The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal have released a joint letter calling for the release of Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia since late March, stressing that he is being detained solely for doing his job as a reporter. The letter, which appeared in three major newspapers on Thursday … Read moreTop US newspapers call for Evan Gershkovich’s release in Russia
NATO allies and partner countries have provided Ukraine with 1,550 armoured vehicles and 230 tanks to form units and help it retake territory from Russian forces, the military alliance’s chief said. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO secretary general, said on Thursday that the deliveries constituted more than 98 percent of the combat vehicles promised to Ukraine during … Read moreUkraine has received 98% of promised combat vehicles: NATO chief
Reporters across Europe are working under increasingly challenging conditions and attempts to silence them have grown, the Committee to Protect Journalists has warned. In an extensive study released on Wednesday, the US-headquartered organisation said that while the European Union has initiated laws to support media freedom over the years, progress in finding sustainable solutions to … Read moreAttempts to silence journalists increase in Europe: CPJ
Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said his country should take responsibility and apologise for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, the first time a Portuguese leader has suggested offering a national apology. From the 15th to the 19th century, 6 million Africans were kidnapped and forcibly transported across the Atlantic by Portuguese vessels … Read morePortugal should take ‘responsibility’ for slavery, president says
The United Kingdom and France’s sports ministers have insisted that Russian and Belarusian athletes must never compete as neutrals as recommended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) because they could still be funded by their governments. The IOC sanctioned Russia and Belarus after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022 with Minsk’s support, but last month … Read moreUK and France demand ban on Russia, Belarus state-funded athletes
President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree that takes temporary control of the Russian subsidiaries of two foreign energy firms, signalling that Moscow could take similar action against other international companies if Russian assets abroad are seized. The decree — outlining possible retaliation if Russian assets abroad are harmed — showed Moscow had already taken … Read morePutin signs decree to control two foreign firms’ assets in Russia
Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley has discussed the safety of US citizens in Sudan in a phone call with Sudan’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, as Washington considers the possible evacuation of its embassy amid fighting in Sudan’s capital Khartoum and other parts of the country. “The … Read moreTop US, Sudanese generals speak as US weighs embassy evacuation
Brazilian President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva has called for a “negotiated” settlement to the Russia-Ukraine war and said he does not want to “please anyone” with his views about the conflict. Lula, who is seeking to revive Brazil’s role as a dealmaker and go-between, angered Ukraine by saying Kyiv shared blame for the war … Read moreBrazil’s Lula backs Russia-Ukraine talks to end war
Azerbaijan has said it has established a checkpoint on the only land route to the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a step that was followed by claims of border shootings by both Azeri and Armenian forces. Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but its 120,000 inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Armenians and the region broke … Read moreTensions rise after Azerbaijan blocks land route from Armenia
World military spending reached an all-time high of $2.24 trillion in 2022, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine fuelled a sharp jump in military spending across Europe, according to a leading defence think tank. Global spending rose for the eighth consecutive year, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said on Monday in its annual report … Read moreWorld military spending reaches all-time high of $2.24 trillion