12 h. ago The Guardian view on riots in Northern Ireland: racist violence does not express ‘legitimate grievance’ | Editorial

Politicians must analyse the forces behind mob unrest, but not in terms that make excuses for itA reputation for political violence is one reason Northern Ireland has historically attracted fewer immigrants than the rest of the UK. In that context, increasing diversity could be read as a measure of progress; a peace dividend after the Troubles. That isn’t how it has felt to families cowering in fear of racist mobs this week. The riots started in Ballymena, ostensibly triggered by the arrest of two boys, reported to be of Romanian origin, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. A community vigil mutated into a racist rampage. Masked thugs targeted the local migrant population. When police came to quell the pogrom, officers were attacked with bricks, fireworks, petrol bombs. There was contagion. Windows were smashed and a fire started at a leisure centre in nearby Larne that had been used as a temporary refuge for those fleeing the Ballymena violence. There were outbreaks of di...

Events

44 h. ago European foreign ministers meet in Rome to discuss defence as Zelenskyy calls for more sanctions on Russia – Europe live

Ministers to discuss Weimar+ model joined by Nato secretary general and EU foreign policy chief ahead of Nato summit later this monthTurning briefly to Austria, later today we should get an update from the police on their investigation into the school shooting in Graz, with a press conference scheduled for late morning.I will bring you any important updates here. Continue reading...

Politics

69 h. ago US demands Britain DROPS sanctions on Israel ministers over Gaza action saying Hamas is 'real enemy'

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the travel ban and asset freeze imposed on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich would not help to secure a ceasefire.

Politics

4 d. ago Russia skirts Western sanctions to ramp up its military footprint in Africa

Even as it pursues its invasion of Ukraine, Russia is also expanding its military footprint in Africa

Events

8 d. ago Rubio imposes sanctions on four ICC judges for ‘targeting’ US and Israel

US secretary of state cites ‘illegitimate actions’ of court that issued arrest warrants against Israeli officialsThe United States is placing sanctions on four judges from the international criminal court (ICC) for what it has called its “illegitimate actions” targeting the United States and Israel.The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, announced the sanctions in a statement on Thursday. They target Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Are Lindsey Graham’s contortions about to prod Trump into Russia sanctions?

The Republican senator known for sycophancy towards the president is pushing a bill that could reshape Ukraine policyHas Lindsey Graham been playing the long game with Donald Trump?Graham, who has calibrated his pro-Ukraine support since the inauguration to stay in the US president’s orbit, has said he expects this week that the Senate will begin moving his Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, a bill that he says would impose “bone-breaking sanctions” on Vladimir Putin and a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that buy Russian oil and other goods, potentially targeting China and India. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago North Korea accused of ramping up military aid to Russia in clear breach of UN sanctions, say US and allies

The United States and 10 allies say the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea flagrantly violates U.N. sanctions and has helped Moscow increase its missile strikes on Ukrainian cities

Events

2 w. ago US and allies accuse North Korea of ramping up military aid to Russia in UN sanctions breach

Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team says Russia sent air defense systems to Pyongyang and trained its forces in return

Events

2 w. ago US and allies accuse North Korea and Russia of flagrantly violating UN sanctions in military deals

The United States and 10 allies say the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea flagrantly violates U.N. sanctions and has helped Moscow increase its missile strikes on Ukrainian cities

Events

2 w. ago Trump reveals what could 'screw up' Ukraine peace deal as Putin issues his terms to end fighting

President Donald Trump on Wednesday explained why he hasn't levied more sanctions on Russia - despite being currently engaged in a war of words with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Politics

2 w. ago Trump’s flattery and bullying of Putin have been equally ineffective – and it’s obvious why | Rajan Menon

Putin has tied his political survival to the war, and he believes Russia is winning. The US president will not make progress on peace until that changesRajan Menon is senior research scholar at Columbia University’s Saltzman Institute of War and Peace StudiesThree-plus years into the war in Ukraine, much remains uncertain, including when the bloodshed will cease and on what terms. But we can be sure about one thing: although no one took seriously Donald Trump’s boast that he would end the war within 24 hours – perhaps not even Trump himself – it’s now evident that his efforts to stitch together a political settlement have failed. Last weekend’s Russian drone and missile strikes against Ukraine, reportedly among the largest since the full-scale invasion began, show us that the conflict isn’t likely to come to a sudden end.That’s because Vladimir Putin remains committed to his goal of conquering Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson provinces. So far, he controls virtually all of...

Politics

2 w. ago Reform UK’s income tax plans ‘to cost up to £80bn’ warns IFS – UK politics live

Research institute says costs of plan to exclude those earning less than £20k from the tax will dwarf those of party’s winter fuel and two-child benefit changesThe co-leader of the Green party of England and Wales, Adrian Ramsay, has renewed his call for Russia to face greater sanctions. Posting to social media, the MP for Waveney Valley said “Putin has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian civilians because he thinks he’ll face no consequences. Much tougher sanctions are urgently needed to bring him into serious peace talks to end this horrific war.”As well as appearing on the media round today, shadow chancellor Mel Stride has written for the Daily Mail, saying that the Conservatives continue to back the two-child benefit cap. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago ‘I’ve had enough! President Trump take action’ over Putin, demands GOP Senator Grassley

Grassley has previously called for the ‘toughest of sanctions’ on Putin ,and has said Russia is playing the US as a ‘patsy’

Politics

2 w. ago ‘I’ve had enough! President Trump take action’ against Putin, demands GOP Senator Grassley

Grassley has previously called for the ‘toughest of sanctions’ on Putin ,and has said Russia is playing the US as a ‘patsy’

Politics

2 w. ago Trump’s Russia sanctions refusal leaves Europe with few options but to wait

Frustration is growing amid increasing signs US could wash its hands of Ukraine, but some observers counsel patienceGen Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump’s somewhat estranged special envoy on Ukraine, is said by some US diplomats to like to joke that the president did indeed say he would solve the Ukraine crisis in 24 hours, he just never specified which 24 hours.Dark humour may be all that is left to Europeans as they absorb not just Trump’s refusal to impose the promised “bone-crushing sanctions” over Russia’s rejection of a 30-day ceasefire but also the increasing signs that the administration will wash its hands of Ukraine and instead focus on forging a new economic partnership with Russia. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago G7 ministers threaten more sanctions against Russia over Ukraine war

Summit makes little progress on how to respond to Donald Trump’s trade war

Politics

3 w. ago The Guardian view on Russia sanctions: a brittle economy is Putin’s weakness | Editorial

Ukraine’s allies must dial up sanctions to expose the fragility of the Kremlin’s strategy for perpetual warDonald Trump’s pledge to end the war in Ukraine on the first day of his second term as US president was a sign of his unsuitability as a peace broker. A clearer sign was his apparent sympathy with Vladimir Putin. Mr Trump’s tone regarding the Russian president has cooled somewhat on the discovery that the conflict cannot be frozen by White House diktat. There are hints of recognition that the peace process is failing because the Kremlin is cynically playing for time. Sadly, any such insight hasn’t evolved into outrage at the criminal aggression that started the war in the first place.Accounts of a telephone call between the two leaders earlier this week indicate no increase in American pressure on Russia. Mr Trump’s impatience with the whole issue seems likelier to result in him walking away. Mr Putin relishes that prospect.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this ar...

Politics

3 w. ago European unity against Putin in peril if Trump moves to ease sanctions

EU’s hopes of US increasing pressure on Kremlin have been dashed, and Hungary could yet make situation worseEuropean leaders – who have promised to impose “massive” new sanctions on Russia after Vladimir Putin’s rejection of a ceasefire in Ukraine – face the prospect of having to introduce their planned expansion of economic restrictions on the Russian war economy without the United States.European hopes that Donald Trump might increase the pressure on the Kremlin were dashed after the US president’s two-hour inconclusive phone call with Putin on Monday. Trump did not follow through on previous threats to introduce “large-scale” sanctions on Russia if there was no ceasefire, but instead extolled the prospect of restarting trade with Moscow. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Russia’s new sanctions explained: Ukraine’s allies target Moscow as peace talks stall

Kyiv’s European allies have slapped new sanctions on Moscow, a day after a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to produce a breakthrough on ending the 3-year-old war in Ukraine

Events

3 w. ago UK government announces 100 new sanctions on Russia days after huge aerial bombardment

Russia carried out the biggest drone onslaught of the war so far on Ukraine last weekend

Politics