March 4 (Reuters) - A huge blaze was put out at the site of Europe's biggest nuclear power plant in southeast Ukraine after Russian forces seized it. Officials said it was now operating normally. Ukraine said its forces had repulsed a Russian advance into a Black Sea-port.
No damage to reactors
No damage was done to the reactors at the Zaporizhzhia plant after a projectile hit a nearby building on the site, U.N. nuclear chief Rafael Grossi said. He thought the projectile was Russian. Russia's defence ministry blamed the attack on Ukrainian saboteurs.
Ukraine says it halts Russian advance into the port city
Ukraine has halted an advance by Russian troops into the port of Mykolayiv, according to an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky. The mayor of the city of around 500,000 people reported fighting there as Russian forces entered.
UN rights body backs war crimes probe
The U.N. Human Rights Council overwhelmingly backed a resolution condemning alleged rights violations by Russia in Ukraine and setting up a commission to investigate them.
Russia curbs access to foreign news websites
Russia's communications watchdog has restricted access to several foreign news organizations' websites including the BBC and Deutsche Welle for spreading what it cast as false information.
More sanctions on Russia planned - Ireland
"I suspect all Russian-flagged ships will be banned from entering EU ports. I also suspect we'll be banning other imports like steel, timber, aluminum and possibly coal as well," Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told broadcaster RTE.
Russia approves jail terms for spreading "fake" news
Russia's parliament has passed a law imposing a jail term of up to 15 years for spreading intentionally "fake" information about the armed forces.
Port city of Mariupol encircled, the UK says
The southeastern port city of Mariupol remains under Ukrainian control but has been encircled by Russian forces and is subjected to intense strikes, Britain said on Friday.
QUOTES
Zelensky's appeal
"Europeans, please wake up. Tell your politicians – Russian troops are shooting at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine," Zelenskiy said in a video message.
'Cautious optimism'
"We can feel cautious optimism about the future prospects of the enemy offensive (in Mykolayiv) - I think that it will be stopped in other areas also," said Zelenskiy's military adviser, Oleksiy Arestovych.
MARKETS: Rouble, stocks slide, oil jumps
Global stocks fell and the rouble slipped back towards record lows while oil, gold, metal, and grain prices jumped in response to developments in Ukraine.
