Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said Russia had begun a counter-offensive in its Kursk region to try to repel Kyiv's incursion, but the Pentagon said Moscow's attack so far was limited.
And Russian President Vladimir Putin warned western powers that he would consider them to be directly fighting against Russia if they loosen restrictions on Ukraine using long-range weapons in the war.
Mr Zelenskyy said Russia was taking “counter-offensive actions” in the Kursk regions, and that Ukrainian forces had anticipated the moves and were ready to fight.
Pentagon spokesman Maj Gen Pat Ryder downplayed the effectiveness of Russia's operations to repel Ukraine from the territory they entered on August 6.
“What we have seen is Russian units beginning to try to conduct some type of counter-offensive in the Kursk region. At this stage, I would say that it's marginal, but something obviously that we're keeping an eye on,” Maj Gen Ryder told reporters.
Ukraine launched its risky incursion into Kursk partly to try to force Russia to divert its troops there from Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, where a push by the Russian army is threatening to overrun key defensive strongholds. Russia is being aided in its efforts by Iran, which has supplied about 400 short-range missiles.
Mr Zelenskyy has for months been asking to let Ukraine fire western missiles, including long-range US Atacms and British Storm Shadows, deep into Russian territory to limit Moscow's ability to launch attacks.
Mr Putin warned such a move would drag the countries supplying Kyiv with such missiles directly into the war, as satellite targeting data and the programming of the missiles' flight paths would have to be done by Nato personnel because Kyiv did not have the ability.
“So this is not a question of allowing the Ukrainian regime to strike Russia with these weapons or not. It is a question of deciding whether or not Nato countries are directly involved in a military conflict,” Mr Putin told Russian state TV.
“If this decision is made, it will mean nothing less than the direct involvement of Nato countries, the US and European countries, in the war in Ukraine. This will be their direct participation and this, of course, will significantly change the very essence, the very nature of the conflict.”
Speculation has increased that the US might loosen restrictions on the use of long-range missiles after Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week said Washington continues to adapt its policies as battlefield conditions change.
Maj Gen Ryder cooled down any expectations of an imminent policy shift.
“I would tell you there has been no change to our policy,” he said. “As this battlefield has evolved, our support to Ukraine has evolved. But again, as of right now, the policy has not changed.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is due to meet President Joe Biden in the Oval Office on Friday afternoon, the White House said, where talks between the two leaders are expected to focus on Ukraine’s demands to use the missiles for deeper strikes into Russia.
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8)
Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)
Alita: Battle Angel
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Stars: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Keean Johnson
Four stars
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
MATCH INFO
Austria 2
Hinteregger (53'), Schopf (69')
Germany 1
Ozil (11')
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
The years Ramadan fell in May
England World Cup squad
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Read more about the coronavirus
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
Overall head-to-head
Federer 6-1 Cilic
Head-to-head at Wimbledon
Federer 1-0 Cilic
Grand Slams titles
Federer 18-1 Cilic
Best Wimbledon performance
Federer: Winner (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012)
Cilic: Final (2017*)
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
