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Netanyahu seeks pardon in yearslong corruption trial
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the country's president on Sunday for a pardon in his long-running corruption trial, arguing that criminal proceedings were hindering his ability to govern and a pardon would be good for Israel. Netanyahu, the country's longest-serving prime minister, denies the bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges. His lawyers said in a letter to the president's office that the prime minister still believes the legal proceedings would
Dec. 1, 2025 -
Rubio sees progress in Florida talks with Ukraine
The US and Ukrainian officials held what both sides called productive talks on Sunday about a peace deal with Russia, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing optimism about progress despite challenges in ending the more than 3-year-long war. "We continue to be realistic about how difficult this is, but optimistic, particularly given the fact that as we've made progress, I think there is a shared vision here that this is not just about ending the war. ... It is about securing Ukraine's
Dec. 1, 2025 -
African nations push for recognition of colonial crimes and reparations
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — African leaders pushed Sunday to have colonial-era crimes recognized, criminalized and addressed through reparations. At a conference in Algiers, diplomats and leaders convened to advance an African Union resolution passed at a meeting earlier this year calling for justice and reparations for victims of colonialism. In his opening speech, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf said Algeria’s experience under French rule underscored the need to seek compensation and reclaim
Dec. 1, 2025 -
Pope Leo XIV calls on Lebanese leaders to be true peacemakers as he seeks to bring message of hope
BEIRUT (AP) -- Pope Leo XIV challenged Lebanon's political leaders on Sunday to be true peacemakers and put their differences aside, as he sought to give Lebanon's long-suffering people a message of hope and bolster a crucial Christian community in the Middle East. Leo arrived in Beirut from Istanbul on the second leg of his maiden voyage as pope. He came to encourage the Lebanese people to persevere at a precarious moment for the small Mediterranean country as it faces economic uncertainty, dee
Dec. 1, 2025 -
Swiss reject compulsory civic duty, climate tax for super-rich
GENEVA (AFP) -- Swiss voters on Sunday resoundingly rejected a proposal to replace the current men-only military conscription with a compulsory civic duty for all and another on taxing the super-rich to fund the climate fight. Final results from across the country's 26 cantons showed voters spurning the initiatives, which had generated significant discussion in the wealthy Alpine nation. The so-called Civic Duty proposal, which called for requiring every Swiss citizen, regardless of gender, to d
Dec. 1, 2025 -
Long-lost Rubens painting depicting crucifixion sells for $2.7m
VERSAILLES, France (AP) -- A long-lost painting by Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens, which was hidden for more than four centuries, sold at 2.3 million euros ($2.7 million) at an auction Sunday in Versailles. The painting was recently found in a private townhouse in Paris. It depicts the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It was part of a French collection and was initially thought to be from one of the many Rubens workshops that existed at the time. The artwork was rarely valued at more than 10,000 e
Dec. 1, 2025 -
Netanyahu submits pardon request in Israel corruption cases
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on trial facing corruption charges, announced Sunday he had submitted a pardon request, saying the long-running cases were tearing the country apart. US President Donald Trump wrote to Israeli President Isaac Herzog earlier this month, asking him to pardon Netanyahu, who has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the ongoing court cases. "The trial in my case has been ongoing for nearly six years, and is expected to continue for many more years," Netanyahu sai
Nov. 30, 2025 -
Floods hit Sri Lanka's capital as cyclone deaths near 200
Entire areas of Sri Lanka's capital were flooded on Sunday after a powerful cyclone triggered heavy rains and mudslides across the island, with authorities reporting nearly 200 dead and dozens more missing. Officials said the extent of the damage in the country's worst-affected central region was only just being revealed as relief workers cleared roads blocked by fallen trees and mudslides. The Disaster Management Centre said at least 193 people had died following a week of heavy rains brought o
Nov. 30, 2025 -
Indonesia, Thailand race to find missing as flooding toll rises to 480
Indonesian and Thai authorities raced on Sunday to clear debris and find hundreds of people still missing after devastating floods and landslides that killed at least 480 people across Southeast Asia. Heavy monsoon rain overwhelmed swaths of Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia this week, leaving thousands of people stranded without shelter or critical supplies. At least two cities on Indonesia's worst-affected Sumatra island were still unreachable on Sunday, and authorities said they had deployed t
Nov. 30, 2025 -
Anger simmers over Hong Kong deadly blaze as Beijing warns against 'disruption'
HONG KONG (Reuters) -- Anger over a deadly blaze at a Hong Kong high-rise apartment complex simmered on Sunday as Beijing warned against attempts to use the disaster to disrupt the city, while people across the financial hub continued to mourn for the more than 128 vicitms. Police on Saturday detained one person who was part of a group that launched a petition demanding government accountability, an independent probe into possible corruption, proper resettlement for residents, and a review of co
Nov. 30, 2025 -
Trump says Venezuelan airspace should be viewed as closed. Maduro government slams 'colonial threat'
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (AP) -- US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that the airspace "above and surrounding" Venezuela should be considered as "closed in its entirety," an assertion that raised more questions about the US pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. His government accused Trump of making a "colonial threat" and seeking to undermine the South American country's sovereignty. The White House did not respond to questions about what Trump posted on his Truth Social platform
Nov. 30, 2025 -
Guinea Bissau junta forms government as ousted president lands in Brazzaville
BISSAU, Guinea-Bissay (AFP) -- Guinea-Bissau's junta formed a government on Saturday days after taking power in a coup, as ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embalo arrived in Congo's capital Brazzaville. The military took control of the Portuguese-speaking nation on Wednesday -- a day before the provisional results of national elections were due to be announced -- and Embalo had initially left for neighboring Senegal. On Saturday the junta tapped 28 people, including five army officers and four wom
Nov. 30, 2025 -
Palestinian death toll has surpassed 70,000 since the Israel-Hamas war began, Gaza ministry says
Gaza Strip (AP) -- The Palestinian death toll has surpassed 70,000 since the Israel-Hamas war began, Gaza's Health Ministry said Saturday, while a hospital said that Israeli fire killed two Palestinian children in the territory's south. The toll has continued to rise after the latest ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10. Israel still carries out strikes in response to what it has called violations of the truce, and bodies from earlier in the war are being recovered from the rubble. The Health Minist
Nov. 30, 2025 -
Global airlines race to fix Airbus jets
Global airlines scrambled to fix a software glitch on Airbus A320 jets on Saturday as a partial recall by the European plane-maker halted hundreds of flights in Asia and Europe and threatened US travel over the busiest weekend of the year. Airlines worked through the night after global regulators told them to remedy the problem before resuming flights. Several carriers on Saturday said they had finished or nearly completed the fix to their fleets, including American Airlines, United Airlines, Ai
Nov. 30, 2025 -
Hong Kong tower fire toll rises to 128, 200 remain missing
Hong Kong authorities on Friday said rescue operations following a blaze that ripped through a high-rise apartment complex had concluded, with the death toll in the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years now at 128 and 200 still missing. The fire in the Wang Fuk Court development in the northern district of Tai Po started on Wednesday afternoon and rapidly engulfed seven of the eight 32-storey blocks in the complex. "We do not rule out the possibility that more bodies could be discovered when poli
Nov. 28, 2025