Connect with us

News

Ukraine, Russian-backed rebels trade new shelling claims as tensions soar

Avatar

Published

on

The latest upticks in violence are being watched around the world, with the United States and its NATO allies alleging that the Kremlin is looking for an excuse to invade Ukraine.

The Ukrainian military and their Moscow-backed separatist foes have traded allegations of fresh ceasefire breaches, escalating tensions amid fears of a Russian invasion.

The Ukrainian joint command centre for the eastern front said the rebels had violated the ceasefire 20 times between midnight and 9:00 am local on Friday (2200 to 0700 GMT).

The Donetsk and Lugansk separatist groups said the army had fired 27 times.

The latest upticks in violence involving artillery and mortar attacks are being watched around the world, with the United States and its NATO allies alleging that the Kremlin is looking for an excuse to invade Ukraine.

Russia, which has massed over 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders, said on Thursday it was “deeply concerned” with the flare-up and was watching the situation closely.

READ MORE: NATO: Russia could launch full-scale invasion of Ukraine at short notice

Ceasefire violations

Monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) reported 189 ceasefire violations in the eastern Donetsk region on Thursday, up from 24 the previous day.

It counted 402 ceasefire violations in the smaller neighbouring Lugansk region, up from 129 on Wednesday.

Russian-backed separatists control the eastern parts of both regions.

But the Ukrainian military said on Friday it has recorded 60 ceasefire violations by the pro-Russian separatists over the past 24 hours, with one soldier injured.

Separately, the military said late on Thursday they had no plans to launch an offensive on the rebels’ positions.

‘Indiscriminate shelling’

A shell blast tore a hole in the wall of a kindergarten in the government-held eastern village of Stanytsia-Luganska on Thursday, sending international tensions soaring.

The 20 children and 18 staff inside escaped unharmed.

The European Union “strongly” condemned the attack, saying “indiscriminate shelling of civilian infrastructures is totally unacceptable…”

“As the European Union, we stand united in our unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders,” EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on Thursday.

The conflict in Ukraine’s east has rumbled on for eight years, claiming the lives of more than 14,000 people and forcing more than 1.5 million from their homes.

READ MORE: Blinken, Lavrov to meet next week if Russia doesn’t ‘invade’ Ukraine

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

News

Maldivian FM meets Qatari PM; both commit to stronger ties

FI

Published

on

By

Maldives and Qatar reaffirm the commitment to strengthening the partnership between the two countries on Sunday, in a meeting between Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar.

Zameer, who is on an official visit to Qatar, met with Al Thani on Sunday morning.

At the meeting, Zameer reflected on the growing Maldives-Qatar partnership, and thanked Qatar for the generous assistance in Maldives’ socio-economic development.

According to a statement released by the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, both Zameer and Al Thani reiterated the commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Zameer also conveyed appreciation for Qatar’s role in the mediation process on the Gaza crisis.

Both reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the partnership in the multilateral fora on matters of global concern.

Zameer was accompanied at the meeting by Secretary, Bilateral, Dr. Hala Hameed, Ambassador-at-Large, Dr. Fazeel Najeeb, and Assistant Director, Lamha Saleem.

This year will mark the 40th anniversary of bilateral relations between the Maldives and Qatar.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Zameer is also scheduled to meet with other senior officials from the Qatari government to explore opportunities to enhance cooperation in various sectors between the two countries.

Zameer’s latest trip comes at the heels of a similar visit to India last week.

Source(s): sun.mv

Continue Reading

News

President recognises forefront services of nurses

FI

Published

on

By

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has praised the dedicated efforts of nurses, stating that they fulfil a national obligation by providing forefront services. He made the remarks on a social media post, commemorating International Nurses Day.

In the post shared on social media, President Dr. Muizzu recognised the unwavering commitment of nurses, characterising their contributions and services as a valuable, significant responsibility for humanity. The president additionally commended the dedication of nurses for ensuring the provision of cutting edge care.

The International Nurses Day is annually celebrated on May 12, aiming to acknowledge the pivotal role nurses play, as they are the backbone of the healthcare system. The theme for International Nurses Day 2024 is “Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care.” The purpose of selecting the theme was to emphasise the significance of reshaping perceptions of the economic and societal advantages of the nursing field, such that nursing can be seen as an investment rather than a cost.

Source(s): PsmNews

Continue Reading

News

Government launches Hope Island for crime-exposed kids

FI

Published

on

By

The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has announced the launch of Hope Island, a rehabilitation initiative aimed at children exposed to crime.

Speaking at a collaborative press briefing involving agencies under the homeland ministry, Minister Ali Ihusaan outlined the planning efforts for Hope Island. He emphasised the provision of fundamental education and religious guidance for the children residing there. He also highlighted the implementation of psychosocial intervention and sports programmes on the island.

Additionally, Minister Ihusaan disclosed that children would reside on Hope Island until they turn 18 years, and serve a designated term in either the Maldives Police Service (MPS) or the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). Subsequently, he said that they would be granted opportunities to pursue their chosen careers.

Furthermore, Minister Ihusaan announced a reduction in the age of criminal responsibility to 15 years, with previous advocacy for lowering it to 12 years. He cited instances of 12-year-olds engaging in criminal activities and revealed ongoing legal initiatives, in collaboration with the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO), to effect the change.

Moreover, Minister Ihusaan revealed plans to direct 12-year-old offenders to Hope Island for rehabilitation, with a dedicated facility established to mitigate exposure to criminal influences. He also disclosed intentions to develop a separate island specifically for this rehabilitation facility.

Source(s): PsmNews

Continue Reading

Trending