Britney Spears set to get $20K-a-month richer as son Preston about to turn 18
Britney Spears has been estranged from her two sons, Preston, 17, and Jayden, 16, for more than a year
2023-09-05 15:50
'That's insane to me': Aaron Paul joins SAG-AFTRA strike as he slams Netflix for zero 'Breaking Bad' residuals
Aaron Paul revealed the damning news while picketing outside Sony Pictures in California alongside his former co-stars
2023-09-05 15:45
Elon Musk threatens to launch mammoth $22B defamation lawsuit against Jewish civil liberties group ADL
Elon Musk indicates that a defamation lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League could be the only way 'to clear our platform's name'
2023-09-05 15:28
The three reasons Putin will be terrified of Ukraine’s counteroffensive win
Ukraine’s counter-offensive breakthrough will come as a “shock” to Russian President Vladimir Putin, an expert has said. Mark Galeotti, professor of Slavonic studies at UCL, said Russians had become “complacent” and believed their defence to be more effective than Kyiv’s progress would suggest. It comes after Ukrainian generals claimed troops had breached Russia’s first line near Zaporizhzhia and were gathering momentum in an offensive many observers claimed had failed. Professor Galeotti explained there were three aspects to Ukraine’s counteroffensive gains that would particularly concern the Russian leadership. “One is on the battlefield,” he told The Independent. “It demonstrates their slow, methodical bite and hold strategy is in fact working and has the chance to hammer the second line of Russian defences.” “The second is political,” he continued. “It is also a response to critics in the West who suggested it is time for Ukraine to negotiate because it wasn’t going to make any move. “And thirdly, in terms of the Russians. I think they had started to get a little bit complacent as autumnal rains got closer. I think they thought they had pulled the defence off. “It will come as a shock, but we have seen on the whole the Russians are quite effective in the defence. So I think they’ll be doing what they can to shore up that second line.” Brig Gen Oleksandr Tarnavisky, who leads Ukraine’s southern offensive, claimed Russian troops had devoted 60 per cent of their time to its first defence, and only 20 per cent each into its second and third. He claimed Russia would soon run out of its “best” soldiers, giving Ukraine an advantage to attack “more and faster”. However, Chatham House consulting fellow Keir Giles, who researches Russian security, said there was no sign of “imminent collapse” among Russian forces despite Kyiv’s latest breakthrough. He told The Independent: “There are optimistic noises from Ukraine about whether the offensive might progress a little faster now because they have broken through the first and strongest Russian defensive line. “But that of course does not mean that things are going to collapse imminently on the Russian side, as some have suggested. “The resilience of Russia and its forces remains imponderable. There is no sign of imminent collapse of the Russian economy or society.” Mr Giles added there were signs Russia feels it is in a position to “drag the conflict out” and wait for the Western coalition to collapse. Ukrainian deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said their forces had retaken about 1.16 square miles of land in the past week around the eastern city of Bakhmut, which was captured by Russian troops in May after months of heavy fighting. Moscow has continued to carry out drone attacks on Ukrainian targets including port infrastructure. Last night, 32 Russian kamikaze drones struck the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, damaging civilian and industrial buildings. At least 23 of the Iranian-made Shahed drones were shot down by the Ukrainian military, the country’s Air Force said. Soon after, Ukraine’s defence spokesman claimed some of the drones exploded on Romanian territory. Romania’s Ministry of Defence said it “firmly” denied the claim but reiterated its support for Ukraine and said Russian attacks on the country break “all international humanitarian rules”. General Tarnavisky told the Guardian: “When we started the counter-offensive we spent more time than we expected on de-mining the territories. “Unfortunately, the evacuation of the wounded was difficult for us. And this also complicated our advance. “In my opinion, the Russians believed the Ukrainians would not get through this line of defence. They had been preparing for over one year. They did everything to make sure that this area was prepared well.” On Sunday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had decided to dismiss Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov from his post and would ask parliament this week to replace him with Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine‘s main privatisation fund. The announcement, made in his nightly video address to the nation, sets the stage for the biggest shakeup of Ukraine‘s defence establishment during the war launched by Russia in February 2022. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin’s forces pushed back in the south as Moscow launches kamikaze drone attack Zelensky needed to sack his defence minister – but it goes beyond just corruption scandals Ukraine's defense minister resigns following Zelenskyy's announcement of his replacement The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary
2023-09-05 14:50
A half-century after Gen. Augusto Pinochet's coup, some in Chile remember the dictatorship fondly
The world remembers Gen. Augusto Pinochet as the dictator whose regime tortured, killed and disappeared 3,065 people in the name of fighting communism
2023-09-05 14:17
Logan Paul and Dillon Danis feud surrounding Nina Agdal triggers meme fest on Internet: 'Bro's wife really holding down this fight'
Logan Paul said, 'A doctor of our choosing has to verify the injury, and then if he is indeed faking it, he has to pay $100,000'
2023-09-05 14:15
'Most entertaining streamer': IShowSpeed receives warm welcome from Scottish fans during IRL livestream
During IShowSpeed's stream, fans tracked his location, resulting in a mob of viewers rushing towards him and his car
2023-09-05 13:53
Adin Ross in shock after Dillon Danis shows him Logan Paul’s fiancee Nina Agdal’s nuclear photo
Dillon Danis and Logan Paul are scheduled to fight on October 14, in Manchester.
2023-09-05 13:50
Ukraine war – live: Putin accused of trafficking Cubans to fight for Russia in his invasion
Cuban citizens are being trafficked to fight for Russia in its war in Ukraine, the country’s foreign ministry said. A human trafficking operation was being run by criminals working in both the Caribbean island nation and thousands of miles away in Russia, the Cuban government said, adding that they were being incorporated into the military forces participating in war operations in Ukraine. Authorities are now working to “neutralise and dismantle” the network. Russia has yet to comment on these allegations. It comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was expected to travel to Russia and meet Vladimir Putin this month to discuss the possibility of supplying Moscow with more weapons. In a rare trip abroad, Kim would most likely travel by armoured train from Pyongyang to Vladivostok, Russia’s Pacific coast, where he would meet Putin, the New York Times reported on Monday, citing US and allied sources. On the battlefield in Ukraine, Russian forces have been pushed back in the south as well as along the eastern front near Bakhmut, the Ukrainian military said. Read More President Zelensky nominates Rustem Umerov as Ukraine’s new defence minister Russian cyber-attacks ‘relentless’ as threat of WW3 grows, expert warns Ukraine ‘targets critical bridge’ built by Putin as counteroffensive ‘breaks through on southern front’
2023-09-05 13:29
Ukraine's Olena Zelenska tells of war's impact on family life
In a highly personal interview, the first lady says she needs "my husband, not a historical figure, by my side".
2023-09-05 13:16
The impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton is set to begin in the Texas Senate
The Texas Senate is set to gavel in for the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, a political reckoning of years of alleged corruption that could lead to his permanent ouster from office
2023-09-05 12:51
Fox News once suspended 'The Five' host Judge Jeanine Pirro over her controversial remarks against Ilhan Omar
Just before Judge Jeanine Pirro joined the panel on 'The Five', she used to have her own weekly show on Fox News
2023-09-05 12:49