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Politics
Bulgarian government resigns after mass protests: PM
Bulgaria's prime minister announced Thursday that his government was resigning after less than a year in office following a series of anti-corruption protests.
Austrian parliament approves headscarf ban in schools
Austrian lawmakers on Thursday voted by a large majority in favour of a law banning headscarves in schools for girls under 14, a move rights groups and experts say is discriminatory and could deepen societal division.
Economy
Thyssenkrupp pauses steel production at two sites citing Asian pressure
Europe's largest steelmaker Thyssenkrupp is to pause steel production at two sites for about two weeks because of Asian competition, the German firm said Thursday, as the European Union considers tightening its steel tariffs.
Nature
Swiss yodelling joins world cultural heritage list
Yodelling, the traditional singing of herders in the Swiss Alps, was recognised by the United Nations on Thursday as part of the world's cultural heritage.
Politics
Stocks diverge as AI fears cloud US rate cut
Stock markets diverged Thursday as optimism over the Federal Reserve's latest interest rate cut was dampened by disappointing earnings from software giant Oracle, which revived concerns over sky-high AI valuations.
Politics
Israel says Hamas 'will be disarmed' after group proposes weapons freeze
Israel said on Thursday Hamas "will be disarmed" as part of the US-sponsored peace plan for Gaza, after a top leader from the Palestinian Islamist movement suggested a weapons freeze.
Economy
ECB proposes simplifying rules for banks
The European Central Bank proposed Thursday simplifying rules for the region's lenders to help them compete internationally, but insisted the move would not weaken guardrails aimed at preventing crises.
Boulevard
Toll in deadly Indonesia floods near 1,000, frustrations grow
The death toll in Indonesia's devastating floods closed in on the 1,000 mark Thursday as hundreds of thousands more continued to face shortages, with frustration growing over relief efforts.
Politics
Myanmar junta air strike on hospital kills 31, aid workers say
A Myanmar military air strike killed more than 30 people at a hospital, aid workers said Thursday, as the junta wages a withering offensive ahead of elections beginning this month.
Politics
General strike hits planes, trains and services in Portugal
Widespread disruption hit Portuguese air travel and trains, hospitals and schools Thursday as the unions called the biggest nationwide strike action for more than a decade against government labour reforms.
Out of hiding, Venezuela's Machado vows to return to end 'tyranny'
Nobel Peace laureate Maria Corina Machado will do her best to return to Venezuela to end the "tyranny" in the country, she said Thursday as she seized the spotlight in Oslo after nearly a year in hiding.
Nature
Vietnam's capital chokes through week of toxic smog
Toxic smog has blanketed Vietnam's capital for more than a week, blotting out the skyline and leaving residents wheezing as Hanoi's air quality dipped to among the world's worst on Thursday.
Economy
Stocks mixed as US rate cut offset by Fed outlook, Oracle earnings
Asian markets were mixed Thursday as earlier gains fuelled by the Federal Reserve's latest interest rate cut were offset by indications the central bank will hold off from further reductions at the start of next year.
Health
Mexico approves punishing vape sales with jail time
Mexico's Congress gave final approval on Wednesday to a bill establishing penalties of up to eight years in prison for selling electronic cigarettes and similar products.
Economy
Desert dunes beckon for Afghanistan's 4x4 fans
On any Friday, when the Afghan weekend begins, dozens of drivers gather in the Kandahar desert to charge their SUVs up steep ochre dunes, kicking up rooster tails of sand to the delight of spectators.
Politics
Myanmar junta air strike on hospital kills 31: aid worker
A Myanmar military air strike killed more than 30 people at a hospital, an aid worker said Thursday, as the junta wages a withering offensive ahead of elections beginning this month.
Boulevard
British porn star faces Bali deportation after studio raid
A controversial British adult film star faces deportation from Indonesia's resort island of Bali for violating immigration laws after she was arrested on suspicion of making pornographic online content, police said Thursday.
Politics
US, Japan hold joint air exercise after China-Russia patrols
Japan said Thursday it held a joint air exercise with the United States in a show of force, days after Chinese-Russian patrols in the region and following weeks of diplomatic feuding between Tokyo and Beijing.
Boulevard
Skydiver survives plane-tail dangling incident in Australia
Heart-stopping footage released Thursday by Australian authorities showed the moment a skydiver was left dangling thousands of metres in the air after their parachute caught on the plane's tail.
Nature
Filipino typhoon survivors sue Shell over climate change
Survivors of a deadly 2021 typhoon in the Philippines have filed a lawsuit against British oil giant Shell, seeking financial compensation for climate-related devastation, three NGOs supporting them said Thursday.
Politics
Eurogroup elects new head as Russian frozen assets debate rages
Finance ministers from Europe's 20-country single currency area are to choose the next Eurogroup chief on Thursday, as the EU weighs a tough decision on using frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine.
Sports
Thunder demolish Suns, Spurs shock Lakers to reach NBA Cup semis
The Oklahoma City Thunder bagged a 16th straight victory on Wednesday, thrashing Phoenix 138-89 to romp into an NBA Cup semi-final clash with San Antonio, who stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 132-119.
Politics
Fighting rages along Cambodia-Thailand border ahead of expected Trump call
Fighting raged Thursday along the border of Cambodia and Thailand, with explosions heard near centuries-old temples ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned phone call to the leaders of both nations.
Sports
Hay fifty on debut helps put New Zealand on top in West Indies Test
Mitch Hay scored an aggressive half-century on his Test debut to help New Zealand to a 41-run lead over the West Indies at the close of play on day two of the second Test in Wellington on Thursday.
Politics
Taiwan to keep production of 'most advanced' chips at home: deputy FM
Taiwan plans to keep making the "most advanced" chips on home soil and remain "indispensable" to the global semiconductor industry, the deputy foreign minister told AFP, despite intense Chinese military pressure.
Boulevard
Warmer seas, heavier rains drove Asia floods: scientists
Warmer seas and heavier rains linked to climate change, along with Indonesia and Sri Lanka's unique geographies and vulnerabilities, combined to produce deadly flooding that killed hundreds, scientists said Thursday.
Sports
Ex-Man Utd star Lingard scores on tearful farewell to South Korea
Former Manchester United and England star Jesse Lingard signed off with a goal in his final game for FC Seoul before bidding a tearful farewell to South Korean football after two seasons.
Sports
Hay fifty on debut helps New Zealand to 73-run lead against West Indies
Mitch Hay scored a half-century on his Test debut to help New Zealand to a 73-run lead as they were bowled out by the West Indies on day two of the second Test in Wellington on Wednesday.
Politics
South Korea minister resigns over alleged bribes from church
A South Korean minister resigned on Thursday after being accused of receiving illegal funds from the Unification Church, a cult-like movement linked to widespread influence-peddling.
Politics
Yemeni city buckles under surge of migrants seeking safety, work
Once a picturesque Red Sea port, the city of Aden in government-controlled Yemen has been transformed by the massive influx of people fleeing war: electricity cuts are constant, running water scarce and the meagre public services badly overstretched.
Economy
Breakout star: teenage B-girl on mission to show China is cool
Flipping and spinning on a studio floor, 17-year-old Royal is a star in China's breakdancing scene and aiming for gold at the World Championships in Japan this week.
Economy
Chocolate prices high before Christmas despite cocoa fall
After soaring for nearly two years, cocoa prices dropped sharply in 2025. However, chocolate, in demand ahead of the festive holiday season, has seen prices rise.