Driving the news: Heavy rainfall in the region earlier this week led to flooding and mudslides, destroying infrastructure and killing hundreds. Sixty-three more people remain unaccounted for as of Sunday, said Sihle Zikalala, KwaZulu-Natal's premier.
Amid the most personal of religious holidays, and as Ukraine defied Russia's demands to surrender besieged Mariupol, Volodymyr Zelensky offered an epitaph in case he doesn't survive the war:
What he's saying: "A human being that loved life to the fullest and loved his family and loved his motherland — definitely not a hero," he told CNN for an interview taped over Passover weekend and airing Easter Sunday. "I want people to take me as I am: a regular human."
The European Union announced Sunday it will allocate an additional 50 million euros, or about $54 million, in humanitarian aid for those impacted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Driving the news: Some €45 million will go toward humanitarian projects in Ukraine and €5 million will go to projects in Moldova. The money will provide emergency medical services and access to clean drinking water and hygiene, among other goals, the EU said.
There's "no question" Russian forces are using food as a weapon of war in Ukraine, UN World Food Program chief David Beasley told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday.
Why it matters: The U.N. warned last month that Ukraine's food supply chain is "falling apart" under stress from Russia's invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed the importance of the forthcoming fight for Donbas during an interview on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday, saying the battle could "influence the course of the whole war."
Driving the news: In recent weeks Russian forces have turned their focus on sending troops and materials to eastern Ukraine in preparation.
Ukraine has requested $50 billion in financial assistance from G7 countries, economic adviser Oleh Ustenko said on Sunday, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: An analysis by the Economist Intelligence Unit released last month projected Russia's unprovoked invasion would crater the Ukrainian economy by a whopping 47% in 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said during an interview on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that he believes President Biden will visit Ukraine sometime in the future.
Driving the news: Reports emerged earlier this week that the Biden administration is considering sending a senior government official to visit Ukraine, though White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that Biden himself will not be making the trip.
Pope Francis called for peace in Ukraine as he addressed crowds in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, adding the world was marking an "Easter of war" this year, Reuters reported.
What they're saying: "Our eyes, too, are incredulous on this Easter of war. We have seen all too much blood, all too much violence," the Pope said in his biannual "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) address, per Reuters.
Mariupol officials rejected Russia's demands to surrender the besieged port city on Sunday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned the invading forces were "trying to destroy everyone" in the besieged port city.
What to watch: Zelensky said Saturday that negotiations with Russian officials would end if the Ukrainians defending Mariupol were killed, the Washington Post reports.
North Korea's military launched two short-range missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Sunday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, per Bloomberg.
Why it matters: North Korea's 12th missile test this year came as the U.S. and South Korea prepared to hold annual joint military exercises on Monday, the New York Times notes.
Archeologists in France say they'll soon open a lead, body-shaped sarcophagus discovered beneath the floor of Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral during excavation work following the 2019 fire, NPR reported Saturday.
Driving the news: The sarcophagus was found last month among other artifacts, including ancient tombs, the Guardian notes.
