Keir Starmer

Eight migrants died on Sunday when their overcrowded vessel capsized while trying to cross the Channel from France to England, French authorities said, less than two weeks after the deadliest such disaster this year.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday delayed a decision to let Ukraine fire long-range Western-supplied missiles into Russia, a plan that sparked dire threats from Moscow of a war with NATO.

Russia on Sept. 13 accused six British diplomats of spying and said it decided to expel them, an announcement that comes as tensions between Moscow and the West grow during an intensified push by Ukraine to loosen restrictions on using weapons provided by the U.S. and Britain to strike Russia.

Translation:

Russia has expelled six British diplomats, accusing them of espionage, just ahead of a crucial meeting at the White House between U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The meeting is expected to focus on the possible use of Western long-range weapons by Ukraine to target military objectives within Russia.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and Foreign Secretary David Lammy step from their aircraft as they arrive at Joint Base Andrews, Md., ahead of talks with U.S. President Joe Biden on resolving the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo)

Russian troops are continuing their counterattacks in response to the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast, but as of September 12, they have achieved only minimal progress. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that the limited success may be due to ongoing Ukrainian offensive operations and defensive counterattacks in the area.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the West would enter into direct conflict with Russia if it allows Ukraine to launch long-range missile strikes deep into Russian territory. He emphasized that such a move would drastically alter the nature of the ongoing conflict.

CIA Director Bill Burns and U.K. MI6 chief Richard Moore warned has that the world order was "under threat in a way we haven't seen since the Cold War."

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced today that he wants to introduce new measures in the fight against smoking, which, according to media reports, could include a ban on smoking in outdoor areas of restaurants and football stadiums.

Starmer, who is on a two-day visit to Europe, stated his intention to “reconfigure” the UK’s relationship with the EU.

“This does not mean overturning Brexit or rejoining the single market or customs union, but it does mean a closer relationship on many fronts,” Starmer explained at a press conference following his talks with Scholz.