live U.S. President Trump asks NATO allies for urgent support in Hormuz, diplomats say - Thursday 9 April
Iran suggested it would be "unreasonable" to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace d...
Germany and the U.S. will deliver five Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine as Russian missile attacks intensify, signalling a renewed Western push to strengthen Kyiv's defences, according to German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.
The announcement was made during the 29th Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting and follows Pistorius’ recent trip to Washington, where he reached the deal with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
This comes amid a spike in Russian ballistic and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv,.
The Patriot missile system, capable of intercepting advanced ballistic and cruise missiles, is considered one of the most effective air defence tools in the world. With the war now now three and a half years in, Ukraine sees these systems as critical to shielding its population and infrastructure from long-range Russian strikes.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed earlier this month that Washington would send Patriot systems to NATO for redistribution to Ukraine, reversing an earlier pause in arms transfers. Trump stated the alliance would finance the move, and later announced that the shipments had already begun.
Germany will fund two of the systems, while Norway is contributing one and has expressed readiness to finance more. Norway, a NATO founding member, is a strong supporter of Ukraine, pledging F-16 fighter jets and a $7 billion aid package over five years.
Currently, the U.S. has supplied three Patriot batteries to Ukraine, with three more from Germany and an additional one from a European coalition. Some are undergoing routine maintenance.
Switzerland, which had ordered Patriot systems scheduled for delivery between 2027–2028, has been informed by the U.S. that the order may be delayed as the units are redirected to meet Ukraine’s urgent needs.
It remains unclear whether the systems will go directly to Ukraine or be used to backfill NATO allies donating their systems to Kyiv.
China and Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Tuesday aimed at coordinating defensive efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving no agreed international framework for securing the vital route.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it had stopped firing on northern Israel and Israeli forces on Wednesday as part of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East brokered between the United States and Iran. However, a Hezbollah lawmaker warned that the pause could collapse if Tel Aviv does not adhere to it.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Iran and the United States, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate two-week ceasefire covering all areas, but Israel says the deal excludes Lebanon. Tel Aviv says the U.S. is committed to achieving shared goals in upcoming negotiations.
Iran suggested it would be "unreasonable" to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace deal with the U.S. after Israel pounded Lebanon with its heaviest strikes yet on Wednesday, killing hundreds of people. The warning came from Iran's lead negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammed Bager Qalibaf.
Construction has begun on a major new solar power project in Xizang, as China continues to expand its renewable energy capacity and push towards a greener future.
Three Russian submarines were detected near British waters, the UK Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, announced on Thursday (9 April). Speaking at a press briefing in Downing Street, he said an attack submarine and two specialist vessels were being monitored by the Ministry of Defence.
More than a million Sudanese refugees now face drastic cuts to life-saving aid, including food and water, after major funding shortfalls have left humanitarian agencies struggling to cope.
Russia will see revenue from its biggest single oil tax double to $9 billion in April, driven by the oil and gas crisis triggered by the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran, Reuters calculations showed on Thursday.
At least four people died after a small dinghy carrying migrants to Britain sank in the English Channel, French authorities announced on Thursday.
A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday declined to block the Pentagon’s national security blacklisting of Anthropic for now, handing a win to the Trump administration after a separate appeals court reached the opposite conclusion.
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