Category: News
NATO must switch to a wartime mindset, warns secretary general 4 days ago
The head of Nato has said it is time to “shift to a wartime mindset”, as he warned the military alliance’s members were not spending enough to prepare for the threat of a future conflict with Russia. Secretary general Mark Rutte said Moscow was “preparing for long-term confrontation with Ukraine and with us”, describing the current security situation as the worst in his lifetime. “We are not ready for what is coming our way in four to five years,” he said in his first major speech since becoming secretary general in October, urging members to “turbocharge” their defence spending. His [Read More…]
Who is Luigi Mangione, CEO shooting suspect?
The scion of a prominent Maryland family who came top of his class at an elite private school before graduating from an Ivy League college, Luigi Mangione seemed to have everything going for him, according to friends. They have been left stunned by the 26-year-old’s arrest for the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive Brian Thompson, who was fatally shot last week in New York City. Mr Mangione will plead not guilty, his lawyer says. According to a law enforcement bulletin seen by US media, Mr Mangione was allegedly motivated by resentment at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies. He [Read More…]
What just happened in Syria?
The Assad family ruled Syria for more than 50 years with an iron fist. Now that has come to an end. Bashar al-Assad became president after the death in 2000 of his father Hafez, who had ruled for almost three decades. In 2011, he brutally crushed a peaceful, pro-democracy uprising, sparking a devastating civil war in which more than half a million people have been killed and 12 million others have been forced to flee their homes. Twelve days ago, the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied rebel factions launched a major offensive in north-western Syria. The [Read More…]
What next for Bitcoin after bursting $100k barrier?
Bitcoin’s price has blasted through the much-anticipated threshold of $100,000, raising questions about how much higher it could go – and whether it can shake off its notorious volatility. The world’s largest cryptocurrency rose to around $103,400 shortly after 04:00 GMT on Thursday, before falling slightly. Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell, described it as a “magic moment” for the cryptocurrency and said it had a “clear link” to Donald Trump’s election victory. Trump took to social media to celebrate the milestone, posting “congratulations Bitcoiners” and “you’re welcome!” The president-elect had previously pledged to make the US the “crypto capital” [Read More…]
Australia approves social media ban on under-16s
Australia will ban children under 16 from using social media, after its parliament approved the world’s strictest laws. The ban, which will not take effect for at least 12 months, could see tech companies fined up to A$50m ($32.5m; £25.7m) if they don’t comply. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the legislation is needed to protect young people from the “harms” of social media, something many parent groups have echoed. But critics say questions over how the ban will work – and its impact on privacy and social connection – have been left unanswered. This is not the first attempt globally [Read More…]
Satellite images show Russia giving N Korea oil, breaking sanctions
Russia is estimated to have supplied North Korea with more than a million barrels of oil since March this year, according to satellite imagery analysis from the Open Source Centre, a non-profit research group based in the UK. The oil is payment for the weapons and troops Pyongyang has sent Moscow to fuel its war in Ukraine, leading experts and UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy. These transfers violate UN sanctions, which ban countries from selling oil to North Korea, except in small quantities, in an attempt to stifle its economy to prevent it from further developing nuclear weapons. The satellite [Read More…]
Trudeau accuses India of ‘massive mistake’ amid diplomatic row
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused India of making a “massive mistake” that Canada could not ignore if Delhi was behind the death of a Sikh separatist leader last year on Canadian soil. Trudeau made the comments two days after Canadian officials accused India of being involved in homicides, extortions and other violent acts targeting Indian dissidents on Canadian soil. After Canada levelled the accusations on Monday, both countries expelled top envoys and diplomats, ramping up already strained tensions. India has rejected the allegations as “preposterous”, and accused Trudeau of pandering to Canada’s large Sikh community for political gain. On Wednesday, India [Read More…]
Gaza war: Where does Israel get its weapons?
Western governments have come under pressure to halt arms sales to Israel over how it is waging the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel is a major weapons exporter, but its military has been heavily reliant on imported aircraft, guided bombs and missiles to conduct what experts have described as one of the most intense and destructive aerial campaigns in recent history. Campaign groups and some politicians among Israel’s Western allies say arms exports should be suspended because, they say, Israel is failing to do enough to protect the lives of civilians and ensure enough humanitarian aid reaches [Read More…]
‘Russia now is like 1984’: Inside a Russian dystopian library
If the billboards in Ivanovo are to be believed, Russia’s really going places. “Record harvest!” “More than 2000km of roads repaired in Ivanovo Region!” “Change for the Better!” In this town, a four-hour drive from Moscow, a giant banner glorifying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine covers the entire wall of an old cinema. With pictures of soldiers and a slogan: “To Victory!” These posters depict a country marching towards economic and military success. But there is one place in Ivanovo that paints a very different picture of today’s Russia. I’m standing outside it. There’s a poster here, too. Not of a [Read More…]
Barrage of Russian attacks aims to cut Ukraine’s lights
In central Kharkiv you hear the rattle of generators on every street. Ten days ago, Ukraine’s second city was plunged into darkness by a massive, targeted Russian missile attack on the energy system – it was the biggest since the start of the full-scale war. As Kharkiv works to restore power, there has been a wave of additional strikes across the country targeting the energy supply. Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned what he calls Russia’s “missile terror”. The Ukrainian president has also renewed his calls to his country’s allies for more air defence systems as protection. The authorities in Odesa on [Read More…]
