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Ukraine strikes St. Petersburg with drones ahead of 'Russian Davos'

Ukrainian drone attacks in St. Petersburg targeted military and energy infrastructure overnight into Wednesday, setting ablaze a Russian warship and oil depots on the Baltic coast. This attack deep in Russian territory came on the opening day of Putin's three-day economic forum held in the city and as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrived in Kyiv for an unannounced visit.

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NATO chief in Kyiv says Russia is 'increasingly desperate'

NATO chief Mark Rutte said in Kyiv on Wednesday that Russia was growing desperate as it faced mounting military and economic difficulties in its four-year-long invasion of Ukraine. Earlier, Kyiv launched drone attacks on the Russian city of St. Petersburg where officials and visiting dignitaries were gathering for a flagship economic forum. Read about the day’s events as they unfolded on our liveblog.

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Trump to speak at rescheduled White House correspondents' dinner

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will attend and speak at a rescheduled White House correspondents' dinner on July 24, nearly three months after a shooting outside the original event prompted his evacuation. Organisers said the gathering will proceed with enhanced security, insisting that violence will not dictate public life.

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'I can't breathe': Protesters attack police at UK rally over student murder

Protesters in the southern British city of Southampton on Tuesday attacked police at the site of the murder of an 18-year-old student who was handcuffed as he lay dying in December from stab wounds after his killer falsely alleged a racist attack. Far-right firebrand figure Tommy Robinson addressed the crowd, with many of them waving Union Jack and England flags.

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Trump signs order seeking govt access to new AI releases

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order to enable AI developers to voluntarily ​submit their new models for government cybersecurity tests before public release. The order was triggered by concerns over Anthropic's Mythos model, which the company refused to release due to its ability to expose vulnerabilities in computer systems.

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French wine made in late 1890s and hidden under Czech castle lovingly restored

Eight bottles of Chateau d'Yquem – one of the world's most expensive white wines – were among a collection of 136 bottles discovered under a Czech castle floor that were hidden by the owners after the end of World War II. They have now been restored by the original French winemakers in what the cellar master called a "magical experience" of preserving "liquid memory".

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Californians vote in fiercely contested gubernatorial and congressional primaries

Californians have their final chance to vote Tuesday in a fiercely contested gubernatorial primary ahead of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom’s mandate coming to an end at the end of the year. The state's open-primary system, which allows the two best-performing candidates to advance regardless of party, has raised fears among Democrats that a split vote will pave the way for a Republican victory.

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Trump reconsiders $1.8 billion ally compensation fund amid Republican backlash

US President Donald Trump was said to be reconsidering a controversial $1.8 billion compensation fund on Monday, created as part of a settlement with the IRS, amid legal challenges and growing opposition from Republicans. The Justice Department has paused implementation following a court order, raising doubts about the fund's future.

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Hungary’s Magyar threatens constitutional amendment if Orban-appointed president refuses to resign

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar on Monday threatened legal action and said the government would use its two-thirds parliamentary majority to amend the constitution to ​force President Tamas Sulyok from office. Sulyok, who was appointed under former prime minister Viktor Orban, has refused to resign before his term ends in 2029. 

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Ukraine: How a kamikaze drone partially operated by AI is attacking Russian convoys

Drones piloted by artificial intelligence are now being deployed on the Ukrainian front lines, and while there has been much talk about them, there is still much that remains unknown. The US-made Hornet Drone, which is partially guided by AI, is at the centre of a new Ukrainian strategy to target Russian logistics.

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Brazil isolates two suspected Ebola cases as suspected cases in Congo surpass 1,000

Brazilian health authorities isolated two patients who recently arrived from African countries after they showed symptoms consistent with Ebola, officials said Friday, although one later tested negative. The move comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo battles an outbreak that has surpassed 1,000 suspected cases and nearly 250 deaths since May.

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