Hong Kong legislature rejects same-sex partnerships bill
Hong Kong lawmakers rejected on Wednesday a bill that would have granted limited rights to same-sex couples, with the legislature's conservative pro-Beijing voices prevailing to deal a major blow to the city's LGBTQ community.
Read more'Block everything': protests grip France as new PM starts job
France's new Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu was set to take office on Wednesday as protesters took to the streets in a show of grassroots opposition to President Emmanuel Macron, sparking clashes with police and dozens of arrests.
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Von der Leyen urges EU to fight for place in 'hostile' world
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday urged Europe to assert its independence in a "hostile" world, as she condemned Russia's drone incursion in Poland and pushed for tougher action against Israel over Gaza.
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Kidnapped Israeli-Russian academic Tsurkov released in Iraq
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the release of Israeli-Russian academic Elizabeth Tsurkov who was kidnapped in Baghdad in March 2023.
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Syrian jailed for life over deadly knife attack at German festival
A Syrian man was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday for killing three people in an Islamist-motivated knife attack at a summer festival in the German city of Solingen last year.
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Top EU court upholds nuclear green label
The EU's top court on Wednesday upheld the European Commission's decision to give a sustainable finance label to investments in natural gas and nuclear power, dismissing a complaint by Austria.
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Pacific Island leaders back 'ocean of peace' at fraught summit
Pacific Island leaders issued a call for an "ocean of peace" on Wednesday, urging respect for their sovereignty at a summit clouded by China's alleged meddling and great power competition in the strategically vital region.
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Israel defends Qatar strikes after rebuke from Trump
Israel's UN envoy defended targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar as the "right" decision on Wednesday, after the strikes on the US ally's soil drew a rare rebuke from President Donald Trump.
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'Block everything': France faces disruption as new PM starts job
France's new Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu was to take office on Wednesday facing a day of protests disrupting transport, education and other services in a show of grassroots anger against President Emmanuel Macron.
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Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk to cut 9,000 global jobs
Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk announced Wednesday that it would cut 11 percent of its workforce, as the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy faces rising competition for its anti-obesity treatments.
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