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Iranian media says US jet shot down, bounty offered for pilot
Iran deployed troops and offered a bounty as it launched a hunt for a US pilot whose jet Iranian media said had been downed by the Islamic republic's air defence systems Friday.
Greece names new ministers after EU farm scandal resignations
Greece on Friday reshuffled its government after three cabinet members resigned as a burgeoning EU farm subsidy scandal pisled pressure on the country's conservative government.
Container ship declaring French ownership passes through Hormuz strait
A container ship declaring itself to have a French owner has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according Marine Traffic data analysed by AFP Friday.
Human remains found on Thai ship attacked in Hormuz strait: firm
Human remains have been found aboard a cargo ship struck by Iran while transiting the Strait of Hormuz last month, the vessel's owner said Friday, after three crew members were reported missing following the attack.
Streaming channel for pets launched in China
Cats and dogs can now fill the hours their owners are at work with a dedicated all-day streaming channel for pets launched by Chinese tech giant Tencent.
Israel under fire from Iran missiles as Trump issues new warning
Israel said Friday it was under attack from a new barrage of Iranian missiles, as President Donald Trump warned the United States had yet to begin "destroying what's left" with more of the Islamic republic's infrastructure in his sights.
Microsoft to invest $10 bn for Japan AI data centres
Microsoft said Friday it will invest $10 billion in Japan over the next four years to build artificial intelligence data centres and related infrastructure.
Waste water to clean energy: Japanese engineers harness the power of osmosis
A Japanese water plant is harnessing the natural process of osmosis to generate renewable energy that could one day become a common power source.
Airbus bets on copter capability for tomorrow's war drones
In the heart of southeastern France, aerospace giant Airbus is drawing on its helicopter expertise to develop drones -- a core element of modern warfare -- and enable them to work in tandem with manned aircraft.
'Metals of the future': copper and silver flow beneath Poland's surface
Thousands of metres beneath the ground, amid suffocating heat, lies one of the keys to Poland's rumbling mining sector -- and the world economy.
Iran vows 'crushing' attacks as strikes hit regional infrastructure
Iran and its allies traded fire with Israel and the United States, as Washington-linked assets across the Middle East were targeted alongside energy and civilian infrastructure -- with the month-long war on Friday showing little sign of easing.
Oil surges, stocks mixed as Trump dashes hopes of quick end of war
Oil prices surged Thursday after US President Donald Trump threatened more heavy strikes on Iran, while global equity markets reacted indecisively to the latest developments in the conflict.
Pakistan hikes petrol, diesel prices due to Middle East war
Pakistan's government on Thursday drastically raised fuel prices in response to spiking global energy prices caused by the Iran war, the country's petroleum minister said in a press conference.
Trump orders new pharma tariff, reshapes metal duties
US President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered new tariffs on certain medicines, alongside an overhaul of metal duties, doubling down on his trade agenda a year after unleashing trade wars on virtually all partners.
UK-led Hormuz talks demand 'immediate, reopening of Hormuz
A UK-led meeting of some 40 countries on the strait of Hormuz crisis wrapped up Thursday with a demand for the "immediate and unconditional" reopening of the vital shipping route, but no immediate breakthrough.
Grain, steel, fertiliser blocked by Hormuz closure: data
Besides oil and gas, Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has choked off shipments of crucial goods and raw materials to world markets.
Four children stabbed to death at Ugandan nursery: police
Four children were stabbed to death on Thursday at a kindergarten in Uganda's capital, Kampala, police said.
Russia will send second ship with oil to Cuba: minister
Russia will send a second ship carrying oil to Cuba as the island grapples with a US fuel blockade, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev said Thursday.
Belgian bishop takes on Vatican with push to ordain married men
A Belgian bishop is taking on the Vatican with a push to ordain married men as priests -- telling AFP the reform is key to stemming a plunge in vocations across many traditionally Catholic nations.
Nexperia's China unit nears fully local production of chips: company sources
The domestic unit of the Chinese-owned, Dutch-headquartered chipmaker Nexperia will soon be able to produce semiconductors locally within China, according to two company sources.
India's says defence exports hit 'all-time high' of $4 bn
India's defence exports "skyrocketed" to an all-time high of more than $4 billion in the last fiscal year, as it looks to boost its arms manufacturing sector, the government said Thursday.
Too bright: Seoul to dim digital billboards after complaints
Hopes of making downtown Seoul dazzle more than Times Square have hit a setback with new guidelines to dim the digital billboards that light up the South Korean capital after a barrage of complaints.
'Muted' international response as Senegal enacts same-sex relations law
While recent restrictions by a number of African nations on LGBTQ rights have elicited fierce criticism, international reaction has been more tepid as Senegal doubled its penalty for same-sex relations this week.
Trump says Iran war almost over, warns of weeks more heavy strikes
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday the US-Israeli war campaign against Iran was almost complete but that the country would be hit hard over the next two to three weeks as Washington pressed toward its military objectives.
Oil rallies, stocks tumble as Trump says US to hammer Iran further
Oil prices spiked and stocks sank on Thursday after Donald Trump reiterated that US forces would hammer Iran for another two to three weeks but offered no solution to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that has crippled global markets.
Trump says Iran president requests ceasefire, Tehran says 'false'
Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran's president had asked for a ceasefire but insisted the Islamic republic must first reopen the Strait of Hormuz ahead of a national address expected to touch on the state of the war.
'Wake-up call': Megan Thee Stallion falls ill during Broadway show
American rapper Megan Thee Stallion said Wednesday that she had a "wake-up call" after she was taken to hospital in the middle of a Broadway performance of "Moulin Rouge!" in New York City.
France charges man over failed attack on US bank
French authorities Wednesday charged a young man in connection with an attempted attack against a Bank of America branch in Paris, as investigators explored suspicions a pro-Iran group was involved.
SpaceX files to go public, paving way for record stock offering
Elon Musk's SpaceX has filed papers with US regulators that set the stage for what could be the largest-ever public stock offering, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Wednesday.
Tractors roll through Vienna as farmers protest
Some 300 tractors rolled down the streets of Vienna Wednesday in a rare such protest in the Austrian capital as farmers pushed for restaurants and supermarkets to list the country of origin for their prepared dishes.
SpaceX files securities documents to go public: source
Elon Musk's SpaceX has filed confidential papers with US securities regulators for what could be the largest-ever public stock offering, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Wednesday.
Stocks rally, oil drops on Mideast war optimism
Global stocks rallied and oil prices fell Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said the Middle East war that has roiled markets could be over within weeks.