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France poised to adopt 2026 budget after months of tense talks
France is expected to adopt its 2026 budget on Monday after months of fraught negotiations if Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survives the latest in a string of no-confidence motions.
Russia uses sport to 'whitewash' its aggression, says Ukraine minister
Sports federations who claim sport is separate from politics should not include armed conflicts in that definition because "war is a crime, not politics", Ukraine's Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi told AFP ahead of the Winter Olympics.
Chile officially backs Bachelet candidacy for UN top job
Chile has officially backed the candidacy of its former president Michelle Bachelet to become the UN's first female secretary-general, with backing from Mexico and Brazil.
European stocks rise as oil tumbles, while tech worries weigh on New York
Oil prices fell and gold steadied as concerns eased over US monetary policy and the chances of an American attack on Iran, while stock markets diverged.
Gaza's Rafah crossing makes limited reopening after two-year war
Gaza's key Rafah border crossing reopened to Palestinians on Monday, an Israeli security official said, though Egyptian state-linked media said only 50 people would be allowed to cross in each direction in the early days.
Tough-talking right-winger elected Costa Rica president
Right-wing political scientist Laura Fernandez won Costa Rica's presidential election on Sunday by a landslide, after promising to crack down hard on rising violence linked to the cocaine trade.
Dalai Lama's 'gratitude' at first Grammy win
Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said Monday he was grateful for his first Grammy, after bagging the top music industry award for audio book, narration and storytelling.
Stocks, oil, precious metals plunge on volatile start to the week
Equities, oil and precious metals plunged Monday to extend the volatility that struck markets at the end of last week, with concerns about elevated tech valuations once again casting a shadow.
Right-wing candidate set for Costa Rica election landslide
Right-wing candidate Laura Fernandez was on course for a landslide win in Costa Rica's presidential election on Sunday, according to partial results from the vote, which was dominated by concern over crime.
Level playing field? Tech at forefront of US immigration fight
Technology has become a key battleground in the confrontation between US authorities and migrants along with their supporters, with both sides innovating to try to gain the upper hand.
Counting begins in Costa Rica vote dominated by narco violence
Vote counting began Sunday evening in Costa Rica after elections dominated by a surge in narco-trafficking and promises of a crackdown from the conservative frontrunner.
Venezuelan activist ends '1,675 days' of suffering in prison
A renowned Venezuelan human rights activist was freed Sunday after more than four years in a notorious Caracas prison, saying he endured 1,675 days behind bars that were "too much pain for a human being."
Czechs rally to back president locking horns with government
Tens of thousands of Czechs rallied in Prague on Sunday to support the country's pro-Ukrainian president, who is locked in a dispute with the government's nationalist billionaire leader Andrej Babis.
Trump hopeful of Iran deal after Tehran warns of regional war
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was hopeful of agreeing a deal with Iran after the country's supreme leader warned that any US attack on the Islamic republic would trigger a regional war.
Ukraine war talks delayed to Wednesday, says Zelensky
A second round of talks between Russian, Ukrainian and US officials on a US-drafted plan to end the nearly four-year Ukraine war will begin on Wednesday, instead of Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Iran releases protester on bail after US warnings
Detained Iranian protester Erfan Soltani has been released on bail, his lawyer said Sunday, after the United States warned he was on death row and threatened to attack the Islamic republic if any anti-government demonstrators were executed.
Pakistan seeks out perpetrators after deadly separatist attacks
Pakistan forces hunted on Sunday for the separatists behind a string of coordinated attacks in restive Balochistan province, with the government vowing to retaliate after more than 190 people were killed in two days.
Ukraine war talks delayed to Wednesday, Zelensky says
A second round of talks between Russian, Ukrainian and US officials on a US-drafted plan to end the nearly four-year Ukraine war will begin on Wednesday, instead of on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Israel says partially reopening Gaza's Rafah crossing
Israel was partially reopening the Rafah crossing between the devastated Gaza Strip and Egypt on Sunday following months of urging from humanitarian organisations, though access is limited to the movement of people.
Iran's Khamenei likens protests to 'coup', warns of regional war
Iran's supreme leader on Sunday likened recent anti-government protests to a "coup", warning that any US attack on the Islamic republic following Washington's military deployments in the Middle East would trigger a regional war.
Israel partially reopens Gaza's Rafah crossing
Israel partially reopened the Rafah crossing between the devastated Gaza Strip and Egypt on Sunday following months of urging from humanitarian organisations, though access is limited to the movement of people.
Iran declares European armies 'terrorist groups' after IRGC designation
Iran has declared European countries' armies "terrorist groups", its parliament speaker said Sunday, following the EU's decision to apply the same designation to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Israel to partially reopen Gaza's Rafah crossing
Israel is set to partially reopen the Rafah crossing between the war-devastated Gaza Strip and Egypt on Sunday, following months of urging from humanitarian organisations, though access will be limited to the movement of people.
With Trump mum, last US-Russia nuclear pact set to end
Come Thursday, barring a last-minute change, the final treaty in the world that restricted nuclear weapon deployment will be over.
In Sudan's old port of Suakin, dreams of a tourism revival
The mayor of Suakin dreams of a rebirth for his town, an ancient Red Sea port spared by the wars that have marked Sudan's history but reduced to ruins by the ravages of time.
Narco violence dominates as Costa Rica votes for president
Costa Rica, a beacon of stability in Central America that is battling a surge in violence related to drug trafficking, goes to the polls on Sunday in elections that are expected to bring a tough-on-crime right-winger to power.
Separatist attacks in Pakistan kill 33, dozens of militants dead
Separatists launched "coordinated" attacks across Pakistan's Balochistan province on Saturday, killing at least 15 security personnel and 18 civilians, the military said -- the latest violence in the insurgency-hit southwestern region.
New head of US mission in Venezuela arrives as ties warm
The new head of the US diplomatic mission to Venezuela arrived in the country on Saturday and was welcomed by the South American country's foreign minister, as relations gradually warm after the ouster of Nicolas Maduro in a US military raid.
Iran says progress made towards US talks despite attack jitters
Iran's top security official said Saturday that progress had been made towards negotiations with the United States, even as the Islamic republic's army chief warned Washington against launching military strikes.
Venezuela's 'Helicoide' prison synonymous with torture of dissenters
Venezuela's "El Helicoide" was built back in the days of seemingly endless oil wealth and meant to be a flashy, space-age-looking shopping center.
Ukraine sees mass power outages from 'technical malfunction'
Ukraine's power grid experienced mass outages for several hours on Saturday after a "technical malfunction" caused electrical lines between Moldova, Romania and Ukraine to fail, Ukraine's energy minister said.
Gaza civil defence says Israeli strikes kill 32
Israeli air strikes killed 32 people including children in Gaza on Saturday, according to the Palestinian territory's civil defence agency, as the military said it had attacked in response to a Hamas ceasefire violation.