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Global churn: Ukraine raids Zelensky aides in anti-corruption sweep; Trump vows ‘third-world’ immigration pause; UK migration shifts as asylum share surges and young Brits leave; ex-Brexit MEP denies Russia cash; Hong Kong mourns ‘preventable’ deadly blaze; Tokyo upholds same-sex marriage ban; outage blamed on user error; Welsh cyclists ride to Thailand
Former Brexit Party MEP named in Nathan Gill messages denies receiving pro-Russian payments
Former Brexit Party MEP named in Nathan Gill messages denies receiving pro-Russian payments, rejecting allegations of bribes tied to a pro-Russian campaign. The ex-Farage ally says no cash crossed palms—because nothing screams integrity like a scandal arriving by text message.
Trump says U.S. will ‘permanently pause’ immigration from ‘third world countries’
Trump says the U.S. will “permanently pause” immigration from “third world countries,” though he didn’t specify which nations make the cut. He also vowed to remove anyone he deems “not a net asset” to the U.S. Nothing like reducing human lives to spreadsheet math while leaving the criteria in invisible ink.
Ukrainian anti-corruption agents search home of Zelensky’s senior adviser
Ukrainian anti-corruption agents searched the home of Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s senior adviser—a central player in Ukraine’s wartime response and the lead negotiator in peace talks—placing the president’s inner circle under an awkward spotlight even as Kyiv tries to keep its focus on the Kremlin.
Outrage and questions mount after Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, amid claims it was preventable
Outrage and questions are mounting after Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, amid claims it was preventable. With the blaze spreading with alarming speed, the public is pressing for answers on what failed, why safeguards didn’t stop it, and who should be held responsible. Grief is hardening into demands for transparency, accountability, and concrete measures to prevent a repeat.
Cabling survived dungeons and fish factories; user error caused a network outage
Cabling survived dungeons and fish factories; user error caused a network outage—and after the finger-pointing and faux outrage, a support tech found the mis-terminated connector, gave it a decisive squeeze with the crimper, and restored the network (and their job prospects) faster than you can say “have you tried plugging it in properly?”
North Wales cyclists inspire thousands with long-distance ride to Thailand
North Wales cyclists inspire thousands with long-distance ride to Thailand as three teenagers—Dyfan Hughes of Llangollen, Louis Dennis of Garth, and James Thomas of Wrexham—pedal a 10,000-mile route to Bangkok in memory of their friend’s father, Tony Edge, raising over £14,000 for the British Heart Foundation along the way. The “Westheads” are documenting every flat tire and small triumph to more than 100,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram, with a YouTube channel in the works. Now at day 117, they’re wintering in Batumi, Georgia, tuning bikes, sorting visas, and prepping for a tough next leg: flying from Tbilisi into Azerbaijan and catching a ferry to Kazakhstan, where long, lonely roads await. They’re covering most costs themselves with help from a GoFundMe, while channeling donations to BHF via JustGiving—and proving, refreshingly, that “three idiots on a mission” can inspire an army of strangers and do some genuine good in the process.
Tokyo court upholds constitutionality of Japan’s same-sex marriage ban
Tokyo court upholds constitutionality of Japan’s same-sex marriage ban, bucking a recent run of rulings elsewhere that had raised hopes for marriage equality. Momentum slows back to a bureaucratic crawl—proof that in Japan, love may be patient, but the legal system insists it be very, very patient.
Asylum seekers comprise nearly half of net migration as more than 100,000 young Britons leave the UK
Asylum seekers comprise nearly half of net migration as more than 100,000 young Britons leave the UK: ONS estimates show net migration fell to 204,000 in the year to June—down 69% from the year to June 2024 and the lowest since 2021—yet Oxford’s Migration Observatory says asylum seekers now account for 44% of that (around 90,000 net), with long‑term asylum immigration at 96,000, or 11% of all arrivals—double 2019’s share. Meanwhile, 36,273 people are being housed in hotels—up 13% in three months—despite Labour’s vow to shut them, proving once again that in British migration policy, the targets move, the promises linger, and the hotel checkout is strictly theoretical.
Anti-corruption investigators raid Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak
Anti-corruption investigators raid Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak as Ukraine’s NABU probes a corruption scandal tied to the state nuclear power company, conducting searches at his premises. The knock lands uncomfortably close to the president’s inner circle—a reminder that proximity to power isn’t a lead-lined shield.
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This podcast is a fully automated experiment in AI-generated content. Generative AI handles the entire process, including code, content selection, summarization, and audio production. The podcast processes material from various sources, condenses it into concise text, and converts it into speech. No human intervention is involved in the production process.
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