October 6, 2022

*) Putin says situation to 'stabilise', Ukraine presses counterattack Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he expects the situation to "stabilise" in Ukrainian regions annexed by the Kremlin, after Moscow suffered military setbacks. He has also ordered his government to seize control over Europe's largest nuclear power plant in the Russia-controlled region of Zaporizhzhia. Kiev has claimed victories over Russian troops in the eastern region of Luhansk, while the Kremlin has vowed to recapture territory lost in a lightning Ukrainian counteroffensive. *) North Korea fires two ballistic missiles, blames US drills 'escalation' North Korea has again fired two ballistic missiles, claiming its recent blitz of tests were necessary countermeasures against joint drills by the United States and South Korea. North Korea has accused the US of "escalating military tensions on the Korean peninsula" and threatening regional stability. South Korea, Japan and the US have ramped up joint military drills in recent weeks, including large-scale naval manoeuvres and anti-submarine exercises. *) WHO probes India syrups after dozens of children die in Gambia The World Health Organisation has issued an alert over four cough and cold syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals in India. The UN health agency has said the four syrups in question "have been potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children" in The Gambia. It has also cautioned that contaminated medications may have been distributed outside of the West African country, warning that global exposure was "possible". *) Three 'click chemistry' pioneers win Nobel Prize The Nobel Chemistry Prize has been awarded to a trio of chemists from the US and Denmark who laid the foundation for a more functional form of chemistry. Americans Carolyn Bertozzi and Barry Sharpless, together with Denmark's Morten Meldal, have been honoured "for the development of click chemistry...," the jury has said. Click chemistry "is an elegant and efficient chemical re