Appeal board says homophobia 'commonplace' in Aussie Rules
Australian Rules Football said Friday that homophobia had no place in the game after an appeals board reduced a penalty for a player who used an anti-gay slur on the grounds such comments were "commonplace" in the sport.
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Hot pants: Tokyo government workers swap suits for shorts
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.
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Chinese EV makers take centre stage at world's biggest auto show
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.
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Concern stirs Lula camp as election bid loses momentum
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.
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China's top AI players
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.
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Five things to know about Chinese AI startup DeepSeek
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:
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Possible Trump rescue of Spirit Airlines spurs debate
Bargain US carrier Spirit Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy in 2025 for the second time in a year, could be spared by a controversial potential White House rescue package.
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Wild Balkan berries keep gin taste steady as climate shifts
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.
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Mass MS-13 trial held at El Salvador mega-jail
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.
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Barcelona must live without teen star Yamal for title run-in
With teenage star Lamine Yamal out injured for the rest of the season Barcelona visit Getafe on Saturday in La Liga looking for ways to cope without him and protect a nine-point lead on Real Madrid in the Spanish title race.
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