Featured
Last news
Musk details mass cuts to US federal spending and staff
Elon Musk outlined plans Wednesday for his new role as "efficiency" czar -- signaling an assault on federal spending and staffing that would be backed by President-elect Donald Trump's executive powers and a conservative Supreme Court.
Ryanair threatens to drop 10 French airports over tax hike
Low-cost airline Ryanair threatened Wednesday to stop serving 10 French regional airports if the government goes forward with a proposed tax hike.
US vetoes Gaza ceasefire call at UN
The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council push to call for a ceasefire in Gaza that Washington said would have emboldened Hamas.
US cites new Russian tactics for decision to supply landmines to Ukraine
The US decision to send anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine -- in a major policy shift -- was triggered by a change in Russian battlefield tactics favoring infantry over mechanized units, US Defense Secretary Loyd Austin said Wednesday.
Under-fire Spain minister defends agencies' role in floods
Spain's under-fire ecological transition minister, a candidate for a top European Commission post, said Wednesday that questioning the role of state agencies during the country's devastating floods was "dangerous".
Trump names loyalist Matthew Whitaker as NATO ambassador
President-elect Donald Trump, who has long criticized NATO as overly reliant on American money, on Wednesday nominated loyalist Matthew Whitaker to the crucial post of ambassador to the alliance.
UN watchdog chief welcomes Iran nuclear gesture as Western powers seek censure
European powers and the United States have submitted a resolution censuring Iran for its lack of cooperation on its nuclear dossier, despite the head of the UN watchdog on Wednesday welcoming "a concrete step" by Iran to cap its uranium stockpile.
Hezbollah says Israel 'cannot impose conditions' for truce
Hezbollah's leader delivered a defiant speech on Wednesday saying Israel cannot impose its conditions for a truce, as US envoy Amos Hochstein headed from Lebanon to Israel to try to end the war.
Ukraine criticises Western allies for embassy closures
Ukraine on Wednesday called on its Western allies not to fuel tension inside the country, after a string of embassies in Kyiv announced they would close, citing the threat of a "massive air attack" on the capital.
French farmers lift border blockade after talks with PM
French farmers protesting pay and conditions and a prospective EU-Latin America trade deal on Wednesday lifted a blockade on the Spanish border after an expression of support from Prime Minister Michel Barnier.
US envoy heading to Israel to press for truce with Hezbollah
US envoy Amos Hochstein announced he would head to Israel on Wednesday after spending two days in Lebanon trying to hammer out a deal for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
UN nuclear chief welcomes Iran's 'concrete step' on uranium stockpile
UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi on Wednesday welcomed Iran's "concrete step" on agreeing to cap its stockpile of highly enriched uranium after Tehran implemented preparatory steps to stop adding to its inventory.
Western powers move to censure Iran at UN nuclear meet
European powers and the United States have submitted a resolution censuring Iran for its poor cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, diplomats told AFP on Wednesday, as Tehran warned of a "proportionate" response if it passes.
US envoy presses Israel-Hezbollah truce bid in Lebanon visit
US envoy Amos Hochstein was in Lebanon Wednesday, seeking to hammer out a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hezbollah, as the militant group battled Israeli troops in the south of the country.
Stock markets gain, dollar higher before Nvidia earnings
Major European and Asian stock markets mostly gained and the dollar firmed against main rivals Wednesday following a positive lead from Wall Street, as all eyes turned to upcoming results from artificial-intelligence giant Nvidia.
New WHO financing mechanism put to the test
The WHO announced late Tuesday that it had raised nearly $4 billion through a new financing mechanism, aimed at securing predictable funding, as shifting political winds threaten cuts from Washington.
Kremlin says US 'doing everything' to prolong 'war' in Ukraine
Russia on Wednesday accused the US of prolonging the "war in Ukraine" by stepping up weapons deliveries to Kyiv ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House.
N. Korea's latest weapon? Bombarding South with noise
Gunshots, screams, eerie laughter: South Korea's border island Ganghwa is being bombarded nightly with blood-curdling sounds, part of a new campaign by the nuclear-armed North that is driving residents to despair.
'Kidnapped' Uganda opposition figure Besigye to appear at military court: lawyer
Leading Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye is due to appear before a military court on Wednesday, his lawyer said, after his reported abduction in neighbouring Kenya.
Asian markets fluctuate as traders weigh geopolitical tensions
Asian stocks fluctuated Wednesday following a positive lead from Wall Street as traders assessed the prospect of an escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war, Donald Trump's second presidency and the outlook for US interest rates.
'An inauspicious day': the landmines ruining Myanmar lives
It was an unlucky day in the Burmese calendar, farmer Yar Swe Kyin warned her husband in July, begging him not to go out to check on their crops.
UN to vote again on Gaza ceasefire, US plans unclear
The UN Security Council is expected to vote Wednesday on another draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in its latest attempt to exert pressure to end the war.
Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai tells court he championed 'freedom'
Jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai insisted his newspaper had championed democracy and "freedom" as he took the witness stand for the first time in his collusion trial on Wednesday.
Myanmar led world in landmine victims in 2023: monitor
Landmines and unexploded munitions claimed more victims in Myanmar than in any other country last year, a monitor said on Wednesday, with over 1,000 people killed or wounded in the country.
Ugandan opposition figure Besigye 'kidnapped', says wife
Leading Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye was "kidnapped" in Kenya and is being held in a Kampala military jail, according to his wife, a top UN official.
'They killed her dream': Israel strike leaves woman footballer in coma
Lebanese footballer Celine Haidar was about to make her dream of playing for the national women's team come true, but debris from an Israeli strike left the 19-year-old in a medically induced coma.
Iraqis face tough homecoming a decade after IS rampage
A decade after Islamic State group extremists rampaged through northern Iraq, Moaz Fadhil and his eight children finally returned to their village after languishing for years in a displacement camp.
Russian net tightens around last civilians left in eastern Ukraine
Along the road to Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine, ghost houses line the streets, their frames shattered by bombs, with peppers rotting on the vine and flower beds strewn with debris.
Xi, Lula meet in Brasilia to 'enhance ties'
China's President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Brazil Wednesday, fresh off a warm reception at summits of the G20 and APEC groups, both held under the cloud of Donald Trump's White House return.
US recognizes Venezuela opposition's Gonzalez Urrutia as 'president-elect'
The United States said Tuesday it recognizes opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as president-elect of Venezuela -- the first time it called him that -- four months after a disputed election in which incumbent Nicolas Maduro claimed victory amid accusations of fraud.
US announces talks with Israel over civilian casualties in Gaza
Senior US and Israeli officials will meet in early December to address American concerns over harm to civilians caused by military operations in Gaza, the State Department said Tuesday.
G20 summit ends with Ukraine blame game
Ukraine's allies and Russia on Tuesday traded blame for a dramatic escalation in the war in Europe, which dominated the final day of talks at a G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.