AFP news

Ukraine is readying for a highly anticipated spring offensive against invading Russian troops, but the latest assistance will not immediately arrive on the battlefield as it must still be procured from the defense industry or partners.

Von der Leyen was in town to mark Europe Day, which promotes peace and unity on the continent and falls on the same day that Kyiv's foe Moscow celebrates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.

More than 700,000 people are now internally displaced by battles since April 15, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Soldin, 32, was killed when a rocket struck close to where he was lying. The rest of the team was uninjured.

Tens of thousands of people are massing at border crossing points awaiting the expiration of so-called Title 42 overnight Thursday into Friday.

In a subsequent comment fired off on Twitter, Musk contended that the WhatsApp messaging service operated by Meta "cannot be trusted."

Four other visitors to the Ghriba synagogue on Djerba island and five more security officers were wounded in the attack, according to the ministry.

Philippe Hategekimana, 66, fled to France after the genocide, obtaining refugee status under a fake name.

The discovery of mass graves last month near the Indian Ocean coastal town of Malindi has stunned the deeply religious Christian-majority country in what has been dubbed the "Shakahola forest massacre".

The Ukrainian leader has decreed that May 9 would be celebrated in his country as Europe Day, as it is in Brussels, spurning the martial Victory Day tradition of the former Soviet Union.

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden's administration will lift Title 42, the strict protocol implemented by Donald Trump to deny entry to migrants, including asylum seekers, based on the Covid pandemic.

Putin, who has become the target of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, is expected to address thousands of troops standing at attention in Moscow's Red Square amid ramped-up security.

The decision was reached at talks attended by several heads of states, including DRC's Felix Tshisekedi, his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, Tanzania's Samia Suluhu Hassan and ministers from the regional group.

The feuding generals have sent representatives to Saudi Arabia for talks on establishing a humanitarian truce in an effort also backed by the United States, but to no avail so far.

It is "with great hope that I declare Covid-19 over as a global health emergency", World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters.

A joint US-Saudi statement welcomed the "start of pre-negotiation talks" and urged sustained global support to quell fighting.

Investigators said they "are probing Alexander Permyakov's involvement in the assassination attempt on Zakhar Prilepin".

Moscow has blamed Kyiv -- and its Western supporters -- for an escalating number of long-range attacks and sabotage operations, including on the Kremlin.

Wagner says Russia promises enough ammo to stay in Bakhmut

At least 394 bodies have been recovered after last week's floods, said Thomas Bakenga, administrator of Kalehe territory where the affected villages are located.

Law enforcement said they were treating the incident as an accident for now, though a witness told AFP the driver had yelled insults at the group before accelerating.

Sister tells of 'heartbreak' over Kenya cult member accused of starving kids

Prigozhin's Wagner group has spearheaded the grinding, months-long Russian assault on Bakhmut, almost capturing the city in the longest and bloodiest battle of the campaign.

The deeply religious Christian-majority country has been stunned by the discovery of the graves last month near the Indian Ocean coastal town of Malindi, in what has been dubbed the "Shakahola forest massacre".

On the long and arduous journey out of the war-scarred country, scores may have starved were it not for the generosity of strangers volunteering to hand out food and drink despite the perilous conditions.

Mackenzie, the head of the Good News International Church, is alleged to have incited his followers to starve to death in order to "meet Jesus" in a case that has deeply shocked Kenyans.

According to AU space programme coordinator Tidiane Ouattara, about 15 African countries have a space agency.

The "overall partnership agreement" means the Somair mine in northern Niger could carry on working until 2040, 11 years beyond its currently expected closure, Mining Minister Hadiza Ousseini said.

The Ukrainian leader is on a rare first visit to the lowlands country after meeting Nordic leaders a day before in Helsinki, and is drumming up military support ahead of Kyiv's offensive against Russia.