Eiffel Tower summit closes, 1,350 schools shut in France heat wave
France is facing a severe heat wave forcing nearly 1,350 schools to shut fully or partially, nearly double from the previous day....
Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) has approved a coalition agreement with the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU), securing the final step needed to form a new government under Chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz.
According to public broadcaster ARD, 84.6% of SPD members voted in favor of the deal during an internal online ballot that concluded late Wednesday. The vote saw a 56% participation rate, surpassing the required 20% threshold and making the outcome binding.
SPD Secretary General Matthias Miersch is expected to announce the official results at a press conference later today.
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) ratified the coalition agreement earlier this week at a special party congress in Berlin, while its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), gave its approval earlier this month.
With the SPD's backing now confirmed, leaders from both parties are set to formally sign the coalition agreement next Monday. Germany’s Bundestag will then meet on May 6 to elect Merz as chancellor, officially ending Olaf Scholz’s term.
In February’s snap elections, the CDU/CSU alliance secured 28.5% of the vote—falling short of a majority—while the SPD recorded its lowest result ever at 16.4%. Nonetheless, the two parties together command 328 seats in parliament, well above the 316-seat threshold required to govern.
The new coalition is expected to focus on issues including economic competitiveness, defense, and immigration reform, as Merz prepares to lead a centrist-right government following years of Social Democratic leadership.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
Severe rain in Venezuela has caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, sweeping away homes and collapsing a highway bridge, with five states affected and no casualties reported so far.
A malfunction in the radar transmission system at the Area Control Center in Milan suspended more than 300 flights at the weekend, across northwest Italy since Saturday evening according to Italy's air traffic controller Enav (National Agency for Flight Assistance).
Thousands of protesters rallied in Bangkok on Saturday, demanding Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra resign as political and economic tensions mount.
Prices for goods made in China and sold on Amazon.com are rising at a pace faster than overall inflation, signaling the growing impact of U.S. tariffs on consumers, a new analysis by retail analytics firm DataWeave reveals.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio convened his counterparts from India, Japan, and Australia on Tuesday for a high-stakes meeting of the Indo-Pacific Quad, aiming to reaffirm the group's commitment to countering China’s influence in the region.
A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday rejected Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's request to dismiss the majority of charges in a sweeping indictment, allowing the Chinese telecoms giant to face trial over allegations of trade secret theft, bank fraud, and sanctions violations.
France is facing a severe heat wave forcing nearly 1,350 schools to shut fully or partially, nearly double from the previous day.
The U.S. Justice Department announced charges against two Chinese citizens accused of spying inside the U.S. on behalf of Beijing.
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