POLITICS

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday urged Israel to protect civilians as it battles Hamas in Gaza, saying that shielding noncombatants is necessary for victory in the urban fight against the Palestinian militant group.

The Guinea-Bissau army ordered National Guard forces back to barracks on Saturday, following unrest that left at least two people dead and brought condemnation from the regional bloc ECOWAS. Clashes between members of the National Guard and special forces of the presidential guard broke out Thursday night in the capital Bissau, leaving two dead.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday pushed back against mounting US pressure to cut Ankara's historic ties with Hamas in the wake of the militants' unprecedented attacks on Israel.

A senior Paraguayan official was fired this week after signing a cooperation memorandum with a country he has since learned does not exist.

Far-right Dutch leader Geert Wilders suffered a major setback to his goal of forming a governing coalition Wednesday when a key potential partner ruled itself out, uncomfortable with his extreme views.

China is not likely to consider a major invasion of Taiwan for now due to domestic challenges, the island's president Tsai Ing-wen said Wednesday, although Beijing is trying to sway its upcoming election.

A French court on Wednesday acquitted France's justice minister in a conflict of interest trial that has been an embarrassment for President Emmanuel Macron's government.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday defended his decision to snub Kyriakos Mitsotakis, accusing his Greek counterpart of playing to the gallery in a row over ancient sculptures.

The House has two days to act on a privileged resolution introduced Tuesday.

AFP Action said its polling is showing that Haley can beat both Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has ordered greater protection for international firms' rights and intellectual property, state media reported Tuesday, as Beijing works to lure in foreign companies spooked by a crackdown and an ailing economy.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi makes his first official visit to Turkey on Tuesday, hoping to paper over past differences and forge a forceful joint response to Israel's actions in Gaza.

Could Donald Trump make a comeback? Poll after poll shows that a majority of voters think the gaffe-prone Democrat is too old to be commander-in-chief, despite his likely rival, ex-president Donald Trump making similar slip-ups at 77.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his "displeasure" Monday over UK counterpart Rishi Sunak's last minute cancellation of a bilateral meeting set to discuss their long-running dispute over the Parthenon Marbles.

Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed said the future of the island country depended on its relationship with India, and added the new government "will come to understand the intricacies of this."

Bangladesh has launched a sweeping and violent crackdown on opposition parties to "eliminate competition" ahead of general elections, including arresting almost 10,000 activists, Human Rights Watch said Monday.

Former airline boss Christopher Luxon formally took office as New Zealand's prime minister Monday, vowing to tame inflation and bring down interest rates.

Argentina's president-elect Javier Milei was traveling Sunday to the United States to meet with US and international officials over two days.

From the musical nights of his youth that earned his nickname "the disc jockey" to his political adventures over the past decade, life has been one long party of one kind or another for Andry Rajoelina, who on Saturday secured a second elected term as Madagascar's president.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday "vigorously" denied any wrongdoing as he appealed a one-year jail sentence for illegal campaign financing.

Latin American governments are learning not to get too comfortable in office, as disgruntled voters repeatedly topple incumbents, often in favor of outsiders or inexperienced politicians.

Germany will seek to suspend a constitutional debt limit for a fourth straight year, its finance minister said Thursday, after a shock court ruling upended government spending plans and sparked a budget crisis.

By helping broker an Israel-Hamas deal to free hostages, US President Joe Biden has achieved a long-sought win in a war that has cost him politically.

In the past, the BRICS grouping has largely focused on economic issues, which makes Tuesday's meeting a one-of-kind session as the league of nations pushes for a greater say in the global order, which has largely been dominated by the West.

Pakistan's newly appointed ambassador to Russia Muhammad Khalid Jamali confirmed Islamabad's plans to join the group under Russia's presidency in 2024.

Dutch voters headed to the polls Wednesday for a nail-biting election that will transform the country's political landscape after Prime Minister Mark Rutte's record 13 years in power.

There is Trump, there are wannabe Trumps, and then there is Nikki Haley -- the sole woman in the Republican presidential field and now on the cusp of consolidating second place after showing there may be another way than simply aping the main man.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz unveiled the investment plan to give Germany access to new energy providers and combat China's regional soft power.

India and Australia not only share the same ocean, but also similar concerns about China's military muscle-flexing in the region.