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Germany agrees to keep military service voluntary
Germany's coalition government has agreed a new voluntary military service model, politicians said Thursday, after weeks of wrangling over whether there should be a compulsory element.
Japan PM Takaichi says she sleeps only 2-4 hours a night
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Thursday she only sleeps for between two and four hours every night, while she also faces criticism for encouraging people to overwork.
Juan Ponce Enrile, architect of Philippines martial law, dies at 101
Juan Ponce Enrile, a shrewd political operator who helped usher in the darkest repression of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos's rule, died on Thursday at the age of 101, his daughter said.
Juan Ponce Enrile, architect of Philippine martial law, dies at 101: daughter
Juan Ponce Enrile, a shrewd political operator who helped usher in the darkest repression of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos's rule, died on Thursday at the age of 101, his daughter said.
Asian stocks rise with focus on Fed, tech as US government reopens
Asian markets rose on Thursday after Donald Trump signed a spending bill to end a record US government shutdown, while focus was also turning to Federal Reserve interest rates and tech bubble worries.
Sri Lanka to stay in Pakistan after bomb, games move to Rawalpindi
Sri Lanka's cricket board said Thursday that its players will remain in Pakistan to complete a one-day international series and a subsequent T20 tri-series, with all games to be played in Rawalpindi.
Zanzibar women turn to sponge farming as oceans heat up
Around 10 in the morning each day, women in hijabs and loose long dresses wade through Zanzibar's turquoise shallow tides to tend their sponge farms -- a new lifeline after climate change upended their former work.
India's top tennis player says denied China visa
India's top-ranked men's tennis player Sumit Nagal said China denied him a visa weeks before he was set to appear at an Australian Open qualifying tournament in southwestern Sichuan.
EU lawmakers to vote on unpicking green business rules
European lawmakers are expected on Thursday to back weakening a set of EU environmental and human rights rules, as part of a business-friendly push against red tape that has split parliament.
Record-breaking US shutdown ends as political fallout begins
Congress on Wednesday ended the longest government shutdown in US history -- 43 days that paralyzed Washington and left hundreds of thousands of workers unpaid while Donald Trump's Republicans and Democrats played a high-stakes blame game.
New Epstein emails claim Trump 'knew about the girls'
Jeffrey Epstein suggested Donald Trump knew about the disgraced financier's abuse and "spent hours" with one victims at his house, according to emails released by Democrats Wednesday that raised fresh questions for the US president.
Dow ends at record on hopes US government will reopen
Wall Street stocks finished mostly higher Wednesday with the Dow climbing to a fresh record on hopes a US government shutdown would soon end, while oil prices fell sharply on oversupply worries.
US presses final penny after more than 230 years
The United States pressed its final circulating penny on Wednesday, in a move made to save money as the one-cent coin denomination became less relevant over time.
Pardoned French-Algerian writer Sansal arrives in Germany
Jailed French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal arrived in Germany for medical treatment on Wednesday after Algiers agreed to a German request that he be pardoned.
Trump 'knew about the girls,' new Epstein emails claim
Jeffrey Epstein suggested Donald Trump knew of the disgraced financier's sexual abuse and "spent hours" with one of his victims at his house, according to emails released by Democrats Wednesday that piled fresh pressure on the US president.
Tuberculosis killed 1.23 million last year: WHO
Tuberculosis remains the world's leading infectious killer, claiming an estimated 1.23 million lives last year, the UN health organisation said Wednesday as it warned that recent gains made against the disease were fragile.
Hopes of US shutdown deal fail to sustain market rally
Stock markets fluctuated Wednesday as optimism that the US government shutdown was nearing an end and another Federal Reserve interest rate cut was on the horizon failed to sustain a rally.
US military personnel do not risk prosecution for drug strikes: Justice Dept
The US Justice Department on Wednesday defended lethal military strikes on suspected drug traffickers, brushing aside charges they may amount to extrajudicial killings that merit legal prosecution.
Jailed writer Sansal on way to Germany after Algeria pardon
Jailed French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal was on his way to Germany for medical treatment on Wednesday after Algiers agreed to a German request that he be pardoned.
Ukraine ministers resign over major corruption scandals
Ukraine's energy and justice ministers resigned on Wednesday over their alleged involvement in a sweeping corruption scandal in the country's energy sector.
Record-breaking US shutdown to end as political fallout begins
Congress looked set Wednesday to end the longest government shutdown in US history -- 43 days that paralyzed Washington and left hundreds of thousands of workers unpaid while Donald Trump's Republicans and Democrats played a high-stakes blame game.
G7 foreign ministers seek to boost Ukraine war effort
G7 foreign ministers held talks Wednesday focused on bolstering Ukraine's war effort, as meeting host Canada unveiled new sanctions targeting Russian drone and energy production.
Released Epstein emails allege Trump 'knew about the girls'
Democrats released emails Wednesday in which Jeffrey Epstein suggested Donald Trump was aware of the disgraced financier's sexual abuse and had "spent hours" with one of his victims at his house.
Argentina's Milei to follow Trump in skipping S.Africa G20: spokesperson
Argentinian President Javier Milei will not attend the G20 summit in South Africa later this month, his spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.
Epstein alleged Trump 'knew about the girls': Democrats
Democrats released emails Wednesday in which Jeffrey Epstein suggested that Donald Trump was aware of the financier's sexual abuse and definitely "knew about the girls."
S.Africa's Ramaphosa says US skipping G20 'their loss'
President Cyril Ramaphosa said Wednesday the United States boycott of the G20 summit in South Africa later this month would not prevent the meeting of the world's leading economies from going ahead.
Cambodia says Thai troops kill one in fresh border clashes
Cambodia and Thailand traded accusations of fresh clashes along their border on Wednesday, with Phnom Penh reporting one civilian shot dead in hostilities flaring after Bangkok paused implementation of a US-backed peace deal.
Lebanese say Israel preventing post-war reconstruction
When engineer Tarek Mazraani started campaigning for the reconstruction of war-battered southern Lebanon, Israeli drones hovered ominously overhead -- their loudspeakers sometimes calling him out by name.
42 feared dead in migrant shipwreck off Libya: UN
The United Nations said Wednesday that 42 migrants were missing presumed dead after a rubber boat capsized off the Libyan coast last week.
Cambodia, Thailand trade accusations of fresh border clashes
Cambodia and Thailand traded accusations of fresh clashes along their border on Wednesday, after Bangkok said it was pausing the implementation of a US-backed peace deal.
DR Congo ex-rebel leader Lumbala's war crimes trial opens in France
Former Congolese rebel leader Roger Lumbala went on trial in France Wednesday over atrocities committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo's bloody eastern conflict more than two decades ago.
Johannesburg gets rushed makeover for G20 chiefs
When G20 leaders touch down in Johannesburg this month, they will be greeted by a city scrubbed, patched, and polished, all part of a last-minute summit gloss thrown over years of neglect.