AFP news

Jimmy Carter brought a brief moment of national unity to a divided America Thursday as five US presidents gathered for the solemn state funeral of the 39th commander-in-chief in Washington's National Cathedral.

Lebanon's lawmakers on Thursday elected army chief Joseph Aoun as president after a two-year vacancy in the position, in a step towards lifting the war-battered country out of financial crisis.

European and Asian stock markets diverged Thursday, with investors tracking the outlook for inflation and US interest rates as Donald Trump's second presidency looms.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said Donald Trump's return to the White House would open "a new chapter" and reiterated a call for Western allies to send troops to help "force Russia to peace".

The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, begins in Melbourne on Sunday and promises to be jam-packed with plotlines.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was heading on Thursday to Rome for talks with European counterparts on bringing stability to Syria in the face of flare-ups with Turkey, capping what is likely his final trip.

Sales of electric and hybrid vehicles jumped more than 40 percent in China last year, as demand for new energy models continues to surge and the sector remains entrenched in a gruelling price war.

US greenhouse gas emissions barely decreased in 2024, leaving the world's largest economy off track to achieve its climate goals, according to an analysis released Thursday, as the incoming Trump administration looks set to double down on fossil fuels.

Battles between Turkish-backed groups, supported by air strikes, and Kurdish-led forces killed 37 people on Thursday in Syria's northern Manbij region, a war monitor said.

Chinese companies have turned out in force again at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, with their prospects overshadowed by the threat of steeper tariffs from incoming US president Donald Trump.

In a vast Bangladeshi factory hall thrumming with sewing machines, garment workers churn out seemingly endless pairs of mountain hiking trousers for customers in Europe and North America.

A Myanmar military drone tracked a car carrying anti-junta forces as it drove through the contested village of Moe Bye.

Giovana Serrao was not home when a fire lit in a neighboring agricultural field got out of control and destroyed her acai palms on the island of Marajo in the Brazilian Amazon.

Opponents of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday decried a worsening crackdown 48 hours before he is to be sworn in on the back of elections he is widely accused of having stolen.

Rampaging wildfires around Los Angeles have killed at least two people, officials said Wednesday as terrifying blazes leveled whole streets, torching cars and houses in minutes.

Mark Zuckerberg's U-turn on Meta's content rules piles pressure on the EU -- already in the crosshairs of Donald Trump ally Elon Musk -- to prove it still calls the shots when it comes to Big Tech's behaviour in Europe.

Lebanese political heavyweights held talks Wednesday a day ahead of a parliamentary session to elect a president, but even with key player Hezbollah weakened by war, there is no guarantee of consensus.

Facing charges of "censorship" from both Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, the EU will need its full legal arsenal -- and political will aplenty -- to stand up to US Big Tech once Donald Trump is back.

"Spider-Man" co-stars Zendaya and Tom Holland are engaged, US media reported Monday, the day after she was spotted wearing a huge diamond ring.

Several dozen Ukrainian soldiers have deserted while training in France, a French army official told AFP on Monday.

The race to be Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's successor kicked off on Tuesday, a day after he resigned amid a looming trade war with the United States and a divisive political climate at home.

Tech leaders continue to fall in line around Donald Trump, with Facebook's announcement that it would end its US fact-checking program the latest victory for the president-elect and his billionaire advisor Elon Musk.

Stock markets diverged and the dollar rose Wednesday after data pointed to a robust US economy, further denting hopes of several more cuts to interest rates in the world's biggest economy.

In a provocative and headline-grabbing Tuesday speech on his territorial ambitions for the United States, incoming US leader Donald Trump was heavy on intimidation but light on details -- leaving many wondering how seriously the comments should be taken.

South Korea's Samsung Electronics said Wednesday it expected fourth-quarter profits to fall sharply from the previous quarter and miss forecasts as it struggled to meet robust demand for chips used in artificial intelligence servers.

Open AI CEO Sam Altman denied on Tuesday allegations from his sister Annie Altman, who has filed a complaint accusing him of childhood sexual abuse.

Fighters in southern Syria who helped topple President Bashar al-Assad are reluctant to disarm and disband as ordered by the country's new rulers, their spokesman told AFP. An Islamist-led offensive ripped through Syria from the north and into Damascus on December 8, bringing to a sudden end five decades of rule by the Assad clan.

Visitors to the UK from dozens of countries, including the United States, Canada and Australia, must now pay to enter Britain after a new visa-waiver entry system took effect on Wednesday.

Thousands of rescuers were searching for survivors in freezing conditions Wednesday after a devastating earthquake in China's remote Tibet region killed at least 126 people.