Several European countries to withdraw from Ottawa Convention
Countries bordering Russia, notably Ukraine, Finland, Poland and Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - have either withdrawn from the convention or indicated that they would do so.
The Ottawa Treaty of December 1997 bans the use of anti-personnel landmines, as well as the ability to "develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer to anyone, directly or indirectly, anti-personnel mines".
The move threatens to reverse decades of campaigning by activists who say there should be a global ban on a weapon that blights huge swathes of territory and maims and kills civilians long after conflicts have abated.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in mid-June raised grave concerns about recent withdrawal announcements, and urged all states "to adhere to humanitarian disarmament treaties and immediately halt any steps towards their withdrawal."
Anti-personnel landmines are generally hidden in the ground and designed to detonate automatically when someone steps on them or passes nearby. More than 80 percent of mine victims are civilians, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
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CBC
15 minutes ago
- CBC
Hamas says it's given 'positive' response to latest ceasefire proposal
Hamas says it has given a "positive" response to the latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza but said further talks were needed on implementation. It was not clear if Hamas's statement meant it had accepted the proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump for a 60-day ceasefire. The militant group has been seeking guarantees that the initial truce with Israel would lead to a total end to the war, now nearly 21 months old. In a statement issued late Friday, Hamas said it has "delivered the response to the mediators, which was positive." "The movement is ready in all seriousness to enter immediately into a round of negotiations on the mechanism to implement this framework," it said, without elaborating. Meanwhile, the United Nations human rights office says it has recorded 613 Palestinians killed within the span of a month in Gaza while trying to obtain aid. Most were killed while trying to reach food distribution points run by an Israeli-backed American organization, while others were massed waiting for aid trucks connected to the UN or other humanitarian organizations, it said. WATCH | Aid organizations call for immediate change in Gaza: Palestinians caught between starvation and danger at aid sites 3 days ago Duration 2:07 Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said the rights office was not able to attribute responsibility for the killings. But she said "it is clear that the Israeli military has shelled and shot at Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points" operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). In a message to The Associated Press, Shamdasani said that of the total tallied, 509 killings were "GHF-related," meaning at or near its distribution sites. "Information keeps coming in," she said. "This is ongoing and it is unacceptable." The GHF has denied any serious injuries or deaths on its sites and says shootings outside their immediate vicinity are under the purview of Israel's military. In a statement on Friday, GHF cast doubt on the casualty figures and accused the UN of trying "to falsely smear our effort." The army says it fires warnings shots as a crowd-control measure or opens fire if its troops are threatened. The Israeli military also issued new evacuation orders on Friday in northeast Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, and urged Palestinians to move west ahead of planned military operations against Hamas in the area. The new evacuation zones pushed Palestinians into increasingly smaller spaces by the coast. 20 people killed Friday while seeking aid Since the GHF began distributions in late May, witnesses have said almost daily that Israeli troops open fire toward crowds of Palestinians on the roads leading to the food centres. To reach the sites, people must walk several kilometres through an Israeli military zone where troops control the road. Officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said at least three Palestinians were killed on Friday on the way to GHF sites in the area of Rafah, in southern Gaza. On Friday, in reaction to the UN report, the Israeli military said it was investigating reports of people killed and wounded while seeking aid and that it had given instructions to troops in the field based on "lessons learned" from reviewing the incidents. It said it was working at "minimizing possible friction between the population" and Israeli forces, including by installing fences and placing signs on the routes. Separately, witnesses have said Israeli troops open fire on crowds of Palestinians who gather in military-controlled zones to wait for aid trucks entering Gaza for the UN or other aid organizations not associated with the GHF. The crowds are usually made up of people desperate for food who grab supplies off the passing trucks, and armed gangs have also looted trucks. On Friday, 17 people were killed waiting for trucks in eastern Khan Younis, in the Tahliya area, officials at Nasser Hospital said. Three survivors told the AP they had gone to wait for the trucks in a military "red zone" in Khan Younis and that troops opened fire from a tank and drones. It was a "crowd of people, may God help them, who want to eat and live," said Seddiq Abu Farhana, who was shot in the leg, forcing him to drop a bag of flour he had grabbed. "There was direct firing." Airstrikes also hit the Muwasi area on the southern end of Gaza's Mediterranean coast, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians driven from their homes are sheltering in tent camps. Of the 15 people killed in the strikes, eight were women and one was a child, according to the hospital. Israel's military said it was looking into Friday's reported airstrikes. It had no immediate comment on the reported shootings surrounding the aid trucks. UN investigates shootings near aid sites In its statement reacting to the United Nations rights office report, the GHF accused the UN of taking its casualty figures "directly from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry" and of "promoting Hamas' false propaganda." Shamdasani, the UN rights office spokesperson, told the AP that the data "is based on our own information gathering through various reliable sources, including medical, human rights and humanitarian organizations." Rik Peeperkorn, a World Health Organization (WHO) representative for the Palestinian territories, said Nasser Hospital, the biggest hospital operating in southern Gaza, receives dozens or hundreds of casualties every day, most coming from the vicinity of the food distribution sites. The overwhelmed hospital has become "one massive trauma ward," he said. WHO supports Nasser Hospital and other health facilities. The International Committee of the Red Cross also said in late June that its field hospital near one of the GHF sites has been overwhelmed more than 20 times in the previous months by mass casualties. It said people had been on their way to the food distribution sites, and "the vast majority of patients suffered gunshot injuries." Also on Friday, Israel's military said it was investigating after two soldiers were killed in combat in the north of Gaza. More than 860 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the war began, including more than 400 during the fighting in Gaza. The Health Ministry in Gaza said the number of Palestinians killed in the territory has passed 57,000. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says more than half of the dead are women and children. The ministry is run by medical professionals employed by the Hamas government, and its numbers are widely cited by the UN and international organizations. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages.
an hour ago
Russia strikes Kyiv with missiles, drones in largest aerial attack since war in Ukraine began
Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Waves of drone and missile attacks targeted Kyiv overnight into Friday in the largest aerial attack since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago, injuring 23 people and inflicting severe damage across multiple districts of the capital in a seven-hour onslaught. Russia launched 550 drones and missiles across Ukraine during the night, the country's air force said. The majority were Shahed drones, but Russia also launched 11 missiles in the attack. It was a harsh, sleepless night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Alya Shahlai, a 23-year-old wedding photographer, said her home was destroyed in the attack. We were all in the [basement] shelter because it was so loud; staying home would have been suicidal, she told The Associated Press. We went down 10 minutes before, and then there was a loud explosion and the lights went out in the shelter. People were panicking. Throughout the night, AP journalists in Kyiv heard the constant buzzing of drones overhead and the sound of explosions and intense machine gunfire as Ukrainian forces tried to intercept the aerial assault. At least 14 people were hospitalized, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Ukraine's Energy Minister German Galuschenko said that the attacks severed the power line that connects the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to the power grid. The UN's atomic energy agency said in a social media post (new window) that the plant was relying on its emergency diesel generators for power. Its six reactors are all shut down but the plant requires power to its cooling systems for safety, the International Atomic Energy Agency said. The largest nuclear plant in Europe, the Zaporizhzhia facility has been a focus of concern since Russia took control of it soon after its early 2022 invasion of Ukraine. During the course of the war, the external power has been cut multiple times, forcing the plant to rely on its diesel generators. No progress in latest Putin call, Trump says Russia is escalating its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities. Less than a week ago, Russia launched its previous largest aerial assault of the war. That strategy has coincided with a new push by Russia's bigger forces along parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometre front line, where Ukrainian troops are under severe pressure. Russia's Defence Ministry said it had successfully struck military targets in Kyiv, while also capturing the village of Predtechyne in the eastern Donetsk region. WATCH | How Trump's recent criticism of Putin may signal U.S. policy shifts: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Trump vs. Putin: Is the U.S. finally fed up with the Russia-Ukraine war? U.S. President Donald Trump's stance on the Russia-Ukraine war and Putin has changed drastically over time. Andrew Chang explores how Trump's recent criticism of Putin may signal U.S. policy shifts. Then, can one judge overrule Trump? The attack on Kyiv began the same day a phone call took place between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy called the timing of the strikes a deliberate signal that Moscow has no intention of ending the war. The U.S. has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defence missiles. Ukraine's main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Zelenskyy says plans are afoot to build up Ukraine's domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time. Zelenskyy and Trump spoke after Friday's wave of attacks. The Ukraine president said they discussed air defences and agreed to work on increasing Kyiv's capability to defend the sky. He added that he discussed joint defence production, as well as joint purchases and investments with the U.S. leader. Separately, a spokesperson for Friedrich Merz said the German chancellor had reached out to Trump via phone call on Thursday to discuss Germany buying Patriot missile defence systems from the U.S. and delivering them to Ukraine. Putin has argued he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to fend off a threat to Russia posed by Ukraine's push to join NATO and to protect Russian speakers in Ukraine — arguments rejected by Kyiv and its allies. He insisted any prospective peace deal must see Ukraine abandon its NATO bid and recognize Russia's territorial gains. When asked if he made any progress with Putin on a deal to end the fighting in Ukraine, Trump said: No, I didn't make any progress with him today at all. WATCH l Kyiv residents seeks shelter in latest attack: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Kyiv residents take shelter underground as explosions rock city People took shelter in a basement in Kyiv overnight as Russia hammered Ukraine's capital with drones in a widespread attack. Russia says 1 person killed, substations damaged In Russia, Ukraine launched a drone attack on the Sergiyev Posad district, near Moscow, early on Friday, injuring one person and damaging power infrastructure, the head of the district said. Oksana Yerokhanova wrote in a post on the Telegram messaging app that at least four explosions were recorded throughout the district — some 75 kilometres from the Kremlin — and that a power substation was damaged, leaving parts of the district without electricity. In the southern Russian region of Rostov, a woman was killed as a result of Ukraine's drone attack, which damaged several apartment buildings and forced the evacuation of scores of people from their homes, the acting governor of the region said Friday. The scale of the attack on Russia was not immediately known. There was no comment from Ukraine. In general, Kyiv says that its attacks inside Russia are aimed at destroying infrastructure key to Moscow's war efforts and are in response to continuous Russian strikes on Ukraine. On Thursday, the Russian military confirmed the killing of Maj.-Gen. Mikhail Gudkov, deputy head of the Russian Navy. Gudkov — who was handed a top military honour by Putin in February and appointed to the top naval post in March — was killed on Wednesday during combat work in one of the border districts of Kursk region, Russia's Defence Ministry said. Unofficial Russian and Ukrainian military Telegram channels had earlier reported that Gudkov was among several servicemen and officers killed in an attack which utilized a U.S.-made HIMARS missile. Reuters could not independently verify how Gudkov, 42, died or what he was doing in Kursk. The Associated Press with files from Reuters
Toronto Sun
6 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Russia launches largest missile and drone barrage on Kyiv since war in Ukraine began
Published Jul 04, 2025 • 5 minute read Smoke rises after a Russian strike on Kyiv, Ukraine, on Friday, July 4, 2025. Photo by Yehor Konovalov / AP KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight in the largest aerial assault since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago, officials said Friday, amid a renewed Russian push to capture more of its neighbour's land. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Hours after the barrage that killed one person and wounded at least 26 others, including a child, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a 'very important and productive' phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders discussed how Ukrainian air defenses might be strengthened, possible joint weapons production between the U.S. and Ukraine, and broader U.S-led efforts to end the war with Russia, according to a statement by Zelenksyy. The U.S. has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defence missiles. Ukraine's main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Zelenskyy says plans are afoot to build up Ukraine's domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the call. The seven-hour bombardment of Kyiv caused severe damage across multiple districts of the capital in a seven-hour onslaught, authorities said. Blasts lit up the night sky and echoed across the city as air raid sirens wailed. The blue lights of emergency vehicles reflected off high-rise buildings, and debris blocked city streets. 'It was a harsh, sleepless night,' Zelenskyy said. Russia has been stepping up its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities. Less than a week ago, Russia launched what was then the largest aerial assault of the war. That strategy has coincided with a concerted Russian effort to break through parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where Ukrainian troops are under severe pressure. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Russia launched 550 drones and missiles across Ukraine during the night, the country's air force said. The majority were Shahed drones, but Russia also launched 11 missiles in the attack. Alya Shahlai, a 23-year-old Kyiv wedding photographer, said that her home was destroyed in the attack. 'We were all in the (basement) shelter because it was so loud, staying home would have been suicidal,' she told The Associated Press. 'We went down 10 minutes before and then there was a loud explosion and the lights went out in the shelter, people were panicking.' Five ambulances were damaged while responding to calls, officials said, and emergency services removed more than 300 tons of rubble. Trump, Zelenskyy talks In Friday's call, Zelenskyy said he congratulated Trump and the American people on Independence Day and thanked the United States for its continued support. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. They discussed a possible future meeting between their teams to explore ways of enhancing Ukraine's protection against air attacks, Zelenskyy said. He added that they talked in detail about defense industry capabilities and direct joint projects with the U.S., particularly in drone technology. They also exchanged views on mutual procurement, investment, and diplomatic cooperation with international partners, Zelenskyy said. Peace efforts have been fruitless so far. Recent direct peace talks have led only to sporadic exchanges of prisoners of war, wounded troops and the bodies of fallen soldiers. No date has been set for further negotiations. Ukrainian officials and the Russian Defense Ministry said another prisoner swap took place Friday, though neither side said how many soldiers were involved. Zelenskyy said most of the Ukrainians had been in Russian captivity since 2022. The Ukrainian soldiers were classified as 'wounded and seriously ill.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A local woman walks past cars destroyed by a Russian strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Friday, July 4, 2025. Photo by Evgeniy Maloletka / AP The attack on Kyiv began the same day a phone call took place between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Asked if he made any progress during his call with Putin on a deal to end the fighting in Ukraine, Trump said: 'No, I didn't make any progress with him today at all.' 'I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin because I don't think he's there. I don't think he's looking to stop (the fighting), and that's too bad,' Trump said. According to Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign affairs adviser, the Russian leader emphasized that Moscow will seek to achieve its goals in Ukraine and remove the 'root causes' of the conflict. 'Russia will not back down from these goals,' Ushakov told reporters after the call. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Russia's army crossed the border on Feb. 24, 2022, in an all-out invasion that Putin sought to justify by falsely saying it was needed to protect Russian-speaking civilians in eastern Ukraine and prevent the country from joining NATO. Zelenskyy has repeatedly called out Russian disinformation efforts. Constant buzzing of drones The Ukrainian response needs to be speedy as Russia escalates its aerial attacks. Russia launched 5,438 drones at Ukraine in June, a new monthly record, according to official data collated by The Associated Press. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said earlier this week that Russia also launched more than 330 missiles, including nearly 80 ballistic missiles, at Ukrainian towns and cities that month. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Throughout the night, AP journalists in Kyiv heard the constant buzzing of drones overhead and the sound of explosions and intense machine gun fire as Ukrainian forces tried to intercept the aerial assault. 'Absolutely horrible and sleepless night in Kyiv,' Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on social media platform X. 'One of the worst so far.' Ukraine's Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko described 'families running into metro stations, basements, underground parking garages, mass destruction in the heart of our capital.' 'What Kyiv endured last night, cannot be called anything but a deliberate act of terror,' she wrote on X. Kyiv was the primary target of the countrywide attack. At least 14 people were hospitalized, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Zelenskyy called the Kyiv attack 'cynical.' In Moscow, the Defense Ministry claimed its forces targeted factories producing drones and other military equipment in Kyiv. Russia strikes 5 Ukrainian regions Ukrainian air defenses shot down 270 targets, including two cruise missiles. Another 208 targets were lost from radar and presumed jammed. Russia successfully hit eight locations with nine missiles and 63 drones. Debris from intercepted drones fell across at least 33 sites. In addition to the capital, the Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Kyiv regions also sustained damage, Zelenskyy said. Emergency services reported damage in at least five of Kyiv's 10 districts. Editorial Cartoons Toronto Blue Jays News World Toronto & GTA
