AFP news

Thousands of people were urged to flee an out-of-control wildfire burning around communities near Los Angeles on Thursday, with dozens of homes already lost to the fast-moving flames.

US President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday made the first appointment of his new administration -- naming a chief of staff -- with other key jobs set to be filled in the "days and weeks ahead," according to his team.

The US Federal Reserve shrugged off concerns about the economic impact of Donald Trump's election victory and moved ahead with a quarter point cut Thursday.

President Joe Biden urged Americans Thursday to lower the political temperature after Donald Trump's crushing election win over Kamala Harris, saying in a conciliatory address to the nation that he would ensure a peaceful transition of power.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said it would be "suicidal" for Europe to offer the Kremlin concessions to halt its invasion of Ukraine, after Moscow demanded the West enter direct talks on ending the war.

After Donald Trump's re-election, Iran has projected indifference, officially stating it expects no fundamental shift in US policy, especially on sanctions or the Middle East's wars.

European leaders gathered in Budapest Thursday in search of a joint response to the threats of a new Donald Trump presidency -- though the seat of powerhouse Germany was left empty by a deepening political crisis.

Police in Mozambique fired tear gas and deployed dogs to disperse protesters in the capital Maputo Thursday, after the opposition called a demonstration against the contested election results.

Unusual cross-party support is swelling in France behind a draft law meant to halt a looming "mexicanisation" of the country by a burgeoning drug trade, defying an otherwise riven political landscape.

Canada said Wednesday it is shutting down TikTok's offices in the country following a security review, but people will still be allowed to use the popular video-sharing app.

In his stone house perched on a hill in northern Ethiopia, Amanuel Hiluf puts on his protective suit, carefully adjusting the hood and gloves.

Chinese exports surged last month at their fastest pace in more than two years, data showed Thursday, easily topping forecasts and providing optimism about the economy as officials steel for a potential US trade war after Donald Trump was re-elected president.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday Beijing and Washington must find a way to "get along" in a message to US president-elect Donald Trump, state media reported.

Major arms exporter South Korea is not ruling out providing weapons directly to Ukraine, President Yoon Suk Yeol said Thursday, signalling a possible shift in Seoul's stance on the issue.

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca said Thursday that the head of its China operations had been detained, after reports the firm was under investigation for potentially illegal data collection and drug imports.

The UK government announced sanctions on Thursday against three private mercenary groups operating in Africa with links to the Kremlin, including Wagner group successor Africa Corps.

Australia's prime minister on Thursday vowed to ban children under 16 from social media, saying the pervasive influence of platforms like Facebook and TikTok was "doing real harm to our kids".

Asian equities mostly rose Thursday, while the dollar held gains and bitcoin hit a fresh record as markets try to ascertain the consequences of a second Donald Trump presidency after he pledged to cut taxes and ramp up tariffs with an eye on China.

Germany enters a period of political uncertainty Thursday after its fragile three-party ruling coalition collapsed on the same day Donald Trump won the US election.

Israel launched fresh strikes on south Beirut early Thursday, hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US president-elect Donald Trump spoke about the "Iranian threat".

Ireland meet New Zealand on Friday at Lansdowne Road in a rematch of last year's epic Rugby World Cup quarter-final which dashed Irish dreams of lifting the trophy.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday amid a deep coalition crisis that he will seek a vote of confidence in January that would pave the way for early elections by March.

Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been dubbed the "Scholzomat" for a dry personal style bordering on the robotic, but also hailed as a safe pair of hands leading a country that values stability.

Hezbollah said Wednesday that tens of thousands of its militants were ready to fight Israel, adding that the US election result would have no bearing on the war in Lebanon.

Donald Trump's victory has left Mexico bracing for potential trade tensions, tariffs and mass migrant deportations that experts say could pose a major test of relations between the closely connected neighbors.

The PlayStation 5 Pro hits shops on Thursday with a price tag that has raised eyebrows among gamers, but growing sticker shocks in the tech industry have yet to deter consumers.

Donald Trump's victory in US presidential elections has sparked anxiety on the streets of Kyiv at a decisive moment of the war as Ukrainian defences buckle under mounting Russian pressure.

Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 US presidential election is likely to usher in a raft of economic changes at home and abroad, touching everything from foreign trade to the independence of the US central bank.

US allies at NATO scrambled Wednesday to put a brave face on the return of Donald Trump to the White House amid fears the unpredictable Republican could upend European security and pull the plug on Ukraine support.