AFP news

In southwest Georgia, the hamlet of Plains is synonymous with former US president Jimmy Carter, a Democrat who grew up on a nearby peanut farm.

US private sector hiring picked up in September, with employers adding more jobs than anticipated, according to data released Wednesday by payroll firm ADP. ADP data showed private sector employment rose by 143,000 jobs, significantly higher than the 120,000 figure that a consensus by Briefing.com expected.

The EU voiced concerns about "harmful" content posted on Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube as it told the digital platforms on Wednesday to hand over more information on how their platforms recommend content to users.

Ukraine's army said Wednesday that it had withdrawn from the eastern town of Vugledar, handing Russia one of its most significant territorial gains in weeks.

Hedi Slimane has quit as artistic director at Celine, the French haute couture house said Wednesday, amid speculation the 56-year-old may fill Karl Lagerfeld's empty chair at Chanel.

Spain welcomed a record 21.8 million international visitors this summer, official data showed on Wednesday, an influx of tourism that has triggered some protests in the country.

Police in Denmark and Sweden said on Wednesday they were probing explosions and gunfire around Israeli embassies in their capitals which took place amid spiralling Middle East tensions.

Afghan journalists have reported hundreds of cases of abuses by government officials, including torture and arbitrary detention, as well as tightening censorship since the Taliban authorities returned to power.

On the streets of Tehran, a small crowd celebrated Iran's missile attack on Israel while others are worried about the consequences of the Islamic Republic's boldest move yet in a year of escalating Middle East conflict.

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will on Wednesday visit areas devastated by Hurricane Helene, after Harris's election rival Donald Trump turned their handling of the disaster into a political football.

Tech giant Oracle on Wednesday said it plans to invest more than $6.5 billion on cloud services data centres in Malaysia, joining a list of US titans rushing to build up their AI infrastructure in Southeast Asia.

Nintendo opened its first museum on Wednesday in a renovated factory in Kyoto, showcasing the long history of the Japanese video game giant from playing cards to "Super Mario".

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday told Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin he was ready to "expand" cooperation, as the two leaders exchanged congratulations on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, state media said.

Manchester United will attempt to recover from another demoralising defeat that raised fresh questions over manager Erik ten Hag's future as they head to Porto in the Europa League on Thursday.

A Netflix period war drama produced by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook will open Asia's largest film festival Wednesday, the first time a streaming title has kicked off the event.

A Brazilian judge on Tuesday ordered the unblocking of the bank accounts of Elon Musk's X in the country after the social media platform agreed to pay more than $5 million in fines.

US vice presidential contenders J.D. Vance and Tim Walz faced off in a surprisingly civil debate Tuesday, despite tense moments on the hot topics of migration, abortion and the threat of war in the Middle East.

The two candidates for US president offer starkly different visions of the world, with November's election carrying the potential to dramatically change policy toward Ukraine and other partners.

German chemicals group Covestro said Tuesday it had accepted a takeover bid from UAE state energy company ADNOC, as one of the key sectors in Europe's largest economy is gripped by crisis.

A Russian strike on a southern Ukraine market killed six people on Tuesday as the nation held a moment of silence to mark a major public holiday honouring troops, authorities said.

The eurozone's annual inflation rate fell to its lowest level in three-and-a-half years in September, official data showed Tuesday, dropping below the European Central Bank's two-percent target and fuelling expectations of a rate cut.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange said on Tuesday he was released after years of incarceration only because he pleaded guilty to doing "journalism", warning freedom of expression was now at a "dark crossroads".

British rock band Coldplay's upcoming tour of India has triggered a police investigation and dismayed fans after scalpers bought up cheap tickets to resell online for more than $1,000 apiece.

NATO's new chief Mark Rutte on Tuesday downplayed fears over the impact of a potential Donald Trump victory in upcoming US elections and pledged to keep backing Ukraine, as he assumed leadership of the world's most powerful military alliance.

Pete Rose, Major League Baseball's all-time hit king who left the sport in disgrace after being banned for betting on games, died Monday aged 83, his former team confirmed.

Qatar Airways unveiled a bid to take a 25 percent stake in troubled airline Virgin Australia on Tuesday, a deal that could shake up Australia's Qantas-dominated market.

Dockworkers at major ports along the US East and Gulf Coasts went on strike Tuesday after last-minute negotiations yielded no new labor contract, a stoppage expected to drag on the world's largest economy just ahead of the November presidential election.

"Fortnite"-maker Epic Games is suing tech giants Google and Samsung, it announced Monday, accusing them of illegally colluding to block competition on Samsung devices.

Search and rescue teams in Nepal's capital picked through wrecked homes on Monday after waters receded from monsoon floods that killed at least 200 people around the Himalayan republic.