Top Stories

French far-right leader Jordan Bardella has cancelled a planned speech in the US, after President Donald Trump’s former top adviser made a hand gesture that some likened to a Nazi salute. Steve Bannon yelled “fight, fight, fight” before extending his right arm, fingers pointed and palm down, during his speech at the Conservative Political Action … Read more

U.S. President Donald Trump’s pursuit of a thaw in U.S.-Russia relations has caught many in Moscow by surprise, bewildering Russia’s elites and disrupting some of Russian propaganda’s key narratives.  While some elites are dusting off their Visa cards and celebrating the possibility of no longer being cut off from the West, others are wary of … Read more

A man accused of stabbing and trying to kill renowned British-Indian author Sir Salman Rushdie in New York has been found guilty of attempted murder and assault, US media report. Hadi Matar, a 27-year-old man from New Jersey, now faces a potential sentence of more than 30 years in prison. Sir Salman survived the attack, … Read more

Russian playwright Svetlana Petriychuk has been transferred to a prison colony to begin serving her nearly six-year sentence for “justifying terrorism” in her award-winning play, her husband said Friday. Petriychuk and theater director Yevgenia Berkovich were sentenced last July to six years in prison over their award-winning play, “Finist the Bright Falcon,” which tells the … Read more

Apple is taking the unprecedented step of removing its highest level data security tool from customers in the UK, after the government demanded access to user data. Advanced Data Protection (ADP) means only account holders can view items such as photos or documents they have stored online through a process known as end-to-end encryption. But … Read more

Members of a territorial defense unit in Russia’s southwestern Belgorod region accused law enforcement authorities of arbitrary arrests and searches, the regional news outlet 7×7 reported Friday. In a video address to Belgorod region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov published on Thursday, uniformed members of the Opolcheniye 31 unit voiced concerns about police harassment. “We face danger … Read more

Footballer Jenni Hermoso will appeal against a verdict after Spain’s former football federation boss Luis Rubiales was fined for kissing the player without her consent during the 2023 World Cup. On Thursday, Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault and ordered by Spain’s High Court to pay a fine of €10,800 (£8,942). Rubiales and three … Read more

U.S. and Russian figures have held secret back-channel discussions on Ukraine in Switzerland since Donald Trump’s election victory in November, Reuters reported Thursday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter. The so-called “track two” talks, which involve unofficial expert dialogues rather than government negotiations, are aimed at “improving communication and floating ideas” rather than drafting … Read more

Bea Swallow BBC News, West of England Family Handout Leighann McCready (R) described her daughter as “so much more than a soldier” The mother of a teenage soldier who took her own life following relentless harassment says no apology from the Army “will ever bring our daughter back”. Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck was found … Read more

Kyrgyzstan has called for respect for its “historical and cultural heritage” after a Russian clothing brand used traditional Kyrgyz designs and claimed copyright over them, prompting accusations of “cultural appropriation.” The Central Asian country is closely allied with Moscow but has taken steps to reinforce its national identity in recent years after many decades of … Read more