Praėjus daugiau nei ketveriems metams po pasaulį sukrėtusių Bučos žudynių, viešojoje erdvėje vėl gaivinama Kremliaus skleidžiama versija, esą civilių žudynės buvo Ukrainos surengta inscenizacija. Šįkart ją kartoja Rusijos poziciją palaikantis airių žurnalistas Chay Bowesas, kuris, remdamasis abejotinais aukų skaičiavimais ir anksčiau jau paneigtais teiginiais, kelia klausimus dėl Rusijos kariuomenės atsakomybės už Bučoje įvykdytus nusikaltimus.

Europos Sąjungos šalių lyderiai turi planą paprašyti Ukrainos prezidento Volodymyro Zelenskio sušvelninti viešą kritiką prieš Jungtinių Valstijų prezidentą Donaldą Trumpą, bijodami, kad tolesni Kyjivo ir Vašingtono santykiai tik dar labiau pablogės, rašo laikraštis „Financial Times“, remdamasis trimis neįvardintais šaltiniais.

Ukraine's president says a pause on striking energy sites is over following fresh Russian attacks.

A search and rescue operation is under way in the Black Sea after the latest attack in the area.

Senior banking executives have told the BBC they expect to be "on the menu" in the chancellor's Budget tax later this month.

The culture secretary says the deal could affect free expression in the media and the variety of Britain's news landscape.

BRUSSELS — There is “no logic” to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent moves to take Russia’s side in the Ukraine war, and he should remember his true allies lie in Europe, Finland’s prime minister said Thursday.  In an exclusive interview with POLITICO, Petteri Orpo summed up the shock and dismay among Ukraine’s allies after Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, and reportedly imposed limits on Kyiv’s access to the military intelligence and technology needed to counter Russian attacks. “My message to him [Trump] is that we are allies,” Orpo said on the sidelines of the European Council summit in Brussels. “We are in NATO. And what is the biggest threat against NATO? It’s Russia — and that is why there is no logic. I don’t have answers. I have many questions.”  Trump alarmed European leaders and horrified Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week by announcing a deal to release Russian diesel onto the market, apparently in an attempt to lower fuel costs for American consumers. Ukraine’s allies fear the move will boost Russia’s revenue from fuel sales, giving it more money to spend on war.  Trump also said Ukraine should stop hitting Russian fossil fuel facilities — as part of what he said was a ceasefire on energy infrastructure — and should replace Zelenskyy.  Finland is an influential voice among Ukraine’s European allies: The country has the EU’s longest land border with Russia, at 1,300 km, and its president, Alexander Stubb — a talented sportsman — won Trump’s respect on the golf course, giving him leeway to try to influence White House policy. Orpo said if he were in Trump’s position “I would not trust Putin.” Zelenskyy has said he fears Ukraine is losing the U.S. to Russia’s side in the war, warning the Americans and their president are on “the wrong side of history”. Orpo said he agreed: “I think he is, and they are.”  Ukraine now faces grave danger, he said. “The sky is open for Russia, there are missiles. They need more military support, air defense,” Orpo said. “Also, the situation is dangerous because of the latest deal between Trump and Putin.” Midterms move One possible reason Trump turned against Ukraine with that diesel deal is the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3. “I think it is because of domestic reasons — elections are coming,” Orpo said. “But we need to get them back.” Nonetheless, he said the amount of Russian diesel that could be sold to the U.S. is too small to make much of a difference for American consumers.  Whatever happens, EU leaders must equip Ukraine with weapons and cash, whether or not they can rely on the U.S., he said. “Today, we need to find a solution [on] how to support Ukraine, how to finance Ukraine in this winter, but also in next year,” Orpo said. “It’s crucial.” Finland and Sweden are among the countries pushing the European Commission to reopen the fractious debate over how to use Russia’s financial assets currently frozen in European banks, especially in Belgium, which blocked a deal to raid the funds last year over legal concerns.  “The best solution would be that we will have a solution on how to use frozen assets,” he said. “We have to try again,” Orpo said.  Finland has asked the Commission “to continue work with Belgium, and the other member states, to find a solution.” He said he hoped to hear an update from the Commission during the summit. “It’s a better solution than using our own money.” Budget blues European leaders are arguing this week over their long-term budget, which Brussels officials want to finalize by the end of the year. Many diplomats do not expect a deal this year, and some leaders say they’re in no hurry.  But others want the budget, worth around €2 trillion, signed off by December because they fear next year’s European elections — especially if far-right leader Marine Le Pen wins the French presidency — will derail negotiations.  The longer budget negotiations last, the “more difficulties we will have,” Orpo said. “So we have to work to find a solution this year. I understand very well that it is difficult, a huge challenge, but I cannot see how it would be easier next year, because in France elections are coming, for example.” Finland also has an election coming up in April 2027. Orpo’s center-right National Coalition Party is struggling in the polls. “This time has been very difficult,” he said. “But, finally, our economy is growing.” Orpo’s Swedish sister party, the Moderates, mounted a late surge in last month’s election. Although that seems unlikely to keep them in office, Sweden’s Moderates still have a slim chance, even though many commentators had written them off long before the vote. “They did excellent campaign work, and in the end of the day, people vote Moderates, not populist or socialist,” Orpo said. “I would like the same in Finland.”

BRUSSELS — French president Emmanuel Macron warned fellow EU leaders they need to get a deal on the bloc’s seven-year budget by the end of the year because it’ll be too politically difficult after that, four European diplomats said. His words rachet up the pressure on the EU to overcome their significant differences over the coming weeks. During a closed-door discussion on Thursday evening, Macron said he wouldn’t have a political mandate to sign a deal close to the French presidential elections in April 2027, the diplomats, all briefed on the conversation, said. Macron “said that, starting from January, there will be no political room” for concluding an agreement, one of the diplomats said. The EU’s 27 governments are divided over the total size of the 2028-2034 budget. Leaders gathering in Brussels are discussing the Irish plan, which envisions cuts of €159 billion in current prices to the Commission’s nearly €2 trillion proposal.  European Council President António Costa is pushing leaders to finalize negotiations during a summit in December — before elections in France, Italy and Poland in 2027 threaten to derail the talks — but some governments and EU officials have said such a timeframe is very unrealistic. One EU diplomat dismissed Macron’s intervention as “a threat to support [Costa] on December deadline. “EU would be ungovernable if we were to take into account all the local elections,” he added. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who is leading the polls to replace Macron, pledged to halve France’s contributions to the EU budget if she comes to power. During a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday, Le Pen accused the EU of speeding up talks to prevent France’s next leader to have a say. Several leaders are unwilling to commit to the end-of-year deadline, fearing that time pressure will undermine their leverage in the negotiations. “We will not sign an agreement that is not beneficial to us just to meet a deadline,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told the country’s parliament on Wednesday. “We will sign an agreement only when it is right for Italy.”

Ismael Ayala-Uribe was one of 53 people to die in ICE custody during Trump’s first 500 days back in office.

Eritrea denies troop movement inside northern Ethiopia as US calls for de-escalation.

Paris and Berlin near deal on bloc’s ‘Made in Europe’ subsidy programme and combustion engine phaseout

The EU’s hybrid car deal with Beijing eases tensions but only offers a brief respite

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said he felt “betrayed” on Wednesday after access was seemingly restricted to US intelligence and Space X satellite services, raising new questions about US commitment to Ukraine. With Trump under pressure over rising fuel prices, is the White House hoping criticism of Kyiv can help shift the blame? 

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Palestinian activist Samer Sinijlawi called the postponement of the first legislative elections in 20 years to September 2027 "a terrible disappointment" for a generation that has never had a chance to vote. He also dismissed the citing of Israeli restrictions as an excuse, pointing instead to a "rejection" of change among ageing Palestinian leaders.

Scientists in the southern Ugandan city of Masaka are conducting a phase I trial of a candidate vaccine against the deadly Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease (BDBV), a strain for which no licensed vaccine or effective treatment currently exists.

A top US Treasury official highlighted Dakar's case as an example of improvements in sovereign debt restructuring.