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Belarus, Iran vow to boost ties amid Russia's Ukraine war
The presidents of Iran and Belarus hailed their close ties in talks in Tehran Monday at a time both countries are sharply at odds with Western powers, including over Russia's war in Ukraine.
'Fierce' battles rage in central Bakhmut as Russia grinds forward
Fierce fighting is raging for control of the centre of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, the longest-running and bloodiest battle of Moscow's invasion, Russian and Ukrainian forces said Monday.
US rushes to contain SVB fallout, Biden vows to fix 'mess'
US authorities unveiled sweeping measures Sunday to ease fears over the health of the banking system following the failure of Silicon Valley Bank, as regulators took over a second troubled lender.
Biden meets Australian, British leaders in California on subs pact
President Joe Biden meets Monday with the leaders of Australia and Britain at a California naval base for an expected announcement of a nuclear submarines deal aimed at stabilizing the Asia-Pacific region as it faces a rising China.
N. Korea launches missiles as US, S. Korea kick off major drills
North Korea said Monday it had test-fired two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine, as South Korea and the United States kicked off their largest joint military exercises in five years.
China premier warns 2023 growth target 'no easy task'
China's new premier warned Monday that the country's five percent growth target for 2023 will not be "easy" to achieve, as its rubber-stamp parliament wrapped up over a week of meetings.
'Navalny' wins best documentary feature Oscar
"Navalny," a film that examines the poisoning of jailed Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, on Sunday won the Oscar for best documentary feature.
China's Xi spotlights national security in congress closing speech
China's Xi Jinping on Monday emphasised the need to strengthen national security, in his first address since being handed a historic third term as the country's president.
Boycott threat over Ukraine war clouds Paris Olympics
One of the major headaches, not just for the Paris 2024 organising committee but also for the International Olympic Committee, is how to handle the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Russia and security 'the major issues for IOC and Paris Olympics'
The decision on whether Russian athletes should compete in the Paris Olympics is the biggest headache facing organisers 500 days out from the opening ceremony, former senior IOC officials have told AFP.
US regulators rush to contain SVB fallout, Biden vows to fix 'mess'
US authorities unveiled sweeping measures Sunday to rescue depositors' money in full from failed Silicon Valley Bank and to promise other institutions help in meeting customers' needs, as they announced a second tech-friendly bank had been closed by regulators.
US, S.Korea kick off largest drills in five years
South Korea and the United States kicked off their largest joint military exercises in five years on Monday, after nuclear-armed Pyongyang warned such drills could be seen as a "declaration of war".
Fuelled by Ukraine, European arms imports double in 2022
Arms imports into Europe almost doubled in 2022, driven by massive shipments to Ukraine, which has become the world's third-largest destination, researchers said Monday.
Iran says 'everything ready' for prisoner swap, US denies
Iran's top diplomat on Sunday said "everything is ready" to implement a stalled prisoner exchange deal with the United States, which Washington promptly denied as a "cruel lie".
N.Korea test-fires two strategic cruise missiles from submarine: KCNA
North Korea test-fired two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine in a show of force hours before the United States and South Korea were to stage major joint military exercises, state media reported early Monday.
US, S Korea to kick off largest drills in five years
South Korea and the United States were set to kick off their largest joint exercises in five years on Monday, after nuclear-armed Pyongyang warned such drills could be seen as a "declaration of war".
Yellen rules out SVB bailout but US said to weigh protecting deposits
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday the government wants to avoid financial "contagion" from Silicon Valley Bank's implosion, but while the US rules out a bailout it reportedly is considering safeguarding all of the fallen institution's deposits.
Global trade union leader sacked over EU graft scandal ties
The general secretary of the international union ITUC has been dismissed from his post over his links to a European Parliament graft scandal implicating Qatar, the confederation said.
'So be it': Ukrainians despair as Russians hammer Chasiv Yar
In the embattled eastern town of Chasiv Yar, Valentyna is so exhausted by constant shelling she does not care if she dies.
Moldova smashes pro-Moscow subversion ring
Moldovan police said Sunday they had arrested members of a network they suspected of being orchestrated by Moscow in a bid to destabilise the small ex-Soviet nation as an anti-government protest kicked off.
Swiss city Lucerne votes to restrict Airbnb rentals
The Swiss city of Lucerne voted Sunday to limit short-term rentals, including on the Airbnb platform, to a maximum of 90 days a year.
Charity says dozens of migrants drowned off Libya
A charity monitoring migrant boats in the Mediterranean said Sunday some of the 47 people on a boat it had earlier warned Italian authorities was in distress off the coast of Libya had drowned.
Rubbish piles up in strike-bound Paris
Thousands of tonnes of garbage has piled up on streets across the French capital after a week of strike action by dustbin collectors against government pension reforms, city hall said Sunday.
US govt rules out SVB bailout, wants to avoid 'contagion': Yellen
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Sunday said the government wanted to avoid financial "contagion" from the implosion of the Silicon Valley Bank but ruled out a bailout of the institution.
Israeli army shoots dead three Palestinian gunmen in West Bank
Israeli soldiers shot dead three Palestinian gunmen in a pre-dawn firefight in the occupied West Bank, Israeli and Palestinian sources said Sunday, amid a surge in violence in the region.
Qatar spied on ex top Swiss prosecutor probing FIFA: media
Qatar spied on a former Swiss attorney general and bugged his secret meeting with the FIFA chief, amid fears it could be stripped of hosting the 2022 World Cup, media reported Sunday.
BBC chief refuses to quit despite chaos sparked by Lineker removal
Britain's finance minister on Sunday said "people's confidence" in the BBC needed to be restored as the broadcaster's boss vowed not to quit amid the chaos surrounding Gary Lineker's removal as Match of the Day host.
Greece faces fresh protests over country's worst train crash
Thousands of demonstrators staged fresh protests in Greece on Sunday as anger grows over the country's deadliest rail crash, ratcheting up pressure on the government over the tragedy.
China retains central bank chief in unexpected move
China retained its central bank chief Sunday in a surprise move, as the country appointed a cabinet focused on fighting economic headwinds.
Ukraine readies counteroffensive as Russia inches forward in Bakhmut
The Ukrainian military was preparing Sunday for an upcoming counteroffensive, with a top commander saying his forces' ongoing defence of Bakhmut in the face of fierce and sustained Russian attacks was necessary to "buy time" for that push.
BBC boss will not step down as Lineker removal sparks sports coverage chaos
The BBC's director general Tim Davie said he will not resign after the publicly-funded broadcaster's sport service was decimated on Saturday by a backlash to Gary Lineker's removal as Match of the Day host.
Watchdog 'clears' S.Africa's Ramaphosa over cover-up scandal
South Africa's anti-corruption watchdog cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing in a preliminary report into a cover-up scandal that has tarnished his reputation, local media reported on Saturday.