Republican Mike Johnson, a staunch supporter of former US President Donald Trump, has been elected as speaker of the House of Representatives. The result comes after weeks of congressional gridlock and signals a noticeable shift towards the right for his party in the lower chamber.

Washington’s latest military assistance for Kiev marks its largest batch of weaponry since Russia’s offensive began in February The US Department of Defense has announced its largest military aid package for Kiev since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in February, planning an additional $1 billion in weapons shipments to the former Soviet republic.

Fresh penalties will target steel products, exports of luxury goods, as well as investments in Russian oil sector French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has announced a new package of restrictive measures that comes into effect on Sunday. Le Drian flagged the “scope of the consequences of sanctions” being imposed by the EU on Russia…