October 20, 2022

*) Putin declares martial law in four annexed regions of Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to impose martial law in the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, recently annexed from Ukraine. Putin said residents of these territories "clearly expressed their will when voted in favour of joining Russia." He added that Kiev refuses to accept the results of the referendums in the annexed regions and carries out acts of sabotage on Russia's territory. *) Ukraine accuses Iran of breaching UN ban on drone transfers Ukraine has accused Iran of violating a UN Security Council ban on the transfer of drones capable of flying 300 kilometres. Kiev has invited UN experts to visit the country to inspect Iranian-origin drones allegedly being used by Russia against targets. Ukraine's UN Ambassador tweeted that the issue of Iranian drones used against civilians will be raised at an open council meeting in Ukraine on Friday. *) UK's interior minister resigns after breaching government rules Britain's interior minister has resigned, saying she had to go after she breached government rules. Suella Braverman, however, said she had concerns over the direction of Prime Minister Liz Truss's government. She is the second senior minister to leave the government in less than a week, heaping more pressure on Truss as she fights to stay in power just over six weeks after she entered Downing Street. *) Malaysia to go to polls on Nov. 19 Malaysia will hold a general election on November 19 in a contest that the ruling party hopes would strengthen its hold on power. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolved parliament on October 10th and called for snap polls, saying an election would end years of political instability. The polls come earlier than the September 2023 deadline and during the annual monsoon season that has already triggered floods across Malaysia and is expected to affect voter turnout. And finally… *) First Native American woman in space awed by Mother Earth The first