Nearly 600 migrants packed into overcrowded fishing boats in bad weather were rescued overnight off the coast of Calabria, Italy’s coastguard said yesterday,

Less than 10 percent of the plastic used across the world is recycled, the OECD said yesterday, calling for “coordinated and global solutions” ahead of expected talks on an international plastics treaty.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that he does not plan to restore Russia’s empire, a day after he ordered Russian troops to be sent to eastern Ukraine and questioned Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Russia faced a furious global diplomatic and economic backlash yesterday after President Vladimir Putin ordered his “peacekeeping” forces into Ukraine to secure two breakaway regions, but division among European allies raised questions how far West can go against Moscow.

The three white men convicted of chasing down and murdering a young Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, as he was out jogging in their suburban Georgia community, were found guilty on Tuesday of committing federal hate crimes and other offenses in the 2020 killing.

A UN Special Rapporteur has identified China, Russia and Serbia as member states who have been supplying Myanmar junta with weapons of the sort that are being used to attack civilians since the military coup on February 1 last year.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already begun so Britain will impose sanctions on Russia, a senior British minister said on Tuesday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson chaired an emergency government response meeting over the Ukraine crisis.

The United States and its European allies are poised to announce harsh new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday after President Vladimir Putin formally recognized two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, escalating a security crisis on the continent.

Israel on Monday named Khaled Kabub as its first Muslim judge to gain a permanent seat on the Supreme Court, the Jewish state's highest judicial authority, court authorities said.

Western powers reacted swiftly to Monday's (Feb 21) decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognise the independence of the two self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine, condemning Moscow and calling for sanctions.

A long-feared Russian invasion of Ukraine appeared to be imminent Monday, if not already underway, with Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering forces into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine.

The Kremlin warned yesterday there are no concrete plans for a summit between the Russian and US leaders, as diplomats scrambled to head off the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The United States has warned the United Nations it has information that Russia has lists of Ukrainians “to be killed or sent to camps” in the event of an invasion, according to a letter sent to the UN rights chief and obtained by AFP Sunday.

US President Joe Biden and Russia's Vladimir Putin have agreed in principle to hold a summit on the Ukraine crisis, the office of French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.

Last-ditch diplomatic efforts were underway yesterday to prevent what Western powers warn could be the imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine and a catastrophic European war.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said on Saturday the kingdom was looking to schedule a fifth round of direct talks with rival Iran despite a “lack of substantive progress” so far, and urged Tehran to change its behaviour in the region.

Britain’s 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday but her symptoms are “mild” and she intends to continue with light duties at her Windsor Castle residence, aides said.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett yesterday said that Iran may “shortly” agree a new nuclear deal with major powers but warned it will be weaker than the original 2015 agreement.

Russia is preparing to plunge Europe into its worst conflict since World War II, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said, warning that any invasion of Ukraine would freeze Moscow out of global finance.

Russia and Belarus are extending military drills that were due to end on Sunday, the Belarus defence minister said, in a step that further intensifies pressure on Ukraine as Western leaders warn of an imminent Russian invasion.