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Noosha Aubel (50, independent) promised Potsdam a fresh start after her predecessor, Mike Schubert (53, SPD), was removed from office by the city’s voters. Almost a year into Aubel’s tenure, that promise is overshadowed by a scandal involving care for a young child with multiple severe disabilities—a scandal that has become a damning indictment of the moral standards of the state capital, Potsdam, and of Noosha Aubel in particular—as well as crumbling roads, a budget freeze and an escalating leadership crisis. Meanwhile, her office comes with substantial remuneration: Aubel currently pockets an annual basic salary of €143,056. Following an announced salary adjustment, that figure is set to rise to €169,006.44 a year, funded by the public.This raises an uncomfortable but legitimate question: is Noosha Aubel actually equipped to meet the financial, organisational and political demands of running a state capital?

France's student protests are fuelled by a range of grievances, from unreplaced teachers and crumbling buildings to broader inequalities in accessing a good education.

Students cheered as they stacked rubbish bins against the entrance to a school outside Paris, while a speaker thumped out French rap to young people, teachers and parents mingling in the early morning drizzle.

Rising Spanish tennis star Rafael Jodar said he was still "learning how to behave on court" after swearing at a ballboy at the Shanghai Masters, where he reached the semi-finals on Friday to make history.

At the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, American playwright George Brant began writing an opera about Ukrainian mothers risking journeys into Russia to retrieve their children.

New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia acknowledged on Thursday that she had failed the bar exam, a prerequisite for practicing law in the United States, as her credentials face scrutiny.

Manchester United travel to historic rivals Leeds on Sunday with pressure mounting on manager Michael Carrick, while Manchester City aim to extend their perfect Premier League start despite uncertainty over their future.

Artificial intelligence will ultimately become a key aspect of all companies, the head of AI chip giant Nvidia said during a visit to Stockholm, where he urged Europe to ramp up its AI industry.

European leaders on Friday rallied around Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky as Kyiv's ties with US President Donald Trump have nosedived and worries grow that US leader is increasingly siding with Russia.

Mainland Spain sizzled in its warmest September since records began in 1961, with exceptional heat effectively making it another summer month, national weather agency AEMET said on Friday.

Climate change is threatening livelihoods and forcing people from their homes across South Asia, but technology and government action could help limit the damage, the UN migration chief told AFP on Friday.

Chelsea captain Reece James has undergone successful knee surgery, the Premier League club announced on Friday.

Four people died on Indonesia's Java island fighting the blazes that have sent toxic smoke across southeast Asia, closed schools and fuelled a surge of respiratory complaints, authorities said Friday.

Beijing told the White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia on Friday to visit China "more often", after she said the country lacked "proper toilets" less than a week into her new post.

Thai farmers, fishermen and workers marched through Bangkok Friday as global finance and business leaders gathered for IMF and World Bank meetings, demanding a say in policies shaping their livelihoods.

The star-shaped white blossoms of Hanoi's milkwood trees have inspired songwriters and lovers, but city authorities began cutting them back Friday after an outcry from residents over their "overpowering" fragrance.

Closed schools, shuttered sports centres and mass mask handouts. Indonesian wildfire haze has caused a regional pollution crisis and prompted growing frustration in neighbours, including Malaysia.

The families of children killed in a roof collapse at a school in northwest Pakistan called for "justice" on Friday, the day after more than 30 pupils and a teacher were crushed to death.

India's sweeping overhaul of electoral rolls has triggered a political firestorm, with opposition parties accusing the Election Commission of putting millions at risk of disenfranchisement.

Most Asian markets bounced Friday after the previous day's tech rout fuelled by concerns over the AI boom, which Federal Reserve boss Kevin Warsh said offered huge benefits to the global economy.

Irish province Munster host French club Racing 92 in the opening round of the Champions Cup on Saturday with the fixture falling almost exactly a decade on from the sudden passing of the home side's former No.8 and coach Anthony Foley.

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia, who was appointed less than a week ago, said China lacked "proper toilets" in an interview that aired on Thursday.

A teenager shot and killed three children and a teacher on Thursday at an elementary school in the US state of Oregon, police said, adding the assailant was later killed by an armed bystander who pursued him into the building.

Authorities closed a central New Delhi park Friday before a fresh protest seeking the removal of India's election chief over a voter-roll revision that critics say has disenfranchised millions.

US Federal Reserve boss Kevin Warsh said Friday the global economy had shown unexpected resilience against strong economic shocks, as central banks battle surging inflation, while rich countries tackle spiking bond yields.

World Bank President Ajay Banga laid out a vision on Friday for how his multilateral development giant should operate, focusing primarily on creating jobs, expanding economic opportunity and connecting private capital to developing nations that need investment.

Four people died on Indonesia's Java island fighting the blazes that have been sending toxic smoke across southeast Asia, closing schools and fuelling a surge of respiratory complaints in the region, authorities said Friday.

Wil Lutz booted the game-winning field goal in overtime as the Denver Broncos capitalized on a late interception to beat the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks 17-14 on Thursday.

Star New Zealand fullback Kalyn Ponga faces missing the rest of the Rugby League World Cup after scans Friday showed he broke his arm in the thrilling tournament opener against Australia.

The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 to reach baseball's World Series for the first time in 44 years on Thursday after completing a 4-0 series sweep of the star-studded defending champions.

Indonesian stocks plunged more than 11 percent Friday as index compiler MSCI said it was "no longer appropriate" to maintain the country's emerging-market status, fuelling fears of an exodus of foreign investment.

The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Thursday to reach baseball's World Series for the first time in 44 years after completing a 4-0 series sweep of the star-studded defending champions.