‘Old friend’ Putin arrives in China for state visit, summit with Xi Jinping
Latest visit comes as Russia presses a new offensive on Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region.
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 812
As the war enters its 812th day, these are the main developments.
Who benefits from US tariffs on Chinese imports? Experts weigh in
While tariffs are expected to have a negligible impact on the US economy, they are expected to boost President Biden.
California university will heed student call to boycott Israel institutions
Calls to boycott Israeli academic institutions have been a consistent demand of protesters against Israel's war in Gaza.
Rafah, US arms, UNRWA: How Biden defends supporting Israel amid Gaza war
Al Jazeera looks at the Biden administration's rhetoric and policies on various issues related to Israel and Palestine.
What does Georgia’s foreign influence bill mean for its bid to join the EU?
Protesters took to the streets in Tblisi after Georgia's Parliament approved 'foreign agents' law.
Another Biden administration staffer resigns over US stance on Gaza war
Lily Greenberg Call says she cannot 'in good conscience' represent the US gov't, condemns 'disastrous' Gaza policy.
Slovakia PM Robert Fico ‘fighting for life’ after five shots fired in ‘politically motivated’ attack, ministers say – live updates
Defence and interior ministers say Fico in ‘extraordinarily serious’ condition after shooting; suspect reported to be a 71-year-old ex-security guard detained
Salome Zourabichvili, Georgia’s president, said she spoke with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
After a delay, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, and the neighborhood commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi, issued a statement on Georgia.
The adoption of this law negatively impacts Georgia’s progress on the EU path. The choice on the way forward is in Georgia’s hands. We urge the Georgian authorities to withdraw the law, uphold their commitment to the EU path and advance the necessary reforms detailed in the 9 steps.
Continue reading...Biden campaign accuses Trump of ‘playing games with debates’ – live
Team Biden comments after Trump says he accepted three debates while president has agreed to do two
In a letter to Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, top Donald Trump advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said the former president had accepted their invitation to participate in two debates, while demanding further face offs between the two candidates.
“Today is a good day for America’s voters, now that Joe Biden has FINALLY accepted President Trump’s debate challenge. President Trump and our campaign have been requesting this for months with a consistent message: ANY TIME! ANYWHERE! ANY PLACE!” Wiles and LaCivita write.
We believe there should be more than just two opportunities for the American people to hear more from the candidates themselves. With the soaring inflation of Bidenomics costing America’s hardworking families at the grocery store and at the gas pump, with our border being totally overrun, with chaos at home, chaos across the world, chaos on our college campuses, we should have one debate per month.
Therefore, we propose a debate in June, a debate in July, a debate in August, and a debate in September, in addition to the Vice Presidential debate. Additional dates will allow voters to have maximum exposure to the records and future visions of each candidate.
Crooked Joe Biden is the WORST debater I have ever faced - He can’t put two sentences together! Crooked is also the WORST President in the history of the United States, by far. It’s time for a debate so that he can explain to the American People his highly destructive Open Border Policy, new and ridiculous EV Mandates, the allowance of Crushing Inflation, High Taxes, and his really WEAK Foreign Policy, which is allowing the World to “Catch on Fire.” I am Ready and Willing to Debate Crooked Joe at the two proposed times in June and September. I would strongly recommend more than two debates and, for excitement purposes, a very large venue, although Biden is supposedly afraid of crowds - That’s only because he doesn’t get them. Just tell me when, I’ll be there. “Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!”
Continue reading...Wildfires spread across western Canada
Over 130 fires are burning in western Canada, putting thousands of people under orders to evacuate.
UK to introduce new offence of causing death or injury by dangerous cycling
Law change not ‘anti-cycling’ says Iain Duncan Smith, who brought the amendment to the criminal justice bill
A new offence of causing death or serious injury by dangerous, careless or inconsiderate cycling is to be introduced.
The law will be changed after a deal was reached between the government and the former Conservative leader, Iain Duncan Smith, whose amendment to the criminal justice bill was backed by 37 fellow Tory backbenchers.
Continue reading...World reacts to Slovakia Prime Minister Robert Fico being shot
World leaders decry attack against Fico, who was shot several times and is in 'life-threatening condition'.
Hearing delayed for US woman accused of killing husband before writing book on grief
Kouri Richins, 33, charged in Utah with murder over death of Eric Richins, who prosecutors say was fatally poisoned with fentanyl
A Utah judge on Wednesday postponed a hearing to determine if prosecutors have enough evidence to proceed to trial in the case of a woman charged with fatally poisoning her husband before she published a children’s book about coping with grief.
Judge Richard Mrazik delayed the hearing until 18-20 June after prosecutors said they would need three days to present their evidence against Kouri Richins, whose lawyer says she is innocent.
Continue reading...Slovakian PM Robert Fico ‘fighting for his life’ after being shot
Suspect in custody after assassination attempt that has raised fears across Europe of rising political violence
Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, has been left with life-threatening injuries after an assassination attempt that has sparked warnings across Europe of rising political violence.
Video captured on Wednesday appeared to show the moment five shots were fired at Fico, 59, as he shook hands with a small group of supporters in the town of Handlová, about 90 miles (150km) north-east of the capital.
Continue reading...Israel war cabinet split looms as defence minister demands post-war Gaza plan
Yoav Gallant, who Benjamin Netanyahu tried to fire in 2023, says he will not allow Israeli rule of Gaza
A long-festering split at the heart of Israel’s war cabinet has burst into the open with the defence minister, Yoav Gallant, challenging the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to come up with plans for the “day after” the war in Gaza, and saying he would not permit any solution where Israeli military or civil governance were in the territory.
Gallant’s comments, immediately backed by his fellow minister Benny Gantz, plunged Israel’s leadership into a highly public row, in the midst of the Gaza conflict, raising immediate speculation over his future in the Israeli government and of Netanyahu’s fractious coalition.
Continue reading...Israel escalates attacks as aid agencies warn Gaza on brink of catastrophe
Israel intensifies assaults in north and central Gaza as aid groups warn crisis in Rafah 'defies imagination'.
UK free school meal allowances too low for healthy lunches, study finds
Researchers also find lack of fresh fruit and vegetables in schools and say portion sizes sometimes not enough
Free school meal allowances are not enough for students from lower-income backgrounds to buy healthy school lunches, research suggests.
The study, presented at the European Congress of Obesity (ECO), involved 42 pupils aged between 11 and 15 at seven schools across the UK.
Continue reading...Man who made $5m in Masters thefts pleads guilty in federal court
- Richard Globensky transported stolen Augusta goods
- 39-year-old faces up to 10 years in jail over thefts
A former warehouse assistant for the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia pleaded guilty Wednesday to transporting millions of dollars worth of stolen Masters tournament memorabilia and historic items, including one of Arnold Palmer’s green jackets.
Richard Globensky, of Georgia, entered the plea during his initial appearance in federal court in Chicago.
Federal prosecutors said the 39-year-old would take items from the warehouse and sell and transport them to another party in Florida for sale online. The scheme went on for nearly a decade and Globensky made roughly $5m from the sales. As part of a plea deal, Globensky must write a $1.5m cashier’s check to the government.
He was charged with one count of transporting goods knowing they had been stolen.
“I plead guilty,” Globensky, who was wearing a suit and tie, told the judge.
The items – stolen between 2009 and 2022 – included T-shirts, mugs and chairs, and historic memorabilia, including green jackets and tickets to Masters tournaments in the 1930s. The total loss to Augusta National was more than $3m, according to prosecutors. A representative for Augusta National did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request for comment.
Globensky declined to comment to reporters. His attorney, Thomas Church, said the case was being tried in Chicago because some of the stolen goods were recovered in the area.
Sentencing will be in late October. Globensky faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, but will likely get closer to two years in prison under the sentencing guidelines.
Augusta National hosts the annual Masters golf tournament. This year’s edition was won by Scottie Scheffler last month.
Russian airstrikes devastate residential buildings in Ukraine’s Kherson
Russian airstrikes hit the centre of Kherson in southern Ukraine and injured over a dozen people, officials said.
US sanctions two RSF commanders as fighting escalates in Sudan’s Darfur
UN officials and rights groups warn hundreds of thousands of civilians are at risk amid heavy fighting in el-Fasher.