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Under pressure from Mali junta, UN ends peacekeeping mission
The UN Security Council on Friday ended a decade-old peacekeeping mission in Mali, whose military junta has aligned with Russia and demanded the withdrawal of the international force battling jihadists.
Kenya hikes fuel prices despite court order
Kenya announced Friday a hike in fuel prices in defiance of a court order blocking implementation of a raft of new taxes.
Rioters target Apple Store in daylight looting in French city
Young rioters went on a daylight looting spree Friday in the French city of Strasbourg, targeting an Apple Store and other shops following the fatal shooting of a teen by a policeman near Paris.
Blinken to consult on Haiti force on Caribbean trip
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with Haiti's embattled prime minister and Caribbean nations next week on calls for an international force in the crisis-wracked nation, officials said Friday.
Pullout of UN peacekeepers from Mali leaves security void
The United Nations mission in Mali was never the leading player in the conflict against jihadists, but its looming withdrawal opens up a security vacuum in the country and wider Sahel region.
UN Security Council ends Mali peacekeeping mission
The UN Security Council on Friday ended a decade-old peacekeeping mission in Mali, whose military junta has aligned with Russia and demanded the withdrawal of the international force battling jihadists.
Hong Kong unlicensed pro-democracy radio station goes off-air
A Hong Kong radio station that has aired pro-democracy shows without a licence for nearly 18 years held its last broadcast on Friday, citing difficulties operating in a "dangerous" political landscape.
Major firms warn EU over AI regulation risks
More than 150 leading companies warned the EU's plans to regulate artificial intelligence risk harming Europe's competitiveness and do not go far enough to tackle challenges, in a letter seen by AFP Friday.
UK 'Partygate' scandal investigator can work for opposition: watchdog
A former senior civil servant who led a probe into the "Partygate" scandal that contributed to the downfall of Boris Johnson was on Friday cleared to become chief-of-staff to the UK opposition party leader.
EU eyes 3 bn euros a year for Ukraine from Russian asset tax
The European Union could raise three billion euros a year for Ukraine's reconstruction by taxing the interest earned by Russian central bank assets frozen in the bloc, Belgium's prime minister said Friday.
French basketball star M'Baye joins Moscow CSKA
French basketball star Amath M'Baye has joined CSKA Moscow until mid 2024, the team announced Friday, a deal that bars him from the French national side over Moscow's intervention in Ukraine.
Pope grants audience to Assange's wife
Pope Francis met Friday with the wife of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, as he nears the "endgame" of his fight against extradition to the United States on espionage charges.
'No future': Egyptians risk lives at sea to reach Europe
Hoping to escape a dire economy and bleak prospects, Egyptians are increasingly attempting the perilous sea crossing to Europe that this month claimed dozens of lives in a shipwreck off Greece.
Norway's quest for 'black gold' from used car batteries
Wearing a white lab coat and with a gas mask within reach, Ole Jorgen Gronvold measures the humidity of an intriguing dark powder touted as the planet's next "black gold".
Cambodian PM threatens to block Facebook access
Prime Minister Hun Sen said Friday he could block access to Facebook in Cambodia, after the company said it would remove a video in which he threatened to beat up political opponents.
UN General Assembly creates body to probe fate of Syria's missing
The UN General Assembly on Thursday created an independent body to "clarify" the fate of thousands of people who remain missing in Syria since war broke out in 2011, overriding objections from Damascus.
US Supreme Court bans race-based university admission
The US Supreme Court on Thursday banned the use of race and ethnicity in university admissions, dealing a major blow to a decades-old practice that boosted educational opportunities for African-Americans and other minorities.
Haiti plight has 'never been worse,' UNICEF chief warns
Children recruited by gangs, houses burned and young girls raped are examples of the latest "horror" befalling Haiti's people, the head of UNICEF described Thursday as she implored the world not to abandon the violence-plagued country.
UK government to appeal judges' block of Rwanda deportation plan
The UK government said it would challenge a court ruling issued Thursday that blocks its plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, a set-back to its controversial bid to cut migrant numbers.
EU fears 'weaker Putin'
The European Union warned Thursday that Russia has become more dangerous after a brief mutiny by its Wagner mercenaries that the bloc said exposed President Vladimir Putin as weaker than previously thought.
Bolsonaro's political future in the balance as judges deliberate
Far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro's political future hangs in the balance as a panel of seven judges weigh barring him from public office for years over attacks on Brazil's electoral system.
Seven arrested in fresh protest by Dutch farmers: police
Dutch police arrested seven people and two officers were injured on Thursday as angry farmers renewed their protest campaign against the government's environmental plans.
Clash at DR Congo wildlife reserve leaves ranger dead
A ranger at a DR Congo wildlife reserve was killed and a second wounded when their team came under attack near an illegal mine, the park said on Thursday.
UK govt hails OpenAI for choosing London base
The UK government on Thursday hailed a decision by ChatGPT creator OpenAI to open its first office outside the United States in London.
UK 'spy cops' tactics unjustified: public inquiry report
An undercover UK policing unit that spied on hundreds of campaign groups over decades should have been shut down as its tactics were unjustified, a report concluded on Thursday.
Cambodian PM Hun Sen dumps Facebook on eve of poll campaign
Cambodian leader Hun Sen, a prolific Facebook user, vowed on Thursday to quit posting on the popular social media platform, days before he launches a re-election campaign.
Survivors voice 'hatred' and 'fear' after Ukraine restaurant strike
Mykyta lay in a hospital bed with cuts from shrapnel on his face and body after a Russian missile hit the restaurant where he was having dinner in Ukraine's eastern city of Kramatorsk.
Kyiv claims gains in Donbas, Moscow says killed Ukraine generals
Kyiv said Thursday its forces were gaining ground in Donbas, as Moscow claimed it had killed two generals in a missile strike earlier this week -- the same day strikes on a restaurant in east Ukraine killed at least 12 people.
UK backs permanent seat for Africa at UN Security Council
The UK on Thursday announced its backing for an expanded UN Security Council, including a permanent spot for Africa, to reflect the current and future state of the world.
UK govt to appeal judges' block of Rwanda deportation plan
The UK government said it would challenge a court ruling issued Thursday that blocks its plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, a set-back to its controversial bid to cut migrant numbers.
Kremlin insists Putin has 'astounding' support after mutiny
The Kremlin said Thursday that footage, which could not be verified, apparently showing President Vladimir Putin greeting adoring supporters proved that he has "astounding" support after quelling an armed insurrection.
Turkmenistan unveils $5 bn city in honour of national leader
Turkmenistan on Thursday inaugurated Arkadag, a $ 5-billion "smart" city built in honour of former strongman leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, cementing one of the most extraordinary personality cults in the world.