- Incoming French government under pressure on multiple fronts
- Hezbollah rockets strike near Israel's Haifa as UN warns of 'catastrophe'
- Haddad Maia roars back to beat Kasatkina in Korea Open final
- All-rounder Ashwin powers India to 280-run Test win over Bangladesh
- Failed Springbok 'gamble' sets up rugby championship decider
- Lebanon strikes send Israelis to shelters as UN warns of 'catastrophe'
- Far-right AfD eyes new win in east German state vote
- Tony Popovic set to become new Socceroos coach - reports
- All-round Ashwin powers India to big Test win over Bangladesh
- NZ chase 275 to win first Sri Lanka Test after Patel bags six
- Ashwin bags six wickets as India hammer Bangladesh in first Test
- Nascent French government under pressure on multiple fronts
- Angry French cognac makers see red over Chinese tariffs threat
- Protect the prosciutto: Italy battles swine fever
- UN holds 'Summit of the Future' to tackle global crises
- Marxist leader set to become Sri Lanka's next president
- From blades to pull-up bars: UK charity tackles knife crime
- Swiss vote on pensions and environment protections
- No pain, no gain: Chinese pro wrestlers fight for recognition
- UAE leader seeks to deepen 'strategic' ties in US visit during Mideast crisis
- Hezbollah takes heavy hits but still fighting Israel
- Floods, landslides hit central Japan months after major quake
- All Blacks coach Robertson demands better finishing
- Argentina edge South Africa to keep title hopes alive
- Biden says China 'testing us,' in hot mic remarks to Quad allies
- Dubois destroys Joshua to retain IBF world heavyweight crown
- Guardiola says critics want Man City wiped 'from face of the Earth'
- Biden says 'Quad' is 'here to stay' despite challenges
- Dubois knocks out Joshua to retain IBF world heavyweight crown
- Vinicius helps 'faster' Madrid overturn stubborn Espanyol
- Zelensky to press US on long-range missile strikes inside Russia
- PSG drop first points in draw at Reims
- Vinicius, Mbappe on target as Madrid crush plucky Espanyol
- Jeeno leads Ko by two at LPGA Queen City Championship
- Bottega Veneta goes for 'E.T.' chic as Madonna pops into D&G
- Messi, Miami frustrated by New York late leveler
- Musk's X platform takes first step toward lifting Brazil ban
- 'Business as usual' for Australia match-winner Carey amid boos
- Israeli jets pound Lebanon after deadly Beirut strike
- Ten Hag bemoans Man Utd's lack of killer instinct in Palace stalemate
- France's Macron appoints new government in shift to right
- Cheika proud of Leicester grit after winning start as boss
- Profligate Man Utd pay price in 0-0 draw at Palace
- Kane, Olise run riot as Bayern thump Bremen
- Diaz fires Liverpool top of Premier League, Man Utd held at Palace
- LIV champion Rahm out of LIV Team semis with severe flu
- Slot surprised by tearful Nunez's moment of magic
- Title rivals Norris, Verstappen on 'cool' front row for Singapore GP
- Biden talks China with 'Quad' leaders in hometown summit
- Juve and Napoli play out goalless draw in early Serie A title tussle
Germany's Scholz under fire after Zelensky's fierce appeal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called on Germany to help destroy a new "Wall" Russia was erecting in Europe, as he appealed directly to Chancellor Olaf Scholz to bolster his tentative response to the invasion.
In a speech combining an appeal for fresh aid for his besieged country with criticism of Berlin's long accommodating stance toward Moscow, Zelensky recalled Germany's own triumph over its Cold War division.
"It's not a Berlin Wall -- it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb" dropped on Ukraine, Zelensky told MPs, echoing an appeal to history deployed before the US Congress Wednesday.
Appearing on a screen in his now trademark khaki T-shirt with dark circles under his eyes, Zelensky was welcomed by MPs in the Bundestag lower house with a standing ovation.
In a grave tone, he directly addressed Scholz, who faced fresh attacks from the conservative opposition for a halting stance in the crisis.
"Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall," he implored, evoking US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
"Give Germany the leadership role that you in Germany deserve."
- 'Economy, economy, economy' -
Zelensky coupled his flattery with a strong rebuke of Berlin's years-long reluctance to stand up to Moscow and sever its strong energy and business ties with Russia.
"We turned to you," he said. "We told you that Nord Stream (gas pipeline cooperation between Russia and Germany) was a kind of preparation for the war.
"And the answer we got was purely economic -- it is economy, economy, economy, but that was the mortar for the new Wall."
The Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 prompted Scholz to announce an overhaul of key planks of Germany's energy, economic and security policy -- some of them dating back to the end of World War II.
He has put the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project on ice, joined allies in imposing punishing sanctions on Russia and pledged a massive increase in defence spending while dropping a ban on arms exports to conflict zones in order to aid Ukraine.
Meanwhile the country has taken in more than 160,000 refugees fleeing the fighting in Ukraine.
Germany has also said it aims to be nearly free of Russian oil imports by the end of this year although it still remains heavily dependent on Russian gas.
- 'Collective shame' -
However, Berlin has resisted an outright halt to Russian energy imports, warning it would cause winter shortages and drive inflation, creating potential instability in Europe's top economy.
Christian Democrat Norbert Roettgen, who is calling for a total Russian energy embargo, led a chorus of conservative criticism of the government after Zelensky's speech, saying Scholz should have addressed parliament immediately afterwards.
He tweeted that the "historic moment" had been followed by "total silence -- that was undignified... a moment of collective shame".
His party colleague, Roderich Kiesewetter, called it "baffling" that parliament continued with plans to debate a national vaccine mandate Thursday rather than on Germany's Ukraine policy in the wake of Zelensky's appeal.
"I would have wished for more respect with regard to the suffering of the Ukrainian people due to Putin's war of extermination!" he wrote on Twitter.
Zelensky stressed that the future of the continent was at stake in the current war and argued that governments across the West were failing to meet the moment.
"Every year politicians repeat 'never again'," the Ukrainian leader said, referring to annual Holocaust commemorations.
"And now, we see that these words simply mean nothing. A people is being destroyed in Europe," he said, noting that 108 children had been killed in his country since the start of the Russian offensive.
"Help us stop this war."
Despite his blunt criticism, Zelensky brought MPs to their feet once again after his 15-minute address and Scholz, in a tweet, thanked him for his "forceful words".
"We see that Russia is continuing every day to wage its cruel war, with horrible losses," he said.
"We feel obliged to do everything we can so that diplomacy has a chance and the war can be stopped."
C.Kovalenko--BTB