Iran demands Qatar probe over missing pilots

At least 30 children, most of them believed to be British, may have been conceived through IVF treatment in northern Cyprus using sperm or egg donors different from those selected by their parents. The allegations have emerged from an investigation into fertility clinics in the region, raising serious concerns about the treatment of international patients and the regulation of fertility services. The parents involved say they carefully chose anonymous donors before undergoing treatment. Their decisions were based on detailed information provided by clinics, including the donors’ medical backgrounds, physical appearance, education, personalities, interests and hobbies. However, after their children were born, some parents began to question whether the donors they had selected were actually used during their IVF procedures. The latest investigation has identified at least 30 cases in which parents believe the wrong sperm or egg donors may have been used. This is a significant increase from the seven cases . Around half of the children were reportedly conceived following treatment at Dogus IVF Centre, a fertility clinic in northern Cyprus. Several individuals involved in the treatment of these patients have come under scrutiny, including doctors Firdevs Uguz Tip and Sevket Alpturk, as well as patient coordinator Julie Hodson. One mother, identified as Rachel, said she recently discovered that the sperm donor used during her treatment may not have been the donor she had chosen. She described the situation as extremely shocking and unacceptable. The parents have raised concerns that staff members at the clinic may have provided misleading information about the donors. Dr Firdevs Uguz Tip has denied any wrongdoing. The investigation has also uncovered information about the relationship between Dogus IVF Centre and Cryos International, one of the world’s largest sperm banks. Cryos placed Dogus on its blacklist in 2016, adding another concern surrounding the clinic’s practices. Northern Cyprus has become a popular destination for British and other international patients seeking fertility treatment. The region offers relatively low treatment costs, reportedly high success rates and access to a wide selection of sperm and egg donors. However, its regulatory system is significantly different from that of European Union countries. Northern Cyprus is internationally recognised only by Turkey, and EU laws do not apply there. Fertility clinics in the territory have been described as operating under relatively loose regulation, raising questions about oversight and accountability. According to previous reports on the emerging allegations in March, when seven parents came forward with concerns that they may have been misled about the donors used in their treatments. Following those reports, the Ministry of Health in northern Cyprus said it had opened an official investigation. However, the ministry has reportedly failed to provide further information. Many parents said clinics had promised them donors who had undergone health screening and were from Western European backgrounds. Their suspicions reportedly grew after their children were born. DNA testing has provided further evidence that has intensified these concerns. Eleven of the 30 children have undergone commercial DNA tests, with results indicating genetic ancestry connected to Turkey or nearby regions. According to the investigation, these results may suggest that the donors selected by the parents were not the individuals whose genetic material was ultimately used. The allegations have caused distress among affected families, many of whom travelled abroad believing they were receiving carefully selected fertility treatment. The growing number of cases is now raising serious questions about donor identification, patient information, clinic accountability and the regulation of fertility services in northern Cyprus.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, saying the country will continue to stand firmly with Kyiv despite warnings from Moscow over Britain’s involvement in the conflict. Burnham said the UK would remain a reliable supporter of Ukraine and would continue providing assistance as the war continues. His comments came after Russia criticised Britain’s role following confirmation that British-made drones had been used in recent Ukrainian attacks inside Russian territory. “We are not fair-weather friends,” Burnham said, stressing that Britain would remain with Ukraine during what he described as its “hour of need”. He added that the UK’s position was to provide Ukraine with the support necessary to defend itself. The Russian embassy in the UK responded by accusing Britain of deliberately increasing tensions surrounding the war. It warned that the greater Britain’s involvement in the conflict became, the greater the consequences could be for the UK. The embassy said London’s actions would eventually have consequences for which Britain would have to take responsibility. However, it did not provide specific details about what form those consequences might take. The latest dispute follows an increase in Ukrainian attacks against targets deep inside Russia. Ukrainian forces have recently focused on areas including Moscow and other parts of the country, with oil refineries, logistics facilities and other strategically important sites among the reported targets. One company affected by the attacks is Wildberries, a major Russian online retailer. Its logistics infrastructure has reportedly been damaged during recent Ukrainian drone strikes. Asked about Moscow’s warning, Burnham defended the UK’s policy of assisting Ukraine. He said Britain was providing support to enable Ukraine to protect itself and argued that this had been the country’s position throughout the conflict, including under previous British prime ministers. The UK has been one of Ukraine’s strongest international supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Britain has supplied Kyiv with military equipment, training and technology, including drone capabilities and Storm Shadow missiles. The UK’s Ministry of Defence has also reiterated its commitment to supplying Ukraine with the equipment it needs to defend itself against Russian forces and what it described as President Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion. Russia currently occupies around one-fifth of Ukraine, but Russian troops have made limited progress along the front line in recent months. Despite the lack of major advances, however, attacks and casualties continue to occur far from the main battlefield. United Nations officials have reported a sharp increase in civilian casualties. At least 437 civilians were killed in Ukraine last month, making it the country’s deadliest month for civilians since May 2022. More people were killed in the latest Russian attacks on Tuesday. Seventeen Ukrainians reportedly died in different parts of the country. Ten people were killed in the north-eastern village of Pechenihy after two missiles struck the area. Residential buildings, a cafe and a post office were among the places damaged. Other deaths were reported in Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, with three people killed in Sumy and two each in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Meanwhile, Moscow’s latest warning came after a series of Ukrainian strikes inside Russia. Five people were reportedly killed in a residential area of Russia’s Rostov region during attacks over the weekend. Ukraine has also launched hundreds of drones towards the Moscow region in recent days. Regional governor Andrey Vorobyov said on Tuesday that a 10-year-old girl was injured and a Wildberries warehouse was damaged. Alongside foreign-made equipment, Ukraine has increasingly relied on its own defence industry. Ukrainian forces have recently used domestically developed drones and missiles, including the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile. The latest developments demonstrate the increasingly long-range nature of the conflict and the growing risks faced by countries supporting Ukraine. Despite Moscow’s warnings, Britain maintains that helping Ukraine defend itself remains a central part of its policy.