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Palestinians vote in first elections since Gaza war
Palestinians in the West Bank and a central area of Gaza began voting Saturday in municipal elections in a first vote since the Gaza war, marked by a narrow political field and widespread disillusionment.
US envoys heading to Pakistan for uncertain Iran talks
US envoys headed to the Pakistani capital Saturday in a bid to kickstart a new round of peace negotiations with Iran amid a fragile ceasefire, though the prospect of direct talks remained uncertain.
Crunch nuclear proliferation meeting at UN amid raging global wars
Signatories of the landmark nuclear non-proliferation treaty will meet at the UN from Monday as hopes fade they can reach agreement and tensions soar between the atomic powers.
Palestinians to vote in first elections since Gaza war
Palestinians in the West Bank and a central area of Gaza head to the polls Saturday for municipal elections in a first vote since the Gaza war, marked by a narrow political field and widespread disillusionment.
Pragmatism, not patriotism, pushes young Lithuanians to military service
Outside a high school classroom in Vilnius, several students look apprehensive as they discuss their looming futures -– university, the job market and, for many of them, serving in the military.
Venezuela, Colombia pledge military cooperation on first post-Maduro visit
Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez and her Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro pledged military cooperation to combat "mafias" on their shared border, as Petro became the first foreign leader to visit Venezuela since the ouster of strongman Nicolas Maduro.
US hopes for progress, but Iran says not direct talks
Iran's foreign minister arrived in Islamabad on Friday and US envoys headed to the Pakistani capital in a bid to kickstart a new round of peace negotiations amid a fragile ceasefire.
UK PM vows legislation to ban Iran Guards: report
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to propose legislation within weeks to proscribe Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, a report said Friday.
S&P 500, Nasdaq end at records as Intel shares surge
Major Wall Street indices closed at fresh records as markets cheered the latest batch of earnings reports and US and Iranian officials headed to Pakistan for expected peace talks.
EU, US sign critical minerals plan to counter China reliance
The European Union and United States signed an agreement Friday to coordinate on the supply of critical minerals needed for key industries including defense, as China's dominance becomes a growing concern.
The 'housewives' did well -- Ukraine takes drone know-how abroad
Like something straight out of a spy movie, lots of cloak and dagger was required before AFP could meet three Ukrainian drone manufacturers on the fringes of a hush-hush defence forum in Paris earlier this month.
One injured in bomb attack on Colombia military base
A bomb attack against a military base in the Colombian city of Cali wounded one person on Friday, health authorities said, amid fears of violence ahead of May 31 presidential elections.
Envoys from Iran, US expected in Pakistan for new talks
Iran's foreign minister and envoys of US President Donald Trump were heading to Pakistan, their respective governments said Friday, in the first concrete sign of movement on renewed peace negotiations in nearly two weeks.
ILO names US official as number two amid grumbling over unpaid dues
After months of delay, the UN labour agency has appointed Trump administration official Sheng Li as its deputy director general, despite Washington's failure to pay its dues for two years.
Havana property market stirs as investors bet on political change
Havana's real estate market is showing glimmers of revival as investors bet that a political and economic revolution is coming to the Communist-governed island.
Children's lives at risk from US funding cuts to vaccine alliance: CEO
The head of a global vaccine organisation told AFP on Friday that aid cuts by the United States and other donors have forced it to slash its malaria programme in Africa, threatening tens of thousands of children's lives.
Lebanon truce extended as Pakistan bids to revive US-Iran talks
Israel and Lebanon extended their shaky ceasefire by three weeks on Friday, as Iran's foreign minister prepared for meetings with officials in Pakistan, which has been mediating efforts to end the wider Middle East war.
Merz says no 'immediate' Ukraine EU membership, floats Kyiv joining meetings
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday there was no prospect of Ukraine's "immediate accession" to the EU, but suggested Kyiv could join meetings of the bloc's members without voting rights.
Russia, Ukraine swap 193 POWs
Russia and Ukraine on Friday swapped 193 captured soldiers each, the second exchange this month in one of the few areas of cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv.
Macron leaves future open as political curtain nears
With just one year left in his second five-year term, French President Emmanuel Macron has said he will quit politics in 2027 -- leaving observers and supporters guessing about his next moves.
Germany launches spying probe into Signal attacks targeting MPs
German prosecutors Friday launched a spying investigation into phishing attacks targeting lawmakers on the Signal messaging app, with an MP saying the latest Russia-directed plot against Germany was a "wake-up call".
Oil prices fall on hopes of fresh Iran peace talks
Oil prices fell on Friday after it appeared a second round of Middle East talks was back on, bolstering prospects for an end to a war that has crippled energy shipments from the Gulf.
Echoing Diana, Prince Harry visits Ukraine's deminers
Britain's Prince Harry on Friday visited deminers from the HALO Trust charity -- made famous by his mother, Princess Diana -- near the Ukrainian town of Bucha, where he tested how drones and AI-powered robots are transforming mine-clearance work.
Oil extends gains, stocks drop as peace talk hopes fade
Oil prices extended gains Friday and stock markets largely declined as investors worried about a lack of progress in ending the Middle East crisis, with Tehran keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed and the US maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports.
Macron says still sees France, Germany developing European fighter jet
French President Emmanuel Macron denied Friday that a troubled fighter jet programme with Germany was dead, telling reporters Paris and Berlin were still working on that and other defence projects.
Mideast war drives up condom, rubber glove prices: manufacturers
Prices of rubber products have shot up due to supply chain disruptions stemming from the Middle East war, the world's largest condom maker and a leading glove manufacturer, both based in Malaysia, said on Friday.
Gulf states in limbo as US-Iran crisis drags on
After weathering unprecedented attacks from Iran, the wealthy Gulf states are now stuck between war and peace as talks stall and the vital Strait of Hormuz remains all but closed -- threatening economic recovery.
Possible Trump rescue of Spirit Airlines spurs debate
Bargain US carrier Spirit Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy in 2025 for the second time in a year, could be spared by a controversial potential White House rescue package.
Mass MS-13 trial held at El Salvador mega-jail
Hundreds of alleged Mara Salvatrucha gang members sat chained, shaved and mute as they were accused of murder and torture during a mass trial at El Salvador's notorious CECOT jail, AFP reporters witnessed Thursday.
India criticizes 'poor taste' Trump post against immigrants
India on Thursday criticized as inappropriate a post by US President Donald Trump that called the South Asian country a "hellhole."
Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire as Iran peace talks stall
Israel and Lebanon extended a shaky ceasefire by three weeks, President Donald Trump said Thursday, as the United States remained at a standstill in negotiations with Iran to end the Middle East war.
US soldier allegedly bet on Maduro operation using intel
A US soldier faces charges for using classified information to bet on online prediction markets related to the US operation to capture former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, the Department of Justice said Thursday.