Russian strikes hit Kyiv again as residents shelter and monastery is damaged
Fresh Russian strikes hit Kyiv overnight, sending residents into shelters and prompting air defence activity across the capital. Authorities said multiple districts were affected by direct strikes and debris from intercepted missiles and drones. At least six people were reported injured, and emergency crews were deployed to assess damage and put out fires.Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city's military administration, said the assault lasted for several hours and triggered air raid sirens across the city. Officials said thousands of residents descended into metro stations and designated shelters as explosions were heard overnight. Ukraine's air force... [Continue Reading]
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EU to open first accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova after Hungary lifts veto
The European Union is set to formally open the first part of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on Monday evening, after Hungary lifted its veto on the process. The move will be marked by an intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg following a meeting of EU foreign ministers. It is the first step in a long accession path that both countries have been seeking since the start of the war in Ukraine and Moldova's parallel push to move closer to the bloc.The opening concerns the first of six thematic clusters in the accession process, known as the fundamentals. These cover economic... [Continue Reading]
Israeli strikes in Gaza kill at least six as UNICEF says situation is 'dire'
Israeli attacks in Gaza killed at least six people on Sunday, including an airstrike on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza that killed four and wounded several others, according to Gaza's civil defence service and hospitals. The latest deaths came despite a months-old ceasefire that has not stopped near-daily accusations of truce violations between Israel and Hamas. UNICEF also said the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains "dire", with basic services badly disrupted.The Jabalia strike was reported by the civil defence agency, which operates under Hamas authority, and was described as hitting the refugee camp in northern Gaza. The same... [Continue Reading]
Trump says he is prepared to help end Ukraine war after call with Putin, as Iran talks continue
Donald Trump has said he is prepared to help end Russia's war in Ukraine after a phone call with Vladimir Putin, according to Russian state reporting cited by a Putin adviser. The call, which lasted about an hour, was described by Yuri Ushakov as "friendly and frank". It came as Trump also said the United States is nearing a peace deal with Iran.Ushakov said Trump told Putin that ending the war in Ukraine was critical and that he was ready to help. He also said Trump informed the Russian president that the US was close to a deal with Iran,... [Continue Reading]
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US orders Anthropic to block foreign access to new AI models amid security concerns
The US government has ordered Anthropic to suspend foreign access to its newest AI models, in a move that highlights the growing use of export controls in advanced technology. The directive affects the company's Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models and applies to foreign nationals both inside and outside the United States. Anthropic said the order was issued on national security grounds and came shortly after the models were released.According to the company, the instruction covers foreign national employees as well as other foreign users. The order was described as an export-control directive, but the government has not publicly set... [Continue Reading]
Trump says US-Iran deal could be signed as Tehran disputes Sunday timing
President Donald Trump said the emerging US-Iran agreement could be signed as early as Sunday, while Iranian officials continued to dispute that timetable and said the process may take several more days. The reported framework is tied to ending the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, making it one of the most consequential diplomatic developments in the region in recent weeks. Pakistan has also been cited as saying preparations are under way for an electronic signing, adding to the sense that talks are moving quickly even as the two sides describe the timing differently.Trump said the deal... [Continue Reading]
India protests US strikes on ships in Gulf as death toll of Indian mariners deepens row
India and the United States have sharpened their diplomatic dispute over US missile strikes on commercial ships in the Gulf region after three Indian seafarers were killed in an attack on 10 June. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he had spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and reiterated India's "strong protest" over what he described as lethal actions against commercial shipping. The exchange comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump head to the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, where a possible meeting could add another layer to the talks.The Indian side said the Ministry of... [Continue Reading]
US-Iran talks move to Hormuz leverage and nuclear limits as deal hopes build
Iran's foreign minister has given the clearest indication yet that Tehran wants to preserve leverage over the Strait of Hormuz as negotiations with Washington continue. Abbas Araghchi said Iran would keep a presence over the waterway and suggested a negotiated framework could allow the collection of a "service fee" for vessels using it. He also said Iranian forces would intervene when necessary, while acknowledging that international law does not permit a toll on ships passing through the strait.The remarks come as the two sides appear to be edging closer to an agreement, but remain divided over the scope of any... [Continue Reading]
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Elon Musk becomes world's first trillionaire as SpaceX soars in Nasdaq debut
Elon Musk has become the world's first trillionaire after shares in his SpaceX rocket company surged on their stock market debut in New York. The company listed on the Nasdaq exchange on Friday in what was described as the biggest-ever stock market debut, briefly lifting Musk's paper wealth above $1tn. SpaceX closed the day with a valuation of $2.2tn, after trading opened above the offer price and climbed further during the session.The company said shares would be offered at $135 each, but trading opened at $150 and briefly reached $176.50 before ending the day at $160.95. The initial public offering... [Continue Reading]
Trump rejects reported Iran ceasefire terms amid attack on Indian-linked ships near Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump has publicly rejected reported ceasefire terms linked to Iran, saying leaked details "bear no relation to the truth" and were not what had been agreed in writing. In the same remarks, he condemned what he described as a drone attack on Indian-linked commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. The comments add to a fast-moving dispute that now combines diplomacy, maritime security and the safety of Indian seafarers.Trump said on social media that the terms Iran had leaked to the media were false and "totally" different from the agreement he said had been reached. He also... [Continue Reading]
Belfast unrest spreads for a second day after stabbing attack
Anti-immigrant unrest continued in Belfast on Thursday, with reports of racist attacks, arson and fresh fear among ethnic minority residents. The disorder has spread across parts of the Northern Irish capital after a knife attack earlier in the week, and some families have now been evacuated and are sheltering outside the city. Residents described a climate of intimidation as homes and businesses believed to belong to ethnic minorities were targeted.The unrest is linked to the stabbing case in which a 30-year-old Sudanese national has been charged with attempted murder. The victim, Stephen Ogilvie, remains in hospital with severe injuries to... [Continue Reading]
Northern Ireland unrest eases after second night of disorder linked to Belfast knife attack
Police in Northern Ireland said pockets of protest passed off without incident on Thursday after two nights of unrest linked to footage of a knife attack in north Belfast. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it had increased its presence across the region, with extra officers and mutual aid from other UK forces deployed amid concerns about further violence. The unrest had spread beyond Belfast earlier in the week, with disorder reported in places including Glengormley and Portadown.Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said there was no evidence at this stage that loyalist paramilitaries were coordinating the violence. He said... [Continue Reading]
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China bars Philippines defence chief Gilberto Teodoro over South China Sea remarks
China has barred Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and members of his family from entering the country, in a fresh escalation in the long-running dispute over the South China Sea. The ban also covers Hong Kong and Macau, according to a statement from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Beijing said Chinese organisations and individuals must not carry out transactions, cooperation or other activities with Teodoro, his wife or children.The move was announced on Thursday and was linked by Beijing to comments Teodoro has made about China's claims in the disputed waterway. The ministry said his rhetoric "undermines China's legitimate interests... [Continue Reading]
US sanctions Cuba's state oil company in latest pressure move
The United States has imposed additional sanctions on Cuba, targeting the state-owned Union Cuba-Petroleo in a fresh move against the island's energy sector. The action was announced on 11 June 2026 and was presented by Washington as part of its wider pressure campaign on Havana's communist government. It comes as Cuba continues to face fuel shortages and blackouts linked to long-running problems in its energy system.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the company serves Cuba's "repressive security apparatus" and accused Cuba's Communist leaders of diverting energy resources for their own benefit. He also said the company's assets were "unlawfully... [Continue Reading]
Iran threatens SpaceX and Starlink-linked assets in West Asia
Iran's military has said it will consider Elon Musk's companies, including SpaceX's Starlink internet service, as potential targets in West Asia, according to Iranian state media. The warning was framed as part of Tehran's retaliation against renewed US attacks. A regional Starlink ground station was specifically mentioned as a possible target.The report said Iran was targeting "all interests related to economic holdings managed by Elon Musk in West Asia". It cited an "informed source" saying the Islamic Republic reserves the right to attack facilities linked to Musk-managed holdings in the region and in occupied territories. The warning appeared around the... [Continue Reading]
Two killed and houses burned in Manipur village attack after bodies of abducted men recovered
Two people were killed and at least six houses were burned in an attack on a Kuki-Zo village in Manipur, as tensions escalated after the recovery of the bodies of six abducted Naga men. The violence was reported in Kultuh, a small village near the Indo-Myanmar border, in the early hours of Thursday. The incident came after several days of rising anger and gatherings in Imphal linked to the handling of the bodies.Police had announced on Wednesday evening that joint security forces had recovered six bodies believed to be those of men abducted on May 13. Search operations for the... [Continue Reading]
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Taiwan says Chinese vessels entered disputed waters near Taiping Island
Taiwan says two Chinese vessels entered prohibited waters around Taiping Island in the South China Sea and remained there for about 15 minutes before being expelled by the coast guard. The island, also known as Itu Aba, is controlled by Taiwan but claimed by China, the Philippines and Vietnam. Taiwan described the incident as a fresh example of grey-zone harassment in waters it says are restricted.The coast guard said the vessels "openly intruded" into the area on Thursday and that the prohibited zone extends four kilometres from shore. In a statement, it said the ships were removed after the brief... [Continue Reading]
Australia flags risks over reliance on Starlink as SpaceX prepares public offering
Australian government officials are privately warning about the risks of growing reliance on Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by SpaceX. The concern comes as tens of thousands of Australians are preparing to buy shares in SpaceX ahead of its public offering on 12 June. The issue has drawn attention because Starlink is already used by about 200,000 Australians and several government agencies.Documents obtained under freedom of information laws say officials have been assessing the implications of essential communications depending on a privately owned foreign satellite network. An internal notice from a spy agency described satellite internet providers as a... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine says missiles and drones hit military plant and oil refineries deep inside Russia
Ukraine says it has carried out fresh strikes on military and energy sites deep inside Russia, including a plant in Cheboksary and the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in the Samara region. The attacks were reported overnight on 10 June and are among the latest claimed long-range strikes in the war. They add to a pattern of Ukrainian attacks on infrastructure far from the front line.President Volodymyr Zelensky said several FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles landed on the Cheboksary plant in Chuvashia. Local officials said three people were injured in the city, while Ukrainian officials said the site makes drones and missiles for... [Continue Reading]
Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan kill civilians as border tensions rise
Pakistan has carried out fresh airstrikes across the border into Afghanistan, with the Taliban government saying at least 13 people were killed, including 11 children. The strikes hit the provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika, according to Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid. The reported deaths also included one woman and one elderly man, and 14 other people were wounded, the Taliban said.The latest strikes were reported on Wednesday and came as Pakistan and Afghanistan again traded accusations over militant violence along their shared frontier. Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and military had not publicly acknowledged the strikes at the time... [Continue Reading]
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One dead and two missing after missile strike on tanker near Oman
A tanker was struck by a missile near Oman on 10 June, leaving one person dead and two others missing. The incident took place in waters close to the Omani coast, according to the supplied report, and has raised immediate concern over maritime security in a strategically important shipping area. No further details were provided in the source about the vessel's flag, ownership or exact position at the time of the strike.The confirmed toll at this stage is one fatality and two missing crew members. The report did not identify the dead person or say whether the missing individuals were... [Continue Reading]
Netanyahu says he will stand in Israel's next national election
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will stand in the country's next national election, his party said on Wednesday. The vote is scheduled for late October, and the announcement came after US President Donald Trump publicly questioned whether Netanyahu wanted to continue in politics. The statement adds fresh clarity to the political plans of Israel's longest-serving prime minister at a time of continuing war and domestic legal pressure.Likud said on Telegram that Netanyahu would run in the next elections and, "God Willing, he will win." Trump had earlier told ABC News that he was uncertain about Netanyahu's intentions, saying: "I don't... [Continue Reading]
Poland considers revoking Zelensky honour after Ukraine names unit after wartime group
Ukraine is facing a fresh diplomatic dispute with Poland after Kyiv named a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, a wartime group that remains deeply controversial in Poland. The move has prompted Polish President Karol Nawrocki to consider revoking Volodymyr Zelensky's Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest state honour. The row has widened into a public argument over history, memory and wartime responsibility, with criticism coming from across the Polish political spectrum.The dispute began when Zelensky issued a decree late last month naming a military unit of the Special Operations Forces after the UPA, which existed in the... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine and Latvia sign drone cooperation deal in Tallinn
Ukraine and Latvia have signed a drone cooperation agreement on the sidelines of a summit in Tallinn, in a fresh sign of expanding defence ties between Kyiv and European partners. The deal was announced after talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs during a meeting of Ukraine and the Nordic-Baltic states in the Estonian capital. Zelenskyy said the agreement would strengthen joint defence and co-production, while Latvian officials said it would bring Ukrainian expertise into Latvia.The signing took place on Tuesday, shortly after Zelenskyy returned from London, where he held talks with the leaders of... [Continue Reading]
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Pakistan alleged to have struck civilian homes in three Afghan provinces, killing 13
Taliban officials have alleged that Pakistani military aircraft struck civilian homes overnight in Afghanistan's Khost, Kunar and Paktika provinces, killing at least 13 people. The dead were said to include 11 children, one woman and one elderly man. The allegations point to a fresh cross-border escalation between the two neighbours, with no immediate response or confirmation from Pakistan.Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes violated Afghan airspace and hit homes in the three eastern and south-eastern provinces. In the account he gave, 14 other women were also affected, although the supporting material does not make clear whether they were... [Continue Reading]
Australia urged to audit VIQ Solutions contracts after court file access breach and agency use expands
Thirteen Australian government agencies are now said to be caught up in an expanding scandal involving potential data breaches linked to transcription company VIQ Solutions. The issue centres on an earlier breach of the company's Commonwealth contract with the Federal Court, after highly sensitive court files were reportedly accessed offshore in India. The company is now being wound down, and the widening use of its services across government has raised fresh concern about the handling of sensitive material.According to the supplied material, the breach was identified earlier this year and involved access to Federal Court files outside Australia. The company... [Continue Reading]
Iran and Israel exchange fire as strikes hit Tehran and Bandar-e Mahshahr
Iran and Israel have exchanged fire in a fresh escalation that has widened concern across the region. The latest reported strikes hit Tehran and other Iranian cities, while a petrochemical complex in Bandar-e Mahshahr was also struck. The developments came after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched missiles at Israel overnight in retaliation for an attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut.According to the supplied report, people in Tehran heard loud bangs before noon on Monday and again in the early hours of the morning. The report says the Israeli military struck Tehran and other cities, and that the IRGC... [Continue Reading]
EU proposes new sanctions package targeting Russian soldiers, banks and oil revenues
The European Commission has proposed a fresh sanctions package against Russia that would, for the first time, bar anyone who has served in the Russian armed forces since the start of the war from entering the European Union. The measures also target banks, crypto firms, shadow-fleet vessels and Kremlin oil revenues. The proposal was announced in Brussels on Tuesday and now needs unanimous approval from the EU's 27 member states.European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc was seeking to make Europe "off limit" for anyone who had taken part in the invasion of Ukraine. She said the... [Continue Reading]
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Trump repeats Iran deal prediction as talks continue without agreement
US President Donald Trump has again predicted that a deal with Iran is close, even though no agreement has materialised after repeated similar claims since March. The latest prediction came on Monday local time, according to the supplied report, extending a pattern in which he has said at least 37 times that an accord was imminent. The remarks come against the backdrop of ongoing diplomacy and a war that has already had wide regional and economic consequences.The report says the predictions began on March 23, when Trump told reporters outside Air Force One that the two sides had reached "major... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine says it has recaptured more than 600 sq km as Zelenskyy claims Russia is losing the initiative
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russia is losing the initiative on the battlefield, as Kyiv reports fresh territorial gains in the war. In remarks given in London, he said the situation was better for Ukraine than it had been for two and a half years, while cautioning that conditions could still change quickly. His comments came alongside a separate claim from Ukraine's armed forces chief that Ukrainian troops have recaptured more than 600 square km of territory so far this year.Zelenskyy said Russia was not winning the war and suggested the Kremlin may struggle to scale up its offensive... [Continue Reading]
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Shipping through Strait of Hormuz goes dark amid regional conflict
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is continuing at a reduced and unsettled pace after weeks of regional strikes and a ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Vessels are still moving through the narrow waterway, but many are doing so with their marine tracking transponders switched off, a practice known as dark transit. The pattern has raised fresh concern over one of the world's most important energy chokepoints, where traffic has become dependent on negotiated passage and shifting military pressure.Marine traffic observers say more than 80 commercial ships have crossed the Strait of Hormuz and left the Persian... [Continue Reading]
Iran says it has halted attacks on Israel after first exchange of fire since truce
Iran's armed forces say they have halted military operations against Israel after the two countries exchanged strikes for the first time since April's ceasefire. The Khatam ol-Anbiya command said Iran had delivered a "painful response" to Israel and warned against continued attacks, including in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces are fighting the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah. The latest exchange has raised fresh doubts about whether the truce can hold and whether diplomacy can prevent a wider regional escalation.The immediate sequence began after Iran launched about 30 missiles at Israel in retaliation for a strike in Beirut on Sunday. Israel then responded... [Continue Reading]
Meta seeks contempt order against NSO Group over WhatsApp targeting attempts
Meta says it will ask a US federal court to hold NSO Group in contempt after WhatsApp disrupted new spear-phishing attempts linked to the spyware company. The move follows what Meta described as fresh efforts to target WhatsApp users despite a permanent injunction barring NSO from targeting the messaging service and its users. Meta said it also removed test accounts and groups that it said were created by NSO on the platform.According to Meta, the latest attempts were similar to earlier "1-click phishing campaigns", in which a single click on a malicious link can compromise a device or account. The... [Continue Reading]




