Vladimir Putin claims landslide Russian election victory — The Guardian UK ● — 17 March 2024 (LINK)

— Russian president uses victory speech to say war in Ukraine and strengthening military will be his main tasks

Gaza suffers famine-level shortages, mass death imminent, UN-backed monitor says — ground.news: 175 media reports — 17 March 2024 (LINK)

Gunmen kidnap at least 87 in Nigeria's Kaduna state, say residents and police — ground.news: 58 media reports — 17 March 2024 (LINK)

Niger's junta revokes military agreement with US: military spokesperson alleged that the US delegation had accused Niger of making a secret deal to supply uranium to Iran — BBC — 16 March 2024 (LINK)

— ground.news: 67 media reports — (LINK)

US investigating Meta for role in illicit drug sales: NY Post Report — theblaze.com — 16 March 2024 (LINK)

— ground.news: 40 media reports — (LINK)

A prominent psychologist advising Meta on suicide prevention and self-harm has stepped down from her position after accusing the tech giant of disregarding expert advice and neglecting the removal of harmful content from Instagram. — wionews — (LINK)

Hong Kong jails 12 people for up to 7 years over the storming of the legislature in 2019 protests — ground.news: 43 media reports — 16 March 2024 (LINK)

India announces 6-week general elections starting April 19 with Modi's BJP topping surveys — ground.news: 34 media reports — 16 March 2024 (LINK)

Brazil is facing a new outbreak of dengue fever, part of a major global increase of the disease. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has already registered 5 million cases in 129 countries — theconversationglobal — 15 March 2024 (LINK)

Congo reinstates the death penalty after more than 20 years as it struggles to deal with militants — ground.news: 15 media reports — 15 March 2024 (LINK)

EU nations approve new negotiations with Switzerland — lenews.ch — 15 March 2024 (LINK)

UNECE 2024 Regional Forum on Sustainable Development: harnessing opportunities in key SDG transition areas — unece — 15 March 2024 (LINK)

— The annual UNECE SDG Progress Report found that progress has worsened again since last year. The UNECE region is on track to achieve only 20 of the SDG targets by 2030, down from 21 and 26 last year and the year before that, with 80 requiring acceleration, and 17 requiring a reversal of trend.

Ukraine: UN Commission concerned by continuing patterns of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law — OHCHR — 15 March 2024 (LINK)

Apple to pay $490 million to settle allegations that it misled investors about iPhone sales in China — ground.news: 38 media reports — 15 March 2024 (LINK)

US probing Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and his group over potential bribery — ground.news: 13 media reports — 15 March 2024 (LINK)

Brazil military leaders told police Bolsonaro plotted to remain in power despite election defeat — ground.news: 71 media reports — 15 March 2024 (LINK)

Giorgia Meloni's plan to run Europe — and befriend Donald Trump — politico — 15 March 2024 (LINK)

Israel plans forced exodus of Palestinians ahead of Rafah incursion — ground.news: 7 media reports — 14 March 2024 (LINK)

EU Parliament sues Commission over release of frozen funds to Hungary — euronews.com — 14 March 2024 (LINK)

— The executive argued the release was justified because Budapest had in May last year passed a reform to strengthen judicial independence and mitigate political interference in the courts, in line with four "super milestones" that Brussels had imposed.

Lawmakers, echoing the concerns expressed by civil society, challenged the reasoning and said the overhaul was not up to the task. They also complained the money had been unfrozen one day before a crucial summit of EU leaders in which Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had threatened to veto key agreements on Ukraine.

Report claims Yemen's Houthis have a hypersonic missile from Iran, possibly raising stakes in Red Sea crisis — ground.news: 28 media reports — 14 March 2024 (LINK)

Pro-Ukraine exiled Russian fighters launch cross-border raid into southern Russia — The Guardian UK ● — 14 March 2024 (LINK)

Indonesian presidential rivals plan to contest official election results with allegations of fraud — ground.news: 11 media reports — 14 March 2024 (LINK)

Former Treasury Secretary Mnuchin is putting together an investor group to buy TikTok — ground.news: 23 media reports — 14 March 2024 (LINK)

Nigerian kidnappers demand $620,000 for release of school hostages — ground.news: 36 media reports — 14 March 2024 (LINK)

3 Hong Kong activists behind Tiananmen vigil lose bid to overturn conviction — ground.news: 10 media reports — 14 March 2024 (LINK)

Biden pledges billions to rebuild cities ‘torn apart’ by highways through many Black, brown, Asian American and Hispanic communities decades ago — The Guardian UK ● — 13 March 2024 (LINK)

Family Dollar and Dollar Tree will close 1,000 stores — CNN — 13 March 2024 (LINK)

Lithuanian leader says 'no one afraid of Putin' after attack on Navalny ally — The Guardian UK ● — 13 March 2024 (LINK)

European lawmakers approve world's first major act to regulate AI — ground.news: 6 media reports — 12 March 2024 (LINK)

— Legislation would ban detection of emotions in workplaces and schools, and limit use in areas such as sorting job applications.

It would also place the first restrictions on generative AI tools.

Putin warns again that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty is threatened — ground.news: 248 media reports — 12 March 2024 (LINK)

Team of US Marines sent to provide more security at US embassy in Haiti — ground.news: 6 media reports — 12 March 2024 (LINK)

China's only Nobel Literature laureate Mo Yan is accused in patriotism lawsuit of insulting China’s heroes — ground.news: 25 media reports — 12 March 2024 (LINK)

Middle East crisis live: aid ship from Cyprus to Gaza delayed as Ramadan begins with no ceasefire — The Guardian UK ● — 11 March 2024 (LINK)

Sweden joining Nato shows Putin's war strategy has failed, says Stoltenberg — see_link — 11 March 2024 (LINK)

Biden unveils massive $7.3T budget with $5.5T in tax hikes, plans for 'highest burden' in US history — nypost — 11 March 2024 (LINK)

HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, 71, to resign on 22 March, says affordable housing is 'an American issue' — usatoday — 11 March 2024 (LINK)

At least 50 injured after 'technical incident' on flight from Sydney to Auckland — ground.news: 130 media reports — 11 March 2024 (LINK)

Israeli police use force to disperse protesters blocked a highway in central Tel Aviv to call for hostage exchange: 16 arrested — ground.news: 11 media reports — 9 March 2024 (LINK)