World News Roundup: Ukrainian photographer and Reuters contributor, Maksim Levin, killed covering war; Russia declares top journalist and video blogger 'foreign agents' and more

Premier Li Keqiang told EU leaders that Beijing would push for peace in "its own way", while President Xi Jinping said he hoped the EU would treat China "independently", in a nod to Europe's close ties with the United States. Pakistan army chief says his country seeks to expand relations with United States Pakistan's army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Saturday his country sought to expand its relationship with Washington, a day after Islamabad protested to the U.S. embassy over alleged interference in its internal affairs.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Ukrainian photographer and Reuters contributor, Maksim Levin, killed covering war

Maksim Levin, a photographer and videographer who was working for a Ukrainian news website and was a long-time contributor to Reuters, was killed while covering Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He leaves behind his wife and four children. His body was found in a village north of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on April 1, the news website LB.ua where he worked said on Saturday.

Russia says cooperation in space only possible once sanctions are lifted

Russia's space director said on Saturday that the restoration of normal ties between partners at the International Space Station (ISS) and other joint space projects would be possible only once Western sanctions against Moscow are lifted. Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos, said in a social media post that the aim of the sanctions is to "kill Russian economy and plunge our people into despair and hunger, to get our country on its knees". He added, "they won't succeed in it, but the intentions are clear".

Russia declares top journalist and video blogger 'foreign agents'

Russia has declared a prominent journalist, a video blogger and six other media figures "foreign agents", the latest in a series of such moves that critics say are designed to stifle dissent. The expanded list, published by the Justice Ministry late on Friday, included Elizaveta Osetinskaya, former editor-in-chief of several Russian business newspapers that published disclosures about the commercial interests of people close to President Vladimir Putin.

Iran welcomes Yemen truce, urges political solution

Iran on Saturday welcomed a U.N.-brokered truce in Yemen between a Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi group aligned with Tehran, and called for seeking a negotiated solution to the seven-year conflict. "Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh expressed hope that the move could be a prelude to a complete lifting of a blockade and a permanent establishment of a ceasefire in order to find a political solution to the Yemen crisis," Iranian state media reported.

Sri Lanka imposes curfew, lawyers urge end to state of emergency

Sri Lanka's government imposed a weekend curfew on Saturday even as hundreds of lawyers urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to revoke a state of emergency to ensure that freedom of speech and peaceful assembly are respected under the country's economic crisis. "Under the powers given to the president, curfew has been imposed countrywide from 6 p.m. (1230 GMT) on Saturday to 6 a.m. (0030 GMT) on Monday," the government's information department said in a statement.

China tells EU it will pursue Ukraine peace in its own way

China offered the European Union assurances on Friday that it would seek peace in Ukraine but said this would be on its own terms, deflecting pressure for a tougher stance towards Russia. Premier Li Keqiang told EU leaders that Beijing would push for peace in "its own way", while President Xi Jinping said he hoped the EU would treat China "independently", in a nod to Europe's close ties with the United States.

Pakistan army chief says his country seeks to expand relations with United States

Pakistan's army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Saturday his country sought to expand its relationship with Washington, a day after Islamabad protested to the U.S. embassy over alleged interference in its internal affairs. Prime Minister Imran Khan had said on Friday that Islamabad had given a protest note to the American embassy over what he described as a foreign conspiracy to oust him from power.

Red Cross trying again to escort evacuation convoy out of Ukraine's Mariupol

The Red Cross was renewing efforts to evacuate civilians in a convoy from the besieged port of Mariupol on Saturday as Russian forces looked to be regrouping for fresh attacks in southeast Ukraine. Encircled since the early days of Russia's five-week old invasion, Mariupol has been Moscow's main target in Ukraine's southeastern region of Donbas. Tens of thousands of civilians are trapped there with scant access to food and water.

Exclusive-U.S. cancels ICBM test due to Russia nuclear tensions

The U.S. military has canceled a test of its Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile that it had initially aimed only to delay in a bid to lower nuclear tensions with Russia during the war in Ukraine, the Air Force told Reuters on Friday. The Pentagon first announced a delay of the test on March 2 after Russia said it was putting its nuclear forces on high alert. Washington said at the time it was important both the United States and Russia "bear in mind the risk of miscalculation and take steps to reduce those risks."

Hong Kong's Carrie Lam says leadership election to go ahead as planned

Hong Kong's leadership election will go ahead on May 8 as planned, city Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Saturday, rejecting media speculation it might be delayed for a second time due to a major COVID-19 outbreak. Unlike previous years, no Beijing-backed front-runner for the top job has emerged at this late stage, adding to uncertainty about the financial hub's future as Beijing imposes its rule.

(With inputs from agencies.)