25 persons emerge from shell-pounded steel complex in Mariupol

MOSCOW — Russian forces besieging the steel works complex in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol on Saturday oversaw emergence of 25 persons from the shell-pounded facility, the Russian news

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Deaths at sea on migrant routes to Europe almost double, year on year

GENEVA — More than 3,000 people died or went missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean and the Atlantic last year, hoping to reach Europe, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday, appealing

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Consign chemical weapons to ‘pages of history’, urges disarmament chief

GENEVA — Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the historic Chemical Weapons Convention on Friday, the UN chief described the treaty as “a major achievement” in disarmament.Secretary-General António

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Mali’s Press ban reflects growing regional intolerance, says UN rights office

GENEVA — Mali’s ban on two major international broadcasters operating inside the country is a worrying development in itself but it also reflects growing regional intolerance towards freedom of expression,

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Head of Yemeni presidential council arrives in UAE

ABU DHABI — The head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi arrived in Abu Dhabi on Friday for an official visit. Al-Alimi will hold official talks with the Emirati leadership

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10 killed, 20 wounded in Kabul mosque explosion

KABUL — At least 10 people were killed and 20 others wounded after an explosion ripped through a mosque in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Friday, officials and eyewitnesses said."The initial reports

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Putin to attend G20 summit, Indonesia says; Zelenskyy also invited

JAKARTA — Russian President Vladimir Putin told Indonesian President Joko Widodo that he will attend this year's Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia announced Friday."Last night at 7, I

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UNHCR: 3,000 people lost in sea crossings to Europe in 2021

GENEVA — UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said on Friday that more than 3,000 people died or went missing while attempting to cross the Central and Western Mediterranean and Atlantic

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Germany won't oppose EU ban on Russian oil — FM

BERLIN — The German government said Friday it wouldn't block a European Union (EU) embargo on Russian oil due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, despite relevant serious reflections.German Economy

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NATO chief says Finland and Sweden could join 'quickly'

BRUSSELS — The chief of NATO has said Finland and Sweden could join the 30-nation military alliance "quickly" as opinion polls show both countries warming to membership."It’s their

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Ukrainian president, UN chief discuss evacuation from Mariupol

KIEV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday discussed the evacuation of people from the besieged city of Mariupol, the presidential

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South Korea to relax outdoor mask mandate as COVID-19 slows

SEOUL — South Korea will ease its outdoor mask mandate starting next week as COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations continue to decline.Starting Monday, people will only be required to wear a mask

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Girls’ math performance starting to add up to boys, says UNESCO

PARIS — The UN published promising news in the global fight for gender equality and opportunity on Wednesday, showing that when it comes to mathematics, girls are now performing as strongly as boys in

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Belarus journalists win World Press Freedom Prize

PARIS — The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) was named on Tuesday as the winner of this year‘s UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, following the international jury‘s recommendation.The

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Kinder brand chocolates now linked to salmonella poisoning in 11 countries

GENEVA — Eleven mainly European countries have now reported salmonella food poisoning, linked to popular “Kinder” chocolate products produced in Belgium, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said

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Sustaining peace is 'more complex’ than ever as wars rage

NEW YORK — Keeping the peace has become more important but also more complex in a world of proliferating conflicts, that are becoming more “intertwined”, the UN’s policy chief told a high-level

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Why the West is reckoning with caste bias now

NEW DELHI — The US states of Colorado and Michigan recently declared 14 April as Dr. BR Ambedkar Equity Day. Days before that, Canada's British Columbia province also declared April as Dalit History

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UK investigation after complaint about MP watching porn in parliament

LONDON — The British government's chief whip — a political enforcer — has launched an investigation after female MPs from Boris Johnson's party complained one of their male colleagues was

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US offers $10 million reward for information on Russia spies

WASHINGTON — The US Department of State said Tuesday its Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information that could lead to the identification or location

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US Veep Kamala Harris tests positive for COVID

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday after returning from a weeklong trip to California."Today I tested positive for COVID-19. I have no symptoms, and

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Russia agrees ‘in principle’ to UN and Red Cross involvement in evacuations from Mariupol

MOSCOW — Russia has agreed “in principle” to UN involvement in the evacuation of citizens from the last remaining holdout in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, following a meeting between Secretary-General

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Heightened security fears on Chernobyl disaster anniversary

GENEVA — On the 36th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine, the world is again concerned about the safety of nuclear power plants, amid the ongoing Russian invasion, which has seen shelling

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UN General Assembly mandates meeting in wake of any Security Council veto

NEW YORK — The UN General Assembly decided on Tuesday to automatically meet within 10 days, if the veto is used in the Security Council by one of its five permanent members.China, France, Russia, the

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Young innovators win video competition with ideas for a better future

GENEVA — Marking World Intellectual Property Day, on Tuesday, UN patent experts announced the champions of this year’s youth video competition.Selected among 142 entries from 63 countries, the top

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‘Perfect storm’ of crises takes shape, UN experts warn

NEW YORK — Against the backdrop of shifting population demographics, conflicts, post-pandemic shocks and climate change, the developing world is on the brink of a “perfect storm” of debt, food and

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North Korea’s Kim Jong-un vows to step up nuclear weapons program

SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a defiant speech at a military parade on Monday night, vowing to ramp up the country's nuclear arsenal.The parade, to mark the armed forces' founding

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Turkish philanthropist handed life sentence by Istanbul court

ISTANBUL — A Turkish court has sentenced prominent civil rights activist and philanthropist Osman Kavala to life in prison without parole.The court in Istanbul cleared Kaval of espionage charges but

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No justification for violence against civilians, says UN's Middle East coordinator

NEW YORK — Recent violence in the occupied West Bank and terror attacks in Israel have killed and injured scores of civilians, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process updated the

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'Significant win' for Brussels as France, Slovenia back pro-EU leaders

BRUSSELS — Brussels breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday evening as voters in France and Slovenia shunned nationalists to back pro-EU leaders.Congratulatory messages from across the 27 country bloc abounded

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Ex-German Chancellor Schröder urged to quit party over Russian links

BERLIN — The co-leader of Germany's largest party has called on former chancellor Gerhard Schröder to leave the party over his ties to Russia.Schröder's ties to companies in the Russian energy

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Luke Symons: Cardiff man who is freed after five years in Yemen detention

CARDIFF — A Welshman has been released from detention in Yemen after being held without charge or trial for five years.Luke Symons, of Cardiff, was 25 when he was seized in 2017 by the Houthis, a rebel

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Macron vows to unite divided France

PARIS — Emmanuel Macron has won five more years as France's president after a convincing victory over rival Marine Le Pen, who nevertheless secured the far right's highest share of the vote yet.He

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Working toward a malaria-free world

GENEVA — Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the past year has seen “significant breakthroughs in malaria prevention and control”, a senior official of the UN health agency said on Monday, World Malaria

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Jansa blow as exit polls show opposition victory in Slovenian election

LJUBLJANA — Exit polls in Slovenia's parliamentary election on Sunday suggested an opposition liberal party won by a landslide, dealing a major defeat to populist Prime Minister Janez Jansa, who

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Five urgent challenges facing Macron in his second term as French president

PARIS — Emmanuel Macron’s victory in the French presidential run-off will be a relief to all those who feared political chaos at home and abroad, had his far-right rival Marine Le Pen won the keys

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UN calls for an immediate halt to fighting in Mariupol

KIEV — The UN’s crisis coordinator in Ukraine called on Sunday for an immediate stop to fighting in besieged Mariupol to allow trapped civilians to leave the city safely.“The lives of tens of thousands

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Macron re-elected French president

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron was re-elected on Sunday with 58% of the vote compared to 42% for far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. He is the first president to get a second term since President

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Police hunt illegal refinery owner after deadly Nigeria oil explosion

ABUJA — Nigerian police are looking for the owner of the illegal oil refinery where an explosion killed at least 100 people according to the authorities.Dozens were thought to have been working at the

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Ten confirmed dead from missing tourist boat in Japan

TOKYO — At least 10 people have been killed after a tourist boast went missing off the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, the Japan Coast Guard said.They said the search is continuing in frigid waters

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Why are so many people catching COVID again?

LONDON — In the early days of the pandemic, it was extremely rare to hear of people catching COVID twice. The Omicron variant which first emerged in late November 2021 has changed that.Why are more people

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Bahrain bans single-use plastic bags from September 19

MANAMA — Bahraini Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism has banned selling, manufacturing, circulating and importing single-use plastic bags, which are less than 35 microns in thickness. The order

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Lebanese Navy saves 50 people seeking illegal immigration from sea

BEIRUT — The Lebanese Navy personnel saved 50 people and a dead baby from the sea off the northern coast after making a futile bid for illegal emigrate aboard a boat in choppy waters.The Lebanese Army

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Polling stations open in France for second round of presidential election

PARIS — France began voting in a presidential runoff election on Sunday, with incumbent Emmanuel Macron facing his rival Marine Le Pen.The result of voting in France, a nuclear-armed nation with one

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‘Volunteers demonstrate compassion of Ramadan in Indonesia’

JAKARTA — Millions of volunteers in Indonesia have given their time and expertise to help build a fairer and more inclusive society according to Valerie Julliand, the United Nations Resident Coordinator

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Russian economy feels consequences of sanctions despite Kremlin's denial

MOSCOW — Nearly two months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has taken extraordinary steps to blunt an economic counteroffensive from the West.While Russia can claim some symbolic victories,

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French election: Macron in pole position, Le Pen racing hard

PARIS — President Emmanuel Macron is in the pole position to win reelection on Sunday in France’s presidential runoff, yet his lead over far-right rival Marine Le Pen depends on one major uncertainty:

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Bachelet condemns ‘horrors’ faced by Ukraine’s civilians

GENEVA — UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Friday condemned the “horrors” committed against civilians in Ukraine as the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that it feared the worst in devastated

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Rights experts call for action to address rising violence in Israel and occupied Palestinian territory

GENEVA — The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday called for a probe into Israel’s response to the escalating violence surrounding the Al Asqa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.OHCHR Spokesperson Ravina

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Biodiversity and ecosystem protection highlighted on Mother Earth Day

NEW YORK — Marking International Mother Earth Day, UN General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid urged on Friday, for collective action to safeguard biodiversity and protect ecosystems.Nature is suffering.

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UN Secretary-General to meet separately next week with Putin and Zelenskyy

NEW YORK — António Guterres will be traveling to Russia and Ukraine to meet with both the Foreign Ministers and Presidents of these countries.A spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres informed

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Torres Strait Islanders fight the loss of their ancestral home

CANBERRA — Yessie Mosby is one of the so-called Torres Strait Eight, a group from the Pacific Islands which lodged a complaint with the UN Human Rights Council, that Australia is not doing enough to

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Leaders of 2 Koreas exchange letters of hope amid tensions

SEOUL — The leaders of the rival Koreas exchanged letters expressing hope for improved bilateral relations, which plummeted in the past three years amid a freeze in nuclear negotiations and North Korea’s

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Ukraine: ‘Massive scale’ devastation, one-quarter of population in need

LVIV, Ukraine — Over the past two months, Ukraine has seen “suffering, devastation, and destruction on a massive scale”, the UN Crisis Coordinator for the country told journalists on Thursday, and

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Earth Day: 5 ways we’re working to repair the damage to our planet

NEW YORK — International Mother Earth Day is a chance to reflect on how humanity has been treating our planet, and let’s face it: we’ve been poor custodians. And while a steady stream of reports

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Longest Covid infection lasted 505 days, tests show

LONDON — UK doctors believe they have documented the longest Covid infection on record — a patient they treated who had detectable levels of the virus for more than 16 months, or 505 days, in total.The

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Boris Johnson and India's Narendra Modi to discuss defense and trade

NEW DELHI — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will discuss defense and energy ties with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during talks later.At a meeting in New Delhi, the pair are also set to

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Biden announces $800 mln in additional aid to Ukraine

WASHINGTON — US President Joe Biden on Thursday announced $800 million in additional security and economic aid to Ukraine to support it in face of the war.The US president made the remark during a meeting

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US underscores Yemeni leadership's role to end conflict

WASHINGTON — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken with Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council President Dr. Rashed Al-Alimi, affirming its role for ending the Yemeni conflict.State Department

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Macron and Le Pen clash in TV presidential debate

PARIS — The two candidates for the French presidency have gone head-to-head in their only televised debate, ahead of Sunday's second-round run-off vote.Far-right leader Marine Le Pen has fallen behind

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Russian tycoon lambasts 'massacre' in Ukraine

LONDON — A Russian tycoon has lambasted the country's "massacre" in Ukraine and called for an end to the "crazy war".Oleg Tinkov wrote in a profanity-littered Instagram post that

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Working with assertive China a must, says New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern

WELLINGTON — New Zealand has been aware for some time now of a "growing assertiveness" and a "growing interest" in its region — explicitly from China, according to Prime Minister

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Guterres requests meetings with Russian and Ukrainian Presidents

NEW YORK — In efforts to end the war in Ukraine, Secretary-General António Guterres has written separate letters to the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to request meetings with them in their respective

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Despite security and political crises in Mali, UN expert remains optimistic

GENEVA — Three weeks have passed since some 500 people were allegedly summarily executed in Moura, a village in central Mali — and UN investigators have yet to be granted access, the UN rights office,

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UN condemns recent attacks on humanitarians in Central African Republic

GENEVA — The top UN humanitarian official in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Wednesday underlined the need for safe access to vulnerable people following two recent attacks against aid organizations

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Guterres: ‘Forge a path to safety’ during a 4-day Holy Week humanitarian truce

NEW YORK — This year, Orthodox Holy Week is being observed under a “cloud of a war” that totally negates the Easter message of unity, the UN chief said on Tuesday, calling for a four-day humanitarian

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Worsening drought in Horn of Africa puts up to 20 million at risk: WFP

GENEVA — Up to 20 million people could go hungry this year as delayed rains worsen extreme drought in the Horn of Africa region amid a shortfall in humanitarian aid, the World Food Program (WFP) said

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Ukraine: Aid agencies step up relief deliveries as humanitarian situation worsens

GENEVA — Amidst devastating Russian shelling and attacks on health care facilities and personnel, UN aid agencies said on Tuesday that they continue to mobilize inside Ukraine in an effort to help the

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Johnson sorry for party as Labour calls apology a joke

LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced fury in the House of Commons after receiving a fine from the police for breaking lockdown laws.Most Tory MPs rallied behind the PM as he repeatedly

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Modi inaugurates WHO’s center for traditional medicine in Jamnagar

NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the establishment of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (WHO GCTM) here would usher in a new era of traditional medicine globally.Modi,

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Yemen’s new presidential council sworn in

ADEN — Yemen’s newly formed presidential council was sworn in Tuesday before parliament in the southern Aden city.Chairman of the council, Rashad Al-Alimi, and seven other members took the oath before

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Six sentenced to death in Pakistan for lynching Sri Lankan over blasphemy

ISLAMABAD — Six men have been sentenced to death over the mob killing of a Sri Lankan man accused of blasphemy in Pakistan.Priyantha Diyawadanage, 48, a factory manager in the city of Sialkot, was beaten

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Russia bombards cities as eastern offensive begins

KYIV — Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russia has launched an assault to seize the eastern Donbas region.Moscow bombarded cities with rocket and artillery fire on Monday and in a

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Al-Azhar condemns burning Holy Qur’an copies by extremists in Sweden

CAIRO — Al-Azhar expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the burning of copies of the Holy Qur’an by some extremists in Sweden.In a statement issued Monday, Al-Azhar affirmed that encroaching

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New Houthi commitment ‘encouraging step’ to protecting children

NEW YORK — The United Nations commended on Monday a newly signed Action Plan to safeguard children affected by armed conflict in Yemen.At the start of a two-month nationwide truce, the Houthis signed

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International Day for Monuments and Sites spotlights climate change

GENEVA — One in three natural sites and one in six cultural heritage sites are currently threatened by climate change, the UN cultural agency, UNESCO, warned on Monday, the International Day for Monuments

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African-born advocate and refugee, reflects on being a Black woman in the US

GENEVA — On the heels of Black History Month in February, Women’s History Month in March and the appointment of the first Black female Justice to the US Supreme Court in April, one African woman has

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Nigeria's Chibok girls: Why was this former captive treated differently?

In a series of letters from African journalists, to mark eight years since the Chibok school abductions, Nigerian journalist and novelist Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani speaks to a rescued girl who has been treated

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Train passengers' panic after emergency stop

LONDON — Rail passengers have complained of being thrown from their seats and hit by falling luggage after a train came to a sudden stop.The driver of the 08:20 from Newcastle to King's Cross hit

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Sri Lanka healthcare on verge of collapse in economic crisis

COLOMBO — Doctors across Sri Lanka say hospitals are running out of medicines and essential supplies as the country's economic crisis worsens. They fear a health catastrophe if international help

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China reports three Covid deaths in Shanghai

BEIJING — China has reported the deaths of three people from Covid in Shanghai for the first time since the financial hub entered lockdown in late March.A release from the city health commission said

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Shanghai targets lockdown turning point

SHANGHAI — Shanghai has set a target to stop the spread of COVID-19 outside of quarantined areas by Wednesday, two people familiar with the matter said, which would allow city to further ease its lockdown

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5 injured in mosque shooting in Canada

TORONTO — Five people were injured in a mosque shooting Saturday in the Toronto area of Canada, according to police sources.A group of men, who had finished midnight prayers during the holy month of

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Biden to host US-ASEAN special summit in May

WASHINGTON — United States President Joe Biden will host a special in-person summit with ASEAN leaders on May 12-13, a White House statement said Saturday."The Special Summit will demonstrate the

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Guterres calls for preserving the legal situation of Al-Quds; US expresses concern

NEW YORK — The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed profound concern on the current deterioration of the security situation in the city of Al-Quds, calling on leaders of all concerned

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Johnson and other UK politicians banned from entering Russia

KIEV/MOSCOW — Russia announced on Saturday that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several other senior British officials were banned from entering the country, after London imposed sanctions on

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Police injured at anti-far right protest at Örebro in central Sweden

STOCKHOLM — Protesters denouncing the intention of a far-right group to burn a Qur’an at Örebro in central Sweden attacked police on Friday, injuring at least nine members of the security forces according

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What impact will the sinking of the Moskva have on the Ukraine war?

MOSCOW/KIEV — The flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva, lies at the bottom of the sea.Ukraine said the Russian warship, which was sailing off the coast of Odesa, was destroyed Thursday

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Millet seeds, a powerful weapon against hunger

GENEVA — A World Food Program-backed initiative to deliver millet seeds to vulnerable people is taking root in Odisha, India, where it is helping to ward off hunger and improve livelihoods.Subasa Mohanta

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Over 150 injured in clashes at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

JERUSALEM — More than 150 Palestinians have been injured in clashes with Israeli police at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, Palestinian medics say.Israeli police said officers entered the site

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North Korean hackers target gamers in $615m crypto heist: US

WASHINGTON — The US has linked North Korea-backed hackers to a massive cryptocurrency heist worth $615m (£469m) from players of the popular online game Axie Infinity in March.The game allows to earn

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Madhya Pradesh: Why an Indian state is demolishing Muslim homes

BHOPAL — The people who would destroy his home came early in the morning, remembers 72-year-old Shaikh Mohammad Rafiq.A soft-drink seller in India's Madhya Pradesh state, Rafiq and his sons had had

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Russian warship Moskva has sunk, says defense ministry

MOSCOW — A Russian warship that was damaged by an explosion on Wednesday has sunk, Russia's defense ministry has said.Moskva, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, was being towed to port

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ICESCO extends nomination deadline for its Young Professionals Program

RABAT — The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) announced the extension of the nomination deadline for the first edition of the Young Professionals Program until

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China's Xi says sticking to tough COVID curbs will bring victory

SHANGHAI — President Xi Jinping has said that China must stick to its strict "dynamic COVID clearance" policy while the global pandemic remains very serious, promising those enduring lockdowns

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WHO chief uses Ukraine war to question racial equality

GENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted coverage of the Ukraine war to question whether the world "gives equal attention to black and white lives".Tedros Adhanom

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Brooklyn subway shooting suspect is in custody

NEW YORK — Frank James, the man arrested on suspicion of setting off smoke grenades and shooting 10 people at a Brooklyn subway station Tuesday morning, will make his initial court appearance Thursday,

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US military confirms an interstellar meteor collided with Earth

WASHINGTON — One meteor traveled quite a long way from home to visit Earth.Researchers discovered the first known interstellar meteor to ever hit Earth, according to a recently released United States

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Russian navy evacuates flagship in Black Sea

MOSCOW/KYIV — One of the Russian Navy's most important warships is either floating abandoned or at the bottom of the Black Sea, a massive blow to a military struggling against Ukrainian resistance

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Choucair: Lebanon needs strong relations with GCC States, especially Saudi Arabia

BEIRUT — Chairman of the Lebanese Economic Organizations, former Minister of Telecommunications Mohamed Choucair stressed the need for Lebanon to adhere to the policy of disassociation from the regional

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UN Security Council welcomes peaceful transfer of power in Yemen

NEW YORK — The UN Security Council (UNSC) members welcomed the announcement of the peaceful transfer of the power of the legitimate Yemeni government by President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi to the Presidential

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Now is not the right or responsible moment for Johnson to resign: Tory MP

LONDON — A senior Conservative MP has said it is "not the right or responsible moment" for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign over the 'partygate' scandal.Sir Roger Gale told

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Arab League condemns escalation of Israeli aggression against Palestinians

CAIRO — The Arab League condemned Wednesday the escalation of the dangerous Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories, leading to a large number of deaths and injuries,

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Success of Colombia peace process hinges on ending violence: Mission chief

BOGOTA — Colombia’s dynamic peace process — which saw fresh strides with the holding of a largely peaceful parliamentary election last month — will succeed or fail based on efforts to halt the

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India chooses path where economy and ecology co-exist in its call for climate justice

NEW DELHI — Though India has always remained the hub of environment protection and climate justice since time immemorial, it has renewed its vigor and focus on these concerns with firm determination

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Pakistan PM Shehbaz to finalize Cabinet: Sources

ISLAMABAD — The joint opposition in Pakistan is now working to appoint ministers to assist the newly sworn in 23rd prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, who has already short-listed the people he is likely

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Macron debates angry voters as campaign intensifies ahead of runoff

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron has entered the final two weeks of the election campaign and faces a tough battle for reelection against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.The president and candidate

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Solar energy can now be stored for up to 18 years, say scientists

STOCKHOLM — Solar-powered electronics are one step closer to becoming an everyday part of our lives thanks to a “radical” new scientific breakthrough.In 2017, scientists at a Swedish university created

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India-US 2+2 dialogue a 'momentous moment' in global affairs

WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI — Top diplomats and defense ministers from India and the United States met in Washington in the India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue on Monday, and the joint statement issued by the

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Bachelet: Old persons to outnumber the young by 2050

NEW YORK — The basic rights of older persons need to be protected today, more than ever before, said the UN human rights chief on Monday, but existing legal safeguards render them, in effect, “invisible”.Michelle

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Rights expert concerned about erosion of democracy in Brazil

SAO PAULO — Decrying the erosion of democracy in Brazil, a UN expert has called for authorities to create and maintain a safe environment conducive to the exercise of the rights to peaceful assembly

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COVID-19 vaccine access in conflict areas remains critical

NEW YORK — Although safe and effective COVID-19 vaccinations are available, the pandemic is still far from over, and countries affected by conflict are in danger of being left behind, the UN Security

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'Russian soldiers raped me and killed my husband'

KYIV — The Russians have withdrawn from areas around Kyiv, but they've left deeply wounded lives that might never recover from the trauma. The BBC has heard first-hand testimony and found evidence

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War trauma ‘risks destroying a generation’, Security Council hears

NEW YORK — Increasing reports of sexual violence and human trafficking in Ukraine — allegedly committed against women and children in the context of massive displacement and the ongoing Russian invasion

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One killed, seven injured in Lebanon blast

BEIRUT — At least one person was killed and three were injured in an explosion near a scout center near Sidon in southern Lebanon on Tuesday.Local officials said the blast demolished the building and

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New Pak PM Shehbaz vows to work for harmony and move forward, address economy

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif was sworn-in as the new prime minister of Pakistan on Monday, bringing to an end the political uncertainty that had gripped the country

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US, India to continue consultation on how to manage ‘destabilizing effects’ of Russian war in Ukraine: Biden

WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI — United States President Joe Biden said on Monday that the US and India will “continue our close consultation” on how to manage the “destabilizing effects” of the Russian

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Tropical storm Megi leaves at least 21 dead in the Philippines

MANILA — A tropical storm in the Philippines unleashed floods and set off landslides over the weekend, leaving at least 21 dead, the country's disaster relief authorities said on Monday.Quoting local

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Dangers of defending women accused of sorcery in Papua New Guinea

GOROKA — In Papua New Guinea, defending women accused of sorcery, has become a life-threatening occupation. The UN and European Union-run Spotlight Initiative is promoting legislation that will protect

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First Person: From taking lives to saving lives in DR Congo

GOMA, DR Congo — Fabien Mwingwa once fought as a child soldier with an armed group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Today, he has turned his life around, and works for the UN peacekeeping

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Is India planning to shrink its army?

NEW DELHI — A 23-year-old man last week claimed that he had run 50 hours from his home in India's northern state of Rajasthan to the capital, Delhi, to join a protest demanding that the government

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Covid left Queen Elizabeth 'very tired and exhausted'

LONDON — The Queen has revealed Covid left her "very tired and exhausted" after she caught the virus earlier this year.The monarch, 95, was taking part in a virtual hospital visit when she

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Pope Francis calls for ‘Easter truce’ in Ukraine in Palm Sunday address

ROME — Pope Francis has used his Palm Sunday address to call for "Easter truce" in Ukraine as he lamented "the folly of war.""Let an Easter truce begin, but not to reload the

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Macron, Le Pen qualify for second round of presidential election

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen have qualified for the runoff of France's presidential election. Several candidates called on their supporters to vote

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Johnson and Zelenskyy tour near-empty streets in Kiev

KIEV — The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a surprise visit to Ukraine’s capital and met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They walked through Kiev’s streets together and met a passer-by.Johnson’s

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Zelenskyy says he still wants peace, despite atrocities of war

KIEV — The war in Ukraine is now well into its sixth week, and taking on a new dimension with growing evidence of human rights atrocities by Russian troops as they retreated from the Kiev region and

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Stand Up for Ukraine event raises more than ten billion euros

BRUSSELS — An international fundraising drive has generated €10.1 billion in pledges to support Ukraine, and especially refugees, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Saturday

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New COVID wave a reminder pandemic is ‘far from over’: Guterres

NEW YORK — Governments and pharmaceutical companies need to work together in a better way, to deliver vaccines “to every person, everywhere” — not simply in the wealthiest nations, said the UN

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Rights chief highlights urgent need for action over thousands missing in Syria

GENEVA — Twelve years into the war in Syria, thousands of families “remain in the dark” when it comes to the fates of their missing relatives, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet told the General

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Respect and protect basic human rights in Sri Lanka, UN experts urge

COLOMBO — Following this week’s crackdown on non-violent demonstrations in Sri Lanka, independent UN human rights experts urged the government on Friday to “ensure that all human rights be respected

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Sub-Saharan Africa under threat from multiple humanitarian crises

GENEVA — The number of hungry people in the Sahel and West Africa has quadrupled over the last three years, currently reaching 41 million, the UN World Food Program (WFP) reported on Friday.Issuing the

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Ukraine war drives international food prices to ‘new all-time high’

ROME — Global food prices have reached “a new all-time high,” the head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said on Friday, “hitting the poorest the hardest.”“It is now more than two

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‘Decisive steps’ needed to keep boys in school: UNESCO

PARIS — Although girls have more difficulty accessing education and make up most out-of-school children at the primary level, challenges facing boys are increasing at later stages, according to a report

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More resources need to help secure Mali, peacekeeping mission head tells Security Council

NEW YORK — The UN’s peacekeeping chief in Mali on Thursday, made an urgent call for adequate resources for the mission to carry out its mandate, and meet the growing demand to address a deteriorating

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Ukraine war linked to ‘massive malnutrition crisis’ affecting millions in other emergencies

NEW YORK — The war in Ukraine has increased the risk of a “massive malnutrition crisis” for millions of children in other emergencies because of its already huge impact on global food prices, the

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Roma rights advocates warn of rising hate speech

BUCHAREST — International Roma Day on 8 April is a key date to mark Romani culture, made more significant in Romania since the passing of last year’s landmark legislation there, to combat hate speech

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Dozens killed in missile strike on train station in eastern Ukraine

KYIV — Ukraine said more than 30 people are dead and 100 wounded after rockets hit a train station in the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine. Thousands of people were at the station at the time as

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Kremlin admits 'significant' Russian losses in Ukraine war

MOSCOW — Russia has admitted suffering "significant losses of troops" in Ukraine, as the invasion enters its 44th day.Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told British channel Sky News the

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Two killed, many injured in Tel Aviv shooting

TEL AVIV — Two people were killed and more than a dozen others wounded in a shooting at a bar in a busy area of Tel Aviv late Thursday.The suspected gunman was killed by security forces following a manhunt,

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Hundreds more reach safety after fleeing besieged Mariupol

KYIV — Humanitarians said on Wednesday that hundreds of people have managed to reach safety after fleeing the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, where there’s also been condemnation for the killing of Lithuanian

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Yemen's president creates new leadership council, relieves deputy of his post

ADEN — Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi established on Thursday a presidential leadership council.Hadi also issued an order relieving Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar from his post as vice president.The

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Yemen's president creates new leadership council

ADEN — Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi established on Thursday a presidential leadership council.The President transferred his powers to newly established Presidential Leadership Council,

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UN humanitarian aid convoy reaches eastern Ukraine city

KYIV — An eight-truck convoy of life-saving humanitarian aid provided by the UN and humanitarian partners reached Sievierodonetsk on Tuesday, in eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk region, where sustained and

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Guterres unveils first recommendations of UN crisis group set up in wake of Ukraine invasion

NEW YORK — António Guterres released the initial recommendations of his Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance (GCRG) on Tuesday, set up in response to the hunger crisis provoked by

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Ukraine president calls on Security Council to act for peace, or ‘dissolve’ itself

NEW YORK — In an impassioned address to the Security Council that evoked the ashen destruction wrought during World War Two, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday described in stark detail

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US, EU to toughen sanctions against Russia

WASHINGTON — Western leaders are set to announce a further set of sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, the US has said.White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the measures will target Russian financial

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Under-fire Sri Lankan president lifts state of emergency

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka's under-fire president has withdrawn a controversial state of emergency following a day of political drama and further protests.Gotabaya Rajapaksa invoked the law - which allows

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UAE cancels residence stickers for expatriates

ABU DHABI — The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security has suspended the issuance of the residence sticker for expatriates living in the UAE as of April 11, 2022.The

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8 reasons not to give up hope and take climate action

NEW YORK — Although once again the scientific community has made clear this week that we are not doing enough to limit global warming to the crucial 1.5°C threshold, the findings of the latest Intergovernmental

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UN climate report: It’s ‘now or never’ to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees

NEW YORK — A new flagship UN report on climate change out Monday indicating that harmful carbon emissions from 2010-2019 have never been higher in human history, is proof that the world is on a “fast

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Almost everyone now breathing polluted air, warns WHO

GENEVA — An astonishing 99 percent of the world’s population breathes polluted air that exceeds internationally approved limits, with negative health impacts kicking in at much lower levels than previously

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Bucha killings raise ‘serious’ questions about possible war crimes: Bachelet

GENEVA — Senior UN officials have echoed the Secretary-General’s call for an independent investigation into the killing of scores of civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, following the emergence

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End landmine scourge once and for all: Guterres

NEW YORK — Although more than 160 States have signed a landmark convention on banning landmines, more action is still needed to protect people from these “abhorrent weapons", UN Secretary-General

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Yemen's president calls on Houthis for negotiations to end war

ADEN — Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi called on Monday on the Houthi militia to sit at the negotiating table with the government to reach a political settlement and end the seven-year war,

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Lebanon central bank not bankrupt — Governor

BEIRUT — The Governor of the Bank of Lebanon, Riad Salameh, denied "what is being circulated about the bankruptcy of the Central Bank, and considered that this is not true."In a statement,

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Court to decide embattled PM Imran Khan's fate

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan's supreme court is expected to decide the fate of embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan, following a day of political turmoil.Khan has faced an attempt to oust him from office

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Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to not seek second term

HONG KONG — Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam announced she would not seek a second term in office after a controversial tenure that has seen many of the territory's civil freedoms eroded.As chief

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First Person: A first in psychological aid for Ukraine refugees in Poland

MLYNY, Poland — Many of the millions of refugees forced to leave Ukraine because of the Russian invasion are traumatized and need mental health support. In one Polish transit site, volunteers like Aurang

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Zelenskyy accuses Russia of committing genocide near Kyiv

KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Sunday of committing genocide in Ukraine amid reports that Russian forces were leaving brutalized bodies and widespread destruction in

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Sri Lanka's Cabinet ministers resign as crisis protesters defy curfew

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka's Cabinet ministers have resigned en masse after protests over the government's handling of the worst economic crisis in decades.All 26 ministers submitted letters of resignation

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6 people killed, 10 others injured in downtown Sacramento shooting

SACREMENTO — Sacramento police are asking the public's help in finding whoever opened fire downtown Sunday morning, killing six people. Another 10 people were injured in the melee near 10th and K

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Commitment key to Yemen truce success: UN envoy

GENEVA — Commitment will be critical to the success of the two-month truce in Yemen that began on Saturday, the UN Special Envoy for the country, Hans Grundberg, has said.Tens of thousands of civilians

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Jordan's Prince Hamza relinquishes title

AMMAN — Jordan's Prince Hamza bin Al-Hussein is relinquishing his title of prince, he said in a statement on Sunday.Prince Hamza posted the letter on his official Twitter account, saying he gave

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Finnish president: No referendum necessary to join NATO

HELSINKI — Finland's President Sauli Niinistö no longer sees the need for a referendum or an official opinion poll for his country to join NATO.It is already clear that the majority of the population

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Pakistan president dissolves Parliament at PM’s request

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s president dissolved Parliament on Sunday setting the stage for early elections after the prime minister sidestepped a no-confidence move earlier in the day. Imran Khan asked

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Missiles slam into strategic port of Odesa in Ukraine

KIEV — As the war on Ukraine rages, Russia, who launched the assault on Feb. 24, claimed that it had attacked Odesa, on major port hub, and targeted infrastructure.Missile slammed into the Ukrainian

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Sarah Palin announces US Congress bid for Alaska’s seat

WASHINGTON — Sarah Palin has announced a run for the Alaska’s only seat in the US House of Representatives, her first bid for political office in more than a decade.“America is at a tipping point,”

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Inferno devastates market in Somaliland’s capital

HARGEISA — Residents of the capital of Somaliland, Hargeisa, have woken to scenes of devastation after fire tore through the main market overnight.The blaze destroyed hundreds of businesses in the densely

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UK hits record COVID-19 levels; nearly 5 million infected

LONDON — The prevalence of COVID-19 in the UK has reached record levels, with about 1 in 13 people estimated to be infected with the virus in the past week, according to the latest figures from Britain’s

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Pope Francis criticizes Russia's 'infantile and destructive' war in Ukraine

ROME — Pope Francis offered his most pointed condemnation of the war in Ukraine, calling out "infantile and destructive aggression" on Saturday during a trip to Malta.In words that appeared

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Slave trade reparations ‘essential’, 1619 Project founder says

GENEVA — New York Times writer Nikole Hannah-Jones, best know for the 1619 Project, which frames slavery as one of the core elements of the history of the United States, addressed the UN General Assembly

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UN’s rights council adopts ‘fake news’ resolution, States urged to take tackle hate speech

GENEVA — At the UN Human Rights Council on Friday, Member States adopted a plan of action to tackle disinformation, at the request of Ukraine and with widespread — but not universal — support.Officially

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UN chief calls for greater inclusion, marking World Autism Awareness Day

NEW YORK — UN Secretary-General António Guterres has highlighted the need for greater support for people with autism, particularly at the community-level.In his message to mark World Autism Awareness

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Thousands escape to Uganda following violent clashes in DRCongo

GENEVA — Recent violent clashes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have forced thousands to escape to neighboring Uganda, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, reported on Friday.UNHCR, together with

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UN chief calls for unity to ‘build a peaceful world’, ahead of Ramadan

NEW YORK — Highlighting it as a period of compassion and empathy, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Friday that the holy month of Ramadan is a “time for reflection and learning, an opportunity

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Antarctica ‘should not be taken for granted’ scientists declare amid extreme weather uptick

GENEVA — Antarctica, the world’s coldest, windiest and driest continent, has often been referred to as a stable ‘sleeping giant’, but increasingly extreme temperatures, together with unusual rain

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Ethnic Serbs caught in the crossfire amid Kosovo-Serbia voting row

PRISTINA — Ethnic Serbs in Kosovo have been left frustrated amid renewed tensions between Serbia and the government in Pristina.They were sparked last week when Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti

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Protesters block 10 oil terminals as UK 'doubles down' on fossil fuel expansion

LONDON — Climate change protesters blocked 10 British oil terminals near London, Birmingham and Southampton on Friday, with some supporters climbing on top of oil tankers.Extinction Rebellion, which

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AFSPA: Areas under draconian law reduced in India's northeast

NEW DELHI — Authorities have withdrawn a controversial anti-insurgent law from large parts of north-eastern India after decades.Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that areas covered under the Armed Forces

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Protest at Sri Lankan president's home turns violent

COLOMBO — Sri Lankan police imposed curfew and fired tear gas at demonstrators protesting dire food, fuel and power shortages outside the president's house.Agitated protesters stormed through barricades,

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Russian forces in Ukraine regrouping for attack, says Nato

BRUSSELS — Russian forces in Ukraine are regrouping to double down on their attacks in the east of the country, according to Nato's secretary-general."Russia is trying to regroup, resupply and

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Women’s full and equal participation is key to climate action, sustainable peace

NEW YORK — Women and children increasingly bear the brunt of climate change, which deepens the inequalities and vulnerabilities they already face, such as poverty, violence, lack of opportunities and

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Second UN aid convoy reaches Sumy; Mariupol access thwarted

NEW YORK — UN humanitarian agencies and partners on the ground in Ukraine, were able to reach the town of Sumy, in the country’s northeast on Thursday, but access to the besieged and stricken city

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