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| - Duty Editor: Anita Chang Beattie Email: washengdesk@afp.com -- TOP STORIES -- + US formally begins Afghanistan withdrawal + India expands vaccine drive as new cases soar + Explosions in Yangon amid anti-coup protests + Israel buries pilgrim stampede victims + Portuguese GP: Bottas denies Hamilton 100th pole Afghanistan-conflict-US-withdrawal,WRAP KABUL The United States formally begins withdrawing its last troops from Afghanistan, bringing its longest war nearer to an end but also heralding an uncertain future for a country in the tightening grip of an emboldened Taliban. 800 words moved by Jay Deshmukh and Usman Sharifi. Picture. Video Also moved: Afghanistan-conflict-US-military,CHRONO Afghanistan-conflict-US-Taliban,Q&A Afghanistan-conflict-US-withdrawal-Kandahar,FOCUS Health-virus-India-vaccines,4thlead NEW DELHI India's devastating Covid-19 surge further accelerates with more than 400,000 new cases in 24 hours, as vaccinations open to all adults despite shortages of shots. 700 words moved by Bhuvan Bagga and Glenda Kwek. Picture. Video. Live video. Graphic Myanmar-politics-military-demonstration-unrest,WRAP YANGON Explosions rock Myanmar's largest city Yangon as protesters hold flash marches for democracy, defying a brutal junta that has held onto power for three bloody months. 800 words moved. Picture. Video Moved: Myanmar-politics-military-SuuKyi,FOCUS Israel-accident-religion,WRAP JERUSALEM Israel resumes funerals for victims of a stampede that killed 45 people at a Jewish pilgrimage site, one of the nation's worst peacetime disasters. 750 words 1930 GMT by Alexandra Vardi. Picture. Video. Live Video Also moved: Israel-accident-religion,FACTS Auto-Prix-POR,WRAP PORTIMAO, Portugal Valtteri Bottas took pole position for the Portuguese Grand Prix with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton completing a Mercedes front-row lockout in qualifying. 500 words moved. Picture -- SPOTLIGHT -- Health-virus-Britain-technology-pandemic,VIDEOESSAY TAUNTON, Britain The rural county of Somerset in southwest England is best known for its cider, and seems an unlikely setting for cutting-edge technological innovation. 400 words moved by Arman Soldin. Video Iraq-Kurds-rights-justice,FOCUS SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq One night last October in Iraq's far north, police dragged Shivan Saed from his bed and beat him in front of his family before taking him away. Saed, 36, is one of a growing number of activists and journalists in northern Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region subject to arbitrary arrest and unfair trials, detainees' relatives and human rights groups say. 800 words moved by Shwan Muhammad -- CENTRAL ASIA -- Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan-conflict,WRAP BISHKEK Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan claim another breakthrough in their bid to end the heaviest clashes at their shared border in memory as thousands of Kyrgyz rally against what they call an invasion by their Central Asian neighbour. 750 words moved by Tolkun Namatbayeva. Picture -- EUROPE -- France-Spain-Germany-protest-labour-MayDay,WRAP PARIS Thousands rally across France and Spain to mark May Day in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic as police scuffle with protesters in Paris and fire tear gas. 550 words moved by Caroline Taix with Hazel Ward in Madrid. Picture. Video Italy-Libya-migrants,lead MARSEILLE, France More than 200 rescued migrants, half of them unaccompanied minors, disembark from the Ocean Viking humanitarian ship at an Italian port. 350 words moved. File picture. Video Poland-rights-politics-court-EU,INTERVIEW WARSAW Polish human rights chief Adam Bodnar criticises the EU for its slow response to the government's rule of law violations, warning in an interview that Poland risks becoming "undemocratic". 700 words moved by Anna Maria Jakubek. Picture. Video -- MIDDLE EAST -- Iran-US-nuclear-diplomacy,2ndlead VIENNA Parties to the Iran nuclear agreement adjourn the third round of negotiations in Vienna aimed at bringing the United States back into the accord, with the Russian side expressing "cautious and growing optimism" and saying they hoped to achieve concrete results within three weeks. 550 words moved -- AFRICA -- Somalia-unrest-politics,WRAP MOGADISHU Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed relaunches talks over the holding of fresh elections, in a move welcomed by the opposition following the country's worst political crisis in years. 600 words moved. Video Nigeria-unrest-bandits KANO, Nigeria A Nigerian bandit chief who led the kidnapping of hundreds of schoolchildren has been killed in armed clashes with a rival gang, sources say, just days after reneging on an amnesty deal with authorities. 450 words moved by Aminu Abubakar. File picture SAfrica-politics-corruption-crime,FOCUS JOHANNESBURG The scene is set for a bruising battle within South Africa's ruling African National Congress after its secretary general, Elias Magashule, ignored a party deadline to quit over graft allegations. 750 words moved by Michelle Gumede. File picture -- AMERICAS -- Brazil-environment-indigenous BRASILIA A leading indigenous activist in Brazil said she has been summoned to appear before police after being accused of "slandering" the government of far-right president Jair Bolsonaro. 450 words moved. File picture -- ENTERTAINMENT -- Entertainment-US-music-Grammys LOS ANGELES The organizers of the Grammys say they are scrapping the "secret" committees that select which acts get nominated for the prestigious music awards following criticism from artists and allegations of rigging. 400 words moved -- SPORT -- Fbl-ENG-Pr,WRAP LONDON Manchester City are on the brink of clinching the Premier League title after a 2-0 win against Crystal Palace, while Brighton virtually assure their survival with victory over Leeds. 600 words 2000 GMT by Steve Griffiths. Picture Auto-Prix-POR,WRAP PORTIMAO, Portugal Valtteri Bottas takes pole position for the Portuguese Grand Prix with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton completing a Mercedes front-row lockout in qualifying. 500 words moved. Picture afp
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