Latest news bulletin | August 22nd – Midday
Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.
Transcript
00:00Ukrainian refugees face homelessness as Hungary amends its asylum rules.
00:11Amid Russian advances, Zelensky emphasizes the importance for Ukraine s partners to continue
00:17to fulfill their obligations.
00:21A fifth body has been found inside a sunken yacht off the coast of Sicily.
00:30Vladimir Putin is in Chechnya to rally military support as Russia struggles to fend Ukraine
00:37s incursion in Kursk.
00:42Hot-picking season has kicked off in the Czech Republic with many farmers joining in.
00:55At least a hundred Ukrainian refugees from the Transcarpathia region have been evicted
01:00in the Hungarian village of Koč.
01:03Two and a half years ago, the Hungarian government provided the emergency housing for those fleeing
01:08the war.
01:10But that rule recently changed, and now only refugees from parts of Ukraine deemed to be
01:15affected by conflict are eligible for free housing from the Hungarian state.
01:20We live in a small house, so there are a lot of storms and floods, and the roof of the
01:29house is destroyed.
01:30We are often asked who has what in their house.
01:31And unfortunately, those who could not come to Hungary, unfortunately, everything that
01:32can be bought or sold is used up.
01:51NGOs like the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and Migration Aid argue that the decree denying
01:57shelter breaches international treaties on asylum.
02:02The UNHCR wrote in a statement that the Hungarian government should review the decree and provide
02:08the necessary housing for refugees.
02:39NGOs, locals and police in Koč were frantically looking for ways to find temporary housing
02:46for the hundreds that were displaced.
02:49Thousands of other Ukrainian refugees are facing the same problem and risk eviction
02:54from Hungarian state-funded accommodation.
03:01A key Egyptian mediator expressed skepticism about reaching a ceasefire deal as more details
03:07about the proposal emerge.
03:10On Wednesday, Hezbollah fired over 50 rockets towards the Israel-controlled Golan Heights,
03:15claiming it was a retaliation for Tuesday's strike by Israel on Lebanon.
03:21The attack came after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with key mediators from
03:26Egypt and Qatar to press ahead with a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
03:32Blinken said time is of the essence as fear of further escalation grows.
03:38An Egyptian official with direct knowledge of the negotiations says the deal offers promises
03:43instead of guarantees and that Hamas would not accept this.
03:48For example, the deal states Hamas must release hostages in the first phase, parties would
03:53only then negotiate the following phases.
03:56The official says this means Hamas would release civilian hostages in return for a pause of
04:02fighting with no guarantee for a permanent ceasefire.
04:07The proposal also doesn't clearly say Israel will withdraw from the two strategic corridors
04:12in Gaza.
04:15Mediators are scheduled to meet on Thursday and Friday in Cairo for more talks on the
04:19proposal before submitting it officially to Hamas.
04:28Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledges Russia's advancement and emphasizes the importance
04:33for Ukraine's allies to fulfill their obligation with munition supplies.
04:48One person died and at least 16 people were injured after 24 settlements of the Kherson
04:54region came under Russian fire.
04:57And in Pokrovsk, Ukrainian forces defend the city from Russian troops who are quickly
05:02advancing towards the logistical hub.
05:05The defeat of Pokrovsk, which is one of Ukraine's main defensive strongholds, would bring Russia
05:10closer to its stated aim of capturing the Donetsk region.
05:15The Ukrainian president says he also hopes to see advancement in the plan to loan Ukraine
05:20the promised $50 billion from frozen Russian assets.
05:26Earlier this year, 27 EU member states agreed to use the interest earned on Russian central
05:31bank assets to help support Ukraine.
05:39Another body has been found inside a sunken yacht off Sicily, bringing the total death
05:45toll to five.
05:48One person remains missing.
05:51The British-flagged Baysean yacht capsized in Portocello near Palermo during a violent
05:57storm on Monday.
06:0015 people survived.
06:04Inspection operations have been difficult.
06:08The 56-metre long boat is lying at a depth of around 50 metres, which gives scuba divers
06:14a maximum of 10 minutes before they must resurface.
06:2027 divers rotate in the water as part of the search efforts.
06:28Also the inside spaces are obstructed by debris and furniture.
06:34Italian authorities have opened an investigation into how a large vessel could sink in a matter
06:40of minutes when the yacht anchored next to it experienced no major damage during the
06:47storm.
06:50Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a surprise visit to Chechnya, a mainly Muslim
06:58republic in the Russian Federation.
07:02The Kremlin leader is rallying military support as his forces face a stunning cross-border
07:10incursion by Ukraine in the Kursk region.
07:19Putin met Chechen special forces that are training to potentially take part in the conflict.
07:45The Chechen leader said on Telegram that more than 47,000 fighters, including volunteers,
07:53have been training at a special military academy since the full invasion of Ukraine began.
08:00Fighters from Chechnya, whose bid for independence after the Soviet Union's collapse led to years
08:07of war with Russia, are already participating on both sides of the conflict in Ukraine.
08:16Romanian police raided the home of controversial internet influencer Andrew Tait on Wednesday
08:24over new allegations involving minors.
08:27Anti-organized crime agency confirmed the raids at four properties in Bucharest and
08:34Ilfov.
08:36The influencer is being investigated for human trafficking, sexual intercourse with a minor,
08:42influence in statements and money laundering.
08:45His spokesperson declined to comment on the minor-related allegations.
08:50Tait is already awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal
08:57gang to exploit women.
09:00Andrew Tait and his 36-year-old brother Tristan, former kickboxers with dual British-US citizenship,
09:08were arrested in 2022 near Bucharest alongside two Romanian women.
09:16The department in France of Isère is being affected by an epidemic of a new variant of
09:22Blue Tongue.
09:23An outbreak of 31 cases has so far been confirmed by the French government, with a further 100
09:29or so suspected.
09:31In Polynesia, sheep farmer Cédric Ruzin has already seen 55 of his 150 animals die.
09:55Unfortunately, sheep farmers say there is not much they can do for the affected sheep
09:59and vaccination is too late.
10:02The new strain is causing concern in the industry.
10:30Now, sheep farmers are awaiting answers from officials on if they can get help subsidizing
10:36the vaccines.
10:40Beer lovers rejoice.
10:42The two-week hop-picking season has kicked off in Czech Republic.
10:47It is one of the world's largest hop producers, with over half of its harvest destined for
10:52export, mostly to China and Japan.
11:00While there has been a reduction in beer production since COVID, there has been a rise in demand
11:08for premium beers with higher hop content.
11:11Czech Republic currently has around 5,000 hectares of hop farms, which is 6 hectares
11:18less than last year.
11:20The Agricultural Ministry coins about 120 registered growers this year.
11:28With the earliest record of its cultivation in the 11th century, hop is one of the Czech
11:32Republic's most traditional and successful crops.