A self-described group of freedom fighters have taken up arms and seized Russian territory near the Ukrainian border. The Kremlin says it's an attack organized by Kyiv, while the Belgorod governor says a 'Ukrainian sabotage' group was to blame. It marks a significant escalation in the conflict with war spilling inside Russian borders.

Belgorod

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

Freedom fighters seize small part of Russia

Amid the green countryside of Western Russia, that heavy white smoke signals trouble. An attack that Moscow says was organized in Ukraine, but apparently carried out by Russians opposed to the Kremlin. A group calling itself the Liberty of Russia Legion claimed responsibility with this video. The man saying, don't be afraid because we're coming home. Russia will be free. Russian TV told viewers the search is on for Ukrainian saboteurs, but the attackers ties to Kiev may be more murky. While they may be supplied by Ukraine, they're actually Russian nationals or Russian citizens. So that the Ukrainian forces themselves are not in fact attacking Russia proper. Since the invasion of Ukraine started last year, Russia has seen repeated explosions within its borders. But this time social media video purports to show those Russian rebels capturing a Russian military vehicle. Apparently even driving one away in broad daylight. The governor of Russia's Belgorod region vowed his territory would be cleared of the enemy. Ukraine distanced itself from the incursion, focusing instead on the symbolic city of Bakhmut, where Kiev's forces insist they're still defending territory. We are not ready to die just because some neighbor does not want us to exist. Fighters recently raised the flags of Russia and its Wagner private army in Bakhmut, declaring it's under their full control. But that might not be enough. To keep the city in their hands and then continue further west is going to be very, very hard. Very difficult. Russian rebels appeared to fly their opposition flag over Moscow, suggesting Russia may have more battles to fight on its side of the border. Thomas Daigle, CBC News, Toronto.

A bishop whose stabbing was live streamed while delivering a church service wants his video to remain online, supporting X founder Elon Musk's stance. The technology company is currently in a legal fight with Australia’s e-Safety commissioner over the graphic video.

Council of the City of Sydney

Stabbed Sydney bishop supports Musk stance

Seven juveniles have been arrested and a further five are being interviewed by police, after a series of raids by counterterrorism police in the south-west Sydney suburb of Greenacre. The arrests follow the stabbing a bishop.

Wakeley

Teenagers arrested in ongoing Sydney anti-terror raids

The US Senate has passed a 95 Billion dollar aid package providing aid to Ukraine and Israel, humanitarian relief for Gaza, as well as 8 Billion dollars for security in Taiwan. Part of that package is a provision that could lead to a nationwide ban on TikTok.

Washington

Israel-Gaza War

U.S. Senate approves $95b aid package for Israel and Ukraine

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is heading to Shanghai and Beijing for three days of talks with senior Chinese officials as US-China ties are at a critical point. His visit also comes amid rising concern in Europe over Chinese espionage with several suspected spies detained in Germany and the UK.

Beijing

Blinken heads to China amid rising concern in Europe

After a tribal welcome to the mountains of Papua New Guinea, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spent the night camping on the Kokoda Track in an Anzac Day trek aimed at drawing the two countries closer.

Kokoda

Prime Minister walking the Kokoda Track

Residents in New Delhi complained of breathing problems after a massive fire broke out at a Ghazipur landfill the day before. Large plumes of smoke continued to rise from the burning landfill in the city’s eastern district, where excavators were seen removing piles of garbage to deescalate the fire.

New Delhi

Landfill fire envelops New Delhi in smoke

Protests in support of Palestine continue at university campuses across the United States, despite a crackdown by police. Hundreds of students and teachers have been arrested over the past week.

New York

Protests rage at U.S. universities over Israel’s war on Gaza

An aide to a German far-right member of the European Parliament has been arrested on suspicion of spying for China, German prosecutors said, deepening concerns about foreign interference ahead of June's European elections.

Berlin

Aide to far-right German MEP arrested for spying for China

Five people, including a child, have died in an attempt to cross the English Channel from France, hours after Britain passed a bill to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda to try to deter the dangerous crossings.

Wimereux

Migrants drown in Channel hours after U.K. passes Rwanda bill

Police arrested dozens of people at pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Yale University in Connecticut and New York University in Manhattan on Monday, as the war in Gaza continued to reverberate through U.S. university campuses.

Dozens arrested at U.S. universities as Gaza protests grow

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on April 22 threatened possible legal action against claims that it may have covered up the issue of Chinese swimmers testing positive for a banned substance before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, as global sports groups piled pressure on the regulator and demanded an investigation into the case.

Tokyo

Chinese Olympic swim team doping scandal heats up

Court documents have revealed Bruce Lehrmann refused an offer to settle with Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson before his failed defamation case had begun hearings.

Bruce Lehrmann refused settlement before court case

The lawyer representing a former NSW Police officer charged with murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies says his client's defence may involve mental health elements.

Man accused of murdering Sydney couple faces court

A western New South Wales man charged with murdering a young woman was on bail for several violent charges against the same victim.

Forbes

Man faces court over murder of young Forbes woman

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to start sending asylum seekers to Rwanda within 10 to 12 weeks as the upper house of parliament finally passed required legislation, delayed for weeks by attempts to alter the plan.

London

U.K. parliament passes Rwanda asylum law

New York prosecutors said on the first day of Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial that the former president broke the law and corrupted the 2016 election by trying to cover up sexual encounters with a porn star and a Playboy model, while his defense lawyer said he committed no crime.

Jury hears opening statements at Trump hush money trial

Floods swamped parts of China's Guangdong province following record-breaking rains, sparking worries about the region's defenses against bigger deluges induced by extreme weather events.

Guangdong Province

China's Guangdong floods spark extreme weather fears

Israel has yet to provide evidence for its accusations that hundreds of staff with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) are members of terrorist groups, according to a review of the agency's neutrality released.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

'No evidence' of UNRWA, Hamas links

Arj Barker has defended asking a mother to leave his show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The woman said she was humiliated after being asked to leave while breastfeeding her baby during Barker’s performance.

Melbourne

Comedian criticised for removing breastfeeding mother from show

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being accused of hate speech for comments he made about Muslims at an election rally, referring to the religious community as "infiltrators." Nearly a billion people are eligible to cast ballots during the six weeks of voting, which started Friday.

India's Modi accused of anti-Muslim hate speech amid election

The Philippines and the United States are holding joint naval exercises in a climate of tension between China and its neighbors. Despite international legal rulings, Beijing claims the entire South China Sea as its own. That's contested by the Philippines and other Indian Ocean nations.

Manila

Filipino, U.S. troops set to begin joint combat exercise

More than one year after prosecutors pressed charges in Manhattan against former President Donald Trump, they are presenting their evidence to a jury. Opening statements have begun in the first-ever trial of a former president as Trump faces 34 felony counts for falsifying business records.

Manhattan

Opening statements begin in Trump hush money trial

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would fight against sanctions being imposed on any Israeli military units for alleged rights violations, after media reports said the U.S. was planning such a step.

Jerusalem

Netanyahu says he will fight any sanctions on army units

Accused triple murderer Erin Patterson has faced court for the first time in five months over the alleged mushroom poisonings of her relatives last year.

Leongatha

Accused mushroom murderer faces court

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has flagged more tax relief is on the cards if the Government can find room in next month's budget. Cost of living issues are dominating the political agenda, as inflation bites.

Canberra

More cost of living relief expected in Federal budget

The U.S. House of Representatives approved additional military aid for Israel despite growing concerns over human rights violations in the West Bank. The U.S. is expected to sanction the IDF for the first time with Antony Blinken promising "results soon" when questioned at a recent presser in Italy.

U.S. poised to sanction Israeli army over human right violations

Former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush-money trial — for allegedly falsifying business records to cover up paying porn star Stormy Daniels to bury her story — is set to start this week in New York City. The world is watching how it will play out and whether it will impact his political future.

Opening statements at Trump criminal trial set to begin

TikTok on Sunday reiterated free speech concerns about a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that would ban the popular social media app in the U.S. if its Chinese owner ByteDance did not sell its stake within a year.

TikTok raises concerns about bill passed by U.S. House

Since the start of the war in Gaza over six months ago, Israeli soldiers have filmed and posted hundreds of videos of destruction in Gaza online, with many mocking the destruction of the enclave. The IDF says it's addressing the issue with sanctions.

IDF soldiers chronicle Gaza destruction on social media

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked the U.S. House of representatives for passing a $61bn aid bill. It was part of a major military package that also provided funds for Israel, Taiwan and several other allies.

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Ukraine Invasion