Russia clearing town in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's Defence Ministry says
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported...
A group of top Trump administration officials reportedly shared sensitive military plans over the encrypted messaging app Signal just hours before the United States launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, sparking a political storm in Washington.
According to a detailed account by The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, the Signal group included high-ranking officials such as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Vice President JD Vance, and other Trump cabinet members. Goldberg said he was added to the group by accident and received war plans ahead of the March 15 operation, including information on weapons, timing, and targets.
The leak has triggered sharp criticism from lawmakers. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence,” while Senator Elizabeth Warren described it as “dangerous beyond belief.” Democrat Chris Coons demanded a full congressional investigation.
White House officials later confirmed the thread’s authenticity, but said there were no threats to national security or U.S. personnel. NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes said, “We are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain,” and emphasised that policy coordination had remained “deep and thoughtful.”
President Donald Trump denied knowledge of the chat, saying, “I don’t know anything about it,” while adding that the Houthi strikes were “very effective.”
The incident coincides with the Trump administration’s ongoing campaign against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militants, who have launched repeated attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes. Trump officials have pledged to “decimate the Houthis,” with Hegseth defending the strikes and denying any mishandling of information.
Jeffrey Goldberg called the leak “shockingly reckless” and raised concerns about national security protocols inside the current administration.
The U.S. began its latest campaign of strikes against the Houthis on March 15. The group is officially designated as a terrorist organisation by the U.S. government.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Germany has requested urgent talks with China's ambassador following reports that Chinese authorities trained Russian soldiers, adding fresh strain to relations between Beijing and Europe amid the war in Ukraine.
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in security, with a bilateral meeting planned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as Paris seeks closer coordination with key allies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
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