Irish university A-level criteria 'disadvantaging NI applicants'
A new study suggests the treatment of A-levels makes it harder for NI students to get in.
2023-09-18 14:30
Australian man fined for taking pet snake surfing
Wildlife officers say the man endangered Shiva the snake and breached his permit to keep her.
2023-09-18 14:28
Parliament: Indian lawmakers attend five-day special session
The government's surprise announcement of the session had sparked criticism from opposition leaders.
2023-09-18 14:26
Ukraine says recapture of key village near Bakhmut a ‘springboard’ for more gains against Russia
Ukraine’s military claims its latest recapture of a key village in Bakhmut will act as a “springboard” for further offensive actions against Russia’s continuing invasion. Ukraine scored another victory recently when it recently recaptured village Klishchiivka that lies in the southern flank of Bakhmut, as its forces fought off Russian attempts to get back into the area. The war-torn country’s forces had last week also recaptured Andriivka, another village a few kilometres to the south of Klishchiivka, after earlier criticism alleged Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces had slowed. Both settlements have been reduced to ghost towns and destroyed in the months of fighting for Bakhmut that had fallen into Russian hands in May this year. “Now we have gained a springboard for ourselves, which in the future will allow us to continue to develop offensive operations and liberate our land from the invaders,” Illia Yevlash, spokesperson for Ukraine’s troops in the east, said in a national telecast after they retook Klishchiivka. The battle inflicted “powerful damage” on many Russian-led units, he said. These included airborne units, the “Akhmat” battalion of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, Storm-Z military units comprising Russian criminals, the Russian General Staff’s military intelligence and motorised rifle units. Mr Yevlash said the recapture of Klishchiivka will help Ukraine fire deeper and precise strikes on Russian targets in the Donetsk region, several kilometres south of Bakhmut. “In addition, this exposure of the flanks, in particular the southern flank, will allow us to further move more conveniently into the depths of the enemy’s positions and deliver more accurate and deeper strikes using various artillery systems, FPV drones and other available weapons,” the official said. Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday lauded his troops. “Today I would like to particularly commend the soldiers who, step by step, are returning to Ukraine what belongs to it, namely in the area of Bakhmut,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly address. He thanked the successful units – the 80th airborne assault brigade, the 5th assault brigade, the “glorious 95th” and a national police assault brigade – in the address. Mr Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said, “Ukraine always gets its own back”. Deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar confirmed the recapture on Sunday and posted a video of Ukrainian forces displaying the national flag on ruined buildings even as the fighting could be heard in the background. She said Russian forces were still trying to regain lost positions in the region despite losing out on the territorial fight over the control of the village. “Today we had to fight off enemy’s attacks all day,” she said. Klishchiivka had a pre-war population of around 400 and falls 9km south of Bakhmut. The country’s military analysts said liberation of settlements near Bakhmut will propel Ukraine’s forces to advance from the southern flank in the Bakhmut, and give them control of the heights in the region. The Institute for the Study of War cited geolocated footage shared by Ukrainian officials and said the recapture was of “strategic significance”. “The liberation of Klishchiivka, as well as continued Ukrainian tactical gains northwest of Bakhmut, are tactical gains of strategic significance because they are allowing Ukrainian forces to fix a considerable portion of Russian airborne (VDV) elements in the Bakhmut area,” the US based think-tank said. Meanwhile, explosions were heard in Sevastopol and smoke was seen rising from a prominent landmark just kilometres away from the Crimean city as Ukrainian forces announced they were carrying out a joint intelligence operation in the region illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. Read More New explosions at Sevastopol as Ukraine launches fresh drone strikes on Crimea Ukraine liberates village near Bakhmut amid Russian losses in east and south China's foreign minister Wang Yi heads to Moscow after meeting US national security adviser
2023-09-18 14:23
Alibaba tells Erdogan it plans to invest $2 billion in Turkey
ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd has told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan it plans to invest $2
2023-09-18 14:22
Chevron says Australian LNG plant is back to full production after 3 days at 80% output
The Chevron Corp. says a liquefied natural gas plant in Australia has resumed full production after a fault cut output by one-fifth for three days
2023-09-18 14:20
Prosus, Naspers Chief Executive Officer Bob van Dijk Steps Down
Prosus NV and Naspers Chief Executive Officer Bob van Dijk is stepping down as the head of the
2023-09-18 14:17
Crypto Platform JPEX Shuts Down Trading Amid Hong Kong Probe
Cryptocurrency platform JPEX shut down some trading during an ongoing investigation by the Hong Kong police. Users won’t
2023-09-18 13:59
Multiple crises batter Washington and set up a fateful 2024 election
A confluence of crises jarring America's political, democratic, judicial and economic systems, often fueled by Donald Trump and far-right Republicans, threatens to severely test Joe Biden's presidency amid rising doubts over his reelection bid.
2023-09-18 13:54
Alibaba Unveils $2 Billion Turkey Investment in Erdogan Meeting
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. announced plans to invest $2 billion in Turkey after a meeting with President Recep
2023-09-18 13:47
Ukraine-Russia war – live: Kyiv says it has retaken Klishchiivka as drones target Crimea and Moscow
Ukraine has claimed the recapture of the eastern village of Klishchiivka on the southern flank of Bakhmut after a period of reported heavy fighting. It follows the recapture of Andriivka, another village in the region, earlier in the week and Kyiv forces are said to be gaining ground. On Sunday they sent drones to disrupt air traffic in Moscow and causing a fire at an oil depot, according to Russian reports. "Klishchiivka was cleared of the Russians and liberated," Alexander Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine's ground forces, said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. Meanwhile, Britain’s Ministry of Defence has said Russia is likely building new defences in southern Ukraine amid “growing concern” among Vladimir Putin’s forces about Kyiv’s success in breaching its first defensive line. Moscow’s troops are believed to be “deploying additional checkpoints, ‘hedgehog’ anti-tank defences and digging new trenches” near the Zaporizhzhia village of Tokmak, which is situated just 16km from Ukraine’s forces, and is set to become a “lynchpin” of Russia’s second defensive line, the ministry said. Read More Nato chief warns Putin eyes ‘long war’ as Ukraine claims eastern village Ukraine is the spotlight at UN leaders' gathering, but is there room for other global priorities? First cargo grain ships arrive in Ukraine through Black Sea using new route North Korea’s Kim Jong-un heads home after six-day Russian state visit
2023-09-18 13:29
9 teens escape from Pennsylvania juvenile detention center after a riot, police say
Nine teenagers have fled from a juvenile detention center in Pennsylvania following a riot at the facility Sunday evening, according to police.
2023-09-18 13:26
