Pakistan's Supreme Court said on April 4 that a decision to delay snap polls in two provinces was "illegal" and ordered that the elections be held between April 30 and May 15.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Ukraine on April 3 to underscore his support for Kyiv and said he would work toward Washington supplying F-16 fighter jets and long-range missiles for the country's war against Russia.
In Moscow, the Kremlin accused Ukraine of being behind a bomb blast at a cafe in St Petersburg on Sunday that killed a prominent Russian pro-war blogger
The Bakhmut battle has been one of the bloodiest of the conflict, now in its second year, with many casualties on both sides and much of the eastern city destroyed by bombardments.