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Tokyo's metropolitan government is encouraging staff to wear shorts to work to cut reliance on air conditioning, an official said Friday, as concerns grow over high energy costs linked to the Middle East War.

Thousands snapped selfies beside sleek Chinese electric vehicles on Friday at the world's biggest car show in Beijing, where automakers are seeking to lure buyers in a cut-throat market.

Four months ago, the stars seemed to be aligned for veteran left-winger Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in his quest for an unprecedented fourth term as Brazilian president.

China's artificial intelligence boom is in full swing, with the release of a new large language model (LLM) by top startup DeepSeek on Friday highlighting the country's rapid progress despite US export restrictions on advanced microchips.

As DeepSeek releases its first major new artificial intelligence model in over a year -- DeepSeek-V4 -- here are five things to know about the Chinese startup:

As he threaded his way through the scrub in Serbia's southern hills, Slobodan Velickovic stopped to inspect the small indigo berries that have made the Balkans a key part of the global gin industry.

Hundreds of alleged Mara Salvatrucha gang members sat chained, shaved and mute as they were accused of murder and torture during a mass trial at El Salvador's notorious CECOT jail, AFP reporters witnessed Thursday.

Hearts lead a thrilling three-way battle for the Scottish Premiership, with the 41-year dominance of Celtic and Rangers under threat going into the final five games of the season.

India on Thursday criticized as inappropriate a post by US President Donald Trump that called the South Asian country a "hellhole."

Chinese startup DeepSeek released "preview" versions of a new artificial intelligence model Friday, more than a year after it stunned the world with a low-cost reasoning model that matched the capabilities of US rivals.

CJ McCollum hit the game-winner with 12.5 seconds remaining as the Atlanta Hawks pulled off another nail-biting victory over New York to take a 2-1 lead in their NBA first-round playoff series on Thursday.

Flames from raging wildfires in northern Japan were spreading towards the centre of a town Friday, with authorities urging more than 2,500 people to evacuate their homes, media reports and the government said.

Israel and Lebanon extended a shaky ceasefire by three weeks, President Donald Trump said Thursday, as the United States remained at a standstill in negotiations with Iran to end the Middle East war.

Christine Li is a model and influencer, but not an actor, so when she saw herself playing a cruel character in a Chinese microdrama she felt bewildered, then angry and afraid.

On the facade of an apartment block in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe, a giant mosaic depicting cosmonauts and engineers celebrates the scientific triumphs of the Soviet Union.

Oil prices extended gains Friday and stocks struggled as investors worried about a lack of progress in ending the Middle East crisis, with Tehran keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed and the US maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports.

Blink and you might miss Indian speed climber Deepu Mallesh scaling a wall five buses high in five seconds.

The loop of Rizza Matutino's lasso sat atop the steer's head for what felt like forever.

Godzilla will be closer to audiences than ever before in "Godzilla Minus Zero," the film's Japanese director said.

Laura Jacobs thought she'd never wear animal fur, having witnessed years of protests over its use in clothing -- until suddenly she started spotting it all over New York.

YouTube is offering Hollywood celebrities and entertainers a free detection tool to help combat their deepfakes, expanding the Google-owned video platform's efforts to guard against AI-driven impersonations.

A US soldier faces charges for using classified information to bet on online prediction markets related to the US operation to capture former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, the Department of Justice said Thursday.

A contentious bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales was set to fail Friday after running out of parliamentary time, having been stuck in the UK's unelected upper house.

Arsenal can reclaim the Premier League summit this weekend as in-form Manchester City focus on the FA Cup, while Tottenham and West Ham battle to avoid the final relegation spot.

The United Nations on Friday said a three-year effort to immunise children who missed routine vaccinations due to the Covid-19 crisis was on course to reach the 21 million target.

The world's biggest car show opens Friday in Beijing, with hundreds of thousands of auto fans expected to descend on the Chinese capital to size up the latest sleek, teched-out models on the market.

Second-ranked Nelly Korda fired a bogey-free seven-under par 65 to seize a two-stroke lead after Thursday's opening round of the LPGA Chevron Championship, the year's first major women's event.

The Las Vegas Raiders took quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the number one pick in the NFL draft on Thursday, hoping the Heisman Trophy winner can help revive a franchise that has missed the playoffs for the past four seasons.

Lebanon's leaders accused Israel on Thursday of committing a war crime, after an airstrike killed a Lebanese journalist in the country's south, with the Israeli army saying it was reviewing the incident.

In the heart of the US capital, a fence stands adorned with 20,000 teddy bears to represent the Ukrainian children who, according to Kyiv, have been abducted by invading Russia, as war rages on.

The Los Angeles Lakers, up 2-0 on the Phoenix Suns in their first-round NBA playoff series, could have Austin Reaves back from injury in game three.

Iran's footballers will be welcome at this year's World Cup, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday, distancing the US government from a proposal that Italy could take their place in the tournament.

Shock images of Argentine football icon Diego Maradona lying dead in bed, his stomach grotesquely swollen, rocked the negligence trial of his medical team on Thursday.

The United States will invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to a G20 summit in Miami, a US official said Thursday, but President Donald Trump said he doubted his counterpart would come.

Israel and Lebanon on Thursday extended a shaky ceasefire by three weeks, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, as he voiced hope for a historic three-way meeting soon and a potential peace deal.

An invitation to the December G20 summit in the United States will be sent to Russia as a member of the organization, a senior US official said Thursday.

Tiago Tomas' stunning 119th-minute back-heel sent Stuttgart to a German Cup final meeting with Bayern Munich after a 2-1 extra-time home win over Freiburg on Thursday.

More than 120 rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issued a travel advisory on Thursday warning that visitors to the 2026 World Cup could face "serious rights violations" due to the US government's immigration policies.

Shares in Intel soared on Thursday after it smashed quarterly earnings expectations in what could be a sign that the US chip maker is on a path to recovery.