Author: Elizabeth Jenrola Oso

Russia has fired its new hypersonic Oreshnik missile at a target in western Ukraine during a large overnight assault, marking a further escalation in the conflict. Ukrainian authorities confirmed that the strike occurred near the country’s western border, close to the European Union and Nato frontier. Moscow said the launch of the intermediate-range ballistic missile was retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian drone attempt on President Vladimir Putin’s residence last month, a claim denied by both Kyiv and Washington. Ukraine’s foreign minister described the strike as a “grave threat” to European security, warning that the use of such a weapon so…

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence tool, Grok, has restricted its image creation function for most users following widespread criticism over its use to generate sexually explicit and violent content. The decision follows threats of fines, regulatory action and reports that X, Musk’s social media platform, could face a possible ban in the UK. Grok had been used to manipulate images of women, removing their clothing and placing them in sexualised poses. Access to the image generation and editing feature has now been limited to paying subscribers. In a post on X, Grok said: “Image generation and editing are currently limited to…

The presidents of France and Germany have issued sharp warnings over US foreign policy under Donald Trump, saying Washington is undermining international rules and pushing the world towards a lawless global order. In unusually blunt and apparently uncoordinated remarks, Emmanuel Macron and Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the postwar rules-based system was at risk of collapse. Speaking to France’s diplomatic corps at the Élysée Palace on Thursday, Macron said the United States was increasingly distancing itself from allies and abandoning the principles it once promoted. “The US is an established power, but one that is gradually turning away from some of its…

Donald Trump has said he does not believe international law meaningfully constrains his power as president, claiming his authority is limited only by his “own morality”. In an interview with the New York Times, the US president said: “The only thing that can stop me is my own morality, my own mind,” adding: “I’m not looking to hurt people.” Pressed on whether his administration must adhere to international law, Trump replied: “I do,” before qualifying the remark by saying: “It depends on what your definition of international law is.” The comments come as the Trump administration examines “a range of…

Federal agents shot and killed a woman during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on Wednesday, triggering outrage from state and local officials and renewed scrutiny of federal immigration tactics. The woman was identified as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a US citizen, poet and mother of three who had recently moved to Minnesota. She was shot during an operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which had deployed hundreds of agents to the Minneapolis–St Paul area as part of a crackdown linked partly to alleged fraud involving Somali residents. Ilhan Omar, the Democratic congresswoman for Minnesota, said the…

Brigitte Bardot, the French film star who later became a prominent animal rights activist, has been laid to rest following a funeral service in Saint-Tropez attended by Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader and one of her favoured political figures. Bardot died aged 91 on 28 December at her home, La Madrague, in Saint-Tropez. Her death was confirmed by her husband, Bernard d’Ormale, who said she died of cancer. He told Paris Match that she had undergone two operations and had faced her illness “very well” before it claimed her life last month. The funeral took place at the Notre-Dame…

Nick Reiner, the son of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, is due to appear in court on Wednesday to be arraigned on two counts of first-degree murder over the deaths of his parents. The 32-year-old has been in custody since last month, after Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele, 70, were found dead at their home in the Los Angeles area. Prosecutors allege that Nick Reiner fatally stabbed the couple. Wednesday’s hearing will be his first court appearance in three weeks. The Los Angeles County medical examiner ruled the deaths as homicide, caused by “multiple…

Abortion will remain legal in Wyoming after the state’s Supreme Court struck down two near-total abortion bans on Tuesday. The court ruled that the bans violated the state’s constitution, which affirms the right of competent adults to make their own healthcare decisions. In a 4-1 decision, the justices found that the laws, which included the nation’s first ban on abortion pills, breached a 2012 state constitutional amendment. The amendment had been introduced in response to the Affordable Care Act and specifically guaranteed the right to make healthcare choices. Julie Burkhart, president of the Wellspring Health Access clinic in Wyoming, welcomed…

xAI highlighted Grok’s image-generation capabilities, even as the tool faces mounting criticism from regulators, lawmakers and campaigners.

A mass rally by ultra-Orthodox Jews against military conscription turned deadly in Jerusalem on Tuesday when a teenage boy was killed after a bus drove into the crowd. Israeli police said the driver was detained, and an investigation is underway. An 18-year-old who became trapped beneath the bus was pronounced dead at the scene by Magen David Adom emergency services. Video footage from the scene showed a bus driving into a dense crowd of ultra-Orthodox men attending the protest, which had drawn thousands. Police have not released the driver’s identity, and he could not be reached for comment while in…