Author: News Desk

The European Union proposed its toughest sanctions yet against Russia on Wednesday, including a phased oil embargo, as Kyiv said Moscow was intensifying an offensive in eastern Ukraine and close Russian ally Belarus announced large-scale army drills. Nearly 10 weeks into a war that has killed thousands of people, uprooted millions and flattened Ukrainian cities, Russia was intensifying its assault, Ukraine’s defence ministry said, with nearly 50 air strikes carried out on Tuesday alone. Russia also stepped up strikes on targets in western Ukraine, saying it was disrupting Western arms deliveries. A new convoy of buses began evacuating more civilians…

Kyiv will be ready if Belarus’s armed forces join Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian State Border Service said on Wednesday. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, said its military had begun large-scale drills on Wednesday to test their combat readiness and that they posed no threat to its neighbours. “We do not rule out that the Russian Federation could at some point use the territory of Belarus, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, against Ukraine,” said Andriy Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Service. “Therefore, we are ready,” he said, adding that the…

The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed speculation that President Vladimir Putin planned to declare war against Ukraine and declare a national mobilisation on May 9 when Russia commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory in World War Two. Putin has so far characterised Russia’s actions in Ukraine as a “special military operation”, not a war. But Western politicians and some Russia watchers have speculated that he could be preparing for a major announcement next Monday with a range of possible scenarios ranging from an outright declaration of war to a declaration of victory. Asked about speculation that Putin will declare war against Ukraine…

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. Francis told Italy’s Corriere Della Sera newspaper that Kirill, who has given the Ukraine war his backing, “cannot become [President Vladimir] Putin’s altar boy”. The Russian Orthodox Church said it was regrettable that a month and a half after Francis and Kirill, the patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, had spoken directly, the pope had adopted such a tone. “Pope Francis chose…

The Swiss government is setting up a gas sector crisis intervention group and a monitoring system for early detection of an impending electricity shortage, it said on Wednesday, as it prepares for the possibility of “severe” power shortages. The Swiss government began drawing up plans in April for a potential gas shortage in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying measures were being developed ranging from appealing to the public to reduce consumption to possible power rationing in the event of a crunch. It has now tasked national grid operator Swissgrid with developing and operating a new monitoring system…

Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Ukraine on Wednesday to help unblock an embarrassing diplomatic impasse, after the German president was stopped from visiting Kyiv amid disquiet over his past support of rapprochement with Russia. Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany has called Scholz an “offended liver sausage” for refusing to visit the country before President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is welcomed there. “It is a problem for the German government and for the German people that the president was asked not to come,” Scholz told reporters following talks with his cabinet. “Ukraine must also play its part,” he said, without elaborating how. The row has…

The Bahrain Journalists’ Association (BJA) has extended deepest thanks and appreciation to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa marking the World Press Freedom Day, observed worldwide on May 3, praising the royal keynote message on the occasion. BJA asserted that the kingdom’s celebration of the World Press Freedom Day reflects the distinguished role and status of the local press, as well as the landmark achievements it has attained at the Arab and international levels thanks to the royal interest and support. BJA indicated that HM the King’s message increases the responsibility of local newspapers in spreading awareness, promoting…

An expatriate man accused of hacking an automated teller machine (ATM) in Barbar by installing a special device has been remanded in custody pending police investigation and security photography. “The accused was interrogated and confronted with the seizures which were found in his possession”, said Northern Governorate Advocate Prosecutor. The Anti-Economic Crimes Directorate notified the Public Prosecution about the accused who was arrested red-handed. An ATM specialized engineer confirmed that the devices which were seized were used by the accused to hack the ATM machine. “The accused has experience in this field, especially as he was able to hack the ATM…

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Tuesday said deliveries of shoulder-fired Stinger anti-aircraft missiles could be delayed, saying they were pressing the United States to deliver on schedule as the war in Ukraine pressures supplies. The missiles are in hot demand in Ukraine, where they have successfully kept Russian aircraft at bay, but U.S. supplies have shrunk and producing more of the anti-aircraft weapons faces significant hurdles. The United States approved the sale of 250 of Raytheon Technologies’ Stinger missiles to Taiwan in 2019. Taiwanese media has reported Taiwan expected to complete delivery by 2026. Chu Wen-wu, deputy head of Taiwan’s army planning…

Two months after warning that Beijing appeared poised to help Russia in its fight against Ukraine, senior U.S. officials say they have not detected overt Chinese military and economic support, a welcome development in the tense U.S.-China relationship. U.S. officials told Reuters in recent days they remain wary about China’s long-standing support for Russia in general, but that the military and economic support that they worried about has not come to pass, at least for now. The relief comes at a pivotal time. President Joe Biden is preparing for a trip to Asia later this month dominated by how to…