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Strike action grounds thousands of flights in Germany
Strike action grounds thousands of flights in Germany
by  AFP

Strike action grounded thousands of flights in Germany on Monday, including all connections to and from Berlin, as the service sector union called on workers to walk out for better pay. The Verdi union said Friday it was calling on public sector workers and some 23,000 employees of ground handling service providers to walk out to send a message to management.

'Got cash?' Tunisians grapple with new restrictions on cheques
'Got cash?' Tunisians grapple with new restrictions on cheques
by  AFP

Olfa Meriah stands, frustrated, before a smartphone shop near the capital Tunis. Welcome' - Leila, the owner of the smartphone shop in the Tunis-area district of Ariana, told AFP her sales have fallen by more than half, after she started taking cash only.

Indonesians seek escape as anger rises over quality of life
Indonesians seek escape as anger rises over quality of life
by  AFP

Indonesian private tutor Patricia has been learning German for two years, armed with a dream of leaving for Europe and driven by a lack of opportunities, economic stagnation and little hope at home. Patricia remains undeterred, applying for a volunteer post in Germany in the hope she can find a paid job once there.

Opium farming takes root in Myanmar's war-wracked landscape
Opium farming takes root in Myanmar's war-wracked landscape
by  AFP

Scraping opium resin off a seedpod in Myanmar's remote poppy fields, displaced farmer Aung Hla describes the narcotic crop as his only prospect in a country made barren by conflict. "Most of the farmers who plant poppy are displaced," he said.

Japan auctions emergency rice reserves as prices soar
Japan auctions emergency rice reserves as prices soar
by  AFP

The Japanese government began a rare auction on Monday of its emergency rice stockpiles in a bid to help drive down the surging price of the national staple. Japan stores about a million tons of rice for emergencies.