International news with relevance to Thai and regional readers
As Russian troops rained lethal fire on Ukrainian cities, Vladimir Putin appeared at a huge flag-waving rally to lavish praise on his Russian forces, while Ukrainian’s president accused the Kremlin of deliberately creating “a humanitarian catastrophe.” Russia’s president addressed the packed Moscow stadium Friday, saying the Kremlin’s troops had fought “shoulder to shoulder” and supported
China reported two Covid-19 deaths on Saturday, its first in more than a year, underlining the threat posed by an Omicron outbreak that has triggered the country’s highest case counts since the pandemic’s outset. The National Health Commission said both deaths occurred in Jilin, the northeastern province which has been hardest-hit by a nationwide rise
Helsinki (AFP) – Finland has been named the world’s happiest country for the fifth year running, in an annual UN-sponsored index that ranked Afghanistan as the unhappiest, closely followed by Lebanon. The latest list was completed before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia recorded the biggest boosts in wellbeing. The largest falls in
KYIV/LVIV, Ukraine, March 18 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s food supply system is falling apart under Russia’s invasion, with infrastructure destroyed and shops and warehouses growing empty, the United Nations said on Friday. Russia fired missiles at an airport near Lviv on Friday, a city where hundreds of thousands found refuge far from Ukraine’s battlefields, as Moscow
KYIV/LVIV/WASHINGTON, Ukraine, March 17 (Reuters) – As Russian troops appeared to stall in their advance on Ukrainian cities, the United States voiced concern on Thursday that China might assist Moscow with military equipment as the war entered its fourth week. Ukraine’s capital Kyiv came under renewed Russian shelling as rescuers in the besieged port of
LONDON, March 17 (Reuters) – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has largely stalled on all fronts, with Russian forces suffering heavy losses and making minimal progress on land, sea or air in recent days, British military intelligence said on Thursday. “Ukrainian resistance remains staunch and well-coordinated,” The Ministry of Defence said. “The vast majority of Ukrainian
TOKYO (Reuters) – Thousands of Japanese households remained without power on Thursday as companies worked to assess damage the morning after a powerful quake hit the northeast coast of Japan, leaving at least four dead and nearly 100 injured, some seriously. The magnitude 7.4 quake, which struck shortly before midnight on Wednesday and revived memories of the March 11,
KYIV/LVIV, Ukraine, March 16 (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday called Russian leader Vladimir Putin a war criminal in comments the Kremlin said were “unforgivable” as it insisted the war in Ukraine was “going to plan” amid talk of compromise at peace talks. Kremlin forces kept up their bombardments of besieged cities, including
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cited Pearl Harbor and the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 on Wednesday as he appealed to the U.S. Congress to do more to help Ukraine’s fight against Russia. Livestreamed into the Capitol complex, Zelenskyy said the U.S. must sanction Russian lawmakers and block imports, and he showed
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was to lobby Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to pump more oil to calm turbulent markets as he meets the Gulf states’ leadership on Wednesday. Johnson arrived in Abu Dhabi for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed and was due to fly to Riyadh later as the
South Korea reported a record 400,741 new daily COVID-19 cases, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Wednesday, as the country seeks to further ease social distancing rules despite a wave of Omicron infections. South Korea had its deadliest day yet of the pandemic on Tuesday, with 293 deaths reported in the latest 24 hours, as the
LVIV, Ukraine/KYIV, March 15 (Reuters) – Three European prime ministers rode a train for Kyiv on Tuesday, the first visit by foreign leaders to the Ukrainian capital since Russia launched its invasion, and a striking symbol of Ukraine’s success so far in fending off Russia’s assault. “It is our duty to be where history is
