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Russia says US troop alert 'escalating tensions'

Moscow on Tuesday accused the United States of ratcheting up tensions over Ukraine after Washington put several thousand troops on alert for possible deployment to boost NATO.

Japan orders probe of Vietnamese intern abuse case

Japan's justice minister on Tuesday ordered the immigration agency to investigate violent workplace abuse allegedly suffered by a Vietnamese intern in a case that has heightened scrutiny of a state-sponsored training programme.

Australian Open defends ban on 'Where is Peng Shuai?' T-shirts

Australian Open organisers said Sunday that Peng Shuai's safety "is our primary concern" after video emerged of security staff preventing spectators wearing T-shirts in support of the Chinese player.

Humanitarian aid tops agenda as Taliban meet Western officials

Human rights and the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where hunger threatens millions, will be in focus at talks opening Sunday in Oslo between the Taliban, the West and members of Afghan civil society.

Socialists ahead as Portugal election campaign enters final stretch

Early voting begins in Portugal on Sunday for a snap general election, with polls showing the incumbent Socialists still ahead though with their lead over their nearest centre-right rivals narrowing.

UK accuses Moscow of trying to install pro-Russia leader in Ukraine

Britain on Saturday alleged that it had information that Moscow was "looking to install a pro-Russian leader in Kyiv" as fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine grow.

British national jailed in Iran begins hunger strike: family

A British national held in Iran for four-and-a-half-years on spying charges vehemently denied by supporters is beginning a hunger strike to protest his situation and lack of pressure to secure his release, his family announced on Saturday.

Berlusconi: Italy's scandal-plagued 'knight'

Silvio Berlusconi's bid for Italy's presidency was always a long shot, an audacious last throw of the dice by the scandal-plagued former premier who has dominated public life for decades.

Russian, UK defence ministers to meet over Ukraine

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has accepted an invitation to meet British counterpart Ben Wallace over the Ukraine crisis, a senior UK defence source said Saturday, as fears grow of an imminent invasion.

Berlusconi pulls out of Italian presidential race

Billionaire former premier Silvio Berlusconi announced Saturday he will not run for Italy's presidency, ending his improbable candidacy two days before voting begins in parliament.

Germany 'encouraging Putin' by refusing to supply weapons: Ukraine

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Saturday condemned Germany for its refusal to supply weapons to Kyiv, urging Berlin to stop "undermining unity" and "encouraging Vladimir Putin" amid fears of a Russian invasion.

Russian and UK defence ministers to meet over Ukraine

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has accepted an invitation to meet British counterpart Ben Wallace over the Ukraine crisis, a senior UK defence source said Saturday, as concerns grow over an imminent invasion.

Rio vows to revitalize two crime-racked slums

The governor of Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state announced plans Saturday for massive investments aimed at revitalizing two long crime-infested slum districts.

Deadly fighting between IS, Kurdish forces in Syria

Fighting raged for a third day Saturday between the Islamic State group and Kurdish forces in Syria after IS attacked a prison housing jihadists, with the violence killing nearly 90, a monitor said.

German centre right elects Merkel critic as leader

Germany's centre right opposition Christian Democrats on Saturday elected Friedrich Merz, a critic of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, as their new leader by a huge majority.

Malaysian ex-PM Mahathir stable after latest hospital admission

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is in a stable condition after being admitted to a specialist heart hospital for the third time in just weeks, his daughter said Saturday.

Deadly fighting between IS, Kurd forces in Syria

Fighting raged for a third day Saturday between the Islamic State group and Kurdish forces in Syria after IS attacked a prison housing jihadists, in violence that has claimed over 70 lives, a monitor said.

Taliban say Oslo talks with West will 'transform atmosphere of war'

The Taliban's first official talks with the West on European soil since seizing power in Afghanistan will help to "transform the atmosphere of war" after a two-decade insurgency against NATO forces, the group's top spokesman told AFP Saturday.

Malaysian ex-PM Mahathir admitted to hospital again

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has been admitted to a specialist heart hospital for the third time in the space of a few weeks, a spokesperson said Saturday.

Fists fly in Honduran Congress ahead of new president's inauguration

Lawmakers exchanged blows in the Honduran Congress Friday as a dispute among members of president-elect Xiomara Castro's party turned violent.

Unsigned Trump order told Pentagon to seize voting machines: Politico

A draft executive order written by Donald Trump's White House in the weeks after his defeat in the 2020 election directed the nation's top military leader to seize voting machines, a report said Friday.

US stocks fall again, sending Nasdaq nearer to dreaded 'bear' market

Wall Street stocks tumbled again Friday following a plunge in Netflix shares that sent the Nasdaq further into correction territory, spurring questions of just how far the market will fall.

Brawl in Honduras Congress ahead of new president's inauguration

Lawmakers exchanged blows in the Honduran Congress Friday as a dispute among members of president-elect Xiomara Castro's party turned violent.

US army confirms Russian mercenaries in Mali

The US army has confirmed the presence of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group in Mali, which the African nation's government has denied amid increasingly strained relations with the West.

Unexploded bomb found at ex-FARC party's HQ in Colombia

An unexploded bomb was found Friday at the Bogota offices of the leftist Comunes party that replaced the disarmed FARC guerrilla group, Colombian police said.

Chile's president-elect unveils young, woman-majority cabinet

Chile's leftist president-elect Gabriel Boric, whose victory at the polls last month unsettled the markets, on Friday named the country's Central Bank governor as his finance minister in a young, diverse and woman-majority cabinet.

Biden to meet Germany's Scholz in Washington in February: US

US President Joe Biden is to host German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington in February, a US official said Friday, denying reports of a spat between the two leaders.

US, Russia promise to work to ease Ukraine tensions

Washington and Moscow's top diplomats agreed Friday to keep working to ease tensions over Ukraine, with the United States promising a written response to Russian security demands next week and not ruling out a presidential meeting.

Air strike on Yemen prison leaves at least 70 dead

At least 70 people were killed in an air strike on a prison and at least three children died in a separate bombardment as Yemen's long-running conflict suffered a dramatic escalation of violence on Friday.

Myanmar sentences lawmaker from Suu Kyi's party to death

A Myanmar military tribunal sentenced a member of Aung San Suu Kyi's ousted party to death for terror offences on Friday, the junta said in a statement.

IS attacks Syria jail, military base in Iraq in deadly escalation

The Islamic State group on Friday attacked a Syria prison housing fellow jihadists and a military base in Iraq in near simultaneous deadly operations that revived fears of an IS resurgence.

French politicians worry about surge in pre-election violence

French ruling party lawmaker Pascal Bois was at home asleep a few days after Christmas when firefighters banged on his front door to tell him his garage was in flames.

US, Russia promise to work to ease Ukraine tensions in high-stakes talks

Washington and Moscow's top diplomats agreed Friday to keep working to ease tensions over Ukraine, with the United States promising a written response to Russian security demands and not ruling out a presidential meeting.

Bolsonaro cuts short official trip after mother dies

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro said Friday he was cutting short an official visit to Suriname and Guyana and returning home after his mother died.

Rights groups, victims call UN to ban Bangladesh paramilitary force

Families of victims of enforced disappearances allegedly perpetrated by an elite Bangladesh paramilitary group Friday called on the UN to ban the security force from serving as peacekeepers.

Security beefed up in Pakistan capital after deadly Lahore blast

Security was beefed up across Pakistan's capital Friday, police said, a day after three people were killed and 22 wounded by a bomb in the eastern megacity of Lahore.

Howe defends Newcastle's Saudi trip despite 'sportswashing' fears

Eddie Howe confirmed on Friday that Newcastle would travel to Saudi Arabia for a training camp despite a fresh warning from Amnesty International that the kingdom was "trying to sportswash their appalling human rights record".

Taliban to meet Western officials in Norway for aid talks

The Taliban will hold talks with Western officials in Oslo next week on human rights and humanitarian aid in their first official visit to the West since returning to power, the Norwegian and Taliban governments said Friday.

Little hope of breakthrough as US, Russia hold high-stakes Ukraine talks

Washington and Moscow's top diplomats met Friday in Geneva for high-stakes talks on Ukraine, but with little hope of a breakthrough that would ease fears of a Russian invasion.

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