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Ukraine completes Druzhba pipeline repairs, hoping to unlock blocked EU loan

Ukraine has completed repairs on a damaged oil pipeline and is preparing to resume flows, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday, while warning that there is no guarantee Russia will not target the infrastructure again.

Repairs to the Druzhba pipeline became a contentious issue, delaying approval of a major 90 billion euro ($106 billion) EU loan intended to support Ukraine's military and economic needs over the next two years. Zelensky said repairing the pipeline was linked to freeing the funds, which had been blocked by Hungary and Slovakia.

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Pope visiting Equatorial Guinea prison in spotlight after US migrant deportations

Pope Leo XIV is visiting one of Equatorial Guinea's notorious prisons Wednesday, drawing attention to human rights abuses that campaigners have denounced for years and especially after the U.S. began deporting third-country migrants here.

Leo's visit to the prison in Bata, the central African country's port city, continues the tradition of Pope Francis, who made prison visits a priority of his pontificate. Francis' aim was to give prisoners hope and to remind them the church was with them, while also shining a spotlight on judicial abuses, overcrowding and other injustices.

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UK inflation rises in March as prices at pump spike higher after Iran war

Inflation in the U.K. climbed in March after a sharp jump in prices at the pump in the wake of the disruption to energy supplies caused by the Iran war, official figures showed Wednesday.

The Office for National Statistics said the annual consumer price inflation rate increased to a three-month high of 3.3% from 3% the previous month. The rise was in line with market expectations.

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Iranian gunboat targets container ship off Oman coast

Iran fired on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, damaging the vessel and complicating efforts to bring the United States and Iran together in Pakistan for talks to end the war.

The morning attack by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard came after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. would indefinitely extend the ceasefire with Iran, which had been due to expire on Wednesday, to give Tehran time to come up with a "unified proposal" ahead of possible negotiations.

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Under war pressure, Iran gives its field commanders more power over militias in Iraq

Iran has granted its commanders greater autonomy over militias in Iraq, allowing some groups to carry out operations without Tehran's approval, a shift driven by the pressures of the war, three militia members and two other officials told The Associated Press.

Many Iran-backed militias are funded through the Iraqi state budget and embedded within the security apparatus, drawing criticism from the United States and other countries that have borne the brunt of their attacks and say Baghdad has failed to take a tougher stance.

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Macron to press Lebanon ceasefire and sovereignty in Paris talks

French President Emmanuel Macron is to reaffirm France's full commitment to the ceasefire in Lebanon and support for the country's territorial integrity at a meeting Tuesday in Paris with Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Macron's office said.

Pakistan is preparing for a new round of talks between the U.S. and Iran as the ceasefire is set to expire Wednesday, while Lebanon and Israel are set to hold a new meeting in Washington later this week.

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Salam from Luxembourg: Lebanon today needs European partners more than ever

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam spoke at a meeting in Luxembourg about the fragile ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, disarming the Hezbollah militant group, and the need for EU assistance for the war-torn nation.

“Lebanon today needs its European partners more than ever,” Salam posted on X on Tuesday.

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Middle East crises divide Europe with rising fuel costs and tensions over Israel policy

Buoyed by the election of a new leader in Hungary, Europe's top diplomats are meeting in Luxembourg to forge plans of action on multiple crises from the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russian hybrid attacks, and economic instability as the war in Iran drives up energy prices worldwide.

But it is the European Union's policy toward Israel — and how to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as security deteriorates in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the occupied West Bank, as well as in Lebanon — that is dividing the 27-nation bloc.

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Vance, Ghalibaf to arrive in Pakistan early Wednesday

There appeared to be movement toward another round of U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks Tuesday as two regional officials told The Associated Press that both countries have signaled a return to Pakistan for discussions. There was no immediate word on timing of talks.

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15 bridges hit in Lebanon since war started

Lebanon’s public works and transport minister said Tuesday that 15 bridges have been damaged or destroyed during the latest war.

Fayez Rasamny told the local LBC TV channel that the government still doesn't have a final estimate for the damage caused by the almost seven-week Israel-Hezbollah war.

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