Europe
7 killed as Ukraine, Russia trade drone, fire
Ukrainian and Russian forces exchanged drone and artillery fire yesterday, leaving at least seven dead, regional officials on both sides of the frontline announced.
French national library quarantines ‘poisonous’ books
France’s national library said yesterday it had removed four 19th-century books from its shelves whose emerald green covers were likely laced with highly poisonous arsenic.
Macron warns 'mortal' Europe needs credible defence
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday warned that Europe faced an existential threat from Russian aggression, calling on the continent to adopt a "credible" defence strategy less dependent on the United States
‘I’d rather die than go to Rwanda’
Asylum seekers housed on an accommodation barge on the coast of southern England say they are afraid of being sent to Rwanda, after a controversial proposal for deportation was approved.
282 million people faced acute hunger last year
Food insecurity worsened around the world in 2023, with some 282 million people suffering from acute hunger due to conflicts, particularly in Gaza and Sudan, UN agencies and development groups said yesterday.
Russia orders jail term for Meta spokesman in absentia
A Russian military court yesterday sentenced in absentia Meta spokesman Andy Stone to six years behind bars for “justifying terrorism,” as part of efforts to restrict Western social media platforms in the country.
Russia hits TV tower in Ukraine’s Kharkiv
A Russian air attack on Ukraine’s second biggest city, Kharkiv, hit TV broadcast infrastructure, prompting disruptions with the signal, a local official said.
Queen bumblebees survive underwater for days: study
Queen bumblebees can surprisingly withstand days underwater, according to a study published yesterday, suggesting they could withstand increased floods brought on by climate change that threaten their winter hibernation burrows.
Why Russia is protecting North Korea from nuclear monitors
Through the most tense encounters with President Vladimir V Putin’s Russia over the past decade, there has been one project in which Washington and Moscow have claimed common cause: keeping North Korea from expanding its arsenal of nuclear weapons
Russia hits energy, gas infrastructure in Ukraine
The Russian air force has conducted a massive strike on objects of energy infrastructure and the gas industry in Ukraine, Russian defence ministry said yesterday.
Resist ‘logic of weapons’
Pope Francis urged the world to resist “the logic of weapons” in his Easter message at the Vatican yesterday, easing growing health fears as he greeted thousands of Catholics.
Dutch hostage drama over, suspect held
A hostage drama in the Netherlands that lasted several hours yesterday ended without bloodshed as all four hostages were freed and police took the suspect into custody.
Peru president’s home raided
Peruvian authorities yesterday raided President Dina Boluarte’s home as part of an ongoing corruption investigation related to undisclosed luxury watches.
Evidence links attackers to Ukrainians
Russia’s Investigative Committee said yesterday it had uncovered evidence that the gunmen who killed 143 people in an attack on a concert hall last week were linked to “Ukrainian nationalists”.
Three dead, 10 hurt in Russian attacks on Ukraine
Russian attacks on eastern and southern Ukraine killed three people and wounded 10 others, officials said yesterday, as Moscow said it had downed a barrage of Ukrainian rockets.
Households waste 1bn tonnes of food a day: UN
Households around the world threw away one billion meals every single day in 2022 in what the United Nations yesterday called a “global tragedy” of food waste.
Baltimore rescuers lose hope for more survivors
Rescuers have lost hope of finding more survivors of the Baltimore bridge collapse, the coast guard said, as efforts yesterday switched to looking for bodies of the missing and more answers to why a container ship smashed into the span.
Planting trees in wrong places heats the planet: study
Planting trees in the wrong places can actually contribute to global warming, scientists said yesterday, but a new map identifies the best locations to regrow forests and cool the planet.
