WARS
Friday, 06 December 2024 04:32
What to know after Day 1016 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Ukraine's teenage boys fear a dark dilemma: Fight or run A month before turning 18, Kyiv native Roman Biletskyi left his family and boarded a train westwards to escape Ukraine and any prospect of fighting in its grinding war. "I delayed the decision until the very end," he told Reuters from his college dorm in Slovakia where he travelled to in February. "It was a one-way ticket." Not all Ukrainian teenagers made the same call. Andriy Kotyk, by contrast, joined the army early in the war in 2022 after he turned 18. "I thought everything through and decided…
Thursday, 05 December 2024 04:51
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 426
Lebanon's Hezbollah aims to rebuild longer term despite Israeli blows, US intel says Lebanon's Hezbollah has been significantly degraded militarily by Israel, but the Iran-backed group will likely try to rebuild its stockpiles and forces and pose a longterm threat to the U.S. and its regional allies, four sources briefed on updated U.S. intelligence told Reuters. U.S. intelligence agencies assessed in recent weeks that Hezbollah, even amid Israel's military campaign, had begun to recruit new fighters and was trying to find ways to rearm through domestic production and by smuggling materials through Syria, said a senior U.S. official, an Israeli…
Thursday, 05 December 2024 04:49
What to know after Day 1015 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE US House speaker rules out more Ukraine aid The US House of Representatives will not consider President Joe Biden’s request to include $24 billion in additional aid to Ukraine in a government funding bill, Speaker Mike Johnson has said. In the absence of a formal budget, the US government has been funded through “continuing resolutions” periodically approved by Congress. The White House has requested the $24 billion as part of its latest proposed legislation, which the House would need to adopt before adjourning for Christmas holidays. “I’m not planning to do that,” Johnson said on Wednesday, at a…
Wednesday, 04 December 2024 04:39
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 425
Israel and Hezbollah exchange strikes as ceasefire violations mount At least nine people were killed and three injured on Monday from Israeli strikes on two southern Lebanese towns, Talousa and Haris, as the Israeli military said it struck dozens of Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon. Earlier on Monday, Lebanese authorities reported two additional deaths in Israeli strikes on other parts of southern Lebanon, including a state security member killed while on duty, bringing the day's death toll to 11. The latest Israeli strikes came shortly after Hezbollah accused Israel of violating a ceasefire agreement and fired missiles on an Israeli military…
Wednesday, 04 December 2024 04:37
What to know after Day 1014 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Putin points to mass human rights violations, persecution of Church in Ukraine Mass violations of human rights and religious freedoms are taking place in Ukraine, where the Church is being persecuted and historical memory is being abused, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a welcome message to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia, the team of Emir Kusturica’s documentary "People of Christ. Our time," and the guests of the film’s Russian premiere. "Created by our Serb friends, the documentary is a testimony of the tragic events taking place in Ukraine, which involve mass violations of human rights…
Tuesday, 03 December 2024 04:51
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 424
Hamas says 33 hostages killed in course of war in Gaza Hamas said on Monday that 33 hostages in Gaza had been killed during the almost 14-month-old war between the Palestinian militant group and Israel in the enclave, without giving their nationalities. Hamas added that other hostages had gone missing. "With the continuation of your crazy war," it said in a statement addressed to Israel, "you could lose your hostages forever. Do what you have to do before it is too late." Hamas shortly afterward published a video it said detailed when and how the hostages had been killed, blaming…
Tuesday, 03 December 2024 04:50
What to know after Day 1013 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Kiev too weak to retake territory – Zelensky The Ukrainian army is powerless to push back Russian forces and recapture all the territories that belonged to Kiev before 2014, Vladimir Zelensky has said, adding that his country must rely on diplomacy to achieve this goal. In an interview with Kyodo News on Monday, the Ukrainian leader signaled that Kiev wants to end the conflict as soon as possible and retake Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions after the prospects of joining NATO become clear. He acknowledged, however, that this will not be easy. “Our army lacks the…
Monday, 02 December 2024 04:38
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 423
Egypt hosts Hamas in new Gaza ceasefire push, looting halts aid Hamas leaders held talks with Egyptian security officials on Sunday in a fresh push for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, two Hamas sources said, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to hold security talks on the matter, two Israeli officials said. The Hamas visit to Cairo was the first since the United States announced on Wednesday it would revive efforts in collaboration with Qatar, Egypt and Turkey to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza, that would include a hostage deal. White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan…
Monday, 02 December 2024 04:37
What to know after Day 1012 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Ukrainian military desertions skyrocketing – FT More than twice as many Ukrainian soldiers have been charged with desertion this year than in 2022 and 2023 combined, the Financial Times has reported. The spike in desertions has hampered Kiev’s ability to replenish its thinned-out ranks. Ukrainian prosecutors opened 60,000 cases against deserters between January and October of this year, the British newspaper reported on Saturday, noting that those convicted face prison terms of up to 12 years. For some of these men, desertion is seen as the only way of getting off the front lines to rest. Ukrainian lawmakers…
Sunday, 01 December 2024 04:36
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 422
An Israeli strike in Gaza kills World Central Kitchen workers. Israel says 1 was an Oct. 7 attacker An Israeli airstrike on a car in the Gaza Strip on Saturday killed five people, including employees of World Central Kitchen. The charity said it was “urgently seeking more details” after Israel’s military said it targeted a WCK worker who was part of the Hamas attack that sparked the war. WCK said it was “heartbroken” and it had no knowledge anyone in the car had alleged ties to the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, adding it was “working with incomplete information.” It said…
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Sunday, 01 December 2024 04:34
What to know after Day 1011 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Ukraine loses over 36,800 troops, 225 tanks: situation in Russia’s Kursk Region The Ukrainian army lost over 250 troops in the Kursk area in the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Ukraine’s losses have reached 36,850 troops and 225 tanks since fighting began in the region. Russian forces continue their operation to eliminate Ukrainian units. TASS has gathered the main information about the situation in the region. Operation to wipe out Ukrainian units - Units of Battlegroup North defeated the forces of the 21st, 41st, 44th and 47th mechanized brigades, the 17th Heavy Mechanized Brigade, the Fifth…
Saturday, 30 November 2024 04:56
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 421
Hamas attacker opens fire at Israeli bus in West Bank, injuring at least 8: report An alleged gunman from the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas opened fire Friday at an Israeli bus in the West Bank, injuring eight people, including four soldiers, reports say. The incident near the settlement of Ariel ended when the attacker, identified by Hamas as 46-year-old Samer Hussein, was killed by Israeli troops. "As a result of the shooting attack, four IDF soldiers were lightly injured and were evacuated to a hospital to receive medical treatment," the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement, adding that "an…
Saturday, 30 November 2024 04:55
What to know after Day 1010 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Ukraine asks NATO for membership invite next week, letter shows Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has urged his NATO counterparts to issue an invitation to Kyiv at a meeting in Brussels next week to join the Western military alliance, according to the text of a letter seen by Reuters on Friday. The letter reflects Ukraine's renewed push to secure an invitation to join NATO, which is part of a "victory plan" outlined last month by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to end the wartriggered by Russia's 2022 invasion. Zelenskiy told UK-based Sky News that offering Ukraine NATO membership while allowing…
Friday, 29 November 2024 04:30
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 420
Israel and Hezbollah trade accusations of ceasefire violations The Israeli military said its air force struck a facility used by Hezbollah to store mid-range rockets in southern Lebanon on Thursday, after both sides accused each other of breaching a ceasefire that aims to halt over a year of fighting. Israel said it also opened fire on Thursday towards what it called "suspects" with vehicles arriving at several areas in the southern zone, saying it was a breach of the truce with Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, which came into effect on Wednesday. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah in turn accused Israel of…