World News Roundup: Explainer-What you need to know about France's presidential election; Explainer-Macron or Le Pen: why it matters for France, the EU, and the West and more

* WHO WILL WIN? Explainer-Macron or Le Pen: why it matters for France, the EU and the West The French will decide on Sunday whether to re-elect pro-business centrist President Emmanuel Macron or blow up decades of mainstream consensus in favour of far-right Marine Le Pen. Here's what to expect from them on major issues: Russia to deploy Sarmat missiles by autumn in 'historic' nuclear upgrade Russia said on Saturday it plans to deploy its newly tested Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of mounting nuclear strikes against the United States, by autumn.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Explainer-What you need to know about France's presidential election

Sunday's vote will determine whether the pro-European centrist President Emmanuel Macron or the far-right, anti-immigration Marine Le Pen governs France for the next five years. * WHO WILL WIN?

Explainer-Macron or Le Pen: why it matters for France, the EU, and the West

The French will decide on Sunday whether to re-elect pro-business centrist President Emmanuel Macron or blow up decades of mainstream consensus in favor of far-right Marine Le Pen. Here's what to expect from them on major issues:

Russia to deploy Sarmat missiles by autumn in a 'historic' nuclear upgrade

Russia said on Saturday it plans to deploy its newly tested Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of mounting nuclear strikes against the United States, by autumn. The target stated by Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Roscosmos space agency, is an ambitious one as Russia reported its first test launch only on Wednesday and Western military experts say more will be needed before the missile can be deployed.

U.S. will "absolutely" re-open embassy in Ukraine at some point, Ukrainian PM says

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Friday that he "absolutely" expected the United States would eventually re-open its embassy in Ukraine but stopped short of predicting when that would happen. "It will happen, absolutely, but we will wait," Shmyhal told reporters at a conclusion of a visit to Washington when asked whether he had received assurances from the United States that it would re-open its embassy.

Russian Patriarch prays for quick end to Ukraine conflict but avoids criticizing it

The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, whose backing for Moscow's "special military operation" in Ukraine has dismayed many fellow Christians, said on Saturday he hoped it would end quickly but again did not condemn it. At an outdoor service at Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral on the eve of Orthodox Easter, Patriarch Kirill splashed holy water onto loaves of colorfully decorated Easter bread known as kulichi and said many of them would be sent to the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

Palestinians clash with Israeli police at Jerusalem holy site, 57 injured

At least 57 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police within the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Friday, medics said, as violence persisted during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at a site also revered by Jews. In what may presage wider conflict, Israel said two rockets were fired from Gaza, one falling short and another striking across the border without damage. It was the third such incident this week, breaking months of relative calm on the Gazan front.

Amsterdam airport urges travelers to stay away as strike causes chaos

Amsterdam's Schiphol airport urged travelers on Saturday to stay away as a strike by ground personnel at the start of a school holiday caused chaos at Europe's third-busiest airport. "The terminal is too full at the moment ... Schiphol is calling on travelers to not come to the airport anymore", airport authorities said in a statement issued shortly before noon (1000 GMT).

Russia renews assault on Mariupol, intensifies Luhansk bombardment, Ukraine says

Russia resumed its assault on the last Ukrainian defenders holed up in a giant steelworks in Mariupol, a Ukrainian official said on Saturday, days after Moscow declared victory in the southern port city and said its forces did not need to take the factory. Russian forces were hitting the Azovstal complex with airstrikes and trying to storm it, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said, adding "the enemy is trying to strangle the final resistance of Mariupol's defenders".

Anger mounts among locked-down Shanghai residents as city reports more COVID deaths

China's major financial hub of Shanghai reported more new COVID-19-related deaths on April 22, as residents vented their anger over a harsh lockdown and strict censorship online. Shanghai's full-city lockdown began at the start of April, though many people have been confined to their homes for much longer, and the stress began to tell on the residents.

Iran says talks with regional rival Saudi Arabia resumed in Baghdad

Rival regional powers Iran and Saudi Arabia resumed talks in the Iraqi capital after they were suspended in March, Iran's semi-official Nour News reported on Saturday. There was no confirmation from Saudi Arabia or Iraq on the resumption of the talks.