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- Zelenskyy Announces Concerns Over Russia’s Planned Military Mobilisation
- International Criminal Court’s survival depends on member states’ actions
- B.C. Premier declares state of emergency due to wildfires
- Hunter Biden reveals father’s cancer has spread and is causing pain
- Harry Potter fans campaign successfully against £430 million energy project
- US intelligence warns Russia may provoke NATO in coming weeks
- Major wildfire breaks out in Alto Garda, evacuations ordered for 200
- Porter Airlines flight cancelled after child refuses to wear seatbelt
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Zelenskyy Announces Concerns Over Russia’s Planned Military Mobilisation
11:00 am
Zelenskyy Announces Concerns Over Russia’s Planned Military Mobilisation
In a significant development concerning organised crime, Irish authorities have conducted a high-security operation to extradite Daniel Kinahan, a prominent alleged crime boss, from Dubai. The operation was ordered by the Irish government amidst intensified efforts to combat drug trafficking and violent crime, with Kinahan facing multiple charges including involvement in orchestrating a major international drug smuggling network. This situation draws attention to the need for cooperation among law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions, particularly given Kinahan’s extensive global connections, as highlighted by recent global conflict updates.
Economically, the focus will be on the potential impacts of this extradition on drug trafficking routes and associated markets, affecting pricing and availability of narcotics across Europe. Analysts will be closely monitoring shifts in market dynamics as law enforcement escalates their crackdowns on organised crime networks. What to watch next is the response from Kinahan’s associates and the projected effects on crime rates in Ireland and beyond.
Key developments across the world
Panicking Putin ‘plotting to mobilise half-a-million fighters in weeks’ as WW3 fears soar
GLOBAL SECURITY — Russia is preparing for a possible large-scale military recruitment drive amidst rising tensions over Ukraine.
According to reports, President Putin is believed to be attempting to mobilise additional forces, potentially including up to 500,000 new recruits. This escalation raises significant concerns regarding the ongoing conflict and its implications for global security.
Zelenskyy: Putin plans unannounced mobilisation to pressure Ukraine and Europe
DIPLOMACY — Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy warns of Russia’s intent to announce a new wave of military mobilisation.
This strategy is viewed as a tactic by Putin to exert pressure on Ukraine and European nations amid escalating tensions. The implications are vast, potentially disrupting stability across the region.
Thailand school shooting toll rises to nine after 12-year-old dies, police say
GLOBAL MIGRATION — The tragic school shooting in Thailand has resulted in an increased death toll, now reaching nine.
A 12-year-old girl has succumbed to injuries, leading to widespread shock across the nation. This incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding school safety and youth violence in Thailand.
Israel accused of weaponising archaeology at ancient West Bank sites
INTERNATIONAL LAW — Israel faces accusations of using archaeology as a means to reinforce its claims over disputed territories.
Critics argue that archaeological practices are being manipulated to further political agendas in the West Bank, leading to tensions with the local Palestinian population. This raises legal and ethical questions concerning heritage and territorial rights.
The Kremlin Is Bullying More Russians Into Fighting in Ukraine
GLOBAL SECURITY — The Russian government is reportedly coercing citizens into military service as tensions with Ukraine escalate.
This move is part of a broader strategy to increase troop numbers amid ongoing conflict, raising ethical concerns about human rights violations within Russia. Such actions could exacerbate anti-government sentiment and impact local stability.
What to watch — Watch for developments in Russia’s military mobilisation and its implications for Ukraine and European security.
Further reading from global news sources
BBC News
Suspected crime boss Daniel Kinahan returning to Ireland in high-security operation
The Guardian
Thailand school shooting toll rises to nine after 12-year-old dies, police say
The Times
Daniel Kinahan’s Ireland trial: snipers, decoys, bomb-proof vans
Washington Post
How the Media Helps Spread Libels About Israel’s Historical Sites
Al Jazeera
The Kremlin Is Bullying More Russians Into Fighting in Ukraine
International Criminal Court’s survival depends on member states’ actions
10:00 am
Get you up to speed: It won’t be Trump who kills the ICC
The United States is intensifying its campaign against the International Criminal Court (ICC), threatening sanctions and efforts to dismantle the institution. The situation has raised concerns among ICC member states, who are urged to take action in response to escalating US pressure.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is currently facing a significant threat from the United States, exacerbated by recent sanctions against its staff and calls for dismantlement by officials such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Member states are urged to bolster support through greater cooperation, financial backing, and a campaign to encourage new members to join, particularly in light of recent withdrawals by Venezuela and Chad.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) faces significant threats from US sanctions and rhetoric, prompting calls for its member states to bolster support and take tangible actions to defend the institution. Moving forward, officials are urged to increase cooperation with the court, enhance financial backing, and protect personnel sanctioned by the US to ensure its operational viability and legitimacy.
What remains unclear — The extent to which the EU and Canada will eventually act to protect ICC staff from US sanctions remains uncertain.
International Criminal Court’s survival depends on member states’ actions
OPINIONOPINION, Opinion|ICCIt won’t be Trump who kills the ICC
It would be the International Criminal Court’s alleged supporters who refuse to take action to defend it.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is once again under attack from the United States. The reason behind Washington’s efforts to dismantle the institution is simple: an insistence that the US enjoys wholesale impunity.
In numerous contexts, there are credible allegations of US citizens being involved in international crimes. If the US weren’t exposed to accountability for its atrocities, it wouldn’t be seeking to destroy the court.
Now it’s the time for the ICC’s backers to stand up.
US aggression towards the ICC is nothing new. The US has been seeking to subvert the work of the court since before it was even a fixture of the global arena. Since the presidency of George W Bush, Republicans in particular have been obsessed with the court and its operations. From former national security adviser John Bolton to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Republican officials have been fixated on the ICC even though it has never actually issued a warrant for any American citizen.
Ironically, the efforts of US officials to condemn the ICC have bestowed prestige and legitimacy upon the institution. To those across the globe who believe that the ICC is feckless in the face of US imperial ambitions, tantrums from successive Republican administrations are a powerful antidote. In a nutshell, the greater Washington’s hysteria over the ICC, the more powerful and persuasive the court appears to those who believe the US is not above the law.
The disdain from political quarters and any commitment to undermine the institution is a feature, not a bug, of international relations – and it always has been. Yet this time feels different. The US sanctions against the ICC’s staff and threats to sanction the court as a whole as well as to dismantle it “brick by brick”, per Rubio, smack of escalation and pose an existential threat to the ICC.
The only thing that can save the court is its members. If they fail to do so, it will not be President Donald Trump who kills the ICC, but their indifference.
The smattering of primarily European and South American expressions of support for the ICC is good. But it is not enough. There are concrete actions that states can take to not only defend the court but also to strengthen it.
First, members of the ICC should double down on cooperating with the court. They should reiterate that they support every situation currently under investigation and they will offer tangible cooperation in terms of evidence and any enforcement of arrest warrants issued by the institution. If they have already done so, they should do it again.
Second, the court’s backers should encourage more states to join the ICC. This is particularly important given the recent withdrawals of Venezuela and Chad from the court – both of which left after being asked to do so by Washington. If the Trump administration is seeking to damage the court by diminishing its membership, states supportive of the institution should respond in kind with a campaign to rally other states to join.
Many states have considered joining the ICC but have not committed to do so. Now is the time to convince them. Lebanon, for example, has toyed with becoming an ICC member state, which would give the court jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed by Israeli officials and Hezbollah commanders.
As it stands, Beirut has decided not to join the court, but states could be clear that they support it doing so. They could, for example, articulate how joining the ICC could offer Lebanon yet another multilateral venue to withstand pressure from external parties like the US and demonstrate to Lebanese civilians that the rule of law matters. More generally, ICC member states could do more to link bilateral and multilateral trade and economic negotiations with efforts to encourage states to join the court.
Third, states should offer additional financial backing to the ICC. Some say the court’s budget is too big for what it has accomplished. For 2026, it was about $210m – almost a fifth of the daily cost the US is paying to carry out the war in Iran. This is for a court that is seeking to hold perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide accountable in Ukraine, Palestine and Darfur.
Money speaks louder than words. Offering additional and flexible funding to the ICC would be a way to say: This is our court, and we will do whatever is necessary to ensure its operations have the resources they need.
Fourth, states must properly protect ICC staff sanctioned by the US. In August last year, numerous judges at the court were targeted with sanctions for doing nothing more than their part in impartially applying the law to hold perpetrators of atrocities accountable. As a result, they can’t use banks, book hotels or pay for a meal with their credit cards.
The European Union and Canada each have laws on their books that could block the impact of US sanctions on judges. Yet inexplicably, the EU has not invoked its Blocking Statute, and Canada has refused to invoke the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act, leaving their citizens working at the ICC to twist in the wind.
Additionally and inexplicably, neither the EU nor Canada has backed the legal suit by some of the judges to challenge the sanctions in US courts.
Trying to get the US under Trump to stop attacking the ICC is like trying to nail pudding to the wall: It’s not going to happen. But that does not justify the dithering of the court’s purported supporters.
The US assault against the court is calculated to silence ICC supporters and isolate them from the institution. Why? Because the US knows its siege on the court cannot alone ruin the institution. To succeed, it needs others to abandon the ICC.
Instead, states should take the opportunity offered by these unprecedented times to back the ICC in unprecedented ways. However imperfect it is, the court is the only permanent institution capable of holding the world’s worst perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide to account.
For its flaws, the court should be reformed, not destroyed to allow those very perpetrators off the hook. Maintaining support for the ICC in the face of Trump’s attacks is about more than protecting the court – it’s about drawing a line and pronouncing that no one, no matter how powerful, is above the law.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect WTX News’s editorial stance.
B.C. Premier declares state of emergency due to wildfires
9:00 am
Get you up to speed: B.C. premier declares wildfire state of emergency
Wildfires are prompting evacuations across British Columbia, with Premier David Eby and emergency officials preparing to provide an update on the situation. The immediate situation remains critical as authorities manage the response to the ongoing fires.
B.C. Premier David Eby will hold a press conference on Saturday to discuss the ongoing wildfire situation and its impact on local communities. Emergency management teams have been activated to coordinate evacuations and assess the damage across affected areas.
B.C. Premier David Eby, alongside emergency officials, is scheduled to provide an update on the ongoing wildfire situation and its impact on evacuations across the province on Saturday. Local authorities are preparing for further evacuation orders as conditions remain critical, underscoring the severity of the fire threat.
What remains unclear — The specific number of evacuations due to the wildfires has not been disclosed.
B.C. Premier declares state of emergency due to wildfires
B.C. Premier David Eby and emergency officials are set to provide an update Saturday as wildfires continue to force evacuations across the province.
Hunter Biden reveals father’s cancer has spread and is causing pain
7:00 am
Get you up to speed: Hunter Biden says his father’s cancer has spread: “It’s very painful and it’s very debilitating”
Former President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has metastasised, causing him significant pain, according to his son Hunter Biden during a recent interview. The development comes after Biden was diagnosed with cancer in May last year and is now confirmed to be affecting multiple parts of his body.
Former President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has metastasised into his bones and has been described as very painful and debilitating. He had previously undergone surgery for skin cancer last September and was treated with radiation therapy for his prostate cancer in October.
Hunter Biden revealed that his father, former President Joe Biden, is experiencing a painful progression of prostate cancer, which has spread to his bones. As the family comes to terms with the diagnosis, the former President is set to publish a memoir, “Promise Me, America,” following the midterm elections.
What remains unclear — It is not specified how long Joe Biden’s cancer has been metastasising and its anticipated impact on his public engagements.
Hunter Biden reveals father’s cancer has spread and is causing pain
Former President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has spread to other parts of his body and is causing him pain, even as he continues to speak out on public issues, his son Hunter Biden said in an interview.
In a wide-ranging interview with the WTX US News partner BBC News late on Friday, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father’s condition, describing it as very sad to watch.
“The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further,” he said. “It’s very painful and it’s very debilitating in many respects.”
Joe Biden, 83, was the oldest man to serve as U.S. president and his age was a source of concern for much of his four years in office. He and his White House advisers have faced intense criticism for allegedly concealing the extent of his problems, especially after he was forced to abandon his bid for reelection after a disastrous debate with his eventual successor, President Trump.
The former president revealed his cancer diagnosis in May of last year, less than four months after he left the White House.
At the time, his office said that his cancer was diagnosed with a Gleason score of 9, which placed him in Grade Group 5, the most severe category.
Last September, the former president also underwent surgery for skin cancer in a procedure that involves cutting away thin layers of skin until only cancer-free tissue remains in the treated area. And last October, he underwent a round of radiation therapy for his prostate cancer, his office said.
In an interview with WTX US News in May, former first lady Jill Biden said it was a shock when the family learned of the diagnosis.
“Honestly, I can remember getting the diagnosis, and it was just shocking,” she said.
She also indicated that the cancer was not discovered while he was serving in the White House.
“Well, you know the doctors said that, according to the American Urological Association, that men over 70 don’t need a PSA, a blood test, anymore because it’s a slow-growing cancer … I do feel we had amazing care in the White House, but somehow that was missed,” she said at the time.
Hunter Biden said the diagnosis had been tough on the family.
“It’s really sad to watch,” Hunter Biden said. “The only thing that I’d say about my dad, about his health right now, is I wish he would complain more, because it’s not good.”
But Hunter Biden said his father remains “out there,” speaking publicly about the issues that are important to him.
“He’s still doing his thing,” he said. “He so believes in this country.”
The former president will publish a memoir, “Promise Me, America,” after the midterm elections.
Harry Potter fans campaign successfully against £430 million energy project
6:00 am
Get you up to speed: Outraged Harry Potter fans force diversion of £430,000,000 energy project | News UK
Harry Potter fans expressed outrage over plans for a £430 million Greenlink interconnector intended to carry renewable energy from the UK to Ireland, which aimed to pass through West Beach in Pembrokeshire, the burial site of the fictional character Dobby. The backlash resulted in the project’s reroute, avoiding disruption to Dobby’s grave.
The Greenlink interconnector, which spans 190 kilometres and connects County Wexford in Ireland to Pembrokeshire in Wales, has been operational since April. Despite previous considerations for alterations, it was ultimately decided to preserve the memorial to Dobby, with the National Trust urging visitors to avoid leaving items that could harm the environment.
Simon Ludlam, former project director of the Greenlink interconnector, confirmed that the fierce backlash from Harry Potter fans led to the project’s rerouting to avoid disrupting Dobby’s grave at Freshwater West beach. Following the controversy, the National Trust reiterated its request to visitors to refrain from leaving items at the memorial, emphasising potential environmental hazards.
What remains unclear — The long-term management plan for Dobby’s memorial at Freshwater West beach has not been detailed.
Harry Potter fans campaign successfully against £430 million energy project
Harry Potter fans have proven there’s clearly power in numbers, as their joint outrage forced the diversion of a multi-million-pound energy project.
It has emerged that plans for a £430million Greenlink interconnector to carry solar and wind power to Ireland from the UK sparked fury from die-hard fans of JK Rowling’s books and their movie adaptations.
Originally, the pipeline’s site was to be West Beach in Pembrokeshire, which has famously become a mecca for Potterheads, as it’s where Dobby (voiced by Toby Jones in the films) died and was buried.
The beloved house elf’s final scenes came in the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, with fans immortalising the character by leaving illustrated pebbles and socks to mark his resting place.
So, upon learning of the pipeline plans and the apparent disruption they would cause to the beach’s dunes where Harry (played by Daniel Radcliffe on-screen) buried the creature, Potter fanatics took action.
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The result was ‘hundreds’ of phone calls to then-project director Simon Ludlam and his team following Ludlam’s interview on BBC Wales about the development, where he revealed permission had been secured from local authorities and landowners.
Speaking on the Energy Revolution podcast, Ludlam, who was at the helm from 2017 to 2019 and whose firm, Etchea Energy, advised, recalled how concerned and furious fans feared the cable going ‘straight through Dobby’s grave’.
The backlash became so intense that it led to him rerouting the interconnector away from the beach, keeping the grave intact.
‘My colleague, Tom, who works in permitting, said, “Simon, we’re going to have to respond to these calls”,’ Ludlam said.
‘And I said, “Well, Tom, I’m super busy.” And he goes, “No, no, we really have to respond to this”.’
When told of the anger, his initial reaction was: ‘Dobby? Who’s Dobby?’
His co-worker then insisted it was a ‘very, very serious matter’.
‘So we got back with the planners and discussed exactly how to reroute the cable so we wouldn’t go any more into Dobby’s grave.’
With the issue eventually resolved, the Greenlink interconnector opened last April.
At 190km (118 miles) long, the 500 MW high-voltage direct current runs a power cable between County Wexford in Ireland and Pembrokeshire in Wales.
It has the power for 380,000 homes.
This isn’t the first time that Dobby’s grave has found itself under threat.
In 2022, National Trust Cymru floated the idea of removing it after launching a survey about looking after the landscape.
Two of its questions focused on the Dobby memorial, asking respondents whether it should be removed or transferred.
It was decided eight months later that the tribute could stay, but the Trust issued a reminder to tourists visiting the popular spot, urging them not to leave socks, which are a reference to how, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry fooled Dobby’s then-master, Lucius Malfoy, into handing one, which freed him from enslavement.
‘The memorial to Dobby will remain at Freshwater West in the immediate term for people to enjoy,’ a press release said.
‘The trust is asking visitors to only take photos when visiting the memorial to help protect the wider landscape.
‘Items like socks, trinkets, and paint chips from painted pebbles could enter the marine environment and food chain and put wildlife at risk.’
A report summary added that the shrine would need to be managed in line with a ‘leave no trace’ policy in the future, and a ‘middle ground’ should be reached to allow access but still preserve the environment.
US intelligence warns Russia may provoke NATO in coming weeks
5:00 am
Get you up to speed: Russia could test Nato in weeks, US intelligence warns | News World
In late July, a Russian cruise missile landed in Poland, creating a crater 33 feet wide near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia. Polish authorities reported the discovery of debris at the site, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed there was no immediate danger as the missile fell in an uninhabited area.
Polish authorities are investigating a recent incident involving a Russian cruise missile that left a 33-foot crater in unexploded territory and scattered debris near Tarnawa-Kolonia. Reports indicate that officials, including Lithuania’s defence minister, are concerned about potential provocations from Russia aimed at NATO nations this autumn.
US intelligence warns of a potential Russian provocation against NATO nations this autumn, with Lithuania’s defence minister indicating that Poland and the Baltic region could be targeted for a new escalation. In response, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated there was no immediate danger following a recent incident where a Russian missile landed in Polish territory, while a retired British Army general suggested the UK has less than two years to prepare for potential conflict with Russia.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how NATO will respond to any potential provocation from Russia this autumn.
US intelligence warns Russia may provoke NATO in coming weeks
A new intelligence report suggests an attack could come soon (Picture: Getty)
Vladimir Putin could soon orchestrate a provocation of NATO as early as this autumn, in a bid to get a minor ‘victory’ as troops fail in Ukraine.
US intelligence reports have raised new concerns that Russia could provoke a NATO nation with an attack this fall, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Officials initially believed an attack wouldn’t happen because Russia is preoccupied with its war in Ukraine, but Putin isn’t happy with how the war is going.
Lithuania’s defence minister echoed these concerns, saying: ‘The Kremlin, Putin, needs a new escalation, some kind of new victory, and in this case the Baltic region and Poland are the closest targets.’
Just days ago, a drone loaded with explosives was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane in Germany.
Warnings about a potential attack on NATO soil have been shared for years (Picture: AFP)
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In late July, a Russian cruise missile left a crater 33 feet wide in Nato territory when it landed in Poland.
The landing site was discovered by Polish authorities alongside scattered debris after reports of an explosion near the south-east village of Tarnawa-Kolonia.
Fighter jets were scrambled, but Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said there was no immediate danger as the missile fell in an uninhabited area.
And in late 2025, a report from German Intelligence warned of a potential ‘test attack’ against NATO from Russian forces.
The German Federal Intelligence Service cited preparation from Russia’s government for a ‘large-scale war’ against NATO as tensions with the West reach a boiling point.
A retired British Army general also warned the UK might have less than two years to prepare for a war with Russia.
General Sir Richard Shirreff thinks Russian tanks will ‘roll across the border into Estonia and Latvia’.
Writing for MailOnline, he said: ‘Within four hours they are approaching the Estonian capital of Tallinn. The British-led Enhanced Forward Battle Group in Estonia puts up brief resistance but takes heavy losses before being overwhelmed and forced to withdraw.’
Russia could fire its missiles at RAF bases in England and other targets in Western European countries, which launch retaliatory strikes on Russian energy and military infrastructure while sending reinforcements to the Baltic states.
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