Zelenskyy urges west to hit Russia with sanctions after huge attack on Kyiv

Ukrainian president wants allies to speed up action against Putin after two killed in second night of major strikes

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Ukraine’s allies to speed up imposing new sanctions on Russia after another huge wave of strikes on his country’s capital killed two people and left more wounded.

“Sanctions must be imposed faster, and pressure on Russia must be strong enough that they truly feel the consequences of their terror,” the Ukrainian president said on social media. Ukraine’s air defence force said Moscow sent 400 drones and 18 missiles across the country in the early hours.

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Court rejects developer’s bid to turn Sydney boarding house into luxury apartments

Lord mayor Clover Moore says city ‘should not simply be an enclave for the rich’ and hopes case sets precedent

A court has rejected a developer’s bid to turn a boarding house into luxury apartments in a case the lord mayor of Sydney hopes will set a precedent to stop the ongoing loss of affordable housing.

In the wake of the court’s decision the mayor, Clover Moore, has also called on the Minns government to allow significant loss of individual homes as a ground for rejecting development applications.

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Abandoned van found in search for missing German backpacker Carolina Wilga in remote WA

The 26-year-old has not been seen or heard from since visiting a general store in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt region

Police searching for German backpacker Carolina Wilga, who is missing in a remote part of Western Australia, have found an abandoned van believed to have mechanical issues.

The 26-year-old has not been seen or heard from since she visited a general store in the small town of Beacon, in WA’s north-east Wheatbelt region, on 29 June.

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Universities and artists face funding threat under antisemitism plan being considered by Australian government

Antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal also urges Labor government to bolster education and seek new powers to deport visitors

Universities and artists would have funding withheld if they fail to act against antisemitism, AI tools would be banned from sharing Jewish hatred, and the government would have new grounds to deport visitors under a wide-ranging plan put forward by Australia’s antisemitism envoy.

The federal Labor government has not committed to the plan in full, with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, saying he would consider the recommendations of his handpicked envoy, Jillian Segal, which also propose her office would “monitor” media coverage and bolster education in schools and workplaces.

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South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol back in custody over insurrection probe – CNN

  1. South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol back in custody over insurrection probe  CNN
  2. South Korea's ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol rearrested  BBC
  3. South Korea issues arrest warrant for ex-President Yoon  Al Jazeera
  4. South Korean court approves new arrest of former President Yoon Suk Yeol  NPR
  5. Former President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea Is Arrested on New Charges  The New York Times
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Armenia and Azerbaijan move closer to peace, pushing Russia out from the South Caucasus – Euronews.com

  1. Armenia and Azerbaijan move closer to peace, pushing Russia out from the South Caucasus  Euronews.com
  2. Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders meet for peace talks in UAE, no breakthrough  Al Jazeera
  3. ANALYSIS: Azeri and Armenian Leaders Meet: Is Peace in South Caucasus Still Possible?  Kyiv Post
  4. Armenia and Azerbaijan hold substantive talks, no big breakthrough  Reuters
  5. Galuzin: Moscow ready to contribute to settlement between Yerevan and Baku  NEWS.am
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Thursday briefing: Why young people fear ‘there’s nothing here for us’ in England’s coastal towns

In today’s newsletter: As a new Guardian project begins, we hear from the teenagers navigating deprivation, isolation and a sense of being forgotten

Good morning. A few weeks ago, 18-year-old Tamsin Jarman-Smith, born and raised in a small town just outside Blackpool, sat on a battered sofa at House of Wingz, a community youth organisation tucked down an alleyway a few streets from the beach, and explained what it felt like to be a young person growing up in a coastal town.

“I’m lucky because I found this passion for dancing and I come to this place, which has saved me I think, especially my creativity and hope for opportunities for myself, but lots of people my age feel like there is nothing here for them,” she said.

Europe | Talks over a British and French migration deal remained deadlocked on Wednesday night, as negotiators haggled over how much Britain will pay towards the cost of policing small boat crossings.

UK news | Campaigners have decried as “dangerously naive” the UK government’s sweeping deal with Google to provide free technology to the public sector.

Europe | Police have raided the headquarters of France’s far-right National Rally and seized documents as part of an investigation into alleged illegal campaign financing.

UK news | Thames Water has refused to claw back almost £2.5m paid to senior managers from an emergency loan that was meant to keep the failing utilities company afloat.

Housing | The Bank of England has rolled out looser mortgage rules that policymakers hope will help 36,000 more first-time buyers on to the housing ladder each year.

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Why is India forcing 80 million people to justify their right to vote? – Al Jazeera

  1. Why is India forcing 80 million people to justify their right to vote?  Al Jazeera
  2. Bihar Survey To Continue, Top Court Suggests These 3 IDs Must Be Considered  NDTV
  3. Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice Dhulia to hear Bihar electoral roll revision case on July 10  The Hindu
  4. Continue, consider inclusion of Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards: SC to EC on Bihar roll revision  The Indian Express
  5. Bihar voter list row: Why are you getting into citizenship issue? SC asks EC; calls it MHA's domain  Times of India
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Lobbyists linked to Donald Trump paid millions by world’s poorest countries

Somalia, DR Congo and Yemen among states forced to sign deals and barter their minerals for aid or military support

Some of the world’s poorest countries have started paying millions to lobbyists linked to Donald Trump to try to offset US cuts to foreign aid, an investigation reveals.

Somalia, Haiti and Yemen are among 11 countries to sign significant lobbying deals with figures tied directly to the US president after he slashed US foreign humanitarian assistance.

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Senators Grill Kimberly Guilfoyle on Greece-Turkey Relations – GreekReporter.com

  1. Senators Grill Kimberly Guilfoyle on Greece-Turkey Relations  GreekReporter.com
  2. Kimberly Guilfoyle at Senate Confirmation Hearing as ambassador to Greece: What we know  The Palm Beach Post
  3. Ambassador Nominees Testify at Confirmation Hearing  C-SPAN
  4. Trump’s pick for US ambassador completes senate hearing smoothly  eKathimerini.com
  5. Guilfoyle vows to champion Cyprus, Greece, and Israel in U.S. foreign policy  Kathimerini.com.cy
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Estonia may veto EU’s 18th sanctions package if Russian oil price cap not lowered, foreign minister says – The Kyiv Independent

  1. Estonia may veto EU's 18th sanctions package if Russian oil price cap not lowered, foreign minister says  The Kyiv Independent
  2. Exclusive: European Commission to propose floating Russian oil price cap  Reuters
  3. Slovakia maintains veto on new package of EU sanctions against Russia  Euronews.com
  4. Fico: In the matter of stopping the supply of Russian gas, I wish for an early agreement with the European Commission  European Newsroom
  5. Estonia may veto EU’s 18th sanction package on Moscow over Russian oil prices [VIDEO REPORT]  TVP World
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U.K. and France Agree to First-Ever Nuclear Weapons Pact to Fend Off Threat to Europe – The New York Times

  1. U.K. and France Agree to First-Ever Nuclear Weapons Pact to Fend Off Threat to Europe  The New York Times
  2. Macron pitches Starmer on new special relationship as leaders strike defense deals  politico.eu
  3. UK and France Order More Cruise Missiles, Pledge Nuclear Cooperation  Bloomberg.com
  4. New Storm Shadow and missile cooperation to boost jobs as UK and France reboot defence relationship  GOV.UK
  5. UK and France vow to co-ordinate nuclear weapons for first time  Financial Times
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‘One too many’: rapper’s arrest sparks protests against Togo’s ruling dynasty

At least 10 people killed and 100 young people arrested since protests began in west African country in June

On the night last month that he and 34 other young people were arrested in the Togolese capital, Lomé, for coordinating an anti-government demonstration, Bertin Bandiangou said gendarmes beat him with ropes and slapped him. The next morning he was tortured while a commanding officer filmed proceedings.

He was lucky to get out alive: at least 10 people have been killed by security officials since protests began in June calling for the resignation of the small west African country’s president, Faure Gnassingbé.

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Ursula von der Leyen faces rare censure vote in European parliament

European Commission president expected to survive but ballot likely to reveal discontent about EU’s rightward drift

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, is preparing to face a rare vote of censure in the European parliament that is likely to reveal discontent about the rightward drift of EU policies.

Von der Leyen is expected to comfortably survive a vote on Thursday on the censure motion, which in theory could trigger the downfall of her commission. While her survival is considered a certainty, the debate has lifted the lid on simmering discontent among centrist, centre-left and green MEPs who voted her back into office just under one year ago, after elections that gave rightwing nationalists their best-ever results.

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Trump announces 50 percent tariff on Brazil, citing Bolsonaro trial – The Washington Post

  1. Trump announces 50 percent tariff on Brazil, citing Bolsonaro trial  The Washington Post
  2. Trump threatens 50% tariffs on Brazil if it doesn’t stop the Bolsonaro ‘witch hunt’ trial  CNN
  3. Brazil will respond to Trump's 50% tariff with 'reciprocity,' says da Silva  CNBC
  4. Asian Stocks to Rally After Tech Lifts S&P 500: Markets Wrap  Bloomberg
  5. Trump sets 50% tariff rate for Brazil, blasting treatment of former far-right president  NPR
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Turkey’s Erdoğan makes high-stakes Kurdish gamble – politico.eu

  1. Turkey’s Erdoğan makes high-stakes Kurdish gamble  politico.eu
  2. Kurdish PKK to lay down arms in big step towards ending Turkey conflict  BBC
  3. PKK begins disarmament process after 40 years of armed struggle in Turkiye  Al Jazeera
  4. Kurdish PKK militants to hand over first weapons in ceremony in Iraq  Reuters
  5. Jailed PKK leader urges militant group to disarm before peace ceremony with Turkey  PBS
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Israeli military intercepts Houthi missile from Yemen – The Jerusalem Post

  1. Israeli military intercepts Houthi missile from Yemen  The Jerusalem Post
  2. Yemen’s Houthis fire at Israel airport amid search for Red Sea ship crew  Al Jazeera
  3. Israel bombs Houthis in Yemen after rebels attack commercial ship for first time in months  CNN
  4. Israeli Officials Hope Gaza Cease-fire Will Also End Missile Attacks by Yemen's Houthis  Haaretz
  5. Israel carries out strikes on Houthi-controlled power station, ports across Yemen  timesofisrael.com
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A British Surgeon Shares What She Saw in Gaza’s Hospitals – The New York Times

  1. A British Surgeon Shares What She Saw in Gaza’s Hospitals  The New York Times
  2. No Cancer Care, No Dialysis, No Power: Gaza's Health System Is on the Brink of Collapse  Haaretz
  3. “Completely Illegal”: Dr. Feroze Sidhwa on Israel’s “Outrageous” Attacks on Gaza Hospitals & Staff  Democracy Now!
  4. “We Could Have Saved So Many More”: Anguish and Death Caused by Israel’s Restrictions on Medical Supplies in Gaza​  Physicians for Human Rights - PHR
  5. A doctor's account from Gaza (podcast)  Doctors Without Borders
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