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Five weeks of war in Ukraine: from invasion to 'meaningful' talks
Russia invaded Ukraine in the early hours of February 24, setting off the worst conflict in Europe in decades.
Australian TV anchor has closed China trial on state secrets charges
The sentencing of Australian journalist Cheng Lei by a Chinese court over accusations of supplying state secrets overseas was deferred on Thursday, with Canberra decrying the trial of a woman detained for 18 months so far as "closed and opaque".
Feijoo: steady hand on the tiller for Spain opposition
Known as a pragmatic moderate with a knack for pouring oil on troubled waters, Alberto Nunez Feijoo promises to be a steady hand on the tiller for Spain's storm-tossed Popular Party (PP).
Strained Moldova keeps doors open for Ukraine refugees
Retired teacher Vera Vranceanu is one of thousands of Moldovans who have taken those fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine into their own homes, but the strain is starting to show in one of Europe's poorest countries.
Three dead as West Bank violence escalates
Israeli security forces on Thursday raided a West Bank town after three deadly attacks rocked the Jewish state in a week, with two Palestinians shot dead and a third killed after he launched a knife attack on a bus.
Japan rules out withdrawal from joint Russia gas project
Japan has no plans to withdraw from a joint Russian oil and gas project, despite joining tough sanctions on Moscow over its Ukraine invasion, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday.
Cuba sentences protester to 5 years for 'enemy propaganda'
A Cuban man who staged a rare protest over the detention of a dissident rapper has been slapped with a five-year prison term for disobedience and "enemy propaganda," according to a sentencing document seen by AFP on Wednesday night.
Central Asian migrants eye Russia exit amid economic pain
Weeks after returning from Russia amid sanctions triggered by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, Emomali Safarov has swapped construction tools for a video camera and his old low-paid journalism job in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe.
Ukraine sends evacuation buses to besieged city
Ukraine said Thursday it was sending dozens of buses to evacuate civilians from the besieged city of Mariupol after a Russian ceasefire announcement, but dismissed Kremlin promises to scale back attacks on the capital saying forces were simply regrouping to target the east.
H&M sees boosted sales but Russian closures start to weigh
Swedish clothing giant H&M said Thursday its revenue increased in the first quarter, but its closure of Russian stores has started to impact growth.
China, Solomon Islands agree controversial security pact
The Solomon Islands on Thursday said it had inked a wide-ranging security pact with Beijing, an agreement Western allies fear will pave the way for the first Chinese military foothold in the South Pacific.
US, UK say fearful advisers mislead Putin on Ukraine war
President Vladimir Putin is being misled by fearful advisers as his Ukraine invasion goes awry, with mutinous Russian troops sabotaging equipment and even accidentally shooting down their own aircraft, US and British intelligence agencies claim.
Businesses bemoan Russian exodus from Czech spa city
The door chime is as idle as the owner of the souvenir shop, who bides his time behind the counter worried he will barely make ends meet.
Germany welcomes Ukraine's Jews, 77 years after the Holocaust
At the entrance to a school in Berlin, multicoloured letters spell out "welcome" for nine Jewish children from Ukraine above a drawing of the German, Ukrainian and Israeli flags surrounded by red hearts.
Malta centre readies for pope but its real VIPs are refugees
Pope Francis may be about to drop in, but 91-year-old Friar Dionysius Mintoff is more concerned his migrant centre in Malta is ready for the imminent arrival of young Ukrainians.
Pope heads to Catholic Malta with migrant message
Pope Francis heads Saturday for a two-day trip to Catholic-majority Malta where he will again highlight the plight of migrants, as the Ukraine war sends a stream of refugees across Europe.
Ukraine girds for Russian eastern onslaught
Ukraine's president warned Russian troops are regrouping in preparation for a renewed assault in the east Thursday, as he dismissed Kremlin promises to scale back attacks on the capital Kyiv.
US, UK say fearful advisors mislead Putin on Ukraine war
President Vladimir Putin is being misled by fearful advisors as his Ukraine invasion goes awry, with mutinous Russian troops sabotaging equipment and even accidentally shooting down their own aircraft, US and British intelligence agencies say.
Australian, Canadian judges to stay on Hong Kong top court
Australian and Canadian judges confirmed Thursday they will stay on Hong Kong's top court after two senior British judges resigned to avoid endorsing China's crackdown on political freedoms in the financial hub.
Oil prices sink as US considers tapping reserves, stocks struggle
Oil prices tumbled Thursday on reports that the United States is considering tapping its reserves to combat a supply crisis sparked by the Ukraine war.
Pro-Bolsonaro deputy holed up in Brazil Congress agrees to ankle monitor
A Brazilian lawmaker allied with President Jair Bolsonaro agreed Wednesday to be fitted with an ankle monitor after barricading himself inside Congress the night before to fight a Supreme Court judge's order for the tracking device.
Australian journalist faces China trial on state secrets charges
Australian journalist Cheng Lei faced a closed door trial in China on Thursday after 18 months in detention over accusations of supplying state secrets, with Canberra saying the decision to deny its ambassador access to the hearing was "deeply concerning."
Kenya's top court to rule on contested constitutional reforms
Kenya's top court will on Thursday rule on constitutional changes proposed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his allies ahead of crucial elections in August.
Argentina's Falklands obsession thrives 40 years after war
Whether it is found in children's school books, on bank notes, murals and road signs, tattooed on people's bodies or even as an article in the constitution, Argentina's claim to the Falkland Islands is a national obsession.
UK spy chief says Putin advisors fear telling truth on Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin's advisors fear telling him the truth about his "failing" Ukraine war strategy, the head of Britain's top communications spying agency said Thursday.
Destroyed tanks, church on frontline of battle for Kyiv
The battle for Kyiv is being fought in villages like Lukianivka, where burned-out Russian tanks and the charred, partially-buried corpse of a Russian soldier lie near a destroyed church.
El Shafee Elsheikh, accused of being one of the Islamic State 'Beatles'
El Shafee Elsheikh studied mechanical engineering in London, but now faces accusations he was a member of the notorious Islamic State kidnap-and-murder cell known as the "Beatles."
Fighting rages in Ukraine, US says Putin being 'misled'
Fighting raged Wednesday in Ukraine despite Russia's indication that it planned to deescalate, and US intelligence claimed Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is angry after being misled by his own military.
Russians start to withdraw from Chernobyl: US
Russian forces have begun to pull out of the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power site, a US defense official said Wednesday, a day after Moscow said it would scale back attacks on two key Ukrainian cities.
US regulators tighten rules on deals with shell companies
US securities regulators proposed Wednesday new rules for shell investment companies, tightening a pathway for businesses to go public that has been criticized for skimping on investor protections.
Ukraine forces recapture key road outside east Ukraine city
Ukrainian forces have pushed back Russian troops from a highway outside the country's second-largest city of Kharkiv, and were clearing away the burnt-out wreckage of cars, AFP journalists reported Wednesday.
Russia sanctions should increase until full Ukraine withdrawal: UK
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday said Western powers should tighten the economic noose around Russia until it withdraws all its soldiers from Ukraine.
Argentina's dictatorship dug its own grave in Falklands War
Argentina's embattled military dictatorship was on its last legs when it sought to secure a lifeline with an invasion of the British Falkland Islands 40 years ago this week.
Russian soprano Netrebko condemns war, to resume performing in May
Russian superstar soprano Anna Netrebko on Wednesday condemned the war in Ukraine and said she would return to the stage after cancelling concerts in the wake of criticism that she was close to the Kremlin.
Shelling throws doubt on Russia's de-escalation in Ukraine
Ukraine on Wednesday accused Russia of shelling a city where it had promised de-escalation, dampening hopes of any resolution to a conflict that has killed thousands and displaced millions.
Israel mourns 5 shot dead by Palestinian, PM warns of terror 'wave'
Israelis on Wednesday mourned five people killed by a Palestinian gunman, the third deadly attack in a week, as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned of a "wave of murderous Arab terrorism".
ECB's Lagarde sees living costs spiral with Ukraine war
European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde warned Wednesday that a prolonged Ukraine conflict will keep energy prices and the cost of living spiralling, blighting a post-Covid recovery.
Election rivals cite costly consultancy fees to attack Macron
Less than two weeks from presidential elections for which he has barely started to campaign, French leader Emmanuel Macron is under fire over his government's liberal use of public money on expensive management consultants.
Ukrainian 'princesses' pine for home in Czech castle
Ukrainian seamstress Olga Shandyba had never lived in a castle until she fled war for the Czech Republic. Now she would give anything to leave the fairy-tale lodgings and return home.