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'Chilling effect': Israel reforms raise press freedom fears
A raft of proposed measures from Israel's ruling coalition targeting the media has sparked outrage, with critics warning the planned reforms would deliver a blow to press freedom.
EU agrees three-euro small parcel tax to tackle China flood
EU finance ministers agreed Friday to impose a three-euro duty on low-value imports into the bloc from July 2026 to help tackle a flood of small parcels ordered via the likes of Shein and Temu.
Oscar-nominated #MeToo film finally screened in Japan
A Japanese #MeToo campaigner's documentary premiered in her homeland on Friday after months of delays, with one audience member telling AFP she hoped it triggered a change in society.
Russian central bank says suing Euroclear over frozen assets
Russia's central bank on Friday said it was suing the Belgium-based Euroclear financial group, which holds Moscow's frozen international reserves, as the EU moves closer to using the funds to support Ukraine.
Congo refugees recount death and chaos as war reignites
Congolese refugees described neighbours being massacred and losing children in the chaos as they fled into Rwanda to escape a surge in fighting despite a peace deal brokered by US President Donald Trump.
US slaps sanctions on Maduro relatives as Venezuela war fears build
The US Treasury imposed new sanctions Thursday against three of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro's relatives as well as six companies shipping the South American country's oil.
'Samurai Spirit': Ultra-nationalists see Japan tilting their way
Driving around Tokyo blaring slogans on the 84th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, ultra-nationalist outfit Taikosha only has around 100 mostly male, middle-aged members.
Sax-playing pilot Anutin's short-lived Thai premiership
Saxophonist, occasional pilot and heir to a construction fortune, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul led a short-lived coalition government marked by conflict with Cambodia.
US, Japan defence chiefs say China harming regional peace
Beijing's actions are "not conducive to regional peace", Japan's defence minister and US counterpart Pete Hegseth agreed during a call after Chinese aircraft locked radar on Japanese jets near Taiwan, Tokyo said Friday.
North Korea's Kim vows to root out 'evil', scolds lazy officials
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to root out "evil" and scolded lazy officials while praising his troops fighting with Russia against Ukraine, state media said Friday, capping a major meeting of Pyongyang's top brass.
Windswept Kazakh rail hub at the heart of China-Europe trade
Operating a huge cargo lifter, Zhandos Nurmagambetov was stacking containers onto a train before it headed across the steppe of Kazakhstan on a new railway route vital for China-Europe trade.
Kushner returns to team Trump, as ethical questions swirl
His only official job title at the White House is son-in-law. But Jared Kushner has staged a remarkable -- and sometimes controversial -- comeback to President Donald Trump's inner circle.
Thai PM dissolves parliament, paving way for national elections
Thailand's Prime Minister dissolved parliament on Friday after three months in office, a royal decree showed, paving the way for general elections early next year.
Volodymyr Zelensky: Under-pressure wartime leader used to defying the odds
Russia thought it would topple Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky within days after invading in February 2022 for what it planned to be a quick victorious war.
White House blames Trump's bandaged hand on handshakes
The White House said Thursday the high volume of handshakes by President Donald Trump explains the adhesive bandages he has worn on the back of his right hand in recent days.
Dow, S&P 500 end at records despite AI fears
The Dow and S&P 500 finished at fresh records Thursday while a big drop in Oracle shares dragged the Nasdaq lower and revived worries over pricey artificial intelligence valuations.
Trump 'frustrated' with Kyiv, Moscow over talks on war
US President Donald Trump is "extremely frustrated" with Russia and Ukraine, his spokeswoman said on Thursday, as Kyiv said Washington was still pushing it to make major territorial concessions as part of its plan to end the nearly four-year war.
Fighting rages on Cambodia-Thailand border ahead of expected Trump call
Fighting raged Thursday along the border of Cambodia and Thailand, with explosions heard near centuries-old temples ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned phone call to the leaders of both nations.
US bringing seized tanker to port as Venezuela war fears build
An oil tanker seized by American forces off the Venezuelan coast will be brought to a port in the United States, the White House said Thursday, as fears mount of open conflict between the two countries.
IOC calls for full reintegration of Russians to youth competitions
The International Olympic Committee on Thursday urged sports bodies to fully reintegrate Russian and Belarusian athletes into junior competitions and allow them to compete with their national flag and anthem.
Trump 'frustrated' with Kyiv, Moscow over talks
US President Donald Trump is "extremely frustrated" with Russia and Ukraine, his spokeswoman said on Thursday, as Kyiv said Washington was still pushing it to make major territorial concessions as part of its plan to end the nearly four-year war.
US says tanker seizure targeted Venezuelan leader Maduro's 'regime'
The US seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela targeted leftist leader Nicolas Maduro's "regime," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday, as fears of open conflict mount in both Washington and Caracas.
Turnaround for Greece as Pierrakakis tapped to lead Eurogroup
Greece's finance minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis was elected Eurogroup chief on Thursday in a remarkable turnaround for a country that a decade ago was on the brink of crashing out of the euro.
US still pushing big territorial concessions from Ukraine: Zelensky
The United States is still pushing for Kyiv to make big territorial concessions to Russia to halt the war that started with Moscow's February 2022 invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday.
Nepal estimates millions in damages from September protests
Nepal on Thursday estimated that the country suffered losses of about $586 million in September's deadly anti-corruption protests that ousted the government.
Trump's mixed record on ending wars
US President Donald Trump insists he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for what he describes as his role in ending eight conflicts this year.
Steam - and uncertainty - rise from Serbia's shuttered refinery
Steam still rises from the chimneys of Serbia's only oil refinery as it slowly grinds to a halt under US sanctions, fuelling fears of job losses and uncertainty.
Bulgarian government resigns after mass anti-graft protests
Bulgaria's prime minister announced Thursday that his government was resigning after less than a year in office following a series of anti-corruption protests, making fresh elections likely.
US trade gap shrinks to narrowest since 2020 after tariff hikes
The US trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in September to the smallest since 2020, delayed government data showed Thursday, with imports rising just slightly as President Donald Trump's new tariffs set in.
NATO chief says a joint plan to end Ukraine war would 'test' Putin
NATO chief Mark Rutte said Thursday that if the United States and Europeans could agree on a plan to end the war in Ukraine, this would be a "test" of whether Russia "really wants peace".
Nobel laureate Machado says US helped her leave Venezuela, vows return
Nobel Peace laureate Maria Corina Machado said on Thursday that the United States helped her get to Norway from hiding in Venezuela, expressing support for US military action against her country and vowing to return home.
Emotional Nobel laureate Machado describes reuniting with her children
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Thursday recounted her "extraordinary" reunion with her three children in Oslo, where she emerged from months in hiding after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.