Frustration grows, nerves fray in Shanghai’s lockdown purgatory

Stiffening resolve after three weeks of strict lockdown, authorities warned Shanghai’s 25 million frazzled residents on Friday that their purgatory would go on until the Covid-19 virus was eradicated neighbourhood by neighbourhood.

At least 16 dead as blasts rock Afghan cities

At least 16 people were killed by bomb blasts in two Afghan cities on Thursday -- including 12 worshippers at a Shiite mosque in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group (IS).

Putin orders sealing off trapped Ukraine defenders

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday claimed the “liberation” of the flattened city of Mariupol after nearly two months of fighting, demanding that its trapped Ukrainian defenders be sealed up in their underground last stand.

Russia launches ‘Battle of Donbas’ all-out assault on east Ukraine

Russia launched its long-awaited all-out assault on east Ukraine on Tuesday, seizing its first town after unleashing thousands of troops in what Ukraine has described as the Battle of the Donbas, a campaign to take two provinces.

MPs get vote on investigating whether PM misled Parliament

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will face a vote later this week on whether he should be investigated over claims he misled parliament by repeatedly insisting that he did not breach the COVID-19 regulations.

US drops mask mandate on airplanes, trains

The Biden administration will no longer enforce a U.S. mask mandate on public transportation, after a federal judge in Florida on Monday ruled that the 14-month-old directive was unlawful, overturning a key White House effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Ukraine’s Mariupol defenders ignore Russia surrender deadline

Ukrainian soldiers resisted a Russian ultimatum to lay down arms on Sunday in the pulverised port of Mariupol, which Moscow said its forces had almost completely seized in what would be its biggest prize of the nearly two-month war.

Johnson warns of ‘threats from autocratic states’ ahead of India visit

Ahead of his upcoming visit to India, which will begin on April 21, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday took to Twitter to warn against ‘threats from autocratic states,’ while India, he said, is a ‘highly valued strategic partner’ for his country.

Indian police arrest 14 after communal clashes in New Delhi

Indian police arrested 14 people in connection with violent clashes between Hindus and Muslims during a Hindu religious procession in the country’s capital, New Delhi, police said in a tweet on Sunday.

Pakistan’s parliament votes in Sharif as Prime Minister

Pakistan’s parliament on Monday elected Shehbaz Sharif Prime Minister after a week-long constitutional crisis that climaxed on Sunday when his predecessor Imran Khan lost a no-confidence vote.

Macron wins first round of France’s presidential election

Emmanuel Macron won 27.85 percent of votes in the first round of France’s presidential election, while far-right veteran Marine Le Pen scored 23.15 percent, according to final results from the interior ministry on Monday.

Fears grow over anticipated Russian assault in Ukraine’s east

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday thousands of Russian troops were massing for a new offensive in the east, and Russia said it would not halt its military operation in Ukraine for any further peace talks.

France votes with Macron seeking new term in tight election

French President Emmanuel Macron faced a tough test Sunday seeking re-election in a vote projected to produce a tight run-off with far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Shehbaz Sharif set to become next Pakistan Prime Minister

A new premier will be chosen in Pakistan Monday, with centrist Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif already anointed to lead the nuclear-armed nation of 220 million people after Imran Khan was dismissed Sunday as Pakistan’s Prime Minister after losing a no-confidence vote.

Russian air force hits 86 Ukrainian military facilities

Russian combat air force has destroyed 86 Ukrainian military facilities since the evening of April 9, Russian defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Sunday.

50 killed in rocket strike on rail evacuation hub: Ukraine

Ukraine said as many as 50 people, including five children, were killed and many more were wounded and lost limbs in a rocket strike at a railway station packed with civilians fleeing the threat of a major Russian offensive in the country’s east.

Russian forces pound key Ukraine cities, Ukraine demands tougher sanctions

Artillery pounded key cities in Ukraine on Wednesday, as its president urged the West to act decisively in imposing new and tougher sanctions being readied against Russia in response to civilian killings widely condemned as war crimes.

China state refiners shun new Russian oil trades

China’s state refiners are honouring existing Russian oil contracts but avoiding new ones despite steep discounts, heeding Beijing’s call for caution as western sanctions mount against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, six people told Reuters.

Pakistan court to hear Khan’s defence of blocking ouster

Pakistan’s top court will on Wednesday hear Prime Minister Imran Khan’s legal team defend his bid to block an opposition bid to oust him, a move his critics say was unconstitutional and which has ushered in a new phase of political turmoil.

Russia faces growing outrage amid accusations of Bucha ‘atrocities’

Ukraine on Sunday accused Russian forces of carrying out a “massacre” in the town of Bucha, while nations reacted to images of dead bodies there with calls for new sanctions against Moscow.

Nuclear missiles, bombs market to surge 73% by 2030 - report

The global market for nuclear missiles and bombs should surpass $126 billion within ten years, up nearly 73% from 2020 levels,

Ukraine accuses Russia of mass killing of civilians

Ukrainian and European officials expressed outrage on Sunday at what they said were atrocities committed by Russian forces near Kyiv before they withdrew from the region to focus their attacks elsewhere.

Shanghai asks entire city to self-test for COVID as frustration grows

Shanghai on Sunday ordered its 26 million residents to undergo two more rounds of tests for COVID-19 as public anger grows over how authorities in China’s most populous city are tackling a record coronavirus surge.

China to go ‘its own way’

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told EU leaders on Friday that Beijing would push for peace in “its own way” in Ukraine after Brussels pressed for assurances that China would not supply Russia with arms or help it circumvent Western sanctions.

Impossible to replace Russian gas with ‘expensive’ US alternative :Hungary

Hungarian PM Viktor Orban said, Friday there are countries which will not be able to substitute Russian gas with the more expensive American alternative.

Russia hoping to bypass sanctions in trade with ‘friend’ India

Russia will increase its use of non-Western currencies for trade with countries such as India, its Foreign Minister said on Friday, as he hailed New Delhi as a friend that was not taking a “one-sided view” on the Ukraine war.

Pentagon contradicts Biden Ukraine claim

The head of US forces in Europe has said he is not aware of a program to train Ukrainian soldiers in Poland, after President Joe Biden appeared to suggest such a mission was underway while clarifying a previous gaffe made last week.

Russia, China condemn Western sanctions on Moscow

Foreign Ministers from Russia and China on Wednesday condemned what they called illegal and counter productive Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over its action in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

All Russia’s big exports could soon be in roubles: Kremlin

The Kremlin indicated on Wednesday that all of Russia’s energy and commodity exports could be priced in roubles, toughening President Vladimir Putin’s attempt to make the West feel the pain of the sanctions it imposed for the invasion of Ukraine.

Russia to ‘radically’ reduce military activity around Kyiv

Russia promised on Tuesday to scale down military operations around Kyiv and northern Ukraine as a confidence-building step, in the most tangible sign yet of progress towards negotiating an end to the war.