AFP news

A powerful earthquake struck the Pacific island of Vanuatu on Tuesday, smashing buildings in the capital Port Vila including one housing the US and other embassies, with a witness telling AFP of bodies seen in the city.

The head of the Russian army's chemical weapons division died on Tuesday when an explosive device attached to a scooter went off outside an apartment building in Moscow, officials said.

World Cup winners Spain will play Italy, Belgium and Portugal at Women's Euro 2025, while England face a tough path to defending their title at the tournament in Switzerland.

A New York judge ruled Monday against a bid by US President-elect Donald Trump to have his conviction for covering up hush money payments to a porn star thrown out on immunity grounds.

President-elect Donald Trump characterized the rebel ouster of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad as an "unfriendly takeover" by US ally Turkey as he addressed the conflict at a news conference on Monday.

A 15-year-old female student was identified by police as the assailant who opened fire Monday at a school in the US state of Wisconsin, where a fellow student and teacher were killed and the suspected shooter was found dead.

The war in the Palestinian territories is having a catastrophic impact on the local economy, the World Bank said Monday, noting that all sectors have been badly affected by Israel's attacks.

A Brazilian judge has ordered a song by British pop superstar Adele, "Million Years Ago," be pulled worldwide -- including on streaming services -- over an ongoing plagiarism claim by a Brazilian composer.

TikTok asked the US Supreme Court on Monday to temporarily block a law that would force its Chinese owner to sell the popular online video-sharing platform or shut it down a month from now.

Qatar-based news channel Al Jazeera said its cameraman Ahmed al-Louh was killed "in an Israeli bombardment" that targeted Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

As Islamist-led rebel forces swept Syrian president Bashar al-Assad out of power last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered troops to seize the demilitarised zone between the two countries' forces on the Golan Heights.

South Korea's Constitutional Court began proceedings against Yoon on Monday and has around six months to determine whether to uphold the impeachment.

Elsewhere on a day of high drama in the English top flight, Wolves manager Gary O'Neil and Southampton boss Russell Martin were both sacked, paying the price for their teams' struggles.

Pressure has been growing on Nobel Peace Prize winner Yunus -- appointed the country's "chief adviser" after the student-led uprising that toppled ex-premier Sheikh Hasina -- to set a date.

Washington has long been Taipei's most important ally and biggest arms supplier -- angering Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its own territory.

Hussain collaborated with musicians including George Harrison from The Beatles, Mickey Hart from The Grateful Dead and jazz musician John Handy in a career spanning decades.

Hundreds of fans crowded the arrivals area of Chennai airport, cheering alongside banks of television cameras as Gukesh made his way out of the airport after victory in taking the World Chess Championship title.

Leaders of the island nation typically make their first visit to regional powerhouse India, which competes with China for influence in the Indian Ocean.

The move from Brussels came after the United States and Britain said they had made contact with the new authorities in the Syrian capital.

The ECB cut rates again last week as inflation looked to be coming under control and the eurozone economy showed signs of weakness.

Bollore, who has invested heavily in conservative newspapers and TV channels, successfully pushed through the break up of Vivendi, which he believes will increase the overall value of its assets.

India's aspiring chess players and their parents woke up Friday with big dreams after 18-year-old hometown hero Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest world champion.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's dark claims of communist infiltration when declaring martial law last week may have seemed to many like a throwback to the Cold War.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has ordered the military to "prepare to remain" throughout the winter in the UN-patrolled buffer zone that is supposed to separate Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday told Turkey it was "imperative" to work against a resurgence of the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

UK postal operator Royal Mail has been fined GBP10.5 million ($13.3 million) for delays in delivering mail for the 2023/2024 financial year, Britain's communications regulator Ofcom said Friday.

Video game "Astro Bot" -- a family-friendly sci-fi adventure -- was named 2024's Game of the Year on Thursday at the annual awards considered the Oscars of the digital entertainment industry.

China's foreign minister Wang Yi told his Egyptian counterpart on Friday that Beijing is "deeply concerned" about the situation in Syria, as the two top diplomats met in the Chinese capital.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Thursday said he discussed with French President Emmanuel Macron the possibility of stationing foreign troops in Ukraine in case of a ceasefire, but that Warsaw was not currently "planning any such actions".