39 m. ago Trump confirms deal for ‘greatest military equipment’ for Ukraine and threatens ‘severe’ tariffs on Russia if war doesn’t end – Europe live

President says US will make weapons but Europe will fund them for Ukraine during meeting with Nato chief, Mark RutteUkrainian intelligence agents killed members of a Russian secret service cell wanted on suspicion of having shot dead a colonel last week, the SBU said.The SBU intelligence agency said in a statement that the operation had sought the arrest of the agents of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), who it believes were behind the killing of Col Ivan Voronych – also a member of the SBU security service – in Kyiv on Thursday. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago The Guardian view on Ukraine’s future: Putin may be gaining ground, but he is not winning | Editorial

As Russia intensifies its brutal assault, morale is battered but unbroken. European solidarity must remain strong tooEuropean leaders gathered in Rome on Thursday for a conference on Ukrainian recovery, but endurance remains the priority. Russia has intensified its assault with punishing strikes far beyond the frontline – including a record 728 drones and 13 missiles one day before the conference. The UN said that civilian casualties last month were at their highest for three years, with at least 232 people killed and 1,343 injured.Russia’s brutal offensive aims to break Ukraine’s spirit and European solidarity. Even Donald Trump appears to be realising, with encouragement, that Moscow is not interested in peace. For Mr Trump, maximalism is a negotiating tactic; he does not recognise that for Vladimir Putin it reflects a fixation. Yet this week he acknowledged: “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”...

Politics

4 d. ago Concern that Ukraine will be split up casts shadow over reconstruction talks

Leaders meet in Rome amid forecasts that more than a third of rebuild costs could fall to Russia if Ukraine concedes landEver-escalating Russian drone attacks and the concern that Ukraine will be split up under a future peace plan have cast a shadow over a meeting of European leaders to plan for the eventual reconstruction of the country.The conference is the fourth in this format and is being attended by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Poland’s Donald Tusk. It comes at a time of unprecedented pressure on the Ukrainian economy as Vladimir Putin widens his targets across Ukraine, deploying record numbers of long-range drones. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Italy opens Ukraine rebuilding conference as doubts of US defense help remain

Italy is hosting a major conference in Rome to focus on rebuilding Ukraine as Russia intensifies its attacks

Events

4 d. ago Trump praises English of the leader of Liberia – where English is the official language

Trump inquired where Liberian president Joseph Boakai got his language skills during meeting with African leadersDonald Trump was basking in the praise of a group of African leaders on Wednesday, when the Liberian president took the microphone.“Liberia is a longtime friend of the United States and we believe in your policy of making America great again,” President Joseph Boakai said in English at a White House meeting before advocating for US investment in his country. “We just want to thank you so much for this opportunity.” Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Putin sends troops to border in bid to 'threaten' another European country

After a NATO chief issued a chilling WW3 warning prediction, a diplomatic row has broken out with Russia said to be 'threatening' Azerbaijan, a nation rich in oil and gas

Politics

7 d. ago Could Putin and Xi really invade Taiwan and Europe at the same time? Experts explain why a simultaneous attack is unlikely despite NATO chief's WW3 warning

Analysts argue that even if Putin is unwilling to sacrifice his military for Xi's sake, the two powers are now locked in a new Cold War with the West and preparing in tandem to reshape the global order

Events

7 d. ago Guide takes final meeting as Castle Douglas Guide leader after more than 40 years

Anne Carstairs from Crossmichael has dedicated her life to Girlguiding, having been with the organisation for 50 years.

Politics

7 d. ago NATO chief issues chilling WW3 warning over 'Russia and China twin attack'

NATO bosses fear China could attempt to annex the island nation of Taiwan while Russia launches an attack on the small Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Events

8 d. ago World War Three fears as NATO chief warns of joint Xi and Putin attack

The former Dutch Prime Minister suggested that Chinese leader Xi Jinping could attempt to seize Taiwan while urging Vladimir Putin to launch a parallel attack

Events

8 d. ago 'Way World War Three will start' revealed by top NATO Chief after 'learn Russian' warning

A co-ordinated power grab by two major nations could be the likely start of WWIII, according to NATO's Mark Rutte, as Russia threatens him with life in a Siberian labour camp

Events

8 d. ago World War III will start with simultaneous Xi and Putin invasions taking the globe to the brink of Armageddon, warns NATO chief Mark Rutte

According to the NATO chief Mark Rutte, China would start by seeking to grab Taiwan - while ensuring the Kremlin dictator simultaneously attacks NATO territory.

Events

1 week ago Hamas close to accepting proposed Gaza ceasefire deal, say sources

Group said to want stronger guarantees of permanent end to war as Netanyahu prepares to meet Trump in USHamas leaders are close to accepting a proposed deal for a ceasefire in Gaza but want stronger guarantees that any pause in hostilities would lead to a permanent end to the 20-month war, sources close to the group have said.Hamas officials on Friday issued a statement confirming they were talking to other “Palestinian factions” before formally announcing a response to discuss new ceasefire proposals already accepted by Israel. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago Starmer and Macron to host coalition of the willing meeting next week

The Prime Minister and France’s leader will dial into a meeting with allies on Thursday, as Mr Macron makes his first state visit to the UK.

Politics

1 week ago Hamas officials meet to discuss proposed Gaza ceasefire deal

Militant group said to want stronger guarantees of permanent end to war as Netanyahu prepares to meet Trump in USMiddle East crisis – live updatesHamas leaders are close to accepting a proposed deal for a ceasefire in Gaza but want stronger guarantees that any pause in hostilities would lead to a permanent end to the 20-month war, sources close to the group have said.Hamas officials met on Thursday in Istanbul to discuss the ceasefire proposals and later issued a statement confirming they were talking to other “Palestinian factions” before formally announcing a response. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Rival leaders in Cyprus will meet informally with UN chief this month

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres will bring the rival leaders of ethnically divided Cyprus together again following a “constructive atmosphere” during an earlier meeting aimed at reviving stalled peace talks

Politics

1 week ago Military leaders aghast as Meta founder Zuckerberg crashes classified Oval Office meeting on fighter jets: report

Facebook mogul’s sudden appearance is increasingly typical of freewheeling West Wing during Donald Trump’s second term, which president has reportedly nicknamed ‘Grand Central Terminal’

Events

1 week ago Pathetic rise of the male 'simp': These desperate submissives will do anything for female attention... but the new target of their slobbering is TRULY sick

I couldn't help but think of my former admirer last week when I saw Nato chief Mark Rutte address Donald Trump as 'Daddy' in a shudder-worthy discussion about the Israel-Iran conflict.

Events

1 week ago Shakespeare in war: bard’s ‘existential’ theatre takes hold in Ukraine

‘You can always find an intersection to Shakespeare’s world in such situations as we have,’ says translator, as Shakespeare productions boom across UkraineThe Ukrainian Shakespeare festival in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk did not open with a play. Another kind of performance was staged on the steps of the theatre, one that did not deal with sad stories of the death of kings but with tragedy unfolding in real life.This was theatre in a different sense: a rally involving several hundred people demonstrating on behalf of Ukrainian prisoners of war, thousands of whom are estimated to remain in Russian captivity. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Shakespeare in war: Ukraine festival explores intersection to bard’s world

‘There is a big need for theatre to work with existential problems,’ says translator, as Shakespeare productions boom across UkraineThe Ukrainian Shakespeare festival in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk did not open with a play. Another kind of performance was staged on the steps of the theatre, one that did not deal with sad stories of the death of kings but with tragedy unfolding in real life.This was theatre in a different sense: a rally involving several hundred people demonstrating on behalf of Ukrainian prisoners of war, thousands of whom are estimated to remain in Russian captivity. Continue reading...

Events