Thursday, May 15, 2025
Pirates - Simple sailors or brutal thieves?
Six In The Morning Thursday 15 May 2025
Zelensky to send defence minister to talks on Ukraine but says Russia 'not serious' about peace
Zelensky Says Putin Is 'Not Serious' About Peace
BBC News
Summary
Ukraine's President Zelensky says he's sending his defence minister to peace talks in Istanbul with Russia - but adds that Russia is "not serious" about "real talks"
Speaking in Ankara, Zelensky says he's sending his minister out of "respect" for Turkey's President Erdogan and US President Donald Trump
Talks between Ukrainian and Russian teams were scheduled for Istanbul today - Zelensky had challenged Putin to attend in person
But when Putin didn't attend, Zelensky accused him of sending "stand-in props"
Russia's foreign ministry hit back, calling Zelensky a "clown and a loser"
And Donald Trump said "nothing's going to happen" on Ukraine peace talks until he and Russian President Putin meet in person
Russia 'ready' to discuss 'possible compromises' - delegation leader
We can now bring you some more lines from the Russian delegation that is in Istanbul for peace negotiations with Ukraine.
As we just reported, Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinksy has been addressing the media in Istanbul.
He says Russia considers the talks in Istanbul as a continuation of the last face-to-face talks held between Ukraine and Russia in 2022.
Medinsky says Russia is "ready" to discuss "possible compromises" and is in a "working mood".
He adds that his delegation - which Zelensky earlier called "low-level" - consists of "chief officials of all relevant authorities".
Fifa breaching own human rights rules over Saudi Arabian World Cup, lawyers say
- Fifa ‘under an obligation’ to see ‘human rights are upheld’
- Group including ex-Fifa adviser makes official complaint
A group of leading lawyers has submitted an official complaint to Fifa, alleging the governing body has failed to follow its own human rights rules in relation to the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia. The 30-page complaint has been filed via Fifa’s official grievance mechanism and calls for immediate action in five areas.
The complaint has been authored by Fifa’s former anti-corruption adviser Mark Pieth, the Swiss lawyer Stefan Wehrenberg and the British barrister Rodney Dixon, who submitted a report to Fifa a year ago warning of the risks of awarding the tournament to the Gulf state.
Germany backs 5% NATO defense spending target
After meeting with his US counterpart at a gathering of NATO foreign ministers in Turkey, Germany's foreign minister said Berlin is willing to "follow" US President's Trump's demand for increased defense spending.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Thursday that Berlin accepts in principle the demand from the United States that NATO member states increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.
Speaking on the sidelines of an informal gathering of NATO foreign ministers in Antalya, Turkey, Wadephul said: "The result is the 5% that President [Donald] Trump has called for, and we will follow him in this respect."
Japan to seek 3rd round of U.S. trade talks next week
By Yoshifumi Takemoto and Leika Kihara
Japan's top trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, could travel to Washington as soon as next week for a third round of trade talks with the U.S., two sources with knowledge of the plans told Reuters on Thursday.
The date of his visit was fluid and would depend on how much progress the two countries can make in narrowing differences in staff-level negotiations, one of the sources said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly.
Israel kills over 100 in Gaza as Palestinians mark 77 years since the Nakba
New attacks kill at least 115 in Gaza as Israeli far right urges occupied West Bank assault on Nakba anniversary.
At least 115 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in a wave of Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, deepening an already catastrophic toll after 19 months of unrelenting bombardment.
This comes as Palestinians mark the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, or catastrophe, when more than 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly expelled by Zionist paramilitary groups during the creation of Israel in 1948.
Beware unkempt tourists: Latvia tells citizens how to spot Russian spies
Security agency warns people in Baltic state to be wary of nosy small talk and tourists with specialist equipment
Thu 15 May 2025 15.12 BST
One of Latvia’s intelligence services has warned its citizens that there may be Russian saboteurs and spies in their midst, and given them a handy guide on how to spot them.
In its annual report, the Baltic state’s Defence Intelligence and Security Service, known as MIDD, offered advice to its nearly two million-strong population on how to scope out possible operatives sent by Russia.
A shabby, unkempt appearance and “insufficient hygiene” might be one telltale sign an agent has gone underground. Other red flags include overly nosy small talk with locals, a short, military-style haircut, or tourists who do not know the terrain but have an unusual amount of outdoor survival equipment such as specialised medical kits, maps or radios.
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Six In The Morning Wednesday 14 May 2025
Israeli bombing wave kills dozens in Gaza including at least 22 children, say reports
Bombardment signals new escalation after Netanyahu said Israel would ‘go in with full force to complete the operation’
Wed 14 May 2025 11.37 BST
An intense wave of Israeli bombing has reportedly killed dozens of people in Gaza, including many children, signalling a new escalation at a critical moment in regional politics.
The exact number of deaths from the attacks was unclear, with estimates ranging from about 30 to more than 50, making it one of the highest tolls in a single morning for many weeks.
The Associated Press, citing local hospitals, reported that at least 22 children were killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza overnight on Tuesday and early on Wednesday. Reuters quoted local authorities and medical officials who said at least 50 died in strikes on Wednesday morning on houses in Jabaliya, in northern Gaza
India blocks Chinese, Turkish news agencies from X
India has blocked X accounts belonging to state media from China and Turkey. The move comes as disinformation has been rife in both India and Pakistan amid last week's tit-for-tat military strikes.
The X accounts of Chinese state news agency Xinhua, English-language Communist Party media Global Times, and Turkey's TRTWorld were blocked in India as of Wednesday afternoon local time.
The blocked accounts come as India claims misinformation is being spread by foreign media outlets about last week's military clashes with arch-rival Pakistan.
India and Pakistan reached the brink of war last week with the nuclear-armed nations exchanging missile, drone and shell fire.
Turkey eyes legal steps after Kurdish militant group PKK disbands
After the decision by the Kurdish militant group PKK to disband, Turkey was eyeing Wednesday a raft of legal and technical measures to ensure its full implementation and finally end a four-decade insurgency.
Monday's announcement sought to draw a line under a bloody chapter that began in 1984 when the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) took up arms, triggering a conflict that cost more than 40,000 lives.
"What matters most is the implementation," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday, pledging to "meticulously monitor whether the promises are kept".
The pro-Kurdish DEM party, a key player that facilitated contact between jailed PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan and the political establishment, urged Ankara on Tuesday to take "confidence-building steps" such as freeing political prisoners.
What to know about possible Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Turkey
The talks have taken place in the warring capitals of Moscow and Kyiv, from Washington and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to countries across Europe. Now, all eyes are finally turning to Istanbul to seek an end to Russia’s 3-year-old, full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed restarting direct peace talks Thursday with Ukraine in the Turkish city that straddles Asia and Europe. And President Volodymyr Zelenskyy challenged the Kremlin leader to meet in Turkey in person.
Relief on China's factory floors as US tariffs put on hold
Laura Bicker
There's a vast empty space in the middle of the factory floor in Foshan in southern China where workers should be welding high-end air fryers for the US market.
Derek Wang says his American customers were wowed by his air fryer models - which are controlled via smartphones and can also bake, roast and grill.
But then on 2 April, Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs hit all Chinese goods entering the US, eventually reaching 145% - and his clients asked him to pause production.
Taking Inches in Battle, Russia Demands Miles in Talks
As the world waits to to see if he shows up in Turkey for cease-fire negotiations this week, President Vladimir V. Putin has been sending a clear message, reinforced by his officials. They are winning on the battlefield, so they should get what they want.
Mr. Putin said in late March that Russian forces had the advantage on the entire front and suggested Moscow was close to vanquishing the Ukrainians — an argument the Kremlin has used to underpin hardball demands. “We have reason to believe that we are set to finish them off,” Mr. Putin said, adding: “People in Ukraine need to realize what is going on.”