AFP news

The Africa Union's entry into the G20 group of the world's most powerful economies highlights the continent's growing influence and gives its leaders a stronger voice in global decision-making.

The tiny Italian island of Lampedusa struggled Thursday to cope with a surge in migrant boats from North Africa after numbers peaked at 7,000 people -- equivalent to the entire local population.

European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday christened the world's first bio-methanol container ship, Laura, which joined the fleet of Danish shipping giant Maersk.

To enter Russia from occupied Ukraine, all Tatiana has to do is arrive at the edge of the war-battered Donetsk region, show guards her Russian passport, say "thank you" and cross.

Big tech bigwigs including Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg traveled to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to share their plans for artificial intelligence as the US prepares to draw up legislation to better control the technology.

The parents of US reporter Evan Gershkovich said Wednesday they want world leaders due to gather at the United Nations next week to join in pressing for his release from prison in Russia.

Heatwaves, low rainfall and the threat of wildfires are compounding the woes of people in the forested north of Lebanon, a country where economic pain has long taken prominence over environmental concerns.

NASA is set to release on Thursday the findings of a long-awaited study on unexplained flying objects in Earth's skies.

A global effort to assist stricken Libya gathered pace Thursday after a tsunami-like flood killed nearly 4,000 people and left thousands missing.

When Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, a trans woman from Nevada, came to Ukraine in March 2022 she planned to report on refugees.

New Zealand will bid to bounce back from their opening World Cup defeat by hosts France with a resounding victory over Pool A minnows Namibia in Toulouse on Friday.

The White House on Wednesday rejected "baseless" allegations of wrongdoing against US President Joe Biden after Republican lawmakers launched an impeachment inquiry against him.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to visit North Korea, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday, as Kim Jong Un wrapped up a rare trip to meet with his ally.

Human activity and appetites have weakened Earth's resilience, pushing it far beyond the "safe operating space" that keeps the world liveable for most species, including our own, a landmark study said Wednesday.

The toppling of Ali Bongo Ondimba brought the curtain down on 55 years of rule by a family accused of extracting fabulous wealth from Gabon's major oil reserves.

An air raid on Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur region killed at least 40 civilians Wednesday, according to a medical source, as the head of the UN mission to the country resigned.

The UN rights chief decried Wednesday an online "trolling campaign" against a leading anti-defamation group, urging online platforms like X, formerly Twitter, to do more to battle hate speech.

Brussels will investigate Chinese state subsidies for electric cars, the EU chief said Wednesday, vowing to defend Europe's industry from unfair competition.

Hundreds gathered outside a morgue in western Hanoi Wednesday, waiting to hear if their families and friends were victims of a devastating apartment fire that killed more than 50 people.

A woman in a black and white dress struggled, pulling fiercely on a long electrical cable as she tried to stop the police in anti-riot gear from carrying it away.

Rescue teams stepped up a massive effort to bring relief to devastated Moroccan mountain villages Wednesday as the chances faded fast for finding survivors from the powerful earthquake which killed 2,900 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

When actress Margot Robbie swapped high heels for pink Birkenstocks in hit summer movie "Barbie", it illustrated how the sandals have transformed from unglamorous, practical footwear to a highly-coveted fashion item.

Oil cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia will cause a "significant" global supply shortfall through the end of the year, raising the risk of further market volatility, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday.

Dozens of people died in a fire at an apartment block in Vietnam's capital Hanoi, state media said Wednesday, with witnesses reporting screams from inside and a small boy thrown from the building.

Natural disasters are now happening so frequently that reinsurers -- the firms that sell insurance to insurance companies -- are scaling back their exposure to such risks.

President Vladimir Putin shook hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a Russian space centre Wednesday, images released by the Kremlin showed, kicking off a meeting that could see the leaders forge an arms deal that would defy global sanctions.

Did banking giant UBS make "the deal of the century" when it bought one of the world's biggest banks for a pittance as it teetered on the edge of the abyss?

When Jennie Luhmann started searching for her family's "forever home," she found herself in a perfect storm -- few properties were available, buyers were making all-cash offers and interest rates were climbing.

With France slowly weaning itself off its traditional obsession with meat, the top chefs in charge of feeding the sporting masses at the 2024 Olympic Games are emphasising a more vegetarian approach.