Aug 18, 2026, 04:00 AM UTC

Jason Arday, a former University of Cambridge sociology professor who gained prominence in 2023 as the institution's youngest Black professor, has been found dead in south London at age 41. British police have stated that his sudden death is not being treated as suspicious.

Arday resigned earlier this month amid allegations of plagiarism concerning his doctoral research and published work, accusations he consistently rejected. Following his death, his family described the severe emotional toll caused by what they characterized as an aggressive campaign against him.

The controversy had previously prompted the University of Cambridge to review its faculty appointment and vetting procedures, an inquiry the university confirmed it would continue regardless of Arday's resignation.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, Il Messaggero, La Vanguardia, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal).

Russian state development bank VEB has dismissed its chief economist, Andrei Klepach, following public remarks questioning the long-term sustainability of the country's wartime economy. Klepach, who served as deputy economic development minister from 2008 to 2014 before joining VEB, warned that Russia faces severe economic and technological strain in a protracted conflict of attrition.

His departure followed a candid address in which he cautioned that ongoing pressures could trigger unforeseen social crises and undermine Moscow's position over time. The statements represented an unusually direct critique of Russia's domestic economic resilience from a senior state-affiliated financial official.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica

Water levels along the Rhine River have dropped to historic lows following persistent extreme heat and severe drought across Western Europe, disrupting critical inland shipping routes.

Key measuring stations, including the critical bottleneck at Kaub in Rhineland-Palatinate, recorded single-digit gauge measurements, reaching points unseen since 1880. Downstream monitoring locations such as Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg-Ruhrort, and Emmerich are projecting further declines through the end of the week.

Freight vessels have been forced to significantly reduce cargo volumes to avoid grounding, raising the prospect of potential navigation halts along Germany's primary commercial waterway. The agricultural sector is facing parallel pressures from the dry conditions, with German grain harvest projections falling to an estimated 40.6 million tonnes from 45 million tonnes last year as meteorologists warn of continued high temperatures.

Sources: Der Standard, Die Zeit, DW, FAZ, Tagesschau