AFP English

Ukrainian fashion designer debuts art between air raids

In Kyiv's largest art museum, Arina Petrova and her father Serhii busily applied the final touches to their mannequins, anxious that a Russian drone attack could delay her long-awaited debut. The fashion-designing duo from...

Hong Kong unveils plan to align economy with China's goals

Just add fish: Scientists pursue more rice, less disease in Senegal paddies

In DR Congo streets, ex-hoods get tough on litter -- and locals

Crash and burn: Pakistan cricket at a new low after England humiliation

'A legend': Celine Dion poised for emotional comeback in Paris

Business booms as lobbyists push 'priorities' in EU capital

'Hopeless, stuck, afraid': US deportees in limbo in Cameroon

Ayana was deported to Cameroon from the United States where she had legally lived nearly all her life and now faces uncertainty, far from her family in an unfamiliar country. Born in a refugee camp in Sudan, she arrived in the US aged...

'Long live Chairman Mao': Supporters pay respects to founder of Communist China

Fifty years after his death, diehard fans of the Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong lined up Wednesday in his hometown to pay homage, holding portraits, flags and huge floral tributes. Chairman Mao, the founder of the People's...

Rubio launches Latin America tour to cement US influence

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives in Colombia on Tuesday, the first stop on a Latin American tour designed to bolster pro-us leaders and cement influence over the continent. The recent election of Colombian...

Malaysia cancels haze emergency, but warns problems remain

At last: Straight sets win over Tabilo puts Zverev in US Open last 16

Box office magnet Robert Pattinson appears in paedophile thriller

British star Robert Pattinson will look to extend his stellar 2026 box office run by playing a creepy paedophile-hunting TV presenter in "Primetime", which premieres at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday. Ahead of his appearance in...

German Afd's love for Simson mopeds dismays Jewish family behind brand

German far-right AFD politicians like to ride vintage Simson scooters that are icons of the former communist East Germany -- much to the dismay of the Jewish family whose name adorns the machines. Ulrich Siegmund, 35, the top...

Families descend on Nepal in search of missing tourists

US energy secretary arrives in Venezuela to discuss oil deal

US Energy Secretary Wright arrived in Venezuela on Tuesday to finalize an oil deal granting the United States control of about one-fifth of the country's reserves. Wright's visit comes after Venezuela's governmentdominated...

Carney's Liberals sweep Canada byelections as US trade war rages

Venice film preview: Clooney, Oasis and Musk

The missing in Nepal-tibet flash floods

From forced labour to living heritage: Sao Tome's colonial plantations

Nepal seeking to reach survivors in tunnel as risk of new floods rises

Japan's 'polka dot queen' artist Yayoi Kusama dies aged 97

Pakistan hospital fire kills 14 infants

A fire erupted in a hospital's maternity ward in Islamabad on Wednesday, killing 14 infants, Pakistani authorities said, with the prime minister calling for an investigation. The fire broke out on the third floor of the Mother...

Trees 'giving up': climate change hammers historic English gardens

'His feet are his pillars': Nepal para swimmer gives all for Asian glory

Starc bags 10 as Australia thrash Bangladesh in second Test

'Aura' battles leap from social media to Latin America streets

In the middle of a cheering crowd in Mexico City, two teenagers are limbering up for battle. Staring at each other intently, they look as if they could come to blows. Instead, they take turns to silently perform a series of moves and...

Hong Kong convicts Tiananmen vigil activists of inciting subversion

Fallout far-reaching for Australian Rules after latest scandal

Pakistan summoned Washington's top envoy in Islamabad and "strongly condemned" remarks by the US ambassador to New Delhi calling disputed Kashmir "an important part of India". "(A) strong demarche was lodged over the factually...

Southern African mothers plead for sons lured to Russia's war

Mary TARUVINGA with Chris MAKHAYE and Jeanette CHABALALA in South Africa Instead of celebrating her son's birthday this month, Zimbabwean mother Rodwin Chitewere spent the day praying for his body to be brought home from Russia, where he...

Asian allies stress 'critical cooperation' as Trump slashes Korea drills

Japan underlined on Tuesday that security cooperation with the United States and South Korea was "critical" for the region's stability, after President Donald Trump alarmed allies by scaling back military drills with Seoul...

Axe hangs over Australian batters after Darwin 'disaster'

Australia's humiliating nine-wicket loss to Bangladesh has accelerated calls for regeneration of its ageing Test team with opener Jake Weatherald and the inconsistent Marnus Labuschagne in the firing line. The clash in Darwin...

Rampant Bangladesh make history with first-ever Test win in Australia

A dominant Bangladesh stunned Australia to win the opening Test by a crushing nine wickets in Darwin on Sunday for a historic first-ever Test victory on Australian soil. After bowling Australia out for 284 and needing 57 to win, the...

India's Modi woos youth with free coaching, AI training

Thai schools step up security after deadly shooting

British eccentrics push humble garden shed to new heights

"Welcome to the Shanty Shed," shouted steam ship enthusiast Peter Mclaughlin over the din of pistons lunging back and forth as clouds of white vapour billowed from his London garden hideaway. As an ear-splitting whistle blasted out,...

New Zealand PM survives leadership challenge months from election

Charity races to raise millions to buy historic English estate

Energy transition threatens to wipe Dutch village from map

Residents of Moerdijk, a small Dutch port village that survived WWII bombing and subsequent flooding, are facing a new existential challenge: the threat of being bulldozed in the name of clean energy. Much of the 1,150-strong...

Lionel Messi's father Jorge dies aged 68

Jorge Messi, the father and agent of Lionel Messi, has died aged 68, the eighttime Ballon d'or winner's childhood club Newell's Old Boys announced on Saturday. Argentine media reported Jorge Messi had passed away on Friday in a...

Rybakina advances while Andreeva exits at Toronto

Reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina advanced to the fourth round of the WTA Toronto Masters on Friday while French Open winner Mirra Andreeva was eliminated by Canada's Leylah Fernandez. World number two Rybakina...

Four dead, 15 injured in Thailand school shooting: deputy minister

New Australia coach Kiss gives Japan starts to Ross, Amatosero

Les Kiss handed lock Miles Amatosero and prop Aidan Ross their first starts for Australia as the new coach named his first team Thursday since taking over from Joe Schmidt. Australia face Japan in sweltering Osaka on Saturday with the...

Cathay Pacific's profit soars 71% despite Iran war driving up fuel costs

Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific said Wednesday that net profit surged 71 percent in the first half of the year, as demand from passengers avoiding the Middle East offset a near doubling of fuel costs caused by the Iran war. "Our...

Rockets, Starlink, AI: Spacex faces its first Wall Street grilling

Trump attorney general pick says has reached deal with senators after standoff

Trump says US, Israel to hold off on Iran strikes

Warsaw and Kyiv exhume Volyn victims at centre of diplomatic quarrel

World Cup must be kept out of private hands: Chelsea manager Alonso

Stranded boats, out-of-work fishermen as Danube hits record lows

UBS says second-quarter net profit up 17% to $2.8 billion

Swiss banking giant UBS reported Wednesday that net profit rose 17 percent to $2.8 billion in the second quarter, driven by its investment banking arm. Analysts surveyed by the Swiss agency AWP had on average been expecting a...

France and Spain race to contain fires before new heatwave

Firefighters in France and Spain rushed to contain the worst wildfires in living memory Tuesday, seizing crucial hours before the arrival of another wave of searing temperatures. Blazes have ripped through vast swathes of woodland...

Chinese chipmaker CXMT soars 500% on debut as AI fuels shortages

US holds fire against Iran as reports emerge of stockpile concerns

Iran passed another night without US airstrikes on Sunday, as Washington paused a war nearing its fifth month and reports emerged that concerns over dwindling munitions were restraining plans for further escalation. The lull has...

Houthis say hit Saudi Arabia as Trump weighs harder Iran strikes

India protest leaders to meet govt after Modi vows action

Modi vows punishment for exam fraud fuelling India protests

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed on Thursday "stringent punishment" for those involved in exam fraud that has fuelled student anger, in his first direct comments tied to major protests challenging his government. The...

In Bulgarian mountains, local doctor still on call at 90

Doctor Kiril Apostolov shows no sign of being short of breath as he climbs a steep street in the mountain village of Skrat in southwestern Bulgaria, medical briefcase in hand, despite his advanced age. Apostolov turned 90 in May but...

India's 'Cockroach' movement vows to protest until education minister resigns

India's "Cockroach" party movement vowed Tuesday to press ahead with their campaign until the education minister resigns, a day after at least 180 people were injured in protests in New Delhi. Thousands of protesters gathered in...

New Mideast fighting keeps eurozone rate-setters on edge

Fresh fighting in the Middle East and renewed energy price rises have thrown a curveball at the European Central Bank as policymakers mull whether to hike interest rates again this week. The ECB lifted borrowing costs in June for...

Sindhu wins Japan Open to end title drought

Indian badminton star Pusarla Venkata Sindhu ended a title drought of almost two years at the Japan Open on Sunday and said winning would give her "a lot of confidence". Sindhu, a world champion in 2019 and Olympic silver medallist...

Trump threatens to increase Canada tariffs over wildfire smoke pollution

US, Iran exchange blows in rekindled Mideast war

The United States struck Iran and Tehran hit back at US allies in the Gulf on Thursday, as the foes battled over the vital Strait of Hormuz in the renewed Middle East war. The key oil and gas artery, which Iran insists it controls, is...

'We don't have time': Montenegro's bird haven fading

Families claim bodies as Bangkok fire toll rises to 30

Grieving relatives of the victims of a huge Bangkok bar fire claimed their bodies Tuesday as the death toll rose to 30, even as others held out hope that missing loved ones were alive. Flames tore through the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar and...

Mulling ban, EU gets expert verdict on social media for children

To ban or not to ban children from all social media? That is the big question facing the European Union in its bid to protect minors from harmful content. To help the EU answer it, an expert panel made up of doctors, academics, youth...

England, Argentina set up World Cup showdown after quarter-final wins

England battle Norway as Argentina face Swiss in World Cup last eight

Bayeux Tapestry arrives in London after epic journey from France