WARS
Thursday, 29 February 2024 04:40
What to know after Day 735 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Western special forces working in Ukraine – FT The unofficial presence of Western special forces in Ukraine is a matter of common knowledge, the Financial Times wrote on Tuesday, citing a senior European defense official, speaking anonymously. The comment came in response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s earlier suggestion of potential NATO deployments in Ukraine. Speaking to the media after a gathering of European leaders in Paris on Monday, Macron said there was “no consensus [at the meeting] to send, in an official manner, troops on the ground, but in terms of dynamics, we cannot exclude anything.” He…
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 04:40
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 145
A deal between Israel and Hamas appears to be taking shape. What would it look like? Israel and Hamas are inching toward a new deal that would free some of the roughly 130 hostages held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a weekslong pause in the war, now in its fifth month. U.S. President Joe Biden says a deal could go into effect as early as Monday, ahead of what is seen as an unofficial deadline — the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, around March 10. A deal would bring some respite to desperate people in…
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 04:39
What to know after Day 734 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE NATO allies reject Emmanuel Macron idea of troops to Ukraine Several Nato countries, including the US, Germany and the UK, have ruled out deploying ground troops to Ukraine, after French President Emmanuel Macron said "nothing should be excluded". Mr Macron said there was "no consensus" on sending Western soldiers to Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has warned of direct conflict if Nato troops deploy there. Russian forces have recently made gains in Ukraine and Kyiv has urgently appealed for more weapons. Macron told a news conference on Monday evening: "We should not exclude that there might be a…
Tuesday, 27 February 2024 04:43
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 144
Israel destroys 10km Hamas tunnel in northern Gaza The IDF claimed that the extensive underground network linked a cancer hospital and a university Israel’s military say they have destroyed an extensive underground tunnel that was used by Hamas, with openings leading to a cancer hospital and a university in the northern Gaza Strip. The tunnel, said to be 10km (6 miles) long, ran between the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship hospital and Israa University, located south of Gaza City, up to the northern neighbourhood of Zeitoun. The army unit in charge of locating and destroying tunnel networks said its discovery was part of…
Tuesday, 27 February 2024 04:42
What to know after Day 733 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE NATO troops in Ukraine can’t be ruled out – Macron French President Emmanual Macron has argued that deployments of troops to Ukraine by NATO members and other allies cannot be ruled out because Western powers must stop at nothing to ensure that Russia does not defeat Kiev’s forces. “There’s no consensus today to send, in an official manner, troops on the ground,” Macron told reporters after hosting a meeting of European leaders on Monday in Paris. “But in terms of dynamics, we cannot exclude anything. We will do everything necessary to prevent Russia from winning this war.” France…
Monday, 26 February 2024 04:39
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 143
Netanyahu says a cease-fire deal would only delay 'somewhat' an Israeli military offensive in Rafah An Israeli military offensive in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah could be “delayed somewhat” if a deal is reached for a weekslong cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, and claimed that total victory in the territory would come within weeks once the offensive begins. Netanyahu confirmed to CBS that a deal is in the works, with no details. Talks resumed Sunday in Qatar at the specialist level, Egypt’s state-run Al Qahera TV reported, citing an Egyptian official as saying discussions…
Monday, 26 February 2024 04:38
What to know after Day 732 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Russia will try new offensive in Ukraine as early as May, Zelenskiy says Russia is preparing a new offensive against Ukraine starting in late May or summer, but Kyiv has a clear battlefield plan of its own, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday. Speaking a day after the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Zelenskiy said it was vital for Kyiv and its Western allies to remain united and reiterated that Ukraine's victory depends on continued Western support. "We will prepare for their assault. Their assault that began on Oct. 8 has not brought any results, I…
Sunday, 25 February 2024 04:51
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 142
Israeli officials to meet on a proposed pause in Gaza while the Cabinet is set to OK a Rafah plan Israeli officials will meet Saturday night on the next steps after the latest talks with the United States, Egypt and Qatar in search of a deal on pausing the fighting in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. But Netanyahu announced that he’ll convene the Cabinet early next week to “approve the operational plans for action in Rafah,” including the evacuation of civilians, despite widespread warnings from the international community about a military ground operation in the southern city where…
Sunday, 25 February 2024 04:50
What to know after Day 731 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE How Russia's military uses volunteer fighters to plug gaps in Ukraine When Russian forces withdrew from the town of Balakliia in eastern Ukraine in late 2022, pursued by Ukrainian troops and under artillery fire, they left a poorly equipped group of volunteers to guard their retreat. The force of around 50 men came from the National Army Combat Reserve - known by its Russian acronym BARS - a loose assembly of units totaling several thousand fighters that Russia's defense ministry has deployed in Ukraine to supplement its regular forces. About four hours of footage from a bodycam worn…
Saturday, 24 February 2024 04:31
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 141
Netanyahu seeks open-ended control over security and civilian affairs in Gaza in new postwar plan A long-awaited postwar plan by Israel’s prime minister shows that his government seeks open-ended control over security and civilian affairs in the Gaza Strip. That was swiftly rejected Friday by Palestinian leaders and runs counter to Washington’s vision for the war-ravaged enclave. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented the two-page document to his security Cabinet late Thursday for approval. Deep disagreements over Gaza’s future have led to increasingly public friction between Israel and the United States, its closest ally. The Biden administration seeks eventual Palestinian governance…
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Saturday, 24 February 2024 04:30
What to know after Day 730 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Ukraine's defences under strain as war enters its third year Ukraine marks the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion on Saturday looking more vulnerable than at any time since the early days of Europe's most deadly conflict since World War Two. The former Soviet republic's 40 million people defied expectations - and the Kremlin's best-laid plans - by repelling a much larger enemy and preventing outright defeat in the days and weeks after Russian tanks and soldiers rolled towards Kyiv. But as the war enters its third year, international aid and military supplies have slowed, impacting the battlefield…
Friday, 23 February 2024 04:44
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 140
Mideast cease-fire efforts gain steam as US envoy visits. Mediators report 'encouraging' signs International efforts to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas appeared to gain new momentum Thursday as the White House said a visit by a senior envoy with Israeli leaders was “going well” and other mediators reported encouraging signs from the warring parties. The new signs of progress came ahead of an expected summit this weekend in Paris, where mediators plan to present a new proposal. The U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been struggling for weeks to find a formula that could halt Israel’s devastating offensive in…
Friday, 23 February 2024 04:43
What to know after Day 729 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Russia says it has taken Pobieda village in Donetsk region, Ukraine reports fighting Russian troops have taken the village of Pobieda in Ukraine's Donetsk region, the Russian defence ministry said on Thursday, but the Ukrainian military said its forces were repelling dozens of attacks in the area. Pobieda is a village south of Maryinka, a town that has been all but levelled by months of clashes. Russia's defence ministry said it had taken Pobieda and improved its position in several other areas of the Donetsk region. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces, in its evening report on…
Thursday, 22 February 2024 05:01
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 139
New attempts at Gaza cease-fire are underway, Israel's Gantz says New attempts are underway to reach a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas that could pause the war in Gaza, a member of Israel’s War Cabinet said late Wednesday. “Initial signs indicate a possibility of moving forward,” said Benny Gantz, a former military chief and defense minister. It’s the first Israeli indication of renewed cease-fire talks since negotiations stalled a week ago. However, Gantz repeated his pledge that unless Hamas agrees to release the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza, Israel will launch a ground offensive into the crowded southern city…