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Germany's far-right AfD party on Wednesday banned its leading candidate from EU election campaign events, as it battled to draw a line under a series of scandals that has sparked a break with its French allies.

The European Central Bank did not have to take its cues from the US Federal Reserve and could start to lower rates as soon as June, Bank of Finland governor Olli Rehn told AFP.

Some of the world's biggest tech companies pledged to work together to guard against the dangers of artificial intelligence as they wrapped up a two-day AI summit, also attended by multiple governments, in Seoul.

Israel reacted with fury after three European countries said Wednesday they would recognise a Palestinian state, more than seven months into the devastating Gaza war.

Israel's more than seven-month war in Gaza since the October 7 attack has revived a global push for Palestinians to be given a state of their own.

Thousands of Buddhist devotees gathered at Myanmar's Shwedagon pagoda on Wednesday to mark the Buddha's birthday and to water a sacred Bodhi tree believed to be linked to his enlightenment.

A 54-year-old Nepalese climber known as "Everest Man" reached the peak of the world's highest mountain for a record 30th time on Wednesday, three decades after his first summit.

Asian investors struggled Wednesday to revive a recent rally across markets as they turned their focus on the release later in the day of earnings from US tech darling Nvidia.

Japanese prosecutors again sought the death penalty in the retrial on Wednesday of an ex-boxer who was the world's longest-serving death row prisoner until his release in 2014, local media reported.

Britain's annual inflation rate slowed to a near three-year low in April as energy prices cooled further, official data showed Wednesday, easing a cost-of-living crunch before this year's general election.

Thousands of Buddhist devotees gathered at Myanmar's Shwedagon pagoda on Wednesday to mark the Buddha's birthday and to water a sacred Bodhi tree believed to be linked to his enlightenment.

Scaling the world's highest peak is all in a day's work for 54-year-old Nepali mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa, a man breezily modest about having set foot on the summit of Everest more times than any other person.

Huge crowds of Iranians thronged the streets of the capital Tehran on Wednesday for the funeral procession of president Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage, who died in a helicopter crash.

On the shores of the Sea of Marmara, a grey and turquoise factory built at breakneck speed is churning out electric cars by the hundreds.

At least three European countries were expected to announce steps towards recognising a Palestinian state on Wednesday, after more than seven months of devastating fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Every time it rains heavily in Turkey's spectacular Black Sea tea growing region -- where it rains a lot -- Zikrullah Komurcu starts to worry.

President Emmanuel Macron flew to France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Wednesday, where nine days of riots have killed six, injured hundreds and incinerated cars, shops and public buildings.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz left his hospitalised mother's bedside in Afghanistan to play a pivotal role in propelling Kolkata Knight Riders into the final on his first IPL appearance this season.

Wellington Hurricanes will be without captain Brad Shields and fellow live-wire back-row forward Du'Plessis Kirifi for the crunch Super Rugby clash at Waikato Chiefs on Friday.

Volunteers are rushing to hoist food and water up into trees in sweltering southern Mexico, but help came too late for the howler monkeys whose lifeless bodies lay still on the ground.

Nepali climber Kami Rita Sherpa broke his own record Wednesday as the person to have scaled Mount Everest the most times, achieving the milestone 30th ascent of the world's highest peak.

Tens of thousands of Iranians flocked to the streets of Tehran Wednesday to join the funeral processions of president Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage, who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

When he was a 20-week-old embryo -- before he even had a real name -- Choi Hee-woo became one of the world's youngest-ever plaintiffs by joining a groundbreaking climate lawsuit against South Korea.

An unconventional South Korean DJ "monk" who dispenses Buddhist wisdom and Gen-Z life advice over his thumping beats will be barred from performing in Singapore, the interior minister said Wednesday.

Arsonists torched schools and hundreds of cars overnight in New Caledonia, officials said Wednesday, as President Emmanuel Macron embarked on a surprise visit aiming to end nine days of deadly riots on the French Pacific archipelago.

The Boston Celtics needed a late rally to force overtime against the Indiana Pacers before emerging with a 133-128 win in game one of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday.

Rattled travellers and crew landed in Singapore Wednesday after a terrifying high-altitude plunge on a flight from London during which an elderly passenger died and more than 80 were injured.

Iga Swiatek admits she is the favourite and "confident" ahead of her bid to become only the fourth woman to win four Roland Garros singles titles in the Open era.

When a weary David Ferrer managed to win just five games in his French Open semi-final loss to Rafael Nadal in 2012, he was in no doubt over the enormity of the challenge.

Vietnam's rubber-stamp parliament voted in public security minister To Lam as the country's new president on Wednesday, after a major anti-corruption campaign forced his predecessor to resign.

At age 40, Japanese competitive breakdancer Ayumi Fukushima has been busting moves for longer than some of her rivals have been alive.

Asian investors fought Wednesday to revive a recent rally across markets as they turned their focus on the release later in the day of earnings from US tech darling Nvidia.