Putin Visits Mariupol
President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, his first trip to the Donbas region since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict.
News of the visit comes two days after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant of arrest against Putin for war crimes.
Footage of the visit shows Putin speaking with residents, and visiting an art school and a children's center in the occupied city.
Some residents heckled Putin, while others were seen apparently being grateful to the Russian President.
UK should stay out of talks to halt Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – Lord Owen
The former foreign secretary said Rishi Sunak should not talk to Vladimir Putin and any peace talks should be conducted by the two warring countries.
Russia warns of nuclear war over threat of Putin’s arrest
A security official in Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, has warned that any attempt to arrest President Putin, including through an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, would be regarded by the Kremlin as a declaration of war.
Medvedev stated that the threat of a "nuclear apocalypse" has not decreased, but has grown.
The articles highlight his view that providing Ukraine with foreign weapons is bringing a nuclear war closer.
Further, it was reported on The Times of Israel that Medvedev accused the US and NATO allies of destructive efforts to break up and destroy Russia.
Putin Absent From Xi's Arrival in Russia
The leaders of Russia and China held talks in Moscow, with Chinese president Xi Jinping visiting for a high-profile visit.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was absent from greeting Xi upon his arrival, with standard protocol dictating that lower-level officials should greet visiting dignitaries at the airport.
This was not seen as a snub by observers, who note that the two nations have a standardised method for welcoming visits.
Putin and Xi reportedly discussed the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, with Putin welcoming China's interest in settling the conflict.
Chinese President Xi visits Moscow, discusses a solution to Ukraine crisis with Putin
Chinese President Xi Jinping has visited Moscow for a three-day visit to strengthen bilateral ties with Russia's President Vladimir Putin.
This visit is also significant as Xi will be the first world leader to visit Putin since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin over the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.
Russia will present this visit as clear evidence that it has a powerful friend willing to stand with it against a hostile West trying to isolate and defeat it.
The Kremlin has welcomed China's peace plan for Ukraine, which will be discussed at the dinner meeting between Putin and Xi. Meanwhile, China has voiced its proposal for a 12-point political settlement for the on-going Ukraine crisis.
New viral video adds fuel to Vladimir Putin body double conspiracy theory
A video making the rounds on social media furthers the claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin uses body doubles — including on a recent visit to war-torn Ukraine.
ICC regrets Russia’s ‘threats’ over war crimes arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin
Russia launches criminal case against ICC prosecutor while ex-president warns of hypersonic missile attack
Twitter flooded with AI-generated deepfake images of Trump arrest and Putin imprisonment
Twitter has been flooded with AI-generated deepfake images depicting US President Donald Trump's arrest and Russian President Vladimir Putin's imprisonment.
The images have gone viral ahead of news of Trump's possible indictment and Putin's International Criminal Court arrest warrant, sowing confusion and discord.
Frustrated by the sensational images, The American lawmakers have issued similar warnings about the potential for synthetic media to spread disinformation and disrupt news cycles and elections.
China's Xi Jinping visits Moscow, supports Russia amidst Ukraine tensions
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow for a three-day visit to strengthen the "no-limits friendship" between China and Russia.
During their talks, the Kremlin welcomed China's proposed peace plan for Ukraine as fighting continues, but the United States strongly rejected the idea.
Xi called for a ceasefire, while Putin allegedly faces war crimes charges following an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.
International Criminal Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Vladimir Putin
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is accused of committing war crimes in Ukraine.
This development has created a stir in the international community, with Ukraine lauding the "historic decision" and the US President, Joe Biden, acknowledging that Putin has "clearly committed war crimes.
" However, the Kremlin has dismissed the ICC's arrest warrant as "outrageous and unacceptable", while stating that the ICC's decisions are "legally void."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis backpedals on his “territorial dispute” remark about Russian invasion
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis faced widespread criticism after referring to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a "territorial dispute".
He received backlash from his fellow Republicans, including The Wall Street Journal's editorial page and Washington Post columnist George Will.
DeSantis then sought to clear up his remarks in a Fox Nation interview by calling Vladimir Putin a "war criminal".
The opinions on DeSantis' comments differ in The Atlantic, where comments in favour of his pragmatism are made, and The Telegraph, where his recent stance against Putin is emphasised.
The Guardian and The Independent report on his reversal on calling Ukraine-Russia invasion as a "territorial dispute".
Ukraine Plans Counterattack as Russian Forces Falter
Ukraine's top ground forces commander has said that a counteroffensive will be launched very soon, as Russian Wagner mercenaries lose considerable strength and momentum in the fight for Bakhmut.
Ukrainian military also claims that 1,020 Russian troops have been killed in the past 24 hours after unsuccessful attacks on several towns.
The reports suggest that Russia's winter campaign is not yielding results as Ukraine is poised to take advantage of the waning energy of the Russian forces.
While there is little doubt that Ukraine is preparing for a counteroffensive, the differing accounts of the strength of the Russian forces suggest that the outcome could swing in either direction.
Ukrainian children 'deported' to Russia returned to their parents in Kyiv
A Ukrainian father whose three children were accidentally sent to Russia was among a group of 17 children returned to their parents in Kyiv after months of separation.
According to reports, the family of Denys Zaporojtchenko was living together in Kherson, in the occupied south of Ukraine, when Ukrainian forces recaptured the city.
Zaporojtchenko agreed to send his children to holiday camps further south in annexed Crimea to protect them from the fighting which he later realised was a mistake.
China's role in Ukraine conflict debated by US, NATO and Russia
The US and NATO are urging Chinese President Xi Jinping to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine as illegal before engaging with any moderation efforts.
Meanwhile, Russia's President Vladimir Putin welcomed China's proposals for peace in Ukraine during Xi's first visit to Moscow.
China released a plan last month, but it was criticized by the West for allowing Russia to "freeze" its territorial gains in the country.
The US requested China to press Putin to withdraw troops from Ukraine and cease attacks on hospitals or schools.
On the other hand, Putin stated that the plan correlates with Russia's views and that Ukraine's allies have so far shown no interest in the proposal.
Stoltenberg, NATO's Secretary-General, stated that China needs to openly condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine before engaging in any efforts to end the war.
Two sides of the Iraq War
The articles above explore two different facets of the Iraq war.
The New York Times discusses the lingering uncertainty about why the United States invaded Iraq in the first place, leading to catastrophic consequences, including the killing of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and the rise of jihadism.
The Independent reflects on how, twenty years later, the Iraq war has faded from public consciousness, and how it hasn't left a cultural mark in the same way that the Vietnam War did.
Putin visits Crimea on 9th anniversary of annexation
Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of its annexation from Ukraine.
The International Criminal Court had issued an arrest warrant for Putin accusing him of war crimes and holding him personally responsible for the abduction of children from Ukraine during Russia's invasion.
Putin was greeted by the Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol and visited an art school and a children's center.
While Putin's remarks were not broadcasted by the state media, he talked about the importance of holding onto Crimea a day before his visit.
Russia uses drones to attack Ukraine following Xi Jinping state dinner
Russia has sent drones that killed seven people in a town south of Kyiv just after Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, left a formal dinner hosted in a 15th-century palace in Moscow by Vladimir Putin.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, criticised Moscow after the strike but did not mention the Chinese leader's visit.
Analysts suggest that Ukraine is concerned about China's growing relationship with Russia.
Putin welcomes Xi to Moscow, praises Chinese role in Ukraine "crisis"
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping to Moscow, where Putin called Xi his "good old friend" and praised China's "constructive role" in the Ukraine crisis.
Xi also called for a "rational way" out of the crisis, and the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen their countries' already solid alliance.
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin Agree to Deepen China-Russia Ties
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for a two-day summit in Moscow, where they signed an agreement to deepen their strategic partnership and bilateral ties, entering "a new era" of cooperation.
Both leaders called for "responsible dialogue" to resolve the Ukraine crisis, with Putin reportedly stating that economic cooperation between Moscow and Beijing was a "priority" for Russia.
The visit comes after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin for crimes committed in Ukraine.
UK accused of sending "nuclear" tank rounds to Ukraine
UK's Ministry of Defence was caught in the middle of the crossfire between Russia and Ukraine after the announcement that the country is sending armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium to Ukraine to aid in their conflict against Russia.
Russian President, Vladimir Putin accused the West of not being interested in reaching a deal and said that if the UK sends depleted uranium tank ammunition to Ukraine, Russia will "respond accordingly".
However, the spokesperson from UK's MoD have dismissed Putin's remark as "deliberate misinformation" and that depleted uranium is a "standard component" of the armour-piercing shells with "nothing to do with nuclear weapons".
Russian attacks on Ukraine continue
Ukrainian cities have been targeted by Russian drone and missile attacks.
The Kremlin-backed governor of the Russian-occupied Crimea said that the Russian Navy had repelled a drone attack on the port of Sevastopol.
Meanwhile, in Zaporizhzhia, a missile hit an apartment complex resulting in at least one death and over 30 injuries.
Ukrainian officials reported at least seven people killed and nine injured in a drone attack on a college in Rzhyshchiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the front line near Bakhmut, where fighting has been ongoing, on the same day as the attacks.
20 years on, the Iraq war's brutal legacy still haunts those who lived through it
This story reflects on the 20th anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq.
The war promised to bring democracy to Iraq, but two decades later, there is still no democracy in sight and most Iraqis continue to suffer.
The article is based on a book, Stranger in Your Own City, by award-winning reporter Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, who reflects on his experiences covering the conflict.
Manhattan DA accuses Republicans of interference in Trump investigation
Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, accused Republicans in the US Congress of interfering in his investigation of former President Donald Trump regarding a hush money payment made to adult film star, Stormy Daniels.
This follows a letter from House Republicans demanding testimony and documents related to the investigation.
However, Bragg alleges this only occurred because Trump created a false expectation that he would be arrested, and his lawyers urged Republicans to intervene.
Bragg published his letter as it became clear that Trump would not be indicted for offenses related to the $130,000 payment made in 2016.
The grand jury considering the case is not due to meet again until Monday.
Could Vladimir Putin be arrested and stand trial for war crimes?
Sky News speaks to legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg about what could happen next after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against the Russian president.
Putin visits Mariupol while Russia accused of cluster bomb attack in Kramatorsk
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Mariupol, in the Russian-occupied east of Ukraine, according to Russian media.
This marks Putin's first visit to the area since the start of the war.
Meanwhile, Russian strikes resulted in the bombing of Kramatorsk, with the use of cluster bombs, resulting in two people killed and eight wounded, with three of them in a serious condition.
The mayor of Kramatorsk has accused Moscow of continuing to spread terror.