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Polish pushbacks to Belarus go on as Ukrainians welcomed
Poland has welcomed two million refugees from war-torn Ukraine at lightning speed and with open arms. Yet just north of that border, the EU member continues to push back those crossing from Belarus.
Hungary's Orban faces first united opposition in tight vote
After a tense campaign dominated by Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, Hungarians will vote in a general election on Sunday with polls giving the edge to incumbent nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Russia regrouping for 'powerful strikes', Zelensky warns
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Russia is consolidating and preparing "powerful strikes" in the country's east and south, including besieged Mariupol, where a new attempt will be made Friday to evacuate civilians from the devastated city.
Sri Lanka steps up security as anger over crisis boils over
Sri Lanka's capital was under heavy security on Friday after hundreds of protesters tried to storm the president's home in a night of violence and anger at a dire economic crisis.
Asian markets fall further and oil extends steep losses
Equities fell Friday after their worst quarter since the early days of the pandemic as traders assess the impact of the war in Ukraine and the Federal Reserve's plans to fight surging inflation by ramping up interest rates.
Russia forces regrouping to attack south, Ukraine president warns
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Russia is consolidating and preparing "powerful strikes" in the country's south, including besieged Mariupol, where a new attempt will be made Friday to evacuate civilians from the devastated city.
Scandal-tainted candidates face off in Costa Rican presidential run-off
Costa Ricans head to the polls on Sunday to elect a new president, facing a choice between a candidate once investigated for corruption and another once demoted over sexual harassment allegations.
Former soldier reveals Argentine torture in Falklands war
Some soldiers were buried up to their necks in snow, others tied to posts by their limbs.
Ukrainian girl's risky pipeline dash from Russians
The little girl in the pink bobble hat looks warily down at the water as the Ukrainian soldier carries her across a long, narrow pipeline on the frontline east of Kyiv.
Former Brazilian judge Sergio Moro ends campaign for president
Sergio Moro, a former anti-corruption judge and leading third-party candidate in Brazil's presidential election, announced Thursday he is ending his campaign.
Italian aid worker recalls brutal treatment by IS 'Beatles'
An Italian aid worker described being beaten with a rubber cable and waterboarded in harrowing testimony Thursday at the trial of a jihadist accused of being one of his Islamic State captors known as the "Beatles."
Russians leave Chernobyl with Ukrainian troops as hostages: Kyiv
Russian troops on Tuesday vacated Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant after weeks of occupation, but took an unspecified number of captive Ukrainian servicemen with them, officials in Kyiv said on Thursday.
UN Security Council votes for new Somalia peacekeeping force
The UN Security Council on Thursday voted unanimously for a new African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia, where Al-Shabaab insurgents have been seeking to overthrow the fragile government for more than a decade.
Putin's gas threat as Ukraine, West dismiss de-escalation claim
Russia threatened Thursday to turn off its gas taps to Europe, opening up a new front in its war in Ukraine amid growing scepticism over Moscow's claim it is scaling back its onslaught.
War in Ukraine could 'drag on for awhile' as Russia eyes Donbas: Pentagon
Russia may be repositioning some of its forces around the Ukrainian capital Kyiv to send them to the eastern Donbas region, where Ukrainian forces have been putting up fierce resistance, the Pentagon said Thursday.
Biden says unprecedented use of oil stockpile will ease US fuel costs 'pain'
President Joe Biden announced Thursday a record release from US strategic oil reserves to "ease the pain" of soaring domestic fuel prices, saying the "wartime" measure will defuse Russia's leverage as an energy power.
Pakistan PM hits out at US as no-confidence debate postponed
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday accused the United States of meddling in Pakistan's politics -- a claim quickly denied by Washington -- as a debate on a no-confidence motion against him in parliament was postponed.
Ukraine could lose half its harvest due to war: minister
Bombed out wheat fields, farmers gone to the front, supplies chains ruined.
'Russian soldiers go home!' says defiant Kharkiv commander
"Russian soldiers, go home, while you're still alive!" The commander-in-chief of the 92nd Brigade of the Ukrainian army and defender of Kharkiv is defiant despite five weeks of war.
Taliban hoist giant flag in Afghan capital, eight months after return
The Taliban raised a giant white flag of their movement on a hill overlooking the Afghan capital Thursday in a ceremony held nearly eight months after they returned to power.
In UK ports, outrage at sacked P&O Ferries workers
Claire Cooper stood with about 30 others at Liverpool docks, braving an icy wind to protest about P&O Ferries sudden sacking of a quarter of its workforce.
Longer conflict could be in store as Russia eyes Donbas: US official
Russia's refocusing of its military efforts on the Donbas could herald a "longer, more prolonged conflict" as Ukrainian forces put up fierce resistance in the eastern region, a senior US defense official said Thursday.
UN starts task force for company climate targets
The United Nations launched a task force Thursday to pressure businesses to keep their emissions-cutting promises instead of masking progress with feel-good "greenwashing".
Macron attacks Le Pen as lead slips in French polls
President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday launched a bitter attack against far-right leader Marine Le Pen after warning supporters to take nothing for granted in an increasingly tight French election.
Moscow gas threat as NATO warns Russians 'regrouping' in Ukraine
Russia threatened Thursday to turn off its gas taps to Europe if the continent fails to pay in rubles, opening up a new front amid its war in Ukraine, where NATO and Kyiv warned that Russian troops were regrouping for new attacks.
Greenpeace blocks Russian oil delivery off Denmark
A dozen Greenpeace activists in kayaks and swimming in the water blocked the transfer of Russian oil between two tankers off Denmark's coast on Thursday, the environmental organisation said.
Medicine shortages and Russian army searches: life in occupied Kherson
Tanks in the streets, a severe medicine shortage and Russian soldiers searching homes -- residents in Ukraine's southern city of Kherson told AFP about life under Russian occupation.
Biden orders unprecedented use of oil stockpile to combat US fuel prices
President Joe Biden will announce Thursday a record release from US strategic oil reserves in an attempt to curb a politically damaging surge in domestic fuel prices following Russia's attack on Ukraine, the White House said.
Far-right Le Pen closes in on French presidential favourite Macron
Steering clear of scandals and of debates about Ukraine, France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen is gaining ground ahead of a presidential election and increasingly confident she has a fighting chance of defeating incumbent Emmanuel Macron.
UN urges donors to avert 'death spiral' for Afghans
Afghanistan's economy risks falling into a "death spiral" without urgent aid, with some Afghans already forced to sell their children and body parts to survive, UN chief Antonio Guterres said Thursday.
Biden orders unprecedented use of US oil stockpiles to combat fuel prices
President Joe Biden will announce Thursday the release of a record million barrels of oil a day, for about 180 days, from US strategic stockpiles in an attempt to dampen soaring fuel prices in the wake of Russia's attack on Ukraine, the White House said.
Oil prices sink as US mulls tapping reserves; equities fall
Oil prices tumbled on Thursday on reports that the United States is considering tapping reserves to combat a supply crisis sparked by the Ukraine war.
Biden set to order record release of US oil reserves: reports
President Joe Biden was expected Thursday to announce the release of a record million barrels of oil a day from US strategic stockpiles in a dramatic attempt to cushion the political fallout from soaring crude prices due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Nine foreign judges to stay on Hong Kong's top court
Nine foreign judges from Britain, Australia and Canada confirmed Thursday they will stay on Hong Kong's top court after two senior British justices resigned to avoid endorsing China's crackdown on political freedoms in the financial hub.
OPEC+ sticks to modest oil output increase despite Western pressure
The OPEC group of oil producing countries and its Russia-led allies agreed on another modest oil output increase on Thursday, ignoring Western pressure to significantly boost production as the Ukraine conflict has rocked prices.
Qatar rights overshadows FIFA congress in World Cup year
FIFA's decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar took centre stage at the global body's annual congress on Thursday with president Gianni Infantino forced to defend progress made by the Gulf state on human rights.
UN warns of Ukraine refugee 'humanitarian crisis'
The United Nations said on Thursday the refugee exodus from Ukraine was a "massive humanitarian crisis" that was growing by the second, after another 40,000 fled the country in 24 hours.
OPEC and Russia-led allies set to resist oil output pressure
The OPEC group of oil producing countries and its Russia-led allies were expected Thursday to again ignore Western pressure to significantly boost production as the Ukraine conflict has rocked prices.
Turkey seeks to shelve Khashoggi case
A Turkish prosecutor on Thursday asked an Istanbul court to halt the trial of 26 suspects in the murder of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi and hand the case over to Riyadh.