AFP news

Deep in the bowels of the UN headquarters, a pump sucks in huge amounts of water from the East River to help cool the complex with an old but energy-efficient mechanism.

Aarti Verma is about to join the growing ranks of Indians installing air conditioning, scraping together savings to secure relief from sometimes deadly temperatures that can reach nearly 50 Celsius.

Hamas said it would release a US-Israeli hostage held in Gaza as the group revealed it was engaged in direct talks with the United States towards a ceasefire in the war-battered territory.

The Eurovision Song Contest burst into Basel on Sunday, but a parade launching a week of build-up to the grand final was marked by protests over Israel's participation.

The glitz and glamour of the Cannes film festival returns to the French Riviera on Tuesday.

Newcastle took a huge step towards qualifying for the Champions League with a vital 2-0 victory over top-five rivals Chelsea, while Arsenal fought back from two goals down to rescue a valuable 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday.

Albanians were voting Sunday to decide whether to give Prime Minister Edi Rama a fourth term or side with his longstanding rival in an election seen as crucial for the country's European Union ambitions.

Iran and the United States wrapped up nuclear talks in Oman on Sunday with no apparent breakthrough in a public standoff over enrichment, but with both sides confirming plans for future negotiations.

Washington expressed optimism as talks with top Chinese officials continued for a second day Sunday in a bid to de-escalate trade tensions sparked by President Donald Trump's aggressive tariff rollout.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday said that Kyiv would meet with Moscow for talks in Istanbul on May 15 but said that Russia must first commit to a 30-day ceasefire starting on Monday.

Andrew Petersen is a third-generation oil refinery worker from a small, industrial Scottish town.

Pope Leo XIV will lead the Regina Coeli prayer from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica on Sunday, in his second official public appearance since becoming the leader of the Catholic Church.

Ahead of US President Donald Trump's Gulf visit next week, his son Eric was promoting his crypto firm in Dubai, while Don Jr prepared to talk about "Monetising MAGA" in Doha.

Business is booming at Japanese discount chain Don Quijote, which sells everything from nostril-hair wax to compact gadgets and colourful party costumes, thanks to its cult status among tourists but also inflation at home.

Biliana, an international student at New York's Columbia University, is studying for exams but fears being arrested by immigration police.

India accused Pakistan of violating a fragile ceasefire agreement Saturday and said it was retaliating, hours after US President Donald Trump announced that the nuclear-armed neighbours had stepped back from the brink of full-blown war.

Leo XIV visited an Augustinian sanctuary near Rome Saturday in his first outing since being made pope, after telling cardinals he intended to follow his predecessor's path as pontiff, praising Francis's "complete dedication to service".

Pakistan and India agreed Saturday to a full and immediate ceasefire after days of deadly jet fighter, missile, drone and artillery attacks, the news surprisingly announced by US President Donald Trump, who congratulated them on using "common sense".

The leaders of France, Britain, Germany and Poland will make an unprecedented joint visit to Ukraine on Saturday for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, vowing to ratchet up pressure on Russia until it agrees a ceasefire.

Pakistan has warned it will "not de-escalate" a spiralling conflict with India, and blamed New Delhi for bringing the two nuclear-armed neighbours closer to a full-blown war, with the death toll from days of violence crossing 50.

Israel would not be involved in food distribution under a US-led plan for the Gaza Strip but would provide "necessary military security", Washington's ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said on Friday.

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.