Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a security agreement inked between Kyiv and the European Union would advance "peace and prosperity" across the continent.

Brussels

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced a new security agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. The agreement is designed to secure the bloc's support for Ukraine over the next five years. Zelensky praised the EU's solidarity with Ukraine, especially since the Russian invasion, and expressed gratitude for the efforts of outgoing European Council President Charles Michel.

The agreement ensures that all 27 EU member states will offer extensive support to Ukraine, regardless of any internal changes within the EU. The upcoming Hungarian presidency of the European Council and the potential political shifts in France are among the changes that could impact this support. Zelensky's statement came during his visit to Brussels, shortly after the commencement of formal negotiations for Ukraine’s EU membership.



Ukraine, E.U. sign five year security agreement

At the right hand of outgoing European Council President Charles Michel, President Volodymyr Zelensky sang the praises of the EU and its solidarity with Ukraine since the Russian invasion. Europe has proven that it can be efficient and I thank you for that, thank you for your support. I am grateful for this historic Belgium presidency of the EU and I wish the next one, the Hungarian presidency to be effective. This after signing a security agreement with the EU, one intended to future-proof the bloc's support for Ukraine. For the first time, this agreement will enshrine the commitment of all 27 member states to provide Ukraine with extensive support, regardless of any internal institutional changes. Among those changes, perhaps, the imminent Hungarian presidency of the European Council starting on the 1st of July. This is Hungary's Viktor Orban appears to be courting an ever closer relationship with Russia. Also ahead of parliamentary elections, which could turn the tables for Europe's second economic power, France, and which could see the appointment of a far-right Prime Minister from the National Rally, a party with close ties to Moscow. Zelensky's trip to Brussels comes just days after formal negotiations began for Ukraine's EU membership.

Voter turnout in France's first round of voting in the 2024 general elections stood at 59.39 percent by 5pm according to the interior ministry, around 20 percent higher compared to the same time in the 2022 elections.

Paris

France snap election

Evening voter turnout in French elections at almost 60%

Britain’s upcoming general election is widely expected to lead to a change of government for the first time in 14 years with many analysts calling it one of the country’s most consequential elections since 1945. The centre-left Labour party led by Keir Starmer, is expected to win by a landslide by taking votes away from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Tories.

London

Main opposition Labour party tipped to win upcoming UK elections

Russia claimed two more east Ukrainian villages as its forces have had the upper hand over Kyiv on the battlefield for months. Moscow has claimed new villages in the east of Ukraine regularly for weeks, as outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian forces struggle to hold them back.

Kyiv

Russia claims two more villages in east Ukraine

Voting is underway in France for its first snap parliamentary election in nearly 30 years.

France votes in key snap polls as far right eyes power

Spanish police say they've called off a search for a British teenager who went missing on the Canary island of Tenerife, though the case remains open. His phone was last traced to a steep and rugged ravine on the island.

Tenerife

Spanish police end search for missing UK teenager

At least three women are dead and dozens more injured after a Greyhound bus crashed into a caravan on the Bruce Highway at Gumlu, south of Townville. The bus was carrying 33 passengers.

Gumlu

Three dead, dozens injured in tour bus crash

Across the United Kingdom, a record number of candidates – more than 4,000 – are campaigning for the July 4 general election. Economic stagnation, a housing crisis, the cost of living, immigration and foreign policy concerns are high on the agenda.

How immigration has become a key UK election issue

U.S. President Joe Biden sought to project an image of confidence during a rally in North Carolina after a woeful performance in a debate with Donald Trump exacerbated concerns about his age and mental acuity.

Washington

U.S. Presidential Election

Joe Biden comes out swinging after debate performance

South Asia has recently experienced severe weather, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people. The region has faced widespread destruction, with floods devastating Afghanistan and landslides wreaking havoc in Nepal.

Kathmandu

Severe flooding in Afghanistan and landslides in Nepal

Russian scientists are performing an autopsy on a wolf frozen in permafrost for about 44,000 years, a find they said was the first of its kind.

Siberia

Scientists discover intact 44,000-year-old wolf carcass

A hardline protege of Iran's supreme leader and a relative moderate are to face each other in a run-off presidential election. Both are loyalists to the system and neither is expected to bring a major shift, a lack of real choice that was reflected in a historically low turnout.

Tehran

Hardliner, moderate to stand in Iran Presidential run-off

The river Seine is still failing water quality tests one month before the Paris Olympics when it is scheduled to host the open-water swimming competition and the swimming leg of the triathlon, results showed Friday.

River Seine fails water quality tests ahead of Paris Olympics

Ahead of tomorrow's $300 energy rebate, the Australian government has rolled out a $200 million scheme implementing 420 community batteries nationally, as part of its clean energy transition. The coalition wants to add nuclear power by 2035 to increase supply

Canberra

Federal government launches solar batteries nationwide

A day after his disastrous debate performance prompted calls for him to step aside, Joe Biden delivered a fiery campaign speech in North Carolina aggressively attacking Donald Trump while acknowledging his own age and shortcomings.

Biden tries to shake off debate disaster

COVID-19 has infected hundreds of millions worldwide, yet some never get it. British researchers now think the reason could be a specific gene that gives the immune system advance warning to destroy viral invaders quickly.

Scientists discover why some never had COVID-19

The AFP has charged a West Australian man who allegedly established fake free WiFi access points across various airports, to capture personal data from unsuspecting victims who mistakenly connected to them.

Mascot

Man arrested over fake airport wifi scam

Israeli forces pressed their incursion deeper into two northern and southern areas of the Gaza Strip on Friday (June 28), and Palestinian health officials said tank shelling in Rafah killed at least 11 people.

Jerusalem

Israel-Gaza War

Israeli forces push deeper into southern, northern Gaza

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a 10-year security pact with the European Union in Brussels, the latest deal aimed at shoring up long-term support for Kyiv in its fight with Russia.

Zelenskyy signs Ukraine security accord with E.U.

European Union leaders agreed to nominate Ursula von der Leyen of Germany for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission, the EU's powerful executive body. At a summit in Brussels, the bloc's 27 national leaders also picked former Portuguese premier Antonio Costa as the future chair of their European Council meetings.

E.U. leaders pick von der Leyen for second term as Commission chief

The US Supreme Court cleared the way for women experiencing medical emergencies to obtain abortions in Idaho, but the ruling's narrow scope meant it was a muted victory for reproductive rights activists. The decision comes two years after the conservative-majority bench dismantled the nationwide right to terminate a pregnancy, making it a pivotal issue in November's presidential election.

Idaho

U.S. Supreme Court allows emergency abortions in Idaho

President Joe Biden delivered a shaky, halting performance while his Republican rival Donald Trump battered him with a series of often false attacks at their debate, as the two oldest presidential candidates ever exchanged personal insults ahead of the November election.

Biden-Trump debate

Biden struggles, Trump spouts falsehoods in debate

Social media platform bosses have been grilled by a Senate Committee over its roles and responsibilities to Australian society. Facebook defended its decision to stop sharing mainstream media news.

Facebook defends ending news deals

Palestinian refugees in the West Bank city of Jenin are bracing for more Israeli raids days after Israeli soldiers strapped an injured Palestinian to the hood of a military vehicle, triggering international anger. Israel called the man a suspected militant, but also said its soldiers violated protocol.

Palestinians in Jenin refugee camp brace for more IDF raids

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is confident her party will win an absolute majority in parliament, form a government and impose limits on what President Emmanuel Macron can do to support Ukraine, she said days before voting starts.

France's Le Pen expects clear far-right win and power over Macron

Julian Assange spent his first night in 14 years as a free man back at home in Australia as the conservative opposition on Thursday cautioned the government against hailing the WikiLeaks founder as a hero.

Julian Assange freed

Assange not 'a hero', says Opposition

Bolivia's army chief was arrested after deploying soldiers and tanks to government buildings, which President Luis Arce called an attempted coup. Surrounded by soldiers and tanks, the dismissed army chief General Juan Jose Zuniga claimed the armed forces aimed to restructure democracy.

Sucre

Bolivian army chief arrested for alleged coup

Kenyan police fired teargas at dozens of protesters as demonstrations continued across the country on Thursday (June 27), albeit at a smaller scale than before Kenyan President William Ruto promised to scrap a controversial finance bill.

Nairobi

Kenya protests continue after president's tax climbdown

Bolivian armed forces pulled back from the presidential palace in La Paz and a general was arrested after President Luis Arce slammed a "coup" attempt against the government and called for international support.

La Paz

Bolivia coup fails, top general arrested

The United States has stressed that its temporary aid pier in Gaza was not used in the Israeli captive rescue operation in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza that killed more than 270 people. The Pentagon said that reports linking the pier to Saturday’s Israeli assault that resulted in the freeing of four captives held by Hamas are “inaccurate”.

Sderot

U.S. investigates reasons behind Gaza pier failure

British opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak take part in BBC’s Prime Ministerial Debate, in Nottingham, Britain.

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Ukraine Invasion