EU external relations, diplomacy, and security
Andy Burnham is travelling to Kyiv to hand Ukrainian President Zelensky long-range missile blueprints, dramatically raising the stakes in Britain’s military support. The visit comes after Moscow warned of consequences over reported British drone use by Ukraine.
Nearly 3.6 million Syrians have returned home since al-Assad’s fall, only to face destroyed houses, crippling power cuts and wages a fraction of what they earned abroad. Some are rebuilding — but others are already planning to leave again.
A Russian overnight barrage of missiles and drones tore through a residential district of Kyiv, killing at least four people and leaving hundreds displaced. Residents spent Thursday morning salvaging belongings from the rubble as emergency crews worked the scene.
The Pentagon is exploring whether European missile launchers could be cleared to fire American munitions, a shift that would mark a major step in NATO battlefield integration. The talks come as European allies scramble to rebuild ammunition stockpiles depleted by support for Ukraine.
Russia killed at least 17 people in an overnight assault on Kyiv that mayor Vitali Klitschko says deliberately targeted critical infrastructure. Hot water supplies have been cut for hundreds of thousands of residents as the city assesses the damage.
Chidimma Adetshina is challenging a deportation bid from South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs, insisting she was born in Johannesburg and has lived there her entire life. The beauty queen’s case heads to the Gauteng High Court in the coming weeks.
UN Human Rights Council experts have condemned Singapore’s execution of at least 16 people for drug offences this year, calling it unlawful under international law. The independent rapporteurs are demanding an immediate moratorium and a path toward full abolition.
UN rights chief Volker Türk has warned that civilian casualties in Yemen are rising sharply, urging all parties to show restraint as Houthi strikes on Red Sea shipping deepen the regional crisis. The conflict shows no sign of slowing, with millions already displaced and food insecure.
Around 860,000 displaced Lebanese have returned home after months of conflict, but the UN says the humanitarian crisis remains overwhelming. Entire communities face destroyed infrastructure, housing, and shortages of basic supplies heading into winter.
The US and South Korea have agreed to shorten their joint military drills just days after Trump called them ‘hostile’ and ordered Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to scale them back. The sudden move is raising alarm among analysts who warn it hands North Korea a free concession before any talks begin.
