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Italy yet to grapple with long economic stagnation

The collapse of Italy's coalition government may hit the economy, but its long-run economic stagnation is an even bigger problem.

Sudan swears in transitional ruling body

In a step toward civilian rule in Sudan, a new ruling body was sworn in on Wednesday in Khartoum for a three-year transitional period. The 11-member Sovereign Council is to govern while preparing the country for elections.

French president maintains tough EU line on Brexit deadlock

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday as he continued his campaign to negotiate a way around the Brexit obstacle of the Northern Ireland backstop.

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Italy in limbo after Conte resigns as PM

ROME - Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigned on Tuesday after lashing out at far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini for pursuing his own interests by pulling the plug on the government coalition.

Since Greenland isn't for sale, Trump cancels upcoming Denmark visit

WASHINGTON - Two days after he said buying Greenland wasn't a top priority, US President Donald Trump canceled an upcoming trip to Denmark, which counts the mostly frozen island as part of its kingdom, after its prime minister dismissed the idea.

832 foreigners lose Japanese residency status

A record number of foreigners living in Japan were stripped of their residency status in 2018, data from the country's Immigration Services Agency showed, even as Japan is widening its doors to foreign workers.

SADC adopts Kiswahili as 4th working language

The Southern Africa Development Community, or SADC, has adopted Kiswahili as its fourth official language. Other SADC official languages are English, Portuguese and French.

Merkel urged to budge on Brexit

Boris Johnson made his first overseas trip since becoming British prime minister when he visited German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday. He repeated his demand that the Northern Ireland backstop be dropped from any withdrawal terms for the United Kingdom's divorce from the European Union.

Panama Canal is 'innocent passage'

Famously neutral Panama is resisting pressure from the United States to stop allowing Venezuelan vessels to traverse the Panama Canal, the key link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and one of the most important passageways for global trade.

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