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Moscow (AFP) – President Vladimir Putin says that Russia’s nuclear triad — weapons delivered by land, sea and air — is “much more” advanced and modern the United States’s, warning that he was ready to deploy the weapons if Russia’s sovereignty was threatened. The Kremlin has touted its nuclear prowess throughout its two-year offensive in Ukraine, and warned Western countries last month that there was a “real” risk of nuclear catastrophe if they escalated the conflict.

Chilpancingo (Mexico) (AFP) – Police try to extinguish vehicles on fire outside Guerrero State Prosecutor’s Office during a demonstration over the death of a student from the Ayotzinapa rural teacher training college at the hands of the police. The demonstration takes place against a backdrop of flaring tensions over the case of 43 students from the same college who went missing nearly a decade ago. IMAGES

Port-au-Prince (AFP) – World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director in Haiti, Jean-Martin Bauer, tells reporters during a video press conference at the United Nations that he is “very worried” following the spiraling crisis of gang violence in the impoverished Caribbean nation. “I’m ringing the alarm bell because you have this baseline level of hunger that is already very high and this is worsening things even more,” he says while speaking from Cap-Haitien. He adds that he “hopes that there will be an improvement in terms of security” after Haiti’s prime minister said early Tuesday that he would step aside: “It is necessary for us to do our jobs and to get the assistance to the population.”

Dohuk (Iraq) (AFP) – Huddled in the back of a van, Rebin Pishtiwan carefully scans one yellowed page after another, as part of a project launched by the Kurdistan Centre for Art and Culture (KCAC) to digitise historic Kurdish texts at risk of disappearing forever. Kurds are seen as the world’s largest stateless people and in Iraq, where the KCAC’s project takes place, the minority group was persecuted — with thousands killed — under late dictator Saddam Hussein.

Bucharest (AFP) – Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis announces his candidacy to succeed Jens Stoltenberg as NATO chief, at a crucial time for the alliance. For the past two years, the US-led defence alliance has navigated a challenging security environment in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Sennaya Guba (Russia) (AFP) – Travelling across the frozen Lake Onega in remote northwestern Russia, members of the local electoral commission are taking ballot boxes to isolated communities as early voting takes place in Russia’s presidential election. Current President Vladimir Putin is widely expected to secure another six-year mandate in elections, despite the domestic tumult brought on by Russia’s campaign in Ukraine. – COMPLETES VIDEO No. 34LB66T

Geneva (AFP) – Ships carrying supplies to Gaza by sea are “not a substitute for the overland transport” of much-needed humanitarian aid, says the spokesperson for the UN’s aid agency (OCHA). Jens Laerke’s comments come on Tuesday March 12, as a Spanish charity ship left Cyprus with 200 tonnes of supplies in tow, becoming the first such vessel to use a maritime corridor to war-ravaged Gaza.

Belgorod (Russia) (AFP) – Images from the Russian border city of Belgorod show workers clearing up shattered glass and debris outside the city hall after the regional governor said a Ukrainian drone struck the building and blew out its windows, injuring two people. The strike came amid a wave of attacks on Russia’s border regions and an announcement by Moscow that it had foiled multiple attempted cross-border raids by pro-Ukrainian paramilitaries.

Troms (Norway) (AFP) – Tanks power across the Arctic landscape of northern Finland and Norway as NATO conducts its biggest drills since the Cold War, with Swedish troops taking part for the first time as members of the alliance. The ‘Nordic Response’ exercises – formerly ‘Cold Response’ – involve more than 20,000 soldiers from 13 allied nations and take place as tensions between US-led NATO and Russia intensify. “Russia has stated high ambitions to reconstitute itself” says Sweden’s Defence Minister, Pal Jonson, while viewing the drills.

Larnaca (Cyprus) (AFP) – A Spanish charity ship carrying food aid for Palestinians leaves Larnaca port in Cyprus and heads for war-ravaged Gaza, where widespread famine is a growing threat. The vessel is towing a barge loaded with 200 tonnes of aid and is expected to arrive in Gaza by the 13th of March. It is the first ship to leave Cyprus in an attempt to open a maritime corridor to the besieged Palestinian territory.

Auckland (AFP) – Passengers who were on a LATAM flight that suddenly dropped in mid-air before landing in Auckland on Monday say they were “traumatised” by the experience.

Unknown (AFP) – Haiti’s prime minister agrees to step aside as armed gangs plunge his country into anarchy. Henry posted the resignation address online late Monday, accepting a regional push for a transition that sets the stage for international intervention.