An open letter to the president

Boris Johnson has written an open letter to the children of Ukraine, praising them as role models for children and adults everywhere and telling them "we in the UK will never forget you". He writes that "in any other year, children like you would be spilling out of your homes and schools to play with your friends, to chase a football... to simply enjoy what is supposed to be a uniquely carefree time in your lives. "Of course, this is not any other year," he adds. Ukraine news live: Russia sends 'Terminator' tank to Donbas The letter references his trip to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy in April, when he praised the Ukrainian president's "resolute leadership" and "invincible heroism". Advertisement He repeats this praise for the children of Ukraine and asks them to keep two things in mind, firstly that they should be immensely proud "of your country, your parents, your families and your soldiers, and most of all proud of … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson pens open letter to children of Ukraine, saying: ‘You are not alone’

A nonprofit group aimed at supporting women and children abuse victims released a statement on Friday in support of actor Johnny Depp, who is suing his ex-wife Amber Heard over an op-ed she wrote about domestic violence. Mission NGO founder and president Valeria Altobelli, a former Miss Italy, said in a statement that the support group, as “women” and “free thinkers,” have “compassion” for Depp. “In deep respect of the victims of domestic abuses [sic] that we have to affirm for intellectual honesty are, generally, WOMEN, we feel to express, as women, as mothers, as free thinkers, our compassion for Johnny Depp in this bad page of his personal history,” the statement said, suggesting Depp is an exception to the general rule that women are almost always the victims of domestic abuse. “As women, we have compassion and we feel empathy not for THE star, THE talent, THE actor but for a man, a father, a worker, A HUMAN,” the former beauty queen also wrote in an open letter. “Mental … [Read more...] about Beauty-Queen Run Women’s Abuse Group Releases Statement Supporting Johnny Depp | The Daily Wire

Finland, Sweden strive to reassure reluctant Erdogan on NATO bids Russia publishes full list of 963 Americans banned from entering Diplomacy only way to end war, Zelenskyy says Russia halts gas exports to Finland UN refugee agency says over 6.4 million people have fled Ukraine This article was last updated at 23:42 UTC/GMT This live updates article has been closed. For the latest news on the war in Ukraine, please click here. Austria: Protesters occupy alleged Russian oligarch villa Activists near Salzburg, Austria, occupied a lakeside villa thought to belong to a Russian businessman. The property is located in the town of Unterburgau, near the city of Salzburg. While protesters claimed 40 people were calling for the expropriation of the property, police said only 10 people were involved. Austria's land register and Finance Ministry register said the villa does not belong to an oligarch subject to EU sanctions but instead to a company associated with one … [Read more...] about Ukraine: Diplomacy only way to end war, Zelenskyy says — as it happened

By declaring their intention to join the NATO defense alliance, Finland and Sweden are respectively abandoning decades and centuries of neutrality . Yet Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has said Austria has no intention of following suit. He reiterated that sentiment in April, shortly before traveling to Moscow to implore Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his invasion of neighboring Ukraine, saying, "Austria was neutral, Austria is neutral, and Austria will remain neutral." But then, 50 prominent Austrians — from business, politics, academia and civil society — raised the issue publicly. In an open letter, they called on Federal President Alexander van der Bellen to independently examine whether the country's policy of neutrality was fitting for the times. "Historically, various sides have made a number of pushes to scrap neutrality but they have always failed," says Viennese political scientist Heinz Gärtner. "None of the big political parties want it and the people … [Read more...] about Will Austria abandon neutrality to join NATO?

Pentagon officials are considering plans to deploy members of the U.S. Special Forces to guard the nation’s reopened embassy in Kyiv as Russia continues its military invasion of Ukraine. The report comes as the White House remains concerned over American diplomats in Ukraine, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Sunday. “We are in close touch with our colleagues at the State Department about potential security requirements now that they have resumed operations at the embassy in Kyiv,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement. “But no decisions have been made, and no specific proposals have been debated at senior levels of the department about the return of U.S. military members to Ukraine for that or any other purpose,” he added. The U.S. embassy in Kyiv is currently protected by Diplomatic Security Services, according to the State Department. While the safety of the nation’s diplomats is important, some are concerned that sending Special … [Read more...] about Pentagon Considers Sending Special Forces To Guard Kyiv Embassy In Ukraine | The Daily Wire