World News Roundup: Kremlin says appeal by Pope Francis for Ukraine talks is quite understandable; Kate, UK's Princess of Wales, sorry for 'any confusion' over edited photo and more

Several leading news organisations including Reuters withdrew the picture of Kate, 42, posing with her three children after post-publication analysis showed it did not meet their editorial standards. Israel checking reports that Hamas' military No 2 killed in Gaza strike Israel was checking on Monday if Hamas's second-highest military leader died in an air strike, media said, as talks stumbled to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza war to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Kremlin says appeal by Pope Francis for Ukraine talks is quite understandable

The Kremlin on Monday said that a call by Pope Francis for talks to end the Ukraine war was quite understandable and that Russia was ready to sit down, but that Kyiv had ruled out talks due to its mistaken view that the West could defeat Russia. Pope Francis has said that Ukraine should have what he called the courage of the "white flag" to negotiate an end to a conflict that has killed tens of thousands.

South Korea deploys military, public doctors to strike-hit hospitals

South Korea will start deploying military physicians and doctors from public health centres to strike-hit hospitals on Monday to help care for patients affected by the walkout of nearly 12,000 trainee doctors from 100 hospitals over government reform plans. Twenty military surgeons along with 138 public health doctors will be assigned to 20 hospitals for four weeks, Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said at a meeting on Sunday.

Kate, UK's Princess of Wales, sorry for 'any confusion' over edited photo

Kate, Britain's Princess of Wales, issued an apology on social media on Monday for "any confusion" caused by an edited photograph which had been issued by her office Kensington Palace the previous day. Several leading news organisations including Reuters withdrew the picture of Kate, 42, posing with her three children after post-publication analysis showed it did not meet their editorial standards.

Israel checking reports that Hamas' military No 2 killed in Gaza strike

Israel was checking on Monday if Hamas's second-highest military leader died in an air strike, media said, as talks stumbled to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza war to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. If his death is confirmed, Marwan Issa would be the highest-ranking official from the Islamist militant movement taken out by Israel in the more than five-month war that has pulverised the Palestinian enclave and killed thousands.

Portugal's centre-right prepares to rule, far-right warns of instability

Portugal's centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD) won Sunday's general election by a slim margin and is preparing to govern without an outright majority as the far-right Chega warned of instability if it is not included in government. With 99.1% of the vote counted, the AD won 79 seats in the 230-seat legislature, followed by the Socialists with 77 seats, prompting the latter to concede defeat.

Atomic bomb movie 'Oppenheimer' crowned best picture at the Oscars

"Oppenheimer," the blockbuster biopic about the race to build the first atomic bomb, claimed seven Academy Awards including the prestigious best picture trophy on Sunday as Hollywood celebrated a triumphant year in film. Irish actor Cillian Murphy won best actor for playing theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, leader of the U.S. effort in the 1940s to create a weapon that ended World War Two. "Oppenheimer" director Christopher Nolan took home the directing Oscar.

Palestinians prepare for Ramadan in the shadow of Gaza war

Palestinians prepared for Ramadan in a sombre mood with heightened security measures by Israeli police and the spectre of war and hunger in Gaza overshadowing the normally festive Muslim holy month as talks to secure a ceasefire stalled. Thousands of police have been deployed around the narrow streets of the Old City in Jerusalem, where tens of thousands of worshippers are expected every day at the Al Aqsa mosque compound, one of the holiest sites in Islam.

India moves to implement citizenship law opposed by Muslims, weeks before election

India announced rules on Monday to implement a 2019 citizenship law that critics call anti-Muslim, weeks before Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a rare third term for his Hindu nationalist government. The Citizenship Amendment Act grants Indian nationality to Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who fled to Hindu-majority India from Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan before Dec. 31, 2014.

British lawmaker dropped by Sunak defects to right-wing Reform UK party

A prominent former deputy chairman of Britain's governing Conservatives, who was suspended from the party over accusations of Islamophobia, on Monday defected to the small right-wing Reform UK party in a setback for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The move by Lee Anderson, a former miner who has courted controversy with his outspoken views, comes months before a national election in which Reform is expected to draw votes away from the Conservatives and in doing so threaten Sunak's re-election bid.

South Africa's ANC likely to lose parliamentary majority in May vote, survey shows

South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) is likely to lose its parliamentary majority in May for the first time since Nelson Mandela led it to power at the fall of apartheid 30 years ago, a survey showed, opening up the prospect of coalition rule. South Africans go to polls on May 29 to elect a new National Assembly, which will then choose the next president.