Kiev, Apr 28 (AFP) President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed an offer by Vladimir Putin to provide passports to Ukrainians, and pledged instead to grant citizenship to Russians who "suffer" under the Kremlin's rule.

The Russian president on Saturday said Moscow was considering plans to make it easier for all Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship, after it earlier moved to grant passports in the country's separatist east.

Kiev has been fighting Moscow-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine since 2014 in a war that has killed 13,000.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three of the nation’s most influential activists are launching an organization that aims to harness the political power of women to influence elections and shape local and national policy priorities.

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — Sudanese protest leaders held talks with the ruling military council on Sunday after the military condemned an attack on an Islamist party close to President Omar al-Bashir, who was removed from power and jailed earlier this month.

Dozens of protesters on Saturday surrounded a building where the Popular Congress Party was holding a meeting, chanting: “No place for Islamists.”

29 Apr 2019; DW: Germany will continue to train soldiers from Saudi Arabia despite its brutal military campaign in Yemen, reported German news agency DPA on Monday.

Five Saudi soldiers are expected to start an officer's training course in July with the German army, while two others are to receive similar preparation with the air force. Seven more Saudi soldiers will begin German language training in July in anticipation of starting officer's training in 2020.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s state-run news agency says a man accused of spying for the United Arab Emirates has committed suicide in prison.

The man was one of two suspects arrested in Istanbul earlier this month on charges of “political, military and international espionage.” The suspects have not been identified.

Anadolu Agency said Monday one of them hanged himself at Silivri prison on the outskirts of Istanbul. It did not provide further details.

RAMALLAH, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday that the Palestinian Authority will not accept partial payment of its tax transfers owed by Israel.

Abbas made the remark while chairing a meeting of the newly formed Palestinian cabinet, warning that Israel is seeking to legalize its deduction of the taxes collected on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.

COLOMBO, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday appointed an acting police chief, though police officials said that the incumbent Chief Pujith Jayasundara was yet to give in his resignation.

In a statement from the president's media division, it said that President Sirisena had appointed Deputy Inspector General C.D. Wickramaratne as the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP).

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Spain’s third parliamentary election in less than four years did little to dispel uncertainty over the political future of the eurozone’s fourth largest economy.

The center-left Socialist party won re-election in Sunday’s ballot, collecting nearly 29% of votes, and will try to form a government. It would be one of only a handful of socialist governments in the European Union.

But with only 123 seats in the 350-seat Congress of Deputies, Spain’s parliament, it needs to negotiate the support of smaller rival parties to pass legislation.

29 Apr 2019; AFP: Sudanese protesters Sunday welcomed a breakthrough in talks with army rulers who agreed to form a joint civilian-military council, paving the way for the civilian administration demanded by demonstrators.

Saturday's agreement would replace the existing 10-member military council that took power after the army ousted veteran leader Omar al-Bashir on April 11 amid massive protests.

New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) The Election Commission Monday "strongly condemned" Union Minister Maneka Gandhi for her "ABCD" remark in Sultanpur where she warned voters that government work suffers in areas which do not vote for her.

The commission also warned her not to repeat "such misconduct in future".

The EC order said Maneka not only violated provisions of the model code, but also the Representation of the People Act dealing with "corrupt practice".

Dholpur (Raj), Apr 29 (PTI) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Monday described the party's proposed minimum income guarantee scheme as "diesel for the engine" of the Indian economy.

Gandhi promised to give government jobs to 22 lakh youths in one year, make 10 lakh recruitment in panchayats and said no farmer will be jailed for not repaying loan, if the Congress is voted to power.

HARARE, April 29 (Xinhua) -- An Air Zimbabwe plane caught a "brief tail pipe fire" mid-air on Sunday after suffering a malfunction on one of its engines, the airline said in a statement Monday.

"However, the malfunction did not threaten the continuation of the flight and safety of the crew and passengers on board and it landed safely in Harare at 2030hrs. Our engineers have commenced the requisite investigations and a report will be issued in due course," the airline said.

The Boeing 767-200ER servicing flight UM462 was flying from Johannesburg to Harare.