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BERLIN (AP) — Wolfgang Gerhardt, a politician who led Germany’s pro-business Free Democrats from 1995 to 2001, has died. He was 80. Gerhardt’s death on Friday was announced by Christian Lindner, the current head of the party. The Free Democrats have been a coalition partner in several German governments, including the current three-party coalition led

Associated Press KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A police swoop on 20 child welfare homes in Malaysia where hundreds of children were allegedly sexually abused has exposed weaknesses in child protection in the country and cast a spotlight on the Islamic business group that ran the homes. Malaysian authorities rescued 402 children from 20 homes

Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization says it has granted its first authorization for use of a vaccine against mpox in adults, calling it an important step toward fighting against the disease in Africa. The approval of the vaccine by Bavarian Nordic A/S means that donors like vaccines alliance Gavi and UNICEF

Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The body of Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei — who died after being set on fire by her partner in Kenya — has been received by family and anti-femicide crusaders, ahead of her burial on Saturday. Cheptegei’s family met with dozens of activists Friday who had marched to the

Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — A leading Hong Kong media professional group says dozens of journalists, some of their family members and other associates have been harassed in recent months. It’s the latest sign of the city’s worsening media environment. In a news conference Friday, Hong Kong Journalists Association chair Selina Cheng said her

Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — German authorities say an alleged Islamic extremist has been arrested in connection with plotting an attack on German soldiers during their lunch break in Munich, killing as many of them as possible and causing a feeling of insecurity among the larger population. The Munich public prosecutor’s office said the 27-year-old

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Two men have been charged with burglary over the theft of an artwork by street artist Banksy that was taken in a smash-and-grab raid on a London gallery. The Metropolitan Police force said Friday that Larry Fraser, 47, and James Love, 53, are alleged to have taken “Girl with Balloon”

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — In a significant show of defiance against the United States, North Korea on Friday provided the outside world with a rare view into a secretive facility built to enrich uranium for nuclear bombs as leader Kim Jong Un called for a rapid expansion of his nuclear weapons program.

TORSBY, Sweden (AP) — David Beckham and former England coach Roy Hodgson are among the soccer dignitaries attending the funeral of Sven-Goran Eriksson in the Swedish manager’s small hometown of Torsby. Eriksson’s wooden coffin was covered in white flowers and surrounded by six tall candles and other floral wreaths as the ceremony began inside the

Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese authorities have banned the accounting firm PwC for six months and fined it over $56 million for its involvement in the audit of collapsed local property developer Evergrande. The punishment is the heaviest yet for international accounting firms operating in China. PwC will be banned from signing off

Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — Blue-collar workers from Boeing walked picket lines in the Pacific Northwest instead of building airplanes on Friday after they overwhelmingly rejected a proposed contract that would have raised their wages by 25% over four years. The strike by 33,000 machinists will not disrupt airline flights anytime soon, but it is

Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Filipino televangelist who calls himself the “anointed son of God” and once claimed to have stopped an earthquake has pleaded not guilty to charges of child abuse and human trafficking. Apollo Carreon Quiboloy and four others appeared in a regional trial court under heavy security Friday and was

Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s top court has allowed the release on bail of a prominent opposition leader and chief minister of New Delhi, who was arrested nearly six months ago on charges of receiving bribes from a liquor distributor. Arvind Kejriwal is the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, or Common Man’s

Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A fake video that ricocheted across the internet claiming tensions between France and the United Arab Emirates after Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s detention in Paris likely came from Russia, an analysis by The Associated Press shows, despite Moscow’s efforts to maintain crucial ties to the UAE. It

Associated Press Russia on Friday accused six British diplomats of spying and said it decided to expel them. The U.K. said the “completely baseless” move came weeks ago and was linked to its action in May to revoke the credentials of an attaché at the Russian Embassy and limit Moscow’s diplomatic activities in London. The