Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said North Korea has decided to deploy between 30,000 and 50,000 troops on Russian territory to fight on Russia’s side. In a post on X on Saturday, he also urged South Korea to work more closely with Ukraine, including by helping address gaps in Ukraine’s air-defence capabilities.

Zelenskyy said the estimated deployment would exceed the figure of 30,000 troops he cited in July. He did not explain how he obtained the information. He also said some North Korean-made missiles had been found in Ukrainian territory, though he did not specify where they were found.

According to Zelenskyy, North Korea would continue gaining experience in modern warfare and could receive licences for military technology and various military equipment from Russia. He said Ukraine was interested in South Korean support where it faced shortages, particularly in air defence. Ukraine is also ready to cooperate with South Korea on a “drone deal” and other areas, he said, adding that Ukrainian diplomats were in contact with South Korea over possible agreements.

Most teenagers in the United Kingdom do not want the government’s proposed overnight social media curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds, according to a Censuswide survey published Friday. The plan, announced in mid-July under former prime minister Keir Starmer’s government, would introduce default overnight limits on teenagers’ social media accounts. Among respondents aged 16 to 18, 85% said the restriction should be scrapped.

Under the proposal, users aged 16 and 17 would be unable to use social media platforms between midnight and 6 a.m., although they could turn off the setting. Nearly half of surveyed teenagers said they would disable the feature to communicate with friends and family, while 37% said they would opt out to watch online content. The measure is intended to complement a ban announced in June for users under 16 on platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Liane Proctor, head of regulation at the Online Responsibility Network, said a curfew alone was unlikely to prevent online harms. Of 1,000 teenagers surveyed, 2% said they avoid social media or short videos at night during school periods, while more than 18% said they watch content until 1 a.m. or later. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said changes to the voluntary approach would be considered if many teenagers disable the default setting.

At least 26 people were reported killed in Russian and Ukrainian drone and missile strikes across several regions on Monday, according to the report published on August 4, 2026. The report said 11 of those killed were Russian and 11 were Ukrainian citizens, though the regional casualty figures later cited in the account indicate additional deaths.

Russian authorities said Ukrainian drone attacks caused casualties in Krasnodar, Belgorod and Crimea. Seven people, including three children, were killed and about 40 injured in Arkhipo-Osipovka in Krasnodar. Four people were killed and two injured in Crimea, while four were killed and 17 injured in Belgorod.

In Ukraine, an explosive-laden Russian drone struck a petrol station in Kryvyi Rih district, killing three people, including an emergency worker and his eight-year-old son. Russian drone and missile strikes in Zaporizhzhia killed eight people, including two children. Russia's Defense Ministry separately claimed control of Bilyi Kolodiaz and Uspenivka settlements in the Kharkiv region.

A major cyberattack in the United Kingdom has exposed the names and contact details of nearly 100,000 police officers on the dark web, according to a report published on August 3, 2026. Hackers allegedly infiltrated a key law-enforcement database and obtained sensitive information, raising serious concerns over the personal safety of officers involved in crime-fighting work over many years.

British media reported that the attackers targeted the Police National Legal Database, an online system used by police forces across the UK for routine administrative work and legal support. Following an initial investigation, police believe a cybercrime group called ExfilSquad may be behind the breach. Investigators view the incident as part of a series of recent cyberattacks against Western government and strategic institutions.

A police officer whose name appeared on the leaked list said exposure of sensitive details had put the officer and colleagues at extreme risk after work against dangerous organised criminal groups. Authorities fear the number affected could rise, as most officers in England and Wales use the database during their careers. About 145,000 full-time police officers currently serve in the two regions. Authorities have begun a high-level investigation and taken urgent steps to strengthen cybersecurity.

At least 14 people were killed in renewed reciprocal attacks between Ukraine and Russia on Sunday, officials from both countries said. Ukrainian attacks killed at least nine people in Russia, while Russian strikes killed at least five people in Ukraine. The report was published on August 3, 2026, amid a war that has continued for about four and a half years.

In Russia's border region of Belgorod, four people were killed in a Ukrainian attack, including a 13-year-old girl who was injured near a playground. Two people died in a drone attack in Saratov, near the Kazakhstan border, and three were killed when another Ukrainian drone struck a vehicle in Udmurtia. Acting Governor Olga Abramova called that incident senseless and cruel.

Russian attacks killed two people in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region and two more in separate strikes in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, local authorities said. A Russian attack destroyed a postal transport terminal in Kharkiv, killing a Nova Poshta employee. UN data says civilian casualties in Ukraine have risen significantly this year, while US-mediated talks have been stalled since February.

Ernst & Young has warned that the UK economy could enter recession in 2027 if the strategically important Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by the middle of next year. The forecast, reported by Al Jazeera and published on August 3, 2026, says a prolonged closure would raise inflation and increase pressure on the British economy.

Peter Arnold, EY’s UK chief economist, said the country could avoid a major economic downturn if the strait reopens within the next few months. However, he said an extended closure lasting into 2027 would drive inflation higher and could push the economy towards contraction or recession next year.

EY estimates that if the strait remains closed until the beginning or middle of 2027, UK growth this year could fall to 0.5 percent, followed by a 0.2 percent economic contraction in 2027. Under a more positive scenario in which the route reopens by September, EY forecasts 0.9 percent growth this year, up from its earlier 0.8 percent estimate, and 1.2 percent expansion in 2027.

At least nine people were killed in a Russian ballistic missile attack on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, Reuters reported on August 2, 2026. Russian forces launched the missile and drone assault early Saturday, targeting Kyiv and other locations, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He said Russia used 35 missiles, including 27 ballistic missiles, and 185 drones in the broader attack.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine had no defensive interceptor missiles remaining for its US-made Patriot air-defence system, making it impossible to avert the extensive damage. The attack came shortly after the severe shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles was made public.

Washington has also expressed reluctance to authorize Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles during the shortage. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States had not yet approved a proposal allowing Ukraine to produce the missiles. He said the United States must be very cautious when permitting another country to manufacture such sensitive technology.

Brick Lane Jame Mosque in east London held a “Meet the Press” event on Friday, July 31, as preparations continue for its golden jubilee celebrations. The two-day programme is scheduled to take place at the mosque on September 5 and 6. Mohammad Hormuz Ali read a written statement on behalf of the jubilee celebration committee, while Hamidur Rahman Chowdhury and Helal Uddin spoke for the mosque committee.

Hafiz Sazzadur Rahman recited from the Holy Quran at the opening of the event, and the mosque’s imam and khatib, Mawlana Nazrul Islam, led a prayer. Attendees included representatives and figures from the London Bangla Press Club, NTV Europe, the UK Bangla Reporters Unity and the wider community. Hormuz Ali answered journalists’ questions during the session.

Hormuz Ali said the building has more than two centuries of history and has served different religious communities. It was built as a French Protestant church in 1743, later became a Methodist chapel and was converted into a synagogue in 1898. Brick Lane Jame Mosque was established there in 1976. Organisers have sought cooperation from all sections of the community for the September celebrations.

A Russian missile strike on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, killed nine people and injured at least 23, the Ukrainian State Emergency Service said on Saturday. The agency said the attack caused extensive destruction and fires in five districts of the capital. Ukrainian authorities said ballistic missiles were used in the strike, according to an AFP report.

Kyiv Mayor Klitschko said in a Telegram message at the start of the attack that explosions could be heard in the city and that Russia was launching a ballistic missile attack on Kyiv. He urged residents to remain in safe shelters. Rescue workers were continuing operations in the affected areas, authorities said.

The strike came as a United Nations report said June this year was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022. The report attributed the worsening civilian toll to Moscow’s increased long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities and populated areas. The source did not provide further details about the locations of the casualties or the scale of damage in each district.

A recent Imperial College London study has found a rapid increase in type 2 diabetes among women aged 20 to 29 in England. Researchers analysed National Health Service data and said rising obesity after the Covid-19 pandemic has played an important role in the disease’s spread. Rates among older adults were stable or, in some cases, slightly lower.

Lead researcher Dr Shivani Misra said severe obesity has significantly lowered the average age at which people develop type 2 diabetes. The condition was once more common in certain ethnic minority communities, but its prevalence is now also rising quickly among white people, creating a new public health challenge. Diabetes UK said diagnosis at a younger age can have a more aggressive effect on the body and raise risks of organ damage and premature death.

About 6 million people in the United Kingdom currently have diabetes, with roughly 90 percent living with type 2 diabetes. Nearly 12,000 people under 30 have the condition, many of them young women. NHS figures from 2019 to 2025 show obesity rose 16 percent among people aged 20 to 29 and nearly 20 percent among those aged 30 to 39. Experts urged medical advice for fatigue, frequent urination or excessive thirst.

An opinion article by Joe Gill, published by Amar Desh on July 31, 2026, criticizes the legacy of the British Empire and the contemporary roles of the United States, Israel and the United Arab Emirates. The article argues that Britain’s imperial influence remains visible in modern global politics despite the empire’s formal decline, and portrays the three states as products of that legacy.

The writer identifies the 1947 partition of India and the creation of Israel as major late-era disasters imposed during Britain’s imperial decline. It says partition caused one million deaths and displaced 15 million people, while Israel’s establishment was followed by the displacement of 750,000 Palestinians in 1948. The article also characterizes the three countries’ political and social systems as different but linked by colonial-era structures.

The article further criticizes British foreign policy, citing Nathaniel Raymond of Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab. It says British officials dismissed or questioned warnings about an anticipated RSF assault on Al-Fashir in Sudan. The writer argues that Britain prioritized diplomatic, economic and security ties with the UAE over preventing civilian atrocities in Sudan.

A report by Amar Desh said SM Rezaul Karim was confronted at a restaurant in the Anan Centre in the Elpot Land area of west London on Wednesday, July 30, 2026. The report said 10 to 12 people, led by former Chhatra Dal vice-president Shafiqul Islam Riblu, approached him there. It also stated that Karim had gone to London via India after leaving Bangladesh.

According to the report, video from the restaurant showed Karim facing questions over allegations involving enforced disappearances, killings, the missing cases of Ilyas Ali and Chowdhury Alam, deaths of students and members of the public, and corruption. The report said he remained seated and did not respond to the questions.

Chhatra Dal leaders said they went to the restaurant after receiving information about his presence and questioned him over the allegations. They said Karim later left with assistance from several people. The report also said former minister Hasan Mahmud had previously left the same location after being approached there.

Russian attacks across Ukraine on Thursday killed at least eight people and injured several others, after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a possible major assault. A ballistic missile struck a village house near the central city of Kryvyi Rih, killing four adults and two children aged five and 12. Five more people were reported injured in an eastern district of Kyiv.

Kryvyi Rih's defence council said another eight people were injured and warned that the death toll could rise. Officials in the eastern Poltava region said one person was killed in a drone strike on a warehouse, while at least 15 people were injured in an attack on the western city of Lviv. Kyiv's military administration confirmed one death and two injuries in the capital.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russia was attacking the capital with ballistic weapons and that fires had broken out in several districts. He urged residents to remain in shelters. Zelensky again called on Ukraine's allies to provide missiles needed for Kyiv's air defences. UN data cited in the report said the previous month was the deadliest for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022.

At least 13 Indian seafarers are stranded aboard the cargo vessel MV Amir-1 at Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port amid the Russia-Ukraine war, according to a report published on July 29. The Forward Seamen’s Union of India said the crew faces extreme risk as drone and missile attacks continue along the Black Sea coast. The vessel has 15 crew members in total and has been unable to leave the port.

In a post on X, the union said MV Amir-1 became stuck after anchoring at Chornomorsk. It said the seafarers are living in fear of a possible direct attack. The organisation urged the Indian government, the ship’s owners and relevant authorities to quickly ensure the crew’s safety and bring them home.

Concern is also rising over attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea. India summoned Ukraine’s ambassador and lodged a strong protest after an Indian seafarer was killed in an attack on a ship last Monday. India’s Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned attacks on commercial ships.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to visit the White House on Tuesday to seek stronger support from US President Donald Trump in Ukraine’s fight against Russia. A White House official told AFP on Friday that the two leaders would meet in Washington. A memorial event for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, described as a close supporter of Ukraine, is also scheduled for the same day.

The visit comes as Kyiv and Moscow have both increased long-range attacks while US-led diplomatic efforts have stalled. More than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion began, there has been no significant progress toward ending the war. Zelenskyy and Trump have had a long-strained relationship, although Trump has shown a comparatively more sympathetic attitude toward the Ukrainian president in recent weeks.

Zelenskyy said preparations were under way for talks with the US president and his team. He said he hoped Washington would continue supporting Ukraine and help bring the war to an end through a dignified peace. Since returning to office in January last year, Trump has largely halted direct US weapons supplies to Kyiv and introduced the PURL program, under which Europeans can purchase weapons for Ukraine. The United States remains an important ally through intelligence sharing and Starlink access.