FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Germany narrowly avoided a recession in the fourth quarter, reporting only zero growth as foreign trade made little contribution to Europe’s largest economy.

The lackluster figure released Thursday by the state statistics agency followed a 0.2 percent fall in output during the preceding third quarter. Business spending on machinery and equipment as well as construction supported the economy in the fourth quarter and kept Germany from suffering two straight quarters of negative growth, one definition of a recession.

13 Feb 2019; AFP: A Sudanese refugee held in one of Australia's offshore migrant detention sites for six years was on Wednesday awarded the world's most prestigious human rights prize.

Abdul Aziz Muhamat, 26, was hailed by the Martin Ennals Award organisers for his "extraordinary tenacity and courage" in protesting the Australian government's "inhumane practices".

Mumbai, Feb 13 (PTI) Three men have been arrested for allegedly duping several two-wheeler owners in the city by selling fake vehicle insurance policies to them, a senior police official said Wednesday.

A preliminary probe by the police has revealed that the accused have so far sold over 800 bogus insurance policies in the city, the official said.

Khunti (Jharkhand), Feb 14 (PTI) One ultra of the banned Peoples Liberation Front of India (PLFI) was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Khunti district on Thursday, police said.

The encounter took place at Merambir forest area of the district, Deputy Inspector General of Police, A V Homkar said.

The security forces were on anti-naxal operation, the DIG said, adding that the body of the ultra was found in the encounter spot.

The security forces also recovered an automatic rifle from the spot, the DIG added.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways said Thursday it has restructured planned airplane purchases from both Airbus and Boeing as the government-owned carrier struggles through serious financial turbulence.

Once making headlines in 2013 for fleet purchases valued at $67 billion, Etihad has seen its strategy of rapidly buying stakes in other airlines to expand its global footprint expose it to major losses.

Shillong, Feb 13; PTI/GANASHAKTI: The CBI on Wednesday allowed Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to return to Kolkata after questioning him for five consecutive days here in connection with chit fund scam cases, an official said.

A team of 12 senior CBI officers examined Kumar for his alleged role in tampering of evidences in the Rs 2,000 crore Saradha chit fund scam, which the agency is probing.

Kumar was also questioned about the Rose Valley ponzi scam.

BEIRUT, February 13. /TASS/. Venezuelan opposition leaders "have acted against the interests of the Venezuelan people and caused damage to the state," Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro told Al Mayadeen TV channel on Wednesday.

"Juan Guaido and his supporters will sooner or later be brought to justice and will bear responsibility for an attempt to seize power," Maduro said.

13 Feb 2019; AFP: The US Justice Department charged a former Air Force intelligence official Wednesday with spying for Iran, saying she exposed a fellow US agent and helped the Revolutionary Guard target her former colleagues for cyber attacks.

US officials said Monica Witt, 39, who worked a decade in Air Force counterintelligence, had an "ideological" turn against her country and defected in 2013, turning over information on US espionage operations against Tehran.

SOCHI, February 13. /TASS/. Moscow is determined to continue assisting Damascus in liberating Syria’s territory, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Wednesday.

"I would like to reiterate that we will continue to make every possible effort to assist the Syrian government and armed forces in liberating the country," he said. "We will support the Syrian army’s activities that must be consistent with international humanitarian laws," the Russian top diplomat added.

CHICAGO (AP) — Odds may still favor the eventual construction of former President Barack Obama’s $500 million museum and library in a public park along Chicago’s lakeshore, but it’s no longer a sure thing in the face of a formidable legal challenge by a parks-advocacy group.

U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey hears arguments Thursday in Chicago on a key motion by city attorneys to toss a lawsuit by Protect Our Parks that aims to halt the Obama Presidential Center from ever being built in the selected location.

New Delhi, Feb 14 (PTI) The Congress has "more or less" ruled out an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday, a day after he had participated in a meeting with opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Responding to a question on an alliance with the Congress, he said it has "more or less ruled out the alliance (with AAP)".

RABAT, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and Spain signed on Wednesday 11 agreements in Rabat to bolster cooperation between the two countries.

In a ceremony chaired by Morocco's King Mohammed VI and King Felipe VI of Spain, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishing multi-dimensional strategic partnership.

In the energy sector, Morocco and Spain inked two MoUs, one on the setting-up of a strategic partnership on energy, and the other on the development of a third electric interconnection between the two countries.