Ukraine war briefing: Putin dismisses Kursk incursion and says eastern Donbas region is main war aim | Ukraine

Vladimir Putin on Thursday said his main aim in Ukraine after 30 months of fighting was to capture the eastern Donbas area. The Russian offensive in February 2022 failed in its expansive goal to capture the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in the west, and Moscow has been unable to take full control of its supposedly annexed … Read more

How airline seats became key tech products

Chris Baraniuk It’s estimated that one third of the world’s airline seats are made in Northern Ireland In a warehouse building in a quiet town in Northern Ireland, a robot arm is opening and closing an airplane meal table over and over again. It has been programmed to carry out this mundane task no fewer … Read more

Jack Draper inspired by Raducanu for Jannik Sinner showdown at US Open | Jack Draper

Jack Draper has taken inspiration from Emma Raducanu’s US Open ­triumph three years ago as he looks to continue his own spectacular breakthrough run in New York before his tough semi-final against Jannik Sinner, the world No 1, on Friday. “What Emma did was obviously incredibly inspiring,” said Draper, who is a year older than … Read more

The Italian town that banned cricket

BBC Miah Bappy and other Bengalis have to play cricket outside the town of Monfalcone Under the scorching sun on Italy’s Adriatic coast, a group of friends from Bangladesh are practising their cricket skills on a small patch of concrete. They are playing on the outskirts of Monfalcone, close to Trieste airport, because they have … Read more

Australia thought it was done with Trump, now the US treaty ally is readying for his possible return | US elections 2024

Australians have already had a taste of the turbulence of dealing with Donald Trump, courtesy of a leaked 2017 phone call between the newly inaugurated president and the then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. “I think it is a horrible deal, a disgusting deal that I would have never made,” Trump said as Turnbull implored him … Read more