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China says peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan are advancing

BEIJING (AP) – Peace talks between Afghanistan’s Taliban government and Pakistan are advancing, China’s government said Friday, two days after those countries resumed conversations following weeks of fighting that have killed hundreds.

China's Communist Party investigates ex-Xinjiang leader Ma Xingrui

BANGKOK (AP) – The disciplinary body for China ‘s Communist Party said Friday it has placed the former Xinjiang party chief under investigation over suspected violations of discipline and law. Ma Xingrui is a member of the party’s Central Committee and served as party secretary of the Xinjiang region in China’s northwest from 2021-2025.

Pakistanis face unprecedented fuel price rise of up to 54%

ISLAMABAD (AP) – Pakistanis faced record fuel price increases Friday, as petrol and diesel prices rose by up to 54% driven by the war in the Middle East that has caused global oil prices to surge. The increase adds pressure to a cash-strapped nation already grappling with high inflation, as economists warned the hike would push up food prices and living costs.

US employers added a surprisingly strong 178,000 jobs last month

WASHINGTON (AP) – American employers added a surprisingly strong 178,000 new jobs last month, rebounding from a dismal February. And the unemployment rate dipped to 4.3%. The Labor Department reported Friday that hiring marked a turnaround from the loss of 133,000 jobs in February.

Amazon slaps 3.5% surcharge as Iran war drives up fuel prices

NEW YORK (AP) – Amazon is slapping a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge on third-party sellers using its platform starting later this month amid a spike in fuel prices since the war in Iran started.

Why one Las Vegas newspaper just stopped printing its rival

LAS VEGAS (AP) – The Las Vegas Review-Journal announced Friday that it will no longer print its rival the Las Vegas Sun for the first time in decades, amid an ongoing legal dispute over the nation’s last joint operating agreement stemming from a 1970 law designed to preserve newspapers.

Russian strikes on Ukraine kill 8 as Kyiv holds door open for Easter truce

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Russian strikes killed at least eight people across Ukraine on Friday, including in a “massive” missile and drone attack near the capital, local authorities reported. Ukrainian officials claim the Kremlin is changing its tactics to increase civilian suffering, shifting to daytime barrages and preparing to target more key infrastructure.

French and South Korean leaders say they'll work together on Strait of Hormuz

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung agreed Friday to work together to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease global economic uncertainties caused by the war in the Middle East.

Rubio accuses China of 'bullying' for holding up Panama-flagged ships

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday accused China of “bullying” by detaining or holding up dozens of Panama-flagged ships – though for a short period of time – after the Central American country seized control of two critical ports on the Panama Canal earlier this year from a subsidiary of a Hong Kong-based company.

NEW YORK (AP) – A drone maker backed by President Donald Trump’s two oldest sons is trying to sell to Gulf countries while they are under attack by Iran and dependent on the U.S. military led by their father. The sales drive by Florida-based Powerus positions the company to potentially benefit from a war that their father began.