Civilians trapped as Russia bombards port city
Summary
- In Mariupol, a strategic southern port near Ukraine's border with Russia, civilians are trapped by intense shelling
- "There has been no light, no heat, and no water now for two full days and we have hardly any food left," a resident tells the BBC
- Ukraine's President Zelensky has appealed to the West to give his country warplanes
- Russian forces have taken control of Kherson, also in the south and the first major city to fall
- If Russia captures more southern cities, Ukrainian forces could be cut off from the sea
- Kyiv remains in government control and a large Russian armoured convoy is some distance away
- More talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations have started in Belarus
- More than one million people have fled Ukraine since the invasion began
China denies it asked Russia not to invade Ukraine during Winter Olympics
China has vehemently denied a report that it asked Moscow to delay its invasion of Ukraine until after the Winter Olympics, denouncing it as “fake news”.
“This kind of rhetoric is to divert attention and shift blame, which is utterly despicable,” Wang Wenbin, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Thursday when asked by journalists about the New York Times report published on Wednesday.
Russia launched its attack on Ukraine on 24 February, four days after the end of the Games. On 21 February, Vladimir Putin recognised the independence of separatist-held territories of eastern Ukraine and ordered in troops.
Ukraine is a ‘Sarajevo in the making’, warns Kosovo’s PM
Russia’s invasion has brought painful memories of warfare in the Balkans, and fresh fears, Albin Kurti tells The Independent’s Anna Isaac as he calls Russia’s actions genocide
Albin Kurti doesn’t want to talk about war. He would rather be drumming up foreign investment and courting the Kosovan diaspora in London.
Kurti was elected as prime minister of the country in March 2021, and he’s keen to emphasise its healthy economic growth; its relatively high vaccination rate compared to other Balkan states and its new commercial court aimed at encouraging investors to the small country.
However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has given fresh urgency to Kosovo’s sense of insecurity and drive to join the transatlantic defence pact, Nato.
“We would like to join Nato as soon as possible,” Kurti says, leaning forward for emphasis. The political leader has used meetings with British officials in London this week to lay out his case for membership.
Opinion: Your solidarity is problematic if you leave Africans behind in Ukraine
The world is in solidarity with people fleeing war in Ukraine — but discrimination against people of color has sparked outcry under the hashtag #AfricansinUkraine. Solidarity must be inclusive, writes DW's Wafaa Albadry.
The shocking invasion of Ukraine threatens millions of people's lives. Half a million people sought humanitarian refuge in neighboring countries within a week, and hundreds of thousands were displaced. Ukrainian men were separated from their loved ones and stayed to fight in the country while their families sought refuge, carrying with them trauma and uncertainty.
People say war brings out both the best and the worst in people. In these crises, people in neighboring and nearby countries are opening their borders, homes, and even their arms, helping those fleeing the violence. Aid organizations, ordinary people, and politicians worldwide are showing solidarity. So many people are trying to help in some way — and that is inspiring.
Sri Lanka ends widely condemned Muslim burial policy
Sri Lanka on Thursday ended a heavily criticised policy that required Muslim Covid-19 victims to be buried at a remote government-designated site in the absence of their families or final religious rites.
Only a year ago, Colombo reversed an initial policy of enforced cremations -- prohibited by Islam -- under intense international pressure, while still refusing to allow traditional burials at cemeteries.
In Thursday's new directive, the country's top health official said the bodies of virus victims could now be handed over to relatives for burial at any cemetery of their choosing.
Ex-Nissan exec Kelly gets suspended sentence; judge slams Ghosn
By Yuri Kageyama
A Tokyo court gave a suspended sentence to Greg Kelly, a former American executive at Nissan Motor charged with underreporting his boss Carlos Ghosn's pay.
The verdict announced Thursday of a 6-month sentence suspended for three years will allow Kelly to return to the U.S. during an appeal. Kelly's defense said it will appeal. It was not immediately clear if prosecutors would appeal.
The court acquitted Kelly on some counts but found him guilty of charges for one year only, the 2017 fiscal year. The defense team found it unacceptable that Kelly was found guilty in the last year of the eight years over which the compensation allegedly was under-reported.
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