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New blazes in Greece as strong winds hamper firefighting
New wildfires fed by strong winds broke out in Greece Friday, giving firefighters little respite and forcing Civil Protection officials to order the partial evacuation of part of a suburb west of Athens.
French, Italian winegrowers face earliest ever harvest
Scorching summer temperatures have disrupted life for millions of Europeans but for winegrowers in Italy and France, who are harvesting their grapes unusually early, the hot weather offers pros as well as cons.
UK court rejects challenge against new Chinese embassy in London
An English court on Friday threw out a challenge against planning permission for a Chinese "mega" embassy in central London, but residents seeking to block the contentious project vowed to fight on.
Bodies of four climbers found near Pakistan avalanche site: police
Search teams in Pakistan found four bodies after an avalanche on one of the world's highest mountains, with six people still missing from an expedition led by renowned British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja, police said on Friday.
UK court dismisses challenge against new Chinese embassy in London
A top British court on Friday threw out a challenge against planning permission for a Chinese "mega" embassy in central London, but residents seeking to block the contentious project vowed to fight on.
Turkey fights to last major blaze inland from Bodrum
Hundreds of firefighters were battling strong winds to quench a wildfire in southwestern Turkey as other wind-fuelled blazes along its Mediterranean coast were brought under control.
Bodies of four climbers recovered near northern Pakistan avalanche site, police say
Search teams found four bodies near the site of an avalanche in northern Pakistan that left 10 people missing from a climbing expedition led by renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, police said on Friday.
Sony hikes profit outlook on strong gaming earnings
Sony hiked its profit forecasts for the current year on Friday, helped by the Japanese consumer electronics giant's video games division and the weak yen.
Wildfire rages on Crete as strong winds hamper firefighting
Greek firefighters continued on Friday to battle a wildfire ravaging parts of the tourist island of Crete, although conditions had improved, authorities said.
Drugged Malaysian pilot risks death penalty for smuggling in Indonesia
A Malaysian pilot who tested positive for meth, MDMA, and cocaine after flying a passenger plane to Indonesia risks the death penalty for allegedly smuggling more than 70,000 ecstasy tablets in his suitcase, officials said Friday.
Sniffer dogs search mall wrecked after Japan quake
Sniffer dogs in Japan helped rescuers Friday make a final sweep of a shopping mall wrecked by an explosion after a big earthquake, as the death toll from the tremor three days earlier hit 35.
Greek visa scheme gives Turks easier entry to islands in EU
For Ikra Altumsek, and many other Turkish tourists, a visa-on-arrival scheme to visit several of Greece's Aegean islands has greatly simplified travel to this corner of the EU, previously off-limits without a hard-to-get Schengen visa.
Explosion at coal mine kills 34 in southern Pakistan
A blast at a coal mine killed at least 34 workers in southern Pakistan, the provincial disaster agency said on Friday, as rescuers searched for more missing miners.
Renowned Nepali climber among 10 missing after Pakistan avalanche
Renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja is among 10 missing after an avalanche in northern Pakistan where they were on a climbing expedition, the country's alpine club said.
Ukrainian drones send Crimea's tourism industry into freefall
In a resort town on the southern coast of the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula, ice cream vendor Anatoli was at his wits' end.
15 years in prison for father of US teenage school shooter
A man whose teenage son shot dead four people at a US high school was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday in a rare case of a parent convicted over a shooting carried out by their child.
Turkey battles wind-fuelled wildfires on tourist coasts
Hundreds of Turkish firefighters battled on Thursday to contain wind-fuelled wildfires spreading near key tourist regions on the country's Mediterranean coast.
Venezuela begins demolishing buildings in quake zone
Venezuelan authorities on Thursday began demolishing buildings in the state of La Guaira, the region worst hit by last month's twin earthquakes, AFP observed.
UK's highest court to hear Palestine Action's appeal against ban
Britain's Supreme Court said on Thursday it has agreed to hear the high-profile case brought by the co-founder of activist group Palestine Action appealing against a contentious government ban which has led to thousands of arrests.
France, Spain eye wildfire reprieve as other blazes start up in Europe
France and Spain on Thursday glimpsed a reprieve from some of the worst wildfires seen in living memory, which have sent hundreds of thousands of people fleeing in recent days -- among them Hollywood star George Clooney and his wife Amal.
Turkey confronts growing wildfires on tourist coasts
Hundreds of Turkish firefighters on Thursday battled to contain wildfires spreading near key tourist regions on the country's Mediterranean coast.
Ugandan opposition leader in intensive care: wife
Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye is in intensive care in hospital, his wife and medical sources said on Thursday.
France firefighters hopeful, as Spain ends national emergency
France firefighters on Thursday were hopeful a massive forest fire was no longer spreading, as Spain lifted a state of emergency over wildfires near Madrid.
Firefighters battle to contain deadly Crete blaze in Greece
Hundreds of firefighters on Thursday battled to contain a wildfire on the Greek island of Crete that forced thousands of evacuations after killing two firemen.
Japan quake toll hits 34 as survivors struggle in heat
Japanese emergency workers battled Thursday to find survivors from a wrecked shopping mall, as the death toll from a major earthquake two days earlier hit 34 and thousands sweltered in punishing heat.
Rain dampens France fire, as Spain reports 'almost no flames'
Firefighters in France on Thursday were hopeful a massive forest fire was no longer spreading, as Spain said there were "almost no flames" left after a similar blaze near Madrid.
Japanese survivors deal with second quake disaster in 10 years
Sachi Nishiyama spent two years in temporary housing after twin quakes devastated southwestern Japan in 2016. This week, she slept in her car after a new, powerful tremor that killed at least 30 people.
Stranded boats, out-of-work fishermen as Danube hits record lows
The tourist port in the Romanian town of Corabia, on the banks of the Danube river, is deserted except for a few pleasure boats stranded in the algae.
Japan quake toll hits 30 as survivors struggle in heat
Japanese emergency workers battled Thursday to rescue any remaining survivors from a devastated shopping mall, as the death toll from a major earthquake hit 30 and thousands sweltered in punishing heat.
'It's exhausting': southwest Japan deals with second big quake in 10 years
Sachi Nishiyama spent two years in temporary housing after twin quakes devastated southwestern Japan in 2016. This week, after another deadly jolt, she slept in her car which offers air conditioning and privacy, but is "exhausting".
Japan quake toll hits 28 as survivors struggle in heat
Japanese emergency workers battled Thursday to rescue any remaining survivors from a devastated shopping mall, as the death toll from a major earthquake hit 28 and thousands sweltered in punishing heat.
French teen fined in Singapore 'straw licking' case
A French teenager was fined in Singapore Thursday after pleading guilty to a public nuisance charge for a straw-licking stunt that landed him in hot water in the city state.