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Conservatives lose key councils in UK vote

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative party lost control of key councils in London, according to partial results from local and regional UK elections on Friday, with a potentially historic change looming in Northern Ireland.

Stock market selloffs accelerate; pound takes fresh tumble

Asian and European stocks tanked Friday, accelerating a global selloff on fears over the impact of interest rate hikes that seek to tackle sky-high inflation.

Spain offers 'children of Chernobyl' refuge from Ukraine war

When Igor Pavlosky decided to flee Ukraine with his youngest children after bombs began falling, his destination was clear -- Spain.

Ukraine Paralympic chief fears disabled sport 'will die'

Ukraine's top Paralympic official fears that the country's programme for disabled athletes is on the cusp of collapse after Russia's invasion and is warning of dire consequences.

UN to resume rescue efforts at besieged Ukraine steel plant

Ukraine said a fresh UN-led rescue mission was under way Friday to evacuate the last civilians still trapped inside a besieged steel plant in Mariupol that has become the southern city's final holdout against Russian forces.

Rights groups say Iran will seek to manipulate UN visit

Human rights groups on Friday warned Tehran will try to use an upcoming visit to Iran by a UN expert in order to avoid accountability.

Separatists take down Ukrainian road signs in Mariupol

Moscow-backed separatists in southeastern Ukraine said they had taken down traffic signs spelling out the name of the besieged city of Mariupol in Ukrainian and English and replaced them with Russian ones.

Israel launches manhunt after three killed in ultra-Orthdox city

Israeli security forces launched a manhunt Friday for two Palestinians suspected of killing three Israelis in an attack that came as the Jewish state marked its founding.

Asian, European markets track Wall St rout as pound falls further

Asian and European equities tumbled Friday following a rout on Wall Street fuelled by worries over rising interest rates and surging inflation, while the pound extended losses the day after taking a beating on fears of a UK recession.

Battered war trophies incite raw emotions in Ukraine's capital

For Valeriy Stavichenko, the sight of mangled Russian war equipment perched along the pavement in downtown Kyiv triggers feelings of bliss in the heart of the 71-year-old Soviet Army veteran.

Closing the 'escape valve': Venezuela pursues de-dollarization

Having opened its arms to the US dollar as an "escape valve" Venezuela is now trying to re-energize its own currency, which has been crippled by devaluation in recent years.

Conservatives lose key councils in UK vote, historic N.Ireland result predicted

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative party lost control of key councils in London, according to partial results from local and regional UK elections on Friday, with a potentially historic change looming in Northern Ireland.

Villagers decry UK plan to house 1,500 asylum seekers

The village of Linton-on-Ouse is usually a sleepy place, but its residents are up in arms at a UK government plan to house up to 1,500 asylum seekers, whose numbers will dwarf local residents.

Ukraine says UN-led Mariupol mission rescues 'almost 500 civilians'

Almost 500 civilians have been evacuated from the devastated city of Mariupol and its besieged Azovstal steel plant in a UN-led rescue operation, the Ukrainian president's office said Friday.

Bulgaria industry on tenterhooks after Russia gas cut

The halt of Russian gas supplies to Bulgaria last week has left companies big and small scrambling as they fear halts in deliveries and rising prices.

Communication blackout: more pain for Mariupol

Viktor Zarubin was lucky to escape Mariupol six weeks ago, but with no mobile phone coverage in the devastated city, he faces another torment: no word on whether his relatives, who stayed behind, are alive.

Dirty tricks allegations mar last days of Philippine election campaign

Philippine election rivals traded allegations of dirty tricks and vote-rigging Friday, in the final stretch of an acerbic campaign that is tipped to bring the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos to power.

UN sends new Mariupol convoy to rescue civilians from 'bleak hell'

A new UN convoy was expected in Mariupol Friday to evacuate civilians from the "bleak hell" of a besieged steel plant that has become the last pocket of resistance against invading Russian forces in the southern port city.

Colombia military bristles at rise of leftist presidential hopeful

Historically aligned to a succession of rightwing governments, Colombia's top military echelon has broken a long-standing rule of political neutrality to lash out against a perceived leftist threat.

Asian markets tumble on Wall street rout, pound slumps

Asian equities tumbled Friday following a rout on Wall Street fuelled by worries over rising interest rates and surging inflation, while the pound extended losses the day after taking a beating on fears of a UK recession.

Pentagon denies helping Ukraine 'target' Russian generals

The US Defense Department denied Thursday that it provided intelligence on the locations of Russian generals on the battlefield so that Ukrainian forces could kill them.

Yemen's war-weary Taez choked by siege despite truce

Overloaded trucks and cars packed with families ply narrow, bumpy mountain roads surrounding this Yemeni city long-besieged by Huthi rebels -- evidence that the terms of a truce have yet to be met.

Journalist murdered in Mexico, ninth this year

A journalist has been murdered in northwestern Mexico, authorities and activists said Thursday -- the ninth such killing so far in a particularly violent year for the country's press.

Polls close in UK elections with historic N.Ireland result predicted

Polls closed Thursday following UK local and regional elections that could prove historic in Northern Ireland and heap further pressure on embattled Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Karine Jean-Pierre named as first Black woman W.House press secretary

US President Joe Biden on Thursday named Karine Jean-Pierre as the next White House press secretary, the first Black woman to hold the high-profile post.

Ukraine's farmers risk death in bomb-strewn fields

It's spring planting season in Ukraine, but this year farmers require more than fuel and fertiliser –- they also need flak jackets and deminers to destroy the bombs that have already killed or maimed others in their fields.

US says Brazilians need 'confidence' in election

The United States said Thursday that Brazilians needed "confidence" in their democracy after President Jair Bolsonaro cast doubt on the integrity of upcoming elections.

Brazil's Bolsonaro vetoes second culture funding bill

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro vetoed a bill Thursday that would grant $600 million in aid to artists and cultural programs reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, the second such legislation he has blocked in a month.

Scholz sends foreign minister as Zelensky invites him to Kyiv

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has yet to commit to visiting Kyiv, even after Ukraine's leader on Thursday invited him and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, three weeks after the German president was snubbed by Kyiv.

Palestinians lose two-decade court battle over land

Israeli civil rights groups on Thursday denounced a High Court decision that approved the eviction of roughly 1,000 Palestinian villagers to make way for a military training zone.

Putin apologised for Russia Hitler claims: Israel PM's office

Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Thursday that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has apologised for remarks made by Moscow's top diplomat, Sergei Lavrov, who claimed Adolf Hitler may have had "Jewish blood".

Spain spy chief in hot seat over phone hacking scandal

Spain's top spymaster was grilled behind closed doors by lawmakers on Thursday over mobile phone hacking revelations that have roiled the country's fragile coalition government.

Pound slumps, Wall Street tumbles

The pound slumped Thursday after the Bank of England flagged a possible recession and double-digit inflation, while Wall Street tumbled after having jumped the previous day on the Federal Reserve holding back on aggressively raising rates.

Zelensky invites Germany's Scholz and Steinmeier to Kyiv

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to visit, the German president's office said on Thursday, three weeks after Steinmeier was snubbed by Kyiv.

Russian oligarch's yacht seized in Fiji on US request

Authorities in Fiji have seized the $300 million yacht of Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov after the US Justice Department requested the vessel be held for violating sanctions and for alleged ties to corruption, the department said Thursday.

Hungary strongman Orban goes for gold in hosting sports events

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban is an ally of Vladimir Putin and he has taken a leaf out of the Russian president's book in attracting major sporting events to boost his image among his people.

Moscow says Western aid cannot prevent Russian victory in Ukraine

Russia on Thursday said Western aid to Kyiv had slowed its offensive in Ukraine but would not thwart its victory, as conflicting reports emerged about efforts to rescue civilians from a besieged steel plant in the devastated city of Mariupol.

Taiwan scraps deal to buy US anti-submarine helicopters

Taiwan has opted out of purchasing anti-submarine helicopters from the United States because they are too expensive, its defence minister said Thursday.

Philippine priests back Marcos rival in high stakes election campaign

Hundreds of Philippine priests on Thursday endorsed the main rival to former dictator Ferdinand Marcos's son, just days ahead of a presidential election they called a "battle for the soul" of the nation.

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