Heavy rains trigger floods in parts of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands

Heavy rains caused flooding in parts of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands overnight into Saturday, swamping streets and buildings and sparking evacuations.

In the southwestern German state of Saarland, streets were deep underwater and images on social media showed…[Read more]

Court confirms German intelligence surveillance of ‘extremist’ AfD

A German court has ruled that domestic security services can continue to treat the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a potentially “extremist” party.

The ruling, delivered on Monday, means that intelligence services retain the right to keep the party under surveil…[Read more]

The statistics behind Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten Bundesliga title win

Bayer Leverkusen sealed a historic unbeaten Bundesliga season as they lifted the title with a 2-1 win against Augsburg on Saturday.

Here are the numbers behind the remarkable run of manager Xabi Alonso’s team in the 2023-24 season:

0: Bayer Leverkusen did not lose onc…[Read more]

Saudi crown prince seeks soft power in game hub Japan

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Japan this week, where he will hold talks on energy while hunting more opportunities in gaming as he seeks to improve Saudi Arabia’s image.

The reputed “Call of Duty” fan has launched a multi-billion-dollar push into the gaming sector — from tiny…[Read more]

Japanese foreign minister retracts controversial childbirth remark

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa on Sunday retracted her remarks the previous day about the importance of women giving birth, saying her choice of words was liable to cause misunderstanding.

In a campaign speech in support of a Shizuoka gubernatorial election candidate…[Read more]

Locals in central Japan near Mount Fuji count on UFO craze for tourism

Local residents in Yamanashi Prefecture, at the foot of Mount Fuji, are striving to make their city Kofu a tourist magnet with extraterrestrial help from an alien.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of an incident in which two elementary school children claimed to have…[Read more]

Lewisham woman, 82, bikes up Mont Ventoux to raise Gaza aid funds

An 82-year-old grandmother has taken on one of the Tour de France’s most famous mountains to raise funds for aid to Gaza.

Anne Jones, from Lewisham, south London, rode 20km (12 miles) up Mont Ventoux in southern France to support Amos Trust’s Gaza appeal.

“I would rather use my…[Read more]

France to declare state of emergency in New Caledonia as unrest turns deadly

French President Emmanuel Macron’s office on Wednesday said a state of emergency would be declared after at least three people were killed in New Caledonia amid violent protests that erupted over the passage of a constitutional reform that angered pro-independence…[Read more]

French postal service celebrates baguette with scratch-and-sniff stamp

The French Post Office on Friday rolled out a scratch-and-sniff postage stamp to celebrate the world-famous baguette, once described by President Emmanuel Macron as “250 grams of magic and perfection”.

But it was unveiled Thursday, the day of Saint-Honore, the patron saint of…[Read more]

Rat parts found in sliced white bread in Japan, sparking recall

A major Japanese food supplier has recalled more than 100,000 packs of a popular brand of sliced white bread after rat parts were found inside some loaves.

The latest scare adds to a raft of food safety scandals plaguing Asia’s second biggest economy, which has a longstanding r…[Read more]

Japan enacts revised law for swift removal of defamatory online posts

Japan’s parliament on Friday enacted an amended law aimed at facilitating the swift removal of defamatory content on social media platforms like Facebook and X with more transparency.

The revised provider liability limitation law mandates the operators of such platforms to set…[Read more]

Germany: Jewish and Muslim communities search for solidarity

Six months of Israeli retaliation in Gaza for the October 7 Hamas terror attacks have put Jewish-Muslim relations in particular peril. Germany’s hypersensitivity to antisemitism adds an extra layer of difficulty.

Violence in the Middle East brings with it a tragic predictability. For…[Read more]

Germany: COVID rule ‘armed resistance’ group to face trial

The Landgericht Koblenz court in western Germany announced on Friday that it had accepted the charges against the trio.

They are accused of forming a group they called “Paladin” that allegedly planned to offer armed resistance to COVID-related “lockdowns” and other restrictions in…[Read more]

Germany: Former Russian consulate targeted by protesters

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it would lodge an official complaint with the German government after six people threatened to take over a building that once served as a Russian consulate in the eastern city of Leipzig.

It said two staff members from the Russian Embassy had…[Read more]

Gaza updates: Germany joins US in hint at Israel arms pause

Germany’s defense minister, visiting the US, said he could “understand” President Biden mooting potential Israeli weapon exports changes. Netanyahu said the country would use its “fingernails” if necessary.

UN General Assembly backs Palestinian bid for membership in symbolic vote
The…[Read more]

Boeing 737: Plane skids off runway in Senegal, tyre bursts in Turkey

Two Boeing 737 passenger planes have been involved in accidents in Senegal and Turkey on takeoff and landing, raising further questions about the aircraft manufacturer’s safety record.

In Senegal, a chartered Air Senegal Boeing B737-300 plane skidded off a runway before t…[Read more]

Turkey says it is not easing Israel export ban

Israeli claims of Ankara easing its trade ban with Israel are “absolutely fictional and have nothing to do with reality,” Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said on Thursday, as Ankara introduced a three-month reprieve for companies with existing export deals to Israel.
Israel’s foreign minister said…[Read more]

Officials tout dialogue, will to enhance Türkiye-US economic ties

Officials underscored on Thursday the determination of Türkiye and the United States to enhance and deepen their economic ties, highlighting the significance of dialogue between the two NATO partners despite disagreements on a range of issues.

“In the economic field, the g…[Read more]

Turkish charity president, artist Haluk Levent challenges Netanyahu at UN

Rock star Haluk Levent, the president of the independent aid organization AHBAP, spoke out against Israel’s attacks on Gaza, addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “How can you justify the killing of more than 10,000 children?” at a United Nations Civil Society…[Read more]

Mexico authorities find three bodies in search for tourists

Mexican authorities have found three bodies in an area of Baja California where two Australian brothers and an American went missing.

The FBI said the bodies were found in the town of Santo Tomas and have not yet been identified, the BBC’s US partner CBS News reported.

Jake, 30, and…[Read more]