NEXTA

U.S. Marines have arrived in the Middle East, according to CENTCOM. The amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli is already in the region.

12 tons of KitKat stolen in Europe — entire truck disappears Thieves hijacked a truck carrying more than 413,000 KitKat bars. The vehicle was traveling from Italy to Poland and vanished along the way. The incident happened last week but has only now come to light. The cargo is still missing. Nestlé warned the chocolate may appear on the grey market, and shortages in stores are possible. The company joked that the thieves took the slogan too literally. “We always encourage people to ‘have a break’ with KitKat. But it seems the thieves took it too literally and ‘made a break’ with more than 12 tons of our chocolate,” a company spokesperson said.

New wave of “No Kings” anti-Trump protests begins in the U.S. A new wave of “No Kings” protests has started across the United States. While earlier demonstrations were driven by controversies around migration, the war in Iran has now become one of the main issues. Opponents of Trump are demanding an end to strikes on Iran and action to reduce the cost of living. More than 3,000 rallies are planned across the country for this day.

Man rescues child in Dagestan at the last moment as floodwaters nearly sweep her away In Makhachkala, a passerby saved a girl who was being carried away by a powerful rainwater поток. Preliminary reports say she was not injured. Heavy rains continue across Dagestan. A state of emergency has been declared — streets have turned into rivers, and the water is sweeping everything in its path.

Former rapper becomes Nepal’s prime minister after Gen Z uprising Balendra Shah, known as Balen, addressed the nation in the format of a music video. His party won 182 out of 275 seats — the first elections after the mass protests of 2025, when young people took to the streets demanding jobs and action against corruption. Dozens were killed, and the previous government was overthrown. Former prime minister Oli has already been arrested over the deaths of protesters. Now the new government faces a major crisis, including political instability and a lack of jobs.

Kuwait airport burned for nearly three days The fire caused by an Iranian drone attack could not be extinguished for so long because fuel storage tanks were hit. The flames spread rapidly and were difficult to control.

Floods hit Dagestan — hundreds of thousands left without power, infrastructure collapses Heavy rains caused major flooding in Dagestan. Makhachkala, Derbent and several districts were hit the hardest. Power outages affected 283 settlements — around 327,000 people. In Makhachkala, streets and homes are flooded, residents have been evacuated. Bridges are destroyed, roads are blocked, and nine settlements are completely cut off. Water flows are sweeping away cars and destroying infrastructure. Authorities call the situation “critical,” but the problem is not new. The region is regularly flooded due to chaotic construction and poor drainage systems. Hundreds of millions of rubles had already been allocated for flood prevention, and preparations for the season were personally overseen by Putin.

“Flying Rodent” — Wildlife Photographer of the Year winner announced Austrian photographer Josef Stefan won the public vote in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. His image titled “Flying Rodent” was taken in Spain. The photographer spent several days in hiding before a young lynx finally appeared with its prey. The predator played with the rodent for nearly 20 minutes — tossing it into the air and catching it — which allowed him to capture the striking shot.

Iran recruits children for service — teenagers with weapons spotted at checkpoints In Tehran, authorities have begun involving children as young as 12 in checkpoint duties, Al Arabiya reports. The government launched a campaign called “For Iran” and lowered the minimum age for participation. Teenagers are being used for patrols, intelligence gathering, and street duty. Residents say that at some checkpoints, minors with weapons are stopping cars and giving orders.

“When will your patience run out?” — Kallas confronts Rubio A tense exchange broke out at the G7 meeting between Kaja Kallas and Marco Rubio. The EU’s top diplomat accused the U.S. of not putting enough pressure on Russia. Kallas reminded that a year ago Washington promised stronger measures if Moscow stalled the peace process. “A year has passed — nothing has changed. When will your patience run out?” she asked. According to Axios, Rubio responded sharply and with irritation. He said the U.S. is doing everything possible and suggested Europeans try themselves if they think they can do better. Other ministers had to step in to defuse the situation.

Trump launches website called OnlyFarms The platform is designed to support farmers and promote the U.S. president’s agricultural initiatives.

Rheinmetall CEO questions effectiveness of Ukrainian drones Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger criticized Ukrainian drones, calling them “housewife work” and “like Lego.” According to him, Ukraine has not delivered a technological breakthrough but is assembling drones from available components, including through 3D printing. He argues that such developments will not change the global arms market and do not match the level of major defense companies and their technologies. At the same time, Ukrainian commentators point out that modern warfare has changed the rules — cheap, disposable drones can effectively destroy expensive equipment and overwhelm air defense systems. In their view, it is mass production and accessibility, not costly high-end technology, that now provide a tactical advantage on the battlefield.

Trump on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: “He didn’t think he’d have to kiss my ass” Donald Trump said the Saudi leadership had underestimated him and is now forced to change its tone and “be polite” with Washington. “He (bin Salman) didn’t think he’d have to kiss my ass. He really didn’t. He thought I’d just be another loser American president whose country is going downhill. But now he’s going to have to be nice to me. Tell him to be nice to me,” the U.S. president said.

Attempted terror attack foiled in Paris — Le Parisien A man was arrested in the French capital after attempting to detonate a homemade bomb near a Bank of America branch in the 8th arrondissement. Police were already on the scene and managed to stop him before the explosion. The suspect said he had been paid €600 for the job via Snapchat and was driven to the location by car.

Ukraine and Qatar agree on long-term defense partnership Ukraine and Qatar have agreed on a mutually beneficial defense partnership for at least 10 years, Zelensky said. The agreement includes joint projects, industrial cooperation, and technological collaboration.

Lukashenkа to be judged by women It has been revealed who will examine the situation in Belarus at the International Criminal Court. The Pre-Trial Chamber will consist of three judges — all women. They are Iulia Motoc from Romania (former judge at the European Court of Human Rights and Romania’s Constitutional Court), Reine Alapini-Gansou from Benin (Second Vice-President of the Court, with experience in the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights), and Soccoro Flores Liera from Mexico (career diplomat who took part in the creation of the ICC). The investigation concerns possible crimes against humanity — including forced deportation of Belarusians and persecution of political opponents. It was initiated at the request of Lithuania, as prosecutors say the alleged crimes had a cross-border dimension affecting its territory. This is just the first stage — but it will determine whether the case moves forward and whether formal charges are brought. And something tells us Lukashenkа may be in serious trouble.

Pashinyan embarrasses himself: “Russia is our friend” Nikol Pashinyan said he plans to visit Russia soon and called it Armenia’s friend. He was responding to a woman who asked him not to damage relations with Moscow. “What are you talking about? I will soon go to Russia. We maintain ties. What enemy? Russia is our friend.” With friends like these, you don’t need enemies…

“Propaganda is like borscht” Russian writer Dmitry Glukhovsky explains why Russian society is so susceptible to propaganda. According to him, it works like beetroot soup: even if you’re not the beetroot, you still turn red just by being in the same environment. The Kremlin’s system doesn’t always rely on loud messaging — it manufactures a sense of normality. Not only through aggressive propagandists, but through “ordinary” voices: presenters, cultural figures, intellectuals who don’t shout slogans, but quietly legitimize what’s happening around them. The most dangerous propaganda isn’t the one that makes you believe — it’s the one that makes you accept.

Kyiv denies “strike on Ukrainians in Dubai”: “This is false” The Iranian agency Fars claimed that a warehouse with Ukrainian counter-drone systems in Dubai had been destroyed, allegedly with 21 Ukrainians inside. However, Ukraine strongly denied the reports. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said it was false and disinformation, adding that such claims are a typical tactic of the Iranian regime.

Propaganda gone absurd: “doctors in Russia advise not to eat more than 20 grams of black caviar per day” The “optimal portion” is said to be 15–20 grams to get the benefits without excess harmful components. Makes you wonder — how many Russians can actually afford to eat black caviar by the spoonful every day? Maybe start with basic infrastructure first.