Russia builds secret drone bases in striking distance of Nato
Russia has built and expanded at least 10 military bases along its borders with Ukraine and Belarus, designed to launch large numbers of new jet-powered drones in an effort to systematically exhaust and break through Ukrainian air defences. Journalists and military analysts identified 59 mechanical launch rails along the Ukrainian…
Burnham urged to take on firms exploiting gig workers
Andy Burnham is being urged to protect 4 million gig economy workers by prosecuting companies that use widespread “bogus” self-employment practices to deny people their rights. As the prime minister fleshes out his agenda, the Fabian Society and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have warned that millions of workers are missing…
Refugees’ contribution to Poland’s GDP outstripped official aid to Ukraine
Former Polish ambassador to Ukraine (2001–2005) Marek Ziółkowski has challenged official narratives around Warsaw’s support for Kyiv in a report titled “Polish Aid to Ukraine: Bare Facts and a Bitter Diagnosis,” prepared for the Stefan Batory Foundation. Ziółkowski acknowledges that Poland’s assistance after Russia’s full-scale invasion was substantial and unprecedented,…
Lithuania builds anti-tank ditches up to 150 meters wide on Its border with Russia
The Lithuanian government has decided to significantly strengthen security along its eastern borders. The country is establishing a large-scale counter-mobility barrier along its frontiers with Russia and Belarus, scheduled for full completion by the end of 2028. Under the approved project, anti-tank ditches will be dug along the border with…
Nearly half of EU under drought amid extreme heat
Nearly half of the European Union and the UK faced drought conditions in late July 2026, according to a report from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). Data from the European Drought Observatory (EDO) show critical and warning-level drought conditions persisted and intensified across western, central and parts of…