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Netherlands nailbiter as far-right, centrists in election dead-heat
The Dutch election climaxed in an unprecedented cliffhanger Thursday, with only a few thousand votes separating the far-right party of firebrand Geert Wilders and a pro-European centrist party.
No GDP data released as US shutdown bites
A US federal data blackout deepened Thursday as a government shutdown halted the release of third quarter GDP figures, forcing policymakers, financial institutions and business owners to continue flying blind.
Trump orders US to start nuclear weapons testing
US President Donald Trump said Thursday he had ordered the Pentagon to start nuclear weapons testing "on an equal basis" to China and Russia -- an announcement made just minutes before he held a high-stakes summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
'Significant' Xi, Trump talks win cautious optimism in China
A rare meeting between leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping has succeeded in temporarily stabilising US-China relations, analysts said on Thursday, with the talks drawing cautious optimism on the streets of Beijing.
Dutch election a photo finish between far-right, centrists
The Dutch election climaxed in an unprecedented cliffhanger Thursday, with only a few thousand votes separating the far-right party of firebrand Geert Wilders and a pro-European centrist party.
Pakistani security source says Afghanistan talks 'likely' to resume
Pakistan and Afghanistan will likely hold another round of peace talks in Istanbul, a Pakistani security source told AFP on Thursday, after Islamabad's announcement that previous negotiations had failed.
Fentanyl, beans and Ukraine: takeaways from Trump-Xi's 'great meeting'
From a deal to reduce tariffs slapped on China to planned cooperation on ending the war in Ukraine, here's what Beijing and Washington say was achieved during Donald Trump and Xi Jinping's first face-to-face talks in six years:
Russia hits Ukraine energy sites, killing one, wounding children
Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight killed one person, wounded 17 and caused emergency power outages across the country, Ukrainian authorities said Thursday.
'Fight fire with fire': California mulls skewing electoral map
In the heart of Los Angeles, a team of canvassers tirelessly knocks on doors, asking voters to let California redraw its electoral map to favor Democrats and resist US President Donald Trump.
Tanzania blackout after election chaos, deaths feared
Tanzania was on lockdown with a communications blackout Thursday, a day after elections turned into violent chaos with unconfirmed reports of many dead.
Trump hails tariff, rare earth deal with Xi
US President Donald Trump called the meeting Thursday with China's Xi Jinping a "great success", after the world's top two economies agreed a deal to trim fentanyl-related tariffs and keep supplies of critical rare earths flowing.
Trump, Xi talks wrap up with outcome unclear
Crunch talks between US President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping focused on their trade war wrapped up in under two hours Thursday with no immediate public comment from either leader on whether progress was made.
UN calls for end to Sudan siege after mass hospital killings
UN chief Antonio Guterres called for an immediate end to military escalation in Sudan on Thursday after reports that more than 460 people were shot dead in a maternity hospital by paramilitary forces.
Trade truce in balance as Trump meets 'tough negotiator' Xi
US President Donald Trump and China's leader Xi Jinping opened on Thursday their first face-to-face meeting in six years, seeking a truce to end a trade war that has roiled the world economy.
Far-right and centrists neck-and-neck in Dutch election: estimates
The far-right party of Dutch firebrand Geert Wilders was running neck-and-neck with a pro-European centrist party in a nailbiting election, according to an estimate Thursday with more than 90 percent of votes counted.
US economy in the dark as government shutdown cuts off crucial data
US policymakers, financial institutions and business owners have been flying blind for almost a month as a government shutdown has stopped the release of crucial federal economic data ranging from the size of the labor force to the country's GDP.
Trump orders nuclear testing resumption ahead of Xi talks
President Donald Trump announced Thursday the resumption of US nuclear weapons testing, minutes ahead of his first face-to-face meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in six years on easing their trade war.
What we do and don't know about Rio's deadly police raid
A day after the deadliest police operation in Brazil's history, the country is still piecing together details about the raid against a powerful drug gang in Rio de Janeiro's favelas.
Rob Jetten: ex-athlete setting the pace in Dutch politics
As a talented junior athlete, Rob Jetten once ran as a pace-setter for future Olympic champion Sifan Hassan.
Exit poll suggests centrists win Dutch vote, beating far right
Dutch voters appeared to have shunned far-right leader Geert Wilders in favour of a centrist party, exit polls suggested Wednesday, after a snap election watched closely in Europe where extremists are gaining ground.
Jihadist fuel blockade makes life a struggle in Mali's capital
In Bamako's business district, hundreds of cars and motorcycles sit stranded day and night on a boulevard, waiting for one of three side-by-side petrol stations to finally have fuel.
Paramilitary chief vows united Sudan as his forces are accused of mass killings
The head of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries vowed on Wednesday Sudan would be unified by "peace or through war" and expressed sympathy after reports of mass killings by his group in the newly captured El-Fasher.
Trump, Xi to meet seeking truce in damaging trade war
Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will seek a truce in their tit-for-tat trade war on Thursday, with the US president predicting a "great meeting" but Beijing being more circumspect.
Divided US Fed backs second quarter-point rate cut of 2025
The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced its second consecutive quarter-point rate cut to bolster the flagging labor market, in a move that highlighted the growing division in its ranks.
'Cruel' police raids help, not hinder, Rio's criminal gangs: expert
Heavy-handed police raids like the one that claimed dozens of lives in Rio de Janeiro Tuesday have only ever bolstered the drug gangs they are meant to curtail, according to Brazilian organized crime expert Carolina Grillo.
S. African president eyes better US tariff deal 'soon'
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Wednesday that his country has advanced to "text-based" negotiations with Washington towards securing a better tariff deal -- and hoped one would materialise "soon".
Winter Olympics - 100 days to go to 'unforgettable Games'
With 100 days to go until the 2026 Winter Olympics organisers are crossing their fingers that every venue will be ready for the athletes and fans who will descend on northern Italy come February.
Israel hits another Gaza target after deadliest night since truce
Israel said it struck an arms dump in Gaza on Wednesday, hours after the deadliest night of bombing since the start of a US-brokered truce, warning it would continue to operate to take out perceived threats.
US says not withdrawing from Europe after troops cut
The United States said Wednesday it will pull out some troops from NATO's eastern flank but denied the move amounted to an American withdrawal from Europe, as analysts warned it could embolden Russia.
WHO urges Sudan ceasefire after alleged massacres in El-Fasher
Sudan's warring factions should halt fighting in which hundreds of civilians have been reported killed, including 460 in a hospital, since paramilitaries captured El-Fasher, the World Health Organization (WHO) urged Wednesday.
Russia sends teen who performed anti-war songs back to jail
A Russian court sent an 18-year-old street musician who performed anti-war songs back to jail on Wednesday after finding her guilty of two more offences, her lawyer told AFP.
Dutch vote in snap election seen as test for Europe's far-right
The Dutch headed to the polls Wednesday for a knife-edge election, with all eyes on the performance of the far-right, which is riding high in many top European countries.