Russian shelling kills 2 in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region
Kyiv, Ukraine — Two people were killed on Friday in a Russian attack on the city of Kurakhove, located in the eastern Donetsk region, which is bearing the brunt of the fighting between Kyiv and Moscow. “Various high-rise buildings were…
In Ukraine, damaged church rises as a symbol of faith, culture
LYPIVKA, Ukraine — This Orthodox Easter season, an extraordinary new church is bringing spiritual comfort to war-weary residents of the Ukrainian village of Lypivka. Two years ago, it also provided physical refuge from the horrors outside. Almost 100 residents sheltered…
China sending probe to less-explored far side of moon
TAIPEI, Taiwan — China is preparing to launch a lunar probe Friday that would land on the far side of the moon and return with samples that could provide insights into geological and other differences between the less-explored region and…
In Europe, exiled Russian journalists offer alternative to state news
Moscow has cracked down on Russian media outlets that offer independent reporting on the war in Ukraine, prompting hundreds of journalists to flee. While in exile, these media workers have found ways to keep the news flowing into the heavily…
US maternal mortality rates return to prepandemic level
New government statistics indicate that the U.S. maternal mortality rate is coming down, following a spike during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Thursday. About 680 women died last year in pregnancy-related…
Ukraine unveils AI-generated foreign ministry spokesperson
Kyiv, Ukraine — Ukraine has an AI-generated spokesperson called Victoria who will make official statements on behalf of its foreign ministry. The ministry said on Wednesday that it would “for the first time in history” use a digital spokesperson to…
Arizona’s governor signs bill to repeal 1864 abortion law
phoenix — Democratic Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has relegated a Civil War-era ban on most abortions to the past by signing a bill Thursday to repeal it. Hobbs said the move was just the beginning of a fight to protect…
Russia uninterested in Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland
Russia said Thursday that it saw no point in attending a conference in Switzerland to discuss how to end the conflict in Ukraine. Switzerland is expected to host the talks June 15-16 at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy….
UN rights chief urges Georgia to scrap ‘foreign influence’ bill
Thousands of people have taken to the streets for days to protest the draft Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, which would require media and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) receiving more than 20 per cent of funding from abroad to register…
Sudan: Under siege, El Fasher teeters on the brink of famine
The war has left 25 million Sudanese needing aid, but in El Fasher, an ever tightening siege is cutting off vulnerable civilians who urgently need such basic essentials as food, water and medicines. UN News’s Abdelmonem Makki spoke to Toby Harward,…