Reuters World News Summary

NATO voiced concern on Thursday over what it said was a big Russian military build-up near eastern Ukraine after Russia warned that a serious escalation in the conflict in Ukraine's Donbass region could "destroy" Ukraine.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Kremlin says that any NATO troop deployment to Ukraine would raise tensions

The Kremlin said on Friday that any deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine would lead to further tensions near Russia's borders and force Moscow to take extra measures to ensure its own security. NATO voiced concern on Thursday over what it said was a big Russian military build-up near eastern Ukraine after Russia warned that a serious escalation in the conflict in Ukraine's Donbass region could "destroy" Ukraine. EU urges China to ensure freedom of speech after BBC journalist leaves country

The European Union on Friday called on China to ensure freedom of speech and the press after a British Broadcasting Corporation journalist in China relocated to Taiwan saying he had suffered threats and obstruction. The journalist, John Sudworth, told BBC radio he moved with his family because it had become increasingly difficult to remain in the country. Train crash kills 48 in Taiwan's deadliest rail tragedy for decades

A Taiwan express train with almost 500 aboard derailed in a tunnel on Friday, killing at least 48 passengers and injuring 66 in the island's worst rail disaster in almost four decades. Images from the scene showed carriages in the tunnel ripped apart by the impact, with others crumpled, hindering rescuers in their efforts to reach passengers, although by mid-afternoon no one was still trapped. G7 countries urge independent probe into alleged rights abuses in Ethiopia's Tigray

The United States, Germany, France and other G7 countries called on Friday for an independent and transparent investigation into alleged human rights abuses during the conflict in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. Ethiopia's federal army ousted the former regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), from the capital Mekelle in November. Filipino devotees self-flagellate for Easter, defying ban on gatherings

Barefoot and with their backs bloodied by repeated flogging, Catholic devotees in the Philippines defied a ban on gatherings on Good Friday to perform a ritual of self-flagellation as a means of atonement during Holy Week. Participants were few compared to recent years, after authorities reimposed tight restrictions in response to a jump in coronavirus infections, worsened by the spread of more transmissible variants. Russia seeks to buy anti-riot gear ahead of planned Navalny protest

Russia has issued tenders to buy anti-riot kits and protective police gear, state procurement documents showed, ahead of a protest that allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny hope will be the largest in modern Russian history. Navalny, 44, was jailed in February on charges he said were fabricated. He declared a hunger strike on Wednesday in a bid to force the prison holding him to provide proper medical care for what he said was acute pain in his back and legs. Myanmar protesters vow to keep up action as internet blackout widens

Opponents of military rule in Myanmar marched, observed strikes and sought alternative ways to communicate after most users were cut off from the internet on Friday, undaunted by the bloody suppression of protests during the past two months. Hundreds of people have been killed demonstrating since the Feb. 1 coup, and many people have been using social media to publicise the security forces' excesses and to organise against military rule. Pope makes surprise visit to homeless getting COVID-19 vaccine in Vatican

Pope Francis paid a surprise visit on Friday to homeless and poor people from Rome getting free COVID-19 vaccinations in the Vatican. Pictures released by the Vatican showed the 84-year-old pontiff greeting doctors, nurses, charity workers and vaccine recipients in a make-shift clinic in the Vatican's audience hall, largely disused because of the pandemic. Analysis: Myanmar's neighbour Thailand unlikely to toughen stance on coup

Thailand has slightly hardened its language on Myanmar by saying it is "gravely concerned" about escalating bloodshed since a Feb. 1 coup, but close military ties and fears of a flood of refugees mean it is unlikely to go further, analysts say. That leaves Thailand out of step with some members of the 10-strong Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as they seek to ramp up pressure on the junta, but could also position it as a possible mediator. U.S, Iran to go to Vienna for indirect nuclear deal talks: sources

Officials from Tehran and Washington will travel to Vienna next week as part of efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and global powers, though they will not hold direct talks, diplomats said on Friday. Even without face-to-face talks, which Tehran has ruled out, the presence of both of Iran and the United States in the Austrian capital would mark a step forward in efforts to bring both sides back into compliance with the accord.