AFP news

The result marks another advance for the populist far right in Europe, where they already govern -- often in coalition -- in countries such as Italy, Hungary and Slovakia, or are steadily gaining, as in France and Germany.

The walkout, which started February 20, is over government plans to sharply increase the number of doctors, which it says is essential to combat shortages and serve South Korea's rapidly ageing population. Medics argue the increase will erode service quality.

In power as president or prime minister since the final day of 1999, Putin has quashed all forms of opposition and dissent, exerting a level of domestic control that ensures the result is in no doubt.

Top officials have been upfront about the myriad challenges China is facing, admitting that a modest five percent growth goal will not be easy and that "hidden risks" are dragging the economy down. But they have supplied few details about how they plan to tackle the problems.

Confusion had reigned late Wednesday after President Macky Sall set March 24 as the date for the postponed election, while Senegal's Constitutional Council said it should take place on March 31.

Announcing the initiative in his annual State of the Union address, Biden pleaded with Israel to let more assistance into the blockaded territory even as he defended its military operation against Hamas.

Sergeant Korbein Schultz, who held a top-secret security clearance, was taken into custody at Fort Campbell, a military base on the Kentucky-Tennessee border, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Free-scoring Arsenal can go top for at least a day when they host Brentford, while Aston Villa face Tottenham in a vital showdown in the battle for a top-four finish.

Female genital mutilation, known as FGM, can include partial or total removal of the clitoris as well as the labia minora, and suturing of the vaginal opening to narrow it.

Organized by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD), the women marched in the scorching Johannesburg sun under the banner "Me Too unless you are a Jew".

It is a hope shared widely across the Islamic world, where the thoughts of many are with Gaza ahead of the fasting month which starts with the sighting of the crescent moon on Sunday or Monday.

The "Two Sessions" -- parallel meetings of China's rubber-stamp parliament and political consultative body -- offer a rare glimpse into the strategy of the Communist Party-led government for the year ahead.

Using his annual State of the Union address to deliver some of his strongest comments yet about the five-month-long war, Biden also ordered the US military to lead "an emergency mission" to build a temporary pier off Gaza to facilitate more aid deliveries.

The homegrown legislation is set to become the city's second national security law, following the one Beijing imposed in 2020 after quashing huge and sometimes violent democracy protests.

The decision came after authorities in Africa's biggest economy imposed restrictions on cryptocurrency exchanges as part of attempts to halt the sliding value of the local currency.

As the only stop in Southeast Asia for Swift's blockbuster Eras world tour, Swifties splashed out on flights and hotels to see their idol.

The Spanish icon's bombshell decision came four days after the 37-year-old lost a Las Vegas exhibition to compatriot and world number two Carlos Alcaraz.

Wearing a black leather jacket, Kim was shown talking to ranks of heavily armed soldiers in camouflage, overseeing firing drills and inspecting weaponry, images in the official Korean Central News Agency showed.

Take Libreville and Bangui for instance. The journey takes a minimum of nine hours, requires passengers to change planes and shell out $1,000 -- an example of the challenges facing Africa's aviation sector because of high taxes and protectionist policies.

A Korean-Canadian director's debut feature film -- a quiet romance exploring time, longing and lost chances -- has arrived in South Korea for theatre release after garnering two Oscar nominations.

Overseas shipments have long served as a key driver of the country's economic growth, providing vast amounts of jobs for the manufacturing sector.

Most years the annual address to Congress is a largely ceremonial affair, but in 2024 the stakes are enormous as Democrat Biden seeks to overcome growing doubts about his age, the US economy and wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

The ministry said 83 more people had been killed over the previous day, adding to a toll it says has reached 30,800, mostly women and children, in a war that China called "a disgrace to civilization".

German airline giant Lufthansa warned Thursday about the "damaging" impact of a wave of industrial action at the start of this year, as it reported 2023 profits doubled on booming demand.

Germany has been troubled by strikes for months as workers and management wrestle over terms amid high inflation and weak business activity.

The biggest players in the multibillion-dollar AI field train their algorithms on vast amounts of data largely pulled from the internet, which enables their tools to write in the style of Oscar Wilde or create Salvador Dali-inspired images.

Having navigated multiple crises ranging from Covid to the Ukraine war as the European Commission head since 2019, the former defense minister is seeking a new mandate that would run to 2029.

Gold, whose twin drivers are jewelry and investment buying, has now gained about 15 percent in value since the same stage last year.

Britain's Conservative government is on Wednesday expected to use a budget update to unveil tax cuts for millions of workers, in an attempt to woo voters before a general election.