00:00G7 leaders have agreed to boost weapons deliveries to Ukraine and ramp up pressure
00:05on Russia's energy sector after holding a summit in the French town of Evian.
00:21G7 leaders have adopted a statement committing to increasing deliveries of weapons to embattled
00:26Ukraine as they met in the French town of Evian.
00:30The weapons discussed included air defense systems and long-range missile capabilities
00:34to enable Ukraine to continue its counterattack operations deep inside Russian territory.
00:40The leaders also agreed that it's, quote,
00:43the right moment to tighten the screws on Russia's energy sector,
00:47which serves as the Kremlin's financial arm to fund its invasion.
00:51The statement praises Kiev for the new momentum it has built on the battlefield
00:55and has expressed unwavering support for Ukraine
00:58in its fight to defend its freedom and sovereignty.
01:02Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was among the dignitaries not part of the G7 to attend the
01:07meeting where he held talks with France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Friedrich Mertz,
01:12and the UK's Keir Starmer on the sidelines.
01:16Zelensky expressed his gratitude for the continued support for his country and stressed a need for
01:21further sanctions on Russia, especially its energy sector.
01:26U.S. President Donald Trump also said Washington would soon be in a position to reimpose sanctions
01:31on the Kremlin's energy, which it had relaxed due to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran,
01:36which shuttered the Strait of Hormuz and crippled global energy supplies.
01:45Amid rising threats to Europe, Poland and Germany have stepped up military cooperation
01:51in a new Warsaw Pact covering drills, logistics, cyber and Baltic security.
01:56On Wednesday in Warsaw, the Polish and German defense ministers signed a new bilateral agreement
02:02on defense cooperation. The signing of the agreement coincided with the 35th anniversary of the
02:08Polish-German Treaty on Good Neighborhood and Friendly Cooperation. It replaces the framework
02:14agreement on defense cooperation signed in 2011 by Poland and Germany. New provisions mainly cover
02:22issues related to military mobility, the development of logistics support infrastructure, cooperation in
02:29the maritime domain, including in the Baltic Sea, cyber security and the use of outer space. Unlike the
02:35Polish-French treaty signed in 2025, the agreement with Germany does not provide for mutual security guarantees.
02:47Russia has issued more than 1,100 visas to people who adhere to traditional Russian values.
02:55This document, dubbed the anti-work visa by Western media outlets, is intended for nationals of countries
03:02imposing destructive neoliberal ideological orientations, according to the Russian Ministry of
03:09Foreign Affairs, which published its figures for 2025 on Wednesday. Germany, France and the United States
03:16are the main countries that have benefited from this visa, which was launched in 2024. Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
03:24Canada and Australia are also on the list of countries that have benefited from this visa.
03:29This document allows holders to enter Russian territory and to stay for up to three months. Holders may
03:36then apply for a residence permit. This visa forms part of the ideological battle waged by Moscow since
03:44the start of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 against Western values, which Russian President Vladimir Putin
03:51considers decadent. Earlier this month, Putin held the program, emphasizing that a number of countries
03:58were attempting to abolish traditional family values.
04:05Israeli forces have carried out fresh air strikes across southern Lebanon, injuring several people
04:10just days before a framework deal to end the war between the United States and Iran is signed.
04:16According to Lebanon's national news agency, precise raids targeted the Nebatia El Favka area
04:22and the outskirts of Far Tednit alongside a drone strike on the town of Ansariyeh. While overall violence
04:29has declined across the country since the regional peace framework was announced on Monday, continued
04:35actions in south have killed at least five people. The Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah initially drew
04:41Lebanon into the conflict in early March following the killing of Iran's supreme leader, prompting a massive
04:47campaign of air strikes and a subsequent ground invasion. The group has not claimed any fresh
04:53attacks against Israeli targets since Tuesday as the group's leader, Naim Qassem, prepares a significant
04:59televised address amid the ongoing peace talks. The persistent combat continues to threaten the broader
05:05diplomatic breakthrough as Iranian officials warn that any deal remains incomplete without the full
05:10withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied Lebanese territories. The European Parliament has approved
05:22a law aimed at speeding up the return of migrants with no legal right to remain in the EU, thanks
05:28to
05:28backing from center-right and far-right political groups. The return regulation is the bloc's toughest
05:34shift in migration policy in decades. It is considered controversial as it would allow EU countries to set
05:40up deportation centers outside the bloc, known as return hubs, through agreements with non-EU countries.
05:47These hubs could serve either as transit facilities where people await return to their country of origin,
05:53or as locations where migrants remain for an extended period, potentially without a time limit or guarantee
05:59of onward return. Only unaccompanied minors would be exempt from the measure, while families with children
06:05could be transferred to the hubs. Other provisions include longer detention periods, tougher entry
06:12bans and new powers to locate irregular migrants, as well as the ability to search for a so-called
06:18place of residence or other relevant premises. Some NGOs and civil society organizations have compared
06:25this to the notorious raids conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
06:36After eight cuts, the U.N. Food Agency said it has received a 690 million euros grant
06:42by the United States. The U.N. World Food Programme said this funding will support its operations to assist
06:49more than 38 millions of people in 37 countries, such as displaced families by the war in Lebanon
06:56or Ebola-hit regions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its operations include prepositioning
07:03food supplies, delivering aid and responding to natural disasters. The number of people facing hunger is
07:09expected to rise to record levels this year, the WFP warned. The U.S. is the agency's biggest donor,
07:16but its contributions have more than halved from 2024 to 1.7 billion euros in 2025. Last year,
07:24the U.N. WFP had warned U.S. cuts to emergency food programs would amount to, quote, a death sentence
07:31for millions of starving people across the globe. In 2025, U.S. humanitarian funding to the U.N. was
07:38divided by four to reach less than 3 billion euros.
07:45The 2022 Qatar World Cup runners-up France opened their campaign against Senegal on Tuesday in New York,
07:52looking to clinch a vital three points to top their group and reflect strong form.
07:57The first half produced a goalless draw between the two sides,
08:01with neither able to capitalize and convert their chances. But 20 minutes into the second half,
08:07France pointman and Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe was quick to pounce as he managed to give
08:13his side the lead with a slick finish from inside the box. It was less than 20 minutes later when
08:18PSG's
08:19Bradley Barcola was able to extend that lead, putting Le Bleu 2-0 up in the 82nd minute.
08:25Senegal was able to pull one back in the 95th minute of the game,
08:29breaking through a tight French defensive block. But it was quickly responded to as Mbappe,
08:35chasing an all-time World Cup goal-scoring record, managed to bag his second of the night,
08:40bringing his World Cup goal tally to 14, just one behind the all-time record of 15 held by
08:46Germany's Miroslav Kloza. Reigning champions Argentina also took to the pitch on Tuesday where
08:52they faced off against Algeria. The white and blue stripes, led by one of football's all-time greats,
08:58Lionel Messi, cruised comfortably past their opposition after Messi secured his first World
09:04Cup hat-trick and with it edging past Mbappe to beat Kloza's goal-scoring record by one.
09:10Two World Cup uncommon Norway and Iraq faced off for the final match of the day with the Vikings,
09:16led by Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, pounding their way to a 4-1 victory.
09:22Haaland scored a brace in his World Cup debut, maintaining the top form he displayed in the
09:27qualifiers, which landed his nation a ticket to the tournament.
09:34On Thursday morning at 7 a.m. local time, Uzbekistan will wake up to a moment many football
09:39fans have waited years to see. The national team will play its first-ever World Cup match against
09:45Colombia. Across the country, schools, parks and public spaces are being transformed into fan zones,
09:51as supporters prepare to watch history unfold. Behind me, kids are doing what they always do here – playing
09:59football. But in a few days, this stadium will look very different. Chairs, mats and a giant screen will
10:06turn it into one of 208 fan zones across Uzbekistan, where communities will gather to watch the national
10:13team play at the world cup for the very first time.
10:43Zant's patient is visible far beyond
10:46the fan zones.
10:47Flags, posters and images of the national team have appeared in shops, cafes and public
10:52spaces across the country.
10:53Among the symbols of this World Cup campaign is Bek, the official mascot of the Uzbekistan
10:58squad.
10:59I think it will have a huge impact on kids, on the young population going into football.
11:23Support has also spread across social media.
11:26Content creators from across Central Asia have been posting messages of encouragement, making
11:30the first team from the region ever to reach a World Cup.
11:34The wait is almost over.
11:35For decades Uzbekistan watched the World Cup as spectators.
11:39On Thursday morning, for the first time, it will be part of it.
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