- 'Dark day': Victims mourned around the globe on Oct. 7 anniversary
- On attacks anniversary, Israel fights multi-front war
- Mexican mayor murdered days after taking office
- Intensifying to Category 5, Hurricane Milton targets Florida
- Mission to probe smashed asteroid launches despite hurricane
- Biden, Harris mark Oct. 7 with call for Mideast peace
- Dupont set for Toulouse return after post-Olympic holiday
- French rugby bosses tighten discipline after nightmare Argentina tour
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street slips
- Visitors to get rare view of Rome's Trevi Fountain
- Europe's asteroid mission Hera launches despite hurricane
- Man City and Premier League both claim victory in legal case
- Deschamps delight as 'light back on' for Pogba after doping ban
- Biden, Harris urge Mideast peace on Oct. 7 anniversary
- Neeskens, tough midfielder in Cruyff's Ajax and Dutch teams
- UN warns world's water cycle becoming ever more erratic
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street retreats
- Ex-Dutch football star Johan Neeskens dies
- Man Utd battling to improve fortunes, says Evans
- What is microRNA? Nobel-winning discovery explained
- Masood, Abdullah centuries lift Pakistan to 328-4 in first England Test
- Hurricane Milton strengthens fast, threatens Mexico, Florida
- Tunisia's President Saied set for landslide election win
- Barca hoping to return to Camp Nou 'by end of year'
- Trump to open second golf course at Scotland resort in summer 2025
- Super-sub Jhon Duran rewarded with new Aston Villa deal
- US duo win Nobel for gene regulation breakthrough
- Masood hits first ton for four years to power Pakistan to 233-1
- Fritz wins delayed match to reach Shanghai Masters third round
- Naomi Osaka pulls out of Japan Open with back injury
- Weather may delay launch of mission to study deflected asteroid
- China to flesh out economic stimulus plans after bumper rally
- Artist Marina Abramovic hopes first China show offers tech respite
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on US jobs data
- Pakistan 122-1 at lunch in first England Test
- Kazakhs approve plan for first nuclear power plant
- World marks anniversary of Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- 'Second family': tennis stars hunt winning formula with new coaches
- Philippines, South Korea agree to deepen maritime cooperation
- Mexico mayor murdered days after taking office
- Sardinia's sheep farmers battle bluetongue as climate warms
- Japan govt admits doctoring 'untidy' cabinet photo
- Israel marks first anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack
- Darvish tames Ohtani as Padres thrash Dodgers
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on jobs data
- Family affair as LeBron, Bronny James make Lakers bow
- Cancer, cardiovascular drugs tipped for Nobel as prize week opens
- As Great Salt Lake dries, Utah Republicans pardon Trump climate skepticism
- Amazon activist warns of 'critical situation' ahead of UN forum
- Mourners pay tribute to latest victims of deadly Channel crossing
CMSC | -0.2% | 24.65 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.09% | 24.79 | $ | |
BTI | -0.13% | 35.245 | $ | |
SCS | -0.89% | 12.855 | $ | |
RBGPF | -1.97% | 58.94 | $ | |
NGG | -1.42% | 65.57 | $ | |
RYCEF | -1.45% | 6.88 | $ | |
RIO | -0.23% | 69.54 | $ | |
AZN | -0.4% | 77.165 | $ | |
GSK | 0.05% | 38.84 | $ | |
BCC | 0.61% | 139.755 | $ | |
JRI | -0.24% | 13.248 | $ | |
BP | 0.74% | 33.125 | $ | |
VOD | 0.26% | 9.685 | $ | |
RELX | -0.55% | 46.035 | $ | |
BCE | -0.42% | 33.57 | $ |
China envoy to Ukraine postpones evacuation of citizens
China's envoy to Ukraine said Sunday current conditions were too unsafe to evacuate citizens, days after the embassy said it would prepare plans to help people leave after the Russian invasion.
In a lengthy video message on the embassy's official WeChat account, Chinese ambassador Fan Xianrong sought to dispel rumours he had left Kyiv and reassure Chinese nationals left stranded in the war-torn country.
"We must wait until it is safe before leaving," said Fan from his office, seated in front of a Chinese flag and what appeared to be a fold-out camp bed frame.
"As long as safety conditions are met and everyone's safety is guaranteed, we will make appropriate arrangements."
The United Nations says Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began on Thursday, has forced almost 150,000 people to flee to neighbouring countries.
In the weeks before, multiple countries, including the UK, US and Japan, evacuated diplomats and urged citizens to leave as fears of war grew.
China, which has refrained from condemning its close ally Russia throughout the crisis, waited until Thursday before announcing that it would prepare charter flights to evacuate its citizens.
Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights the same day, citing the high risk from weapons.
"These past few days, like everyone else, we constantly heard sirens, explosions and gunshots and we repeatedly hid in the basement. These are the kinds of scenes we only previously saw in movies," said Fan.
He also urged Chinese citizens to "not quarrel with locals", after a number of unverified social media claims of rising hostility towards Chinese citizens from Ukrainians.
"The Ukrainian people are in a difficult position and are suffering very much," he said.
"We must understand their feelings and not provoke them."
On Saturday, the embassy urged its citizens to "refrain... from displaying signs of identification", just days after telling those leaving Kyiv to clearly fix a Chinese flag to their vehicles.
China has previously said there were about 6,000 Chinese nationals in Ukraine for work and study.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi told his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock in a Saturday call that China does not support sanctions and that Russia's "legitimate security demands should be properly addressed".
Beijing voted to abstain from a Friday UN Security Council resolution condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine, which was vetoed by Russia.
J.Williams--AMWN