AFP news

The king of New Zealand's Maori died on Friday after heart surgery, with aides saying the beloved 69-year-old monarch, praised as a symbol of national unity, had "passed to the great beyond".

China's campaign of confrontation, from remote reefs in Southeast Asia to Taiwan and far-flung Japanese islands, is designed to wear down regional rivals competing with it for contested territories, analysts say.

Pacific leaders wrapped up a key summit in Tonga on Friday, endorsing a major joint policing initiative and rebuffing moves from China's regional allies to sideline long-term partner Taiwan.

Two women dominated Bangladeshi politics for decades. - Dynasties forged in blood - The decades-old contest between Zia and Hasina is a dynastic battle that predates the political career of both women.

Olena Semykina, the owner of a village shop in east Ukraine, voted for President Volodymyr Zelensky five and a half years ago, hoping the fresh-faced political newcomer would end the fighting unleashed by Russian proxy forces in 2014.

Kamala Harris declared Thursday that Americans are ready to turn the page on Donald Trump as she reached out to centrist voters in her first interview since her dramatic entry into November's presidential election.

By embarking aged 87 on the farthest journey of his papacy, Pope Francis is doing something some believed impossible -- and seeking to silence those who doubt his ability to fulfil his role.

Pope Francis embarks Monday on a 12-day trip to Southeast Asia, the longest and farthest of his papacy that will challenge the 87-year-old's increasingly fragile health.

Jannik Sinner won his 50th match of the year on Thursday to stay on course for a US Open semi-final duel with Carlos Alcaraz while two-time champion Naomi Osaka's colourful return to New York ended in a dispiriting second round defeat.

President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday defended a decision to grant French nationality to Telegram chief Pavel Durov, who faces a possible trial related to illegal content carried on his popular messaging app.

Angelina Jolie confessed she was afraid of not being able to "live up" to Maria Callas's legend in her new biopic about the great diva's extraordinary yet tragic life that premiered Thursday at the Venice Film Festival.

The arrest and charging by France of Telegram founder Pavel Durov has thrown a spotlight on the international connections of a man with at least four passports and high-level contacts but who has also aroused the attention of security agencies around the world.

US and European stock markets rose Thursday as investors shrugged off a drop in shares of chip giant Nvidia and turned their attention back to expectations of lower interest rates.

A bill aimed at regulating powerful artificial intelligence models passed California's legislature on Wednesday, despite outcry that it could kill the technology it seeks to control.

When sedition charges against Hong Kong news editors Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam were first read out in court, former employees of the now-shuttered Stand News broke down in tears in the public gallery.

It is only after dark in the Russian city of Kursk when locals say the fear really starts to creep in.

US President Joe Biden is looking forward to talks with Xi Jinping in the "coming weeks", top White House aide Jake Sullivan told the Chinese leader Thursday as they met for rare talks in Beijing.

Australian airline Qantas reported on Thursday a slide in net profit as post-Covid fares dropped, and said it was working to rebuild its reputation after a string of public scandals.

A quarter of all the energy China consumes now comes from non-carbon sources, according to research published Thursday, as Beijing rapidly pivots its huge economy to a greener footing.

The death toll climbed Thursday as Israel pressed a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank for a second day, despite UN concerns it is "fuelling an already explosive situation".

Norwegian Princess Martha Louise is set to marry American self-proclaimed shaman Durek Verrett on Saturday, a union of two alternative therapy devotees that has raised eyebrows in Norway.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the third round of the US Open on Wednesday as Laslo Djere retired in the third set, but said he'll have to do better to win a fifth title on the hard courts of New York.

Venezuelan opposition supporters gathered in Caracas on Wednesday, chanting "Liberty!"

Spain has signed agreements with Mauritania and The Gambia to strengthen cooperation to combat people smuggling and promote legal migration, as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visits West Africa in the face of surging migrant arrivals.

The Venice Film Festival kicked off Wednesday with a devilish debut of Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice" sequel and a surge of star power for the glitzy competition on the sun-splashed Lido.

Serbia expects to sign a "huge" deal for French fighter jets during a visit this week from France's leader, President Aleksandar Vucic told AFP on Wednesday, in an agreement estimated to be worth billions of dollars.

On a platform near the east Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, Anna Dvoryaninova waited for a train she never wanted to take, leaving her home behind as Russian forces push deeper into her native Donetsk region.

Pavel Durov, the founder and chief of Telegram, is set to learn Wednesday whether he will face charges and even be remanded in custody after his weekend arrest by French authorities over alleged violations at the messaging app.

Equity markets moved cautiously Wednesday ahead of key US data and the release of earnings by tech titan Nvidia that could shine a light on demand for all things artificial intelligence after this year's tech-led markets rally.