2 h. ago Donald Trump must reverse his aid cuts and lift the death sentence on HIV patients

Editorial: As a new Independent documentary shows, by shutting off US foreign aid and abruptly stopping the supply of HIV drugs to developing countries, the US president has punished some of the poorest people on the planet

Politics

2 h. ago The Guardian view on a new Syria: nurturing fragile hope amid the rubble | Editorial

Sanctions relief thanks to Donald Trump’s unexpected embrace of the new president gives a shattered country the chance to rebuildThe startled joy that greeted Bashar al-Assad’s fall less than six months ago was always shadowed by the fear of what might follow. Hundreds of thousands of the six million Syrians who fled abroad during 14 years of war have returned. Yet the mood has inevitably grown more sober, and last week Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, warned that the fractured country could be weeks away from “potential collapse and a full-scale civil war of epic proportions”.Mr Rubio was defending Donald Trump’s abrupt decision to lift sanctions after meeting the country’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa – a former al-Qaida fighter who until months ago had a $10m US bounty on his head, but who is also, in Mr Trump’s considered view, a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy”. Whatever the trigger, the suspension of some sanctions by the US, and the lifting of some EU and UK measur...

Politics

11 h. ago Western restrictions on Ukraine firing missiles into Russia 'were secretly lifted LAST YEAR' it's revealed

The revelation could spark a diplomatic firestorm across Europe and beyond, as NATO allies such as the UK and France are now exposed to the risk of retaliation from the Kremlin.

Events

26 h. ago Zelenskyy bound for Berlin with Merz boxed in by German coalition

The German chancellor’s desire to lift restrictions on longer range weapons for Ukraine has been frustrated by his SPD and Social Democrat partnersThe German chancellor’s drive to keep a campaign pledge of more robust backing for Ukraine is running into blocks within his own government as he prepares to welcome Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Berlin.Friedrich Merz made a full-throated declaration on Monday, hours before Zelenskyy’s one-day visit was announced, that Germany was for the first time lifting previous range restrictions on weapons supplied to Kyiv, along with Ukraine’s other main western supporters. Continue reading...

Politics

35 h. ago Trump 'is seriously considering lifting all restrictions on how Ukraine can fight Russia' after declaring Putin 'absolutely crazy'

With talks making little progress, and Russia still hammering Ukraine with successive drone strikes, one official said current restrictions are 'under review'.

Politics

43 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: Kremlin suggests Trump remarks about Putin due to ‘emotional overload’

Spokesperson says Moscow ‘very grateful’ for US president’s peace efforts after Russia launches biggest ever drone attack on Ukraine. What we know on day 1,189The Kremlin has sought to downplay Donald Trump’s latest remarks in regard to Ukraine – in which he said Vladimir Putin had “gone absolutely CRAZY!” – attributing them to “emotional overload”. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow on Monday: “This is a very crucial moment, which is naturally accompanied by emotional overload on all sides and emotional reactions,” while adding that Moscow was “very grateful” to the US president for his continued engagement in peace talks.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy doubled down on criticism of US silence on Russian attacks, after Donald Trump said he was “doing his Country no favours”. “Only a sense of total impunity can allow Russia to carry out such strikes and continue increasing their scale,” Zelenskyy said on social media, adding: “The increase in Russian ...

Politics

44 h. ago Russia claims Vladimir Putin survived drone attack following Donald Trump's outrage

Vladimir Putin was branded "absolutely crazy" by Donald Trump in a blistering attack on Monday, following which The Kremlin has claimed Mr Putin was the target of a drone attack

Events

45 h. ago Navy to use AI to detect ‘hostile’ Russian activity in the Arctic

UK sanctions have also hampered Russian President Vladimir Putin's efforts to maintain his fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers to aid his invasion of Ukraine, as Donald Trump calls him ‘absolutely crazy’ for firing hundreds of drones and missiles overnight

Politics

50 h. ago Germany and Ukraine’s other allies scrap range limits on arms sent to Kyiv

Removal of restrictions, which is backed by UK, France and US, improves Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against RussiaThe German chancellor has said that Germany, along with Ukraine’s other main western supporters, will remove range restrictions on weapons delivered to Kyiv for the first time, to enable it to defend itself against Russia.Friedrich Merz said Germany, Britain, France and the US had lifted the restrictions to enable Ukraine to be better able to hit military targets on Russian territory. Continue reading...

Politics

51 h. ago Germany's Merz says there are no more range restrictions on the weapons supplied to Ukraine

Germany’s new chancellor says that his country and other major allies are no longer imposing any range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion

Events

52 h. ago Merz says ‘no restrictions’ on range limits for Ukraine arms as Kyiv hit by record drone attack – Russia

The Kremlin says giving Ukraine long range missiles is a ‘dangerous move’ as German chancellor says Kyiv can now hit Russian targetsKremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has held his regular media briefing with journalists. When asked for reaction to Donald Trump’s criticism of Vladimir Putin (see post at 08.41) by the BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg, Peskov thanked the US for its role in trying to bring an end to the war through its mediation efforts, which have so far faltered, but suggested Russian strikes against Ukraine are being launched for security and self-defence. He said in the conference call with reporters:It’s a very important achievement. Of course, at the same time this is a very important moment which is connected to an emotional overload of everyone involved and emotional reactions.We carefully monitor all the reactions. However, President Putin takes those decisions which are necessary for the security of our country.Only a sense of total impunity can allow Russi...

Events

52 h. ago Germany greenlights use of NATO missile strikes 'deep into Russia'

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Germany along with Ukraine's other key Western backers had lifted range restrictions on weapons they send to Kyiv.

Events

56 h. ago Kremlin accuses Trump of 'emotional overloading' as US President says Putin 'has gone absolutely CRAZY!'

Trump threatens further sanctions on Moscow in some of the US President’s strongest criticism of Putin

Politics

58 h. ago Donald Trump announces he will pause threatened 50% tariffs on Europe after call with EU chief – US politics live

President says tariffs will be paused until 9 July after a ‘very nice call’ with European Commission president Ursula von der LeyenThe Kremlin on Monday said that US president Donald Trump’s claim that Vladimir Putin had “gone absolutely CRAZY” might be due to emotional overload, but thanked the US leader for his assistance in launching Ukraine peace negotiations.Trump said Putin had “gone absolutely CRAZY” by unleashing the largest aerial attack of the war on Ukraine and said he was weighing new sanctions on Moscow, though he also scolded Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Continue reading...

Politics

62 h. ago Trump says Putin 'has gone absolutely CRAZY!' after Russia's biggest missile and drone attack on Ukraine

Trump threatens further sanctions on Moscow in some of the US President’s strongest criticism of Putin

Events

66 h. ago Trump says 'absolutely CRAZY!' Putin will lead to 'downfall of Russia' after massive attack on Ukraine

In an extraordinary takedown on Sunday night, Trump condemned Putin's 'needless killing [of] a lot of people' as he issued a chilling warning about the future of Russia if the bloodshed continues.

Politics

66 h. ago Trump warns attempts to conquer all of Ukraine will lead to ‘downfall’ of Russia

US president criticises Putin and Zelenskyy after the Ukrainian leader condemned his ‘silence’ over attacksDonald Trump has warned that if Vladimir Putin attempts to conquer all of Ukraine, it will lead to the “downfall” of Russia, while also criticising Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a Sunday night post on Truth Social.“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump wrote in a social media post, adding, “He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers.” Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago EU to lift economic sanctions on Syria to aid recovery of war

Move comes one week after Trump announced all US sanctions on Syria would be liftedThe EU has agreed to lift economic sanctions on Syria in an effort to help the war-torn country recover after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.After the decision by EU foreign ministers on Tuesday, the EU’s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, wrote on X: “We want to help the Syrian people rebuild a new, inclusive and peaceful Syria.” Continue reading...

Economics

8 d. ago Trump administration to allow work to continue on $5bn New York wind farm

Governor lobbied Trump in a series of phone calls, and will now allow new gas pipeline capacity to move forwardUS politics live – latest updatesThe Trump administration has lifted a stop work order on a $5bn wind farm off the coast of New York after negotiations with the state to resume the major clean energy project, but cancelled plans for a gas pipeline could also be revived.The month-long stop work order on the Empire Wind project came amid Donald Trump’s targeting of the wind industry in the first 100 days of his second term as the US president pushes a pro-fossil fuels agenda. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago New EU sanctions target Russia's shadow fleet of tankers illicitly transporting oil and gas

The European Union has agreed fresh sanctions to impose on Russia, notably targeting almost 200 ships from the shadow fleet illicitly transporting oil to skirt Western restrictions imposed over the war on Ukraine

Events