AFP news

A huge suspected gas explosion at a restaurant in northern China killed two people and injured 26 more on Wednesday, state media reported, causing severe damage to buildings.

An elite French university was on Wednesday dragged into the national spotlight as its director quit over alleged domestic violence and a pro-Palestinian demonstration sparked accusations of anti-Semitism.

The European Parliament gave final approval on Wednesday to the world's most far-reaching rules to govern artificial intelligence, including powerful systems like OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Donor nations, aid agencies and charities pushed on with efforts Wednesday to rush food to war-torn Gaza by land, air and sea after the EU top diplomat said starvation had become "a weapon of war".

From its birth in a Beijing apartment 12 years ago, ByteDance grew into one of the world's biggest tech firms -- best known in most countries as the creator of TikTok.

Sudan this week entered its second straight Ramadan in the throes of a deadly war that has left much of the country gripped by the spectre of famine.

The picture was meant to douse speculation about the whereabouts and health of Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, but instead her manipulated image unleashed a torrent of internet-breaking rumors and conspiracy theories.

A Spanish aid boat was en route to Gaza on Wednesday, opening a new maritime corridor intended to allow deliveries of desperately needed food to the Palestinian territory ravaged by months of war between Israel and Hamas.

Kremlin critic and chess legend Garry Kasparov on Tuesday called for a stronger Western response to Moscow's aggression in Ukraine and said Russian dissident voices must be included in efforts to stand up to Vladimir Putin.

Pope Francis is a passionate advocate for peace but his latest controversial comments on Ukraine clash with the Vatican's official line and risk hampering its diplomatic efforts to end the war with Russia.

Showing off his muscles, cigars and fast cars, influencer Andrew Tate's videos on social media have captured the attention of millions of teenage boys.

Pro-Ukrainian militias on Tuesday staged a brazen cross-border attack on Russia, hours after Kyiv launched one of its largest drone attacks since the start of the war.

With suit-clad employees sipping coffees, Skyeton's offices in Ukraine's Kyiv region look like a typical tech start-up.

Haiti's prime minister agreed late Monday to step aside as armed gangs plunge his country into anarchy, as he accepted a regional push for a transition that sets the stage for international intervention.

The first day of Ramadan came and went in Gaza, with residents marking a joyless iftar against a backdrop of famine, disease and displacement as the war in the besieged territory ground on more than five months after it began.

An image of a dancer balancing on the words "China Before Communism" looms over Parisian commuters catching the morning metro, signalling the annual return of Shen Yun, a controversial spectacle of traditional Chinese dance mixed with vehement criticism of Beijing and conservative rhetoric.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has been written off many times during a turbulent decade in power.

The US said Monday that emergency talks were a "critical moment" in addressing spiraling instability in Haiti, where gang violence has crippled the capital and forced foreign diplomats to evacuate.

Five passengers remained in hospital Tuesday after a technical problem on a LATAM flight from Sydney to Auckland caused the Boeing-made plane to dip violently, the airline and first responders told AFP. The five still being treated were among 12 passengers on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner initially rushed to hospital in Auckland after flight LA800 experienced an unspecified "technical event" over the Tasman Sea on Monday.

There were tears and emotional tributes Monday as Spain and the European Union paid tribute to the 192 victims of March 14, 2004, Madrid train bombings that marked the start of mass Islamist attacks in Europe.

Finnish conscript Atte Ohman readied himself aboard a US landing ship to storm a snow-swept Norwegian beach as part of a rapid response unit pushing out an invading enemy.

Catherine, Princess of Wales on Monday apologised and admitted to editing an official portrait of her released by the palace, after AFP and other agencies withdrew the image.

Gaza's deadliest war showed no signs of abating as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began Monday amid a gruelling humanitarian crisis that has pushed much of the territory to the brink of starvation.

The Cheltenham Festival is "critical" for the image and health of British racing though in "many ways the racing fan is being priced out" of this week's showpiece, William Woodhams, CEO of Fitzdares bookmakers, told AFP. The four day extravaganza which pitches the best of British jumps thoroughbreds against their Irish rivals gets underway on Tuesday.

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins on Monday, Middle Eastern nations have announced, with the king of Saudi Arabia using the occasion to call for an end to the "heinous crimes" taking place in war-torn Gaza.

The Premier League's top three are separated by a single point with 10 games remaining as a thrilling battle between Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City looks set to go to the wire.

Reigning Grand Slam champions Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz turned in dominating performances on Sunday to roll into the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters.

President Vladimir Putin has no doubt he will secure another term in Russia's election.

A sensational story about the Israeli prime minister's "psychiatrist" exploded online, but it was AI-generated, originating on one of hundreds of websites researchers warn are churning out tech-enabled fiction masquerading as news.