Ukraine’s military has reported “bloody battles unprecedented in recent decades” in the eastern city of Bakhmut as the death toll from a Russian attack on residential buildings in nearby Sloviansk climbed to 11. The reported battles on Saturday came as the Russian defence ministry said fighters from its Wagner mercenary group had captured two more … Read moreUkraine reports ‘unprecedented bloody battles’ in Bakhmut
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is under investigation by the United Kingdom’s parliamentary watchdog over a possible failure to declare shares his wife holds in an agency benefitting from a recent budget, a parliamentary watchdog has disclosed. Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg on Thursday launched the probe into shares Akshata Murty holds in childcare … Read moreSunak investigated over wife’s interest in UK childcare firm
Air France and plane manufacturer Airbus have been acquitted over the 2009 crash of a Rio-Paris flight after a French court ruled their errors could not be proven as the disaster’s cause. While the ruling was expected after prosecutors recommended to the Paris court not to seek a conviction, it is still a huge blow … Read moreFrench court acquits Air France, Airbus over 2009 Rio-Paris crash
The United States ambassador to Russia has visited detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in a Moscow jail, marking the first consular access granted to the imprisoned US journalist amid calls for his release. Ambassador Lynne Tracy confirmed on Monday that Gershkovich is “in good health and remains strong”. Her visit comes a week … Read moreUS envoy visits WSJ journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russian jail
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose stance on Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has been met with ire by the United States and other Western nations. Lavrov arrived in the capital Brasilia on Monday, where he discussed issues such as trade and Russia’s war in … Read moreLavrov to meet with Brazil’s Lula as US fumes over Ukraine stance
The UN human rights chief has called for an expansion in search-and-rescue operations after an increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers making risky attempts to cross the central Mediterranean to Europe. “We are seeing a steep increase in the number of desperate people putting their lives at grave risk,” the UN High … Read moreUN rights chief seeks help as Mediterranean refugee deaths surge
Protesters opposing President Emmanuel Macron’s unpopular plan to raise the retirement age to 64 have marched in cities and towns across France in a final show of anger before a decision on whether the measure meets constitutional standards. In Paris, as thousands marched along the designated protest route on Thursday, some protesters holding lit flares … Read moreProtests in France before Friday’s pension reform ruling
The German government has approved Poland’s request to transfer five Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to help Ukraine defend against the Russian invasion. “I welcome the fact that we in the federal government have reached this decision together,” Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement on Thursday. Poland needs Germany’s consent to send its remaining … Read moreGermany approves Poland’s request to send MiG-29 jets to Ukraine
United States President Joe Biden has said an investigation into a trove of documents that appeared to be leaked military intelligence was “getting close” while seeking to downplay the significance of the apparent breach. “I’m not concerned about the leak. I’m concerned that it happened, but there’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that is … Read moreBiden says investigation on US document leak ‘getting close’
French rescue workers have found a sixth body in the rubble of buildings in the southern city of Marseille that collapsed following an explosion, a spokesperson for the police said on Monday. Authorities had said earlier that they had identified eight people missing following Sunday’s explosion, which destroyed two residential buildings and caused a third … Read moreFrench rescue workers find sixth body in rubble of collapsed Marseille buildings