21 h. ago Russia is accused of ramping up its use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine as tyrant Putin continues his onslaught against Kyiv

The use of banned hazardous compounds by the Russian military has become 'standardised and commonplace' in Ukraine, according to several European countries' intelligence services.

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26 h. ago Dutch intelligence services say Russia has stepped up use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine

Two Dutch intelligence agencies say that Russia is increasing its use of prohibited chemical weapons in Ukraine including the World War I-era poison gas chloropicrin

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31 h. ago Russian use of chemical weapons in Ukraine ‘widespread and growing’ European intelligence warns

Moscow is accused of using deadly choking agent chloropicrin to flush Kyiv’s troops out of trenches

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33 h. ago Ukrainians run for cover as Russia strikes in huge overnight attack

Ukrainian residents had to seek shelter in an underground metro station as Russia launched an onslaught of drones and missiles at Kyiv in the early hours of Friday (4 July).

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33 h. ago Ukrainians run for cover as Russia strikes in biggest overnight attack of war

Ukrainian residents had to seek shelter in an underground metro station as Russia launched an onslaught of drones and missiles at Kyiv in the early hours of Friday (4 July).

Events

4 d. ago Trump expected to sign executive order to lift some sanctions on Syria

The US president is to issue an order cancelling a 2004 declaration, in move to stabilise country’s new governmentDonald Trump is expected to issue an executive order to lift some financial sanctions on Syria in a move that the White House says will help stabilise the country after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad.The US was expected on Monday to “terminate the United States’ sanctions programme on Syria”, a White House spokesperson said, cancelling a 2004 declaration that froze Syrian government property and limited exports to Syria over Damascus’s chemical weapons programme. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Israeli settlers rampage at a military base in the West Bank

Israeli settlers have attacked a military base in the occupied West Bank, setting fires, vandalizing vehicles and clashing with soldiers

Events

1 week ago Ukraine war briefing: Russia repatriated at least 20 of its own dead soldiers in recent exchanges, Zelenskyy says

‘Sometimes these bodies even have Russian passports’, says Zelenskyy, condemning Moscow’s disorganisation in swapping of PoWs and troops’ remains. What we know on day 1,215Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia sent Ukraine at least 20 of its own dead soldiers in recent exchanges with Kyiv, describing it as a result of Moscow’s disorganisation in carrying out large swaps of wounded PoW’s and remains of troops. Zelenskyy said that an “Israeli mercenary” fighting for Moscow was among the dead Ukraine had received. Officials did not disclose the identities of the bodies: “They threw the corpses of their citizens at us. This is their attitude toward war, toward their soldiers. And this is already documented. Sometimes these bodies even have Russian passports,” he said. He said the Russian side insisted the dead were all Ukrainians.Zelenskyy has also accused western firms of supplying Russia with “machine tools” used to make weapons, in remarks made public Saturday. He said companies from ...

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2 w. ago America made a catastrophic mistake with the Iraq war. Is it about to repeat it in Iran? | Stephen Werthheim

If the United States joins Israel’s fight to try to finish Israel’s job, it will enter into a war of unknowable scope against a country of 90 million peopleTwo decades ago, as Americans debated whether their country should invade Iraq, one question loomed the largest: did Saddam Hussein possess weapons of mass destruction? If so, the implication was that the United States should disarm and overthrow his regime by military force. If not, Washington could keep that option in reserve and continue to contain Saddam through economic sanctions and routine bombings.In time, the implications of the Iraq war far exceeded the boundaries of the original debate. Saddam, it turned out, had no weapons of mass destruction. But suppose he had possessed the chemical and biological agents that the war’s advocates claimed. Invading his country to destroy his regime would have given him the greatest possible incentive to use the worst weapons at his disposal. The war would have been just as mistaken — ...

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2 w. ago Iran's leader 'cannot continue to exist', Israeli minister declares, as Putin and Xi team up to urge Trump to stay out of conflict

US President Donald Trump has reportedly approved plans for an American attack, though he is yet to give the go ahead, urging Iran to consider abandoning its nuclear programme.

Politics

2 w. ago Putin says he would only meet Zelenskyy in ‘final phase’ of talks – Europe live

Putin’s comments come as fighting continues and Ukraine says Russia avoiding peace talksFor what it’s worth, Russia’s Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he was ready to meet with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy but only during a “final phase” of negotiations “so as not to sit there and divide things up endlessly, but to put an end to it”.But his broader comments were not really conciliatory, and will do little to raise hopes of a negotiated settlement.“The strikes were carried out against military industries, not residential quarters.” Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Ukraine left in lurch as Trump rushes out of G7 without meeting Zelenskyy

US president said he had to leave to focus on Israel-Iran conflict, without addressing Russia-Ukraine ceasefireUkrainian diplomats have been left frustrated – and in some cases embittered – at Donald Trump’s refusal to make Ukraine a priority after Volodymyr Zelenskyy flew 5,000 miles to the G7 conference in Canada only for the US president to return home the night before the two leaders were due to meet. Trump said he needed to focus on the Israel-Iran conflict.In a further blow for Kyiv the US vetoed a joint statement on Ukraine from the summit, on the grounds that the wording was too anti-Russian and could compromise negotiations with Vladimir Putin. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Starmer tightens screws on Putin as he announces raft of fresh sanctions against Russia

Keir Starmer said his sanctions would choke off Putin’s ability to continue his war

Politics

2 w. ago Trump says ‘was mistake’ to boot Putin from G7 as he trashes Trudeau with Canadian PM Carney standing beside him

President falsely accuses Trudeau of ousting Russia from the G8 in 2014 even though he would not become Canada’s head of government until November 2015

Politics

3 w. ago Russian troop losses set to top a MILLION within days in grim milestone as Putin's meat grinder frontline tactics continue

Vladimir Putin 's forces have lost 999,000 soldiers from their ranks since the full-scale invasion began on February 24 2022, Ukraine's general staff claimed today.

Politics

3 w. ago Starling launches AI chatbot Spending Intelligence in UK banking first

Starling Bank is ramping up its use of AI in its everyday banking offering by launching its very own AI chatbot called Spending Intelligence.

Economics

3 w. ago Audacious Banton turns tables on West Indies to seal series for England

Second T20I: WI 196-6, Eng 199-6; England won by 4 wktsRight-hander dominant in the middle with Jacob BethellThe drought continues for the West Indies men. A total of 196 looked serious enough to end a sequence of nine consecutive away defeats against England, a run going back to the bio-bubble Test series of 2020. With the hosts requiring 71 off 39 balls, Jos Buttler and Harry Brook gone, the game looked up. Then came Tom Banton, a first-ball six and a change of tune, the final summary a four-wicket victory to secure an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Twenty20 international series.The Somerset right-hander is usually a top-order man but was dominant in the middle alongside Jacob Bethell as the pair put on 43 off just 15. Banton pummelled Gudakesh Motie’s left-arm spin while Bethell struck Alzarri Joseph for three monstrous sixes. The left-hander’s failed ramp on 26 mattered little as Banton remained, his own audacity including a reverse-flick for four off Jason Holder. He finished on ...

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3 w. ago Ukraine accuses Russia of ‘dirty games’ in planned swap of dead troops

Russia and Ukraine each accused the other on Saturday of endangering plans to swap 6,000 bodies of soldiers killed in action

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3 w. ago Russia continues to accuse Ukraine of delaying planned exchange of dead fighters

Russian officials said Sunday that Moscow is still awaiting confirmation from Kyiv on a planned exchange of 6,000 bodies of soldiers killed in action, accusing Ukraine of delaying the process

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4 w. ago Kyiv accuses Russia of ‘dirty games’ over prisoner swap delay claims as Kharkiv hit by drone attack – Ukraine war live

Kyiv and Moscow in dispute over prisoner swap as at least three people killed in night-time attack on Ukraine’s second cityUkraine’s air forces shot down a Russian Su-35 fighter jet on Saturday morning, the Ukrainian military said.“This morning, on 7 June 2025, as a result of a successful air force operation in the Kursk direction, a Russian Su-35 fighter jet was shot down,” the military said on the Telegram messenger, according to Reuters. Continue reading...

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