43 h. ago ‘Every day there is shelling’: Ukrainian border town torn between hope and despair

Mayor of Bilopillya, where nine people were killed in strike on bus, says Russia has shown it does not care about talksEven before the Russian strike on a shuttle bus travelling from his frontline town at the weekend, the mayor of Bilopillya, Yuri Zarko, was very sceptical that Vladimir Putin’s agreement to direct Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul would lead to peace.The strike, which killed nine people including five over 60, only confirmed his conviction that talks to end the war were going nowhere and Ukraine had a challenging time ahead. Continue reading...

Politics

64 h. ago Manchester Airport announces first direct flight to Indian city available to book immediately

Tickets for this new service are available to book from today

Transport

4 d. ago Football fans face paying thousands of pounds for Europa League final trips

Direct return flights from the UK to Bilbao in northern Spain cost from more than £1,000, while hotel rooms are at least £1,200.

Sport

4 d. ago Trump to speak to Putin and Zelenskyy about Ukraine ceasefire – US politics live

Unclear what US president can achieve after direct talks between Russia and Ukraine ended without conclusionTwo high-profile Catholics, Pope Leo XIV and US vice-president JD Vance, were meeting Monday ahead of a flurry of US-led diplomatic efforts to make progress on a ceasefire in Russia’s war in Ukraine, AP reported.Vance’s motorcade was seen entering Vatican City just after 7.30am Vance, a Catholic convert, had led the US delegation to the formal Mass opening the pontificate of the first American pope. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago UK’s longest direct rail route cancelled after more than 100 years

The Aberdeen to Penzance CrossCountry route was established in 1921

Politics

5 d. ago Travel chaos at Europe hotspot airport after control tower break down sees more than 100 flights cancelled

The nation's aviation authority blamed 'a failure of the air traffic control systems in the afternoon' for what it said had been a 'significant' reduction in the number of flights.

Transport

6 d. ago Russia fires 273 drones at Ukraine in largest attack since start of war

One killed in Kyiv region in air offensive that follows first direct peace talks between the two sidesThe largest known Russian drone attack since full-scale war began in 2022 killed a woman in the Kyiv region and wounded at least three people, Ukrainian authorities said early on Sunday.The attack comes two days after Ukraine and Russia held their first direct talks since 2022 and a day ahead of a planned phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago Sports Direct shoppers race to buy £4 pairs of 'trusted' Havianas flip flops

"I love Havaianas, they're comfortable and versatile, this style is beautiful"

Economics

6 d. ago Kremlin cites past wars as it threatens long conflict in Ukraine

Russian peace negotiator invokes Peter the Great’s 21-year struggle to defeat Sweden, as Putin is fond of doingPeter the Great’s long war against Sweden – a grinding conflict that claimed countless Russian lives – is rarely held up as a model for modern diplomacy. Yet behind closed doors on Friday, during the first direct peace talks with Ukraine in three years, Russia’s lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, cited it as an explicit warning: Moscow was prepared to fight for as long as it took.Just like when Russian troops rolled into Ukraine in 2022, the Great Northern War in the early 18th century began with humiliating defeats for Moscow. The tsarist Russian army was ill-prepared, poorly armed and easily outmanoeuvred. But instead of backing down, Tsar Peter I dug in. He conscripted peasants by the tens of thousands, poured resources into rebuilding his army, and waited. Twenty-one years later, he emerged victorious. Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago Zelensky condemns Russia over 'deliberate killing of civilians' in drone strike on Ukrainian bus

The strike comes just hours after Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks

Events

7 d. ago Nine killed in Russian strike on civilian bus in Ukraine's Sumy region, says Kyiv

The strike comes just hours after Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks

Events

7 d. ago Russia and Ukraine agree prisoner swap but peace talks fail to make progress

Apart from agreeing to swap 1,000 prisoners each, Moscow sticks to maximalist demands in IstanbulRussia and Ukraine have agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange but failed to reach a breakthrough during their first direct peace talks since 2022, held in Istanbul without either Vladimir Putin or Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Sitting down under pressure from the US president, Donald Trump, Ukraine had pushed for a 30-day ceasefire before the talks. Moscow rejected this, appearing to stick to its maximalist demands, including sweeping restrictions on Ukrainian sovereignty. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Zelenskyy calls for immediate, unconditional ceasefire as Russia and Ukraine officials meet for first direct peace talks since 2022 – live

Delegations from Russia and Ukraine meet in Istanbul for the first direct talks between the two nations since 2022Zelenskyy sends team for peace talks but warns Russia ‘not serious enough’Reuters is reporting that several vehicles have arrived at Dolmabahçe palace in Istanbul, where we are anticipating trilateral talks between Turkey, Ukraine and the US and then between Turkey, Russia and Ukraine.An air alert has sounded in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago 'Killing needs to stop,' says US top diplomat Rubio as Russia

The Russian president earlier proposed direct talks with Ukraine but then rejected speaking to Volodymyr Zelensky face-to-face and stayed away from a meeting in Istanbul

Events

7 d. ago Trump calls for summit with Putin 'as soon as we can' after Russian president snubs Ukraine peace talks

Putin earlier proposed direct talks with Ukraine but then rejected speaking to Volodymyr Zelensky face-to-face and stayed away from a meeting in Istanbul

Politics

7 d. ago Armoured vehicle convoy heads to Istanbul palace for direct Russia

The Russian president proposed the meeting but then rejected speaking to Volodymyr Zelensky face-to-face

Politics

8 d. ago Mapped: Frontline in Ukraine as Kyiv and Moscow set to begin first direct talks since 2022

Russia has rejected Ukraine’s repeated offer of a comprehensive, unconditional 30-day ceasefire which Mr Zelensky says would allow for proper peace negotiations to take place

Politics

8 d. ago Ukraine war: Russia 'captures settlements' on frontline as direct talks to begin in Turkey

Zelensky accuses Moscow of sending ‘theatre prop’ negotiating team to Turkey

Events

8 d. ago Ukraine war live: Zelenskyy says Russia not serious about talks but he will send a team to Istanbul

Trump adds to doubts over progress in Turkey after Putin fails to attendWhat we know on day 1,177 of the invasionPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to meet Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday and after that will make a decision on talks with Russia in Istanbul, a Ukrainian official has told Reuters.The Ukrainian president had previously proposed a face-to-face meeting in Turkey between himself and his Russian counterpart. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago The UK could soon get a direct train to one of Europe's prettiest destinations

The proposed train route could connect the UK with one of Europe's most breathtaking holiday destinations.

Politics