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Major Australian energy firm Woodside announces Myanmar pullout
Australian energy firm Woodside announced its withdrawal from junta-run Myanmar on Thursday, the latest company to head for the exit following a military coup last year.
North Korea fires two missiles as testing blitz continues
North Korea fired two suspected ballistic missiles Thursday, Seoul said, its sixth weapons test this month in one of the most intense spates of launches on record that has delivered an emphatic rejection of Washington's offers for talks on its nuclear programme.
New Mexico governor becomes substitute teacher amid Covid shortage
The governor of New Mexico started work Wednesday as a substitute teacher, replacing one of the thousands of educators across the United States who have been forced off work by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Torture trail raises questions on Kazakh terror claims
As Kazakhstan witnessed its worst unrest in 30 years of independence this month, Aset Abishev was grabbed off a bus and locked away by police who he said tortured him for a week.
Honduras leader offers rebel deputy post to end congress crisis
Honduras' president-elect Xiomara Castro made a last ditch attempt late Wednesday to solve a congressional crisis with hours left before her inauguration.
Fighting Taliban and mistrust, Pakistan marks one year polio-free
Bathed in crisp morning light, Sidra Hussain grips a cooler stacked with glistening vials of polio vaccine in northwest Pakistan.
North Korea fires 'projectile' in sixth test of 2022
North Korea fired an "unidentified projectile" early Thursday, Seoul said, its sixth apparent weapons test this year as the nuclear-armed country flexes its military muscles and ignores Washington's offers of talks.
US shares reverse course as Fed signals likely March rate hike
Wall Street stocks ended mostly lower Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled an interest rate hike is likely in March amid elevated inflation.
US rejects Russia demand on Ukraine but talks see new life
The United States on Wednesday rejected Russia's key demand to bar Ukraine from NATO and said it believed Moscow was ready to invade but offered what it called a new "diplomatic path" out of the crisis.
UN chief calls on Taliban to uphold women's rights
The Taliban must uphold the fundamental human rights of women and children, the United Nations chief said Wednesday, urging the international community to release frozen Afghan aid to prevent families from selling their babies to buy food.
Fed signals first US rate hike since pandemic could come in March
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday indicated it is ready to raise US interest rates in March for the first time since cutting them to zero when Covid-19 broke out, pointing to persistently high inflation and the job market's recovery from the mass layoffs that defined the start of the pandemic.
US rejects Russia demands on Ukraine but offers 'path' out of crisis
The United States on Wednesday rejected Russia's demand to bar Ukraine from NATO and said it believed Moscow was ready to invade but offered what it called a new "diplomatic path" out of the crisis.
Infantino says biennial World Cup can 'give hope' to potential migrants
FIFA president Gianni Infantino seemed to establish a link on Wednesday between his plan for a World Cup every two years and the tragedy of migrants in the Mediterranean who must be "given hope", before saying his remarks had been "misinterpreted".
Italian MPs fail in third bid to elect president
Italian lawmakers failed Wednesday to elect a new president in a third round of voting, as bickering party leaders blamed each other for pushing the country towards a political crisis.
US rejects Russian demand that Ukraine stay out of NATO
The United States on Wednesday rejected Russia's demand to bar Ukraine from NATO and said it believed Moscow was ready to invade but offered what it called a new path out of the crisis.
WTO: China can slap duties on $645 mn of US imports
The World Trade Organization on Wednesday handed a fresh victory to China, permitting it to slap duties on $645 million worth of US imports per year, in a long-running anti-dumping dispute with Washington.
Liberal US Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer to retire: media
Stephen Breyer, one of three liberal justices on the US Supreme Court, plans to retire, paving the way for Joe Biden to name a replacement on the nation's highest court, media reported Wednesday.
US warns firms over doing business in Myanmar
The US government warned companies Wednesday to be extremely wary of doing business in Myanmar, citing the risks of being linked to a military government involved in lawlessness and human rights abuse.
Russia, Ukraine hold talks as US warns of invasion
Top officials from Ukraine and Russia met in Paris on Wednesday for talks to defuse tensions on their border, a meeting seen as a positive step by France despite fresh warnings from the US that Moscow was preparing military action.
'Every indication' Putin plans force by mid-February: US
The United States believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains poised to use force against Ukraine by mid-February despite a pressure campaign to stop him, a top diplomat said Wednesday.
Stocks rally before key Fed update
European and US stock markets powered higher Wednesday, recovering further from recent sharp losses, as traders await the outcome of a key Federal Reserve policy meeting.
Sudanese rally against UN bid to resolve post-coup crisis
Thousands of Sudanese pro-military protesters rallied Wednesday against a UN bid to resolve a political crisis in the country three months after a coup, an AFP correspondent reported.
Art Basel wins Paris slot over France's own art fair
The French art world was shaken Wednesday by news that the Art Basel fair has swooped in to replace France's own, long-running FIAC at the Grand Palais in Paris.
Putin addresses Italian firms despite Ukraine tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin spent more than two hours Wednesday in a virtual meeting with top Italian executives, despite Rome's opposition due to escalating tensions over Ukraine.
Hundreds of IS jihadists surrender as Kurds advance inside Syria jail
Hundreds of Islamic State group fighters surrendered Wednesday in a Syria prison where they had been holed up for days, as US-backed Kurdish forces tightened the noose around remaining jihadists.
Germany weighs ban on Telegram, tool of conspiracy theorists
The German government is considering a ban on encrypted messaging app Telegram after it was repeatedly used as a channel for spreading anti-vaccine conspiracy theories and even death threats.
Russia warns against 'destructive' sanctions on Putin
Russia hit back Wednesday at US threats of direct sanctions against President Vladimir Putin, saying moves against the Russian leader would be ineffective and hurt efforts to lower tensions over Ukraine.
Ousted Burkina president 'well,' says party source
Burkina Faso's ousted president, Roch Marc Christian Kabore, "is physically well" and is being held by the army in a villa, a source in his party said on Wednesday.
India showcases military might in Republic Day parade
Lumbering tanks and the deafening roar of fighter planes echoed through New Delhi on Wednesday as India's military showcased its might on Republic Day.
Most markets see much-needed gains as Fed's big day arrives
Most markets rose Wednesday to provide some respite from the hefty selling at the start of the week, with focus on the end of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting later in the day, when traders hope it will provide much-needed guidance on its plans for hiking interest rates.
California city votes to become first in US to mandate gun insurance
The city of San Jose voted Tuesday to pass a law that will compel gun owners to take out insurance to cover any damage caused by their weapon, a move its mayor said was the first of its kind in the United States.
Most Asian markets see much-needed rally as Fed's big day arrives
Most Asian markets enjoyed some respite Wednesday from the hefty selling at the start of the week, with focus on the end of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting later in the day, when traders hope it will provide much-needed guidance on its plans for hiking interest rates.