EASTERN EUROPE - Tensions are flaring in Eastern Europe. With the background of the absolute carnage of the war in the Ukraine, involving some of the biggest battles since WW2, the recent developments pitting NATO’s Poland and the Baltic countries against Belarus and Russia is a distressing reality. Lithuanian news site LRT also reported on the growing tensions: “On Thursday, top Polish politicians visited the border with Belarus, where tensions are rising. They talked about the dangers arising from Belarus and Russia, and said that Poland is ready to counter any provocations.”

SOUTH AFRICA - Is the global dominance of the US dollar in danger? In recent weeks, there has been lots of speculation about the introduction of a new BRICS currency that would be backed by gold. In this article, my goal is to sort through what is true and what is not true. From August 22nd to August 24th, the 15th BRICS summit will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Back on July 5th, RT sparked a firestorm of rumors when it reported that a decision to introduce a new BRICS currency that would be backed by gold would be made prior to the upcoming summit in Johannesburg. In the aftermath of that report, many prominent voices were warning that the US dollar was in big trouble.

ISRAEL - After months of tensions along the Blue Line separating Lebanon and Israel, tents set up by Lebanese Hezbollah – in response to an Israeli border war project on occupied territory – may escalate into the largest conflict between both sides since the 34-day war of 2006. Lebanon and Israel are technically in a constant state of war, frozen since August 2006. Despite both sides having largely held their fire since the mid-2000s, a series of provocations has threatened to change the status quo in dramatic fashion.

UK - Violent shoplifting gangs have effectively been given 'freedom to loot' by lax policing, store bosses have warned. In the first six months of the year, shoplifting, violence and antisocial behaviour in Co-op stores rocketed by 35 per cent to more than 175,000 incidents, almost a thousand a day. Shop staff, many of whom worked throughout the pandemic, have been terrorised by thugs, who are sometimes armed, with assaults up by 30 per cent. Co-op complains that many stores have been abandoned by the police. One Co-op outlet was raided three times on the same day, while others have been hit as many as 50 times.

EUROPE - Wildfires have devastated swathes of Southern Europe and Northern Africa in the midst of near-record high temperatures. Over 40 people have died in the last week, despite authorities across the area declaring on Wednesday that the worst was over. The fires claimed 34 lives in Algeria, state broadcaster EPTV reported on Monday, with 10 of the victims said to be soldiers attempting to evacuate the coastal province of Bejaia. The fires were declared contained by the country’s civil protection services in a statement on Wednesday after over 8,000 firefighters were deployed to contain them. In Tunisia, wildfires forced the evacuation of 300 people from the coastal village of Melloula. Türkiye saw wildfires break out in the southern province of Antalya. Croatia also reported wildfires south of Dubrovnik on Monday, though its fire service confirmed on Wednesday that these were under control.

UK - From Farage to corrupt migration lawyers, the Left's dismissal of stories they don't like is a grave threat to free and open debate. It confirms there is a woke sector of the Establishment that truly thinks it is infallible, which carries on assuming its perfect and virtuous status — even after getting it wrong. Worse, this privileged cabal does everything in its power to scupper news stories it finds inconvenient or embarrassing. In truth, this is a scandal of epic proportions. A democratic political figure being 'de-banked' over his political views? The bank's chief executive whispering inaccurate claims to the public broadcaster? The BBC then having to apologise for its hawking of faulty information? It all adds up to a borderline Orwellian effort to control public opinion.

UK - This is sinister. The Global Majority sounds like a phrase invented by a deranged cult leader or the villain in a superhero movie. In fact, it is the chilling jargon adopted by King's College London and other institutions to separate white people from the rest of humanity. Staff at the prestigious university were invited last week to sign up for free tai chi classes, to 'tackle chronic stress triggered by racism'. But the registration form made clear the aim was to ensure that 'the participants are all from global majority backgrounds' (my emphasis). A memo went even further. It stressed the sessions were restricted to 'staff who identify as black/people of colour/global majority' — a term for the ethnic groups which constitute approximately 85 per cent of the world's population. The implication was crystal clear: 'No whites.'

UK - When you've worked in retail for 20 years, you might think you've seen everything. But for Alison, manager of a large branch of one of Britain's favourite High Street fashion stores, the past few months have been the most unexpected and upsetting of her career. 'We have seen a huge rise in shoplifting,' says the 52-year-old, whose branch in East Anglia has become a battlefield. She is too nervous to give her real name. 'Gangs turn up in vans, smash into the shop, fill their arms with piles of clothing and run out, before driving to the next location and doing exactly the same.

USA - Failed presidential candidate and political fossil John Kerry, a Democrat, is back in the news for ominous comments he recently made about how the only way for leftists to achieve their “net zero” climate goals is for farmers all around the world to stop growing food. Joe Biden regime’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, Kerry told an audience at the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) AIM for Climate Summit the other day that “we can’t get to net zero, we won’t get this job done, unless agriculture is front and center as part of the solution.” According to Kerry, he and other world leaders’ “lives depend” on farmers ceasing their operations. This will lower agriculture “emissions,” Kerry added, noting that he does not even call it climate change anymore – “it’s not change; it’s a crisis.” Unless a LOT more people stop eating, the planet will warm another half-degree by 2050, Kerry contends

USA - Florida-based retail health company Mercola Market and its employees were shocked when JP Morgan Chase Bank suddenly terminated their bank accounts without explanation, Florida’s Voice reported. Mercola Market, a company renowned for its specialty food, drinks, supplements, pet products, and other health items, is owned by Dr Joseph Mercola, a critic of COVID-19 vaccines and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr Mercola has practiced medicine since 1985 and founded the world’s largest natural health website. On July 13, the company, along with its CEO, CFO, and some family members, received identical letters from Chase Bank stating that their accounts were to be closed. The reason for this sudden decision, however, was left unexplained.

RUSSIA - On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law that prohibits sex reassignment surgeries. The legislation aims to impose stricter regulations on what lawmakers refer to as the “transgender industry” and effectively bans legal sex changes and medical interventions related to transitioning, unless deemed medically necessary. Under the new law, gender reassignment therapy, including drugs and surgeries, will only be allowed in cases where it is essential for treating reproductive organ deformities in children. Decisions on such treatments and the issuance of relevant certificates will be limited to licensed clinics affiliated with the Russian Health Ministry. Furthermore, individuals can no longer freely change their gender on identification documents. Those who have already done so will be prohibited from adopting children under the new law. Additionally, if one spouse changes their gender, married couples may have their marriages invalidated.

RUSSIA - Setting up alternative financial institutions is a difficult but necessary endeavor at a time when Washington has weaponized the US dollar, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday, at the meeting with New Development Bank head Dilma Rousseff. The former president of Brazil, who took over the former BRICS Development Bank in March, was in St Petersburg to meet with Putin ahead of this week’s Russia-Africa summit.

UK - Some electric car owners have become so annoyed with the lack of working charging points that they are now going back to petrol cars. Britain doesn’t have the power it needs to charge electric cars as the network falters under increased demand. As the number of electric cars continues to rise sharply there is greater pressure on the UK’s charging network. In recent months there has been a growing wave of complaints that there aren’t enough chargers to satisfy demand. According to one chief executive owner, the problem isn’t the lack of chargers, it’s that Britain doesn’t produce enough power to run the chargers.

GREECE - "For the tourists, it was a really terrifying and bad experience, but for us, it's worse because we live here. Everything is burned." Edisa, aged 19, who lives in Lindos with her parents on the south-east coast of Rhodes, was caught up in the wildfires that have ravaged the Greek island. The family, who all work in the many hotels here, were forced to flee their home along with thousands of holidaymakers over the weekend. Just a few days ago, tourists soaked up the sun and splashed about in the glittering blue water here. Now all that is left are the smouldering remains of what looked like a café and the burnt-out skeleton of a local tourism business. "It's going to take a lot of years to be repaired and I don't think tourists will want to come back after all this," she says.

UK - NatWest is engulfed in a full-blown crisis today after its chief executive was forced to quit over briefing the BBC about Nigel Farage's 'debanking'. Dame Alison Rose initially tried to cling on to her £5 million-a-year post despite dramatically admitting she was behind the leaking of a customer's financial details. But she finally fell on her sword in the early hours of the morning following an extraordinary intervention from the Prime Minister and Chancellor, who made clear their 'significant concerns'. The taxpayer still has a big stake in NatWest following the Credit Crunch.