Officials say a Russian strike in central Ukraine kills 14 people and injures 50

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian officials say that a Russian missile strike Friday on the central city of Kryvyi Rih has killed at least 14 people, including six children, and injured more than 50. The head of Dnipropetrovsk region, Serhii Lysak, has described the Russian ballistic attack as an “assault against civilians.” The strike comes as U.S. and European officials press Russia to accept a ceasefire in the conflict. U.K. and French foreign ministers are accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in ceasefire talks to halt Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Israeli strikes kill at least 17 in Gaza as ground troops enter Palestinian territory’s north

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza (AP) — Israeli strikes have killed more than a dozen people in the Gaza Strip as Israel sends more ground troops into the Palestinian territory to ramp up its offensive against Hamas. Staff at the hospital in Khan Younis said at least 17 people were killed when an airstrike hit a three-story building early Friday. Some of the victims were from the same family. People were still searching through the rubble looking for survivors hours later. The attack follows days of Israeli strikes that have killed at least 100 people. Israel has intensified its operations in a bid to pressure Hamas to release its hostages. Israel said Friday it had begun a ground activity in northern Gaza to expand its security zone.

Sri Lanka’s target to be free of land mines by 2028 is under threat as US reviews aid

MANKULAM, Sri Lanka (AP) — Thavarathnam Pushparani fought on the front lines for the now-defeated Tamil Tiger rebels against the Sri Lankan forces in its decades-long separatist war and later took to clearing the land mines on the same battle lines. But the Trump administration’s suspension of aid threatens Sri Lanka’s demining operations, pushing the livelihoods of thousands like Pushparani into uncertainty. What is more uncertain for Sri Lanka now is its obligation to rid the island nation of mines by 2028 under the Ottawa Treaty, which it ratified in 2017.

China punches back as world weighs how to deal with higher US tariffs

BANGKOK (AP) — China hit back with a stiff import tax on US goods as countries and industries around the world weighed their responses to President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs hikes that are roiling global trade and world markets. As world markets wallowed in heavy losses Friday, Taiwan’s president promised to provide support to industries most vulnerable to the 32% tariffs Trump ordered in his “Liberation Day” reciprocal tariffs announcement. China responded to the 34% tariffs imposed by the U.S. on imports from China by announcing it will impose a 34% tariff on imports of all U.S. products beginning April 10. Vietnam said its deputy prime minister would visit the U.S. for talks on trade. Writing in a social media post, Trump said: “My policies will never change. This is a great time to get rich.”