A far-right election victory and the likelihood of tricky coalition talks have put Dutch businesses on edge about

Russia has admitted to losing occupied territory on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river in a significant victory for Ukraine, but has warned “a fiery hell” awaited Kyiv’s troops. War-time president Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff had earlier said Kyiv had “gained a foothold” in the Kherson region “against all odds”, in a fresh blow to Vladimir Putin’s troops, who have been facing a gradual counteroffensive since the spring. A Ukrainian breakthrough across the Dnipro could open up a new line to attack Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. Ukraine’s forces have crossed the river, said Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of Kherson under Moscow’s control. He, however, said Ukrainian troops were taking heavy losses as more of Mr Putin’s soldiers were being poured into the battlefield to stop Kyiv’s advance. Mr Saldo said Ukrainian forces were seen operating in small groups spread over a distance of around 20km, covering an area from a railway bridge to the village of Krynky. “Our additional forces have now been brought in,” he said. “The enemy is trapped in Krynky and a fiery hell has been arranged for him: bombs, rockets, heavy flamethrower systems, artillery shells and drones.” Mr Saldo, citing Russia’s “Dnepr” military grouping, said Ukrainian troops were pinned down in basements during the day. Kyiv said its troops were moving forward to push Russian forces back from the eastern bank of the river. The frontline is “fairly fluid”, said Natalia Humeniuk, spokesperson for Ukraine’s southern military command. She said Kyiv’s forces had been putting pressure on Russian troops. “The pushback from our side is taking place on a line from 3-8km along the entire bank from the water’s edge,” she said. “For now, we will ask for informational silence ... which would allow us to report later on great successes.” Both the accounts could not be immediately verified. Kyiv has frequently resorted to informational clampdown on its military moves along the 1,000km long frontline and asked spectators to await news of breakthroughs. Kyiv’s counteroffensive that was launched months ago has yielded incremental results. Moscow has maintained a consistent silence on the number of casualties its troops have faced during the war. The growing area of contested control on the eastern bank of the Dnipro “significantly reduces the mobility and capability of the Russian occupiers”, military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko said. Mr Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak had, in remarks published on Tuesday, said Kyiv’s counteroffensive was “developing”. He also said Ukraine knew “how to achieve victory”. In the eastern theatre of the war, Ukrainian officials said the city of Avdiivka was “being wiped out” because of a month of continuous Russian bombardment. The pre-war population there of 32,000 people has come down to fewer than 1,500 residents. The Institute for the Study of War cited Russian sources on unconfirmed claims that Russian forces continued advancing around Avdiivka on Wednesday. “A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces pushed Ukrainian forces from their positions near the waste heap north of Avdiivka and that Russian forces seized at least 60 per cent of the industrial area south of Avdiivka,” said the US-based think-tank that is monitoring the war. It cited a Russian source as saying that the Ukrainian forces counterattacked in the Avdiivka direction on Wednesday, but did not advance. Read More Major breakthrough for Ukraine but troops face ‘hell fire’ - latest updates U.N. Security Council schedules a vote on a resolution urging humanitarian pauses, corridors in Gaza EU moves closer to imposing a new set of sanctions on Russia for its war on Ukraine Ukraine troops pressuring Putin’s forces along Dnipro River NATO to buy more ‘eyes in the sky’ planes to monitor Putin’s war on Ukraine Bombs and betrayal: Plight of one Ukraine village highlights toll of Russian invasion

Police say the shooter, who killed himself, was "quite intoxicated at the time".

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy compromised on bitterly contested disputes over federal spending and assistance

A visitor identified as Jeremy Wagner shared on social media that he discovered the crack in the Fury 325 and notified officials, however, it took the authorities days to shut the ride down for repairs

By Nancy Lapid The northeastern United States is blanketed under a pungent haze caused by smoke carried down

Retired US Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the nation's highest court and a noted pragmatist in an age of deep...

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By Daniel Trotta California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday announced he would give up trying to deny parole

By Steve Scherer OTTAWA (Reuters) -Leaders of a dock workers union in Canada's Pacific region on Friday backed a tentative

Canadians fighting the wildfires that have sent a hazardous haze over the country's northeast and much of northeastern United States saw a glimpse of hope Saturday with expectations of favorable weather in the coming days. Officials in the province of Quebec said the next 48 hours will be crucial, with rain forecast for Monday and warmer, humid conditions until then. But Public Security Minister François Bonnardel said authorities are still concerned about Normétal, located 450 miles (720 kilometers) northwest of Montreal, where fires are burning nearby. Another major fight against wildfires is taking place in Lebel-sur-Quévillon, a northern municipality where the province’s largest fire is burning. The situation is stable in Chibougaumau, Mistissini, Chapais and Oujé-Bougoumou, authorities said. Bonnardel says there are more than 130 fires burning in the province and teams have prioritized 37 of them, with 861 firefighters on the ground and 20 water bombers part of the fight. Provincial authorities say 13,810 Quebecers have been evacuated due to the wildfire situation in the province. Hundreds of firefighters from the France, the United States, Spain and Portugal have either arrived or will do so in the coming days. The positive forecast Saturday, comes a day after Canadian and U.S. officials said the haze was easing and the wildfire situation in Quebec improving. Quebec's forest fire prevention agency has described the current wildfire season as the worst on record. The province has reported a total of 444 wildfires so far this year, compared to an average of 207 at the same date during prior years. Experts says the wildfires have been fueled by an unusually dry and warm period in spring, and no rains are expected until next week. Canadian officials say there have been no reports of injuries and deaths so far from the fires. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide