World News Roundup: Ukraine's Zelenskiy lands in Jeddah to attend Arab League - al-Hadath TV; From joy to dismay, Syrians split over Assad's Arab League return and more

The Group of Seven (G7) leaders, who will be joined this weekend by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, vowed to restrict any exports to Russia that could help it in its 15-month war against Ukraine. From joy to dismay, Syrians split over Assad's Arab League return As some Syrians welcomed President Bashar al-Assad's return to the Arab League on Friday, others expressed dismay that Arab states had welcomed back a leader they blame for death and destruction during 12 years of brutal civil war.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 19-05-2023 19:06 IST | Created: 19-05-2023 18:26 IST
World News Roundup: Ukraine's Zelenskiy lands in Jeddah to attend Arab League - al-Hadath TV; From joy to dismay, Syrians split over Assad's Arab League return and more
Image Credit: ANI

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

G7 draft communique on China relationship: 'We act in our national interest'

Members of the Group of Seven advanced nations are prepared to build "constructive and stable relations" with China while acting in their national interests, according to a draft version of their communique seen by Reuters on Friday. The leaders, who kicked off a three-day summit in the Japanese city of Hiroshima that goes until Sunday recognize that "economic resilence requires de-risking and diversifying" from the world's second-largest economy, the draft showed.

Poland says China should put pressure on Russia to end war

Poland called on China to exert pressure on Russia to end its war in Ukraine during a meeting between two top officials in Warsaw, the Polish foreign ministry said on Friday.

China's Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui is on a tour of European capitals and was in Kyiv on Tuesday and Wednesday, where he discussed ways to end the Ukraine-Russia conflict through a political settlement.

G7 steps up Russia sanctions, seeks to reduce China trade dependency

Leaders of the world's richest democracies agreed on Friday to stiffen sanctions against Russia, while a draft communique to be issued after their talks in the Japanese city of Hiroshima stressed the need to reduce reliance on trade with China. The Group of Seven (G7) leaders, who will be joined this weekend by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, vowed to restrict any exports to Russia that could help it in its 15-month war against Ukraine.

From joy to dismay, Syrians split over Assad's Arab League return

As some Syrians welcomed President Bashar al-Assad's return to the Arab League on Friday, others expressed dismay that Arab states had welcomed back a leader they blame for death and destruction during 12 years of brutal civil war. The diverging views reflect deep splits in a nation shattered by the conflict that has killed more than 350,000 people, with swathes of territory still held by rebels opposed to Assad even as Arab states bring him in from the cold.

US and UN condemn anti-Arab chants at Jerusalem march

The United States and the United Nations condemned on Friday anti-Arab slogans chanted during an annual march in Jerusalem's Old City that drew tens of thousands of Israeli nationalists a day earlier. The heavily-policed, flag-waving procession, passing through Palestinian-populated areas such as Damascus Gate and the Muslim Quarter, is the main event of Jerusalem Day, when Israel marks its capture of the eastern part of the city in a 1967 war.

Myanmar junta says 145 died in cyclone, NGOs fear higher toll

Myanmar's military-controlled media said on Friday 145 people were killed when Cyclone Mocha hit the country this week, in stark contrast to reports from rights groups and residents who fear hundreds may have died. The impoverished western state of Rakhine bore the brunt of the storm that on Sunday tore down houses, communication towers and bridges with winds of up to 210 kph (130 mph), and triggered a storm surge that inundated the state capital Sittwe.

Russian forces dig in at Ukrainian nuclear plant, witnesses say

Russian military forces have been enhancing defensive positions in and around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine in recent weeks, four witnesses said, ahead of an expected counteroffensive in the region. New trenches have been dug around the city and more mines have been laid. Surveillance cameras at the plant are pointing north across a wide reservoir towards Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Air strikes hammer Khartoum as army chief drops RSF foe from Sudan's ruling council

Sudan's capital Khartoum and sister city Bahri came under renewed air attack on Friday as the war between the army and paramilitary forces entered its fifth week, deepening a humanitarian crisis for trapped and displaced civilians. Mass looting by armed men and civilians alike is making life an even greater misery for Khartoum residents pinned down by fierce fighting between the regular military and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), witnesses said.

China's Xi unveils grand development plan for Central Asia

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday unveiled a grand plan for Central Asia's development, from building infrastructure to boosting trade, taking on a new leadership role in a region that has traditionally been a Russian sphere of influence. China is ready to coordinate development strategies with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and promote the modernisation of all, Xi said in an address to a China-Central Asia Summit in northwest China.

Ukraine's Zelenskiy lands in Jeddah to attend Arab League - al-Hadath TV

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy landed in Jeddah on Friday to attend an Arab League summit, where Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, heavily-backed by Russia in his country's civil war, will also be present now that his regional isolation ended. Zelenskiy arrived on a French government plane. He is also due to attend the G7 leaders' summit in the Japanese city of Hiroshima this weekend.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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