Ukraine launches Donetsk offensive, reports territorial gains

26 min agoRalf Richter, the German actor best known for his role in the 1981 film Das Boot, has died at age 69. He played Dieselmaat Frenssen in the submarine drama, which launched his career and made him a popular television star.

56 min agoUkrainian forces have begun an offensive operation in the north of Donetsk region, where the fiercest battles of the four-year war have occurred. Brigadier-General Andrii Biletskyi said the Third Army Corps cleared 75 square kilometers of Russian infiltration groups and recaptured 10 square kilometers, with the operation designated 'Vivaldi'.

1 h agoProsecutors in Los Angeles said Tuesday they will not pursue capital punishment against Nick Reiner, who is charged with murder in the deaths of his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, who were stabbed in their home last December. Reiner, 32, has pleaded not guilty and has a history of serious mental illness.

3 h agoHungary's government submitted legislation to parliament to remove rules prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality to minors, which were enacted under Viktor Orban's nationalist government that was ousted in April elections. The EU's top court ruled in April that the restrictions breached EU law and contributed to stigmatisation of gay people.

4 h agoYemen's Houthis attacked southern Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles and drones on Tuesday, wounding 13 civilians in strikes on Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif. Saudi Arabia vowed to respond firmly and issued emergency alerts across multiple regions including Jeddah and Mecca.

4 h agoNairobi has been selected to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, marking the first time an African city will stage the event. Munich will host the 2031 edition. World Athletics president Seb Coe announced the decision at a council meeting in Budapest.

7 h agoLeeds United defeated Newcastle United 4-1 at Elland Road on Monday, with goals from Lewis Miley's own goal, Jayden Bogle, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Noah Okafor. The victory moved Leeds to third place in the Premier League with eight points, four behind champions Arsenal, while Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle suffered his first defeat in charge.

8 h agoTrains across the Netherlands were cancelled or delayed on Tuesday after objects were discovered placed on tracks at multiple locations. The company responsible for rail infrastructure said it suspects deliberate wrongdoing.

10 h agoIDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir ordered a legal review of the NAZA documentary, in which soldiers make allegations about Israeli tactics toward civilians in Gaza, calling it an attack on the state. The military's spokesperson said the claims are false and denied the allegations, stating the IDF is a moral army.

11 h agoThe 84-year-old Kentucky Republican returned to the Capitol on Monday after a fall in his Washington home left him hospitalized with pneumonia. McConnell cast his first vote upon his return and told reporters he was determined to work on farm legislation, NATO relations and countering Russian aggression in Ukraine.