Kyiv endures a third bombardment in 5 days

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has launched missiles against Kyiv for the third time in five days. It’s part of an apparent escalation of aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities as the war stretches into its third year. The front line is largely stationary. Officials say nine people were injured in the morning strike on the Ukrainian capital. Russia fired two ballistic missiles at Kyiv from occupied Crimea but city authorities say both were intercepted. Analysts say Russian President Vladimir Putin could use the recent deadly attack on a Moscow concert hall to shore up support for the war and as a pretext to escalate attacks on Ukraine.

More than 130 abducted schoolchildren in Nigeria are returning home

KADUNA, Nigeria (AP) — More than 130 Nigerian schoolchildren rescued after more than two weeks in captivity have arrived in their home state in northwestern Nigeria ahead of their anticipated reunions with families. That follows the latest in a series of mass school abductions in the West African nation. The children were seized by motorcycle-riding gunmen at their school in the remote Kaduna state town of Kuriga on March 7. They were rescued Sunday by the military in a forest more than 120 miles to the north in neighboring Zamfara state, though authorities have provided no details of the rescue or said whether any suspected kidnappers were arrested.

Putin blames Islamic extremists for last week’s concert massacre

(AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said the gunmen who carried out the deadly concert hall attack in a Moscow suburb last week were “radical Islamists.” Speaking in a meeting with government officials, Putin said the killings were carried out by extremists “whose ideology the Islamic world has been fighting for centuries.” Putin, who said over the weekend the four attackers were arrested while trying to escape to Ukraine, didn’t mention the affiliate of the Islamic State group that claimed responsibility for the attack. He again refrained from mentioning IS in his remarks Monday.

Former Senegal prime minister concedes defeat in presidential election

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A former Senegalese prime minister has conceded the presidential election to the opposition candidate based on preliminary results a day after the vote. Amadou Ba in a statement shared by his campaign says he congratulated opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye and wished him success. The victory reflected widespread frustration among youth with high unemployment and concerns about governance in the West African nation.