Italy blocks ChatGPT over privacy concerns

LONDON — Regulators in Italy issued a temporary ban on ChatGPT Friday, effective immediately, due to privacy concerns and said they had opened an investigation into how OpenAI, the US company behind

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Former Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius denied parole

JOHANNESBURG — Disgraced South African Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius has been denied parole, the lawyer for Reeva Steenkamp’s parents told CNN Friday.“I can confirm that the parole board has

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Trump becomes first US ex-president to face criminal charges

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud in an indictment from a Manhattan grand jury, according to two sources familiar with the case – the first time in American

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King Charles becomes first British monarch to address German parliament

BERLIN — King Charles III on Thursday became the first British monarch to address the Bundestag, the German parliament, paying tribute to the deep historical bonds and longstanding ties between the two

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Russia arrests US journalist on spying charge

MOSCOW — A US journalist working for the Wall Street Journal has been formally arrested in Russia and accused of spying.Evan Gershkovich, an experienced Russia reporter, was working in Yekaterinburg

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India tribunal upholds $160m fine on Google

NEW DELHI — An Indian appeals court has upheld a $160m fine imposed on Google by the country's antitrust regulator in a case related to Android's market dominance.The National Company Law Appellate

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Dozens killed in blaze on Philippines ferry

MANILA — At least 28 people have been killed and 230 rescued after a passenger ferry caught fire in the Philippines.The blaze began in the ship's air-conditioned cabins on Wednesday night but it

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Taiwan's Tsai arrives in US amid warnings from China of serious repercussions

NEW YORK — Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has arrived in New York to criticism from China, which warned the US of serious repercussions.Ms Tsai is transiting through the US on her way to Central

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Nashville school shooter hid guns in parents’ house

NASHVILLE — The shooter who killed six people at a school in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday bought seven guns legally and hid them at home, police say.Investigators say the suspect’s parents felt

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Rumors swirl in hunt for fugitive Indian preacher Amritpal Singh

NEW DELHI — Rumors are circulating about the whereabouts of a controversial self-styled Indian preacher, more than 10 days after he went on the run.A massive operation is under way to find Amritpal Singh,

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Fossil hunters uncover ancient Australian wombat

SYDNEY — Researchers in Australia have uncovered evidence of a previously unknown ancient marsupial which roamed the continent some 25 million years ago.Described as a cross between a wombat and a marsupial

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Swiss court case ties human rights to climate change

GENEVA — More than 2,000 women are taking the Swiss government to court claiming its policy on climate change is violating their right to life and health.The case is the first time the European Court

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US and South Korea send thousands of troops and 23-ton vehicles to practice beach assault

POHAN, South Korea — North Korea has been building up a ballistic missile arsenal on the stated premise that it needs to deter an attack on it by United States and South Korean forces.Washington and

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Swiss hypersonic hydrogen-powered jet will cut flights from Europe to Australia to 4 hours

GENEVA — Flying across the world from Europe to a destination such as Australia currently takes around 20 hours in a regular passenger jet.But a Swiss start-up is looking to cut that journey time down

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At least 39 killed in fire at Mexico migration office

MEXICO CITY — At least 39 people died in a fire at a migration center in Mexico’s northern border city of Ciudad Juarez, officials said Tuesday.Authorities said the fire at the office of National Migration

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North Korea asserts first evidence of tactical nuclear weapons

SINGAPORE — North Korea has revealed small nuclear warheads, which it says can be fitted on to short-range missiles.The North has long claimed it has tactical nuclear weapons, capable of hitting targets

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Prince Harry and Elton John go to court in high-profile fight against Daily Mail

LONDON — The Duke of Sussex unexpectedly appeared at the High Court as legal proceedings began over alleged phone-tapping and other breaches of privacy.Prince Harry, who is one of those suing Associated

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Twitter boss announces blue tick shake-up

WASHINGTON — Twitter boss Elon Musk has announced a shake-up of the social media platform's paid Twitter Blue feature.From 15 April only verified subscribers will have posts recommended to other

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Tennessee school shooting: Six killed by 28-year-old ex-student in Nashville

NASHVILLE — Six people, three children and three staff, have been killed in a shooting by an ex-student at a school in the US city of Nashville, Tennessee.Three of the victims were pupils aged nine or

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Humza Yousaf is new SNP leader and Scotland’s next first minister

EDINBURGH — Humza Yousaf has been elected to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and Scotland’s next first minister. He was widely seen as being the preferred candidate of the SNP establishment —

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Prince Harry back in London for UK High Court fight

LONDON — Britain’s Prince Harry has arrived at London’s High Court to attend a hearing in his claim against Associated Newspapers Limited over allegations of unlawful information gathering.The Duke

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India's Congress party holds countrywide protests over leader's disqualification

NEW DELHI — Leaders of India's main opposition party Congress are holding nationwide protests against the disqualification of their leader Rahul Gandhi from parliament.Gandhi was removed as an MP

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Delta passenger opens door, deploys emergency exit slide on plane at Los Angeles airport

LOS ANGELES — A Delta Air Lines passenger was arrested after opening one of the plane’s doors and sliding down an emergency exit slide as the plane prepared for takeoff from Los Angeles to Seattle

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Flights, trains, buses canceled as unions stage mass walkout in Germany

BERLIN — Germany awoke to widespread travel chaos on Monday, after two of the country's biggest transport unions called a nationwide strike. It is the biggest strike the country has seen in 30 years.The

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Israel's president joins calls to ditch judicial reform Access to the comments Comments

TEL AVIV — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the judiciary was facing mounting opposition on Monday, with the country's ceremonial president urging for an immediate halt to

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Mass protests in Israel after Netanyahu fires defense minister

JERUSALEM — Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his defense minister.Yoav Gallant had spoken out against controversial plans

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Arab Parliament speaker condemns burning of Qur’an copy by extremist in Denmark

CAIRO — The Speaker of the Arab Parliament Adel Bin Abdulrahman Al-Asoumi has expressed his strong condemnation of the burning of a copy of the Holy Qur’an by an extremist in Denmark capital, Copenhagen.He

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NATO condemns ‘dangerous’ Russian nuclear rhetoric

BRUSSELS — NATO has condemned Russia’s “dangerous” and “irresponsible” rhetoric after Vladimir Putin’s decision to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.The organization is “closely

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First hijab-wearing judge takes oath to join bench at US Court in New Jersey

NEW JERSEY — US attorney Nadia Kahf has been appointed to the New Jersey Superior Court, becoming the first hijab-wearing judge on the bench, local media reported.Kahf, a Syrian-origin family law and

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Halt Israel legal reform, urges defense minister

TEL AVIV — Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt controversial plans for an overhaul of the justice system.His intervention came as Israelis opposed

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ISRO successfully launches 36 satellites for OneWeb

NEW DELHI — The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday launched LVM3 rocket carrying 36 OneWeb communications satellites.The ISRO successfully launched the second batch of 36 satellites

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French police clash with water reservoir protesters

PARIS — French police have fired tear gas at protesters at a large demonstration in the west of the country.Thousands of people had gathered in Sainte-Soline to protest against plans for a new water

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EU leaders insist eurozone is ‘resilient’ and ‘in good shape’ as Deutsche Bank shares plunge

BRUSSELS — Banks across the eurozone are resilient, stable and strong, European Union leaders insisted on Friday at the end of a two-day summit in Brussels.But their words stood in stark contrast with

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Massive asteroid to pass by Earth on weekend

LONDON — An asteroid large enough to destroy a city will pass between the orbits of the Earth and the Moon this weekend - luckily for us, missing both.The object, named 2023 DZ2, was discovered a month

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King Charles's France visit postponed after pension protests

LONDON — King Charles III's state visit to France has been postponed, after a request by President Emmanuel Macron, Downing Street says.France's Elysée Palace said the decision was taken because

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US and Canada reach deal to reject asylum seekers

NEW YORK — The US and Canada have reached a deal to reject asylum seekers at unofficial border crossings, officials say.US President Joe Biden and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau will announce the pact on

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Bordeaux town hall set on fire in France pension protests

PARIS — Bordeaux town hall has been set on fire as French protests continued over plans to raise the pension age.More than a million people took to the streets across France on Thursday, with 119,000

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Rahul Gandhi disqualified as MP after conviction in defamation case

NEW DELHI — India's senior opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified as a lawmaker after he was sentenced to two years in prison in a criminal defamation case.The order from the office

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Young Europeans scathing of both US and China: Study

BRUSSELS — Young European adults are sharply critical of both the US and China, albeit for different reasons, according to a new study.The US-based Pew Research Center found British, French and German

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'Extreme violence' triggers hunger strike at Greek detention center

ATHENS — A hunger strike has broken out at a Greek detention center over allegations of dehumanizing treatment and rampant police violence.At least 11 people are refusing food in Paranesti Pre-Removal

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TikTok's US future at stake as boss faces Congress showdown

SAN FRANCISCO — On Thursday, TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, will be opening a lion's mouth and placing his own head into it.He's giving testimony in the US Congress for the first time, a scary

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Police swoop across Brazil to crack 'kidnap plot'

BRASILIA — Federal police in Brazil have arrested nine suspected members of a criminal group after raids across the country to foil an alleged murder and kidnapping plot.Several politicians and public

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Immigration fuels Canada's record population growth in 2022

MONTREAL — Canada saw record population growth in 2022, with immigration accounting for the vast majority of the 1.05 million new residents.This is the first time in the country’s history that its

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Partygate: MPs clash with Boris Johnson over denials

LONDON — Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly insisted he did not intentionally mislead Parliament over Partygate in a three-hour grilling by a committee of MPs.The former prime minister

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Indian actor Chetan Kumar arrested again for a tweet

NEW DELHI — An Indian actor who was arrested this week over a tweet criticizing Hindu nationalist ideology has often made headlines for his political views.Chetan Kumar was arrested on Tuesday over a

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Four dead as Russia launches new attack on Ukraine cities

KYIV — Russian forces have attacked several Ukrainian cities, killing at least four people in a drone strike on a residential area of Kyiv region.Upper floors of two student dormitories were hit early

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Three dead as Russia launches new attack on Ukraine cities

KYIV — Russian forces have attacked several Ukrainian cities, killing at least three people in a drone strike on a residential area of Kyiv region.Upper floors of two residential buildings were hit early

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UN warns against 'vampiric' global water use

NEW YORK — A United Nations report has warned of a looming global water crisis and an "imminent risk" of shortages due to overconsumption and climate change.The world is "blindly traveling

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Earthquake in Pakistan and Afghanistan kills at least 12 people

ISLAMABAD — At least 12 people have been killed and more than 200 injured after a powerful earthquake shook large parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan.The 6.5-magnitude quake damaged buildings, triggered

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Why Trump supporters are wary of joining protests he called for

FLORIDA — Donald Trump called for protests against his possible imminent criminal indictment, and police in major cities are preparing for unrest.But the prevailing message from some of his most fervent

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Indonesia cough syrup deaths: Relief for families as court allows lawsuit

JAKARTA — Parents whose children died or were injured by tainted cough syrup have wept with relief after an Indonesian court allowed a class action lawsuit."My child's struggle was not in vain,"

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Macron's government survives no-confidence vote

PARIS — The French government has narrowly survived a vote of no-confidence, which was triggered when it forced through an increase in the pension age to 64.It sparked new anti-government protests in

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Rupert Murdoch set to marry for fifth time at 92

NEW YORK — Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch has announced his engagement to his partner Ann Lesley Smith, a former police chaplain.Murdoch, 92, and Smith, 66, met in September at an event at his vineyard

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Ukraine says Russian missiles destroyed in Crimea

KYIV — An explosion in the north of annexed Crimea has destroyed Russian missiles being transported by rail, Ukraine's defense ministry said.The Russian-installed head of the city of Dzhankoi said

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India, GCC discuss bilateral ties, agree for early finalization of FTA

NEW DELHI/RIYADH — India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries on Monday agreed to deepen cooperation in several areas of mutual interest.The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a

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Kishida says India ‘indispensable’ in ensuring free Indo-Pacific

NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday thanked his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida for inviting him to the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima.“Prime Minister Fumio Kishida invited me

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Kuwait Oil Company declares emergency over oil leakage

KUWAIT — A state of emergency was declared as an oil leakage occurred in a location west of Kuwait, said an official at Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) on Monday.In a statement, Deputy CEO for Administrative

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Thailand dissolves parliament ahead of May election

BANGKOK — Thailand has dissolved its parliament, ahead of what is expected to be a fiercely contested general election scheduled for early May.Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's new United Thai Nation

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Man arrested after protest at Indian High Commission in London

LONDON —Police were called to the building in Aldwych, Westminster, on Sunday.Videos on social media showed a crowd waving yellow "Khalistan" banners and a man detach the Indian flag from the

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UBS to acquire troubled rival Credit Suisse in Swiss government-brokered deal

GENEVA — Banking giant UBS is to acquire its smaller rival Credit Suisse for $3.25 billion (€3.05 billion euros), in an effort to avoid further market-shaking turmoil in global banking.The announcement

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Black Sea Grain Initiative extended on deadline day

NEW YORK — The Black Sea Grain Initiative, a UN-brokered deal aimed at supplying markets with food and fertilizer amid global shortages and rising prices, exacerbated by the Ukraine war, was extended

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Mohammed bin Zayed, Syria's Bashar Al Assad hold talks in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI — UAE President Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad held talks on Sunday in Abu Dhabi for the first time in years.They discussed the fraternal relations

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EU’s new industrial strategy will aim to have 40% of its green technology homegrown by 2030

BRUSSELS — The European Union will aim to have 40% of the key technology it needs to combat climate change built within its own borders by 2030.The goal is the centerpiece of a new strategy designed

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Ex-PM Johnson to reveal evidence in his defense over Partygate

LONDON — Boris Johnson will publish evidence in his defense ahead of a grilling by MPs over whether he misled Parliament about COVID rule-breaking parties.The former prime minister faces a crucial televised

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Poland and Slovakia become first NATO countries sending MiG-29 jets to Ukraine

WARSAW — Poland and Slovakia are the first NATO countries to say they’ll send fighter jets to Ukraine.Poland will deliver a first batch of four MiG-29 fighter-bombers, Polish President Andrzej Duda

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Imran Khan court hearing canceled after clashes in Pakistan capital

ISLAMABAD —A court in Islamabad has canceled a hearing into charges former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan sold state gifts following clashes between his supporters and police.Police said Khan’s

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The revolution under way in India’s diamond industry

MUMBAI — Chintan Suhagiya is only 26, but already has seven years’ experience working in India’s diamond industry.Starting out, he ferried diamonds around his company, based in the world’s diamond

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Turkey's Erdogan seals deal on Finland joining Nato

ANKARA — It has taken months, but Finland's bid to join Nato has finally secured the backing of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a ceremony with his Finnish counterpart in Ankara.Praising

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US nuclear plant reports radioactive water leak

WASHINGTON — Officials are monitoring the clean-up of a leak of 400,000 gallons (1.5m liters) of radioactive water from a local nuclear power plant in Minnesota.Xcel Energy, the utility company that

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Hundreds detained in fiery protests after French government forces through pension reforms

PARIS — At least 310 people have been detained across France as the embattled government faces backlash for forcing through pension reforms that will see the country’s retirement age raised by two

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New Zealand joins US push to curb TikTok use on official phones with parliament ban

HONG KONG — New Zealand will ban TikTok on all devices with access to its parliament by the end of this month, becoming the latest country to impose an official bar on the popular social media platform

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China's Xi to meet Putin in Moscow next week

LONDON — China's President Xi Jinping will travel to Moscow next week to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, officials say.The Kremlin said they would discuss a "comprehensive

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US military releases footage of Russian fighter jet forcing down American drone over Black Sea

STUTTGART — US European Command released footage of the Tuesday encounter between a US surveillance drone and the Russian fighter jets as it played out over the Black Sea.The newly declassified video

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Six held over alleged kidnap and torture of Sydney man

SYDNEY — Australian police have charged six men over the alleged kidnapping and torture of a man in Sydney.The 26-year-old victim, named in local media as Peter Vuong, was rescued by police in an armed

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Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

LONDON — Global cocaine production has reached record levels as demand rebounds following Covid lockdowns, a new report has found.The UN Office on Drugs and Crime said coca cultivation rose by 35% between

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Chinese-made drone downed in eastern Ukraine

KYIV — Driving deep into the forest, the hush between the towering pine trees and the clear blue skies was splintered every few seconds by the sound of distant explosions from the frontline battles for

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S. Korean leader in Japan for first visit in 12 years for fence-mending summit

TOKYO — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met his Japanese counterpart in Tokyo Thursday for a fence-mending summit, the first such visit in 12 years as the two neighbors seek to confront threats

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‘The race is on’ to ensure EU is competitive in crucial clean tech sector: Von Der Leyen

STRASBOURG — The European Union needs to invest more in research and development and boost mining and processing of critical raw materials to ensure its clean technology companies can compete in the

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Australian boy, 13, spent six weeks in solitary confinement

SYDNEY — A 13-year-old Indigenous Australian boy spent 45 days in solitary confinement while being held for minor offenses, in the latest youth justice case to raise human rights concerns in Queensland.The

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Pakistan security forces withdraw from Imran Khan's residence

LAHORE — Pakistani security personnel withdrew from around Imran Khan's residence in Lahore on Wednesday, putting a halt to clashes that had erupted after police tried to arrest the former prime

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Pakistan breaking law in arrest attempt, says ex-PM Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan's main opposition leader Imran Khan says the authorities are acting outside the law in their attempt to arrest him."They should all be subject to the law of the land,"

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Chinese doctor who exposed Sars crisis dies

SINGAPORE — Jiang Yanyong, a former military surgeon who blew the whistle on the Chinese authorities' cover-up of the 2003 Sars epidemic has died aged 91.He died of pneumonia on Saturday in Beijing,

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Clashes as Pakistan police try to arrest opposition leader Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD —Supporters of Pakistan’s main opposition leader Imran Khan have clashed with police outside his home as officers try to arrest him.Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the supporters,

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UN stresses ‘full commitment’ to Ukraine grain deal as Russia offers 60-day extension

GENEVA — The UN chief on Monday confirmed the UN would “do everything possible to preserve the integrity” of the Black Sea Grain Initiative — the deal agreed between Ukraine and Russia last July

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Russian soldier arrested 'after six months in hiding'

KYIV — A Russian soldier who claims to have avoided detection in Ukraine's Kharkiv region for six months has been detained, Ukrainian police say.The 42-year-old serviceman was stopped by members

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Bali plans tourist motorbike ban over misbehavior

JAKARTA — Indonesian island Bali is planning to ban foreign tourists from using motorbikes after a spate of cases involving people breaking traffic laws."You [should] not roam about the island using

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China reopening borders to foreign tourists for first time since Covid outbreak

BEIJING — China is to resume issuing visas to foreign tourists for the first time since the Covid pandemic broke out three years ago.The major easing of restrictions comes after Beijing declared victory

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King Charles makes first appearance on special stamps

LONDON — The first special stamps bearing the head of King Charles are being released by the Royal Mail, with his silhouette appearing on a set showing popular garden flowers.These are likely to be the

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Israeli teachers’ racist WhatsApp chat caught by pupils

TEL AVIV — Israel’s education minister has apologized to Ethiopian Israeli schoolgirls whose teachers mocked them in a WhatsApp group on a school trip.The girls spotted the teachers messaging each

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Willow project: Biden curbs drilling ahead of decision on Alaska oil project

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has imposed limits on oil and gas drilling in 16 million acres of Alaska and the Arctic Ocean.The announcement on Sunday came as his administration reportedly prepares

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Gary Lineker will be allowed back on BBC after impartiality storm

LONDON — Gary Lineker will resume his duties on the BBC’s flagship soccer show after an impartiality storm over his criticism of the government’s asylum policy that plunged Britain’s public broadcaster

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Eight dead after boats capsize off California coast

SAN DIEGO — At least eight people have died after two boats capsized off the California coast, emergency services have said.A search began after the boats got in trouble off Black's Beach, San Diego.A

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Li Qiang takes center stage as China's new premier

BEIJING — China's new premier Li Qiang has sought to restore confidence in the country's economy in his first public address after taking up the role.He said that a 5% growth target set last

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Probe: Rohingya camp fire was 'planned sabotage'

DHAKA — The blaze which swept through the world's largest refugee camp last week was a "planned and purposeful act of sabotage," investigators say.The fire on 5 March in Bangladesh left

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IAEA chief furious as Russian strikes threaten Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

KYIV — At least nine people were killed in the latest wave of Russian attacks across Ukraine during the early hours of Thursday morning.It was the heaviest aerial bombardment in weeks, with at least

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Fight for Bakhmut intensifies as Russian forces renew push

KYIV — Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said the fighting in Bakhmut had “escalated,” as Russian forces attempt to break through Ukrainian defense lines that have largely held firm

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UN observes first International Day against Islamophobia

NEW YORK — The United Nations on Friday commemorated the first-ever International Day to Combat Islamophobia with a special event in the General Assembly Hall, where speakers upheld the need for concrete

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Has Putin’s assault on Ukraine’s power grid failed?

KYIV/ MOSCOW — Ukrainians are enjoying the onset of spring. The nights are still cold, but they are emerging from a winter of Russian missile strikes that have cut their power, heating and their water

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China elects Xi Jinping ally Li Qiang as premier

BEIJING — The man nominated as China’s next premier by President Xi Jinping has been formally elected by parliament.Li Qiang, the former Communist Party leader of the country’s biggest city of Shanghai,

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Silicon Valley Bank: Regulators take over as failure raises fears

NEW YORK — US regulators have shut down Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and taken control of its customer deposits in the largest failure of a US bank since 2008.The moves came as the firm, a key tech lender,

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Turkey to hold presidential, parliamentary elections on May 14

ANKARA — Turkey will hold presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14 — a month earlier than previously scheduled, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially announced on Friday.“Our nation

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Macron and Sunak try to put relations back on track at Paris summit

PARIS — The leaders of Britain and France shook hands and briefly posed for photographers, smiling, on Friday morning, as Rishi Sunak arrived at the presidential palace in Paris for a meeting with Emmanuel

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Malaysia ex-PM charged with corruption over Covid spending

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's former prime minister who led during the height of the pandemic has been charged with corruption — a move that ratchets up already bitter political tensions in the country.Muhyiddin

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Xi Jinping begins historic third term as China's president

BEIJING — China's leader Xi Jinping has secured a historic third term as president from the country's parliament.It follows a consolidation of power that has made Xi, 69, China's most dominant

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Several people killed in German church shooting

HAMBURG — A number of people have been killed in a shooting at a Jehovah's Witness meeting hall in the north German city of Hamburg.Police say the gunman acted alone and is thought to be dead. It

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Saudis to benefit from UK’s electronic travel authorization starting next year

LONDON — Visitors from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Cooperation Council states and Jordan will be among the first to benefit from the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) scheme, ahead of a worldwide

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Nigeria delays governorship elections amid disputed presidential vote

ABUJA — Nigeria’s electoral commission has postponed governorship elections planned for this weekend by another week, citing limited time to reset its voting machines nearly two weeks after a controversial

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White House lashes out at Tucker Carlson in extraordinary rebuke

NEW YORK — The White House lashed out at Fox News host Tucker Carlson Wednesday in an extraordinary rebuke of the late-night commentator who has been airing false depictions of the January 6, 2021, attack

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'Sushi terror' pranks outrage Japan as police make arrests

TOKYO — Japanese police have arrested three people over "sushi terror": viral, unhygienic pranks that are threatening the world-famous feature of sushi conveyor belt restaurants. Last month,

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Russian air strikes cut power at Ukraine nuclear plant

KYIV — At least nine people have been killed and power at Europe's largest nuclear plant has been lost after Russia launched missiles across Ukraine.The attacks hit cities from Kharkiv in the north

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EU defense ministers mull €2 billion plan to boost ammunition deliveries to Ukraine

STOCKHOLM — The European Union is prepared to disburse a further €2 billion to boost ammunition production and deliveries to Ukraine, Josep Borrell said on Wednesday.Speaking from Stockholm where EU

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Asylum plan will stop people jumping queue — Braverman

LONDON — The UK’s new asylum plan will “stop people jumping the queue” to live in the UK, Suella Braverman has said.The home secretary told the BBC the British public “have had enough” of migrants

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Thai man jailed for insulting king over duck calendar

BANGKOK — A Thai man has been jailed for two years for selling calendars which featured satirical comments and rubber ducks in royal regalia, which prosecutors said defamed the monarchy.Narathorn Chotmankongsin,

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Thousands protest at Georgian 'foreign agent' bill

TBILISI — Protesters have clashed with police in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, after parliament backed a controversial draft law which critics say limits press freedom and suppresses civil society.Riot

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Two Americans dead after kidnapping in Mexico

MEXICO CITY — Two of the four Americans kidnapped at gunpoint in Mexico last week are dead and two are alive and now back in the US, Mexican and US officials say.Four US citizens were kidnapped by armed

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Elon Musk apologizes to sacked Twitter worker over online row

WASHINGTON — Twitter chief executive Elon Musk has apologized over an exchange he had on the platform with an employee.It came after worker Halli Thorleifsson tweeted to Musk saying: "Your head

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UK asylum plan 'very concerning' — UN refugee agency

LONDON — The UK government's proposed asylum law is "very concerning" and would block even those with a compelling claim, the United Nations refugee agency has said.The UNHCR's representative

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Europe’s longest cycle tunnel aims to cut traffic in this Norwegian city

OSLO — Norway’s Bergen is gearing up to open the world’s longest purpose-built pedestrian and bicycle tunnel.On April 15, 2023, the 2.9km tunnel will open to the public with running and cycling events.

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Serbia-Croatia border arrests over radioactive material found in car

BELGRADE — Three Croatian nationals have been arrested in Serbia after radioactive material was discovered in their car, local media report.They were about to enter Croatia on Saturday when scanners

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Canada's Trudeau launches China election meddling probes

OTTAWA — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that an independent special rapporteur will probe alleged Chinese interference in their recent elections.The appointed investigator will review

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Dozens of bushfires spread as heat grips Australia's east

SYDNEY — Dozens of bushfires burning across Australia's east coast could get worse as a severe heatwave continues, fire services have warned.After two years of rains and floods, a return to warmer

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Villagers fall ill after Philippines oil spill

Villagers fall ill after Philippines oil spillSINGAPORE — Dozens of people have fallen sick in coastal villages in the Philippines after a major oil spill from a sunken tanker.The MT Princess Empress

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Man charged in US over mid-air rampage

NEW YORK — A man has been arrested and charged after he allegedly disarmed an aircraft door mid-flight and attempted to stab a flight attendant, US officials said.Francisco Severo Torres, 33, sparked

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Estonia's center-right Reform Party comes first in parliamentary elections

TALLINN — Estonia's Reform Party, headed by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, has secured first place in Sunday’s parliamentary election, taking approximately 31.4% of the vote.Nine political parties

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Harry and Meghan weigh coronation invitation

LONDON — Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will be invited to King Charles III’s coronation, a statement from the couple suggests.They say they have been emailed about the coronation,

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China boosts military budget while warning of escalating threats

BEIJING — China will increase military spending by more than 7% this year, while warning of “escalating” threats.It was announced at the National People’s Congress (NPC), a rubber-stamp parliament,

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Greek train crash: Mitsotakis seeks forgiveness from families

ATHENS — Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has asked for forgiveness from the families of the 57 victims of this week’s train crash.In a Facebook message, Mitsotakis said that “in the Greece

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UN agrees ‘once-in-a-generation’ treaty to protect biodiversity in oceans

NEW YORK — For the first time, United Nations members have agreed on a unified treaty to protect biodiversity in the high seas, a move aimed at countering threats to marine biodiversity.“The ship has

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Matt Hancock: Leaked messages suggest plan to frighten public

LONDON — Matt Hancock suggested to an aide that they “frighten the pants off everyone”, messages published by the Sunday Telegraph show.It appears the former health secretary discussed when to reveal

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Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al-Sabah reappointed Kuwait's prime minister

KUWAIT — Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Sunday issued a decree reappointing Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al-Sabah as prime minister.The decree also assigned Sheikh Ahmed to nominate

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China looks at reforms to deepen Xi Jinping control

BEIJING — Xi Jinping is set to deepen his control of China’s government and economy, as lawmakers meet in Beijing to pass far-reaching reforms.The National People’s Congress (NPC) will confirm Xi’s

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EU Parliament president holds talks in Ukraine with Zelensky

KYIV — The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Lviv on Saturday, in what is her second visit to the country since Russia’s invasion.She

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For first time, women represented in all parliaments of the world

GENEVA — For the first time ever, there are women MPs in every single country on Earth, the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) said on Friday.In its latest annual report, the global body dedicated to promoting

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EU delays final vote on combustion engine ban, exposing growing dissent among member

BRUSSELS — European Union member states decided on Friday morning to postpone a vote to ratify an EU-wide ban on the sale of new combustion engine vehicles as of 2035, reflecting growing discontent over

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Rising sea levels: The silent killer that is already a reality

AMSTERDAM — Rising global sea levels are less visible to the eye than many other effects of climate change. But these, like other problems, have accelerated significantly in recent decades. Since 1990,

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17 die, hundreds evacuated in Indonesia blaze

JAKARTA — At least 17 people have died in a huge fire at a state-run fuel depot in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.Sixty people were injured, with many people severely burned. Hundreds living in residential

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UAE, Italy discuss ways to build strategic partnership

ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan met Saturday with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is on a two-day visit to the UAE.During the meeting, held

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Age of Francafrique over, declares French president

PARIS — The age of Francafrique is over, President Emmanuel Macron has declared, according to French media. The French leader made that remark on Thursday during a visit to Gabon while addressing the

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Over 31,000 evacuated as floods hit four Malaysian states

KUALA LUMPUUR — The number of people affected by the floods in four Malaysian states, "Johor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Malka" has risen to 31,375 as of Thursday evening, according to the

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Magnitude 5 jolts Kahramanmaraş in southern Turkey

ANKARA — An earthquake measuring 5 on the Richter scale struck Kahramanmaraş, southern Turkey, at dawn on Friday. The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, AFAD, said in a statement published

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Multilateralism is in crisis, says Jaishankar as G20 meeting ends without joint statement

NEW DELHI —The G20 foreign ministers’ meeting held in New Delhi on Thursday ended without the release of a joint communique due to “divergences that could not be reconciled” regarding the ongoing

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57 people confirmed dead as public anger grows over Greece train crash

LARISSA/ LONDON — The death toll from Tuesday’s train crash in Greece has increased to 57, a coroner has told the BBC.Eleni Zaggelidou, one of ten coroners working on the investigation, said DNA had

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G20 foreign ministers fail to reach consensus on Ukraine war

NEW DELHI — India said on Thursday that the Group of 20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi failed to reach a consensus on the Russian-Ukraine war. The G20 top diplomats could not "reconcile

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Germany reports rise in attacks against refugee shelters

BERLIN — Germany registered 121 attacks against refugee shelters last year, marking an upward trend for the first time since 2015, authorities said on Thursday. The country saw a 73% increase in such

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Al-Asoumi praises Saudi Arabia's human rights achievements under Vision 2030

CAIRO — The Arab Observatory for Human Rights of the Arab Parliament hailed the remarkable achievements made by Saudi Arabia to develop human rights as part of its development vision for 2030.The vision’s

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French President Macron tests ‘new partnerships’ in Africa

LIBREVILLE — French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Gabon on Wednesday, beginning a four-day tour of Central Africa.Touching down in the capital Libreville, Macron will travel to Angola, Congo and

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Arab interior ministers discuss combating terror, crime

TUNIS— Arab Interior Ministers discussed Wednesday developing security action in the Arab world, mainly combating cybercrimes, and approving the Arab strategic executive plan to combat terrorism.This

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Denmark scraps public holiday to boost defense budget

COPENHAGEN — Denmark’s parliament has voted to abolish a springtime public holiday to boost spending on the military.Lawmakers voted 95-68 to scrap Great Prayer Day, a religious holiday observed since

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