AFP news

Iran is seeking a "real and fair" agreement with the United States on its nuclear programme, a senior aide to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday, setting the stage for a diplomatic showdown this weekend in Oman.

Gaza rescuers said a pre-dawn Israeli air strike Friday killed 10 members of the same family, while the UN stated that dozens of recent Israeli attacks on the Palestinian territory had left only women and children dead.

Britain's economy grew far more than expected in February, official data showed Friday, in a rare piece of good news for the Labour government as it grapples with unpredictable US tariffs.

Mohamed Salah ended months of speculation over his future by signing a new two-year contract with Premier League leaders Liverpool on Friday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the European Union on Friday to join hands with Beijing in resisting "unilateral bullying", in reference to swingeing tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.

The US Senate approved Donald Trump's nominee to be the nation's top military officer on Friday after the president abruptly fired the previous chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff this year.

In most places, a night at the opera conjures up images of polite audiences in eveningwear sitting upright to enjoy a bit of Bel Canto.

China said Friday it would raise tariffs on US goods to 125 percent but would ignore further levies by President Donald Trump because it no longer makes economic sense for importers to buy from America.

China on Thursday urged the United States to meet it "halfway" as US President Donald Trump imposed more levies on Chinese goods but, in a huge relief to global markets, paused tariffs on other countries.

The Cannes Film Festival was on Thursday set to unveil the movies that will vie for its coveted Palme d'Or prize next month amid pressure on its bosses to take a stand on tackling abuse in the entertainment industry.

McLaren's Lando Norris holds a wafer-thin advantage over four-time world champion Max Verstappen going into this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.

The World Trade Organization chief said Wednesday the US-China tariff war could reduce trade in goods between the two economic giants by 80 percent, pulling down the rest of the world economy.

With sweeping tariffs targeting key US trading partners, President Donald Trump sent the world economy into a tailspin Wednesday before backing down hours later -- with a 90-day reprieve for all but China.

After Israel killed a string of its leaders, Hamas anointed new commanders to top ranks, this time shrouding their identities in secrecy to protect them from assassination.

Stocks rocketed Thursday as a relief rally spread through markets after Donald Trump paused crippling tariffs on US partners, with Chinese investors even brushing off his decision to ramp up duties on Beijing to 125 percent.

Electricity consumption by data centres will more than double by 2030, driven by artificial intelligence applications that will create new challenges for energy security and CO2 emission goals, the IEA said Thursday.

Saudi Arabia's top diplomat held talks in Washington on Wednesday as he lays the groundwork for a visit by US President Donald Trump, which would be the first foreign trip of his second term.

Meghan Markle, the wife of Prince Harry, revealed Tuesday that she faced medical complications related to her pregnancy in the debut episode of her new podcast.

Billionaire Elon Musk blasted President Donald Trump's senior trade advisor Peter Navarro as "truly a moron" and "dumber than a sack of bricks" on Tuesday in a growing rift over the US tariff policy that has rocked the world.

Japan's famed cherry trees are getting old, but a new AI tool that assesses photos of the delicate pink and white flowers could help preserve them for future generations.

Equities tumbled on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump ramped up his trade war by hitting China with tariffs of more than 100 percent and sweeping measures against dozens of trading partners came into effect.

Manchester United's lone hope of salvaging anything from a terrible season lies in the Europa League, where success is vital to helping finance a rebuild of Ruben Amorim's underperforming squad.

India's central bank cut interest rates in the world's fifth-largest economy on Wednesday as US President Donald Trump's tariffs kicked in and policymakers warned of "challenging global economic conditions".

Japan will sell more rice from its emergency stockpile through July in an attempt to stabilise soaring prices, the agricultural minister said Wednesday.

Barring any eleventh-hour intervention, social media juggernaut Meta will stand trial next week facing serious US government allegations that it abused its market power to acquire Instagram and WhatsApp before they could become competitors.

China is trying to tariff-proof its economy by boosting consumption and investing in key industries, but analysts say it remains critically vulnerable to the economic storm triggered by Donald Trump's 104 percent levies on its goods.

The mother of an Israeli soldier held hostage in Gaza longs for her son's return, fearing that Israel's renewed bombardment of the territory puts his life at even greater risk.

Samsung Electronics on Tuesday unveiled a record first quarter sales forecast and said it saw a better-than-expected performance for profits, beating market expectations.

Australia is ready for the impact of Donald Trump's trade tariffs, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday in a first television debate before the tightly contested May 3 elections.