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| - Duty Editor: Lachlan Carmichael Contact: Engdeskers@afp.com -- TOP STORIES -- + Moscow virus cases hit pandemic high + Ultraconservative tipped to win Iranian election + Global displacement from war, crises doubles in a decade: UN + England lock horns with Scotland at Euro 2020 + Bear killed after rampage in Japan city Health-virus-Russia,WRAP MOSCOW New coronavirus infections hit a pandemic high in Moscow, tripling in just weeks and forcing Russia's capital to close its Euro fan zone and extend other restrictions. 500 words 930 GMT by Antoine Lamroschini. Picture. Iran-vote,WRAP TEHRAN Iranians vote in a presidential election in which ultraconservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi is seen as all but certain to coast to victory after all serious rivals were barred from running. 850 words 1030 GMT by Frank Zeller and Ahmad Parhizi. Picture. Video. Live Video. Graphic Already moved: Iran-vote,COUNTRYFACTFILE Iran-vote-history,CHRONO UN-refugee-migrants-conflict-health-virus,WRAP GENEVA Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the number of people fleeing war and persecution continued rising last year, with global displacement climbing to over 82 million -- double the figure a decade ago, the UN says. 750 words moved by Nina Larson. Video. Graphic fbl-Euro-2020-2021,WRAP LONDON England can join Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands in the last 16 of Euro 2020 if they get the better of neighbours Scotland in a grudge match at Wembley. 650 words by Keiran Canning by 0930 GMT Japan-animal-bear TOKYO Hunters shoot and kill a brown bear in northern Japan after it rampaged through a city, injuring four people including a soldier and lumbering across busy roads. 400 words moved. Picture. Video -- SPOTLIGHT -- China-politics-social,PHOTOESSAY BEIJING China is ramping up a propaganda blitz ahead of the 100th birthday of the ruling Communist Party, with banners and billboards around the country reminding citizens to live a "civilised" life and obey authorities. 350 words moved. Picture Health-virus-Philippines-leisure-economy,FOCUS SAN JUAN, Philippines After months cooped up in coronavirus-hit Manila, Tanya Mariano fled the Philippine capital to work from the beach, joining a growing number of digital nomads helping a devastated tourism industry stay afloat. 750 words moved by Allison Jackson. Picture. Video -- CORONAVIRUS -- Health-virus-social-US-tradition,FOCUS NEW YORK Banished at the start of the pandemic, the handshake is making something of a comeback, thanks to vaccinations and the lifting of social restrictions -- but pressing the flesh faces an uncertain future. 800 words moved by Thomas Urbain. File picture Oly-2020-2021-Japan-virus-health,2ndLEAD TOKYO Thousands of Olympic volunteers and officials begin receiving vaccines in Tokyo, five weeks before the Games, as experts warn it would be safest to hold the event without fans. 650 words 1200GMT. Picture. Video Health-virus-vaccines-Africa-EU,FOCUS RABAT Europe is gradually re-opening to vaccinated travellers as coronavirus restrictions ease, but in some African nations such as Morocco recipients of jabs not recognised by the EU are facing bitter disappointment. 750 words 0930 GMT -- EUROPE -- Armenia-vote,WRAP YEREVAN Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is locked in a tight race with his main rival, ex-leader Robert Kocharyan, who is to make his final pitch to voters ahead of snap parliamentary polls this weekend. 600 words 1100 GMT by Mariam Harutyunyan and Anna Smolchenko. Picture. Video We have also moved: Armenia-vote-Pashinyan,FOCUS Italy-fashion-virus-Health MILAN Lights, camera, real live audiences -- Milan fashion welcomes back actual people to its shows Friday, a sign the industry is ready to start turning the page on virtual formats adopted during the pandemic. 450 words moved by Brigitte Hagemann. File Picture -- NORTH AFRICA -- Libya-conflict-Kadhafi-parks,FOCUS TRIPOLI Libyans a decade ago could scarcely have imagined picnicking at a key military facility in Tripoli, but today a once feared site has been transformed into a family relaxation area. 550 words moved by Jihad Dorgham. Picture. Video -- AFRICA -- Ethiopia-vote-election,ADVANCER ADDIS ABABA Ethiopia will vote Monday in an election billed as its freest yet, but that is proceeding under the shadow of war and famine in the north, and serious doubts over fairness.c 800 words moved by Nick Perry and Marion Douet. File Video. File Picture. Graphic. Video. Picture We have also moved: Ethiopia-vote,COUNTRYFACTFILE and Ethiopia-vote,Chrono Russia-France-conflict-CAfrica PARIS France accuses Russia of proceeding with a "seizure of power" in the Central African Republic, acknowledging that the role played by Russian mercenaries had forced Paris to scale down its military presence. 400 words 1000 GMT by Valerie Leroux -- AMERICAS -- Afghanistan-conflict-US-Turkey-Taliban,WRAP WASHINGTON The United States hails a promise by Turkey to secure Kabul's airport once US forces leave, helping ease fears of a government collapse once US forces leave. 550 words moved by Shaun Tandon Mexico-crime-press-justice,WRAP CULIACAN, Mexico A Mexican judge sentences one of the murderers of acclaimed journalist and AFP contributor Javier Valdez to 32 years and three months in prison for the killing, which sparked international condemnation. 600 words moved by Marcos Vizcarra. File Picture Haiti-refugee-gangs,FOCUS PORT-AU-PRINCE Daniella Francois sleeps on a foam mattress in a gym-turned-emergency shelter in Haiti's capital because her neighborhood is in the grips of a gang war. 600 words moved by Amelie Baron. Picture US-politics-Democrats-Pelosi,FOCUS WASHINGTON For years Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, was the most powerful woman in American politics, regularly squaring off against Donald Trump. Today her fiercest battles are not against an intransigent White House but rebellious progressives in her own caucus. 800 words moved by Michael Mathes. Picture -- ASIA -- HongKong-China-politics-media,WRAP HONG KONG A day after police raided its newsroom, Hong Kong's pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper hit the news stands with an extra large print run and a characteristic message of defiance emblazoned on its front: "We must press on". 500 words moved by Yan Zhao. Picture. Video Also moved: HongKong-China-politics-media,FOCUS NKorea-US-diplomacy,WRAP SEOUL North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says his country should be "fully prepared for confrontation" with the United States, while keeping the door open for dialogue with US President Joe Biden. 550 words moved Afghanistan-conflict-militia,FOCUS LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan As fighting between government forces and the Taliban rages across Afghanistan, a covert militia is also engaging the insurgents in fierce battles in the southern province of Helmand. 450 words moved by Rashid Durrani. Picture. Video -- ENVIRONMENT -- Environment-climate-Jordan-fish,FOCUS FIFA NATURE RESERVE, Jordan Jordan is racing against time to save a tiny rare fish from extinction as falling water levels partly triggered by global warming threaten to dry up its last habitat. 700 words 0930 GMT by Mussa Hattar. Picture. Video US-automobile-environment-stocks-fraud-Lordstown,FOCUS NEW YORK Several electric auto startups that raised large sums from investors in the wake of Tesla's ascent are hitting potholes as they pursue next-generation vehicles. 800 words moved by Juliette Michel and John Biers -- SPORT -- Fbl-Euro-2020-2021-marketing-beverage-Ronaldo,FOCUS PARIS When Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba removed branded drinks bottles during press conferences at Euro 2020, it was the latest example of sports stars rejecting products that do not correspond to their personal values, posing a headache for sponsors, analysts say. 450 words 1100 GMT. Picture Fbl-Copa-2021,2ndlead RIO DE JANEIRO A tearful Neymar inspires hosts Brazil to become the first side to qualify for the Copa America knock-out stages following a 4-0 win over Peru in Rio de Janeiro. 650 words moved by Rodrigo Almonacid. Picture Oly-2020-2021-athletics-PAK-Nadeem,FOCUS LAHORE, Pakistan Arshad Nadeem once dreamed of becoming a star cricketer, but after a switch to athletics as a teenager he now has an opportunity to grab Pakistan's first individual Olympic medal in more than 30 years. 750 words 0400 GMT by Shahid Hashmi. Picture. Video MMA-JPN-Murata,FOCUS HONG KONG Kanako Murata seemed destined to represent Japan at the Tokyo Olympics as a freestyle wrestler, but that all changed when she saw MMA icon Ronda Rousey fight. 500 words moved by Mathew Scott. File Picture -- SCIENCE -- Science-US-patents-women,FOCUS WASHINGTON Harvard business professor Rem Koning studies how bias hurts innovation. But three years ago, his research hit too close to home when his wife, suffering from a rare post childbirth condition, couldn't find treatments designed with new moms in mind. 650 words moved by Philip Van Slooten. File Picture afp
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