AFP news

Spotify on Thursday began accepting audiobooks narrated by digital voices created by artificial intelligence software firm ElevenLabs, pitching it as a cost-effective option for authors.

Mexico's president warned the United States on Thursday her country would never tolerate an "invasion" of its national sovereignty and vowed fresh legal action against US gunmakers after Washington designated cartels as terrorist organizations.

Hundreds watched on Thursday as four black coffins, which Hamas said held the remains of Israel's Bibas family and an elderly hostage, were carried off stage by Palestinian militants in southern Gaza.

Newly-energized American conservative leaders and activists will gather on the outskirts of the capital Washington on Thursday for an annual three-day conference set to celebrate US President Donald Trump's return to power.

European aircraft maker Airbus said Thursday net profits rose in 2024 as it boosted plane deliveries and set a goal of accelerating them further.

US President Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday that a trade deal was "possible" with China -- a key target in the US leader's tariffs policy.

Pope Francis passed another peaceful night in hospital, "got up and had breakfast in his armchair", the Vatican said Thursday, the day after reporting a slight improvement in his condition.

South Korea's ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday became the country's first sitting head of state on trial on criminal charges.

Residents of northern Japan were sheltering from deep snow up to the rooftops in some areas on Thursday after a two-week whiteout.

Mercedes-Benz said Thursday it planned hefty cost cuts after its 2024 profits plunged by almost a third amid a slump in China and weak electric car sales, as Germany's auto sector reels.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday his treasury secretary was treated "rudely" during an official visit to Kyiv, accusing Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky of "sleeping" and failing to make a deal.

Renault confirmed on Thursday it defied headwinds in the car industry by boosting revenue and attaining record profitability in 2024 thanks to the success of its new line up of vehicles, although net profit sank as it scaled back its partnership with Nissan.

Donald Trump said Wednesday his administration was "looking at alternatives" to Boeing following delays in delivering two new models of the US presidential Air Force One plane.

Iran executed at least 975 people last year in a "horrifying escalation" of its use of capital punishment, two human rights groups said on Thursday.

Lionel Messi shrugged off sub-zero temperatures to score the only goal as Inter Miami defeated Sporting Kansas City 1-0 in their weather-delayed CONCACAF Champions Cup first-leg clash on Wednesday.

Top diplomats from the Group of 20 major economies will convene in South Africa on Thursday for a meeting dominated by a packed global agenda but overshadowed by a snub by the top US envoy.

Egypt's antiquities authority says it has found the ancient tomb of King Thutmose II, the first royal burial to be located since the famed discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922.

US airline Delta will offer $30,000 to each passenger on a plane that crashed as it landed at Toronto airport this week, the carrier told AFP on Wednesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron was set on Wednesday to host a new meeting on Ukraine in a bid to coordinate a European response to what he called an "existential threat" from Russia amid a shock policy shift in Washington.

Tech giant Google has paid 326 million euros to Italy following an investigation into alleged unpaid taxes, Milan prosecutors said Wednesday, as they recommended criminal proceedings be dropped.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and opposition leader Friedrich Merz will face off in a final head-to-head debate Wednesday, four days before the election, in a campaign overshadowed by the rise of the far right.

US President Donald Trump expanded his offensive against trading partners on Tuesday, threatening 25 percent tariffs on imported cars, and similar or higher duties on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.

Britain's annual inflation rate rose more than expected last month, official data showed Wednesday, adding pressure to the Labour government which is also facing sluggish economic growth.

Banking giant HSBC said Wednesday that CEO Georges Elhedery's plan since October to simplify the company's structure and geographic setup will yield $1.5 billion in annual cost savings by the end of 2026.

Asian markets were mixed Wednesday after President Donald Trump broadened his tariff threats, while traders were also assessing the geopolitical outlook after the first high-level official US-Russia talks since the invasion of Ukraine.

Bogus child pornography claims, fabricated support for communism and fake posts showing Elon Musk calling for his removal -- a deluge of disinformation is targeting a top judge in suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial.

An asteroid that could level a city now has a 3.1-percent chance of striking Earth in 2032, according to NASA data released Tuesday -- making it the most threatening space rock ever recorded by modern forecasting.

Donald Trump's threats of import tariffs have sent shockwaves through Canada, forcing businesses to question their dependence on the United States -- a reassessment that is creating headaches for many sectors.

A US judge on Tuesday declined a request to temporarily block Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from firing federal employees and accessing agency data, a victory for President Donald Trump in his bid to shrink the government workforce.