International from Thursday, March 6th, 2025

European leaders on Thursday said they would stand by Ukraine and spend more on defence in a world upended by Donald Trump's reversal of US policies.

A Russian missile struck a hotel in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih late on Wednesday, killing four people and injuring 31, with rescuers still searching on Thursday morning for anyone trapped in the rubble, officials said.

New footage shows the moment Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost has became the first ever successful commercial moon landing, following touchdown on Mare Crisium, a basin in the north-east quadrant of the Moon.

The United States broke a long-standing diplomatic taboo by holding secret talks with Hamas on securing the release of US hostages held in Gaza, sources told Reuters on Wednesday, while US President Donald Trump warned of "hell to pay" should the Palestinian group not comply.

The US has paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said on Wednesday, piling pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cooperate with US President Donald Trump in convening peace talks with Russia.

At least 15 people were hurt on Thursday after a shell was dropped on a civilian district, damaging houses and a church during live-fire military exercises in Pocheon, South Korea, a fire official said.