May 12, 2022

*) EU: Russia ‘most direct threat to world order’ Russia is the "most direct threat" to the international order because of its attacks on Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said. Russia "is today the most direct threat to the world order with the barbaric war against Ukraine, and its worrying pact with China," von der Leyen said after talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. For his part, Kishida said Russia's offensive in Ukraine is not just a matter for Europe, but it shakes the core of the international order including Asia. *) Ukraine to hold first ‘war crimes’ trial of captured Russian As fighting continues in Ukraine, Kiev's top prosecutor has disclosed plans for the first "war crimes" trial of a captured Russian soldier. The 21-year-old soldier is accused of gunning down a 62-year-old civilian in February, four days into Russia’s attack on the country. While he could get up to 15 years in prison, it is not known when the trial will start. The prosecutor general’s office added it has been investigating more than 10,700 alleged "war crimes" committed by Russian forces. *) North Korea confirms first Covid outbreak, orders nationwide lockdown North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for thorough nationwide lockdowns as the country confirmed its first-ever case of Covid-19. The country has detected an outbreak of a sub-variant of the highly transmissible Omicron version of the coronavirus, state news agency said. The agency called it a "severe national emergency incident" after more than two years of keeping the pandemic at bay. *) Calls for probe into killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh grow louder The killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh during an Israeli army raid in the occupied West Bank has drawn global condemnation. The United States, United Nations, European Union and Türkiye separately called for a fair probe into the incident. Al Jazeera said 51-year-old Palestinian-American Abu Akleh was killed "in cold blood" and demanded Is