- China's Yin has 'goosebumps' as she romps to LPGA win in Shanghai
- Pakistan to re-use Multan pitch for second England Test
- Blair and King Charles hail Salmond's 'devotion' to Scotland
- Vietnam, China hold talks on calming South China Sea tensions
- SpaceX will try to 'catch' giant Starship rocket shortly before landing
- England captain Stokes in line for second Pakistan Test return
- Japan's former empress Michiko discharged after surgery: reports
- Japan's former empress Michiko discharged after surgey: reports
- Israel widens Lebanon strikes as troops fight Hezbollah along border
- Bowlers' graveyards: Pakistan's placid pitches under fresh fire
- 'Little Gregory' murder haunts France 40 years on
- Vietnam, China to expand rail links, cross-border payments
- Americans get their belief back as Pochettino makes his mark
- Vietnam, China to boost economic, defence cooperation
- Winning start for Pochettino's American adventure
- Tariffs, tax cuts, energy: What is in Trump's economic plan?
- Amazon wants to be everything to everyone
- US firms brace for more tariffs as election approaches
- Winning start for Poch's American adventure
- Morocco's tribeswomen see facial tattoo tradition fade
- Centre-left set to win as pro-Ukraine Lithuania votes
- Colombia guerilla group urges delegations not to attend COP16 in Cali
- Pakistan frets over security ahead of SCO summit
- Ronaldo scores 133rd Portugal goal in Nations League win over Poland
- 40 nations contributing to UN Lebanon peacekeeping force condemn 'attacks'
- Eight dead as heavy rain thrashes Brazil after long drought
- Jewish school in Canada hit by gunfire for second time
- Morocco crush Central African Republic, Guirassy scores hat-trick
- Dupont scores quickfire hat-trick on Toulouse Top 14 return
- Ronaldo scores in Portugal's Nations League win as Spain sink Denmark
- Interim boss Carsley has not applied for England job
- Mets hurler Senga ready to take on Dodgers in game one of NL Championship Series
- Ronaldo on target again as Portugal defeat Poland in Nations League
- Guardians rip Tigers 7-3 to advance in MLB playoffs
- AFP, BBC win top French war reporting awards
- Carsley goes back to basics as humbled England face Finland
- Alex Salmond: the man who took Scotland to the brink of independence
- Scotland's former leader Alex Salmond dies aged 69: party
- UN warns of catastrophe as Israel fights a two-front war
- Croatia extend Scotland's losing streak
- South Africa, New Zealand boost T20 World Cup semi-final hopes
- 'Very challenging': Israel faces Hezbollah in tricky terrain
- Farrell begins to feel at home as Racing 92 beat Toulon
- South Africa boost T20 World Cup semi-final hopes with Bangladesh win
- Samson ton powers India to T20 series sweep after record total
- Djokovic to face Sinner in Shanghai final with 100th title in sight
- UN peacekeepers to remain in Lebanon: spokesman
- Pro-Conquest film fuels debate in Mexico over colonial legacy
- Samson ton powers India to record 297-6 in Bangladesh T20
- New Zealand enjoy perfect start to America's Cup defence over Britain
Russia advances in east Ukraine as EU meets on oil ban
Russian forces edged toward the centre of the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk Monday, while President Volodymyr Zelensky prepared to appeal to EU leaders at an emergency summit where a ban on Russian oil imports is on the agenda.
Zelensky is expected to press EU officials at the summit "to kill Russian exports" as he seeks to crank up international pressure on Moscow.
Member states are searching for a compromise on a sixth round of sanctions, which has been delayed by resistance from within the bloc, namely from Hungary.
Meanwhile, Russia forces continued their push in the eastern Donbas region, upping the pressure on the twin cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk.
Since failing to capture Kyiv in the war's early stages, Russia's army has narrowed its focus, hammering cities with relentless artillery and missile barrages as it seeks to consolidate its control.
The situation in Severodonetsk, just across the Donets river from Lysychansk, was "very difficult", the local Lugansk regional governor Sergiy Gaiday said in a statement on social media.
"The Russians are advancing into the middle of Severodonetsk", while the fighting continued, Gaiday said.
- Pressure on the east -
While Russia concentrated its efforts in the east, Ukrainian forces pushed back over the weekend in the southern region of Kherson, the country's military leadership said.
At the same time, two people were injured following an explosion in the Moscow-controlled city of Melitopol in southeastern Ukraine, with local pro-Kremlin authorities said pinning the blame on Kyiv.
Newly appointed French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna also made the journey to the Ukrainian capital Monday for talks with Zelensky.
The highest-ranking French official to visit Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Colonna also visited the town of Bucha, where Russian troops have been accused of committing war crimes against the civilian population.
In the eastern Donbas region, Moscow's forces were making slow progress towards taking the city of Severodonetsk.
Zelensky, in his daily address Sunday, described a scene of devastation in Severodonetsk.
"All critical infrastructure has already been destroyed... More than two-thirds of the city's housing stock has been completely destroyed," he said.
- 'Constant shelling' -
In Severodonetsk, where an estimated 15,000 civilians remain, a local official said "constant shelling" made it increasingly difficult to get in or out while the water supply is increasingly unstable.
Ukrainian forces counterattacked in the region of Kherson, the only region of the country fully controlled by Russian troops.
Russia gained control over most of Kherson, which borders Crimea, in the early stages of the war and Moscow-backed officials in the region have recently pushed for annexation.
While limited in nature, the attack could have the effect of stretching Russian forces.
The Ukrainian general staff claimed the move had put their adversary into "unfavourable positions" around the villages of Andriyivka, Lozovo and Bilohorka and forced Moscow to send reserves to the area.
"Kherson, hold on. We're close!" it tweeted Sunday.
In Melitopol, Russia-installed authorities said in a statement the city had been targeted by a "terrorist attack".
According to the statement, car packed with explosives exploded in the city centre, injuring two "humanitarian aid" volunteers, a 28-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man.
"The Ukrainian government continues its war on the civilian population and the infrastructure of cities," the officials said.
- Oil sanctions -
A new, sixth round of European sanctions has been held up by Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orban has close relations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
EU ambassadors made a final push ahead of the summit to persuade Hungary to accept a watered-down oil embargo against Russia.
The landlocked country is heavily dependent on Russian crude oil supplied via the Druzhba pipeline.
Hungary has asked for at least four years and 800 million euros ($860 million) in EU funds to adapt its refineries and increase pipeline capacity for alternative suppliers, like Croatia.
But under the compromise proposal the Druzhba pipeline could be excluded from a sanctions package "for the time being", an EU official told AFP.
- 'New face' -
Meanwhile Zelensky on Sunday made his first visit to the embattled east since the start of the war, walking the streets of the Kharkiv region's devastated capital in a bullet-proof vest.
While in Kharkiv, Zelensky discussed reconstruction plans with local officials, saying there was a chance for areas wrecked by Russian attacks to "have a new face".
While one-third of the northeastern region remains under Russian control, "we will for sure liberate the entire area," the Ukrainian president said after the visit.
burs-sea/jv
P.M.Smith--AMWN