Twenty-eight Bangladeshi sailors were evacuated from the Banglar Samriddhi yesterday and taken to a safe shelter in Ukraine.

Australia’s emergency services yesterday ordered 200,000 people to flee from the path of a wild storm that has killed 13 people in a week of record-setting east coast floods, but the city of Sydney escaped the worst of the deluge.

Top US General Mark Milley yesterday hailed the “very effective defence” being put up by Ukrainian forces as they battle invading Russian troops.

Finland’s president yesterday called for the country to remain calm while deciding whether to apply to join Nato as a defence against potential Russian aggression.

The UN human rights chief yesterday slammed Russia’s attack on Ukraine, warning of a “massive impact” on the rights of millions and cautioning that heightened nuclear threat levels showed all of humanity was at risk.

An army of volunteer hackers is rising up in cyberspace to defend Ukraine, though internet specialists are calling on geeks and other “hacktivists” to stay out of a potentially very dangerous computer war.

Over one million refugees have fled the conflict in Ukraine so far, with neighbouring countries opening their doors to tens of thousands of people since the Russian invasion began last week.

President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday promised Ukrainians that damage to infrastructure inflicted by invading Russian forces would be repaired and that Moscow would foot the bill.

Shells exploded nearby, shaking buildings and sending debris flying around a group of Indian students making a dash out of central Kharkiv on foot after warnings from their government to flee the Ukrainian city hit hard by the Russian invasion.

RUSSIA ADVANCES IN SOUTH

The Bangladesh government has been considering the implications of war in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed by the Western countries on Russia, and the available options to move forward.

Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed no let-up in his invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, even as the warring sides met for ceasefire talks and Kyiv demanded safe passage for besieged civilians.

All the Bangladeshi crew members stranded on Banglar Samriddhi in Ukraine have been moved to safety, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam confirmed in a video post today.

Israel can become "a potential ally" of Saudi Arabia if the conflict with the Palestinians is resolved, the Saudi state-news agency SPA cited Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman as saying on Thursday.

The Moscow branch of a Chinese state bank has seen a surge in enquiries from Russian firms wanting to open new accounts, a person familiar with the matter said, as the country's businesses struggle with international sanctions after its invasion of Ukraine.

Narendra Modi’s government today secured backing of the opposition after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar briefed the parliamentary consultative committee of his ministry on India’s neutral stance on Russia-Ukraine conflict and the evacuation of Indians from the war-hit nation.

The government is giving utmost importance to ensure the safety of the stranded Bangladeshi crew members of Banglar Samriddhi in Ukraine, said State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury today.

US President Joe Biden will hold a virtual summit Thursday with the leaders of the other members of the Quad grouping Japan, Australia and India, New Delhi said.

Russia has expressed condolences to the family of Bangladeshi sailor Hadisur Rahman, who was killed in a “missile attack” on board Banglar Samriddhi anchored at the Olvia port in Ukraine.

Bangladesh abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution that reprimanded Russia for invading Ukraine and demanded that Moscow stop fighting and withdraw its military forces.