Articles from ‘Independent News Roundup’ in ‘World News’

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is moving towards ending the war in Ukraine, responding to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's renewed call for a peaceful settlement. The statement signals a willingness to pursue diplomacy, but substantial differences remain over what any final settlement would require — and Ukraine continues to reject Russian demands over territory and its future security arrangements. INR Report: Based on…

The US attacks an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz, killing two IRGC soldiers, but Tehran fires back, targeting Jordan with ballistic missiles. The Shanghai Co-operation Organisation kicks off its annual summit. Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, and Masoud Pezeshkian are all in attendance, with Iran's President stressing the importance of the bloc in the multi-polar world. The German Chancellor seeks to cut social spending and…

Weeks after tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, mounting pressure on the small territory has spilled into street protests and clashes. Residents demanding deportations and the removal of makeshift migrant camps confronted police at El Trampolín beach, exposing an increasingly volatile political and humanitarian crisis. INR Report: Based on reporting by Steve Watson for Modernity News,…

Former National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent says the United States risks backing itself into a position where nuclear weapons become an increasingly conceivable military option. In a wide-ranging interview with Tucker Carlson, Kent argues that Washington’s objectives in Iran remain poorly defined, while Carlson makes the more explosive argument that any president who seriously entertains the first use of nuclear weapons should be…

Donald Trump says the United States has secured majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil — a volume greater than America's existing proved crude reserves. The agreement could attract around US$100 billion in private investment, but Venezuela retains legal ownership of the resources and the precise structure of Washington's claimed control remains unclear. INR Report: Based on reporting by RT HERE · US President…

Europe is heading towards winter with gas storage at around 64% — well below the roughly 80% seasonal average of recent years — as the Iran conflict disrupts Middle Eastern LNG flows and competition for available supplies intensifies. With Russian gas largely removed from Europe's previous energy mix, analysts warn that a cold winter or further supply disruption could trigger another sharp increase in prices. INR Report: Based on reporting by…

Two senior German political figures are calling for a legal process that could outlaw Alternative for Germany as the AfD continues to gain electoral support. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Baden-Württemberg Governor Cem Özdemir argue that elements of the party threaten Germany’s democratic constitutional order — raising a difficult question over how a democracy should respond when a party accused of extremism commands substantial voter…

CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly proposed bringing Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky together for trilateral talks during a covert visit to Moscow. While the details remain largely undisclosed, confirmation of direct meetings between senior US and Russian intelligence chiefs suggests that channels between Washington and Moscow are operating behind the scenes despite the continuing Ukraine conflict. INR Report: Based on…

Venezuela has unveiled a sweeping 25-year energy agreement with the United States covering 17 strategic oilfields and an initial production target of more than 1.5 million barrels a day. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez says the arrangement will bring badly needed capital and technology into Venezuela while preserving national ownership of its oil - although the scale of US control being claimed by President Donald Trump has already raised…

Ukraine marks its Independence day - 35 years after the break up of the Soviet Union. Ahead in the programme we take a look at how its economy spiraled long before the conflict with Russia, even though it inherited a vast industrial base and resource rich lands. We speak to the grandmother of Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old girl shot and killed along with her family by the IDF. Israel now admits its soldiers were responsible and launched an…