WORLD

Rivaz, Switzerland | AFP |  When foreigners think of Swiss specialities that might excite their taste buds, world-renowned chocolate and cheese likely come to mind. Swiss wine? Not so much. But the global reputation of Switzerland’s winemakers may be set for a boost, backed by a new export promotion strategy …

Aix-en-Provence, France | AFP |  It features an Israeli prime minister, Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike, a hit squad and a Shin Beth spy chief. But this is not another story on the intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict but an opera unusually with a libretto in Hebrew, the official language of Israel. “The …

Tokyo, Japan | AFP | A breakthrough technique harnessing two methods to target disease-carrying mosquitoes was able to effectively eradicate buzzing biters in two test sites in China, according to research published on Thursday. The mosquitoes targeted are a type that is particularly difficult to control called Aedes albopictus — more …

Washington, United States | AFP |  The US House of Representatives formally condemned Donald Trump on Tuesday for xenophobic attacks on four minority Democratic lawmakers and hostile language targeting immigrants, as the president denied accusations of racism. Top Republican leaders rallied around Trump, but four members of the president’s party …

Cape Canaveral, United States | AFP |  Fifty years after a mighty rocket set off from Florida carrying the first humans to the Moon, a veteran of the Apollo 11 crew returned to its fabled launch pad Tuesday to commemorate “one giant leap” that became a defining moment in human …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP | The divisive final season of “Game of Thrones” smashed the record for most Primetime Emmy nominations by a drama series in a single year, earning a whopping 32 nods Tuesday. HBO’s fantasy epic enraged fans with its bumpy conclusion but still trounced the competition …

Paris, France | AFP |  As uncannily realistic “deep fake” videos proliferate online, including one recently retweeted by Donald Trump, journalism schools are scrambling to adapt to an era of misinformation — or fake news. Experts discussed how to train tomorrow’s reporters for these new challenges at the World Journalism Education …

Boyarka, Ukraine | AFP |  Zhan Beleniuk, an Olympic wrestler with Rwandan roots, is seeking to enter Ukraine’s parliament as the first mixed-race MP in a bid to overcome racist attitudes and support the country’s young new leader. The Greco-Roman style wrestler, who won silver for Ukraine at the Rio Olympics, …

Strasbourg, France | AFP |  Was an intense two-week political operation to woo European lawmakers long enough to win German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen the top job in Brussels? The 60-year-old conservative will replace Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission if she secures a majority in …

San Francisco, United States | AFP |  Amazon workers walked out of a main distribution center in Minnesota on Monday, protesting for improved working conditions during the e-commerce titan’s major “Prime” shopping event. Amazon workers picketed outside the facility, briefly delaying a few trucks and waving signs with messages along the …