Now that the Metropolitan Police have wound up their investigation, and issued the final batch of fines, the long wait for Sue Gray’s findings is almost over. The expectation is that the senior civil servant will publish her report on Covid-rule breaking parties at No 10 next week – when Parliament is still sitting – … Read more
We’ve been reporting on the growing food crisis in Ukraine and accusations that Russia is using food as a weapon of war, including by blocking ports in Ukraine’s Black Sea. Now, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has warned that 90% of people within Ukraine could be pushed into poverty if Russia continues its assault. “We’re talking about nine … Read more
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin thanked Spain for supporting Ukraine as Russia’s invasion of the country continues, noting their “important military contributions to deterrence along NATO’s eastern flank” and “direct security assistance and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine,” during opening remarks ahead of a bilateral meeting with Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles at the Pentagon … Read more
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has published its evening update on Facebook. It says: Russian forces’ main focus was on the Donetsk direction, where they used aircraft, artillery and mortars. It intensified offensive and assault operations in some areas. In the area of Severodonetsk in Luhansk, Russian forces carried out assaults, suffered … Read more
Ukraine’s most senior military figure has met with his NATO counterparts and given an upbeat assessment of the conflict. “Today, we are not just defending ourselves. We have conducted a series of successful counter-attacks,” General Valeriy Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian General Staff, said he had told the NATO Military Committee. Ukrainian forces had unblocked … Read more
Brandy Sloan was close to tears. The 43-year-old mother of two had reached a breaking point in her desperate search for baby formula when the fifth grocery store she rushed into contained the same as the previous four: empty shelves. “You feel so defeated because you’re supposed to be able to feed your children and … Read more
Progress on Finland and Sweden’s Nato membership bids will only be possible if concrete steps are taken to address Turkey’s national security concerns, President Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman has said. Ibrahim Kalin, who is Erdogan’s chief foreign policy adviser, held calls on Wednesday with counterparts from Sweden, Finland, Germany, the UK and the United States to … Read more
Retired Russian colonel Mikhail Khodarenok said any talk about Ukraine being able to counterattack is a “big exaggeration,” just a day after he criticized Russia’s military operations in Ukraine saying the situation for Russia could “get worse.” Speaking to a Russian state TV channel on Wednesday, Khodarenok said, “When people talk about Ukraine acquiring the … Read more
CBC ‘very disappointed’; Russia’s Foreign Ministry says it will cancel journalists’ visas Russia has moved to close CBC/Radio-Canada’s Moscow bureau and strip its journalists of their visas and accreditation, saying it was retaliating after Canada banned Russian state TV station RT. “It’s our response measure, which is taken because of the decision of the Canadian government … Read more
The United States is “confident” that Turkey’s concerns over accession to NATO by Finland and Sweden can be overcome, a top advisor to President Joe Biden said Wednesday. “We’re confident that at the end of the day Finland and Sweden” will enter NATO and “that Turkey’s concerns can be addressed,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan … Read more
Ukrainian fighters blew up an armoured train carrying Russian troops using an explosive device in the occupied southern city of Melitopol, the Ukrainian territorial defence force said on Wednesday. Reuters could not independently verify the claim. Russia’s Ministry of Defence did not immediately respond to a written request for comment. The city of Melitopol in … Read more
SEVILLE, Spain (AP) — Eintracht Frankfurt 42-year wait for a European title ended Wednesday with a 5-4 penalty shootout win over Rangers in the Europa League final. Rafael Borré converted the decisive penalty kick after Kevin Trapp saved Aaron Ramsey’s shot, giving the German club its first European trophy since the 1980 UEFA Cup, a … Read more
In his nightly address on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Zelensky announced an initiative called UNITED24. UNITED24 was launched as the main venue for collecting charitable donations in support of Ukraine, according to its website and Zelensky. Funds will be transferred to the official accounts of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and allocated by assigned ministries to cover the most … Read more
Secretary of State Tony Blinken said it is “false” that the sanctions imposed on Russia by the US and its allies have deepened the food crisis resulting from the Ukraine War. “Some have tried to blame the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation by the United States and many other countries for worsening this crisis. … Read more
In his nightly speech to the nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mocked Russia’s claim to be using sophisticated new laser weapons in its war against Ukraine. On Wednesday, a Russian government official tasked with military development said lasers were being used in Ukraine to burn up and disable drones. In his speech, Zelensky drew parallels … Read more
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said he is in “intense contact” with Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, the US and the EU to try to restore Ukrainian grain shipments and revive Russian fertiliser exports. Guterres warned of years of “mass hunger” if a growing global food crisis goes unchecked, as he urged Russia to release Ukrainian … Read more
A human skull that’s about 8,000 years old was found in the Minnesota River south of Sacred Heart. The Renville County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday said two kayakers came across the bone in September 2021. The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office determined the bone was human, and the FBI’s forensic anthropologist concluded the bone belonged to … Read more
US Secretary of State Tony Blinken announced that the US would be giving an additional $215 million in new emergency food assistance to the crisis in Ukraine and called on other countries to swiftly aid the growing global food crisis due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Today, given the urgency of the crisis, we’re announcing … Read more
