More than 100 people have died after a gold mine collapsed in the village of Zamboye in the Central African Republic. Rescue teams continue to search for survivors, but some trapped people are unlikely to be found alive.
Key Facts
The mine collapse happened on Tuesday morning in Zamboye village, Nana-Mambere prefecture.
The area is near the border with Cameroon.
The mine is a low-tech, small-scale (artisanal) gold mining site.
Over 100 bodies have been recovered so far.
Some survivors are seriously injured.
Several people are still missing or trapped under the rubble.
Local Red Cross volunteers and community leaders are involved in rescue and relief efforts.
The death toll may increase as search continues.
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The Israeli military has admitted that its soldiers fired on a car carrying Hind Rajab, a five-year-old girl, and her family in Gaza in 2024, leading to their deaths. It has launched a criminal investigation into this and other incidents involving civilian casualties, including an attack on Palestinian medics and humanitarian workers.
Key Facts
Hind Rajab, age five, and her six family members were killed in a car hit by Israeli soldiers in Gaza in January 2024.
The family’s car was struck while trying to flee an Israeli offensive in Gaza City.
Palestinian paramedics who tried to rescue Rajab were also attacked, and two medics were killed.
The Israeli military initially denied being in the area but later admitted its troops fired at the car and the ambulance.
Israel is investigating the incident through its military police criminal investigation division.
Another investigation was opened after the death of 15 Palestinian medics and humanitarian workers near Rafah in March 2025.
The aid group World Central Kitchen lost seven workers in a convoy hit by airstrikes in April 2024, but the Israeli military decided not to investigate that incident.
The Israeli military said it mistook some individuals for Hamas fighters during these incidents.
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Israeli air strikes hit a police post in Gaza City and the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 10 Palestinians and injuring others. Hamas, the group governing Gaza, called the attacks war crimes and denied Israeli claims that the strikes targeted Hamas commanders.
Key Facts
Israeli strikes killed at least 10 Palestinians in two attacks in Gaza City and Nuseirat refugee camp.
The Gaza City attack targeted a police headquarters near a crowded park, killing police officials and civilians.
Hamas criticized Israel’s claims that the strikes targeted Hamas leaders, calling them false.
The Israeli army said it targeted Hamas commanders but did not provide evidence.
Earlier attacks killed seven people at a crowded cafe near Gaza City’s port, now used as a displacement camp.
US Middle East envoy Jared Kushner recently met Israeli leaders to try to end the conflict but was unsuccessful.
Kushner supported Israel’s right to defend itself and called for Hamas to disarm.
Diplomatic talks remain deadlocked with no agreement reached between Israel and Hamas.
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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired a senior aide after reports linked her to a money-laundering investigation. This happened amid accusations from a former defence minister that Ukraine faces serious corruption and a governance crisis, with some calling for an early presidential election despite wartime restrictions.
Key Facts
Iryna Mudra, a deputy chief of staff to President Zelenskyy, was dismissed after her house was searched in a corruption probe.
Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for an early presidential election, citing a governance crisis and widespread corruption.
Ukraine has suspended elections since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, and the constitution prohibits elections during wartime.
Fedorov’s calls for an early election sparked significant protests and political tension in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian anti-corruption agency Nabu is investigating a criminal scheme involving high-ranking officials and laundering about 150 million hryvnias (£2.5 million).
The investigation connects the laundering to bail money for former energy minister Herman Haluschenko, who faces corruption charges.
Haluschenko is involved in the Midas corruption case, linked to businessman Timur Mindich, co-founder of a company connected to Zelenskyy before his presidency.
Past scandals have harmed Zelenskyy’s reputation, and previously his chief aide resigned after anti-corruption searches.
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After a suspected Israeli attack on a Syrian airbase near Idlib, the US ambassador to Turkiye suggested creating a communication system to avoid military clashes between Turkiye, Syria, and Israel. Analysts say Israel continues to attack Syria and may not stop despite US efforts, as tensions remain high following Syria’s government change.
Key Facts
A suspected Israeli airstrike hit the Abu al-Duhur airbase near Idlib, northwest Syria.
The US ambassador to Turkiye, Tom Barrack, proposed a “deconfliction mechanism” for Turkiye, Syria, and Israel to prevent further conflicts.
Syria and the US official blamed Israel for the attack, calling it an escalation.
Israel has regularly attacked Syrian targets for years and occupies some Syrian land.
Syria has a new government since the former President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December 2024.
Israel changed its focus to counter both Iranian and Turkish influence in Syria after Assad’s fall.
Israel warned Syria about Turkish troop deployments near Aleppo, which Syria ignored according to Israel.
Turkiye denied Israel’s claims and criticized Israel for its attacks and policies in the region.
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Students in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will receive their GCSE and BTec exam results this Thursday. For the first time, pupils at over 750 schools in England can also access their grades through a new app on their phones, while still receiving paper results in school.
Key Facts
GCSE, BTec, and other Level 2 results will be given out on Thursday.
More than 750 schools in England offer an app that lets students see their grades on their phones from 11:00 BST.
Students will also get paper results in envelopes at school.
Last year, 67.4% of GCSE entries in England achieved a grade 4/C or higher.
Technical subjects like manufacturing and AI will be more available to students from Year 10 onward.
Pupils who do not get at least a grade 4 in GCSE English and maths need to keep studying those subjects alongside other courses.
Resits for English and maths happen in November and May or June, and many resits are taken by students aged 17 and older.
The new app keeps a record of results, which can be used by colleges and employers to reduce paperwork.
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Four Americans died in a helicopter crash in Samburu County, Kenya, according to the U.S. State Department. Seven people were on board when the helicopter crashed near Lolokwe Mountain, and local authorities are conducting rescue and recovery efforts.
Key Facts
The crash happened on August 19, 2026, near Lolokwe Mountain in northern Kenya.
A total of seven people were on the helicopter at the time of the accident.
Four of the passengers were American citizens, confirmed by the U.S. State Department.
The helicopter model was a Eurocopter EC130 B4.
The helicopter was flying from Loisaba to Ewaso Nyiro when the crash occurred around 9:13 a.m. local time.
The U.S. Embassy is working with local officials and providing assistance to families.
Rescue teams are facing difficulties due to rough terrain and an active fire at the crash site.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and Kenya Red Cross are involved in the investigation and rescue operations.
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Israel's military has started criminal investigations into the deaths of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and 15 Palestinian paramedics during the Gaza war. The military reviewed 150 troop conduct incidents and decided to investigate five cases, but has not opened probes into other attacks that killed aid workers.
Key Facts
The military admitted to firing on the car carrying Hind Rajab and her family as they fled Gaza City, killing them.
Paramedics were killed after Israeli troops fired on ambulances trying to reach and rescue casualties.
The 15 paramedics were killed in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, and their bodies were buried in a mass grave by bulldozers.
The military directed a deputy commander involved in the paramedic shootings to step down.
Independent experts say the killing of Hind Rajab might be a war crime.
Rights groups have filed war crimes complaints with the International Criminal Court over Rajab’s killing and others.
Rajab’s grandmother called for an international investigation to hold those responsible accountable.
The military’s statement does not cover some other major killings, such as the hospital strike that killed journalists in Gaza.
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The Organization of American States (OAS) says Haiti needs help to fight gangs and improve security as it prepares for general elections in December. OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin visited Haiti and stressed the need for more support for a U.N.-backed force that aims to restore safety and allow safe voting.
Key Facts
Haiti has not held general elections since 2016.
The country’s gangs control major roads and around 70% of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
A United Nations-backed gang suppression force is working to regain control but needs more staff, equipment, and money.
Main goals include securing the road to the international airport and access to the seaport and southern region.
Haiti has not had a president since Jovenel Moïse was killed in July 2021.
Gang violence has caused 1.5 million people to be displaced.
OAS will help improve voter registration and identification ahead of December elections.
The OAS plans to support trauma centers for injured police and encourage business investment to address poverty and unemployment.
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Two large bluefin tunas were caught off the coast of Yorkshire for the first time since the 1960s. Experts say this return shows how protecting fish populations can help endangered species recover.
Key Facts
The tunas were caught near Whitby, Yorkshire, just days apart.
Bluefin tunas were nearly wiped out in the 1970s and 1980s due to overfishing in the Mediterranean.
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute in Israel discovered that a gene called Orthopedia (Otp) remains active in adults and helps control stress, metabolism, and fat storage. Experiments with mice showed that when Otp is turned off in adult brain cells, it causes high stress hormones, depression-like behavior, and changes in metabolism that lead to more body fat even without weight gain.
Key Facts
The gene Otp is known for shaping the brain before birth but stays active in adults.
Otp helps control hormone systems linked to stress response and metabolism.
Without Otp, mice released too much stress hormones like corticosterone.
Mice lacking Otp showed behavior similar to depression.
Their metabolism changed: thyroid hormones dropped, body temperature fell, and cholesterol rose.
Mice stored more fat while eating normally and keeping the same weight.
Otp acts like a switchboard, sending signals to DNA to regulate hormones in response to the environment.
This gene's function shifts from helping brain development in the embryo to managing stress and energy use in adults.
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Swimmers have been warned not to swim at the first official bathing site on the River Thames in south-west London because of toxic blue-green algae in the water. The algae appeared due to very hot weather, low water flow, and pollution from sewage. Thames Water plans to pump treated sewage back into the river nearby, which has raised concerns about the river’s health.
Key Facts
Blue-green algae, which are toxic, have been found in the Thames at the new official bathing site in Ham, south-west London.
This type of algae is rare in flowing rivers and is linked to hot weather, low river flow, and pollution from sewage.
Thames Water’s sewage treatment plant at Hogsmill is three miles upstream of the bathing site.
Thames Water wants to pump 75 million litres of treated sewage daily into the river near the bathing area as part of a water recycling project.
The project is controversial and opposed by local politicians and groups but is classified as a strategic infrastructure project allowing it to proceed despite opposition.
The Environment Agency has warned swimmers not to enter the water at this site due to health risks.
Thames Water has breached legal limits by releasing raw sewage and delayed important upgrades to sewage plants until 2028.
Swimmers and environmental campaigners say the river is under stress from drought, high temperatures, and pollution.
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Scientists at Stanford University found that older people are more at risk of illness or death from extreme heat than previously believed. Their study shows that rising global temperatures could pose serious dangers to the elderly because their bodies cannot cool down as well as younger adults.
Key Facts
The study focused on how age affects the body’s ability to handle heat.
People aged 60 and older are expected to make up 21% of the world’s population by 2050.
Older adults reach dangerous heat stress levels at lower temperatures than younger adults.
Current global warming is about 1.4°C above preindustrial levels, close to the 1.5°C threshold important for elderly heat risk.
More older people are experiencing at least 180 hours a year beyond safe heat limits.
Older adults sweat less and their blood vessels do not expand as well, making it harder to cool down.
Heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke and heart attacks can occur at lower temperatures for elderly people.
Factors like humidity, sunlight, and physical activity also affect how heat impacts health.
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A video claiming that Lake Como in northern Italy has dried up because of a “geological rupture” is false. The images were created by artificial intelligence, and satellite photos show the lake still has water, though its level is lower due to drought.
Key Facts
A fake report posted on TikTok in August 2026 showed AI-generated images of Lake Como drying up.
The video falsely claimed a geological rupture emptied the lake.
The TikTok account that posted the video admits all its content is AI-generated.
Satellite images from August 13, 2026, show Lake Como still contains water.
Webcam footage from the lake area also shows water levels have not drastically dropped.
Lake Como’s water level has fallen about 30.2 cm from its usual measurement due to drought.
The lake is very deep, with a maximum depth of 418 meters, so it is far from drying up.
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North Korea said that cutting back U.S.-South Korean military exercises does not change their view that the drills are provocative. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, stated that the smaller scale of the drills will not affect North Korea's stance, while also denying current communication between the two countries’ leaders.
Key Facts
The U.S. and South Korea decided to reduce the size and length of their Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises.
North Korea views these exercises as aggressive, regardless of their smaller scale.
Kim Yo Jong, North Korea’s leader’s sister, said they are not interested in the scaled-back drills.
She denied ongoing communication between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump.
President Trump earlier ordered the Pentagon to reduce the joint military drills.
South Korean officials were surprised by the sudden announcement from the U.S. without prior discussion.
The U.S. Pentagon said training would continue but some events were canceled or changed to simulations.
The military drills are important for joint readiness but are a long-standing point of tension with North Korea.
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Labour’s Bridget Phillipson says Richard Tice, deputy leader of the Reform party, should apologize to firefighters for telling people to “enjoy” the summer’s extreme heat, which has caused wildfires and home damage in the UK. The dispute is part of a wider political debate about climate change policies and how to respond to rising temperatures and environmental risks.
Key Facts
Richard Tice told the public to “enjoy” the extreme summer heat and joked about English wine improving because of it.
Bridget Phillipson, Labour party chair, said Tice should apologize to firefighters who risked their lives fighting wildfires caused by the heat.
Firefighters have battled fires that forced evacuations and destroyed homes recently in the UK.
Labour highlighted Tice’s comments alongside footage of wildfire damage to show the real impact of the heatwave.
The debate reflects ongoing political arguments about the UK’s net zero carbon emissions target and climate policies.
Labour’s Claire Coutinho criticized the government for focusing on cheap electricity rather than stronger climate actions.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham held a meeting on the heatwave but was criticized for not clearly addressing climate change.
The government may soon decide on approving new oil and gas fields in the North Sea, affecting the UK’s climate strategy.
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The 2026 wildfire season in the United States is unusually large, with millions of acres burned, mostly in the western states like Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, and Kansas. Oregon has four of the ten largest active wildfires, with the biggest being the Big Grass Fire, which is the largest in the state's history.
Key Facts
Over 7.2 million acres have burned across the U.S. as of mid-August 2026, more than the total for all of 2025.
The West region, especially Oregon, is experiencing the most wildfire activity this year.
The largest active wildfire is the Big Grass Fire in Malheur County, Oregon, burning 579,169 acres and 85% contained.
Four of the ten largest wildfires in the country are in Oregon.
Many large fires started due to lightning storms, worsened by dry weather and higher temperatures.
Other major fires include the Rowe Creek Complex (373,785 acres) and the Coleman Creek Fire (308,721 acres) in Oregon.
Fires are burning grass, bushes, and trees over wide areas, often pushing into difficult terrain.
Federal forecasters noted two big lightning events in July boosted fire activity across the Northwest.
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Russia’s large online retailer Wildberries is removing company logos from its delivery trucks to avoid being targeted by Ukrainian drone strikes. Ukraine says Wildberries warehouses support Russia’s military, a claim denied by Moscow. Repeated drone attacks have damaged many Wildberries warehouses, disrupting both civilian deliveries and military supply chains.
Key Facts
Wildberries is a major Russian online retailer selling clothing, electronics, groceries, and household goods.
Ukraine claims Wildberries warehouses help supply materials for Russian military drones, but Russia denies this.
The company has removed branding from trucks to make their delivery routes less visible and reduce attacks.
Wildberries stopped showing military-related products on its website to appear less involved in the conflict.
Ukrainian drones have hit at least 25 Wildberries facilities across Russia since mid-July.
One major warehouse near Moscow was struck on August 16, damaging a large part of Wildberries’ storage space.
The strikes have damaged about 20% of Wildberries’ warehouse space, impacting Russia’s economy and military supply.
Experts say these attacks pressure Russia by cutting military supplies from civilian commerce and challenge public support for the war.
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The Israeli military has started criminal investigations into two separate incidents in Gaza: the killing of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and the deaths of 15 Palestinians, including rescue workers. These probes come after recordings and videos raised questions about the use of fire by Israeli forces during these incidents.
Key Facts
Hind Rajab, a 5-year-old Palestinian girl, was killed in Gaza in January 2024 when Israeli troops fired at a vehicle carrying her family.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) admitted for the first time that their soldiers fired on the vehicle after initially denying presence in the area.
A criminal investigation was launched due to alleged failures in coordinating the movement of the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance.
Hind’s desperate calls for help were recorded during the attack, and her body was recovered 12 days later along with two paramedics sent to rescue her.
The IDF also opened a criminal probe into the killing of 15 Gazans, including medics, in a March 2025 attack on rescue vehicles.
Video evidence showed rescue teams with emergency lights being fired upon, contradicting earlier IDF claims that the vehicles were suspicious.
The Israeli military said Hamas operatives were among those killed and reported bulldozing the bodies and vehicles at the site.
United Nations and rescue workers were able to recover the bodies about a week after the attack.
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The Colorado River supplies water to about 40 million people and irrigates over 5 million acres of farmland. Due to a long drought and high water use, its reservoirs are at record low levels, and states relying on the river have not agreed on a new management plan, leading to federal intervention with proposed water cuts.
Key Facts
The Colorado River provides drinking water for about 40 million people.
It waters more than 5 million acres of farmland.
Reservoirs Lake Mead and Lake Powell are at record low water levels.
A long drought and increased water demand have stressed the river.
Seven states rely on the river: Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and California.
These states failed to agree on a new long-term water management plan.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation proposed mandatory water cuts for Arizona, California, and Nevada starting in 2027.
Upper-basin states like Colorado will have voluntary water use targets but still face low water levels.
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