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- One dead, 7 missing as heavy rains trigger floods in central Japan
- Zelensky says no UK, US go-ahead to use long-range missiles
- New Zealand edge Australia 31-28 in Bledisloe Cup thriller
- Japan orders evacuations as heavy rains trigger floods in quake-hit area
- New Zealand pilot freed in Indonesia after 19 months in rebel captivity
- Hezbollah in disarray after Israeli air strike kills top commanders
- Leading climate activist released from Vietnam jail
- Ethiopians struggle with bitter pill of currency reform
- Sri Lanka votes in first poll since economic collapse
- Feminist author warns of abortion disaster if Trump wins US election
- US city of Flint still reeling from water crisis, 10 years on
- Arsenal's mean defence faces acid test to shut out Man City again
- Late surge lifts Thailand's Jeeno to LPGA Queen City lead
- DeChambeau says PGA's Ryder Cup decision 'just the start'
- Alcaraz defeated on Laver Cup debut
- Postecoglou embraces 'struggle' to make Spurs a success
- Nice hand 'ashamed' Saint-Etienne 8-0 Ligue 1 mauling
- Boeing CEO says ending strike 'a top priority'
- Stock markets mostly fall after Fed-fueled rally
- Harris slams Trump for hypocrisy on abortion as US starts voting
- Academy to host first overseas ceremony to honor young filmmakers
- No doctor necessary: US okays nasal spray flu vaccine for self-use
- Gurbaz, birthday boy Rashid lead Afghanistan to 177-run rout of South Africa
- Former delivery man Baldwin leads star names at PGA Championship
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- Ibrahim Aqil, the Hezbollah elite unit commander wanted by the US
- Chinese forward Cui signs NBA contract with Brooklyn Nets
- US Fed dissenter calls for 'measured' pace of rate cuts
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- Norway limits wild salmon fishing as stocks hit new lows
- Top Hezbollah commander killed in Israeli strike on Beirut
- Rotterdam fatal knife attacker suspected of 'terrorist motive'
- First early votes cast in knife-edge US presidential election
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- Hard-right Reform UK looks to the future after vote success
- Embiid agrees to NBA contract extension with 76ers
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- Biden says 'working' to get people back to homes on Israel-Lebanon border
- Pope criticises Argentina's crackdown on protesters
- Court limits screenings of videos in France mass rape case
- Gurbaz century takes Afghanistan to 311-4 in 2nd ODI
- Central banks face 'difficult balancing act': IMF chief
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Stocks sink as atomic plant shelling adds to Ukraine fears
Asian markets tumbled Friday and crude bounced as news that Europe's biggest nuclear power plant was on fire after Russian shelling fuelled a flight to safety and ramped up fears about the Ukraine war.
As Vladimir Putin's forces stepped up their invasion, Ukraine's foreign minister demanded an immediate ceasefire to avoid disaster at the Zaporizhzhia plant after its power unit was hit.
The International Atomic Energy Agency warned of "severe damage" if the reactors were hit and while Ukrainian authorities said the situation was now secured traders remain on edge.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of "nuclear terror".
The news comes as Moscow presses ahead with its incursion into its neighbour that has sent global markets spiralling and commodities such as wheat, metals and particularly oil soaring. That has in turn fuelled concerns the global recovery from Covid will be derailed.
Tokyo and Hong Kong led losses across Asia while Sydney, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Manila and Wellington were also well down.
The losses followed steep selling pressure in New York and Europe, and Wall Street futures were sharply down Friday.
The dollar dipped against the safe-haven yen though it rose against most other currencies, including sitting at its highest level against the euro since mid-2020.
Gold -- a go-to asset in times of uncertainty -- was also up.
At the same time both main crude contracts rose, having retreated Thursday partly on hopes for an Iran nuclear deal that would allow Tehran to restart exports to the world market.
While world governments have not included Russian oil in their wide-ranging sanctions on Moscow owing to concerns about the impact on prices and consumers, trade has become increasingly tough as banks pull financing and shipping costs rise.
On Friday, the China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) said it will suspend business related to Russia and its neighbour Belarus, saying it was "in the best interests of the bank".
"The headlines about the Russian shelling of that nuclear plant are clearly driving a flight to quality trade," Chamath de Silva at BetaShares Holdings in Sydney said. "It's classic risk off right now."
Others pointed out that the war has exacerbated selling by profit-takers after world markets enjoyed a near two-year rally thanks to pandemic-era financial support.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said he fears the "worst is to come" after a conversation with Putin, who has said he intends to topple the government in Kyiv.
The conflict further complicates attempts by governments and central bankers to bring down soaring inflation, which has been fanned by their Covid largesse as well as elevated energy costs and supply chain snarls.
Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell said this week that he intends to raise interest rates this month, though he tempered expectations of a half-point rise and instead indicated a considered approach to tightening policy.
"Rising commodity prices are a big concern for the market, prompting fears of stagflation," Fiona Cincotta of City Index said.
"The economic clinch point of this war is commodity prices. Higher energy prices, slowing growth, and surging inflation are not a good outlook."
- Key figures around 0230 GMT -
Brent North Sea crude: UP 2.3 percent at $112.99 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 2.7 percent at $110.60 per barrel
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 2.1 percent at 26,020.60 (break)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 2.4 percent at 21,918.90
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.7 percent at 3,456.93
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 115.40 yen from 115.45 yen late Thursday
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1039 from $1.1069
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3339 from $1.3350
Euro/pound: DOWN at 82.75 pence from 82.89 pence
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 33,794.66 (close)
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 2.6 percent at 7,238.85 (close)
C.Meier--BTB