May 5, 2022

*) Russia announces 3-day #ceasefire for civilian evacuations in Ukraine's Mariupol Russia announces a three-day cease-fire for evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal steel plant in Ukraine's Black Sea port city of #Mariupol. In a statement, Russia’s defence ministry said an evacuation corridor would be opened in the #Azovstal area "based on humanitarian principles". The humanitarian corridor will be opened for the evacuation of civilians, including workers, women and children, from the Azovstal plant site on May 5-7, from 0500 GMT to 1500 GMT, the ministry said. *) UN: More than 300 evacuated from Mariupol Over 300 civilians have been evacuated from Mariupol and other areas in southern Ukraine as part of a joint UN-Red Cross operation, the United Nations said. The evacuations came as Ukrainian forces inside Mariupol's Azovstal steel works said they were fighting "difficult bloody battles" against Russian troops. Mariupol is one of the most battered cities in #Ukraine. A group of Ukrainian forces are still holding out at the plant with hundreds of civilians trapped inside. *) UK votes in local elections with historic N Ireland result predicted Polls have opened across the UK in local and regional elections that could prove historic in Northern Ireland and heap further pressure on embattled Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The contest in Belfast could see a pro-Irish nationalist party win for the first time in the troubled history of the British province. On the other side, poor results could reignite simmering discontent within Johnson’s ruling Conservatives about his leadership after a string of recent scandals. *) Colombia extradites 'world's most wanted' drug trafficker to US #Colombia has extradited the world's most wanted drug trafficker, Dairo Antonio Usuga David, to the United States, where he faces indictments in three federal courts Colombian President Ivan Duque said that Usuga David is "comparable only to Pablo Escobar", referring to the late former head of the Medellin drug cartel. The