Elon Musk urges release of Epstein files weeks after Trump accusations

Elon Musk has renewed calls to release the unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files, weeks after accusing Donald Trump of being in them.

After the president reignited the pair’s rift earlier this week, the tech billionaire issued a one-word reply to MAGA activist Scott Presler on X on Thursday, who wrote: “Release the unredacted Epstein files.”

“Yes,” Musk responded, without explicitly mentioning Trump.

The demand came just hours before the House was expected to vote on the president’s showpiece tax bill, which Musk claims will push the U.S. into “debt slavery.”

Musk began calling for the release of the remaining investigative documents related to Epstein’s sex-trafficking case after his explosive fallout with Trump last month over the president’s “pork-filled” signature megabill.

After promising to release the “first phase” of declassified Epstein files on February 27, Attorney General Pam Bondi faced MAGA backlash when the documents turned out to contain information already publicly available.

The Tesla CEO claimed, without evidence, that the “real reason” the documents remained sealed was that the president was somehow connected to the disgraced financier’s crimes.

“Time to drop the really big bomb,” Musk tweeted on June 5. “@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!”

He followed up shortly after: “Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.”

While Trump and Epstein were friends for decades before their fall-out in the early 2000s, the president has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse.

About six days later, Musk said he regretted some of the posts about Trump, claiming they “went too far.”

On Monday, Trump rekindled his feud with Musk, threatening to unleash the Department of Government Efficiency – the government slashing force Musk once ran – against him and warning he may have to “go back to South Africa.”

The veiled threat was in response to Musk escalating his anti-Republican rhetoric and his scathing criticism of the president’s “big, beautiful bill,” which House Republicans are hoping to send to Trump’s desk by their Independence Day deadline.

“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump said.

“No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”

The current version of the president’s bill could make electric vehicle ownership more expensive by eliminating consumer tax credits for new EVs.

Trump said earlier this week that the Biden administration’s EV mandate is “ridiculous,” adding: “Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one.”

Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill star Michael Madsen dies aged 67

Prolific actor Michael Madsen, known for starring in numerous Quentin Tarantino movies, has died. He was 67.

Madsen, whose career spanned more than 40 years, died Thursday morning from a cardiac arrest, his manager, Ron Smith, said.

According to TMZ, authorities found the Kill Bill and Reservoir Dogs actor unresponsive at his Malibu home. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A representative for the actor told the tabloid that over the last two years, Madsen had “been doing some incredible work with independent film, including upcoming feature films Resurrection Road, Concessions and Cookbook for Southern Housewives, and was really looking forward to this next chapter in his life.”

His team additionally said that he was preparing to release a new book titled Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems.

The Independent has contacted Madsen’s representatives for further comment.

Madsen was born September 25, 1957, in Chicago, Illinois, to Elaine, a filmmaker and author, and Calvin, a World War II Navy veteran and firefighter. His two sisters, Virginia and Cheryl, are also actors. In fact, the former is best known for her Oscar-nominated role in Alexander Payne’s 2004 romcom Sideways.

During his decades-long career, Madsen amassed more than 70 film and TV credits. His breakthrough came in Tarantino’s directorial debut, Reservoir Dogs, in which he starred as the sadistic criminal Mr. Blonde, who tortured a policeman by slicing off his ear.

That marked the beginning of a long and storied collaboration between Madsen and Tarantino, despite pushback from now-disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

“Harvey never liked me,” Madsen told The Independent in 2020. “I don’t know if he ever liked anybody, but I know for a fact he didn’t like me. He never wanted me in any of Quentin’s movies. I think I’m only in them because Quentin stood up for me every single time and said I’m going to use Michael whether you like it or not.”

Madsen went on to portray villains and anti-heroes in several of Tarantino’s other cult classics, including Kill Bill: Volumes 1 and 2 (2003–2004), The Hateful Eight (2015), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).

His other notable acting credits include 1991’s Thelma & Louise, 1996’s Mulholland Falls, 1997’s Donnie Brasco, and 2005’s Sin City.

“The type of character I think I play really well is somebody who’s not perfect, who’s a little rough around the edges not out of a GQ magazine, and might have a cigarette now and then or need a shave,” he added in his interview with The Independent, “but you can bet your ass I’m gonna do the right thing. That’s the real Michael more than anything, and I just wish it was captured on film.”

He was preceded in death by his 26-year-old son, Hudson, who died by suicide in 2022. In 2024, he filed for divorce from his wife of 28 years, DeAnna Madsen, alleging that her “neglect, drinking, and alcoholism” contributed to their son’s death.

Madsen and DeAnna shared two other sons, Calvin, 27, and Luke, 18. He also had sons, Christian, 34, and Max, 30, from his previous marriage to actor Jeannine Bisignano.

More than 90 Palestinians killed in Gaza overnight, officials say

Nearly 100 Palestinians have been killed in airstrikes and shootings in Gaza including dozens who were trying to get much-needed humanitarian aid, authorities say.

Hospitals and Gaza’s Health Ministry said 94 people were killed overnight including 45 people who were attempting to get aid.

Five people were killed around sites associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the American organisation backed by Israel to feed the Gaza Strip’s population, the ministry said.

A further 33 people were killed waiting for aid trucks in other locations across the Gaza Strip, it added. Israel‘s military did not immediately comment on the strikes but the government has hit back at ongoing criticism of its handling of the aid crisis in Gaza.

On Thursday, human rights organisation Amnesty International released a report accusing Israel of “militarising” aid distribution as a starvation tactic against the Palestinian population. Israel denied the allegations and accused Amnesty of having “joined forces with Hamas”.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 500 Palestinians have been killed at or near GHF distribution centres over the past month, including the five overnight between Wednesday and Thursday in Khan Younis. The centres are guarded by private security contractors and located near Israeli military positions. Palestinian officials and witnesses have accused Israeli forces of opening fire at crowds of people moving near the sites.

Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, said in the month since Israel imposed the GHF aid scheme, “hundreds of Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured either near militarised distribution sites or en route to humanitarian aid convoys.

“Israel’s genocide has continued unabated in Gaza including creating a deadly mix of hunger and disease pushing the population past breaking point.”

Ms Callamard said Israel has a legal obligation to ensure Palestinians in Gaza can access essentials including food and medicine.

“Instead, Israel has continued to restrict the entry of aid and impose its suffocating cruel blockade and even a full siege lasting nearly 80 days. This must end now. Israel must lift all restrictions and allow unfettered, safe, and dignified access to humanitarian aid throughout Gaza immediately,” she added.

Israel has adamantly and repeatedly rejected allegations of genocide and is challenging such claims at the International Court of Justice.

In a statement responding to the report, the Israel Foreign Ministry said: “Amnesty International has joined forces with Hamas and fully adopted all of its propaganda lies – its new name is now ‘Amnesty Hamas’.

“Since May 19, Israel has facilitated the entry of over 3,000 aid trucks into the Gaza Strip. More than 1,400 tons of baby formula have been delivered. Over 56 million meals have been distributed by the GHF, directly to Palestinian civilians, not to Hamas.”

Although it has yet to respond to the Amnesty report, the GHF has pushed back against ongoing criticism of its aid operation in Gaza.

In a lengthy statement on X on Wednesday, it said: “GHF’s aid distribution model is designed to deliver free aid directly to civilians. We protect aid from theft so that the food can go straight to those who need to feed their families. We’ve done this successfully since late May.

“The Palestinian people who need food are not helped when the international community falls for Hamas propaganda campaigns. So we will continue to call out disinformation so it doesn’t slow us down as we double and triple the 56 million meals we’ve delivered to date. We’re not going anywhere.”

Meanwhile, efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza have continued. Earlier this week Donald Trump said Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties will work to end the war.

Hamas is seeking clear guarantees that the ceasefire will eventually lead to the war’s end, a source close to the group told Reuters. Two Israeli officials said those details were still being worked out.

The US proposal includes the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages and the return of the bodies of 18 more in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, sources say. Of the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza, 20 are believed to still be alive.

An Israeli government spokesperson said prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was working to end the campaign in Gaza by securing the release of the remaining hostages, and the “defeat of the Hamas terrorist organisation as soon as possible”.

“The obstacle as ever, lies with Hamas,” spokesman David Mencer said Thursday. “Hamas is a terrorist organisation and the prime minister said they will be no more Hamas. He said this very clearly just yesterday. I believe there will be no ‘Hamas-stan’. There’ll be no more going back to what we’ve done before. That two year, every two-year conflict, it’s over.

“Now we here in Israel, led by the prime minister, believe there is a huge opportunity here, both in our defeat of our enemies and also to ensure that with nations now coming to us to try and initiate peace agreements. Peace through strength – first comes strength then comes to peace.”

The war began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel’s subsequent military assault has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, while displacing most of the population of more than 2 million, triggering widespread hunger and leaving much of the territory in ruins.

With additional reporting from AP, Reuters

Home Office ‘has no idea how many people stayed after visas expired’

The government has failed to gather basic information such as whether people leave the UK after their visas expire or how many might have stayed to work illegally, the chairman of a cross-party committee of MPs said.

The Public Accounts Committee (Pac), which examines the value for money of government projects, said the Home Office had failed to analyse exit checks since the skilled worker visa route was introduced by the Tories in 2020.

Some 1.18 million people applied to come to the UK on this route – designed to attract skilled workers in the wake of Brexit – between its launch in December of that year and the end of 2024.

Around 630,000 of those were dependents of the main visa applicant.

But the Pac said there is both a lack of knowledge around what people do when their visas expire and that the expansion of the route in 2022 to attract staff for the struggling social care sector led to the exploitation of some migrant workers.

Its report said there was “widespread evidence of workers suffering debt bondage, working excessive hours and exploitative conditions”, but added there is “no reliable data on the extent of abuses”.

It noted that the fact that a person’s right to remain in the UK is dependent on their employer under the sponsorship model means migrant workers are “vulnerable to exploitation”.

While the problems began under the previous Conservative government, the revelations will come as a major headache for Yvette Cooper, who is trying to persuade voters she can get a grip on illegal migration.

It comes just days after new figures showed that a record number of people have crossed the Channel in small boats in the first six months of this year, despite Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to “smash” the smuggling gangs.

Provisional Home Office data showed that a total of 19,982 people have arrived in the UK since the start of 2025 – the highest total for the halfway point of the year since data was first collected on migrant crossings in 2018.

Meanwhile, figures published earlier this year suggested thousands of care workers have come to the UK in recent years under sponsors whose licences were later revoked, in estimates suggesting the scale of exploitation in the system.

The Home Office said more than 470 sponsor licences in the care sector had been revoked between July 2022 and December 2024 in a crackdown on abuse and exploitation.

More than 39,000 workers were associated with those sponsors since October 2020, the department said.

In its report, published on Friday, the Pac said: “The cross-government response to tackling the exploitation of migrant workers has been insufficient and, within this, the Home Office’s response has been slow and ineffective.”

It also noted a lack of information around what happens to people when their visas expire, stating that the Home Office had said the only way it can tell if people are still in the country is to match its own data with airline passenger information.

The report said: “The Home Office has not analysed exit checks since the route was introduced and does not know what proportion of people return to their home country after their visa has expired, and how many may be working illegally in the United Kingdom.”

Committee chairman Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said while the former Tory government had “moved swiftly to open up the visa system to help the social care system cope during the pandemic”, the speed and volume of applications “came at a painfully high cost – to the safety of workers from the depredations of labour market abuses, and the integrity of the system from people not following the rules”.

He added: “There has long been mounting evidence of serious issues with the system, laid bare once again in our inquiry.

“And yet basic information, such as how many people on skilled worker visas have been modern slavery victims, and whether people leave the UK after their visas expire, seems to still not have been gathered by the government.”

Earlier this week legislation to end the recruitment of care workers from abroad was introduced to parliament as part of a raft of immigration reforms.

The move has sparked concerns from the adult social care sector, with the GMB union describing the decision as “potentially catastrophic” due to the reliance on migrant workers, with some 130,000 vacancies across England.

The Home Office believes there are 40,000 potential members of staff originally brought over by “rogue” providers who could work in the sector while UK staff are trained up.

Sir Geoffrey warned that unless there is “effective cross-government working, there is a risk that these changes will exacerbate challenges for the care sector”.

He said the government must “develop a deeper understanding of the role that immigration plays in sector workforce strategies, as well as how domestic workforce plans will help address skills shortages”, warning that it “no longer has the excuse of the global crisis caused by the pandemic if it operates this system on the fly, and without due care”.

Adis Sehic, policy manager at charity the Work Rights Centre, said the report “unequivocally finds that the sponsorship system is making migrant workers vulnerable to exploitation because it ties workers to employers” and that the Home Office had “simply relied on sponsors’ goodwill to comply with immigration rules”.

He added: “This report is yet more damning evidence that the principle of sponsorship, which ties migrant workers in the UK to their employer, is inherently unsafe for workers and, in our view, breaches their human rights.”

Among its recommendations, the Pac said the Home Office should work with relevant government bodies to “establish an agreed response to tackling exploitation risks and consequences” and identify what data is needed, including “how to better understand what happens to people at the end of their visa and the effectiveness of checks on sponsoring organisations”.

The Home Office has been contacted for comment.

Mystery over ‘unusually large’ Roman shoes unearthed

Archaeologists have been left baffled after unearthing “unusually large” 2,000-year-old Roman shoes in Northumberland.

Eight shoes at least 30cm (11.8in) long – the equivalent of a UK size 13 to 14 – were discovered at Magna Roman Fort earlier this year.

Archaeologist Rachel Frame said the leather shoes had all been found in a defensive ditch, which the Romans also used as rubbish dumps.

“We have to assume it’s something to do with the people living here, having bigger feet, being potentially taller, but we don’t know,” she told the BBC.

“Are the people living there from a specific region? Could that be why their shoes are so much larger? But at the moment, it’s sort of, well – this is unusual.”

Due to low oxygen conditions in the soil at the sites, the leather shoes have been preserved for centuries, according to Dr Frame.

Dr Elizabeth Greene, associate professor at the University of Western Ontario and Vindolanda’s shoe specialist, has seen and measured every shoe found at the site.

She said: “I think there is something very different going on here at Magna. Even from this small sample uncovered, it is clear that these shoes are much larger on average than most.”

Last year, a section of one of Britain’s most important Roman roads was unearthed in south-east London in a “remarkable” archaeological discovery.

The 2,000-year-old road, known as Watling Street, ran from the Roman port at Dover through London to the West Midlands.

The 276-mile route was built shortly after the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43 and was used by visiting emperors, including Hadrian in AD 122 when he ordered the building of his wall separating England and Scotland.

Archaeologist Gillian King said the discovery had redrawn the Roman road map in the capital. She added: “It is a key finding for archaeological research for London.”

The section of road revealed lies to the south of the junction of Old Kent Road and Ilderton Road and was well-preserved, measuring about 19ft (5.8m) wide by almost 5ft (1.4m) high.

Southwark Council said distinct layers can be seen, and that the road shows a solid foundation of compacted gravel that was sealed with two layers of chalk before being topped with another layer of compacted sand and gravel.

It added that the original surface of the road would probably have been made from the same material and would have sat at a similar level to the modern road, but that over time this had been lost.

The London portion of Watling Street was rediscovered during Christopher Wren’s rebuilding of St Mary-le-Bow in 1671 to 1673, following the Great Fire of London in 1666.

How to host a Macmillan Coffee Morning like you’ve never seen before

What comes to mind when you think of a fundraising coffee morning? Soggy digestives, weak tea and sitting in a school hall having forced fun? Think again.

Macmillan Cancer Support are celebrating 35 years of the iconic Coffee Morning fundraiser, and we’re here to help you give your next Coffee Morning a glow-up. Behind the fun, Coffee Mornings help raise vital funds for people facing one of the toughest challenges of their lives.

Almost one in two people in the UK will get cancer in their lifetime, and no two experiences are the same. Where you live, who you are, or whether you have another health condition can all affect the care you receive – and that’s not fair. Macmillan is working to change that, doing whatever it takes to make sure everyone gets the best possible care, whoever and wherever they are.

So while tasty treats and fundraising fun of course get to stay, we’re leveling up the atmosphere with fresh ideas to keep everyone entertained.

Want to be a Coffee Morning Host?

Best of all, these new ways of raising vital funds don’t have to be expensive. In fact, they might even save you a bit of time, wardrobe space and money. Here’s how to host a Macmillan Coffee Morning like you’ve never seen before…

Organise a ‘style swap shop’

Clear out your wardrobe, raise money and bring your community together all at the same time by organising a ‘style swap shop’ – with all your finest, unworn or unwanted clothes and accessories.

Pack up the majestic hats you bought for a wedding but only wore once, the satin gloves that make you feel like Audrey Hepburn but don’t go with anything you own, or maybe that lace vintage dress your aunty wore to Glastonbury in the 70s, which now lives in an unexplored drawer in your bedroom.

Fill up a bag with your best cast-offs and get your friends, family and neighbours to do the same. Everyone pays £5 entry to the ‘style swap shop’ and then you all get to browse through each other’s preloved treasures – grabbing what takes your fancy.

One person’s hand-me-down is another person’s new look – so elbows at the ready! Want to raise extra cash? Add a £1-£2 price tag on each item that’s been donated.

Strut your stuff at a cake walk

We know that staying healthy and being physically active can reduce the risk of cancer, so why not combine the classic Coffee Morning with a walk around the block? Creative costumes, silly hats and streamers at the ready as we leave behind the school hall and instead take our cakes and cookies for a little jaunt to stretch our legs.

Up the fun, and the stakes, by upgrading from a cake walk to a cake race – the bigger and messier the dessert, the better!  And get the kids involved in the baking and racing too.

Or if you want to keep it indoors, turn your catwalk into a cake walk and give your best strut with your favourite pudding in hand. It’s giving egg and spoon race, jelly wobbling on a plate and doubling over with laughter as you sashay along clutching a platter filled with your finest roulade.

Dance away the morning at a sober rave

Why sit or stand when you can dance? Sober raves are all the rage – and ideal for a morning of fun with friends, family and neighbours. There’s no hangover, no late night and the kids can join in too – so, no need for a babysitter.

Grab your glow sticks for a Coffee Morning like no other, and you can still eat cake and have a brew or a cold drink. It’s a club night where nobody has to worry about the morning-after-the-night-before! You can host it in any hall, all you need is music and a disco ball.

You might feel silly at first, but soon you’ll be grinning with joy as dancing is proven to release endorphins (natural painkillers and mood boosters) as well as reducing stress and keeping you fit. Now, who does a good Big fish, little fish, cardboard box?

Run an Is it cake? competition

If you haven’t seen the Netflix hit Is it cake? – an American game show-style cooking competition, you’re missing a treat. Contestants compete to both identify and recreate their best version of everyday items – in cake form.

That could be fire hoses made from vanilla sponge and icing, kitchen utensils that cut open to reveal red velvet cake, replica designer handbags that are actually edible, and even other food items such as burgers, which are of course, cake.

Up the baking ante by running your own cake lookalike competition inspired by the show. The best thing about it is that even if your cake looks like a pair of stinky old sports shoes, it’ll still taste great!

Whether you’re swapping styles, raving sober or sculpting a sponge handbag, every slice of fun helps Macmillan Cancer Support do whatever it takes to help everyone living with cancer.

Signing up to host your own Macmillan Coffee Morning this year couldn’t be easier! Find out more today on the Macmillan website

Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.

Could Trump pardon Diddy?

Since Sean “Diddy” Combs was found guilty on two federal charges, the question of whether President Donald Trump could pardon him has resurfaced.

Diddy, 55, was acquitted Wednesday of the most serious federal charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, but was convicted on two counts of transporting individuals for prostitution.

Trump is no stranger to pardoning rappers or reality TV stars. In the final days of his first term, Trump granted pardons for rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black: Wayne for federal weapons charges and Kodak for similar firearm-related offenses.

In May 2025, Trump continued this trend by pardoning NBA YoungBoy, who had faced federal weapons violations, and commuting the sentence of Larry Hoover, a former gang leader whose case had long drawn attention from artists like Kanye West and Drake.

Trump also granted full pardons to Todd and Julie Chrisley, stars of the reality TV show Chrisley Knows Best, in May 2025 after their convictions on fraud and tax evasion.

He previously pardoned Angela Stanton-King, a former cast member of BET’s From the Bottom Up, in 2020. Stanton-King had served time for her role in a stolen car ring and later became a political activist.

The short answer is yes: Trump could pardon Diddy.

The president has the authority to pardon anyone he chooses for federal crimes and offenses against the United States.

However, pardoning Diddy would be controversial based on the alleged sexual assaults involved in this case.

Trump didn’t rule out pardoning Diddy during a White House press briefing on May 30, though he did note that no one from Diddy’s camp has formally reached out to explore that process.

“I would certainly look at the facts,” Trump responded to a reporter who asked the question. “If I think somebody was mistreated – whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact.”

“I haven’t seen him. I haven’t spoken to him in years,” Trump continued. “He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics, that relationship busted up, from what I read.”

“You know, it’s different. You become a much different person when you run for politics, and you do what’s right,” the president said. “I could do other things, and I’m sure he’d like me, and I’m sure other people would like me, but it wouldn’t be as good for our country.”

Suge Knight, Diddy’s longtime music mogul rival, told NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo in a phone call from prison in May that he feels Diddy has some “influence” that could affect the case outcome.

“I think he’s got some favors with the government,” Knight said of Diddy.

“I think they’re gonna show him a little leeway. It might not seem like it when it’s all said and done, but I don’t think he has nothing to worry about, and I don’t think he’s worried because he’s gonna be federal, and if he gets convicted, Trump’s gonna pardon him,” Knight added.

In a since-deleted Instagram post on June 5, captured by Rolling Stone, rapper 50 Cent posted old clips of Diddy condemning Trump.

“[Diddy] said some really bad things about Trump, it’s not ok. I’m gonna reach out so he knows how I feel about this guy,” 50 Cent captioned the post.

“Donald doesn’t take well to disrespect, and doesn’t forget who chooses to go against him. While working tirelessly to make America great again there is no room for distraction. He would consider pardoning anyone who was being mistreated not Puffy Daddy,” the “In Da Club” rapper continued.

In June, Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee, who is representing dozens of people with civil suits against Diddy for alleged sex crimes, said he does not think the president would pardon the “Bad Boyyz For Life” rapper.

“I don’t think there’s any chance in hell that Donald J. Trump pardons P. Diddy,” Buzbee told Vulture. “He may have been sending it up the flagpole to see what the reaction was, and obviously it was a huge reaction and TMZ went nuts and everybody else went nuts, but I don’t ever see that happening.”

Deputy head of Russian Navy killed in Ukrainian attack on Kursk

The deputy head of the Russian Navy been killed in Russia’s Kursk region, a Russian official confirmed on Thursday.

Major General Mikhail Gudkov, who also led a brigade fighting against Ukraine, had been killed alongside 10 other servicemen in a Ukrainian attack on a command post, unofficial military Telegram channels reported earlier.

The news of the death comes after Ukraine summoned the acting US envoy to Kyiv to warn the Trump administration that any “delay or procrastination” in supplying the war-hit nation with weapons will only benefit Russia.

The US has blocked a number of planned shipments to Ukraine that included Patriot air defence missiles and precision-guided artillery, warning that its own domestic stockpiles were running low but said that “robust” options for Kyiv were still lined up.

Ukraine has complained that this pause in military aid has allowed Russian forces to advance further inside Ukrainian territory.

Russian forces have penetrated up to 7km (4 miles) into the northern Sumy region from different directions along the border and the war’s largest battle is being waged in Donetsk as Russia inches toward its stated goal of capturing all of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.