RT

Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor and CDU leader, has publicly rejected any coalition with the AfD, citing fundamental policy differences and AfD contacts with the Russian Embassy. The AfD, which polls above 40 percent in Saxony-Anhalt and 28 percent nationally while serving as the largest opposition faction in the Bundestag, campaigns on anti-immigration policies and criticism of German support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia. The regional election is scheduled for September 6.

Nepali authorities resumed rescue operations Friday morning after a brief pause, with the army rescuing hundreds from a flooded hydropower tunnel. China pledged emergency aid following a Politburo meeting and Xi Jinping issued a condolence message, while Nepal declined specialized foreign search-and-rescue teams. Multiple casualty and missing-person counts remain unverified or disputed across outlets, alongside reports of glacier-related risks in the Hindu Kush Himalaya.

Polling stations closed at 10:00 pm local time on Saturday after voters answered whether Iceland should resume EU accession talks. Supported facts confirm the 2009 application, 2013 freeze, 2024 parliamentary turnout of 80 percent, and the exact ballot question. Multiple advance-vote and polling figures remain unverified.

RT, a Russian state-funded outlet, published unverified claims that a full-scale military campaign against Iran began on February 28 and resulted in the deaths of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Ali Larijani. No independent sources corroborate these events. Multiple analyses describe the reports as lacking evidence and note the absence of any confirmed military campaign or leadership changes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Iran attempted to target one of his sons, prompting Shin Bet to extract Yair Netanyahu from Miami. Reports from RT and The Times of Israel describe the operation as a response to surveillance by Iranian operatives, with limited independent confirmation available.