Uttar Pradesh elections widening India's communal divide

LUCKNOW — In mid-August last year, a Hindu vigilante group attacked a popular food stall run by three Muslim brothers in the temple town of Mathura in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The men

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Ukraine: Fighting escalates despite ceasefire talks

KYIV — Fighting continued on Monday, the fifth day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, despite talks aimed at securing a ceasefire.Missile strikes killed dozens of civilians in the country's second

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Deadly attack at Zimbabwe opposition rall

HARARE — At least one person was killed and 10 others injured in skirmishes at an opposition party rally in Kwekwe, central Zimbabwe, on Sunday.The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters were

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Ukrainian cities on alert after night of shelling as a 'crucial' day begins

KYIV — Cities across Ukraine remain on high alert as the country's fight against Russia's invasion enters a fifth day.The Ukrainian military said on Monday Russian troops had made repeated attempts

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North Korea 'tests cameras for spy satellite'

WASHINGTON — The US special envoy has condemned the recent ballistic missile test by North Korea which “violated multiple UN Security Council resolutions and presented a serious threat to regional

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The civilian lives lost to Russia's war

KYIV — The number of civilians killed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine is rising by the day. By Sunday, Ukraine's human rights commissioner put the number of civilian victims alone at 210,

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EU shuts airspace to Russian planes

BRUSSELS — The EU has imposed a blanket flight ban on Russian planes, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced."We are shutting down EU airspace for Russian-owned,

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World's largest plane destroyed in Ukraine

KYIV — The world's largest aircraft, the Antonov AN-225, has been destroyed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials, generating alarm and sadness among the aviation

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Security Council vote sets up emergency UN General Assembly session on Ukraine crisis

NEW YORK — The Security Council voted on Sunday to call for a rare emergency special session of the 193-member UN General Assembly on Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, which will be held on Monday.The

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EU to buy and deliver weapons to Kiev: EC president

BRUSSELS — The EU says it will buy and deliver weapons to Ukraine — the first time the bloc has financed military support for a country under attack. The move was announced by Ursula von der Leyen

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3m Ukrainians already in need — with future repercussions ‘spooling out’ before our eyes

KIEV — Even before the recent events that “convulsed the world” last week, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator reminded that an eight-year-long conflict in Eastern Ukraine had already level three

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Sri Lanka: UN rights chief welcomes reform but concerns remain

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka has taken steps towards legal, institutional and security sector reforms, but more action is still needed, according to a report issued on Friday by the UN human rights office, OHCHR,

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‘Hot conflict’ pushes 12 million Syrians into food insecurity

DAMASCUS — As the Syrian war has driven poverty and hunger to levels higher than at any previous point, UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen told the Security Council on Friday that he would continue to

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General Assembly holds debate to boost momentum for universal COVID-19 vaccination

NEW YORK — The President of the UN General Assembly appealed on Friday for greater global solidarity to vaccinate the entire world against COVID-19.Addressing a high-level debate on universal vaccination,

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Without climate action, extreme weather will trigger global humanitarian needs

ROME — The impact of extreme weather on Madagascar is an example of the “runaway humanitarian needs” the world will face, unless it takes action to tackle the climate crisis, the World Food Program

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Terrified families seek shelter underground in Ukraine capital

KIEV — Amid reported deadly missile attacks from Russia’s so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine, including the capital Kiev and other cities, terrified families have been forced to

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Carter says Russia's invasion of Ukraine threatens global security

WASHINGTON — Former US President Jimmy Carter said Thursday that Russia's invasion of Ukraine violates international law and "threatens security" in Europe and around the globe, joining

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Ex-police officers guilty in George Floyd death

MINNEAPOLIS — Three ex-Minneapolis policemen present at the death of George Floyd denied the unarmed black man of his civil rights, a jury has found.The officers were charged with showing "deliberate

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Russian forces seize Chernobyl nuclear power plant

KYIV — Russian military forces have seized control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukrainian officials say.Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak said the "totally pointless attack" on

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Pakistan court sentences man to death for rape and murder

ISLAMABAD — A court in Pakistan has sentenced a man to death for raping and murdering the daughter of a former diplomat who refused his offer of marriage.Noor Muqaddam, 27, was beaten, raped and beheaded

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Fighting rages near Kyiv after Russia invasion

KYIV — Ukraine's army is trying to repel a full-scale Russian invasion, with fierce battles taking place close to the capital Kyiv.Blasts are being reported in Kyiv early Friday, with a Ukrainian

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Development finance institutions must include in investments right to remedy: Bachelet

WASHINGTON — The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights launched on Wednesday a ground-breaking new report for development finance institutions to ensure that the projects they support do not harm people,

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Putin orders military operation in Ukraine

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin formally declared his intention to invade Ukraine early Thursday, and by all accounts he launched a full-scale attack across the country.Russian troops have

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Rising incomes more harmful to environment than population growth: UN report

NEW YORK — Higher incomes contribute more to environmental degradation than population growth, a report by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) has revealed.The Global Population Growth

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Ukraine conflict: UN chief calls for ‘restraint, reason and de-escalation’

NEW YORK — The world is facing “a moment of peril,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres told a General Assembly session on Wednesday dedicated to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.“It

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We will defend ourselves, Ukraine president warns Russia

KYIV — Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia could start "a major war in Europe" any day now, and called on Russians to oppose it.In a late-night address, he said

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Pandemic recovery must put people first: UN Secretary-General

GENEVA — People must be at the heart of post-pandemic recovery, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told a global meeting that opened on Tuesday to examine the economic and social impact of the crisis.Although

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Long-awaited local elections will offer Central Africans opportunity to expand political space

NEW YORK — Local elections in the Central African Republic (CAR), which have been pending since 1988 and are slated for September, will deepen efforts to decentralize power and expand political space,

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Omicron sublineage BA.2 remains a variant of concern

GENEVA — The BA.2 virus, a sublineage of the Omicron COVID-19 mutation, should continue to be considered a variant of concern, scientists convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement

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Baby formula marketing ‘pervasive, misleading and aggressive’: UN report

GENEVA — Parents and pregnant women globally are exposed to aggressive marketing for baby formula milk, according to a report launched jointly by two UN agencies on Tuesday.How marketing of formula milk

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Ukraine crisis testing ‘entire international system’: UN chief

NEW YORK — The latest developments in Ukraine are testing “the entire international system”, Secretary-General António Guterres said at a media stakeout on Tuesday, adding “we must pass this test.”“Our

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New initiative to improve nutrition standards for school meals

ROME — A new project launched on Monday by two UN agencies aims to improve the diet of school-age children by supporting the development of nutrition standards for school meal programs.In many countries

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Conflict must be prevented at all costs: DiCarlo

NEW YORK — With “great concern and sadness”, the UN political and peacebuilding chief opened an emergency Security Council meeting on Monday night on the “unfolding dangerous situation in and around

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Russia orders troops into eastern Ukraine

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops into two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine, after recognizing them as independent states.Russia said the troops would engage in "peacekeeping"

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Russia recognizes Ukraine separatist regions as independent states

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognized breakaway rebel regions in Ukraine's east as independent states, effectively ending peace talks there.The self-declared people's republics

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Putin recognizes two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, escalating conflict with West

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized the independence of two breakaway republics in the east of Ukraine.The move by Putin was seen by the United States and its European allies

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Canada freezes financial assets for Ottawa protesters

OTTAWA — A weeks-long blockade in the Canadian capital has led to almost 200 arrests and prolonged suffering for businesses caught in the middle of protests against Covid-19 mandates.Canadian authorities

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India's Muslim victims of hate crimes live in fear

LUCKNOW — As Uttar Pradesh, one of India's most polarised states, votes for a new government, the spotlight is on its 40 million Muslims. BBC Hindi's Kirti Dubey tracked the status of four cases

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Australia's border reopens to international visitors

SYDNEY — Australia has reopened its international border for the first time in nearly two years, bringing joyful family reunions and a boost to tourism.The country imposed some of the world's strictest

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The ongoing fight against child marriage and ‘bride kidnapping’ in Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK — Although child marriage and “bride kidnapping” are illegal in Kyrgyzstan, both practices still exist in parts of the country. An initiative from a UN-backed program is finally leading to

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Fighting back the desert, amid Niger’s refugee and climate crises

NIAMEY, Niger — Internal displacement, regional instability, and climate change have created a refugee crisis in Niger, but an initiative in the town of Ouallam is showing how different communities can

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Students go back to Haitian school three years after gang attack

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Students in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince are getting used to being back in class after gang violence closed their school for three years.The Lycée National de La Saline, which

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White House says Biden has agreed to meet with Putin 'in principle'

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has agreed "in principle" to French-brokered summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine, the White

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Belarus says joint drills with Russia to continue 'due to border tensions'

MINSK — Belarus has announced that its joint military exercises with Russia, which were due to end on Sunday, will now continue because of the aggravated tensions in neighboring Ukraine.It means that

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Passenger found alive on ship near Corfu but 11 still missing after ferry fire

ATHENS — One of the passengers reported missing on the Italian ferry on fire off the Greek island of Corfu has been found alive and rescued, the coast guard said on Sunday.The young man of 21 who said

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Queen Elizabeth tests positive for COVID-19 with 'mild' symptoms, says Buckingham Palace

LONDON — Britain's Queen Elizabeth has tested positive for COVID-19, Buckingham Palace has announced. The palace described her symptoms as "light" and comparable to a cold.The 95-year-old

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Police arrest 100 after three-week COVID-19 protest in Ottawa

OTTAWA — Police arrested scores of demonstrators and towed away vehicles Friday in Canada's besieged capital, and a stream of trucks started leaving under the pressure, raising authorities' hopes

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Zelenskyy demands 'clear timetable' to join NATO and an 'end to appeasement' of Russia

MUNICH — Western leaders on Saturday stepped up their warnings over the prospect of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, accusing Vladimir Putin of seeking to undermine European security and overhaul international

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Effects of colonialism ‘still being felt to this day’

NEW YORK — The consequences of colonialism are “still being felt to this day”, Chef de Cabinet Courtenay Rattray told the Special Committee on Decolonization on Friday.Speaking on behalf of Secretary-General

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Haiti remains in ‘acute political and institutional crisis’, UNSC hears

PORT AU PRINCE — Despite some signs of progress in ending the political, economic and humanitarian crisis that has worsened across Haiti since the assassination of its president last year, the situation

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Thousands of Eritrean refugees flee new deadly attack on camp

GENEVA — Thousands of Eritrean refugees sheltering at a camp in the Ethiopian Afar region, have fled following a deadly attack on the facility earlier this month, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on

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Conflict in Ukraine disrupting entire generation of children, says UNICEF

GENEVA — Attacks on kindergartens and schools have been a sad reality for children in eastern Ukraine over the last eight years, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said on Friday. Since the beginning

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Heavy rain loom after deadly landslides wreak havoc in Brazilian city

BRASILIA — More than 100 people have died in landslides and flash flooding in the Brazilian city of Petrópolis, officials say. The city, which is located in the mountains north of Rio de Janeiro, was

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Boy trapped in Afghanistan well for two days

KABUL — Rescuers are scrambling to reach a boy who has been trapped in a well in Afghanistan for two days.A video on social media shows the boy, Haider, wedged inside a well in a remote area of Zabul

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Millions told to stay at home as Storm Eunice hits UK

LONDON — Millions of people have been told to stay at home as one of the worst storms in decades, Storm Eunice, hits the UK.The Met Office has issued a second rare red weather warning to cover London,

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Bahrain scraps mandatory PCR, quarantine for arrivals

MANAMMA — Bahrain has announced on Thursday that it will no longer require travelers to undergo mandatory COVID-19 quarantine upon arrival to the kingdom.The Civil Aviation Affairs also said that passengers

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Storms cause major travel disruptions and power cuts across Germany, UK

BERLIN — Violent storms have caused transport disruptions in Britain and Germany and left tens of thousands without electricity.No long-distance trains were expected to run in the northern half of Germany

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170 activists detained and harassed in Vietnam, says report

NEW YORK — Human Rights Watch has accused Vietnamese authorities of harassing and detaining more than 170 activists in the past two decades, in a new report.Many were barred from leaving their homes

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Deadly landslides wreak havoc in Brazilian city, dozens dead

RIO DE JANEIRO — Almost 100 people have died in landslides and flash flooding in the Brazilian city of Petrópolis, officials say.The city, which is located in the mountains north of Rio de Janeiro,

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UK to scrap visas for rich foreign investors scheme

LONDON — Visas offering foreign investors fast-track residency in the UK are expected to be scrapped by the government, amid pressure over UK links to Russia.A government source confirmed reports of

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France and allies to withdraw troops from Mali after nine years

PARIS — France and its allies in a European force will withdraw their troops from Mali after almost a decade, President Emmanuel Macron has announced.The troops have been involved in the fight against

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13 guests drown in well during India wedding

LUCKNOW — At least 13 people have died after falling into a well during a wedding ceremony in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.Police said the victims — all women and children — were sitting

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NATO chief says Russian use of force is 'new normal' for Europe

BRUSSELS — Russia's use of force is "the new normal in Europe", NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, after a meeting of the alliance's defense ministers to address the crisis.He said that

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Hijab controversy is polarizing classrooms in Indian state

BENGALURU — How do you sit in a classroom with people who shouted slogans against your right to wear a hijab?That's the question troubling Saima, whose name has been changed on request. Last week,

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Human cost of Russian attack on Ukraine will be immense, says Biden

WASHINGTON — A Russian attack on Ukraine is "still very much a possibility" and the human cost would be "immense", US President Joe Biden has said.In remarks televised nationally,

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Russia does not want war, Putin says after meeting Scholz

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin and Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz have been meeting in Moscow, shortly after Russia said its troops had begun withdrawing from the Ukrainian border —-

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Ukraine's Defense Ministry and two banks targeted in cyberattack

KEIV — Ukraine said that its Defense Ministry and two state-owned banks have been hit by a cyberattack.The ministry confirmed on social media that it had "probably" been targeted and was working

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Prince Andrew reaches settlement in Virginia Giuffre sexual abuse case

LONDON — A settlement has been reached in the lawsuit accusing Britain's Prince Andrew of sexually abusing Virginia Giuffre when she was 17-years-old, according to a court filing.David Boies, an

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Omicron wave 'moving east' doubling cases in some countries, WHO warns

GENEVA — The number of COVID-19 cases has more than doubled in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia, and Ukraine over the past week, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) European office warned

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‘Historic expansion’ of joint UN fund to boost sustainable development

GENEVA — The UN Joint SDG Fund announced on Monday an additional $54.5 million in investments for projects across five countries, to try and get the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back

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Mali Humanitarian Response Plan seeks $686 million

NEW YORK — The UN together with humanitarian partners on Monday, launched the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan for Mali, seeking $686 million from donors to help 5.3 million of the most vulnerable people

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ISRO successfully launches Earth Observation Satellite, 2 smaller satellites

NEW DELHI— The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle with two smaller co-passenger satellites at 05.59 a.m. Monday from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan

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'People thought we were thieves', hears inquiry into wrongful UK Post Office convictions

LONDON — A former British post office manager broke down in tears as he gave evidence to a public inquiry on Monday into an IT scandal that resulted in hundreds of wrongful convictions in one of the

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Seven killed after blast and fire in Pyrénées town

PARIS — Several people have died in southwestern France after an explosion and fire ripped through a residential street.The powerful blast occurred on Sunday night in the town of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque

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Swiss approve tobacco ad ban long after neighbors

GENEVA — Swiss voters have backed a ban on tobacco advertising anywhere young people might see it.In effect, the Yes vote in the nationwide referendum will lead to a complete ban.The move will bring

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A bolt from the blue that kills thousands in India

NEW DELHI — Last March, four gardeners working in a condominium in Gurgaon, a suburb near the Indian capital, Delhi, took shelter under a tree during a downpour.Within minutes, an orange flash raced

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Afghan woman activist released after arrest in January

KABUL — A female activist who was arrested by armed men in Afghanistan in January was released on Saturday, the BBC has confirmed.Tamana Zaryabi Paryani was detained on 19 January at her apartment in

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Man accused of blasphemy killed by mob in Pakistan

LAHORE — A mob has killed a man for allegedly burning pages of the Koran in central Pakistan, police say, in the latest case of blasphemy-related violence in the country.Police say more than 80 people

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Ukraine seeks urgent meeting with Russia to discuss troop build-up

KYIV — Ukraine has called for a meeting with Russia and other members of a key European security group over the escalating tensions on its border.Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia had ignored

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EU criticizes Turkish foreign minister’s comments on Greek islands

BRUSSELS — The European Union (EU) Sunday criticized recent comments made by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, disputing Greece’s sovereignty over some of its islands, as “counterproductive

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Arab League chief stresses sustainable development agenda

CAIRO — The Arab league Secretary-General Ahmad Aboul-Gheit affirmed Sunday the importance of pushing forward sustainable development agenda for the year 2030 to regain the region’s footing prior to

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Iraq president to stay until after election, court rules

BAGDHAD — Iraq’s Federal Court on Sunday ruled that incumbent President Barham Salih will continue to “perform his duties” until parliament selects a new president, the state news agency reported.The

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Eight die as Mauritania gold well collapses

NOUAKCHOTT — Eight gold prospectors died after the collapse of a well in the Sbebiratt area, Mauritania.The Mauritanian News Agency (AMI) quoted President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani of Mauritania

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Turkey opposition leaders debate how to end Erdogan's 'one man rule'

ISTANBUL — The leaders of six opposition parties in Turkey met Saturday to strategize about the future of the country's governing system — a move that aims to unseat the country's longtime

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Scholz goes to Keiv and Moscow as frictions mount

BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is flying to Ukraine and Russia this week in an effort to help defuse escalating tensions as Western intelligence officials warn that the possibility of a Russian

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Death toll in Madagascar reaches 120 in Cyclone Batsirai aftermath

ANTANANARIVO — The death toll in Madagascar following Cyclone Batsirai has risen to 120, almost a week after crossing the Indian Ocean island.Two tons of equipment are being delivered to Madagascar from

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French rivals claim foul play as Macron waits to declare presidential candidacy

PARIS — Emmanuel Macron hasn't officially declared that he's a candidate for April's presidential election yet.Yet, he has a full campaign team that's fanning out around France, meeting

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Biden and Putin to talk, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy slams latest invasion warnings

KEIV/MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden are to hold a high-stakes telephone call on Saturday as tensions over a possibly imminent invasion of Ukraine escalated sharply

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Quad ministers underline shared vision for free and open Indo-Pacific

NEW DELHI/ MELBOURNE — India and its partners in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad on Friday reiterated their support for efforts aimed at ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific, and agreed

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World must ‘change track’ to protect oceans from climate crisis: Guterres

NEW YORK — The planet is facing the triple crises of climate disruption, biodiversity loss and pollution, Secretary-General António Guterres told the One Ocean Summit on Friday, warning that “the

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Number of internally displaced in Myanmar doubles, to 800,000

GENEVA — The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Myanmar has doubled since February of last year, now crossing the 800,000 mark, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) announced on Friday.Speaking

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Key torture prevention mechanism in Brazil whittled down for detainees

BRASILIA — Brazil must comply with its international obligations, and reinforce its national prevention mechanisms against torture, UN independent experts said on Friday, after concluding a visit to

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Rights experts decry ‘appalling’ culture of impunity around killing of journalists in Bangladesh

DHAKA — Authorities in Bangladesh have yet to conduct an investigation into the murder of prominent journalists Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi 10 years after they were killed, UN human rights experts

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Stability for Libya must be 'top priority' urges Guterres

TRIPOLI — The UN chief is “following closely” the latest political crisis unfolding in Libya, which threatens to return the country to a stand-off position between two rival authorities, following

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Political violence on the rise in South Sudan, UN rights experts warn

JUBA — UN human rights experts have warned of increased political violence and polarization between communities across the world’s youngest country, South Sudan, following a fact-finding visit there

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US urges Canada to end blockade by truckers

WASHINGTON — US officials have urged Canada's government to use its federal powers to end a blockade by truckers protesting against Covid restrictions.President Joe Biden is being briefed regularly

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Trads vs Raytas: The young Indians spreading hate online

NEW DELHI — In May last year, as Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr, several women in Pakistan got a shock.Screenshots of photos they had posted of themselves, dressed up for the festival,

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London's scandal-hit police chief Cressida Dick quits

LONDON — Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick is leaving her role after a series of damaging controversies.Dame Cressida said she had been left with "no choice" after London

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London police chief Cressida Dick quits after controversies

LONDON — Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick is leaving her role after a series of damaging controversies.Dame Cressida said she had been left with "no choice" after London

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Joe Biden asks US citizens to leave Ukraine

WASHINGTON — US President Joe Biden has called on all American citizens remaining in Ukraine to leave the country immediately due to increased threats of Russian military action.Biden said he would not

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India hijab row: The woman who is the face of the fight to wear headscarf

BENGALURU — Muskaan Khan has inadvertently become the face of resistance for young Indian Muslim women amid an escalating row over hijabs or headscarves.In a video that has gone viral, the 19-year-old

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Russia begins military drills with Belarus

MINSK — Russia and Belarus are due to start 10 days of joint military drills as concerns rise over the build-up of Russian forces on Ukraine's borders.Nato says the joint drills mark Russia's

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Paris attacks trial: 'I didn't kill or hurt anyone,' main defendant tells court

PARIS — The main defendant on trial over the Paris terror attacks has told the court that he "did not kill or hurt anyone".Salah Abdeslam is suspected of being the only survivor of the so-called

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Hungary won't accept more NATO troops on its soil, says foreign minister

BUDAPEST — Hungary will not accept further NATO troops on its soil as part of maneuvers over the Ukraine crisis, its foreign minister has told Euronews.The US has sent extra soldiers to Poland and Romania

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Bachelet: Dissolution of Tunisia’s judicial independence body a ‘big step in the wrong direction’

GENEVA — Dissolving the Tunisian body that deals with judicial independence, known as the High Judicial Council, is a “clear violation” of the country’s obligations under international human rights

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The English test that ruined thousands of lives

LONDON — A BBC investigation has raised fresh doubts about the evidence used to throw thousands of people out of the UK for allegedly cheating in an English language test.Whistleblower testimony and

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Arrests in Ottawa as police warn of 'volatile' protesters

OTTAWA — Police have said "volatile" and "determined" demonstrators remain in Canada's capital after nearly two weeks of a trucker-led anti-vaccine mandate protest.Ottawa is under

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Malala weighs into India hijab row

BENGALURU, India — Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai has spoken out in support of six Indian students fighting for their right to wear the hijab in class.The teens have been protesting in Karnataka

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Indian army rescues Kerala trekker trapped in hill crevice for 48 hours

PALAKKAD, India — Mountaineers from the Indian army have rescued an injured trekker who was stranded without food and water for nearly 48 hours in the cleft of a steep hill in the southern Indian state

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Australian parliament makes formal apology to rape accuser

CANBERRA — Australian PM Scott Morrison has made a formal apology to a former political staffer who says she was raped by colleague in Parliament House in 2019.Brittany Higgins' allegation and complaints

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China encroaching along Nepal border, says report

HUMLA, Nepal — A Nepalese government report leaked to the BBC accuses China of encroaching into Nepal along the two countries' shared border.It is the first time there have been official claims from

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Blood pressure warning over long-term paracetamol use

LONDON — People with high blood pressure who take paracetamol on prescription could be increasing their risk of heart attacks and strokes, a study suggests.Doctors should think about the risks and benefits

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Ukraine crisis: Macron says crucial days ahead after Putin summit

MOSCOW — French President Emmanuel Macron has said the coming days will be crucial to de-escalating the Ukraine standoff, after a meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin.Mr Putin hinted that progress

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UN sanctions: From blunt instrument to vital tool

NEW YORK — United Nations Security Council sanctions are no longer the “blunt instrument” they once were, having transformed since the 1990s into “a vital tool” that minimizes negative consequences

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Spending on social protection rose nearly 270% with pandemic

NEW YORK — The 60th session of the Commission for Social Development kicked off on Monday, in a virtual format, with appeals to make COVID-19 a turning point for humanity, and a focus on making social

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Macron says a deal to avoid war Ukraine within reach

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron has said he thinks a deal to avoid war in Ukraine is possible and that it is legitimate for Russia to raise its own security concerns.Before talks in Moscow with

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Death of ISIS chief raises more questions than it answers

BEIRUT — The so-called caliphate has lost its leader again. On the surface, the US commando raid in Syria that left ISIS chief Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi dead may look like a game-changer, but

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Haitan teenager spends three years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit

PORT-AU-PRINCE — A young Haitian man is rebuilding his life, with the support of the UN, after being held in detention for three years, from the age of 15, when he was wrongfully accused of stealing

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Ottawa declares emergency over trucker protests

OTTAWA — The mayor of Canada's capital Ottawa has declared a state of emergency in response to more than a week of truckers' protests against Covid restrictions.Jim Watson said the city was "completely

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Iraq’s top court halts Zebari's nomination for presidential post

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Supreme Federal Court on Sunday suspended the nomination of the former foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari for the presidential post, temporarily, pending cross examination into a libel

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Kashmir Solidarity Day observed in Jeddah Pak mission

JEDDAH — In line with the national policy to observe Kashmir Solidarity Day throughout the world, a seminar-cum-exhibition was organized to express solidarity with Kashmiri brethren on Feb. 5 at the

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New Russian case record as Portugal eases travel rules

LONDON — Russia reported its highest ever daily tally of new COVID cases on Sunday. A total of 180,071 cases were confirmed by the state Coronavirus Task Force — 2,800 more than recorded the previous

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Queen Elizabeth backs 'Queen Consort' title for Camilla

LONDON — Britain's Queen Elizabeth has said she wants Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, to be known as Queen Consort when Prince Charles becomes King.The queen is celebrating her 70th anniversary on

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Rayan rescued days after falling into water well in Morocco

RABAT — A 5-year-old Moroccan boy — Rayan — was rescued on Saturday night after rescuers worked days to chisel him out of water well. Rescuers have been working day and night to tunnel toward

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Russia will face massive costs if it attacks Ukraine, warns EU chief

BRUSSELS — Russia will face “severe consequences” and “massive costs” if there is any military aggression against Ukraine, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has warned in an interview with Euronews.The

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Montenegro’s ruling coalition collapses after no-confidence

PODGORICA — Montenegro’s governing coalition collapsed on Friday night amid internal disputes after parliament backed a no-confidence motion tabled by a junior coalition partner.The 81-strong assembly

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Guterres says Africa is ‘source of hope’ for the world

NEW YORK — The UN Secretary-General on Saturday said that Africa was “a source of hope” for the world, highlighting the examples of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the Decade of Financial

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Hope and shelter, amid the fighting in Burkina Faso

OUAGADOUGOU — For the last three years, a retired cook in northern Burkina Faso has been providing shelter for people displaced by armed attacks in the country, where the security situation continues

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New WHO platform promotes global cancer prevention

GENEVA — With one in five people worldwide developing cancer during their lifetimes, prevention of the disease has become one of the most significant public health challenges of the 21st century.To mark

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Africa needs to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination rate six-fold

GENEVA — The COVID-19 vaccination rate in Africa needs to increase six-fold for the continent to meet the 70 percent target set for the middle of this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on

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COVID pushed us ‘further off course’ from global goals: UN official

NEW YORK — The triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution is worsening, the deputy UN chief told a new coordination meeting of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

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More peacekeepers deployed in DR Congo in wake of deadly camp attack

NEW YORK — Peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have stepped up their presence in the area around a camp for displaced people in Ituri province following a deadly attack this week,

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UN concerned over civilian deaths in Syria, welcomes ‘any successes’ against Daesh

NEW YORK — Following an attack by United States Special Forces in northwestern Syria that culminated in the death of the leader of the ISIL terrorist network, the deputy UN Spokesperson on Thursday expressed

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Pandemic threatens push to end FGM

NEW YORK — The COVID-19 pandemic could reverse decades of global progress in stamping out female genital mutilation (FGM), UN agencies warn ahead of the International Day to eliminate the harmful practice.Shuttered

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FPSO Trinity Spirit sinks after explosion in Delta State, Nigeria

LAGOS — A Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel Trinity Spirit with a capacity to process up to 22,000 barrels of oil per day, inject up to 40,000 barrels of water per day and store

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Russia condemns 'destructive' US troops boost in Europe

MOSCOW — Russia has condemned a US decision to send extra troops to Europe to support its Nato allies amid continuing fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.Moscow said it was a "destructive"

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Island states must bolster resilience to existential climate threats

ROME — The massive volcanic eruption and tsunami in Tonga followed by another earthquake and aftershocks just days afterward, has highlighted once again the vulnerability of Small Island Developing States

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More support needed for thousands still reeling from Typhoon Rai in the Philippines

MANILA — Humanitarians are scaling up assistance in the Philippines to assist hundreds of thousands still impacted by Typhoon Rai which struck the islands seven weeks ago, the UN said on Wednesday, launching

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Teleworking during COVID: Risks, benefits and steps to a ‘new normal’

GENEVA — More than two years since COVID-19 began disrupting office life around the world, crucial changes are needed to safeguard health while teleworking, two UN agencies said on Wednesday.In a new

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US to bolster positions in Europe with additional 3,000 troops

WASHINGTON — The United States is sending an additional 2,000 troops to Europe and redeploying 1,000 already stationed in Germany to bolster the security of its NATO allies.Russia has described the deployments

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Facebook sees daily active users fall for first time in 18-year history

WASHINGTON — Social media giant Facebook has seen its daily active users (DAUs) drop for the first time in its 18-year history.Facebook's parent company Meta Networks says DAUs fell to 1.929bn in

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DR Congo: At least 50 dead following militia attack on camp

KINSHASA — At least 50 people, including women and children, were killed in an attack on Tuesday night at a site for internally displaced people in Savo, Ituri Province, in the Democratic Republic of

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Tonga to enter lockdown after two Covid cases detected

NUKU’ALOFA — Tonga will go into lockdown after two fresh cases of Covid were recorded in the capital city Nuku'alofa.Prime Minister Siaosi Ovalene said both cases were detected at the port, where

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Plane battling winds at Heathrow nearly topples over

LONDON — As storms buffet the UK, footage has emerged of a pilot pulling off a particularly challenging landing -- but not before the plane appeared to nearly topple over and scrape its tail on the runway.British

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Two officers killed in US college shooting

RICHMOND — Two campus officers were shot and killed Tuesday during an active shooter situation at Bridgewater College in Virginia, according to college spokesperson Logan Bogert."I can confirm that

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Many dead after coup attempt in Guinea-Bissau

BISSAU — A reported coup in the West African state of Guinea-Bissau has left many members of the security forces dead, its president says.Umaro Cissoko Embaló said the situation was under control, calling

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US trying to draw Russia into war, says Putin

MOSCOW — Russia's President Vladimir Putin has accused the US of trying to draw his country into a war in Ukraine.In his first significant comments on the crisis in several weeks, he said America's

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Royal Canadian Mint offers a fine silver tribute to Alexander Graham Bell

OTTAWA — Stories of great achievement often find their way on Royal Canadian Mint coins and to mark the 175th anniversary of the birth of famed inventor Alexander Graham Bell, the Mint is dedicating

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