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With tears of gratitude, exhausted residents grabbed their pets and whatever else they could carry and fled after being liberated from two months of terror under Russian occupiers.

Indonesia's decision to suspend palm oil exports in the face of domestic shortages has pushed vegetable oil prices to new highs, further tightening a market already on edge due to the war in Ukraine and global warming.

A sandy-coloured tower glints in the sunlight and dominates the skyline of the Swedish town of Skelleftea as Scandinavia harnesses its wood resources to lead a global trend towards erecting eco-friendly high-rises.

Sandwiched between a shabby supermarket and a casino in northern Prague, a former Vietnamese shop slated for demolition has become a house of hope for Ukrainian refugees.

Germany on Friday brought a case against Italy before the International Court of Justice on the grounds that Rome is continuing to claim World War II compensation, thereby "failing to respect its jurisdictional immunity", the court said.

Beijing will amp up its Covid-19 restrictions with additional testing requirements, officials announced on Saturday, as the start of the Labour Day holiday was muted by creeping infections in the capital.

Desmond Bane scored 23 points as the Memphis Grizzlies stunned the Minnesota Timberwolves with another late fourth-quarter rally to score a series-clinching 114-106 victory in the NBA playoffs on Friday.

China's manufacturing activity slumped to its lowest level since February 2020, official data showed Saturday, the latest sign of economic pain as Beijing doggedly pursues its zero-Covid response.

Ukraine's second city Kharkiv was hit by multiple Russian shellings Saturday, though President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukrainian forces are making "tactical successes" in the region.

Hannah Green got off to a hot start on the way to a five-under-par 66 that gave the Australian a three-shot lead on Friday midway through the LPGA Palos Verdes Championship.

US President Joe Biden and his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador warned of "unprecedented" pressure from migration in a call Friday that highlighted a major political headache for the White House ahead of November elections.

The Philadelphia 76ers' playoff hopes suffered a bodyblow on Friday as star center Joel Embiid was sidelined indefinitely after being diagnosed with an orbital fracture and concussion, reports said.

Veering between drama and farce, the courtroom showdown pitting Johnny Depp against ex-wife Amber Heard focused this week on the host of professionals and hangers-on who surround the stars, painting a portrait of Hollywood in all its excess.

The death of an 18-year-old Mexican student has unleashed anger against authorities accused of negligence over the murders and disappearances of thousands of women each year, few of which receive as much attention.

Jair Bolsonaro clapped back Friday after US actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio urged Brazilian youth to register to vote in the country's October elections -- implying they should vote against the far-right president.

World number two Jon Rahm opened a two-stroke lead at the Mexico Open on Friday, firing eight birdies in five-under-par 66 for a 36-hole total of 12-under 130 at Vidanta Vallarta.

Black and Asian community leaders gathered in Los Angeles on Friday to mark 30 years since the US city was engulfed in violence in the wake of the acquittal of four police officers for the brutal beating of Rodney King.

Former US women's national team goalkeeper Hope Solo, arrested last month on alcohol-related charges, said Friday she is entering an in-patient alcohol treatment program.

A guard at an Israeli settlement in the West Bank was shot and killed late on Friday following a day of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, one of the focal points for weeks of violence.

World record-holder Lilly King clocked 1min 05.67sec to win the 100m breaststroke on Friday and complete a sweep at USA Swimming's World Championship trials in North Carolina.

Charred buildings, sunken ships and scattered shrapnel in the port of Mariupol remain a stark reminder of a siege endured by the Ukrainian city recently captured by Moscow during a military campaign in its pro-Western neighbour.

Wall Street stocks concluded a bruising April on an ugly note Friday following disappointing results from Amazon, while European and Asian markets forged higher.

Nine young children from Alabama affected by a mysterious hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) all tested positive for a common pathogen called adenovirus 41, a study by the US health agency said Friday.

Alexanda Kotey, part of the Islamic State kidnap-and-murder cell known as the "Beatles," was sentenced to life in prison Friday, with relatives of victims addressing him and another member directly in the US court.

The leader of Belarus' opposition said Friday that the United States is looking at stepping up technological assistance in the struggle against strongman Alexander Lukashenko.

Dutch national carrier KLM cancelled dozens of weekend flights Friday at Schiphol airport, hit hard by a strike and staff shortages as it struggles to cope with pre-coronavirus passenger numbers.

US President Joe Biden and his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador met virtually Friday to discuss "unprecedented" flows of migrants and refugees at the countries' shared border, a major political headache for the White House ahead of November elections.

Indonesia invoked the opposition of the United States Friday with its decision to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit in November, even as the host nation also invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Major League Baseball suspended Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer for two seasons on Friday over sexual assault allegations for which he was never criminally charged.

In Zaporizhzhia, trees were in bud and life was peaceful in this southeastern city, despite the war raging nearby -- until a rocket hit last Thursday, prompting a huge outpouring of solidarity.

Injury-nagged Zion Williamson, who missed the entire 2021-22 NBA season with a broken right foot, wants a long-term deal with the New Orleans Pelicans after watching their playoff run.

US Open champion Emma Raducanu rallied back from 2-5 down in the first set before switching gears to post a 7-6 (7/3), 6-0 result against Czech Republic's Tereza Martincova and set up an intriguing second round with fellow 19-year-old Marta Kostyuk.