World News Roundup: Chinese planes cross Taiwan Strait median line as angry China starts drills; Ukrainian deputy foreign minister due to seek Indian aid - report and more

China announced the drills the day after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen returned to Taipei from Los Angeles, where she met the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, infuriating Beijing. Ukraine seeks to prevent military leaks after NATO assistance plans reportedly appear on social media Ukraine's leaders discussed ways to prevent leaks of military information on Friday after secret documents detailing U.S. and NATO efforts to help the country plan a counter-offensive against Russia's invasion reportedly appeared on social media.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Chinese planes cross Taiwan Strait median line as angry China starts drills

Seventy-one Chinese military aircraft crossed the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait on Saturday as China began drills around Taiwan in anger at President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. The three-day drills, announced the day after Tsai returned from the United States, had been widely expected after Beijing condemned her Wednesday meeting with Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

Israel-Palestinian tensions high after deadly attacks

An Italian tourist was killed and five people were wounded in a car-ramming in Tel Aviv on Friday that came hours after two Israeli sisters were killed in a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank. The attacks, after a night of crossborder strikes in Gaza and Lebanon, added to heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions following Israeli police raids in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque this week.

Ukrainian deputy foreign minister due to seek Indian aid - report

Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova will ask India on an upcoming visit for humanitarian aid and equipment to repair energy infrastructure damaged during Russia's invasion, a newspaper reported on Saturday. India's foreign ministry said the Ukrainian minister was arriving in India on Sunday on a four-day trip during which the two sides would discuss their relations, the situation in Ukraine, and global issues.

China CDC urges WHO to take 'scientific, fair' position on COVID origins

The head of China's Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to return to a "scientific, fair" position in tracing the origin of COVID-19. At a news conference, Shen Hongbing warned the WHO against politicising the source of the virus, which was first detected in central China in late 2019, or becoming a tool of another country.

Blinken to visit Vietnam next week, US senator says

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Vietnam next week, Senator Jeff Merkley told a news conference in Hanoi on Saturday, as part of Washington's efforts to move diplomatic relations with Hanoi on to a higher level this year. Blinken's visit, which has not yet been officially announced, would come after U.S. President Joe Biden had a phone call last week with the chief of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong.

Malaysia says it will protect its rights in South China Sea

Malaysia said on Saturday it was firmly committed to protecting its sovereign rights and interests in the South China Sea after China expressed concern about Malaysian energy projects in a part of the sea that China also claims. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday China was worried about activity by the state energy firm Petronas in a part of the South China Sea that Malaysia says is its territory.

Iran installs cameras in public places to identify, penalise unveiled women

In a further attempt to rein in increasing numbers of women defying the compulsory dress code, Iranian authorities are installing cameras in public places and thoroughfares to identify and penalise unveiled women, the police announced on Saturday. After they have been identified, violators will receive “warning text messages as to the consequences”, police said in a statement.

Pakistan finance minister says he canceled trip to Washington on prime minister's orders

Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday said he had canceled his trip to Washington for the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank on the orders of the prime minister due to the political situation in the country. Dar said he would attend importantly attend bilateral and multilateral meetings virtually and a Pakistani delegation would be present in Washington. The minister played down reports of the canceled trip being linked to a holdup in Pakistan's IMF bailout programme.

As Chinese military exercises, US lawmaker pledges training for Taiwan

A senior U.S. lawmaker pledged on Saturday to help provide training for Taiwan's armed forces and to speed up the delivery of weapons, as China began three days of military exercises around the island Beijing claims as its territory. China announced the drills the day after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen returned to Taipei from Los Angeles, where she met the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, infuriating Beijing.

Ukraine seeks to prevent military leaks after NATO assistance plans reportedly appear on social media

Ukraine's leaders discussed ways to prevent leaks of military information on Friday after secret documents detailing U.S. and NATO efforts to help the country plan a counter-offensive against Russia's invasion reportedly appeared on social media. The New York Times said on Thursday, citing senior U.S. officials, that classified war documents were posted this week on Twitter and Telegram, which is widely used in Russia.

(With inputs from agencies.)