“We need the facts” before rushing to judgment: Ryan

President Vladimir Putin told Russians the world was at a key turning point and they were engaged in a patriotic struggle for the future of their country.

EU member states are discussing a new sanctions package against Russia over its war in Ukraine. The latest measures will be focused on tackling the issue of "third" countries circumventing existing sanctions. For the first time, they could include measures targeted at firms from other countries, including China and Iran. We also get the latest in the stalled talks over the US debt ceiling. Plus we look at how Tesla is taking advantage of electric car subsidies in France.

South Africa rejects accusations by the United States that it's providing weapons to Russia. Also, the search for missing people continues in eastern DR Congo after last week's devastating floods. And Tunisia's Jewish community is still in shock, two days after an attack at the Ghriba synagogue on the island of Djerba, in which five people were killed.

The US envoy to South Africa accused Pretoria of sending arms to Russia to support its war in Ukraine, saying he's betting "his life" on the accuracy of the allegations. President Ramaphosa's office called for evidence.

The FBI lacked "actual evidence" to investigate Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, US special counsel John Durham concluded in a report. Trump hailed the report's findings.

As sanctions cut off major Russian banks from much of the West's payment systems, finding ways to pay for the crude India imports from Russia has become a challenge.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Monday that the country's non-aligned position did not favor Russia over other states and reiterated its call for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.

In a push evocative of the Soviet Union's efforts to bring Africa into its sphere of influence, the Kremlin has stepped up its presence across the African continent in recent years. From military campaigns to involvement in domestic politics, few African nations have been spared Moscow's interest.

After a rare summit of the Council of Europe, leaders vowed to hold Russia to account for its war against Ukraine.

African leaders from six countries want to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. A peace delegation will visit Kyiv and Moscow to mediate the conflict that has raged for more than a year.

Since seizing power in a 2021 coup, the junta has used the imported weapons "to commit atrocities" against civilians, a United Nations expert said in a report.

Russia's Vladimir Putin has lifted the ban on direct flights with Georgia and introduced a visa-free regime for Georgian nationals. Georgian authorities welcome the initiative; critics see it as "provocation" by Moscow.