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Biden arrives for final talks with Xi as Trump return looms

US President Joe Biden arrived at a Lima hotel Saturday for his final encounter with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, a day after both leaders warned of turbulent times ahead as Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Protesters hold pro-Palestinian march in Rio ahead of G20

Hundreds of protesters marched in support of Palestinians in Rio on Saturday, in a demonstration aimed at world leaders about to converge on the city for a G20 summit.

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Myanmar junta strips shadow gov members of citizenship

Myanmar's junta has revoked the citizenship of several members of an opposition government dominated by Aung San Suu Kyi's toppled administration, it said Saturday.

Ukraine port city Mariupol blockaded by Russian forces

Invading Russian troops have blockaded the strategic Ukrainian port city Mariupol, its mayor announced Saturday, as Moscow and Kyiv aimed to hold new talks over the weekend.

On Sweden's Gotland, Ukraine war revives fears of Russia

"You never know": like many other Swedes on the island of Gotland, Emelie Cedeskog has stocked up on canned foods and checked where the nearest air raid shelter is.

China sets lowest GDP target in decades over 'grave' outlook

China set its lowest GDP target in decades Saturday, as Premier Li Keqiang warned of a "grave and uncertain" outlook against the backdrop of the coronavirus, a property slump and uncertainty over the war in Ukraine.

North Korea fires ballistic missile ahead of South's election

North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile Saturday, Seoul's military said, continuing this year's record-breaking blitz of weapons tests with a launch just days before South Korea's presidential election.

North Korea fires 'unidentified projectile': South's military

North Korea fired at least one "unidentified projectile" on Saturday, South Korea's military said, the nuclear-armed country's ninth suspected weapons test this year.

UN Security Council to meet Monday on humanitarian crisis in Ukraine: diplomats

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Monday on the humanitarian crisis triggered in Ukraine by the Russian invasion, diplomats said Friday.

Italy seizes Russian oligarch's yacht: govt

Italy said Friday that it seized the yacht of a Russian oligarch who is seen as close to President Vladimir Putin and is subject to EU sanctions.

Stocks sink, gas and oil prices soar over Ukraine fears

Global stock markets fell across the board Friday and energy prices soared after Russia attacked a major Ukrainian nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, exacerbated worries about the hit to the continent and its economy.

UN nuclear watchdog chief arrives in Tehran as UK says deal 'close'

The UN nuclear watchdog's chief arrived in Tehran late Friday amid hopes of reviving a 2015 accord between Iran and world powers, with Britain saying a deal is "close".

Blinken defends sanctions tactic, warns of more Ukraine suffering

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that the suffering of Ukrainians will likely worsen but defended the West's focus on sanctions and limited military support as an effective way to stop Russia's invasion.

China's annual parliament opens in key year for Xi

Thousands of delegates will gather for the annual meeting of China's rubber-stamp parliament Saturday, a week of highly choreographed sessions that will lay out the leadership's blueprint for the year ahead.

Near Ukraine border, Western arms arrive quickly and discreetly

On a runway near the Ukrainian border, 14 wide-body aircraft arrive on average each day -- a carefully calibrated operation mounted at top speed to deliver tons of Western military assistance to Kyiv.

US condemns 'reckless' Russian attack on Ukrainian nuclear plant

Russia's "reckless" overnight attack on a nuclear power plant in Ukraine is a dangerous escalation that "represents a dire threat to all of Europe and the world," the US ambassador to the United Nations said on Friday.

BBC halts work in Russia over 'fake news' jail terms

The BBC announced Friday that it was halting its journalists' work in Russia after lawmakers moved to impose harsh jail terms for publishing "fake news" about the army as part of efforts to muffle dissent over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Majority of US weapons promised to Ukraine in February delivered: official

The United States has already delivered more than two thirds of the arms it promised in late February to Ukraine, whose forces are "effectively" using them to push back the Russians, a Pentagon official said Friday.

Stocks sink, gas and oil prices soar over Ukraine escalation fears

Global stock markets fell across the board Friday and energy prices soared as investors feared the risk of an escalation after Russia attacked the largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine.

Battleground Ukraine: Day nine of Russia's invasion

On the ninth day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine Friday, Russian forces pressed an advance into the country but are still facing resistance in their bid to seize major cities.

Florida passes abortion ban at 15 weeks of pregnancy

Following similar moves by Republican-led states across America, Florida's legislature has passed a ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy with only limited exceptions.

'Entire life gone': Russian shells turn homes to ash on Kyiv front

Yevghen Sboromyrskiy's body shook so violently that he couldn't place his cigarette in his lips as he watched his house burn to the ground after it was shelled in a Russian attack.

Cultural iron curtain falls for Russian musicians

Even during the darkest days of the Cold War in the 20th century, Russian opera and ballet stars still came regularly to the West for performances.

Hundreds of NGOs call for import ban on Russian oil, gas

Hundreds of civil society groups and NGOs Friday called on governments worldwide to "reject and ban any import of fossil fuels from Russia" in order to cut off the main source of revenue for Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

At least 56 dead, 194 injured in suicide attack on Pakistan Shiite mosque

At least 56 people were killed and 194 wounded Friday by a suicide bomb at a Shiite mosque in the northwestern Pakistan city of Peshawar, the deadliest attack in the country since 2018.

Ireland's president isolating with Covid: office

Ireland's President Michael D. Higgins has tested positive for coronavirus and is displaying mild symptoms of Covid-19, a spokesman for his office said on Friday.

UN plan to help 1.6 million displaced by Ethiopia war

The United Nations appealed Friday for $205 million to deliver life-saving assistance to more than 1.6 million people who have fled the fighting in northern Ethiopia.

Thai man sentenced to jail for putting sticker on king's portrait at 2020 protest

A Thai man was sentenced to two years in jail on Friday for violating the country's tough royal defamation laws by putting a sticker on a portrait of Thailand's king during 2020's huge democracy rallies.

Russian invasion drives families into central Ukraine

Viktor and Natalya's apartment building was among the first to be hit by artillery in the city of Volnovakha, eastern Ukraine, on the first day of Russia's invasion.

Ineos cyclist Sivakov switches from Russian to French flag

Pavel Sivakov, one of the two Russian cyclists to ride in the elite World Tour, will compete under French colours from now on saying he had wanted to "accelerate" the process given Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

At least 30 dead in suicide attack on Pakistan shiite mosque

At least 30 people were killed and 80 wounded in a suicide attack at a Shiite mosque on Friday in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, where rescuers frantically ferried the dead and wounded from the scene.

More than 400 Nigerians who fled Ukraine return home

A first batch of more than 400 Nigerians who fled Ukraine following the Russian invasion were flown home on Friday.

Support for Macron shown rising amid Ukraine war crisis

A new poll Friday showed a surge in support for French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of presidential elections next month, a day after he confirmed he was running for a second term.

Intel, Airbnb join US tech freeze-out of Russia and Belarus

Intel and Airbnb announced they were pausing business in Russia and Belarus on Thursday, joining a US tech freeze-out of Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

US should diplomatically recognise 'free' Taiwan: Pompeo

The United States should diplomatically recognise Taiwan as "a free and sovereign country," former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a speech while visiting the island.

Lions, tigers evacuated from Ukraine to Poland

Six lions and six tigers evacuated from near Kyiv arrived at a zoo in Poland on Thursday following a two-day odyssey skirting battle frontlines and coming face to face with Russian tanks, a zoo spokesman said.

The agent and the comic: Putin, Zelensky in fight for Ukraine

One is a former comic actor who became president in 2019 as a political novice. The other a one-time KGB agent now in power for over two decades.

Stocks sink as atomic plant shelling adds to Ukraine fears

Asian markets tumbled Friday and crude bounced as news that Europe's biggest nuclear power plant was on fire after Russian shelling fuelled a flight to safety and ramped up fears about the Ukraine war.

China-backed bank halts lending to Russia, Belarus

The China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank said it will suspend business related to Russia and Belarus, which have been hit with massive international sanctions over the Ukraine war.

Two men carrying firearms near US Ukrainian Embassy say trying to join war

Two men who were arrested near Ukraine's embassy in Washington Thursday for carrying firearms reportedly told police they wanted to help fight off Russia's invasion of its pro-Western neighbor.

European, US stocks fall as markets fear long Russian attack

European and US stocks tumbled as investors monitored the worsening toll of the Russian invasion of Ukraine amid worries over high oil prices.

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