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| - Duty Editor: James Hossack Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + US says Saudi prince approved Khashoggi murder + Police open fire on protesters in Myanmar's Yangon + House on cusp of passing $1.9 trillion Covid plan + US panel recommends authorising J&J vaccine + Cyprus urged to drop 'satanic' Eurovision entry US-Saudi-politics-murder-intelligence,WRAP WASHINGTON The United States for the first time publicly accuses Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of approving the gruesome murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, unveiling a raft of punitive measures but stopping short of directly targeting the powerful heir apparent. 700 words moved by Sebastian Smith and Shaun Tandon. File picture Also moved: US-Saudi-politics-murder-intelligence-diplomacy,Q&A Myanmar-politics-military,WRAP YANGON Police fire rubber bullets to disperse anti-coup protesters in Yangon after Myanmar's UN envoy made an emotional plea for the "strongest possible action" to end the military's rule. 600 words 0630 GMT. Picture. Video US-economy-politics-health-virus,WRAP WASHINGTON The US House of Representatives votes on an enormous, $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, a critical step in funneling new funding toward vaccine distribution, struggling local governments, and millions of families devastated by the pandemic. 750 words 0630 GMT by Michael Mathes. Picture Health-virus,WRAP WASHINGTON A US panel recommends Johnson & Johnson's one-dose Covid-19 shot for emergency approval, as some of the world's most powerful countries issue a unified call for better vaccine access for poorer nations. 800 words moved by Ben Sheppard and AFP bureaus. Picture. Video. Graphic Entertainment-Cyprus-Eurovision NICOSIA Cyprus comes under pressure to withdraw its Eurovision Song Contest entry, after an anonymous caller threatened to "burn down" national broadcaster CyBC and an association of religion teachers blasted the tune. 300 words moved -- SPOTLIGHT -- Colombia-agriculture-environment-bees,FOCUS ARMENIA, Colombia For the second time in two years, Gildardo Urrego is scooping up piles of dead bees after an invisible evil invaded his hives in northwest Colombia, wreaking havoc among his swarms. Urrego has no proof, but he suspects pesticides which have been fuelling a commercial avocado boom. 800 words moved by Juan Sebastian Serrano. Picture. Video -- CORONAVIRUS -- Health-virus-Mexico,FOCUS MEXICO CITY After Areli Torres caught the coronavirus, the fever and headache disappeared in a few days, but she says it took seven months for Mexican doctors to correctly diagnose the debilitating long-term effects. Her case illustrates the huge challenge that the country's already overwhelmed health system faces helping people with "long Covid" -- the symptoms that sometimes linger long after the infection. 700 words moved by Jennifer Gonzalez Covarrubias -- AMERICAS -- US-Mexico-Canada-diplomacy,WRAP WASHINGTON US Secretary of State Antony Blinken makes his international debut in an unusual setup befitting extraordinary times - with virtual "trips" a short walk from his office. 600 words moved by Shaun Tandon. Pictures. Video US-politics-Republicans-Trump-CPAC,FOCUS WASHINGTON Brace yourself for Donald Trump 2.0, America. The ex-president returns from political hiatus Sunday seeking to regain control of a Republican Party that is out of power and pondering whether the flawed billionaire can win again in 2024. 800 words moved by Michael Mathes. Picture. File picture ElSalvador-vote-politics,ADVANCER SAN SALVADOR El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, accused of authoritarianism by detractors, stands to win an absolute majority in parliament in elections for which his party is polling strongly. 550 words moved by Marco Sibaja and Carlos Mario Marquez. File picture -- AFRICA -- Nigeria-unrest-kidnap-school,WRAP KANO, Nigeria More than 300 schoolgirls are abducted by gunmen in northwest Nigeria in the country's latest mass kidnapping, and a rescue bid was under way, regional police said. 700 words moved by Aminu Abubakar. Graphic. Video. File picture Mozambique-unrest-aid-food,FOCUS PEMBA, Mozambique Brutal jihadist violence forced them to flee their homes, but now hunger has driven some in Mozambique to risk their lives by sneaking back to their old residences to gather food -- or even resume farming. 650 words moved by Emidio Jozine and Alfredo Zuniga. Picture. Video -- MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA -- Iraq-politics-Sinjar,FOCUS BAGHDAD Nearly six years since Iraq's Sinjar region was recaptured from jihadists, a tangled web of geopolitical tensions risks sparking a new conflict that could prolong the dire situation of minority Yazidis. 750 words moved by Salam Faraj Yemen-conflict-Marib,WRAP ABU DHABI More than 60 fighters are killed in clashes in Yemen between Iran-backed Huthi rebels and government forces in the strategic northern province of Marib, government sources say. 450 words moved by Fawaz Al Haidari with Shatha Yaish in Dubai Syria-conflict-US,WRAP BEIRUT Syria and Iran condemn a deadly US air strike on Iranian-backed militias with Damascus calling it a "bad sign" from the new Biden administration and Tehran saying it would further destabilise the region. 800 words moved by Tony Gamal-Gabriel with Paul Handley in Washington. File Picture. Graphic -- EUROPE -- Britain-Syria-court-appeal,WRAP LONDON Britain's highest court rejects a bid by a woman who was stripped of her UK citizenship for joining the Islamic State group to return to challenge the decision. 650 words moved by Joe Jackson, Anna Malpas. Video. File picture. File video Italy-DRCongo-UN-diplomacy-conflict ROME The Italian ambassador killed in an ambush in the Democratic Republic of Congo while travelling on a UN convoy was "betrayed" by someone close to the family, his widow says in an interview. 500 words moved. Picture Russia-politics-Navalny-prison,2ndlead MOSCOW Leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has been transferred to a penal colony where he will serve out his jail sentence, the head of Russia's prison service says. 450 words moved by Anna Smolchenko. Also moved: Russia-politics-Navalny-prison,CHRONO -- ENTERTAINMENT -- Entertainment-US-film-television-Globes-health-virus,FOCUS LOS ANGELES The weeks building up to Hollywood's awards season are usually a whirlwind of glitzy Los Angeles parties, lavish celebrity "gifting suites" and the raucous Golden Globes themselves -- but not this year. 800 words moved by Andrew Marszal. Picture. Video. Graphic Also moved: Entertainment-US-film-television-Globes,POINTS Entertainment-US-film-television-Globes-HFPA,FACTS Entertainment-US-film-television-Globes-Britain-Cohen,PROFILE Entertainment-US-film-television-Globes-Britain-Cohen,PROFILE LONDON From a tracksuited rapper to a bumbling Kazakh TV reporter, Sacha Baron Cohen has made his name with outrageous characters who expose real people's prejudices and hypocrisy. On Sunday, he could take home two Golden Globes. 850 words moved by Anna Malpas. File picture afp
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