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Fake news, online hate swell Indonesia anti-Rohingya sentiment
Arriving on a rickety boat in western Indonesia from squalid Bangladesh camps after weeks at sea late last year, hundreds of Rohingya refugees came to shore only to be turned around and pushed back.
A mega-prison and a Mayan 'Pompeii': five things about El Salvador
The Central American nation of El Salvador goes to the polls Sunday in an election dominated by President Nayib Bukele's war on gangs.
'Peace, tranquility, freedom': El Salvador president's ticket to reelection
There is an unfamiliar air of serenity in El Salvador's capital, where voters head to the polls Sunday without the specter of gang violence and intimidation hanging over them for the first time in years.
Argentine president's reforms pass first test in Congress
Argentine lawmakers took a first step Friday toward approving President Javier Milei's sweeping economic, social and political reform package, which has sparked angry opposition protests.
US retaliatory strikes hit Iran-linked targets in Syria, Iraq
The US military launched retaliatory air strikes against Iranian forces and Tehran-backed militia groups in both Iraq and Syria on Friday, following a recent drone attack that killed three American soldiers at a remote base in Jordan.
North Korea fires more cruise missiles in testing spree
North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles Friday, Seoul's military said, continuing a fresh streak of weapons testing as Kim Jong Un's regime ramps up what it calls "war preparations".
Retaliatory US strikes hit Syria after Jordan attack: US media
The US military has launched air strikes against targets in Syria in the first retaliation for a drone attack that killed three soldiers at a remote US base in Jordan, US media reported Friday.
Gaza fighting continues despite efforts for truce
Fighting raged Friday in Gaza forcing thousands of Palestinians to flee seeking shelter, after Qatar said Hamas had given "initial" support to a hostage-prisoner exchange that would pause its war with Israel.
Shipper CMA CGM suspends Red Sea transit again
French maritime transporter CMA CGM has again suspended the transit by its vessels of the Red Sea, where Iran-backed Yemeni rebels have targeted numerous ships, a source told AFP on Friday.
Hardline N.Ireland unionists angry at powersharing 'surrender deal'
Some grassroots loyalists in a unionist area of Northern Ireland have been left dismayed by this week's deal struck between the main pro-UK party and the British government, venting their anger at a recent gathering.
Biden attends ritual return of three US soldiers killed in Jordan
President Joe Biden on Friday joined the intensely emotional military ritual at a Delaware air base for the return of three US soldiers killed in Jordan by a drone attack blamed on an Iran-backed militia.
Vinicius becomes UNESCO goodwill ambassador
The UN cultural agency on Friday named Brazilian footballer Vinicius Junior its "goodwill ambassador for education for all".
US praises China action on fentanyl but sees political risks
The United States has seen important action by China on curbing fentanyl, a senior official said Friday after talks in Beijing, but he acknowledged the risk that friction between the two powers would "blow up" progress.
UK judge dismisses Greta Thunberg protest case
A London court threw out a public order case on Friday against climate activist Greta Thunberg and four other protesters, with the judge criticising "unlawful" conditions imposed by police when they were arrested.
Top UN court says can rule on most of Ukraine invasion case
The United Nations' top court said Friday it had jurisdiction to rule in most parts of a case brought by Ukraine over Russia's brutal 2022 invasion, with Kyiv urging reparations.
French govt under fire for putting pesticide phase-out on hold
France's government was on the defensive on Friday after environmental campaigners and opposition politicians accused it of having scrapped a key green policy to appease protesting farmers.
'No space for everyone': Rafah overwhelmed with fleeing Gazans
Tensof thousands of people crammed into a street in Rafah, the southern Gaza city where vast numbers have sought refuge from advancing Israeli ground troops.
EU states greenlight landmark new AI rules
The European Union's 27 member states on Friday approved landmark rules on reining in artificial intelligence, passing a key last hurdle after tough negotiations to the very end.
German MPs approve controversial 2024 budget
Germany's parliament on Friday approved a revised 2024 budget that will reinstate strict debt limits after a shock legal ruling forced Chancellor Olaf Scholz to redraw his spending plans.
Hong Kong quits e-sports cup that could not show 'China' in team name
Hong Kong has withdrawn from the eAsian Cup in Qatar because the football video game used by the event could not display the team's official name which includes the word "China".
Paris takes aim at SUVs with premium parking vote
Parking hefty vehicles in Paris could soon come with a matching price tag if a Sunday referendum to triple the cost for SUVs is passed, in a vote that has raised the hackles of some drivers in the French capital.
Protesting farmers in France lift roadblocks as standoff eases
France's agriculture minister said Friday that the worst of a crisis that saw farmers block roads nationwide was over, as protesters began lifting roadblocks following government promises of cash and eased regulation.
Hamas gives 'initial' support to Gaza truce plan as fighting rages
Fighting in Gaza raged on Friday with scores reported killed overnight, after mediator Qatar said Hamas had given its "initial" support to a hostage-prisoner exchange deal that would pause its war with Israel.
Netanyahu's political tightrope on Hamas hostage deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is engaged in intense political manoeuvring as pressure grows at home and abroad to release hostages held in Gaza and bring fighting to a halt.
On course for power, UK's Labour prepares for a quick change
If the main opposition Labour party wins the next UK general election as opinion polls indicate, then a familiar sight will appear outside the prime minister's official residence the next day: removal vans.
Hamas gives 'initial' approval to Gaza truce plan as fighting drags on
Fighting in Gaza dragged on into Friday with scores reported killed overnight, after mediator Qatar said Hamas had given its "initial" approval to a hostage-prisoner exchange deal that would pause its war with Israel.
Argentine police battle protesters opposed to sweeping reform bill
Argentine police fired rubber bullets Thursday to disperse protesters gathered outside Congress as lawmakers debated the new president's sweeping economic, social and political reform package.
Top UN court to rule on jurisdiction over Ukraine invasion
The United Nations' top court will decide on Friday whether it has jurisdiction to rule in a case brought by Ukraine over Russia's brutal 2022 invasion, with Kyiv urging reparations.
Nayib Bukele, El Salvador's unapologetic 'dictator'
El Salvador's gang-busting President Nayib Bukele has proudly embraced the monicker of "dictator" and breezily shrugs off criticism of human rights transgressions.
El Salvador goes to polls with gang-busting Bukele miles ahead
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele is all but guaranteed a resounding victory in elections Sunday, with his no-holds-barred war on gangs having earned him approval ratings hovering around 90 percent.
Kim inspects warships as North Korea prepares for conflict
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected warships at a shipyard in a renewed drive to bolster his naval forces as his country ramps up "war preparations", state media said Friday.
Three years after decriminalization, Oregon frets over drug use
When police officer Eli Arnold stops a homeless man smoking methamphetamine on the street in Portland, he simply writes him a ticket with a $100 fine.
40 years in prison for ex-CIA coder who leaked hacking tools to WikiLeaks
A former CIA programmer was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Thursday for leaking the US spy agency's most valuable hacking tools to WikiLeaks.
US senators set vote on precarious Ukraine aid package
The US Senate will vote next week on a border security package that would unlock vital aid for Ukraine, Democrats announced Thursday, as President Joe Biden hailed a $54 billion package approved by the war-torn nation's European allies.
US approves $4 bn India drone deal after assassination row
The United States on Thursday approved a $4 billion sale of state-of-the-art drones to India, eager to modernize its military in the face of China, after a delay following an alleged assassination plot on US soil.
IMF says central banks should not rush into rate cuts
The IMF sees a greater risk to the global economy if central banks start cutting interest rates too soon than if they move "slightly" too late, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Thursday.
Hamas gives 'initial' approval to plan for Gaza fighting pause
Hamas has given its "initial" approval to a planned humanitarian pause in its war with Israel and a hostage-prisoner exchange, Qatar said Thursday, as fighting raged in the Gaza Strip.
N.Ireland Assembly set to resume on Saturday: pro-UK party
Northern Ireland's assembly in Belfast looks set to be restored this weekend following almost two years of political deadlock, the leader of the biggest pro-UK party said on Thursday.
Biden imposes sanctions over 'intolerable' Israeli settler violence
The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on a handful of Jewish settlers as President Joe Biden said the level of violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank had reached intolerable levels.