World News

Couple serves together on Ukraine frontline

He's a commander of a battery of Grad rockets, she's a first aider in his unit.. Once in the firing zone, Andriy gives coordinates to the target, and his unit fires a rocket with a hellish blast, before taking cover under trees, away from Russian drones.

German cybersecurity chief faces sack over alleged Russia ties: sources

Germany's cybersecurity chief is facing the sack over alleged ties with Russian intelligence services, government sources told AFP on Monday, amid heightened vigilance over potential sabotage activities by Moscow.. The Handelsblatt daily reported that there was "great annoyance" within the government over the allegations.

Bernanke: Depression scholar who faced global financial crisis

Ben Bernanke, who shared the Nobel Economics Prize on Monday, is a scholar of the Great Depression who helped to steer the United States through another major financial crisis as Federal Reserve chief.. Bernanke was singled out for his analysis of "the worst economic crisis in modern history" -- the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Jailed Putin opponent Kara-Murza wins Council of Europe rights prize

Jailed Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza is the winner of this year's Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said on Monday.. The award comes after the Russian rights group Memorial was a co-winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize. maj-sjw/adp/rox

US trio, including ex-Fed chief Bernanke, win economics Nobel

A US trio on Monday won the Nobel Economics Prize for research on banking's role in the economy, especially on the importance of avoiding collapses during financial crises.. Ben Bernanke, the former head of the US Federal Reserve, together with Douglas Diamond and Philip Dybvig were honoured for having "significantly improved our understanding of the role of banks in the economy, particularly during financial crises, as well as how to regulate financial markets," the jury said.

Iran protesters defiant despite crackdown

Protesters in Iran remained defiant in the fourth week of a movement against the Islamic republic despite a crackdown including the use of tear gas in Tehran and reports Monday of heavy weaponry used in the Kurdish-populated northwest.. Meanwhile, the Kurdish rights group Hengaw accused the authorities of using heavy weaponry, including "shelling" on neighbourhoods and "machine gun fire", in the northwestern city of Sanandaj -- claims which could not be independently confirmed.

Russia fires massive missile barrage across Ukrainian cities

Russian forces launched a barrage of fatal bombardments across Ukraine early Monday, in an apparent retaliation for an explosion that damaged a key bridge to Moscow-annexed Crimea.. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an address to the nation early Monday said the morning had been "difficult" and explained that Russian forces had two targets with its barrage of strikes.

China moves to stamp out Covid outbreaks before Communist Party Congress

China recorded more than 2,000 Covid cases on Monday, its highest level for a month, as officials imposed new lockdowns and restrictions to stop outbreaks from spreading to the capital ahead of the Communist Party Congress.. President Xi Jinping, who is expected to secure a historic third term in office, has championed the policy, and any significant outbreak ahead of Sunday's Congress opening would prove highly embarrassing for the party.

Malaysia PM calls snap elections

Malaysia's prime minister dissolved parliament Monday to clear the way for snap elections in a bid to restore political stability as the country emerges from the ravages of Covid-19 and a multi-billion dollar corruption scandal.. Then incumbent Najib Razak, who was embroiled in a scandal where billions of dollars were alleged to have been looted from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund, was ousted as prime minister.