Ireland have completed their fourth ever Six Nations Grand Slam with a 29-16 victory over England at the Aviva Stadium, emphatically underlining their status as the world’s top ranked Rugby Union team heading into September’s World Cup. The Irish came into the championship as the favourite and swept through it to make a huge statement … Read moreIreland win Six Nations and first Grand Slam in Dublin
Protesters and police in the French capital, Paris, have clashed for a third night as thousands took to the streets across the country and workers at refineries went on strike to oppose the government’s decision to raise the state pension age without a parliamentary vote. The growing unrest, combined with rubbish piling up on the … Read moreProtests, strikes in France amid anger at Macron’s pension reform
As Russian offensive power seemed to peter out across Ukraine’s eastern front, mercenary forces from Russia’s Wagner Group doubled down on attacks against the Ukrainian defenders of Bakhmut city in the Donetsk region during the 55th week of the war. Ukrainian Colonel Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyi said Russian ground attacks had decreased over the past week across … Read moreWagner advance in Bakhmut as Russian offensive appears to weaken
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the United States and its Western allies must show they “can deliver results” in the Sahel region of Africa, amid the growing influence of the Russian Wagner mercenary group. Speaking during a historic trip to Niger, Blinken said Washington has pursued a “comprehensive” approach that focuses on security but … Read moreBlinken says US must show it can ‘deliver results’ to Sahel
Russia has committed wide-ranging war crimes in Ukraine, including the forced deportations of children in areas it controls, a report from a United Nations-backed inquiry says. The allegations were detailed in a report released on Thursday by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, which said some acts may amount to crimes against humanity. … Read moreUN-backed investigation accuses Russia of war crimes in Ukraine
President Andrzej Duda says Poland will give Ukraine four MiG-29 fighter jets in the coming days, a move that will make his country the first NATO member to fulfil the Ukrainian government’s increasingly urgent requests for such aircraft. Poland currently has about a dozen Soviet-manufactured MiG-29s, which were taken over from former East German stocks … Read moreDuda says Poland to send 4 MiG-29s to Ukraine ‘within days’
United States President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have unveiled a plan that will see Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines, allowing the country to become only the seventh in the world with such military technology. Under the deal, Australia will buy three US Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from … Read moreWhy Australia wants nuclear-powered submarines
Ukraine has said that Russia’s proposal to extend the wartime grain export deal for 60 days goes against the agreement between the two countries. A Russian delegation announced on Monday that Moscow was ready to extend the Ukraine grain export deal following talks with the United Nations – but only for a further 60 days. … Read moreKyiv criticises Russian proposal to extend grain deal for 60 days
Fierce fighting is raging for control of the centre of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, Russian and Ukrainian forces say, as both sides claim battlefield successes in the longest running and bloodiest battle of Moscow’s invasion. Ukraine said on Monday that Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which has said it is leading Moscow’s charge for the industrial … Read moreUkrainian and Russian losses mount in fierce battle for Bakhmut
The leaders of the United States, United Kingdom and Australia have announced more details of how Australia will acquire nuclear submarines under a security pact for the Asia Pacific that was first unveiled 18 months ago. Under the AUKUS agreement, which is aimed at preserving a “free and open” Indo Pacific, Australia will buy three … Read moreAustralia, US and UK unveil AUKUS nuclear submarine plans