AFP news

German Holocaust survivor Margot Friedlaender, who has died at the age of 103, won plaudits at home and abroad for her tireless efforts to foster reconciliation and understanding.

A posse of turban-clad soldiers perched on "ships of the desert" may conjure images of the past but Mauritania's camelback cavalry play a vital role in the fight against jihadism today.

US President Donald Trump signaled on Friday that he could lower sky-high tariffs on Chinese imports, as the rival superpowers prepare for trade talks in Switzerland over the weekend.

In today's world, Leo warned in his homily to assembled cardinals, there are places or situations where "it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied".

When Pope Leo XIV walked out onto the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, few among the crowd gathered below had much of an idea of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost the man.

Mohammad Naseem says his neighbours laughed when he borrowed money and built a concrete bunker under his home in a village near the disputed Kashmir border.

Pope Leo XIV will celebrate mass Friday, the day after becoming the first US head of the Catholic Church, with the world watching for signs of what kind of pope he will be.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will host a lavish World War II Victory Day parade in Moscow on Friday, an event the Kremlin hopes will rally patriotism at home and project strength abroad as its troops fight in Ukraine.

Zhao Xintong's historic World Snooker Championship title is set to spur the game to even greater heights in China and sparked predictions the country could come to dominate the sport.

A formidable set of cards that includes granting access to its vast market and an ability to withstand economic pain will allow Beijing to play hardball in upcoming trade talks with the United States in Geneva, analysts say.

World leaders welcomed the election on Thursday of Robert Francis Prevost, who as Pope Leo XIV, becomes the first leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics from the United States.

US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a "historic" trade agreement Thursday, Trump's first deal with any country since he unleashed a blitz of sweeping global tariffs.

US Catholics flocked to churches across the country in a celebratory mood to mark the "excitement" of the first-ever American pontiff following Thursday's election of Pope Leo, who worshippers hoped would bring back lapsed believers.

Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leo XIV on Thursday after cardinals from around the globe chose him as the first American leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

The "breakthrough" US-UK trade deal announced Thursday by President Donald Trump is the first agreement to be unveiled since he slapped steep tariffs on allies and adversaries alike on April 2.

Chinese-made weapons supplied by the United Arab Emirates have been identified with Sudan's paramilitaries, Amnesty International said Thursday, as drone attacks prompted civilians to flee the army-held aid hub of Port Sudan.

Stock markets and the dollar rose Thursday as US President Donald Trump touted plans to unveil a "major trade deal" with Britain, boosting hopes for other countries' tariff negotiations.

A rare New Zealand snail has been filmed for the first time squeezing an egg from its neck, delighting scientists trying to save the critically endangered meat-eating mollusc.

Faced with fresh flight safety problems at a major US airport, the Trump administration is set Thursday to unveil a modernized air traffic control system.

Japanese auto giant Toyota forecast on Thursday a 35 percent year-on-year drop in net profit for the current financial year, citing Donald Trump's vehicle tariffs among other factors.

Japanese gaming giant Nintendo forecast Thursday that it would sell 15 million units of its hotly awaited Switch 2 console in the current financial year but warned US tariffs could hit its bottom line.

An Australian woman accused of triple murder sent her children to the movies before serving up a toxic mushroom lunch that killed her guests, a court heard on Thursday.

Dubai's Emirates Group, which includes the Middle East's biggest airline, announced on Thursday gross annual profit of $6.2 billion, its third record in three years.

First responders in Gaza said Thursday that their operations were at a near standstill, more than two months into a full Israeli blockade that has left food and fuel in severe shortage.

Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt conceded the loss of his own parliamentary seat Thursday, blaming a flood of votes that swept to the triumphant Labor Party.

China's Xi Jinping was in Moscow on Thursday for a state visit ahead of the Kremlin's grand Victory Day celebrations, as Ukraine accused Russia's army of launching air strikes just hours into a supposed truce.

Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged gunfire overnight in Kashmir, New Delhi said Thursday, a day after the worst violence between the nuclear-armed rivals in two decades.

Iraqi Mohammed Jalal lost 10 years of his life seeking asylum in Germany, without success.

Anticipation gripped the Catholic world Thursday as the cardinals tasked with choosing a new pope prepared to retreat behind the heavy doors of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel for their second day of voting.