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Spain Approves Citizenship for Sahrawis

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Spain’s lower house of parliament has approved legislation granting Spanish citizenship to Sahrawis born during the period when Spain administered Western Sahara. The bill passed with 168 votes in favour, 31 against and 145 abstentions, and would also allow eligible citizens’ descendants to apply for citizenship.

The move could benefit an estimated 70,000 to 110,000 Sahrawis. Spain ruled Western Sahara from 1884 until 1976, after which Morocco asserted control over much of the territory. The Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, continues to seek independence for Western Sahara.

The citizenship decision could further complicate Spain’s already sensitive relationship with Morocco. Spain shifted its position in 2022 by backing Morocco’s proposal for autonomy in Western Sahara, after previously supporting a UN-backed referendum on the territory’s future.

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Zverev Reaches US Open Semi-Finals After Late-Night Win

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Alexander Zverev reached the US Open semi-finals with a dominant 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 victory over Botic van de Zandschulp. The German top seed produced a strong performance despite staying awake until around 3:30am to watch Ben Shelton defeat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the tournament’s latest-ever finish.

Zverev, who has already won his maiden Grand Slam title at this year’s French Open, has now reached all four major semi-finals in a single season for the first time. He will face Russia’s Karen Khachanov, who advanced after Belgium’s Alexander Blockx retired with injuries while trailing 6-2, 7-5, 3-2.

The German has also set a national record by winning 23 Grand Slam matches in 2026, surpassing Boris Becker’s previous mark of 22 in 1989. Zverev admitted he struggled early in the tournament but has steadily improved and is now considered a leading contender for the US Open title following Alcaraz’s exit.

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Iceland Plans Permanent Ban on Commercial Whaling

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Iceland’s government plans to introduce a bill in February that would permanently ban commercial whaling, a move that could leave Norway and Japan as the world’s only countries continuing the practice. The government, which holds a parliamentary majority, said there is significant political and public support for the proposed ban. Whaling in Iceland has faced years of opposition from animal welfare and conservation groups.

Iceland’s current whaling season runs from June to around the end of September, with 80 fin whales reportedly caught as of September 9 against an annual quota of 150. Fin whales, the main target of Iceland’s whaling industry, are classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Animal welfare groups have welcomed the proposed legislation, citing ethical, legal and conservation concerns.

Iceland, Norway and Japan are the only countries known to have conducted commercial whaling in recent years. Norway resumed commercial whaling in 1993, while Iceland restarted in 2006 despite an international moratorium introduced in 1986. Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission in 2019 and resumed commercial whaling within its waters, while indigenous communities in some regions remain exempt from the moratorium for cultural and nutritional reasons.

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Russian Drone Incursion Delays Zelensky’s Flight From Moldova

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A Russian drone entering Moldovan airspace delayed a plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena as they prepared to leave Chisinau for Norway. Moldova temporarily closed its airspace after the unmanned aircraft crossed the border from the direction of Ukraine, leaving Zelensky’s aircraft on the runway for about an hour. Several other flights were also affected.

The flight was cleared to depart after authorities confirmed that the drone had come down and exploded about 160km from Chisinau International Airport. Zelensky and Olena later arrived safely in Oslo, where the Ukrainian president held talks with Norwegian officials on military support before attending the funeral of Norway’s King Harald V.

The incident comes as Russian drone attacks on Ukraine and surrounding areas intensify. Kyiv has experienced record levels of air-raid alerts, while a recent attack on a Moldovan border crossing killed two people. Ukraine has also carried out long-range drone strikes inside Russia, highlighting the escalating use of unmanned aircraft in the ongoing conflict.

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Germany’s Merz Clashes With AfD Leader After Far-Right Election Win

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has clashed with AfD leader Alice Weidel in parliament following the far-right party’s major victory in Saxony-Anhalt. The AfD secured nearly 44% of the vote, while Merz’s conservative CDU saw its support fall sharply. Weidel called Merz’s coalition government a failure, while Merz described the AfD as a “destructive force” and criticised its migration policies.

Merz warned that the AfD’s proposed “remigration” policy could affect millions of people and harm key sectors that depend on migrant workers. He argued that migrants make up a significant share of Germany’s skilled workforce and said mass deportations could leave hospitals, care homes and restaurants struggling to operate. The heated parliamentary debate was repeatedly disrupted by AfD MPs, prompting Bundestag President Julia Klöckner to threaten disciplinary action.

The AfD’s victory has intensified debate over Germany’s political future, although the party fell three seats short of an outright majority in Saxony-Anhalt. It has indicated that it could seek support from another party to form a government, potentially challenging Germany’s long-standing political firewall against cooperation with the far right. The result has also drawn praise from US President Donald Trump, adding further international attention to Germany’s shifting political landscape.

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Reigning Miss Austria Lucia Sisic Dies at 22

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Lucia Sisic, the reigning Miss Austria 2024, has died at the age of 22. Mission Austria, which organises the Miss Austria and Mister Austria pageants, announced her death on Monday, describing it as a shock and expressing condolences to her family, friends and loved ones. The cause of death has not been confirmed.

Sisic had lived with a congenital heart condition from birth and underwent seven operations during her lifetime. She had previously spoken publicly about her health struggles, saying that her childhood was different because of her condition but that the experiences made her stronger. In 2024, she also thanked the medical teams who had repeatedly helped save her life.

Herzkinder Österreich, a charity supporting children with heart conditions, also paid tribute to Sisic, remembering her as a courageous and warm-hearted young woman. The organisation said she had used her own experiences to encourage others living with congenital heart defects.

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Amazon to Raise $5.8 Billion in First Sterling Bond Sale

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Amazon plans to raise £4.25 billion ($5.76 billion) through its first-ever sterling bond sale, exceeding its initial target as strong investor demand supports the debt offering. The move comes as major technology companies seek to diversify funding sources to finance heavy investment in artificial intelligence.

The four-part deal attracted more than £12 billion in demand, allowing Amazon to raise £1.25 billion through three-year bonds and £1 billion each through six-, 12- and 19-year bonds. The company has also tapped euro, Swiss franc and Canadian dollar debt markets as it expands its global funding programme.

Hyperscalers have issued more than $200 billion in debt this year, more than double their total for 2025, according to LSEG data. Amazon’s latest borrowing comes amid growing investor concerns that the rapid pace of AI-related debt issuance could test demand and increase financing costs for large technology companies.

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Google to Invest $15 Billion in Finland for AI and Nuclear Power

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Google will invest at least €13 billion ($15.1 billion) in Finland over the next two years to expand its artificial intelligence infrastructure. The investment will include data centres, electricity grid upgrades, clean energy and battery projects, supporting services such as Gemini, Search, Maps and YouTube.

The technology giant has also signed a 22-year agreement with Finnish utility Fortum to purchase up to 50% of the electricity produced by one of the country’s nuclear power plants. The deal marks Google’s first nuclear energy agreement outside the United States and is intended to provide a reliable source of low-carbon power for its growing data centre operations.

Google said the investment could add about $3.6 billion to Finland’s GDP during the construction phase and support around 7,000 jobs annually once the infrastructure is operational. Finland’s cold climate and access to abundant low-carbon energy are helping attract major technology companies looking for efficient locations for energy-intensive data centres.

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GE Aerospace Bets on Casting to Secure Jet Engine Supply

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GE Aerospace is moving to strengthen its jet engine supply chain through a $12 billion deal to acquire Consolidated Precision Products (CPP), one of the world’s major manufacturers of precision metal castings used in turbine engines. The acquisition is aimed at addressing persistent shortages of critical aerospace components and securing specialist manufacturing expertise that is difficult to replicate.

Castings and forgings have remained major bottlenecks in the aerospace industry since the COVID-19 pandemic, as manufacturers struggle to meet strong demand and long aircraft order backlogs. CPP supplies around a quarter of GE Aerospace’s casting requirements, according to Jefferies, making the company a strategically important part of GE’s production network. Competitors such as Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce are also investing in their own casting capabilities.

The acquisition could help GE improve production efficiency and gain greater control over technology essential to future engine designs. However, the deal is expected to face antitrust scrutiny and could create challenges with other aerospace manufacturers that also rely on CPP. Analysts say GE may be required to sell certain facilities as part of the regulatory process, potentially making the integration more complex.

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Norway Mourns as King Harald Is Laid to Rest

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Norway held the funeral of King Harald V on Wednesday, marking the end of 13 days of national mourning following his death at the age of 89. Large crowds gathered in Oslo as a procession carried his coffin from the royal palace to Oslo Cathedral, accompanied by cannon fire from Akershus Fortress and a nationwide minute of silence.

The funeral was attended by members of European and Asian royal families, including Britain’s Prince William and Princess Anne, Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, and Denmark’s King Frederik and Queen Mary. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also joined the procession, while the United States was represented by Under-Secretary of State Allison Hooker. Queen Sonja and Norway’s new Queen Mette-Marit also attended despite Mette-Marit’s recent health complications.

Harald, who ruled Norway for more than three decades, remained a widely respected and popular monarch known for his inclusive approach. Hundreds of thousands of Norwegians had paid tribute by leaving flowers, candles and flags outside the Royal Palace. Following the funeral, his coffin was taken to the royal crypt at Akershus Fortress, where it was placed alongside those of his parents, formally ending the national mourning period.

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