1. Ukraine Peace Efforts UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized Vladimir Putin’s response to a proposed peace plan, calling it “not good enough.” After a virtual meeting with European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Starmer pushed for Russia to engage in serious negotiations. A military summit is set for next week to discuss securing a lasting peace deal.
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2. Australia’s Peacekeeping Role Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that Australia is prepared to take part in a future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. Following a summit with global leaders supporting Ukraine, Albanese said Australia remains committed to backing Ukraine both during the conflict and after.
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3. Olympic Gender Controversy IOC President Thomas Bach claimed a gender controversy at the Paris 2024 Olympics was sparked by a Russian misinformation campaign. Two female boxers were initially cleared to compete but later banned after chromosome tests. Bach stated that both athletes had competed without issue before, and the sudden backlash was driven by false information spread by Russian sources.