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International affairs, events, and conflicts

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Zelenskyy: Russia building up troops on Ukraine front
Russia has been building up its forces along parts of the frontline in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy also said that Russia had targeted Ukraine with 150 drones overnight, as well as over 50 drones in the morning and dozens more that evening. “Now we see another buildup of Russian forces in certain sectors of the front. He [Russian President Vladimir Putin] refuses to be forced into peace,” said Zelenskyy. These drones attacked port facilities in Odesa and resulted in a fire in Sumy. Two Ukrainian civilians were also hospitalised after drones struck their homes in Chernihiv, according to the region’s government. Leaders from the ‘coalition of the willing’, a France and United Kingdom-led initiative to provide peacekeeping troops and security guarantees for Ukraine after a ceasefire, will meet with Zelenskyy on Thursday. The coalition has almost completed technical discussions on ensuring the strength of Ukraine’s military and deploying international peacekeeping troops, according to France’s government. While the United States has said it will not join the coalition or supply peacekeeping troops, the bloc will seek confirmation of U.S. support on Thursday. Meanwhile, P
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Germany rejects EU chief's Ukraine troop comments
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has been critical of reports made by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen regarding security guarantees in Ukraine. Von der Leyen told the Financial Times that “precise plans” are being made for a multinational troop deployment in Ukraine. Pistorius said it’s “fundamentally wrong” to discuss such options before peace negotiations. “The European Union has no responsibilities and no competences when it comes to deploying troops — for anyone or for anything,” the minister told reporters at a defence industry site in the western German town of Troisdorf. “I would refrain from confirming or commenting on such considerations in any way.” While he acknowledged that governments are discussing these possibilities, he stressed that he believes it is “totally wrong” to discuss publicly. Von der Leyen said the plans would involve tens of thousands of troops from European countries and the U.S. backing them in areas like intelligence and command. The idea of stationing Western Troops in Ukraine has been highly divisive, with France and the U.K. discussing the issue while the U.S. and other NATO countries like Poland ruling out the possibility. Some other countries are s
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Afghanistan earthquake kills at least 800, injures 3,000
An earthquake in northeast Afghanistan has killed more than 800 people and injured at least 3,000, with the country’s Taliban-run government appealing for international aid. The shallow magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near the city of Jalalabad just before midnight, local time. Most casualties occurred in Kunar Province, along the border with Pakistan. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health said all of its “teams have been mobilised to accelerate assistance, so that comprehensive and full support can be provided”, though flooding and landslides have hampered relief efforts. Its Ministry of Defence has deployed 800 kilograms of medicine to Kunar. United Nations Development, UNICEF, and Red Crescent teams are active in the area. “The United Nations and our partners in Afghanistan are coordinating with the de facto authorities to swiftly assess needs, provide emergency assistance and stand ready to mobilise additional support,” said a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The number of recorded casualties will likely rise as rescue teams reach affected communities in remote areas, the U.N. said. A number of aftershocks have hit the region after the earthquake, ranging in magnitude from 4.3 to 5.2.
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UK to supply Norway with anti-submarine warships
The United Kingdom has struck a UK£10 billion (A$20.61 billion) deal to supply Norway with at least five new anti-submarine warships, as the two countries agree to collaborate on countering Russian activity in Northern Europe. These Type 26 frigates will be built in Scotland by U.K. defence contractor BAE Systems. The deal will support 4,000 jobs across BAE Systems’ Glasgow operations and the UK maritime supply chain until the late 2030s, the UK’s government said. “For over 75 years, Britain and Norway have stood together on NATO’s northern and north-eastern frontiers, keeping the UK and Europe safe. This historic defence deal deepens our strategic partnership,” according to U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey. “With Norway, we will train, operate, deter, and – if necessary – fight together. Our navies will work as one, leading the way in NATO, with this deal putting more world-class warships in the North Atlantic to hunt Russian submarines, protect our critical infrastructure, and keep both our nations secure.” This will be Norway’s largest ever procurement for its armed forces. Delivery of the frigates will begin in 2030. The UK also guaranteed UK£10 billion in industrial cooperation with Norwegian industry, accord
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Europeans to reimpose Iran sanctions
The United Kingdom, France, and Germany have begun the process to reinstate United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. After 30 days, these ‘snapback’ sanctions will freeze Iranian assets held abroad and end arms deals with Iran, as well as penalise further nuclear development. The UK, France, and Germany said earlier this month that they would reinstate the sanctions if Iran did not agree to limits on its nuclear program by the end of August. “We have formally notified the U.N. Security Council of Iran's significant failure to comply with its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and have initiated the so-called ‘snapback' procedure. Iran's nuclear escalation must not go any further,” wrote French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot. “This measure does not signal the end of diplomacy: we are determined to use the 30-day period that is opening to dialogue with Iran. We remain committed to diplomacy to ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.” Iran “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” the effort to reinstate the sanctions, according to the country’s foreign ministry, saying these measures would undermine its cooperation with the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agenc

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European leaders call out Russia's deadly drone strike
European Union leader, Ursula von der Leyen, has expressed her outrage after a Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s capital killed at least 21 people. The powerful explosions hit Kyiv in the early hours of Thursday morning with Russian projectiles damaging buildings in 33 locations in the districts of the city, including the headquarters of the European Union mission to Ukraine and the British Council. Among those killed, officials said there were three children killed, aged two, 14 and 17, with several others wounded. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the attacks sabotaged peace effort, while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said it was a “deliberate choice to escalate and mock peace efforts”. While the Kremlin said Russia was still interested in peace negotiations, von der Leyen said the strikes were “another grim reminder” that Russia would "stop at nothing to terrorise Ukraine". In response to the attacks, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to X to call for more sanctions on Russia, accusing Russia of deliberately striking “ordinary houses and city with swarms of drones”. “In Washington we heard that Putin is supposedly ready to end the war – to meet at the leaders’ level and resolve
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Nigel Farage announces mass deportation plan
Nigel Farage has announced a mass deportation plan for Britain, which would require the reversal of human rights laws. Farage, leader of the U.K.'s far right, anti immigration, Reform party, announced the new plan on Tuesday at a press conference. He outlined a pathway that would see the U.K removed from the European Convention on Human Rights, the Human Rights Act repealed and ending in the mass deportation of asylum seekers. The Reform party said these changes to asylum law would enable them to deport 600,000 asylum seekers, including women and children, in just its first term in power if it wins the next election. "We are not far away from major civil disorder," Farage said. “It is an invasion, as these young men illegally break into our country.”
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Ukraine facing power cuts from Russian drone strikes
Ukraine has been hit by massive power cuts after attacks from Russian drones. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed via Telegram that more than 100,000 Ukrainian homes in the Poltava, Sumy and Chernihiv regions were affected. The Ukrainian leader said that 100 drone attacks had been carried out, with energy facilities as the main targets. However, a school and a high-rise building were also hit. "New steps are needed to put pressure on Russia to stop the strikes and truly guarantee security. We are working with partners for such pressure," Zelensky wrote in his post on Wednesday. This comes after a meeting in Kyiv earlier this week, with Zelensky and the head of British armed forces.Credit: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine“Russia continues to carry out systematic terrorist attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which is a direct violation of international humanitarian law. Since March 2025, there have been over 2,900 attacks on energy infrastructure," added Ukraine's Ministry of Energy on the drone attacks. “[The ministry] urges the international community to step up sanctions pressure on the aggressor state and to provide Ukraine with additional support to protect critical infrastructure facilit
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Denmark summons US envoy on alleged covert operations
Denmark has summoned the United States’ top diplomat in the country, after allegations of a U.S. covert influence campaign operating in Greenland. The Danish government has identified at least three Americans attempting to recruit Greenlanders who support U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposals to annex Greenland, Danish public broadcaster DR reported. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark. “Any interference in internal affairs in the kingdom of Denmark, and Greenlandic democracy, is unacceptable,” said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. “I note that the Americans do not clearly deny that the situation is as DR presents today. And that is of course serious.” “We are a partner, we are an ally, and we expect that the diplomatic rules of the game apply. We expect that international law and sovereignty are something that will be respected,” said Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen met with U.S. charge d’affaires Mark Stroh today, following a similar meeting in May after reports of U.S. espionage activity in Greenland. Stroh is currently the U.S.’ highest-ranking diplomat in Denmark, as an ambassador has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. One Amer