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Joint plan: Dutch enjoy legal pot trial
Cannabis smokers in two Dutch cities can light up legally for the first time Friday, as authorities roll out a trial that expands the nation's "tolerance" of marijuana to full legality.
One drowned in new Channel migrant disaster: French officials
One person was drowned and another seriously hurt overnight from Thursday to Friday when a boat carrying dozens of migrants trying to reach the English coast capsized in the Channel, French maritime authorities said.
Inflation-hit Serbia heads to polls after months of protests
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will not be on the ballot in Sunday's parliamentary and local elections, but the contest is nevertheless a referendum on his government amid soaring inflation and months of protests.
Dutch court to rule on export of F-35 parts to Israel
A court in the Netherlands will rule Friday on whether to force the Dutch government to stop supplying parts for F-35 fighter jets being used by Israel over the Gaza Strip.
Guatemala top court to Congress: 'guarantee' Arevalo inauguration
Guatemala's top court on Thursday ordered Congress to "guarantee" the swearing-in of president-elect Bernardo Arevalo, after accepting an appeal against efforts by the prosecutor's office aimed at preventing him from assuming power on January 14.
Dutch growers eye pot of gold as weed test trial rolls out
Ashwin Matai looks proudly at hundreds of his cannabis plants growing under fierce LED lights. From Friday, his prized weed will no longer be illegal in the Netherlands.
Senegal court clears jailed opposition figure for presidential run
A Senegalese judge on Thursday ordered that jailed opposition leader Ousmane Sonko be reinstated on the electoral roll, clearing the way for him to stand in next year's presidential election.
Kosovo court upholds conviction of rebel commander, reduces jail time
The special Kosovo court in The Hague on Thursday quashed an appeal by a former rebel commander convicted for torture and murder in the tribunal's "landmark" first conviction, but reduced his sentence by four years.
US House to vote on Republican impeachment inquiry against Biden
The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives will vote Wednesday on whether to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden based on his son's controversial international dealings -- a move Democrats slammed as purely political.
US House to vote on Republican-led impeachment inquiry against Biden
The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives will vote on Wednesday whether to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden based on his son's controversial international dealings -- a move deemed baseless by Democrats.
US Supreme Court agrees to rule on abortion pill restrictions
The US Supreme Court agreed on Wednesday to rule on restrictions imposed by a lower court on a widely used abortion pill in the latest skirmish in the battle over reproductive rights in the United States.
Pope says has chosen his tomb -- in Rome, not Vatican
Pope Francis has chosen to be buried not in St Peter's Basilica alongside his immediate predecessors but in a basilica in Rome, he revealed in an interview broadcast on Wednesday.
'Blackmail and threats': Serbia's harried opposition cry foul over elections
Smeared in the press, intimidated on the streets, their homes hit by strange burglaries and fires... Life is not easy for Serbia's fledging opposition.
Dutch dope trial: what's the deal?
On December 15, cannabis will for the first time be grown, sold, and consumed legally in the Netherlands as part of a four-year trial across the country.
Big tech stumbles in Google's Epic defeat
Google' stinging defeat against Fortnite-maker Epic Games in a California courtroom could be an important blow against big tech's decades of supremacy on antitrust matters in the United States.
Spain lawmakers begin debating divisive amnesty bill
Spanish lawmakers on Tuesday began debating a controversial bill to grant an amnesty to Catalan separatists that was pledged by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in order to remain in power.
French celebrity writer Beigbeder arrested
Police detained French best-selling writer Frederic Beigbeder on Tuesday, prosecutors told AFP, without giving the reason for the arrest.
'New era': Berlin-Paris sleeper train completes maiden trip
A new sleeper service between Berlin and Paris arrived in the French capital on Tuesday, reflecting a growing drive for night trains as an alternative to short-haul flights.
Turkish football plunges into crisis after referee attack
Turkey's football plunged into all-out crisis Tuesday following an on the pitch attack on a referee by a club president who was mentioned as a possible candidate for mayor of Ankara.
Suspended sentences in Japan army sexual assault case
Three Japanese ex-soldiers were found guilty Tuesday but given only suspended jail sentences for sexually assaulting a female colleague who won praise but also online hate for going public with her accusations.
Table Mountain attacks highlight crime threat to S.Africa tourism
Hikers hit the trail before dawn at South Africa's natural jewel Table Mountain, but instead of simply trekking its rugged landscape they were also demonstrating against a surge in attacks on walkers and tourists.
Myanmar overtakes Afghanistan as world's biggest opium producer: UN
Myanmar became the world's biggest producer of opium in 2023, overtaking Afghanistan after the Taliban government's crackdown on the trade, according to a United Nations report released on Tuesday.
Japan zoo probes possible mass squirrel poisoning
A Japanese zoo has launched a probe after apparently massacring 31 of its 40 squirrels by mistake with treatments meant to kill parasites, officials said.
Fortnite's Epic Games wins US court fight with Google
Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, won a major US court battle against Google on Monday when a jury decided that the search engine giant wields illegal monopoly power through its Android app store.
Supreme Court asked to decide if Trump has immunity from prosecution
Federal prosecutors asked the US Supreme Court on Monday to rule quickly on whether former president Donald Trump has immunity from prosecution so his trial on charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election can go ahead as scheduled.
French Muslim school to lose funding over teaching: official
The French government will end state subsidies for the country's biggest Muslim high school receiving state funds, authorities said, following controversy over the ideas set out in its teaching.
TikTok announces $1.5 bn deal to restart Indonesia online shop
TikTok on Monday announced a $1.5 billion investment in GoTo in a deal that would allow the Chinese-owned short video app to restart its online shop in Indonesia.
Iran accuses jailed Swedish EU diplomat of conspiring with Israel
Iranian authorities have accused a Swedish EU diplomat, held in a Tehran prison for more than 600 days, of conspiring with Iran's arch-enemy Israel, the judiciary said Sunday.
Original Asterix cover for auction despite legal challenge
An original cover painting from the 1963 comic book Asterix and Cleopatre was to go under the hammer on Sunday despite a legal challenge from the artist's daughter.
Iran's jailed Narges Mohammadi to receive Nobel Peace Prize in absentia
The Nobel Peace Prize will be handed out in Oslo on Sunday but with the notable absence of winner Narges Mohammadi, currently in prison, who will be represented by her children.
Seeking Saudi opportunity, Ethiopian migrants 'trapped between life and death'
Ethiopian migrants who crossed the sea in pursuit of a better life have one goal in mind as they hide in the Saudi mountains: avoid border guards, and their deadly shots.
Egypt election offers more of the same despite crisis
Egyptians vote on Sunday in a presidential election overshadowed by war in neighbouring Gaza and with little doubt that the incumbent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will secure a third term.
70,000 migrants intercepted by Tunisia in 2023: official
Close to 70,000 migrants were intercepted trying to cross the Mediterranean from Tunisia to Italy this year, more than double the 2022 figure, the Tunisian National Guard told AFP on Saturday.
Brazil's idyllic Copacabana rocked by crime, vigilantes
Famed for its turquoise waters, lush beaches and breathtaking views, iconic Brazilian tourism destination Copacabana is reeling from violent crime, leading residents to launch vigilante groups -- worrying authorities and rights activists.
Guatemala electoral court stands firm on bid to annul election
Guatemala's electoral court insisted Friday the results of elections won by anti-graft candidate Bernardo Arevalo were "unchangeable" as the prosecutor's office sought to annul them amid accusations of an "attempted coup."
Life sentence for Michigan teen who shot dead four classmates
An American teenager was sentenced to life in prison on Friday for shooting dead four students at his Michigan high school, with the case drawing additional attention because his parents are also facing charges.
Verdict due in landmark Japan army sexual assault case
A Japanese court is due Tuesday to give a verdict in the landmark trial of three ex-soldiers accused of sexual assault in a country where still very few victims come forward.
'We need information' plead Peru farmers battling drought, climate change
A light rain barely moistens the soil in the drought-stricken region of Junin in central Peru. It does nothing to bring relief to farmers in Latin America's biggest potato producer.
Epic Games, Lego join forces for latest 'Fortnite' game
Toy giant Lego and videogame leader Epic Games joined forces Thursday to launch "Lego Fortnite" in a bid to grow a platform already used by hundreds of millions of people.