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'I couldn't betray the people': Iran chess master Khadem
When Iranian chess champion Sara Khadem played in Kazakhstan in December without a hijab in solidarity with the mass protests back home, her life changed dramatically.
Speed up support for Ukraine, Zelensky pleads
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky urged world leaders Friday to speed up support at the opening of the Munich Security Conference, as Germany pushed allies to deliver crucial tanks ahead of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion.
Sunak in Belfast talks with amended post-Brexit deal 'imminent'
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held talks near Belfast on Friday with local political parties as reports said an amended deal over the Northern Ireland Protocol could be reached imminently.
Zelensky to address Munich conference with Ukraine in focus
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will Friday open the Munich Security Conference, as world leaders gather to renew their vow to back Kyiv against Russian forces ahead of the first anniversary of Moscow's invasion.
Syrian family of seven dies in fire after surviving quake
Five Syrian children and their parents died on Friday in a fire that struck a Turkish home they moved to after surviving last week's earthquake, local media reported.
Markets drop as traders eye higher-for-longer rates
Asian and European markets fell Friday on the prospect of more interest rate hikes after two Federal Reserve officials hinted at ramping up their institution's monetary tightening campaign in the face of stubbornly high US inflation.
50 years ago in France: the botched theft of Petain's body
In a saga that captivated France half a century ago, a group of admirers of French Nazi collaborator Philippe Petain stole his coffin from the Atlantic island where he died in prison in order to bury him alongside fellow World War I heroes in Verdun.
British embassy guard faces jail for spying for Moscow
A former security guard at the UK's Berlin embassy, who pleaded guilty to spying for Moscow, faces up to 14 years in prison when he is sentenced on Friday.
Tokyo to demolish historic baseball stadium despite outcry
Tokyo's government approved Friday a redevelopment which will see a historic baseball stadium demolished and trees donated to honour Japan's Emperor Meiji torn out, a move opponents called "shameful".
North Korea warns of strong response to US-South Korea military drills
North Korea on Friday threatened an "unprecedentedly" strong response to upcoming US-South Korea joint military drills, describing them as preparations for war.
Kosovo's 'closet' Catholics open up about long hidden faith
In an austere church perched above a picturesque valley in central Kosovo, Ismet Sopi recounted how his family hid their Catholic faith for centuries after converting to Islam during the Ottoman conquest of the Balkans.
Key security conference in Munich has Ukraine in focus
The Munich Security Conference opens on Friday, bringing world leaders together ahead of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine as Kyiv steps up pleas for more weapons.
Asian markets drop as traders eye higher-for-longer rates
Asian markets fell Friday on the prospect of more interest rate hikes after two Federal Reserve officials hinted at ramping up its monetary tightening campaign in the face of stubbornly high inflation.
Tackling taboos: Japanese university club teaches Ainu traditions
When Yuko Honda, a professor at Japan's Sapporo University, tried to start a scholarship for Ainu Indigenous students and a club to celebrate their culture, she ran into fierce resistance.
Colombia, Venezuela revive trade deal after 4-year suspension
The leaders of Colombia and Venezuela on Thursday renewed a trade deal that had been suspended for four years, in the latest rapprochement between the neighbors.
New generation revives Okinawa's once-banned Indigenous body art
Moeko Heshiki is no ordinary tattoo artist: she is one of the few people keeping the once-banned tradition of hajichi body art alive for the Indigenous Ryukyu people of Japan's Okinawa region.
US envoy to Afghanistan apologizes for 'inappropriate' tweets
The top US diplomat to Afghanistan on Thursday apologized for tweets that suggested struggling Afghan women might find inspiration in African American history and culture -- particularly the #BlackGirlMagic social media movement.
All hands on deck as UN meets to protect high seas
UN member states are meeting in New York from Monday with the aim of launching a long-berthed high-seas treaty, a crucial step toward the goal of protecting 30 percent of the planet by 2030.
Paris, London stocks hit all-time highs as Wall Street tumbles
The London and Paris stock exchanges leapt to all-time highs Thursday, boosted by strong corporate results, but Wall Street fell on renewed concerns about future interest rate hikes.
US opposes UN bid to denounce Israeli settlements
The United States on Thursday voiced opposition to a proposed UN Security Council resolution that would demand Israel end settlements in the occupied territories, despite Washington's criticism of its ally on the issue.
Biden says will contact Xi in wake of balloon shoot-down
President Joe Biden on Thursday said he would talk to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the wake of the US Air Force shooting down what Washington says was a high-tech Chinese spy balloon earlier this month.
'Abandoned': Turkish town awaits help 11 days after quake
Dozens of arms frantically reach for heaters and blankets handed out by a private donor, illustrating the desperation and rage gripping swathes of Turkey 11 days after its disastrous quake.
King Charles faces 'not my king' protest on walkabout
King Charles III on Thursday encountered a group of anti-monarchy activists while on walkabout in the city of Milton Keynes north of London.
Paris, London stocks hit all-time highs but Wall Street tumbles
The London and Paris stock exchanges leapt to all-time highs on Thursday as strong corporate results propelled European markets, but Wall Street fell on renewed concerns about future interest rate hikes.
Wagner chief slams 'bureaucracy' slowing Russian offensive
The head of Russia's mercenary outfit Wagner said on Thursday it could take months to capture the embattled Ukraine city of Bakhmut and slammed Moscow's "monstrous bureaucracy" for slowing military gains.
Stocks mostly fall but Paris hits record high
The Paris stock market hit an all-time high on Thursday but Wall Street and most European indices fell on renewed concerns about future interest rate hikes.
Struggling 'peripheral France' at centre of new protests
France is in the grip of a fresh wave of protests, with support for demonstrations particularly strong in small and medium-sized towns, often overlooked areas of the country that are simmering with resentment, experts say.
Spain passes trans law allowing gender self-determination
Spanish lawmakers on Thursday voted through a transgender law letting anyone 16 and over change gender on their ID card even as similar measures elsewhere have sparked division over the complexities of the issue.
'We knew': NATO chief looks back at Russia's Ukraine invasion
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says he went to sleep on the eve of February 24, 2022 knowing full well the carnage that would be unleashed coming within hours.
Syria quake survivors battle cold in tents and vehicles
Since the earthquake destroyed her home, Syrian teacher Suzanne Abdallah has lived in a small truck crammed with her family members, just a stone's throw from where their house stood.
Rohingya refugees land on Indonesia's west coast
At least 69 Rohingya refugees, many of them women and children, landed on Indonesia's west coast Thursday in a wooden boat, an official with the United Nations refugee agency said.
Belarus and Ukraine face off across 'tense' border crossing
Beyond piled-up tyres and barbed wire, a Ukrainian flag flutters across from Belarusian border guards patrolling an increasingly tense frontier.