While world leaders bicker over the prospects for peace, the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two is heating up fast.

Moscow claims to have downed almost 300 Ukrainian drones overnight as Volodymyr Zelensky prepares to meet German chancellor Friedrich Merz in Germany to continue peace talks.The Russian defence ministry earlier claimed to have intercepted 100 drones,

Shein is working towards a listing in Hong Kong after the online fast-fashion retailer's proposed initial public offering (IPO) in London failed to secure the green light from Chinese regulators, said three sources with knowledge of the matter.

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds more prisoners as part of a major swap that amounted to a rare moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire.

With diplomatic efforts to reach a cease-fire appearing remote, and President Trump apparently abandoning the process, Russia has been escalating its assaults on Ukrainian cities and on the battlefield.

Ukraine has protested to the international atomic energy watchdog about reports that Russia is building power lines to connect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to its own grid, a Ukrainian official said on Wednesday.