International

Allies turn off Russian energy, Ukraine fears 300 dead in theatre

Published

5 years ago

March 25, 2022

Provided by AFP :Images of destruction in Ukraine's besieged city of Mariupol

The United States and EU announced Friday a new drive to wean Europe off Russian gas imports and so choke off the billions in revenues that are fuelling Moscow’s ruinous war against Ukraine.

A clearer scale of the ruin emerged from Ukraine’s besieged port city of Mariupol, which a month into the invasion now resembles scenes of Russian cities razed by the Nazis in World War II.

Authorities said some 300 civilians may have died in a Russian air strike on a theatre-turned-bomb shelter last week, in what would be the invasion’s single bloodiest attack.

After a trio of summits in Brussels, US President Joe Biden warned that NATO would “respond” if Russia’s Vladimir Putin resorts next to chemical weapons as part of his aggression against a Western-leaning democracy.

“The nature of the response would depend on the nature of the use,” Biden said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Biden of seeking to “divert attention”, and also denied Ukrainian claims that Russia had broken international law by dropping incendiary phosphorus bombs on civilians.

Biden and EU commission chief Ursula von der Leyen announced a joint energy task force in Brussels, before he headed to the eastern Polish town of Rzeszow, a mere 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Ukraine.

Taken together, Western sanctions are “draining Putin’s resources to finance this atrocious war”, von der Leyen told reporters alongside Biden.

READ ALSO:

On the battlefield, Moscow said it had destroyed Ukraine’s largest remaining military fuel depot, at Kalynivka near the capital Kyiv, using sea-borne cruise missiles.

‘Bodies lying there’

Fireballs leapt into the air from the storage facility, while a smaller fire blazed from a severed fuel line and a huge plume of black smoke rose over the site, AFP reporters at the scene said.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties,” a security guard said at a checkpoint near the depot, asking not to be identified.

But in the east, Russian strikes targeting a medical facility in Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv killed four civilians and wounded several others, police said.

“I had gone out looking for bread. There were explosions. When I came back there were four bodies lying there, with relatives crying by their side,” 71-year-old Mykola Hladkiy told AFP.

Several residents said cluster munitions were used, and AFP journalists saw large fires after other strikes in Kharkiv.

NATO, European Union and G7 leaders in Brussels shied away from impassioned demands by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for more advanced weapons systems to take the fight to the invaders.

He underlined the toll inflicted by incessant Russian bombardment of cities such as the southern port of Mariupol — where authorities said a horrifying picture was emerging from the Drama Theatre.

Up to 1,000 civilians were said to be sheltering in the theatre when it was flattened by a Russian bomb last week. Ukraine said efforts to dig people out of the ruins were hampered by relentless bombardment.

“From eyewitnesses, information is emerging that about 300 people died in the Drama Theatre of Mariupol following strikes by a Russian aircraft,” Mariupol city hall wrote on Telegram.

Ukraine re-occupying towns

Zelensky says nearly 100,000 people are trapped without food, water or power in the besieged city.

Addressing the EU summit late Thursday by video feed, he thanked countries including Poland and Estonia for their support, noted German backing came “a little later” — and singled Hungary out for censure.

“You have to decide for yourself who you are with,” Zelensky told Hungary’s right-wing populist leader Viktor Orban, who has close ties to Moscow.

“Listen, Viktor, do you know what’s going on in Mariupol?” he added.

While Mariupol is now a charred ruin, Western defensive systems including shoulder-fired anti-tank missiles have helped Ukraine’s armed forces hold their line.

“Ukrainian counter-attacks, and Russian forces falling back on overextended supply lines, has allowed Ukraine to re-occupy towns and defensive positions up to 35 kilometres (22 miles) east of Kyiv,” Britain’s defence ministry said in a daily update.

After several rounds of sanctions banished Russia from much of Western finance, Ukraine’s EU allies broadened their economic offensive to energy, which largely powers European homes and industry.

Biden and von der Leyen said the United States would strive to help supply Europe with an extra 15 billion cubic metres of liquefied natural gas this year — replacing one-third of supplies from Russia.

Germany, Moscow’s biggest customer in Europe, said it would halve Russian oil imports by June and end all coal deliveries by the autumn.

“The first important milestones have been reached to free us from the grip of Russian imports,” Economy Minister Robert Habeck said.

3.7 million refugees

In Poland, Biden will meet members of the US 82nd Airborne Division, part of NATO’s increasingly muscular deployment to its eastern flank.

He will also receive a briefing on the dire humanitarian situation in Ukraine, which nearly 3.7 million people have fled, mostly to Poland.

The UN believes that more than half of Ukraine’s children have already been driven from their homes, “a grim milestone that could have lasting consequences for generations to come”, according to Unicef chief Catherine Russell.

In the flashpoint town of Irpin on Kyiv’s north-western outskirts, little Daria played with her dinosaur mittens as a yellow evacuation bus took her family and others away. It was her fourth birthday on Thursday.

“We were planning some candles and a cake, but we had to leave it there,” said Daria’s mother Susanna Sopelnikova, 29, holding her tightly on her lap.

“We stayed in the basement for about three weeks, then we decided to leave,” said Sopelnikova, as Daria’s six-year-old brother Yehor sat silently next to their father Anatolii to the distant boom of shelling.

After the Putin regime imposed an information blackout on its “special military operation”, most Russians are unaware of the true picture of fighting in Ukraine.

But an exhibition of 24 shocking images opened on Friday at a train station in Lithuania used by Russians transiting from the exclave of Kaliningrad.

On some of the pictures, exhibited at the height of the carriage windows, an inscription read: “Today, Putin is killing the peaceful population of Ukraine. Do you approve of this?”

AFP

Up Next

Ukraine ‘disappointed’ in NATO, as Biden visits U.S. troops in Poland

Don't Miss

U.S. imposes sanctions targeting North Korea’s missile program

International

Trump’s White House Press Secretary Quits After Just Five Days as Credentials Storm Erupts

Published

10 hours ago

October 17, 2026

Trends Admin

US President Donald Trump’s new White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia

Trump’s White House Press Secretary Quits After Just Five Days as Credentials Storm Erupts

WASHINGTON, DC — US President Donald Trump’s new White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia, has left her position after just five days on the job, following criticism of her first press briefing and questions about her professional credentials.

Zacharia’s departure was reported on Friday, October 16, 2026, after Trump disclosed that he had advised her to reconsider remaining in the high-profile position. A White House official subsequently confirmed that she was leaving the role.

The departure came just days after Trump announced her appointment to succeed Karoline Leavitt on Friday, October 9. Zacharia began work on Monday, October 12, and held her first White House press briefing the following day, Tuesday, October 13.

The brief tenure quickly became controversial after Zacharia’s first interaction with journalists attracted criticism. The briefing lasted approximately 14 minutes, during which she took questions from only three reporters, prompting scrutiny of her performance as the administration’s principal spokesperson.

The controversy deepened on Thursday, October 15, when questions emerged about her professional credentials. During an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Zacharia acknowledged that she had not passed the bar examination, despite holding a law degree from Pepperdine University.

READ ALSO:

In the United States, obtaining a law degree does not automatically qualify a graduate to practise as a licensed attorney. Admission to practise generally requires passing the relevant bar examination and satisfying other requirements set by the jurisdiction.

The revelation intensified scrutiny of how Zacharia’s legal background had been presented before her appointment, further complicating her early days in the White House role.

Zacharia defended her handling of the first briefing, explaining that she had limited time to prepare. She also indicated that the session was intentionally brief because Trump was expected to speak to reporters later that morning.

Trump, meanwhile, said he had encouraged her to consider whether the position was right for her, arguing that the media scrutiny surrounding the job could make it difficult to remain in the role.

The White House press secretary is responsible for communicating the president’s positions, explaining administration policies and responding to questions from journalists. The position frequently involves contentious exchanges with the media and intense public scrutiny.

Before joining the White House, Zacharia worked in communications for Trump Media, the company behind the president’s Truth Social platform. She had also held a position at the Department of Homeland Security and worked as a conservative political commentator.

Her exit leaves the Trump administration needing to determine who will handle daily press briefings and serve as its principal spokesperson. As of Friday, October 16, the White House had not publicly announced a successor.

Zacharia’s departure followed a compressed timeline: Trump announced her appointment on October 9, she began work on October 12, delivered her first briefing on October 13 and left the position on October 16. The five-day description refers to her working tenure rather than five full days from the date her appointment was announced.

Trump’s White House Press Secretary Quits After Just Five Days as Credentials Storm Erupts

International

School Turns Death Trap as Roof Collapse Claims 22 Lives

Published

2 days ago

October 15, 2026

Trends Admin

School Turns Death Trap as Roof Collapse Claims 22 Lives

At least 21 children and a teacher have been killed after the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, north-western Pakistan, triggering an emergency rescue operation as authorities searched for people feared trapped beneath the rubble.

The incident occurred on Thursday, October 15, 2026, in the Dir Colony area of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The victims were pupils attending the school when the roof gave way, according to reports citing local officials and hospital authorities.

More than 40 people were reportedly injured in the collapse, with several taken to hospital for treatment. Some of the injured were said to be in critical condition, raising concerns that the death toll could increase as rescue efforts continued.

Mohammad Asim, a spokesperson for Lady Reading Hospital, confirmed that children and a teacher were brought to the facility after the incident. Early reports said the children killed were all aged 13 or younger.

Emergency responders, including personnel from Rescue 1122, were deployed to the scene to remove debris, search for survivors and transport injured pupils to medical facilities. Rescue workers continued to check the wreckage for anyone who might still be trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

READ ALSO:

The cause of the collapse had not been established at the time of reporting. Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the condition of the school building and whether construction and safety standards were observed.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the bereaved families. He also prayed for the strength of the families affected by the tragedy.

The disaster has renewed concerns about building safety and construction standards in Pakistan, where structural collapses have repeatedly caused deaths and injuries. Poor construction materials and weak enforcement of safety regulations have been cited in reports on previous incidents, although the cause of the Peshawar collapse remains unconfirmed.

In June 2026, a roof collapse at a tutoring centre in Lahore killed at least 14 children. The recurring incidents have intensified calls for stricter inspections of educational facilities and stronger enforcement of building regulations to protect pupils and school staff.

Authorities are expected to establish what caused the latest collapse and determine whether any safety breaches contributed to the tragedy.

School Turns Death Trap as Roof Collapse Claims 22 Lives

International

Nigeria Secures UN Human Rights Council Seat With 172 Votes

Published

3 days ago

October 14, 2026

Trends Admin

Nigeria Secures UN Human Rights Council Seat With 172 Votes

Nigeria has secured a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) after receiving 172 votes in an election by the UN General Assembly, earning the country a three-year term on the international body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights worldwide.

The election was held on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Nigeria will serve on the 47-member council from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2029.

Nigeria was among 15 countries elected to the council for the new term. The other successful candidates included Zambia, Ghana, Burundi, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Nepal, Moldova and Ukraine.

Among the African candidates, Zambia received 177 votes, Ghana secured 173, Nigeria obtained 172, while Burundi received 160 votes.

The election gives Nigeria an opportunity to participate in international deliberations on human rights standards, alleged violations and measures aimed at improving the protection of fundamental freedoms across the world.

However, the process has attracted criticism from human rights organisations because the election was uncontested. Regional groups nominated exactly as many candidates as there were available seats, meaning there was no competitive ballot among rival candidates within the respective groups.

The UN Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body based in Geneva, Switzerland. Established in 2006, it is mandated to address human rights violations, promote respect for fundamental freedoms and make recommendations to governments and the international community.

READ ALSO:

The council comprises 47 member states elected by the UN General Assembly through a secret ballot. Its seats are allocated among five regional groups to ensure geographical representation, and members serve staggered three-year terms.

The body examines human rights situations in individual countries, conducts its Universal Periodic Review of UN member states and considers complaints and reports concerning alleged abuses. It can also appoint independent experts, establish commissions of inquiry and authorise fact-finding missions to investigate serious allegations.

Although the council plays an important role in international human rights oversight, it does not operate as a criminal court and cannot independently impose criminal sentences on individuals accused of abuses.

Nigeria’s election comes amid continuing international scrutiny of human rights conditions in several countries, including concerns about police conduct, accountability, freedom of expression and the treatment of vulnerable groups.

The selection of countries with contested human rights records has been criticised by advocacy organisations, which argue that uncontested elections can weaken accountability and reduce pressure on candidates to demonstrate their commitment to protecting fundamental rights.

The criticism has also raised questions about how elected countries will use their positions on the council to address allegations of abuses and support international human rights standards.

For Nigeria, membership offers a platform to contribute to debates on issues such as unlawful killings, torture, discrimination, the rights of women and children, freedom of expression and the protection of civilians during armed conflicts.

The country will also be expected to participate in council sessions, consider resolutions and engage with other member states on international human rights concerns.

Nigeria’s three-year membership begins in January 2027. Its performance on the council will be watched alongside its domestic human rights record, including how authorities address allegations of misconduct and strengthen accountability and protection for citizens.

The election is therefore both a diplomatic achievement for Nigeria and an opportunity for the country to demonstrate its commitment to the principles the council was established to uphold.