At least four people were killed in Kyiv overnight as Russia launched a fresh wave of ballistic missile and drone attacks across Ukraine.

The deadly strikes came shortly after President Vladimir Putin pledged retaliation for a bold Ukrainian drone assault on Russian military airbases.

The latest escalation adds to mounting violence, even as Ukraine and Russia continue talks to end the three-year war that began with Moscow’s invasion in February 2022.

So far, tens of thousands of people have been killed, entire towns in eastern Ukraine razed, and millions displaced, with Russia currently occupying about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.

Russian forces carried out extensive strikes across Ukraine overnight Friday, targeting the capital Kyiv as well as western regions like Lviv and Volyn, both of which border NATO and EU-member Poland.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the casualties on social media, stating that “at least four people were killed and 20 wounded in the capital.”

AFP journalists reported hearing air raid sirens and explosions throughout the night in Kyiv.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service wrote on Telegram, “Kyiv came under another attack involving UAVs and ballistic missiles. Rescuers are responding to the aftermath at several locations across the city.”

Images from the scene showed a devastated residential high-rise with a crater blown into its side, shattered windows, and debris covering nearby vehicles.

A photo shared by the head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office depicted a children’s playground littered with rubble and glass.

The strikes followed a warning earlier this week from President Putin to U.S President Donald Trump, vowing a response to a sophisticated Ukrainian drone operation that targeted nuclear-capable aircraft deep inside Russian territory, including bases in Siberia.

The long-planned attack involved smuggling over 100 small drones into Russia, hidden within the roofs of wooden cabins.

Once in position near key airbases, the drones were launched in a coordinated strike.

In response, the Kremlin declared Thursday that it would determine “how and when” to retaliate.

While Russian authorities did not issue formal statements regarding Friday’s strikes, the timing strongly suggested a connection to Putin’s earlier threat.

Despite ongoing negotiations, Moscow has refused calls for a ceasefire.

Russian negotiators continue to demand that Ukraine withdraw its forces from four disputed regions, halt all cooperation with NATO, and permanently reject Western military presence on its soil.

Among those killed in Kyiv were three first responders. Ukraine’s Interior Minister Igor Klymenko paid tribute, writing on social media: “They worked under fire to help people. Another nine rescuers were wounded. Some of them are seriously injured, and doctors are fighting for their lives.”

Fires broke out in several Kyiv districts, while the national railway operator reported delays due to damaged train tracks in the surrounding region.

Elsewhere, western cities including Lutsk and the Ternopil region were also struck.

Ternopil regional head Vyacheslav Negoda said, “Today, the enemy carried out the most massive air attack on our region to date. There are multiple strikes.”

Officials reported a total of 32 people wounded across four regions, including 15 in Lutsk.

Meanwhile, in Russia, Ukrainian drone strikes reportedly wounded three people in the western Tula region.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that 10 of the 174 drones launched by Ukraine overnight were headed for the Russian capital.

The Russian defense ministry claimed to have downed all 174 drones.

The Canadian government has introduced legislation that could significantly expand the scope of citizenship by descent, addressing years of advocacy from families affected by limitations under current law.

The proposed bill, Bill C-3, seeks to amend the Citizenship Act to allow Canadians to pass citizenship to their children born or adopted abroad beyond the first generation, a privilege currently denied to most.

These changes aim to reflect the realities of modern Canadian families and global mobility.

Announcing the legislation, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lena Metlege Diab, emphasized the deeper meaning of citizenship:

“Citizenship is more than a legal status—it’s a profound connection to the values, history, and spirit of Canada,” said Diab.

“By requiring those who pass citizenship to their children born abroad beyond the first generation to have a substantial connection to our country, we are honouring that bond.”

“It reflects our belief that being Canadian means more than just a place of birth; it’s about belonging, shared experiences, and a commitment to the inclusive and diverse community we all call home.”

Under the proposed law, those who would have obtained Canadian citizenship if not for the first-generation limitation, or outdated clauses in previous citizenship laws, would automatically become citizens.

However, to confer citizenship to their children born abroad, Canadian parents must show a “substantial connection” to the country.

This is defined as at least 1,095 cumulative days (three years) of physical presence in Canada prior to the child’s birth or adoption.

The bill comes in response to a 2023 Ontario Superior Court ruling, which declared the first-generation limit unconstitutional.

Rather than challenge the court’s decision, the federal government has chosen to act, saying the existing rules led to “unjust outcomes” for Canadians with children born abroad.

This legislative move also builds on previous reforms.

In 2009 and 2015, changes to the Citizenship Act helped restore or grant status to thousands of “Lost Canadians”, individuals who lost or were excluded from citizenship due to outdated provisions.

Those changes reportedly resulted in around 20,000 people receiving Canadian citizenship certificates.

Additionally, the bill addresses past legal loopholes, such as section 8 of the Act, which led to loss of citizenship for those born outside Canada between February 15, 1977, and April 16, 1981, if they failed to apply to retain citizenship by age 28.

If passed by both the House of Commons and the Senate, and once it receives Royal Assent, the government has pledged swift implementation and will issue guidance for eligible individuals under the new rules.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the latest attempt by President Donald Trump to bar most new international students from enrolling at Harvard University, marking the latest escalation in the administration’s ongoing clash with the Ivy League school.

The executive order, issued late Wednesday, declared Harvard an unsuitable destination for international students and threatened to cancel visas for those already enrolled.

It accused the university of fostering an ideology counter to American interests and failing to meet federal expectations.

In a swift response, Harvard amended a pending legal case to challenge the move, accusing the government of retaliatory behavior.

“This action is part of a coordinated campaign of retribution against Harvard for exercising its First Amendment rights,” the university stated in court documents.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs issued a temporary restraining order preventing the administration from implementing the ban.

She found that Harvard would suffer “immediate and irreparable injury” without urgent court intervention.

This is not the first time Judge Burroughs has ruled against Trump’s immigration-related actions targeting international students.

In 2020, she blocked a similar policy aimed at revoking visas for students taking online-only classes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The dispute comes amid a broader push by the Trump administration to reshape higher education.

Officials have accused elite institutions like Harvard and Columbia University of promoting liberal bias and failing to address antisemitism.

In a particularly aggressive move, the federal government recently slashed approximately $3.2 billion in grants and contracts awarded to Harvard.

Officials have also warned the university could be excluded from all future federal funding.

International students, who make up nearly 27% of Harvard’s enrollment, have been a particular focus of the administration’s criticism.

While acknowledging that the president holds broad immigration powers, Harvard argued that the latest proclamation was politically motivated and not grounded in national interest.

“The President is not acting to protect the United States,” Harvard stated.

“This is a personal vendetta against an institution that refused to comply with political demands.”

Meanwhile, other universities such as Columbia have reportedly conceded to federal oversight, though not without controversy.

Nathan Otitodilichukwu, a 17-year-old Nigerian, has been sentenced to six years in prison in the UK for manslaughter after a 76-year-old pensioner died due to a firework attack at his home in east London.

Otitodilichukwu and an unnamed teenage accomplice pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the Old Bailey in connection with the death of Robert Price, a retired man whose residence in Dagenham was targeted on July 27, 2024.

According to the UK Metropolitan Police, the teenagers first approached Price’s home with a firecracker but fled when confronted.

They later returned, and CCTV footage showed Otitodilichukwu climbing onto a gas meter to throw a lit firework through a window.

“There was a loud bang, followed by the laughter of the defendants as they ran from the scene,” the police said in a statement.

Emergency responders arrived soon after but found Price had died at the scene.

A post-mortem examination confirmed that smoke inhalation and burns caused his death.

Detectives apprehended Otitodilichukwu within 48 hours, recovering clothing matching the surveillance footage.

This arrest led to the capture of the second teenager, who was sentenced to two years and eight months.

Police spokesperson Clarke commented on the case, saying, “This is a deeply tragic case, which saw a man lose his life in his own home after a completely mindless and reckless act had devastating consequences. The young defendants will now have to face the consequences of their actions by spending time in prison.”

Clarke added he hoped the sentencing would provide some comfort to Robert Price’s family, noting that the guilty pleas spared them the difficulty of a full trial.

“I hope Robert’s family can take some solace in this outcome, and I am pleased the defendants spared them the ordeal of a trial,” Clarke stated.