Russia-Ukraine war
Russian forces press ahead with their military operation in areas in eastern and southern Ukraine. The Russian army has carried out a major attack on a steel plant in the southern city of Mariupol, where a UN-brokered evacuation operation is underway. Moscow says Ukrainian troops are using the break in fighting to take up combat positions in the city. More than 150 people have already been evacuated from Mariupol. In the Donetsk region, local authorities say attacks by Russian forces killed 21 civilians on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the European Union is preparing fresh sanctions on Russian oil sales. But, there are divisions among member states, with Slovakia seeking exemption from the embargo.
Saudi drone downed
Yemen says its air defenses have shot down a Saudi spy drone flying over its airspace. According to Yemeni media, the drone was downed over the north-western city of Hajjah. Yemen's military has already brought down dozens of drones operated by the Saudi-led coalition in recent years. The incident comes amid a UN-brokered ceasefire agreement reached between the warring sides on April the first. Yemen says the coalition has on multiple occasions violated the truce by launching attacks.
Korean peninsula tensions
North Korea has test-launched yet another ballistic missile, amid worries on the Korean Peninsula over its nuclear program. The South Korean military says it detected the launch in the Sunan area of Pyongyang. It says the missile flew for about 470 kilometres toward the sea off the North’s east coast. It comes a week after the North Korean leader vowed to accelerate the development of his country’s nuclear arsenal, calling it a symbol of national power. Kim Jong-un also said that the North would not shy away from the pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons to counter hostile forces. This year alone, North Korea has fired 14 short and long-range ballistic missiles. The country has doubled down on Kim’s military modernization drive as well as missile tests, while ignoring the offer of talks from the United States.