AFP news

The Ukrainian military on Monday said it had pushed Russian forces out of pockets of territory along front lines in the east and south of the country, building on a gruelling counter-offensive launched two months ago.

The Russian central bank said it would meet on Tuesday to discuss its key rate, after the ruble slid past 100 against the dollar Monday, its lowest level in over sixteen months.

The African Union on Monday held talks on the Niger crisis as the country's post-coup rulers showed defiance yet also pointed to diplomacy for a potential solution.

A pair of Siberian tigers pant incessantly beside a pond at their zoo enclosure in the scorching summer heat of the Iraqi capital.

The West African bloc ECOWAS is mulling military intervention to restore Niger's elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, after he was detained by members of his guard on July 26.

Afghanistan's Taliban government was set Tuesday to mark the second anniversary of their takeover of the country with a military parade in the movement's birthplace, as well as other celebrations of their surge back to power.

At least 24 people were killed, nine of them in a temple collapse, and dozens more were feared missing after intense rains caused floods and landslides in India, officials said Monday.

Taiwanese tech giant and key Apple supplier Foxconn said Monday it sees the potential to invest "several billion dollars" in India, with the firm looking to diversify its manufacturing away from China.

The Ukrainian military on Monday said it had pushed Russian forces out of pockets of territory along front lines in the east and south of the country, building on a gruelling counter-offensive launched two months ago.

The airport at Catania in Sicily, a top Italian tourist destination, has halted all flights after a new eruption at nearby Mount Etna, its operator said Monday.

The Russian ruble slid past 100 against the dollar Monday, its lowest level since March 23, 2022 -- weeks after Moscow unleashed full-scale hostilities in Ukraine.

Iranian authorities have arrested four more suspects after detaining a lone gunman in the killing of at least one person at a Shiite Muslim shrine, state media reported on Monday.

Little-known senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar was set to be sworn in Monday as Pakistan's caretaker prime minister to see the country through to an election due in months.

Neymar was "in negotiations" on Sunday to become the latest football superstar to decamp for Saudi Arabia, leaving Paris Saint-Germain just as Kylian Mbappe was brought back in from the cold by the French champions.

Shares in Chinese property giant Country Garden plunged on Monday after it missed bond payments and warned of multibillion-dollar losses, deepening concerns over the nation's heavily indebted real estate sector.

Two years since the Taliban stormed back to power in Afghanistan after 20 years of war against the United States and its allies, life has changed dramatically for many Afghans, particularly women.

Asian markets posted sharp losses in early Monday trade, after falls in US tech stocks and as concerns over China's property sector weigh on sentiment.

Iraqi merchant Mohamed has never seen such a grim tourist season: years of drought have shrunken the majestic Lake Habbaniyah, keeping away the holidaymakers who once flocked there during summer.

The death toll in Hawaii from the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century was expected to cross the 100-mark Sunday, fueling criticism that government inaction contributed to the heavy loss of life.

Their interest piqued during Covid lockdowns and by a new Netflix drama, a fresh rush of foreign tourists are flocking to Japan for a look inside the insular world of sumo.

Thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday in the latest protest against the hard-right government's controversial judicial reform plans that opponents see as threat to democracy.

Dressed up and ready for battle, around 10,000 Pokemon fans have descended on Yokohama in Japan this weekend, looking for fun but also collector's item cards potentially worth serious money.

Two and a half years into Joe Biden's presidency, and after exhaustive diplomacy with Iran's clerical leadership, his administration has reached a first deal -- to free five detained Americans.

Rescue ship Ocean Viking has saved more than 600 migrants adrift in the Mediterranean over the last two days, the organisation that runs it, SOS Mediterranee, said on Friday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un berated "irresponsible" officials for failing to prevent damage from a tropical storm that swept through the Korean peninsula last week, state media said Monday.

US economic growth and wage gains should "serve as a source of resilience" moving forward even if the economy continues to cool, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in remarks released Friday.

A preliminary forensic audit of Lebanon's central bank by professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has painted a damning picture of the institution under long-serving former governor Riad Salameh.

The United Nations said Friday it had successfully transferred more than one million barrels of oil from a dilapidated Yemeni tanker, removing the imminent risk of a spill.

Elon Musk said Friday that his much-hyped cage fight with Mark Zuckerberg would take place in Italy, as authorities there confirmed talks about hosting a "great charity event."