The Japanese parliament has approved a reform of the imperial line of succession, but a female emperor remains excluded. With this decision, Tokyo has opted for a limited modernization of the centuries-old succession system, without altering the male line that has formed the basis of the Chrysanthemum Throne for generations.
Volodymyr Zelensky has removed his popular defense minister, Mychajlo Fedorov, in a major cabinet reshuffle. This occurred just on the eve of a visit by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Kyiv.
France is in the grip of an unprecedented wave of wildfires. During a visit to the heavily affected Fontainebleau Forest, President Emmanuel Macron said that the country “hasn't experienced a situation like this since the end of World War II.” According to him, some 35,000 hectares of natural areas have already gone up in flames, including more than 2,000 hectares in the iconic forest southeast of Paris.
Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin has sharply criticized President Vladimir Putin. According to him, the Kremlin is steering Russia toward chaos—and possibly even a catastrophe. He made these remarks Wednesday during an interview in Dolgoprudny, a suburb of Moscow. Nadezhdin is one of the few Russian politicians who still speaks out publicly against Putin and the war in Ukraine without ending up in prison or fleeing the country.
The American news network NBC has learned from sources within the Trump administration that the war the United States is waging against Iran is costing much more than has been officially acknowledged so far.
The resignation of Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s Defense Minister, has drawn fierce criticism from the wider public: in numerous cities, young people are expressing their support for the popular minister and calling for his return.
After a dramatic comeback against England, Argentina fought its way to the World Cup final in the U.S. After the final whistle, the victory took on a political tone.
The British government wants to introduce a nighttime social media curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds. Apps such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube would be unavailable by default between midnight and 6:00 a.m., although users could disable that setting themselves.
Last week, Russia conducted its first unannounced live-fire exercise on Lake Peipus, near the border with Estonia. According to Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur, this took place without prior notification to Estonian authorities, and the sound of the gunfire could be heard all the way to the other side of the border.
Vladimir Putin has unexpectedly granted Russian citizenship to Belgian car designer Pierre Leclercq. This is evident from an official decree published on the Kremlin’s website. This was reported by the Russian news site Meduza, among others. It's not yet clear exactly why the Belgian top designer is receiving a Russian passport.