China’s currency hits 18-month low against USD

China’s Yuan hit the lowest mark against the US dollar in the last 18 months on Tuesday, falling to 6.7134 against the USD, the lowest figure since October 30, 2020.

Pakistani rupee plunges to all-time low against US dollar: Report

The Pakistani rupee slumped to an all-time low against the US dollar on Tuesday in the interbank market.

Ukraine pushes Russian troops back in counter-offensive near Kharkiv

Ukraine said on Tuesday its forces had recaptured villages from Russian troops north and northeast of Kharkiv, pressing a counter-offensive that could signal a shift in the war’s momentum and jeopardise Russia’s main advance.

Philippines election winner Marcos tells world to judge him by actions

The son of the disgraced late Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos vowed on Tuesday to work for all people after his stunning election victory, and told the world to judge him by his presidency, not his family’s past.

Even chance world will breach 1.5˚C warming within 5 years: UN

There is an even chance that global temperatures will temporarily breach the benchmark of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in one of the next 5 years, the United Nations warned Tuesday.

Putin announces no new escalation anticipated on Victory Day

Vladimir Putin exhorted Russians to battle in a defiant Victory Day speech on Monday, but was silent about plans for any escalation in Ukraine, despite Western warnings he might use the event in Red Square to order a national mobilisation.

Elon Musk’s ‘Japan will cease to exist’ tweet provokes anger

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s tweet on Japan’s low birth rate on Monday triggered a flood of sarcasm and anger as the billionaire suggested that the island nation will “eventually cease to exist”.

Philippines election: Marcos family eye return to power as country votes

Voting has begun in the Philippines, with millions queuing across the islands to choose their next president.

Compelling evidence show Russia committed war crimes : Amnesty

Amnesty International said on Friday there was compelling evidence that Russian troops had committed war crimes, including extrajudicial executions of civilians, when they occupied an area outside Ukraine’s capital in February and March.

Putin to send ‘doomsday’ warning to West

Russian President Vladimir Putin will send a “doomsday” warning to the West when he leads celebrations on Monday marking the 77th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany, Reuters reported Friday.

‘Don’t patronize us’ : India tells Netherlands

India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti, has accused the Netherlands of “patronizing” his country after the Dutch ambassador to the UK publicly scolded New Delhi for abstaining on UN General Assembly resolutions on the war in Ukraine.

Covid pandemic killed 13 to 17 million in 2020-21: WHO

The Covid-19 pandemic killed 13.3 to 16.6 million people in 2020 and 2021, the WHO estimated Thursday -- up to triple the number of deaths attributed directly to the disease.

Fighting blocks evacuation of civilians at Ukraine steel plant

Scores of civilians, many of them women and children, remained trapped on Thursday in underground bunkers at a steel works, the last Ukrainian holdout in the ruined city of Mariupol.

US helped Ukraine ‘kill’ Russian generals – NYT

The US has assisted Kiev’s forces in killing Russian generals by sharing intelligence on their location inside Ukraine, the New York Times reported on Thursday, citing senior American officials.

Historic N.Ireland result predicted at UK local polls

Local and regional elections were being held across the UK on Thursday that could prove historic in Northern Ireland and heap further pressure on embattled Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Russian Orthodox Church scolds Pope Francis

The Russian Orthodox Church scolded Pope Francis on Wednesday for using the wrong tone after he urged Patriarch Kirill not to become the Kremlin’s “altar boy”, cautioning the Vatican that such remarks would hurt dialogue between the churches.

Contact with troops lost amid ‘heavy fighting’ at Azovstal: mayor

The mayor of the destroyed Ukrainian city of Mariupol said Wednesday that contact was lost with Ukrainian forces holed up in the Azovstal steel plant amid fierce battles with Russian troops.

Sudden halt to Russian oil imports would hurt citizens -India

India defended its continued purchases of Russian oil on Wednesday, saying they were part of its long-standing effort to diversify its supplies and arguing a sudden halt to imports would jack up world prices and hurt its consumers.

101 civilians evacuated from Mariupol: UN

The UN and Red Cross said Tuesday 101 civilians were evacuated from the tunnels of the Azovstal plant in Ukraine’s battered city of Mariupol, but warned that others remain trapped.

‘Heavy fighting’ in Ukraine’s east as Mariupol evacuation delayed

Ukrainian authorities were hoping Monday to evacuate more civilians from the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, as Russia’s offensive in the east of Ukraine continued with “active and heavy” fighting.

Israel demands apology after Russia says Hitler had Jewish roots

Israel lambasted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday for claiming that Adolf Hitler had Jewish origins, saying it was an “unforgivable” falsehood that debased the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust.

COVID’s new Omicron sub-lineages can dodge immunity: Study

Two new sublineages of the Omicron coronavirus variant can dodge antibodies from earlier infection well enough to trigger a new wave, but are far less able to thrive in the blood of people vaccinated against COVID-19, South African scientists have found.

Turkish police detain dozens in May Day demonstrations

Turkish riot police detained dozens of protesters trying to reach Istanbul’s main Taksim Square for May Day demonstrations against economic hardship caused by raging inflation.

Civilians evacuated from Ukraine’s Mariupol, US Speaker Pelosi visits Kyiv

Around 50 Ukrainian civilians reached the relative safety of a temporary camp in Russian-held territory on Sunday after being evacuated from a ruined steelworks in Mariupol, where the United Nations said a “safe passage operation” was in progress.

Russian strike on Kyiv during UN visit kills journalist

The body of a journalist from U.S.-backed broadcaster Radio Liberty was found in rubble in the Ukrainian capital, killed in a Russian missile attack during a visit by the U.N. secretary-general, Friday.

Pakistan, India reel under intense heat wave

Pakistan issued a heat warning after the hottest March in 61 years while in parts of neighbouring India schools were shut and streets deserted as an intense heat wave on Friday showed no signs of abating.

South Africa says it may be entering 5th COVID wave

South Africa April 29 Hindustan Times - South Africa may be entering a 5th COVID-19 wave earlier than expected after a sustained rise in infections over the past 14 days that seems to be driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variants, health officials and scientists said on Friday.

UN chief condemns ‘absurdity’ of war, in Ukraine visit

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday visited sites of alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine, decrying war as “an absurdity in the 21st century” and urging Russia to co-operate with an international investigation into atrocities.

Ukrainian ballistic missiles intercepted – Russia

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed on Thursday that Ukrainian forces fired more than a dozen missiles overnight at the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine, which was seized by Russian troops in early March. The ministry said in a statement that Russian air defenses intercepted the rockets.

US discloses value of weapons left in Afghanistan

US forces left behind military equipment worth more than $7 billion during their chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan last August, the Pentagon has reportedly revealed in a long-awaited declaration.