Russians head to polls in a vote set to extend Putin's rule. His foes are in jail, in exile or dead (apnews.com)
Croatian parliament dissolves to pave way for parliamentary election later this year (apnews.com)
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s parliament was dissolved on Thursday to pave the way for a parliamentary election later this year....
A plan to find new leadership for Haiti is moving forward, Caribbean officials say (apnews.com)
A plan to create a transitional presidential council is moving forward after a majority of Haitian parties and coalitions submitted the names of those charged with finding new leaders for the country, Caribbean officials said Thursday....
Israel broke international law with tank shelling that killed journalist, UN finds (www.theguardian.com)
CAA Should Be for All Persecuted People ‘Irrespective of Religion’, Says Taliban (thewire.in)
Canada moves to protect coral reef that scientists say ‘shouldn’t exist’ (www.theguardian.com)
Inside Moscow as Russia votes in election with no opposition to Putin (www.nbcnews.com)
NBC News spoke to people outside a polling station in the Russian capital Friday. With the winner in no doubt, the Kremlin will instead be looking to turnout as a measure of public support for President Vladimir Putin’s extended rule across this vast country....
US, G-7 allies warn Iran to back off deal to provide Russia ballistic missiles or face new sanctions (apnews.com)
The United States and allies warned Iran on Friday that major Western economies will pile new sanctions on Tehran if it moves forward with an advancing plan to provide ballistic missiles to Russia for its war with Ukraine....
Tens of thousands peacefully attend 1st Friday prayers of Ramadan at Temple Mount (www.timesofisrael.com)
Finland Moves To Block Asylum-Seekers From Entering Via Russia (www.reuters.com)
Finland plans to adopt temporary legislation that will allow its border authorities to block asylum seekers seeking to enter its territory from Russia, the government said on Friday....
A Chinese airline warned passengers not to throw coins into plane engines after an Airbus A350 was delayed for 4 hours (www.businessinsider.com)
China Southern Airlines warned passengers on social media not to throw coins at planes....
Japan high court rules same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional (english.kyodonews.net)
A Japanese high court ruled Thursday the country’s lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, in a move likely to further mount pressure on the government to do more to protect sexual minorities....
Blow for Milei as Senate rejects sweeping mega-reform decree | Buenos Aires Times (batimes.com.ar)
‘We don’t know where the money is going’: the ‘carbon cowboys’ making millions from credit schemes (www.theguardian.com)
Carbon schemes are touted as a way to transfer billions in climate finance to the developing world – but people at the Kariba project in Zimbabwe say most of the profits never arrive...
Not just the UNRWA report: Countless accounts of Israeli torture in Gaza (www.aljazeera.com)
Practices recorded by UNRWA include the use of a nail gun on prisoners’ knees, sexual abuse against both men and women and the insertion of what appears to be an electrified metal stick into prisoners’ rectums.
Swisscom finalises takeover of Vodafone Italy - SWI swissinfo.ch (www.swissinfo.ch)
Spanish parliament approves controversial amnesty for Catalan separatists (english.elpais.com)
Geert Wilders says he doesn’t have support of likely coalition partners to become Dutch premier (apnews.com)
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Geert Wilders, whose anti-Islam, anti-immigration rhetoric swept him to a stunning victory in the November election, said Wednesday he doesn’t have the support of his prospective coalition partners to become the next Dutch prime minister....
Vaasa police foil student's school shooting plan | Yle News | Yle (yle.fi)
Syrskyi: Russia trying to break through in Avdiivka direction, Ukraine facing ‘intense artillery fire’ (kyivindependent.com)
Argentina inflation slows for a second month as President Milei keeps pushing austerity measures (apnews.com)
‘Deluded’ Hamas made a ‘catastrophic miscalculation’, say Palestinian analysts (www.thejc.com)
Gangsters, Money and Murder: How Chinese Organized Crime Is Dominating America’s Illegal Marijuana Market (www.propublica.org)
‘Death trap’: Israeli forces kill six in new attack on Gaza aid seekers (www.aljazeera.com)
Israeli forces have shot dead at least six Palestinians and wounded 83 in Gaza City as they were waiting for food and humanitarian supplies at the Kuwait Roundabout, an area where large groups of people gather for arriving aid trucks....
China has 12½ times more robots in its workforce than experts expected: report (www.scmp.com)
