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.

EU to boost Russian gas imports

The European Union plans to significantly increase the purchase of Russian natural gas through countries that are ready to pay for the commodity in rubles, TASS news agency reported, Wednesday citing a government source in Brussels.

India’s oil crisis rises

India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) is struggling to find a vessel to ship 700,000 barrels of crude from Russia’s Far East, in a growing sign that complex trades involving one of Moscow’s biggest partners being interrupted by Western sanctions, sources say.

Female grad student behind suicide attack at Pakistani university

A woman suicide bomber who killed 3 Chinese teachers in Pakistan was a teacher who had enrolled for a master’s degree months before her attack, carried out on behalf of separatist insurgents, a Pakistani official said, Wednesday.

Moscow cites risk of nuclear war

Russia accused NATO of creating a serious risk of nuclear war by arming Ukraine in a proxy battle as Washington and its allies met on Tuesday to pledge the heavy weapons Kyiv needs to achieve victory.

Twitter ‘must be responsible’ under Musk: UK

Britain on Tuesday said Twitter “must be responsible” following its purchase by Elon Musk, amid concerns it could overly relax content moderation policies under the controversial billionaire entrepreneur.

Kim vows to boost N.Korea’s nuclear arsenal

North Korea will rapidly accelerate the development of its nuclear arsenal, leader Kim Jong Un said while overseeing a vast military parade showcasing his most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles, state media reported Tuesday.

US State Department backs 165mn ammunition sale to Ukraine

The U.S. State Department on Monday said it supported the approval of a possible sale of $165 million worth of ammunition to Ukraine to help the country defend itself against Russia’s ongoing invasion.

No respite for re-elected Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron enjoyed no respite on Monday as, hours after he won re-election by defeating far right’s Marine Le Pen, political opponents called on voters to deny him a parliamentary majority.

EU to offer India more military hardware - media

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will offer Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a boost in sales of EU-made weapons to New Delhi on Monday, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed senior EU official. Brussels is supposedly seeking to encourage India to reduce its ties to Russia amid the Kremlin’s ongoing military campaign in Ukraine.

Macron vs Le Pen: France faces stark choice for president

The French began voting on Sunday in an election that will decide whether pro-European Union, centrist President Emmanuel Macron keeps his job or is unseated by far-right eurosceptic Marine Le Pen in what would amount to a political earthquake.

Top US officials expected in Kyiv: Zelensky

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin were set to visit Kyiv on Sunday to discuss Ukraine’s call for more powerful weapons, two months after Russia’s invasion began.

Moscow aims to capture southern Ukraine: Russian general

A Russian general said on Friday that Moscow wants to seize all of southern and eastern Ukraine, far wider war aims than it had acknowledged as it presses on with a new offensive after its campaign to capture the capital Kyiv collapsed last month.

Palestinians clash with Israeli police, 57 injured

At least 57 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police within Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Friday, medics said, as violence persisted during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at a site also revered by Jews.