Foreign
Russia launches massive air attacks on Ukraine’s cabinet building
Russia fired its biggest-ever aerial barrage at Ukraine early Sunday, killing two people and setting the seat of the Ukrainian government in Kyiv ablaze in an attack President Volodymyr Zelensky warned would prolong the war.
An AFP reporter saw the roof of Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers in flames and smoke billowing over the capital.
Drone strikes also damaged several high-rise buildings in Kyiv, according to emergency services.
Russia has shown no sign of halting its three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine, pushing hardline demands for ending the war despite efforts by the United States to broker a peace deal.
Residents in Kyiv spoke of their frustration following the strikes.
“This is already routine for us, unfortunately,” Olga, a 30-year-old resident of a damaged building, told AFP.
The Russians first “grab the Shaheds (Iranian-designed drones), then the rockets come,” she said.
The attack on Sunday was the first to hit Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers, a sprawling government complex at the heart of Kyiv.
An AFP reporter saw helicopters dropping what appeared to be buckets of water over its roof, as emergency services rushed to the scene.
Russia, which denies targeting civilians in Ukraine, said it had struck “Ukraine’s military-industrial complex and transport infrastructure” in the attack, without mentioning the government building.
Police cordoned off the area surrounding the building, the roof and upper floors of which sustained damage.
“We will restore the buildings. But we cannot bring back lost lives. The enemy terrorises and kills our people every day throughout the country,” Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.
Russia fired at least 810 drones and 13 missiles at Ukraine between late Saturday and early Sunday, in a new record, according to the Ukrainian air force.
Zelensky said emergency services were working across the country.
“Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have already begun long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war,” he said on Facebook.
The attack drew condemnation from European leaders, including Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.
“Once again, the Kremlin is mocking diplomacy,” von der Leyen wrote on X.
Strike kills six
AFP reporters heard explosions over the capital early Sunday.
A strike on a nine-story residential building in the west of Kyiv killed at least two people, a mother and her two-month-old son, prosecutors said.
More than a dozen others were wounded in Kyiv, according to the emergency service.
Among them was a 24-year-old pregnant woman, who delivered a premature baby shortly after the attack, and doctors were fighting for her life and that of her baby, state TV Suspilne reported.
Four more died, and dozens of others were wounded in overnight strikes across the country’s east and southeast, authorities said.
The attack also killed seven horses at an equestrian club in Kyiv’s suburbs, according to Ukraine’s foreign ministry.
“The world cannot stand aside while a terrorist state takes lives—human or animal—every single day,” it wrote on X.
The barrage came after more than two dozen European countries pledged to patrol any agreement to end the war, some of whom said they were willing to deploy troops on the ground.
Kyiv insists on Western-backed security guarantees to prevent future Russian attacks, but President Vladimir Putin warns that any Western troops in Ukraine would be unacceptable and legitimate targets.
Efforts in recent weeks by US President Donald Trump to end the war have so far yielded little progress.
Meantime, on the front line in the east, Moscow continued to claim territory in costly grinding battles, capturing another village in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Russia occupies around 20 per cent of the country in total.
Tens of thousands have been killed in three-and-a-half years of fighting, which has forced millions from their homes and destroyed much of eastern and southern Ukraine in Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II.
AFP
United States President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of the U.S. electoral system, warning that the country could face serious consequences if election reforms are not introduced.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, he claimed that American elections are “rigged” and have become a global embarrassment, arguing that urgent changes are needed to restore trust in the system.
He called on Republicans to rally behind a proposed electoral overhaul he referred to as the “Save America Act,” which he described as crucial to protecting democracy in the United States. According to him, the bill would strengthen voting integrity through measures such as mandatory voter identification and proof of citizenship.
Trump also proposed restrictions on mail-in voting, saying it should only be allowed in limited cases such as illness, disability, military service, or travel. He argued that mail-in ballots are vulnerable to abuse and compromise election integrity.
He further warned that he would not endorse any Republican who opposed the bill and urged lawmakers to support it regardless of party affiliation. Trump also suggested that opposition to the proposal would be politically damaging in future elections.
Observers note that the proposal is expected to spark debate, particularly given ongoing disagreements in the U.S. over voting rights, election security, and the balance of authority between federal and state governments.
The 31-year-old man, Cole Allen, who reportedly opened fire during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night, has told investigators that he deliberately targeted officials of the President Donald Trump administration, according to senior federal law enforcement sources familiar with the case.
Allen allegedly confessed after his arrest on Saturday night that his intention was to “shoot Trump administration officials,” investigators disclosed, according to Fox News.
The incident occurred at the Washington Hilton, where Allen reportedly forced his way through a Secret Service security checkpoint while armed with a shotgun, a handgun, knives, and other weapons.
He subsequently opened fire, hitting a Secret Service officer, whose ballistic vest prevented fatal injuries.
Law enforcement agents at the scene returned fire, but Allen was not struck. Both the injured officer and the suspect were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
In the aftermath of the shooting, operatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), alongside local law enforcement, moved swiftly to secure Allen’s residence in Torrance, California.
Officials said efforts were underway to obtain a federal search warrant to examine the property for further evidence.
According to the White House, new details have emerged suggesting that Allen may have communicated his intentions prior to the attack.
His brother reportedly alerted the New London Police Department after receiving what authorities described as a manifesto outlining the suspect’s motives.
Investigators said the document explicitly referenced plans to target members of the Trump administration.
Officials also pointed to Allen’s social media activity, which allegedly contained anti-Trump and anti-Christian sentiments.
Reacting to the development during an interview with Fox News, Trump described the suspect as deeply disturbed.
“The guy is a sick guy,” Trump said. “When you read his manifesto, he hates Christians. That’s one thing for sure.
“He hates Christians, a hatred. And I think his sister or his brother actually was complaining about it. You know, they were even complaining to law enforcement. So he was, he was a very troubled guy.”
Further insight into Allen’s behaviour was provided by his sister, Avriana Allen, who spoke with both the Secret Service and local police in Rockville.
She reportedly told investigators that her brother frequently made extreme statements and spoke about carrying out actions to “fix” societal problems.
She also revealed that Allen had legally purchased firearms, including two handguns and a shotgun, from a dealer identified as Cap Tactical Firearms.
According to her account, the weapons were stored at their parents’ residence without their knowledge.
Avriana added that her brother regularly practised shooting at gun ranges and was associated with a group known as “The Wide Awakes.”
She further disclosed that he had participated in a “No Kings” protest in California at some point prior to the incident.
The shooting has heightened concerns about security at high-profile political events in the United States, particularly those attended by senior government officials and members of the press.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing as they work to piece together the full scope of Allen’s motives and potential affiliations.
Foreign
“Our Girls Are Sleeping With Foreigners, They Must Leave” — Emotional South African Man Sparks Outrage with Xenophobic Rant
A video circulating on social media shows a man in South Africa expressing strong anti-foreigner sentiments, in remarks that have sparked concern over rising xenophobic tensions.
In the footage, the man appears visibly emotional as he complains about the presence of foreigners in the country, claiming that “our girls are sl33ping with foreigners” and insisting that they “have to leave.” He also warns that foreigners “must never think they can control” local communities.
This is coming amid xenophobic raids carried out by South Africans against mainly Black immigrants in the country.
Watch moment FCT minister Wike being conferred with title of Abuja Hasken, Light of Abuja by FCT Traditional Council led by Ona of Abaji (Video)
BREAKING: NNPCL jerks up fuel price
Troops halt late-night terrorist attack in Borno
-
News23 hours agoEyiboh’s Purported Suspension Backfires in Esit Eket Ward 9 APC
-
News9 hours ago2027: Ogbeide-Ihama Joins Edo South Senatorial Race, Says Upper Chamber Not For Neophytes(Photos)
-
News22 hours agoReps back digital overhaul of election petition procedures
-
News21 hours agoBREAKING: Supreme Court fixes date for verdict on ADC, PDP leadership tussles
-
Economy20 hours agoSee Black Market Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate Today 29th April 2026
-
News21 hours agoSenate confirms Yuguda as CBN deputy governor
-
News20 hours ago2027: My opponents are arming terrorists against me — Tinubu
-
News22 hours agoSenate endorses Tinubu’s $516m loan request
You must be logged in to post a comment Login