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Five survivors pulled from Indonesia school collapse as rescuers race against time
Rescuers pulled five survivors from a collapsed school in Indonesia on Wednesday as frantic parents demanded searchers speed up efforts to find dozens of children believed still trapped in the rubble two days on.

Deadly family drama in Munich briefly shuts Oktoberfest
Germany's famed Oktoberfest was briefly shut Wednesday after threats against it by a man who had torched his parents' home with family inside, and was later found with an explosives-laden backpack.

Japanese trainer Saito hopes for better Arc experience second time round
Japanese trainer Takashi Saito hopes he has absorbed the bitter lessons of his first failed tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe when he takes another shot at Europe's most prestigious race on Sunday with Croix du Nord.

'Normal' Sinner romps to 21st title but Swiatek stunned in Beijing
Jannik Sinner won the 21st title of his career by thrashing American teenager Learner Tien at the China Open on Wednesday as women's top seed Iga Swiatek was dumped out in the last 16 in a shock.

Stella McCartney takes on 'barbaric' feather industry
British fashion designer Stella McCartney is showcasing plant-based alternatives to real feathers in her latest collection, as the animal-rights campaigner takes on the "barbaric" farming of birds for clothing.

Mobile and internet restored across Afghanistan: AFP journalists
Mobile networks and the internet were restored across Afghanistan on Wednesday, 48 hours after the Taliban authorities shut down telecommunications.

Wall Street stocks slide as US shutdown begins
Wall Street stocks slid on Wednesday as the US government started to shut down after Democrats and President Donald Trump failed to break a deadlock over spending.

US senators struggle for off-ramp as shutdown kicks in
The United States entered a government shutdown Wednesday with President Donald Trump and Democrats in an acrimonious stand-off and banking on the other side to blink first in what could be a prolonged crisis.

Oktoberfest briefly closed by bomb threat, deadly family drama
Germany's famed Oktoberfest was briefly shut Wednesday after threats against it by a man who appeared to have torched his parents' home with family inside, and was later found with an explosives-laden backpack.

Swiatek out with a whimper as Navarro stuns top seed in Beijing
Iga Swiatek's tennis collapsed in the final set as Emma Navarro stunned the top seed and 2023 China Open champion 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 in Beijing on Wednesday.

Gaza aid flotilla defies Israeli 'intimidation tactics'
A flotilla carrying aid to war-battered Gaza said Wednesday it would stay its course despite what it called "intimidation tactics" by the Israeli military.

Meta defends ads model in 550-mn-euro data protection trial
Facebook owner Meta on Wednesday defended its advertising model in a 550-million-euro trial in Spain over alleged breaches of EU data protection rules brought by more than 80 Spanish media organisations.

Two pulled from Indonesia school collapse as rescuers race against time
Rescuers pulled two survivors from a collapsed school in Indonesia on Wednesday as frantic parents demanded searchers speed up efforts to find dozens of children believed still trapped in the rubble two days on.

Mobile and data networks return across Afghanistan: AFP journalists
Mobile networks returned to several provinces across Afghanistan on Wednesday, including the capital Kabul, 48 hours after the Taliban authorities shut down telecommunications.

Denmark warns EU over Russia 'hybrid war' as leaders talk defence
Danish premier Mette Frederiksen on Wednesday urged Europe to step up its response to Russia's "hybrid war", as she hosted EU leaders for defence talks held under tight security following mystery drone flights.

UK's Labour govt plans permanent fracking ban
Britain's Labour government plans to permanently ban fracking, a highly controversial method of extracting fossil fuels, due its environmental impact, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said Wednesday.

Russia says situation at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant under control
The situation at the Russia-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine is "under control", the Moscow-installed operator said Wednesday, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned it was "critical" following a week-long power cut.

YouTube, platforms not cooperating enough on EU content disputes: report
An independent appeals body tasked with resolving disputes between social media platforms and EU users on Wednesday criticised a lack of cooperation from digital platforms, especially YouTube.

EU eyes higher steel tariffs, taking page from US
The EU will propose cutting steel import quotas and significantly increasing tariffs on the metal from abroad, the bloc's industry chief Stephane Sejourne told the sector on Wednesday, mirroring US moves.

Slot faces reality check at Liverpool as problems mount
Liverpool started the season with seven straight wins as they threatened to sweep all before them but consecutive defeats underscore pressing issues that Arne Slot must address.

European stocks rise, Wall St futures drop as US shutdown begins
European stocks and gold prices rose, while Wall Street futures fell on Wednesday as the US government shut down after lawmakers failed to reach a funding deal.

Survivors still carry burden as Bali marks 2005 bombings
Survivors and relatives of victims of the 2005 Bali bombings gathered on the popular tourist island Wednesday to mark 20 years since the attack, saying the trauma of that night still haunts them.

Thousands protest in Greece over 13-hour workday plans
Thousands of Greek workers prompted large-scale disruption during a 24-hour general strike on Wednesday, protesting against the conservative government's plans to introduce a 13-hour work day.

Indigenous protest urges end to Colombia border violence
Hundreds of Indigenous people in Colombia -- holding spears, blowguns and banners saying "Don't kill us" -- protested against bloody clashes between guerrilla factions on the Venezuelan border that have displaced their communities.

Torrential downpours kill nine in Ukraine's Odesa
A severe rainstorm battered the Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, causing floods that killed at least nine people including a child in the southern port city, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday.

Australia ease to six-wicket win in first New Zealand T20
An unbeaten maiden century by New Zealand's Tim Robinson wasn't enough to deny Australia a comfortable six-wicket win in the opening Twenty20 at Bay Oval on Wednesday.

France's Monfils announces retirement at end of 2026
French tennis player Gael Monfils, one of the most entertaining and popular players on the ATP tour, announced on Wednesday that he will retire at the end of next year.

'Normal' Sinner thrashes Tien in Beijing for 21st title
Jannik Sinner won the 21st title of his career by thrashing American teenager Learner Tien 6-2, 6-2 in the China Open final on Wednesday.

Survivor pulled from Indonesia school collapse as parents await news
Rescuers pulled a survivor from the ruins of a collapsed school in Indonesia on Wednesday, as desperate parents demanded searchers speed up efforts to find dozens more still believed trapped in the rubble.

Tennis schedule under renewed scrutiny as injuries, criticism mount
Carlos Alcaraz added his voice to the criticism and pulled out of the Shanghai Masters with "physical issues" as the packed schedule for elite tennis players came under renewed scrutiny this week.

New player load guidelines hailed as 'landmark moment' for rugby
New guidelines agreed to by World Rugby that will limit players to 30 full games a season to protect their health were hailed Wednesday as a "landmark moment" for the sport.

More ingredients for life discovered in ocean on Saturn moon
The ocean hidden under the icy shell of Saturn's moon Enceladus harbours complex organic molecules, a study said Wednesday, offering further evidence that the small world could have all the right ingredients to host extraterrestrial life.