AFP news

To stop invading Chinese forces seizing Taiwan, board gamer Ruth Zhong chooses the nuclear option: dropping an atomic bomb on the capital Taipei to secure the island's freedom and her victory.

Hong Kong and Singapore are the front-runners in a push by Asian governments to become cryptocurrency hubs as they look to capitalise on the global resurgence of the sector thanks to the support of US President Donald Trump.

Pope Francis, hospitalised in critical condition with pneumonia in both lungs, spent a peaceful night and was "resting" Monday, the Vatican said amidst global concern over the pontiff's health.

A former surgeon is to go on trial in France on Monday charged with raping or sexually assaulting almost 300 former patients, most of them children.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky hailed his country's "resistance" and "heroism" on Monday on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion as European leaders arrived in Kyiv in a show of solidarity.

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, saying he will present "proposals for action" to counter the "Russian threat" in Europe and ensure peace in Ukraine.

Chinese tech giant Alibaba said Monday it will spend more than $50 billion on artificial intelligence and cloud computing over the next three years, a week after co-founder Jack Ma was seen meeting President Xi Jinping.

Vatican thriller "Conclave" won top prize at an unpredictable Screen Actors Guild Awards gala Sunday, throwing a potential late curveball into the Oscars race just a week before the Academy Awards.

As the lights go out to start the MotoGP season in Thailand on Saturday, the road seems clear for one of the sport's two deposed kings to reclaim their crown - if they do not get in each other's way.

Die-hard South Korean fans cheer and clap as their favourite superheroes strike poses in brightly coloured uniforms to the sounds of a soulful Japanese ballad, a nostalgic throwback to the days of VHS. It has been decades since Japanese superhero series "Choudenshi Bioman" was last on TV, but its epic stories of good versus evil still resonate deeply for these South Korean millennials.

Germany's conservative election winner Friedrich Merz vowed to get to work Monday on the arduous task of building a new coalition government, warning "the world isn't waiting for us".

Most employees at USAID will be placed on leave or fired by midnight on Sunday, the aid agency said, as President Donald Trump's administration plows ahead in slashing government spending.

An American Airlines flight from New York to New Delhi was diverted to Rome on Sunday afternoon following an "alleged bomb scare", an Italian airport spokesman said.

Germany's conservatives swept to victory in Sunday's elections, with their leader Friedrich Merz set to become the next chancellor, followed by the far-right AfD in second place after record gains.

Star batsman Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 100 to lead India to a six-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday and push the title holders to the brink of elimination from the Champions Trophy.

Israel said on Sunday its troops would remain for many months in refugee camps in the occupied West Bank, after tens of thousands of Palestinians living there have been displaced by an intensifying military operation.

James Bond in the hands of an American company: shock horror! - James Bond gone 'woke'?

Chinese tech companies shrugged off foreign scrutiny of upstart chatbot maker DeepSeek, telling AFP on Friday they were confident the country's tech startups would make more gains in the global artificial intelligence race.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back against accusations that the Trump administration has given in to Russia even before talks on ending the Ukraine war begin, saying Washington first wants to see whether Moscow was "serious".

China issued a warning Friday of potential "live fire" naval drills in international waters off Australia's eastern coast but gave little prior notice, disrupting commercial air flights, the Australian government said.

The World Trade Organization's entire mission is overseeing global trade, but US President Donald Trump's tariff offensive has left it adrift.

Nissan shares surged 11 percent Friday after a report said a Japanese group including a former prime minister plans to ask US electric vehicle giant Tesla to invest in the automaker.

The United States deported 177 migrants from its military base in Guantanamo, Cuba to their homeland in Venezuela Thursday, the latest sign of cooperation between the long-feuding governments.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday ordered an "intensive operation against centers of terrorism" in the occupied West Bank, his office said, after three buses exploded in central Israel without causing any reported injuries.

Is NASA still Moonbound, or will the next giant leap mean skipping straight to Mars?

Liverpool's charge towards the Premier League title has slowed ahead of a trip to Manchester City on Sunday, giving Arsenal hope of closing in on the leaders.

Elon Musk said Thursday that a feature on his social media platform X which allows users to fact-check potentially misleading posts was being "gamed" over Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky and vowed to "fix" it.

Japanese inflation accelerated in January, further pressuring households as prices excluding fresh food rose 3.2 percent on-year, government data showed Friday.

Bolivian ex-president Evo Morales launched a fresh election bid Thursday ahead of polls in August, in defiance of a constitutional term limit and pending criminal charges.