St Petersburg
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Donegal: Brown bears adjusting to new life in Irish countryside
For Bu and Tyapa, the five-year journey from Russia to the Irish countryside was anything but straightforward.
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We cannot fight until the last Ukrainian – it’s time to call Putin’s bluff
The surge in civilian casualties in Ukraine shows how the West, including the UK, must defend Kyiv’s airspace or face worse in the future, explains world affairs editor Sam Kiley
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No more slogans, no more contradictions, Britain needs a hard-nosed plan on Ukraine - Patrick Mercer
“Despite the huge challenge Ukraine was already facing preparing for winter - Russian jet drones, ballistic missiles, and wholesale economic warfare - the US is looking once again not just to abandon Ukraine, but to actively enter the war on the side of Russia”.
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How to watch MLB World Series 2026 for FREE: Live streams, TV channels & schedule as Brewers face Rays
Both teams are aiming to win the Fall Classic for the first time
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Freed US citizen Stephen Hubbard was tortured in Russian jail, former Ukrainian prisoners say
Ukrainians held alongside the American say they witnessed beatings and sexual humiliation by Russian guards during his detention.
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Ukraine hits Russian data centres in blow to Moscow's AI capabilities
Drones hit three Yandex facilities, a Sber centre and a VKontakte server farm across five Russian regions, causing persistent failures in payments, navigation and cloud services. Experts say restoring the infrastructure could take months or years.
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Ukraine hit by strikes after Russia agrees to new peace talks
The three waves of Russian missiles were launched at hours after Russia said it was "ready in principle" to resume peace talks with the US and Ukraine.
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Downing Street rejects Witkoff’s description of Putin as a ‘humanitarian’
No 10 says Russian president ‘has killed thousands of people, both innocent Ukrainians and his own people’
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Ukraine war live: Zelensky says Trump ‘should talk about Putin like he does about me’
Zelensky said he did not understand why Trump had become so critical of Kyiv
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A fraught push for peace, and a race to fund Ukraine
Good morning. It’s Mared Gwyn with your Thursday newsletter. Today: the fraught push to revive peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, cash for Kyiv becomes intertwined in talks on the next EU budget, and Argentina’s Milei reignites a war of words with Spain’s Sánchez. #EuropeToday
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Russia reportedly strikes central Kyiv with cluster-warhead missile
The latest Russian bombardment of Ukraine's capital came just hours after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg, underscoring the stark contrast between Washington's renewed diplomatic efforts and Moscow's continuing attacks on Ukrainian cities.
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France on edge as Macron faces backlash, Putin signals peace talks
France prepares for another weekend of protests as Macron faces criticism over his Gulf tour. Meanwhile, Putin signals readiness for Ukraine peace talks after meeting Steve Witkoff, and Hungary detains former central bank governor György Matolcsy over suspected fraud. #EuropeToday
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Russia bombards Kyiv with missiles hours after agreeing to resume talks with Ukraine
Experts say Russia is trying to destroy energy infrastructure before winter and US ‘appeasement and flattery’ will not achieve peace
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Putin orders release of jailed American as he meets Trump envoy for Ukraine talks
Russia frees Stephen Hubbard after US request while Steve Witkoff praises Putin, wanted by ICC as war criminal, as a ‘humanitarian’
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Ukraine war live: Missiles hit Kyiv as Putin agrees ‘in principle’ to resume talks
At least six people have been left injured in the ballistic missile attack
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‘You are a humanitarian also, sir’: the US feeds Putin with lies as Ukraine’s children take cover and die
Steve Witkoff’s flattery of the Russian leader could be just the start of a mendacious stratagem from a US president who says Moscow ‘has been fine on Ukraine’
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Rosenberg: US diplomatic push offers little hope for imminent Ukraine peace
Russia's President Putin does not feel under pressure right now to end the war.
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Russia says it is ready to resume talks with Ukraine and US to end war
The announcement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin met US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg.
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Putin orders release of jailed American as he meets Trump envoy for Ukraine talks
Russia frees Stephen Hubbard after US request while Steve Witkoff praises Putin, wanted by ICC as war criminal, as a ‘humanitarian’
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Trump’s special envoy tells Vladimir Putin he is a ‘humanitarian’
Steve Witkoff, the United States’ special envoy, lauded Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” for releasing a “wrongfully detained” American as Moscow continued bombing civilians in Ukraine. “You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and I thank you again,” said Witkoff in a clip posted by Russian state media as he met with Putin in St Petersburg. Witkoff is continuing attempts to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday (October 20). On Wednesday, Russia released 74-year-old teacher Stephen James Hubbard, who had been held for four years over claims he was a Ukrainian mercenary. Russia has continued its bombing of Ukraine, killing 328 civilians in September alone.
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Ukraine war live: Trump’s peace envoy calls Putin a ‘humanitarian’
The US envoy flew into Russia's second city on Wednesday morning to review new ideas on ending the war
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Ukraine war latest: Trump celebrates release of US prisoner in Russia
Stephen Hubbard was released in St Petersburg as Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin
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US citizen Stephen Hubbard freed by Russia as Trump envoy meets Putin
The 74-year-old former teacher has been released without any "swap" required, Trump says.
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Putin says Russia has freed US citizen, 74, jailed since 2022
The talks came more than two years since Donald Trump promised in his election campaign to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours
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Trump hails Russia’s release of US teacher amid Witkoff’s visit – live
US was not required to give anything in return for Stephen Hubbard’s release ‘out of respect for President Trump’, he claims
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Macron blasts ‘unacceptable’ and ‘stupid’ commentary on protests from other leaders – Europe live
Macron says he is frustrated by the ‘visible manipulation of information’ about the events in France
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Trump says he will have spent $400m to support Republicans in midterms – as it happened
This live blog is now closed.
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Zelensky says US intelligence sharing 'works now' after talks with Trump envoy in Oslo
Ukraine had accused the US of withholding key intelligence - a claim rejected as "scandalous" by Washington.
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Trump and Zelensky appear at loggerheads despite Oslo optimism
The Ukrainian leader's hug with Steve Witkoff in the Norwegian capital is unlikely to dispel misgivings about US policy towards his country, writes Paul Adams.
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US gave us no warning of Russian strikes on Kyiv power plants, Zelenskyy says
Ukrainian president accuses Washington of ‘denial of reality’ in continuing row with Trump over apparent support for Moscow
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Trump claims Zelensky ‘never wanted to end war’ as rift deepens with Kyiv
Relations worsened after Trump said he would import Russian fuel and dropped planned sanctions on Moscow
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Video. Latest news bulletin
Video. Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this October 19th, 2026 - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.
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Ukraine war live: Kyiv launches massive 1,000-drone attack and sets oil sites ablaze
Ukraine and Russia continue to trade strikes as Donald Trump’s energy ceasefire collapses
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Blaze at St Petersburg oil sites as Kyiv launches more than 1,000 drones at Russia
Ukrainian attacks have set an oil export terminal ablaze in St Petersburg
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Kyiv launches 1,000-drone attack as US resumes intelligence sharing - latest
Ukraine and Russia continue to trade strikes as Donald Trump’s energy ceasefire collapses
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Video. Latest news bulletin
Video. Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this October 18th, 2026 - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.
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Two killed and at least 17 injured as Russia and Ukraine trade blows on power infrastructure
Ukraine used more than 1,000 drones to target Russian oil depots, logistics facilities and datacentres
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Video. Russia: Huge flames and smoke rise over St Petersburg after drone strikes
Video. Huge plumes of black smoke billowed over St Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, on Sunday, 18 October, as a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack sparked fires at industrial and logistics facilities. Russian officials said 126 drones had been intercepted in the surrounding region.
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Oil facilities hit in deadly overnight attack on St Petersburg
At least one person was killed in the strikes, which also hit a data centre used by Russia's equivalent of Facebook.
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Ukraine-Russia war live: Nato jets scrambled in response to unidentified object
Lithuania and Poland say they are investigating incident which temporarily closed a major airport
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Ukrainian drones force closure of all four Moscow airports overnight
Moscow’s airports were closed for 101 hours in the first 14 days of October, more than double the total for all of September.
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Russia funnels nearly half its budget into war as social funds shrink
Russia’s 2027 draft budget allocates a record share to defence and security, as regions quietly divert funds for foster children and orphans to war payments and “coffin money” for soldiers’ families is cut by up to 95% in some areas.
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Russia asks Vietnam for planes as seized Western fleet falls apart
Moscow proposed wet-leasing Vietnamese aircraft, crews and maintenance, but any transfer would involve Airbus or Boeing jets, exposing Vietnamese carriers to secondary sanctions. Nearly a fifth of Russia's largest airlines' planes are already grounded, double the normal downtime rate.
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Exiled separatist leader is likely to return to a very different Catalonia
Nine years on from a failed independence push, former president Carles Puigdemont will find times have changed
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Ukraine latest: Putin tells generals to abandon rules of war, Zelensky says
Seoul says Ukraine must apologise and admit that it breached a confidentiality agreement over captured North Korean soldiers’ transfer
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Kanye West’s sold-out Russia concerts cancelled, organisers confirm
Russia’s foreign ministry had called planned shows unacceptable due to rapper’s ‘glorification’ of Adolf Hitler
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Kanye West’s Russia concerts cancelled after weeks of uncertainty
Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously called the planned shows unacceptable
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Russia expels Hungarian diplomats as Budapest breaks with Orbán era
Moscow ordered Hungarian embassy and consulate staff out just weeks after Budapest expelled 10 Russian diplomats on national security grounds in September, the first such move by Hungary since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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Kanye West's Russia shows cancelled after stadium row
Chaos has surrounded the St Petersburg shows since the stadium said it had not agreed to host the rapper.
