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Ukraine says deadly Russian strikes threaten US-backed peace talks

Ukraine on Saturday accused Russia of undermining negotiations to end their almost four-year war by launching fresh deadly strikes, as officials from both countries and the United States met for a second day of direct talks in Abu Dhabi.

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Iraq PM says European countries should take back IS detainees

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani told French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday that European countries should repatriate IS detainees that were transferred from Syria to Iraq as part of a US operation.

During a telephone call, Sudani "stressed the importance of countries around the world, particularly European Union member states, assuming their responsibilities by receiving those individuals who hold their nationalities" and prosecuting them, according to a statement from his office.

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UN rights chief urges Iran to 'end brutal repression'

The United Nations rights chief decried Friday that "thousands" of people, including children, had died in Iran's crackdown on nationwide protests, and urged the authorities to "end their brutal repression".

Speaking at the start of a U.N. Human Rights Council urgent meeting on the situation in Iran, Volker Turk urged the authorities in Tehran "to reconsider, to pull back, and to end their brutal repression".

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Europeans among 150 high-ranking IS members transferred to Iraq

Europeans were among 150 senior Islamic State group jihadist detainees transferred from Syria to Iraq earlier this week as part of a U.S. operation, two Iraqi security officials told AFP Friday.

The group, which the U.S. military transferred to Iraq on Wednesday, were "all leaders of the Islamic State group, and some of the most notorious criminals," and included "Europeans, Asians, Arabs and Iraqis," one security official said.

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EU leaders 'have serious doubts' about Trump's 'Board of Peace'

European leaders have serious doubts about the scope of President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" but were ready to work with the United States and the newly founded body in Gaza, EU chief Antonio Costa said Friday.

"We have serious doubts about a number of elements in the charter of the Board of Peace related to its scope, its governance and its compatibility with the U.N. Charter," the European Council president said after an EU leaders' summit in Brussels.

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Trump withdraws invite for Canada's Carney to join 'Board of Peace'

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday withdrew an invite for Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney to join his newly constituted "Board of Peace."

"Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada's joining," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

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134,000 displaced in northeast Syria after clashes between govt, Kurds

More than 134,000 people have been displaced in northeast Syria, the United Nations migration agency said Thursday, after clashes and a fragile ceasefire deal between government and Kurdish-led forces, who have withdrawn from swathes of territory.

In the past three days, the number of internally displaced people in Hasakeh province "has increased to approximately 134,803 individuals" compared to 5,725 recorded on Sunday, the International Organization for Migration said in a statement.

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Liverpool cruise as Bayern reach Champions League last 16

Liverpool eased to a 3-0 win in Marseille in the Champions League on Wednesday as Harry Kane's double earned Bayern Munich a 2-0 victory against Union Saint-Gilloise that secured a place in the last 16 for the German giants.

Arne Slot's Liverpool extended their unbeaten run to 13 matches in all competitions since a 4-1 hammering at home by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League in November.

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French navy boards tanker 'from Russia' in Mediterranean

France's navy, with the help of allies, on Thursday boarded a tanker alleged to be from Russia's "shadow fleet" in the Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron said.

"This morning, the French Navy boarded and searched an oil tanker from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag," he said on X.

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Trump says 'war has to end' after meeting Zelensky at Davos

U.S. President Donald Trump said he had a "good" meeting with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos on Thursday, and called for Russia's war on Kyiv to end.

"This war has to end," Trump told reporters including AFP when asked what his message was to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will meet the US leader's envoy in Moscow later.

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