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From makeshift bamboo polling stations in remote tribal areas to the flooded streets of the capital, tens of millions of Indonesians went to the polls Wednesday in one of the world’s biggest one-day elections.

As carnival celebrations are held across the globe, more than two dozen craftsmen in a quaint studio in northern Albania put the final touches on a series of elegant Venetian masks destined for balls, film sets, and street parties.

Recalled South African spinner Dane Piedt is eyeing a "famous, famous win" after claiming five New Zealand wickets Wednesday to give the understrength tourists a 31-run lead at stumps on the second day of the second Test.

Most Asian equities sank Wednesday, tracking a sell-off on Wall Street, as a forecast-topping US inflation report dealt a hefty blow to hopes for an early interest rate cut.

A Paris court will on Wednesday issue its verdict in a case involving former French president Nicolas Sarkozy who is appealing a one-year jail sentence for illegal campaign financing.

Former guerrilla commander Talat Xhaferi became the first ethnic Albanian to lead North Macedonia after being elected as caretaker prime minister late last month, highlighting strides in ethnic relations.

Dutch brewer Heineken on Wednesday reported a drop in annual profits as beer volumes declined in "challenging market conditions" including high inflation.

Polling stations closed in Indonesia Wednesday after millions of people voted for a new president, with Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto the frontrunner to lead Southeast Asia's biggest economy despite concerns over his human rights record.

A Catholic church balcony collapsed, killing an elderly woman and injuring 53 during a packed mass in the Philippines on Ash Wednesday, when millions of Filipinos flock to services, local disaster officials said.

Recalled South African spinner Dane Piedt claimed five New Zealand wickets Wednesday to give the understrength tourists a 31-run lead at stumps on the second day of the second Test.

Authorities in Cambodia have issued a stern rebuke to students to avoid "inappropriate activities" this Valentine's Day, warning them of the perils of "losing dignity".

An under-strength Miami Heat thrashed the struggling Milwaukee Bucks 123-97 on Tuesday while Jayson Tatum scored a 41-point double-double as the Boston Celtics cruised past the Brooklyn Nets.

Voters in suburban New York picked a Democrat to replace expelled Republican congressman George Santos on Tuesday, US networks projected, after President Joe Biden's party poured cash into TV ads to flip the seat in an election year.

South African spinner Dane Piedt celebrated his return to international cricket with two key wickets on Wednesday as the Proteas restricted New Zealand to 121-3 in the second Test.

North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles Wednesday, Seoul's military said, part of a string of weapons tests this year that have accompanied increasingly aggressive rhetoric from leader Kim Jong Un.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg will on Wednesday detail increased defence spending by members of the alliance, rattled after Donald Trump threatened to encourage Russia to attack countries paying too little.

The daring attack in December bore unsettling hallmarks of the piracy that once terrorised global shipping off eastern Africa: a cargo vessel hijacked, its crew taken to Somalia, and disappeared.

Clad in a shaggy sheepskin costume, Denis Kokot is among a young generation of Kurenti performers who descend on the northeastern Slovenian town of Ptuj every February to chase away winter.

She is the world's most famous unknown artist -- everyone knows her name, but no one knows what she does, John Lennon once said of the perceived disregard for his wife Yoko Ono, who turns 91 on Sunday.

Indonesians began voting for a new president Wednesday with Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto the frontrunner to lead Southeast Asia's biggest economy despite concerns over his human rights record.

Cuban sugar magnate Juan Pedro Baro spared no expense when it came to building the immense marble tomb of his one true love in Havana's Colon cemetery, an unlikely repository of past passions.

Influencers on X are monetizing misinformation about conflicts in the Middle East, leveraging the platform's contentious policies that researchers say prioritize engagement over accuracy.

The Indonesian resort haven of Bali began imposing a 150,000 rupiah ($10) tax on arriving tourists Wednesday to preserve the culture of the "Island of Gods", officials said.

Republicans impeached US President Joe Biden's immigration chief on Tuesday, the culmination of months of attacks on the Democratic administration as they seek to make border security a key issue in November's election.

A boisterous young chimpanzee slaps an adult in his family on the back, then scampers away and looks back to see the response to his cheekiness.

New Zealand pace bowler Will O'Rourke tore through the Proteas' tail on Wednesday as South Africa were dismissed for 242 early on day two of the second Test against New Zealand.

Colombia's ELN rebel group announced on Tuesday it would lift restrictions it imposed on the movement of civilians, after being accused by the government that those actions were violating an ongoing ceasefire in place during peace talks.

Leipzig were left to rue a controversial disallowed goal in Tuesday's 1-0 home loss to Real Madrid in their last 16 Champions League clash.

The Republican leader of the US House of Representatives on Tuesday blocked war aid for Ukraine, ignoring President Joe Biden's plea that passing the bill was vital for standing up to "Russian dictator" Vladimir Putin.

An incredible solo goal from Brahim Diaz secured Real Madrid a 1-0 win away at RB Leipzig in Tuesday's Champions League last 16 first leg.

Pep Guardiola hailed Kevin De Bruyne's form "extraordinary" after the Belgian was involved in all three goals as Manchester City beat FC Copenhagen 3-1 on Tuesday to close in on the Champions League quarter-finals.

Indonesians began voting for a new president Wednesday with Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto the frontrunner despite concerns over his human rights record and claims of improper support from outgoing leader Joko Widodo.