German state elections put fresh pressure on Chancellor Merz
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his governmen...
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denounced a Russian drone strike that occurred just hours after the start of a declared Easter truce, calling it proof of Vladimir Putin’s blatant disregard for both the holiday and human life.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sharply criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin following a drone attack on the evening of Saturday, April 19, describing it as a stark demonstration of Russia's disregard for both the Easter holiday and human life.
In a statement published on Telegram, Zelenskyy responded to the attack, which took place shortly after 5:00 p.m., despite Russia’s earlier declaration of a ceasefire. “Putin’s latest attempt to manipulate human lives is unfolding as air-raid sirens echo across Ukraine,” he said. “At 17:15, Russian attack drones were spotted in our skies. Ukrainian air defense systems and aircraft are actively engaged in protecting the country. The Shahed drones flying over Ukraine this evening clearly reflect Putin’s true attitude toward Easter and toward human lives.”
The Russian president had earlier declared a unilateral Easter truce, set to begin on the evening of April 19 and continue through midnight on April 21, supposedly halting hostilities in observance of the holiday. Russia’s Defence Ministry stated that its forces would honor the ceasefire, provided that Ukrainian forces did the same.
However, Saturday evening’s drone activity casts significant doubt on the sincerity of Russia’s intentions. Ukrainian authorities report that their air defenses were immediately activated in response to the incoming threat, undermining claims of a mutual pause in military operations.
The incident further fuels skepticism from Kyiv and its allies about Moscow's commitment to peace, even temporarily, and reinforces concerns that the ceasefire declaration was more of a public relations move than a genuine humanitarian gesture.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that additional news organisations could be barred from the White House, hours after announcing bans on CNN, MS NOW and Politico over coverage he described as “fake news”.
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his government faces growing public frustration and a resurgent far right.
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations against Islamic State since 2016, the Transport Ministry said.
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United States.
World leaders are set to gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for several days of high-level debate, with Iran, Ukraine, artificial intelligence (AI) and a range of global crises expected to dominate discussions this week.
Ed Sheeran has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his U.S. tour, apologising for decisions made after rapper Macklemore was removed from the line-up over his public support for Palestine.
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