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French prosecutors probe Nestle over mineral water treatments
French prosecutors said on Wednesday they had opened an investigation into suspected fraudulent practices by the waters division of Swiss food giant Nestle, after it admitted treating water for its top French brands including Perrier and Vittel.
Dozens arrested as tensions escalate at French farmers protests
French police arrested dozens of people on Wednesday as tensions escalated to new levels at protests by farmers in search of better conditions that have spread to other European countries.
Scholz vows to do all for 'huge' EU aid for Ukraine
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed Wednesday to rally European partners to cobble together support for Ukraine "so huge" that it would weigh on Russian President Vladimir Putin's calculations.
Hamas outlines Gaza truce proposal as battles rage
Hamas was reviewing a proposal for a six-week truce in its war with Israel, a source told AFP on Wednesday, as fighting raged in southern Gaza and the UN sought to restore aid funding.
Myanmar junta chief says will do 'whatever it takes' to crush opposition
Myanmar's military will do "whatever it takes" to crush opposition to its rule, its top general said on Wednesday, after the junta extended a state of emergency and further delayed elections.
EU to shield farmers threatened by Ukraine imports
With farmers venting their anger across Europe, the European Union said Wednesday it would create "safeguards" to stop cheap Ukrainian imports from flooding the market and ease highly contested rules on leaving land unused.
UN court rejects most of Ukraine's 'terror' case against Russia
The United Nations' top court on Wednesday mostly rejected Ukraine's claims that Russia was financing "terrorism" in eastern Ukraine, saying only that Moscow had failed to investigate alleged breaches.
Kosovo delays enforcing ban on Serbian currency
Kosovo said Wednesday that it will not immediately enforce a ban on the use of the Serbian dinar there after an outcry from Western governments.
UK opposition Labour courts business before election
With a UK general election looming, the country's main opposition Labour party is starting to persuade business and financial sector leaders that it can be trusted to grow the economy.
UN chief calls UNRWA 'backbone' of Gaza humanitarian aid
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called his organization's Palestinian refugee agency the "backbone" of Gaza aid on Wednesday after several countries suspended funding over Israeli claims 12 UNRWA staffers participated in the October 7 attacks.
Eight million displaced by Sudan war: UN
The number of people uprooted by the war between rival generals in Sudan is around eight million, the United Nations said on Wednesday.
Russia and Ukraine exchange hundreds of POWs
Russia and Ukraine traded hundreds of prisoners of war on Wednesday, just a week after Moscow said Kyiv had shot down a plane carrying captured Ukrainian soldiers to an exchange.
Waiting out Bukele's 'Bitcoin City' on a Salvadoran beach
When President Nayib Bukele announced plans to create the world's first "Bitcoin City," a futuristic metropolis financed by cryptocurrency bonds, American Corbin Keegan packed up his life in Chicago and headed for El Salvador.
EU to shield farmers threatened by Ukraine farm imports
With farmers venting their anger across Europe, Brussels moved Wednesday to address two of their core grievances: creating "safeguards" to stop cheaper Ukrainian imports from flooding the market, and easing highly contested rules on leaving land unused.
Pakistan vote body calls security meeting after campaign violence
Pakistan's election commission on Wednesday announced an urgent meeting of security officials after a candidate was shot dead and several others wounded in separate attacks a week before the country goes to the polls.
France reduces crowd numbers for Paris Olympics opening ceremony
The French government announced Wednesday that it had slashed the crowd size for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics this July amid security and other organisational worries.
Nearly eight million displaced by Sudan war: UN
The number of people uprooted by the war between rival generals in Sudan is almost eight million, the United Nations said Wednesday.
UN warns Gaza faces humanitarian 'collapse' as battles rage
Artillery fire pounded southern Gaza early Wednesday as Israel said it has begun flooding Hamas tunnels and mediators sought a halt to the nearly four-month war.
Thai court orders end to royal insult law reform campaign
Thailand's progressive Move Forward Party, which won most seats at the last election, was Wednesday ordered to stop campaigning to reform the kingdom's tough royal defamation laws, as a top court ruled the policy was unlawful.
French farmers close in on key spots as police deployed in force
Convoys of tractors edged closer to Paris, Lyon and other strategic locations in France on Wednesday, as thousands of protesting farmers appeared to ignore warnings of police intervention if they cross red lines laid down by the government.
Israel floods Hamas tunnels as UN pleads for aid funding
Israel's army has begun flooding Hamas's network of tunnels as intense fighting rages in Gaza, with the UN warning of the potential "collapse of the humanitarian system" in the territory after a funding row hit its Palestinian aid agency.
Thai court to rule on royal defamation election pledge
Thailand's progressive Move Forward Party, which won most seats at the last election, faces a crunch court ruling Wednesday on the legality of its campaign pledge to reform the kingdom's tough royal defamation laws.
Myanmar junta takes heavy hits three years after coup
One morning last October as the dawn light touched the cold hills of northern Myanmar a barrage of rockets and drones streaked through the sky and slammed into dugouts and bases housing military troops.
Balochistan battle death toll rises to 15, says Pakistan military
Four Pakistan servicemen and two civilians were among 15 killed in an hours-long gun battle with Balochistan militants in the southwest of the country, the military said.
North Korea says it test-fired strategic cruise missile
North Korea said Wednesday it successfully test-fired a strategic cruise missile, part of a selection of recently launched weapons that analysts warn could be destined for Russia's war in Ukraine.
Rome protests over Italian chained in Hungary court
Italy's government said Tuesday that Budapest authorities went "too far" in putting in chains an Italian woman awaiting trial for attacking neo-Nazis, as it summoned the Hungarian envoy in protest.
How El Salvador's Bukele became Latin America's most popular leader
Polling as the most popular leader in Latin America -- possibly even the world -- El Salvador's Nayib Bukele has inspired calls for hard-handed tactics across a region tired of violence and losing faith in democracy.
Biden says he's decided response to Jordan attack
US President Joe Biden said Tuesday he had decided on a response to a drone strike that killed three American troops in Jordan, while insisting he did not want a wider war in the Middle East.
US snaps back sanctions on Venezuela, which denounces 'blackmail'
The United States warned Tuesday it was ready to snap back sanctions on Venezuela's vital oil industry unless opponents of President Nicolas Maduro are allowed to run against him, as the leftist government vowed to hit back through migration.
N. Ireland deal looks to end two-year political deadlock
Northern Ireland on Tuesday moved a step closer to ending a nearly two-year political deadlock after the main pro-UK party endorsed a deal with London aimed at reopening the region's assembly.
Biden says he's decided Jordan strike response, doesn't want wider war
US President Joe Biden said Tuesday he had decided on a response to a drone strike that killed three American troops in Jordan but said he did not want a wider war in the Middle East.
Israel floods Hamas attack tunnels, as mediators press for truce
Israeli's army said Tuesday it was flooding Hamas's attack tunnels amid intense fighting in Gaza, even as international mediators pushed for a new halt in the nearly four-month war.
Israel army says flooding Gaza tunnels to halt Hamas attacks
The Israeli army said Tuesday it is channelling water into Gaza's tunnels in a bid to destroy the sprawling underground network used by Hamas militants to launch attacks on Israel.
Biden says has decided Jordan strike response, doesn't want wider war
President Joe Biden said Tuesday he had decided on a response to a deadly drone strike on US forces in Jordan but said he did not seek a wider war in the Middle East.
French 'mindsets evolving' says country's first openly-gay PM
France's first openly-gay Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said French "mindsets are evolving" on LGBTQ issues in a major speech to lawmakers Tuesday laying out his programme.
Iran wary of US response after deadly attack on troops
Iranian commentators warned Tuesday of a US military retaliation after Washington pledged a "very consequential" response to troop deaths, but largely agreed full-blown war was not in the offing.
Farmer discontent spreads in EU as France seeks to quell protests
Protests by angry farmers spread across the European Union on Tuesday, as the French government scrambled to placate agriculture workers who have been moving towards Paris in long convoys of tractors, blocking key motorways.
US set to reimpose Venezuela oil sanctions over election disqualifications
The United States warned Tuesday it will reimpose sanctions on Venezuela's oil and gas sector, relaxed under a reconciliation deal, after opponents to President Nicolas Maduro were barred from running against him.
Turkey's parliament ousts jailed MP at heart of judicial crisis
Turkey's parliament on Tuesday formally ousted a jailed opposition lawmaker whose election created a politically-charged standoff between the country's two top courts.