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Trump says US will 'take over' Gaza as he welcomes Netanyahu

President Donald Trump made an extraordinary proposal for the United States to "take over" the Gaza Strip, as he hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for crucial talks on the truce with Hamas.

Leaders 'should respect' wishes of Palestinians to stay in Gaza: Palestinian UN envoy

World leaders and people should respect Palestinians' desire to remain in Gaza, the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations said Tuesday, after US President Donald Trump said he believed people from the territory should be resettled elsewhere "permanently."

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Italy's Meloni visits Trump in Florida

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid an unofficial visit to Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence on Saturday, the latest foreign leader hosted by the US president-elect as he prepares to take office.

Sarkozy: divisive French ex-president beset by legal woes

Nicolas Sarkozy, who ruled France as a tough-talking right-wing president from 2007 to 2012, is seen by supporters as a dynamic saviour of his country but by detractors as a vulgar populist mired in corruption.

NYC starts driver congestion charging despite opposition

New York launched a controversial scheme Sunday to charge drivers entering parts of the city, a first in the United States, putting local authorities on a collision course with President-elect Donald Trump.

S. Korea's Yoon ignored cabinet opposition to martial law: prosecutors

South Korea's suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol ignored the objections of key cabinet ministers before his failed martial law bid last month, according to a prosecutors' report seen by AFP on Sunday.

Fresh South Korea protests expected as president arrest deadline nears

Rival South Korean protesters were set to brave a snowstorm Sunday over suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol who was still resisting arrest less than 48 hours before the warrant expires.

Thousands line Suriname streets in homage to late dictator Bouterse

Thousands of people lined the streets of Suriname's capital Saturday for the funeral procession of Desi Bouterse, who led the country both as a coup leader and elected president before dying as a fugitive from justice.

Blinken wades into political crisis with stop in South Korea

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives late Sunday in crisis-riven South Korea where he will seek delicately to encourage continuity with the policies, but not tactics, of the impeached president.

Gaza truce talks resume in Qatar as violence shows no let-up

Israel confirmed on Saturday that negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal had resumed in Qatar, as rescuers said more than 30 people had been killed in fresh bombardment of the territory.

Austria's chancellor to step down after coalition talks collapse

Austria's conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Saturday he would step down in the "coming days" after breaking off coalition talks with the Social Democrats over disagreements on key issues.

Exiled Venezuelan opposition leader to speak with Biden, visit US

Venezuelan opposition politician Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who fled the country after a tumultuous election and subsequent police crackdown, said Saturday he has plans to speak with US President Joe Biden.

Cartoonist quits Washington Post over rejected sketch mocking owner, Trump

An award-winning political cartoonist for The Washington Post has announced her resignation after a cartoon depicting the newspaper's billionaire owner groveling before Donald Trump was rejected.

39 bell tolls begin final national sendoff for Jimmy Carter

Mourners began paying their respects to Jimmy Carter on Saturday, as a carefully choreographed six-day farewell for America's longest-lived president got underway.

Gaza rescuers says 31 killed in Israeli strikes

Rescuers in Gaza said on Saturday that Israeli strikes across the Palestinian territory killed more than 30 people, the day after Hamas militants said peace talks were to resume.

Egypt apprehensive over Islamist win in Syria

The Islamist takeover of Syria has left Egypt apprehensive and cautiously calibrating future ties, years after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to power by toppling the Muslim Brotherhood.

Gaza rescuers says 26 killed in Israeli strikes

Rescuers in Gaza said on Saturday that Israeli strikes across the Palestinian territory killed at least 26 people, the day after Hamas militants said peace talks were to resume.

Rival camps protest as South Korea president resists arrest

Thousands of rival South Korean protesters rallied in the capital Saturday, a day after a failed attempt to arrest suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol for imposing a short-lived martial law decree that led to his impeachment.

South Korea's political crisis: what could happen next?

South Korean investigators attempted to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol at his residence Friday over a failed martial law bid but were blocked by his security forces.

South Korea in political crisis after president resists arrest

South Korea's political leadership was in uncharted territory Saturday after the sitting president resisted arrest over a failed martial law decree days before the warrant expires.

National funeral service, flyover and 39 bells for Carter sendoff

Mourners are to begin paying their respects to Jimmy Carter on Saturday, kicking off a carefully choreographed six-day farewell for America's longest-lived president.

Trump-backed Republican Johnson elected speaker of US House

Republican Mike Johnson was returned as speaker of the US House of Representatives on Friday with the crucial backing of incoming president Donald Trump, ending a bitter standoff that threatened to see the 2025 session opening in chaos.

Gaza rescuers say about 30 killed as truce talks resume

Gaza's civil defence agency said around 30 people were killed in Israeli bombardments on Friday, as Hamas said indirect negotiations for a truce in the war were set to resume in Qatar later.

UK, Germany electricity cleanest on record in 2024

Britain and Germany produced their cleanest electricity on record last year, with renewables reaching record highs, according to data released Thursday.

US House rejects Trump-backed speaker in first ballot

The new US Congress was thrown into chaos on its first day Friday as rebel right-wing Republicans defied incoming president Donald Trump to block Mike Johnson from returning as speaker of the House of Representatives.

European ministers urge inclusive transition on Syria visit

The French and German foreign ministers called for a peaceful, inclusive transition in Syria as they visited Damascus Friday for talks with new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Lebanon minister says working to 'resolve' Syria's new entry restrictions

Lebanon's interior minister on Friday told AFP that Beirut was working to find a solution with Syria, after two security officials said Damascus had imposed new restrictions on the entry of Lebanese citizens.

Rockets fired from Gaza as Israeli strikes kill 16, rescuers say

The Israeli military reported three rockets targetinh its territory on Friday from the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian rescuers said Israeli air strikes killed at least 16 people, including children.

Republican speaker, Trump face test in Congress leadership fight

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson -- and incoming US president Donald Trump -- faced a test of political strength Friday as the party's hard right threatens to try to choose a new leader.

World food prices dip 2% in 2024: FAO

World food commodity prices declined by 2.1 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year, the FAO said on Friday, but they remain considerably higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The horror of Saydnaya jail, symbol of Assad excesses

Saydnaya prison north of the Syrian capital Damascus has become a symbol of the inhumane abuses of the Assad clan, especially since the country's civil war erupted in 2011.

Top European diplomats urge inclusive transition in Syria visit

The European Union backs a peaceful, inclusive transition in Syria, top French and German diplomats said Friday as they visited Damascus to meet with new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Beijing slams US over potential Chinese drone ban

China said on Friday it would take "all necessary measures" in response to the United States announcing it was considering restrictions on commercial Chinese drones for national security reasons.

Blinken to visit South Korea with eye on political crisis

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit South Korea for talks next week, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday, with the country mired in political turmoil as its impeached president resists arrest.

The Japan Times - Politics (English)