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| - Duty Editor: Abhik Chanda Contact: Engdeskers@afp.com -- TOP STORIES -- + Israel pounds Gaza as conflict escalates + WHO says pandemic 'far more deadly' this year + 12 killed in Afghan mosque blast near Kabul + Britain to hold 'last hope' climate talks + Picasso painting sells for $103 million Israel-Palestinians-conflict,WRAP RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories Israel faces a widening conflict as deadly violence escalates across the West Bank amid a massive aerial bombardment in Gaza and violent riots among Arab and Jews inside the country. 850 words 1430 GMT by Hossam Ezzedine with Adel Zaanoun in Gaza City. Picture. Video. Graphic. Live Video Health-virus,WRAP GENEVA World health experts issue a grim warning that the second year of Covid-19 is set to be "far more deadly" as Japan extends a state of emergency and calls grow to scrap the Olympics. 800 words 1530 GMT by Robin Millard with AFP bureaus. Picture. Graphic. Video Afghanistan-conflict-US,WRAP KABUL At least 12 people are killed in a mosque blast on the outskirts of the Afghan capital, shattering the relative calm of a holiday ceasefire between the warring Taliban and government forces. 600 words 1430 GMT by Emal Haidary with Rashid Durrani in Kandahar. File video Climate-Britain-talks,WRAP LONDON Britain still plans to hold an in-person global climate summit in Glasgow later this year despite the pandemic, the event's president says, calling it the planet's "last hope" of averting catastrophe. 650 words moved by Joe Jackson. Picture US-art-Picasso-painting-auction NEW YORK Pablo Picasso's "Woman Sitting Near a Window (Marie-Therese)" sells for $103.4 million at Christie's in New York. 450 words moved -- SPOTLIGHT -- China-society-tourism-Titanic,FOCUS SUINING, China The Titanic is being brought back from the deep, more than a century after its ill-fated maiden voyage, at a landlocked Chinese theme park where tourists can soon splash out for a night on a fullscale replica. 550 words moved by Noel Celis and Qian Ye. Picture. Video Myanmar-politics-military-rights-women,FOCUS BANGKOK Beaten, kicked in the groin and threatened with sexual violence -- a young Myanmar teenager detained by the junta's security forces described the treatment suffered by some women and girls behind bars. 750 words moved. Graphic Albania-environment-dams-energy,FOCUS ANEVJOSE, Albania Cutting into craggy mountains, meandering through plains and eventually hitting Albania's shimmering Adriatic, the Vjosa river's untouched landscapes are a national treasure, but one that is under imminent threat. 850 words moved by Briseida Mema and Joseph Boyle. Video. Picture -- CORONAVIRUS -- Oly-2020-2021-Japan-politics-health-virus TOKYO Japan's government expands a virus state of emergency, just 10 weeks before the Tokyo Olympics, as campaigners submit a petition over 350,000 signatures urging the Games be scrapped. 650 words moved by Kyoko Hasegawa and Sara Hussein. Picture. Video Health-virus-US WASHINGTON To mask or not to mask? The top US health agency's decision to lift mask guidance for vaccinated people took local governments, companies, and experts by surprise, sparking confusion and heated debate. 650 words 1700 GMT by Lucie Aubourg Health-virus-US-teens-vaccinations,SCENE BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan Harrison Hunger, 14, received his Covid shot at a clinic in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and now has pastries on his mind. 500 words moved by Jeff Kowalsky with Peter Hutchison in New York and Cyril Julien in Washington. Picture. Video Health-virus-India-villages,SCENE UNNAO, India As coronavirus silently ravages India's vast rural hinterland, people are relying on quacks and herbal concoctions while loved ones are hastily buried in shallow graves or given up to rivers without a proper funeral, locals say. 750 words moved by Sanjay Kanojia with Abhaya Srivastava in New Delhi. Picture Health-virus-Greece-tourism-leisure,2ndlead HERAKLION,Greece Elke from Germany is elated to feel the touch of the sun on her face on Crete, as she joins other tourists returning to Greece after the country kickstarts its tourism season. 850 words 1700 GMT by Mina Economou. Picture. Video -- EUROPE -- Russia-Ukraine-conflict-Putin,WRAP MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin vows to respond to what he says is the persecution of Moscow-friendly politicians in Ukraine, accusing the West of turning a blind eye to Kiev's political "clean-up." 500 words moved Italy-migration-justice-Salvini ROME Italian far-right leader Matteo Salvini avoids trial on charges he illegally detained migrants at sea, ending one of his legal troubles even as another related case looms. 500 words moved Ireland-health-computers-politics,WRAP DUBLIN Ireland's health authority shuts down its computer systems after experiencing a "significant ransomware attack", a week after the largest US fuel pipeline network was also targeted. 650 words 1430 GMT by Joe Stenson. Video France-wine-people,FOCUS VILLECROZE, France With the imminent arrival of American idol George Clooney, France's rose vineyards have cemented their status as a prime target for wealthy investors wading into one of the hottest sectors of the wine market. 650 words 1500 GMT by Claudine Renaud. Picture France-NZealand-internet-attacks,lead PARIS French President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hold talks by video conference to advance their two-year-old campaign to curb online extremism. 400 words 2000 GMT -- MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA -- Iran-politics-vote-internet,FOCUS TEHRAN As Iran gears up for a presidential election, people from across the political spectrum are taking to the audio app Clubhouse as a rare forum for debate inside the country. 800 words moved by Amir Havasi. Picture. Video. File Picture Lebanon-Turkey-electricity,WRAP BEIRUT Lebanon loses as much as a quarter of its mains electricity supply as a Turkish firm halts power generation, the latest blow to the crisis-hit country already suffering long blackouts. 650 words moved by Alice Hackman with Gokan Gunes in Istanbul. File Picture. File Video Lebanon-animals-politics-economy,FOCUS BEIRUT Ibrahim al-Dika raised his dog since she was a pup but had to sell her to repay a bank loan in Lebanon, where many are being forced to give up their pets amid an economic crisis. 650 words moved by Alice Hackman. Picture. Video Lifestyle-Libya-motorbike,FOCUS BENGHAZI Bikers of Libya's Mediterranean city of Benghazi, the cradle of its 2011 revolution and a one-time Islamist bastion, rev up their motors to show another side to their war-scarred country. 400 words moved by Mohammed Elshaiky. Picture. Video -- ASIA -- HongKong-China-politics-media,WRAP HONG KONG Hong Kong authorities announce they have frozen the assets of billionaire pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai, including shares in his media publications, for breaching the city's national security law. 500 words moved -- AFRICA -- SAfrica-indigenous-IT-Amazon,FOCUS CAPE TOWN A legal battle looms over plans to build the African headquarters of online retail giant Amazon on land that is dear to South Africa's indigenous Khoisan ethnic group. 550 words moved by Linda Givetash SAfrica-corruption-trial-politics-Zuma, ADVANCER JOHANNESBURG Forced to resign three years ago in the face of a litany of corruption scandals, embattled former South African president Jacob Zuma is due back in court on Monday in a graft case dating back more than two decades. 600 words moved by Gersende Rambourg. File Picture. File Video Djibouti-currency-people-money-women,FOCUS DJIBOUTI They are a familiar sight on the busy streets of Djibouti: women clutching handbags bulging with dollars, euros, riyals and rupees, the money changers keeping the informal economy ticking over. 650 words moved by Marion Douet. Picture. Video -- AMERICAS -- US-oil-hacking-pipeline,WRAP WASHINGTON Servers for Darkside were taken down by unknown actors, a week after the cyber extortionist forced the shutdown of a large US oil pipeline in a ransomware scam, a US cyber security firm says. 500 words 1500 GMT by Paul Handley US-politics-Republicans-Stefanik,lead WASHINGTON US Republicans install congresswoman Elise Stefanik, an unapologetic defender of Donald Trump, as their new House conference chair, as the party seeks unity amid an explosive debate about its direction. 500 words 1500 GMT by Michael Mathes. Picture Brazil-politics-Bolsonaro,FOCUS RIO DE JANEIRO Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has seen happier days: his poll numbers have plunged and the Senate is investigating his chaotic handling of Covid-19. What to do? Hop on his trusty blue motorcycle and rally his hardline supporters. 700 words moved by Joshua Howat Berger. File picture. Video -- BUSINESS/ECONOMY -- Britain-politics-finance-business-GFG-Greensill,WRAP LONDON Britain's Serious Fraud Office launches a probe into steelmaker GFG Alliance, focusing partly on links with its collapsed financier Greensill. 700 words moved by Roland Jackson US-internet-energy-environment-Bitcoin,ANALYSIS NEW YORK Cryptocurrency fans have counted Tesla boss Elon Musk as among their champions, but this week he rocked their world by questioning the future of the digital assets and singling out carbon emissions from bitcoin mining for particular criticism. 600 words moved by Ali Bekhtaoui US-leisure-investments-internet,FOCUS NEW YORK Anyone can easily own a Basquiat painting, a pair of Yeezy sneakers or even a Ferrari -- at least, that's the promise of a growing number of fractional ownership platforms that sell shares of these rare items, starting at just a few dollars. 800 words moved by Thomas Urbain -- ENTERTAINMENT -- Entertainment-US-television-Friends LOS ANGELES "The One Where They Get Back Together" is finally upon us -- and the cast of "Friends" will be joined by famous fans from Justin Bieber to David Beckham, HBO Max announces. 350 words moved -- SPORT -- Oly-2020-2021-Japan-Paralympics-health-virus,INTERVIEW TOKYO Paralympics chief Andrew Parsons acknowledges "anger" over holding the Tokyo Games as virus cases surge in Japan, but says the chances that athletes will spread the virus are "really remote". 600 words moved by Andrew McKirdy RugbyU-NZL-investments WELLINGTON New Zealand's Rugby Players' Association unveils a funding proposal designed to keep the legendary All Blacks in Kiwi hands, sparking a furious reaction from administrators who are pursuing a deal with US investors. 448 words moved. 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