Zelenskyy is pitching his ‘victory plan’ on adverse terrain

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Ukraine president made forceful call for ‘just peace’ at UN, but winning more US support and fending off Russia are both uphill battles

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has come to the US with a mission: to sell his vision for a Ukrainian victory despite the growing odds against Kyiv in its war with Russia.

The Ukrainan president spoke out forcefully on Tuesday and Wednesday in the security council and then at the general assembly of the United Nations, calling on other countries to back Ukraine’s proposal for a “just peace” and refrain from holding alternative talks with Vladimir Putin.

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Can Israel avoid same pitfalls of past ground offensive in Lebanon?

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A land incursion would be a far more complex undertaking than the intelligence-led strikes pursued so far

No two wars are alike, even those fought between the same two combatants on the same terrain. But many of the challenges remain the same.

Israel’s most senior military commander has told troops that airstrikes will continue inside Lebanon as the Israeli military prepares for a possible ground operation. If its forces do cross the northern border they are likely to face obstacles they have seen before.

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Two drones breach Eilat airspace – The Jerusalem Post

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  1. Two drones breach Eilat airspace  The Jerusalem Post
  2. WATCH: Footage shows explosive drone impacting in Eilat  The Times of Israel
  3. Attack on Eilat: UAV explodes in port, second drone intercepted; Watch the videos  Ynetnews
  4. Israel Air Base Gripped By Huge Fire, Suffers Drone Attack After IDF Missile Launches Towards Syria  Hindustan Times
  5. Two injured by drone attack on southern Israeli port city of Eilat  Yahoo! Voices
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The deadly pager operation in Lebanon is no laughing matter, or is it? – The Jerusalem Post

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  1. The deadly pager operation in Lebanon is no laughing matter, or is it?  The Jerusalem Post
  2. Israel has landed heavy blows on Hezbollah. The victory it seeks could prove elusive  The Associated Press
  3. Explosives expert shows damage of pager bomb  CNN
  4. Opinion | Urgent Message for the Iranian Ambassador  The Wall Street Journal
  5. Exploding pagers leave clues to Israeli ‘red button’ plot, officials say  The Washington Post
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Israel has ‘legitimate problem’ with Hezbollah on border, says Blinken

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US secretary of state emphasises he wants diplomatic solution, but remarks unlikely to be seen as warning against Israeli ground offensive

Israel has a legitimate interest in seeking to remove Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, from the borders of northern Israel, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said as he rebuffed calls to take a tougher line over the Israeli bombardment.

Speaking before an emergency meeting of the security council in New York, Blinken emphasised that he would prefer a diplomatic solution to the crisis, but his tone is unlikely to be seen as a warning to Israel to stop, or to reconsider its plan for a ground offensive.

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Zelenskyy warns of Russia threat at UN as Putin steps up nuclear rhetoric

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Ukrainian president urges world leaders to back peace plan in general assembly speech ahead of Biden meeting

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told the United Nations that Russia is planning to attack Ukrainian nuclear power plants as he repeated his calls for unity from world leaders in order to force Russia to the negotiating table to conclude a “just peace”.

His comments came as Vladimir Putin on Wednesday escalated his nuclear rhetoric, telling a group of senior officials that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons if it was attacked by any state with conventional weapons.

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UK ministers monitoring Beirut airport in case Lebanon evacuation required

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Emergency rescue not thought imminent but commercial flight halt would probably trigger sea rescue, say sources

The UK is closely monitoring Beirut’s international airport amid fears it may be forced to close by escalating fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which would probably lead to an evacuation of British and other foreign nationals from Lebanon.

Defence sources said a halt to commercial flights out of the country would be a “big trigger” to launch what would most probably be an international evacuation by sea, though for now an emergency rescue is not thought imminent.

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Demonstrations being held in Italy against ‘repressive’ security bill

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Bill by Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government comes down hard on climate activists and migrants

Demonstrations are being held across Italy on Wednesday evening in protest against a new security bill described as “repressive” and “dangerous for the country’s democracy”.

The 24 laws contained in the bill, which passed its first hurdle in the lower house of parliament last week and now needs approval in the senate, is the latest attempt by Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government to get tough on law and order. It comes down especially hard on climate activists and migrants.

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Three men charged in Germany over Michael Schumacher blackmail plot

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Chief suspect threatened to release private photos and demanded €15m from F1 star’s family, prosecutors say

German prosecutors are bringing charges against three men arrested this year over an alleged blackmail plot targeting the family of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher.

They said the chief suspect, a 53-year-old man from the western city of Wuppertal, had threatened to release private photos and videos and demanded €15m (£12.5m) from Schumacher’s family.

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Taliban to be taken to international court over gender discrimination

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Afghanistan would have six months to provide response before ICJ would hold hearing

The Taliban are to be taken to the international court of justice for gender discrimination by Canada, Australia, Germany and the Netherlands in a groundbreaking move.

The move announced at the UN general assembly is the first time the ICJ, based in The Hague, has been used by one country to take another to court over gender discrimination.

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