-crimine non può essere ignorata. Le emissioni di gas serra e il riscaldamento stanno già intensificando le isole di calore, contribuendo alla scarsità d’acqua, all’innalzamento del livello del mare, all’aumento dei rischi legati alle inondazioni e al peggioramento della qualità dell’aria, soprattutto nelle grandi città in rapida crescita in Asia, Africa e nelle Americhe. La posta in gioco è più alta nei quartieri e nelle famiglie più vulnerabili, già gravati da profonde disuguaglianze e svantaggi.

Fino a poco tempo, la maggior parte delle città degli Stati Uniti celebrava uno storico declino di tre decenni negli omicidi. Poi le estati hanno  iniziato a scaldarsi, così come il tasso di violenza criminale. Circa il doppio delle persone sono state uccise nelle città del nord come Chicago, Milwaukee e Detroit durante i periodi più caldi rispetto ai mesi più freddi, come riportato sul New York Times, nel 2018. (Il crimine violento è aumentato anche durante l’estate nelle città del sud, anche se in modo meno drammatico.)

La pericolosa relazione tra il riscaldamento e la criminalità non è stata solo evidente negli Stati Uniti. In uno studio globale su 57 città tra il 1995 e il 2012, Dennis Mares e Kenneth Moffett hanno associato un aumento di un grado Celsius delle temperature globali con un  aumento del 6%  della prevalenza della violenza omicida.

Parte della spiegazione è intuitiva. L’aumento delle temperature generalmente manda più persone nelle strade. Certo, non è esattamente il passaggio diretto da un’ondata di caldo a un’ondata di crimine. Le giornate molto calde, ad esempio, potrebbero avere l’effetto opposto: tenere le persone in casa o nello stupore della stanchezza di Montesquieu.

Teorie più recenti sulle relazioni tra clima e criminalità provengono dalle scienze comportamentali e dalla neurologia. Attingendo alla ricerca sperimentale, l’affermazione centrale è che anche sottili alterazioni del tempo o esposizione a sostanze inquinanti possono influenzare il giudizio e il controllo individuali. Quando le persone sono esposte a cambiamenti nel loro ambiente – diciamo, aumento del calore o esposizione a specifici inquinanti – il loro comportamento può cambiare, spesso in peggio.

Nonostante tutte le perturbazioni, tuttavia, le autorità sono state lente nel rispondere alla sfida del crimine climatico. Potremmo non avere più quel lusso. Poiché il clima estremo diventa la nuova normalità, i responsabili delle città dovrebbero mappare le zone più vulnerabili e prestare maggiore attenzione alle comunità più povere, minoritarie ed emarginate che stanno affrontando i rischi e le conseguenze più gravi.

Sanzioni più severe, possono esacerbare disuguaglianze ed insicurezze e scatenare risposte repressive con conseguenze dannose per i gruppi più poveri ed emarginati.

Ci sono molteplici vantaggi negli investimenti basati sulla natura per una vita urbana più sostenibile. La riduzione delle isole di calore, l’innalzamento dei tetti verdi, l’espansione dei parchi e della copertura arborea, mentre il ridimensionamento della pavimentazione e del cemento sono tutte iniziative che possono portare dividendi nella riduzione della criminalità abbassando le temperature e abbattendo le emissioni dei numerosi gas (CO2, NO2 e PM2,5) del cielo sporco della città.

Allo stesso modo, ridurre l’inquinamento atmosferico è particolarmente efficace in termini di costi non solo per migliorare la salute della popolazione, ma anche per prevenire la criminalità. Anche l’inasprimento delle politiche ambientali possono rendere le nostre città più pulite e più sicure.

Le città più grandi e il clima molto più caldo fanno parte di un mondo che cambia, ma anche un invito all’azione. Lavorando ora per mitigare gli effetti peggiori delle condizioni meteorologiche estreme e rimediando alle ingiustizie ambientali nelle nostre città, le amministrazioni possono aiutare non solo a evitare che una crisi climatica diventi un’emergenza, ma anche a risparmiare vite e mezzi di sussistenza.

 

GLI AUTORI

Mac Margolis è un consulente dell’Istituto Igarape e un corrispondente e scrittore di lunga data con sede a Rio de Janeiro. Robert Muggah è co-fondatore dell’Istituto Igarape e direttore del SecDev Group.

L'articolo Un mondo più caldo sarà un mondo più violento proviene da Il Blog di Beppe Grillo.

La plastica che seminiamo nei campi

13 Agosto 2026 ore 00:18

Circa un terzo del cibo prodotto nel mondo viene sprecato ogni anno.

Una montagna di alimenti che richiede acqua, energia e terreni per essere prodotta e finisce spesso sepolta nelle discariche. Negli Stati Uniti questa sorte riguarda il 40% degli sprechi alimentari, con un impatto stimato in 30 milioni di tonnellate di CO₂ equivalente all’anno. Per fare un esempio, sono più delle emissioni prodotte dall’intera Cuba nel 2024, pari a 24,4 milioni di tonnellate.

Recuperare quel cibo e trasformarlo in compost sembrerebbe la soluzione più logica. Ora, un nuovo studio dell’Università del Vermont, pubblicato su Nature Food, ha però scoperto un effetto rimasto finora ai margini delle politiche ambientali, insieme agli scarti organici recuperiamo anche la plastica delle confezioni. I ricercatori hanno confrontato diversi sistemi di gestione dei rifiuti alimentari misurandone l’impatto sul clima, sulle acque e sui terreni. Deviare gli scarti dalle discariche e destinarli al compostaggio o alla digestione anaerobica permetterebbe di ridurre l’impatto climatico tra l’89% e il 99%. Diminuirebbe anche l’eutrofizzazione, il fenomeno provocato dall’accumulo di nutrienti nei corsi d’acqua e dalla conseguente proliferazione delle alghe.

Una grande quantità di cibo viene buttata ancora confezionata, alcuni impianti utilizzano macchine chiamate “disimballatrici”, che separano gli alimenti dagli involucri, gli scarti organici vengono trasformati in compost o biogas, mentre le confezioni finiscono in discarica. La separazione, però, lascia passare piccoli frammenti. Secondo lo studio, anche con macchinari efficienti al 99%, il recupero degli scarti alimentari potrebbe aumentare di dieci volte la presenza di microplastiche nel suolo. Nei terreni agricoli statunitensi potrebbero così essere disperse fino a 20.000 tonnellate di plastica all’anno.

Ogni volta che si recuperano i rifiuti alimentari, esiste un rischio di inquinamento da microplastiche”, spiega Kate Porterfield, principale autrice dello studio. “Le persone possono sbagliare, le macchine possono sbagliare e oggi quasi tutto il nostro cibo è confezionato nella plastica”.

Finora nessuna ricerca aveva calcolato su scala nazionale l’“impronta di inquinamento da plastica” prodotta dai diversi sistemi di gestione degli scarti alimentari. Le politiche si sono concentrate soprattutto sulle emissioni evitate, lasciando in secondo piano ciò che rimane nel compost e viene successivamente sparso nei campi.

Lo stato del Vermont rappresenta uno dei casi più avanzati. Dal 2020 una legge impone alle famiglie e alle attività di separare gli scarti alimentari, che sono stati esclusi dai cassonetti destinati alla discarica. Secondo gli autori dello studio, estendere misure simili richiede che il problema della plastica venga affrontato fin dalla progettazione dei sistemi di raccolta e trattamento. La questione resta complessa, gli imballaggi possono prolungare la durata dei prodotti freschi e ridurne il deterioramento, soprattutto nelle piccole aziende agricole. “È proprio qui che nasce la tensione”, osserva Phil Holtam, cofondatore dell’impresa sociale Sussex Surplus. “Vogliamo ridurre lo spreco alimentare, ma vogliamo anche evitare l’uso superfluo della plastica”.

Una parte dello spreco nasce ancora prima del supermercato. Frutta e verdura deformi, irregolari o semplicemente lontane dall’estetica richiesta vengono escluse dagli scaffali. Lo chef e attivista Max La Manna riassume al The Guardian il meccanismo con una frase: “Stiamo permettendo che la perfezione diventi nemica del bene”.

Nelle scuole e nelle grandi istituzioni, inoltre, le regole sulla sicurezza alimentare favoriscono spesso l’impiego di prodotti confezionati singolarmente. Una precauzione comprensibile che moltiplica gli involucri e rende più difficile ottenere un compost pulito. Porterfield propone sistemi di raccolta semplici, capaci di rendere la separazione dei materiali quasi automatica. Serve anche superare il cosiddetto “riciclo per speranza”, l’abitudine di inserire nella raccolta differenziata oggetti dubbi confidando che qualche impianto riesca comunque a recuperarli.

Il compost dovrebbe restituire fertilità alla terra, se insieme alla materia organica spargiamo 20.000 tonnellate di microplastiche, abbiamo soltanto trasferito il problema dal cassonetto ai nostri campi.

L'articolo La plastica che seminiamo nei campi proviene da Il Blog di Beppe Grillo.

China offers Colombia quake relief as new president’s US pivot leaves Beijing waiting

China said on Wednesday it would help Colombia recover from the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck the country’s west on Monday, killing more than 200 people. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing would do what it could in suitable ways, in line with what Colombia requested, in response to questions from Xinhua and Telesur at a briefing in Beijing. Guo said no Chinese nationals had been reported killed or injured in the disaster, and that the embassy in Bogota was “working to...

Singapore and South Korea eye science opportunities as last main US-China link shatters

As President Xi Jinping prepares for summit talks with Donald Trump in Washington next month, the United States is closing one of the few remaining openings between the two countries by targeting scientific research. This field has been one of the most durable links in the US-China relationship, but a series of new security-related restrictions on federally funded collaborations with Chinese institutions mark the latest, and arguably most consequential, step in a years-long shift away from...

Ricevuto — 12 Agosto 2026 Stampa Internazionale

US sets up task force to combat birth tourism, revokes more than 600 visas

The Trump administration announced on Wednesday the establishment of a task force to end birth tourism in the latest push to curtail the practice after the Supreme Court recently rejected US President Donald Trump’s attempt to restrict constitutional birthright citizenship. Working alongside the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the US State Department wrote in a fact sheet that it is “using all available tools to defend the integrity of US citizenship, ensure non-immigrant visas are used...

China projects ‘outward confidence’ amid economic anxiety, US congressional panel says

di: Han Li · Han Li
12 Agosto 2026 ore 23:21
A US congressional advisory body on China said the country is projecting an image of confidence even as concerns about its economy and future growth remain beneath the surface, following a week-long visit to Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou in July. Members of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) discussed their observations during a wide-ranging press briefing on Wednesday, offering new details about meetings with Chinese officials that had not previously been disclosed. “I...

Trump’s Plane Switch Ruse Pales in Comparison With Putin’s Secrecy

12 Agosto 2026 ore 23:37
President Trump’s Air Force One subterfuge pales in comparison to the secrecy surrounding Russia’s president, whose fixation on security has reached new heights in recent years.

© Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik

A Russian state media photo of President Vladimir Putin in his office in the Kremlin last month. The secrecy around Mr. Putin’s movements means journalists have resorted to tracking his activity by assessing the wilting of the plants in his office.

US-China ‘Board of Investment’ stalls before expected Trump-Xi meeting

The US-China Board of Investment, one of the key outcomes of the May summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, is unlikely to be among the deliverables for their expected meeting next month in Washington, according to the head of a leading bilateral business group. “I’m not seeing evidence yet that that’s going to be a sizeable deliverable for the next summit,” Sean Stein, the president of the US-China Business Council, told the South China Morning Post. “The US...

Eurovision Bans Countries in War Zones From Hosting

12 Agosto 2026 ore 22:17
The event’s organizers would not say whether that included Israel, but its participation has been a matter of contention during the war in Gaza.

© Tobias Schwarz/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

The singer Noam Bettan representing Israel at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna in May.

A Partial Solar Eclipse Will Be Visible in Parts of the U.S. and Canada

12 Agosto 2026 ore 18:43
Parts of the United States and Canada will have the chance to see the moon block at least a small portion of the sun.

© Cydni Elledge for The New York Times

Watching an eclipse in Leamington, Ontario, in 2024.

Zhu Rongji: reformer who led China’s economic transformation through ‘minefield or abyss’

“Regardless of what lies ahead – be it a minefield or a deep abyss – I will forge ahead unswervingly, dedicating my entire life and energy to the country until my dying day.” Those words, spoken at the dawn of his premiership, came to define Zhu Rongji, China’s towering economic reformer who died in Beijing on Wednesday. He was 97. His remarks at a press conference in 1998 came as China was undertaking sweeping state-owned enterprise (SOE) reforms that caused widespread job losses, even as it...

How Scientists Use Eclipses for Research

12 Agosto 2026 ore 18:11
It’s a chance not just to study the sun but also space weather, light pollution and even animal behavior.

© Gemma Miralda/Associated Press

The Gran Telescopio Canarias, at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma in the Canaries, Spain.

A Space Expert Hoped to Use the Eclipse as Science Class. The D.J.s Had Other Plans.

12 Agosto 2026 ore 18:19
Mar Carretero-Castrillo, an astrophysicist, returned to her remote village in Spain to be in the path of totality. Hundreds of partygoers came too.

© Finbarr O'Reilly for The New York Times

Mar Carretero-Castrillo playing an eclipse-themed card game with residents in Castrillo de la Reina, Spain, on Tuesday.

How Africa is becoming a ‘strategic hub’ for Chinese industrial expansion

For decades, resource-rich African nations operated on a straightforward pit-to-ship model whereby foreign operators extracted raw ore, loaded it onto cargo ships and exported it abroad, leaving producer countries with little to show for it. Today, nations such as Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Ghana and Guinea are dismantling that system – by banning exports of raw materials and enforcing local processing rules. These measures force international mining firms, including Chinese companies, to...

How to Safely Watch the Solar Eclipse, Even Without Glasses

12 Agosto 2026 ore 15:51
If you plan to watch the solar eclipse, make sure your lenses offer enough protection. Alternatively, you can safely watch using household items.

© Juan Barreto/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Women use box pinhole projectors to watch a solar eclipse in Bogotá in Colombia in 2023.

Europeans, Braced for 5th Heat Wave of 2026, Have Had Enough

With temperatures set to soar as high as 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) this week, Europeans and tourists say that summer in Europe has lost its appeal.

© Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters

A woman cooling off at the Vatican on Wednesday.

Could the rise of left-wing Democrats reshape America’s policy on China?

The Democratic Party’s ascendant left wing is likely to push American foreign policy further “inward” and away from big-power rivalry, according to a Chinese political scientist. Meng Weizhan, an assistant research professor at Fudan University’s Institute for Advanced Study in Social Sciences in Shanghai, also said it was time for Beijing to move away from the notion that all American political factions took a hard line on China. The remarks come as progressive Democrats are riding a wave of...

❌