Briefly

UKRAINE

$1b in aid backed by frozen Russian assets

Ukraine received $1 billion in financial aid from the United States, backed by frozen Russian assets, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Tuesday. The Ukrainian Finance Ministry later clarified that the funds were provided as grant aid under the World Bank's Second Growth Foundation Development Policy Loan. The US assistance is part of a broader commitment made by the G7 countries, which envisages $50 billion in support for Ukraine secured using proceeds from immobilized Russian assets.

SOUTH KOREA

Yoon defies probe body's 2nd summons

South Korea's suspended President Yoon Suk-yeol did not respond on Wednesday to a second summons by anti-corruption authorities who, along with prosecutors, are investigating his short-lived martial law decree issued early this month. Yoon did not appear for questioning on Wednesday morning as requested by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, after ignoring their first summons last week. An agency official said it would need to review the case further before seeking an arrest warrant, Yonhap news agency reported.

AFGHANISTAN

51 dead, 6 hurt in Pakistani airstrikes

At least 51 people, including women and children, were killed in airstrikes by the Pakistani military in the border regions of eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday night, the Afghan government's deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said on Wednesday. Six others were injured in the bombardment, which took place in Barmal District, Paktika Province, Fitrat told Xinhua News Agency. Several residential houses were destroyed during the strikes, Fitrat added.

UNITED NATIONS

Treaty adopted to fight cybercrime

The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday adopted the Convention against Cybercrime, a landmark global treaty in bolstering international cooperation in the fight against such crimes. The legally binding convention highlights the adverse impacts such crimes can have on states, enterprises, and the wellbeing of individuals and society, and focuses on protecting them from offenses such as terrorism, human trafficking, drug smuggling and online financial crimes.

Xinhua - Agencies