Reuters World News Summary

But now her life is in tatters after she fled from death and destruction in the besieged port city, which local authorities say has been all but flattened by heavy Russian shelling. Russia blasted by West at U.N. for spreading bioweapons 'nonsense' over Ukraine The United States and Western allies slammed Russia on Friday for spreading propaganda, disinformation and "nonsense" at the United Nations Security Council by alleging that parts of biological weapons were being made in Ukraine.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Asia's youngest democracy East Timor heads to the polls

Voters in East Timor head to the polls on Saturday, as Asia's youngest democracy holds its fifth presidential elections since independence, with concerns over political stability and economic security at the forefront of the campaign. The 16 presidential hopefuls include former resistance fighter and incumbent President Francisco "Lu Olo" Guterres, independence figure and Nobel laureate, Jose Ramos-Horta, and a former Catholic priest.

Kyiv residents adapt to monotonous routine in metro shelters

With air raid sirens and the thump of explosions now a familiar night time sound to residents of Kyiv, increasing numbers have taken to sheltering in the city's deep underground metro stations, battling boredom as they wait for what comes next. Although Kyiv has so far been spared the intense bombardment seen in cities like Kharkiv or Mariupol, authorities say at least 60 civilians have been killed in the capital since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Fleeing Mariupol teenagers tell of destruction and shattered dreams

Yuliia Karpenko, a 17-year-old-high school student in Ukraine's city of Mariupol, had been looking forward to getting her high school degree this year - she just was not quite sure if she would go for sociology or languages at university. But now her life is in tatters after she fled from death and destruction in the besieged port city, which local authorities say has been all but flattened by heavy Russian shelling.

Russia blasted by West at U.N. for spreading bioweapons 'nonsense' over Ukraine

The United States and Western allies slammed Russia on Friday for spreading propaganda, disinformation and "nonsense" at the United Nations Security Council by alleging that parts of biological weapons were being made in Ukraine. Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia sent a lengthy document, seen by Reuters, to the council and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday on Moscow's accusation that there are "military biological programs" in Ukraine.

U.S. military aircraft with four on board crashes in Arctic Norway

A U.S. military aircraft with four people on board has crashed in northern Norway, local police and the country's Joint Rescue Coordination Centres (JRCC) said on Friday. The MV-22B Osprey aircraft belonging to the U.S. Marine Corps was taking part in a NATO military exercise called Cold Response when it was reported missing at 1826 CET (1726 GMT), the JRCC said.

Dead buildings tower over uncollected corpses in Mariupol, on the front line of Ukraine's war

In Mariupol daily life is a series of harrowing escapes from bomb blasts and basic survival rituals, amid the rubble that lies everywhere. Uncollected corpses wrapped in blankets, coats or any available covering lie in courtyards cleared of debris. Those killed are often buried in common graves.

After Biden-Xi call, U.S. warns China it could face sanctions if it backs Russia in Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden warned Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday of 'consequences' if Beijing gave material support to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the White House said, while both sides stressed the need for a diplomatic solution to the crisis. While the White House did not detail what those consequences could be, or how the U.S. would define "material support", press secretary Jen Psaki indicated China's massive trade flows could be impacted.

Russia 'tightening noose' on Mariupol; Biden tells China not to fuel assault

Russia said its forces were "tightening the noose" around the besieged Ukrainian port of Mariupol on Friday and concern grew over mass civilian casualties as the United States again warned China against aiding Moscow in its invasion. Russia's advance in Ukraine has largely stalled, and its troops, frustrated by fierce Ukrainian resistance, have blasted residential areas to rubble. On Friday, missiles landed near Lviv, a western city where thousands have fled for refuge.

U.S. notes Iran's commitment to furlough UK-U.S. national after his imprisonment

The U.S. State Department on Friday said anything short of an immediate furlough of Iranian-American environmentalist Morad Tahbaz, who had been taken back to an Iranian prison earlier, would be considered a violation of Tehran's commitments to the United Kingdom. Tahbaz's sister, Taraneh Tahbaz, in an interview with Reuters said her brother, who also holds British citizenship, had been taken back to prison on Friday after being released on furlough on Wednesday.

Syria's Assad visits UAE, first trip to Arab state since war began

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited the United Arab Emirates on Friday in his first visit to an Arab state since the Syrian war began in 2011, underlining warming ties with a U.S.-allied country that once backed rebels who sought his ouster. Assad met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan who "stressed that Syria is a fundamental pillar of Arab security, and that the UAE is keen to strengthen cooperation with it", Emirati state news agency (WAM) reported.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)