World News Roundup: U.N. asks Afghan staff to stay home until May after female worker ban; Kremlin says detained U.S. reporter 'violated' Russian law and more

Russia's federal security service (FSB) arrested Gershkovich last month on espionage charges widely decried as bogus by the White House, other Western countries, the Wall Street Journal, dozens of media organisations and human rights groups. Britain braces for 'unparalleled' disruption from doctors' strike Junior doctors in Britain began a four-day strike over pay on Tuesday that is likely to cause unprecedented disruption to the state-funded National Health Service (NHS), prompting the government to warn of a risk to patient safety.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

U.N. asks Afghan staff to stay home until May after female worker ban

The United Nations' mission to Afghanistan has launched a review of its operations and asked all Afghan staff not to come to work at least until May after the Taliban administration barred its women staff from working, it said in a statement on Tuesday. The United Nations said last week that the Taliban, who swept to power in 2021, had communicated that Afghan women would not be able to work for the global organisation. Taliban officials have not commented on the order.

Kremlin says detained U.S. reporter 'violated' Russian law

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich had "violated Russian law" and been caught "red-handed", after the U.S. State Department officially designated him as having been "wrongfully detained" by Russia. Russia's federal security service (FSB) arrested Gershkovich last month on espionage charges widely decried as bogus by the White House, other Western countries, the Wall Street Journal, dozens of media organisations and human rights groups.

Britain braces for 'unparalleled' disruption from doctors' strike

Junior doctors in Britain began a four-day strike over pay on Tuesday that is likely to cause unprecedented disruption to the state-funded National Health Service (NHS), prompting the government to warn of a risk to patient safety. Tens of thousands of junior doctors — qualified physicians who make up nearly half of the medical workforce — are striking for pay rises better aligned with inflation, in a walkout that follows a three-day doctors' strike last month.

Romania aims to buy F-35 fighter planes to boost air defences

Romania aims to buy the latest generation U.S. F-35 fighter planes to boost its air defences, the country's supreme defence council (CSAT) said in a statement on Tuesday. The European Union and NATO state has raised defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product this year from 2%, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Britain names MI5 deputy as first female cyber spy boss

Britain named Anne Keast-Butler as the first female director of its intelligence communications agency GCHQ on Tuesday, tasked with protecting the country from terrorists, cyber-criminals and malign foreign powers. She will take over the role in May, succeeding Jeremy Fleming who is stepping down after a six-year tenure.

Ukraine cities pounded, US scrambles to find source of leaked documents

Russian forces pounded frontline cities in eastern Ukraine with air strikes and artillery attacks, while U.S. officials stepped up efforts to locate the source of a leak of classified U.S. documents, including those on Ukrainian counter-offensive plans. The Russians pressed on with their offensive in the eastern Donetsk region where several cities and towns came under heavy bombardment, Ukraine's general staff said on Tuesday.

At least 50 killed as Myanmar military attacks rebel gathering - media, militias

At least 50 people were killed in central Myanmar on Tuesday in an air strike by the military on an event attended by opponents to its rule, according to media and members of a local resistance movement. Citing residents in the Sagaing region, BBC Burmese, Radio Free Asia (RFA), and the Irrawaddy news portal reported between 50 and 100 people, including civilians, had died in the attack.

Carriers and precision attacks: The takeaways from China's latest Taiwan drills

China's latest military drills near Taiwan show it is serious about being able to cut off the democratically ruled island in a conflict, analysts said, as Beijing said its aircraft carriers could "shatter" defences from the east. Although the three-day exercises, which ended Monday, were not as intense as those that unfolded in August 2022 in protest of then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei, China used them to show off its capabilities in the air and sea - both of which it would need to control if it attempted a blockade.

Chinese aircraft, ships remain around Taiwan after drills end

Chinese warplanes and navy ships were still in the waters around Taiwan, the island's defence ministry said on Tuesday after the end of three days of war games, as Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen criticised Beijing for its "irresponsible" behaviour. China began the exercises on Saturday after Tsai returned to Taipei following a meeting in Los Angeles with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

How India's birth control battle falters in rural district

Pratima Kumari, a government health worker in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, sets off on her mini scooter every morning, crisscrossing vast corn fields and pineapple orchards to visit villages and meet young, married couples. She offers condoms and birth control pills for free in the Kishanganj district and talks to the couples about birth control and the benefits of having just two children.