Ukraine warns of new ‘Wall’ in Europe
The Hindu
Invoking the fall of the Berlin Wall, he urges Scholz to tear down a wall between peace and strife
Ukraine’s leader on Thursday accused Moscow of building a new Cold War wall across Europe “between freedom and bondage”.
Three weeks into their devastating invasion, Russian forces also stood accused of bombing a theatre sheltering many civilians and marked with the word “children”.
Kyiv emerged from a 35-hour curfew to its own fresh destruction, as Russian troops strive to encircle the Ukrainian capital as part of their slow-moving offensive.
In besieged Mariupol to the south, from which officials say 30,000 civilians have now fled, rescuers were combing through the smoking rubble of the Drama Theatre.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the “number of dead is not yet known” at the theatre, but the airborne attack showed “Russia has become a terrorist state”.
Mr. Zelensky addressed the German Parliament a day after a speech to the U.S. Congress, when he secured $1 billion in new U.S. military aid, including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles used against Soviet forces in Afghanistan.
Mr. Zelensky reached back to that Cold War era as he drew on a 1987 speech in Berlin by U.S. president Ronald Reagan: “Dear Mr. Scholz, tear down this wall,” he implored German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Amol Palekar advocates against pre-censorship in films and theatre, urging the government to protect artists' freedom of expression.
BJP legislators demand release of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh, threatening protests and border blockade if demands not met.
Odisha loses 790 elephants in a decade, with electrocution as the leading cause of unnatural deaths.
ASI issues notice to halt construction at Arya Akshobhya Teertha Mutt near Rameshwara temple in Shivamogga.
Madurai High Court orders removal of encroachments along Madurai-Dindigul highway, Corporation and Highways Department officials conduct joint operation.
Maharashtra Congress chief initiates signature campaign for return of ballot papers, sparking nationwide debate on EVMs.
Udupi Deputy Commissioner K. Vidyakumari on Wednesday directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to undertake periodical maintenance of NH66 without giving room for complaints.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw updates Lok Sabha on Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. shareholding, Goa willing to relinquish.
One dies, eight hospitalised after inhaling HCL fumes at pharma company in Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalli district. About 400 litres of HCL leaked from the reactor-cum-receiver tank at Unit-III of the company, which affected nine workers, says Collector. While the condition of six of them is stable, two are on ventilator support. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu directs authorities to provide advanced treatment to the victims. Home Minister Anitha expresses anger over repeated such incidents.
Parents and social workers in Thoothukudi request new Anganwadi buildings due to unsafe conditions in current rental buildings.
Delta districts face heavy rainfall, prompting coordinated efforts to mitigate damages, with NDRF teams deployed for rescue operations.