Is Vladimir Putin ready for a ceasefire or playing for time?

Laura Gozzi and Paul Kirby BBC News Watch: Putin responds to US ceasefire proposal Russia is ready for a halt in fighting, says Vladimir Putin, but “there are nuances”. Those…

Donatella steps down as creative director, Dario Vitale to take over

Annabel Rackham Culture reporter Getty Images Donatella Versace pictured last week at the Vanity Fair Oscars party Donatella Versace is to step down from her creative director role at fashion…

Vladimir Putin responds to US ceasefire proposal over Ukraine

Vladimir Putin has said he agrees the fighting in Ukraine must end, but added any ceasefire plan must lead to an “enduring peace”. Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday…

Peace talks are in parallel universe, say Ukraine front-line troops

Jonathan Beale Defence correspondent, BBC News Reporting fromEastern Ukraine BBC Ukrainian soldiers on the battlefield say they don’t expect to see the war end any time soon While Moscow considers…

Measles highest in 25 years in European region, WHO says

Reuters The rise is attributed to increasing scepticism about immunisation The number of measles cases in the European region doubled last year to reach the highest level in 25 years,…

‘Huawei lobbyists’ held in raids in Belgium over EU corruption

Belgian police have raided several locations in the country as part of an investigation into corruption within the European Parliament. Prosecutors said the alleged corruption was “under the guise of…

SADC troops to pull out as M23 rebels gain ground

Southern African leaders have announced they will pull their troops out of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where they have been helping the government fight rebel forces. The decision to…

German spy agency ‘believed Covid likely started in lab’

Germany’s foreign intelligence service believed there was a 80-90% chance that coronavirus accidentally leaked from a Chinese lab, German media say. Two German newspapers say they have uncovered details of…

India arrests Russia based crypto administrator wanted by US

Authorities in India have arrested a cryptocurrency exchange administrator wanted by the US for allegedly helping cybercriminals launder money and violate sanctions. Aleksej Besciokov, a Lithuanian citizen and Russian resident,…

‘Take a baby crocodile and see how you go there’ warns Australian PM after wombat row

The Australian prime minister has criticised a US influencer after she stole a baby wombat from her mother. “Take a baby crocodile from his mother and see how you go…