Featured
Last news
Blasts hit Tehran as US said to be sending more ships, Marines to Mideast
Heavy blasts shook Tehran late Friday, hours after the United States vowed intensified air strikes against Iran and reportedly sent Marines and more ships to the Middle East.
Hezbollah says ready for long battle as Israel threatens Lebanese infrastructure
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Friday his group was ready for a long confrontation with Israel, as the latter threatened to make Lebanon pay an "increasing price" in damage to infrastructure.
Democrats accuse Trump of aiding Russia with sanctions relief
Democrats accused US President Donald Trump on Friday of weakening pressure on Russia by easing oil sanctions amid the conflict with Iran, saying the move risks boosting Moscow's war revenues while American troops face threats of their own in the Middle East.
Brazil revokes visa of US diplomat in Bolsonaro row
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday banned a US diplomat who wanted to visit jailed former far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro amid fears of US meddling in the run-up to elections this year.
Cuba releases prisoners, confirms talks with US
Cuba's communist authorities on Friday began a prisoner release negotiated with the Vatican and confirmed that talks were underway with the United States amid intense pressure from President Donald Trump.
Germans head to Polish pumps as oil price bites
Frugal Germans are crossing into Poland to buy petrol as pump prices rise as a result of Iran choking off global oil supplies in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes.
Drone strike kills French soldier in Iraqi Kurdistan
A drone strike killed a French soldier in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, France's armed forces ministry said on Friday, after President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the country's first military death in the Middle East war.
F1 races in Bahrain, Saudi 'cancelled or postponed': source to AFP
Formula One races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will be cancelled or rescheduled as the Middle East war engulfs the region, a source with knowledge of the matter told AFP on Friday.
War has halted Gulf oil flow -- and restarting it won't be easy
The war in the Middle East has largely paralysed the Gulf region's crucial oil industry, which has been hit by attacks and an export blockade.
Sri Lanka repatriates remains of 84 Iranians killed in US attack
Sri Lanka on Friday repatriated the remains of 84 Iranian sailors who perished when their frigate was sunk nine days ago by a US submarine, local officials said.
Trump administration lashes out at CNN over Iran war
The Pentagon and White House slammed CNN over its Iran war coverage Friday -- with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saying he looked forward to an ally of President Donald Trump taking over the news network.
Which Khamenei family members were killed at start of war?
The US-Israeli air strikes that on February 28 killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei not only resulted in the death of Iran's longstanding supreme leader but also several key family members.
Trump vows intense strikes as Iran war heads into third week
President Donald Trump said in an interview aired Friday that American forces would strike Iranian targets "very hard" in the coming days, signaling an intensification of the US-Israeli campaign as the war in the Middle East approaches its third week.
Senegal to take back assets of phosphate giant ICS
Senegal's government said on Friday it would take back all the assets of ICS -- one of Africa's biggest phosphate fertiliser producers -– ending the licence to control it held by Asian group Indorama Ventures.
Iran defiant, US vows even heavier bombing
Iranian officials led a pro-government rally as explosions rocked Tehran on Friday, while the US vowed to intensify its bombing and President Donald Trump said it was his "honour" to be killing the Islamic republic's leaders.
Oil-starved Cuba confirms talks with US
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed on Friday that his government had held talks with the United States, which has made no secret of its desire for regime change on the communist island.
Mideast war plunges Germany's energy-hungry industry into crisis
Germany's energy-hungry industries are sounding the alarm about the devastating impacts of the Middle East war as companies battle problems from surging power costs to snarled supply chains.
'Never forget': Ivory Coast commemorates 2016 jihadist attack on resort
Ivory Coast on Friday commemorated the 19 victims of a jihadist attack on a popular beach resort a decade ago.
Macron pledges no 'respite' for Russia despite Mideast war
French President Emmanuel Macron Friday vowed to keep up pressure on Russia to end its four-year invasion of Ukraine after Washington partially rolled back sanctions against Moscow to cool oil prices sent soaring by the Middle East war.
Dubai's low-paid workers on edge as Mideast war hits tourism
For thousands of workers in Dubai's tourism sector, the Middle East war has brought business to a standstill -- leaving their income suddenly at risk.
Airport workers miss pay as US government shutdown hits one month
US airport security officers missed their first full paycheck Friday as a partial funding shutdown of the government approached the one-month mark, with no breakthrough in a congressional standoff that is beginning to disrupt travel across the country.
'Talking drum' looted by France in 1916 back in Ivory Coast
The Djidji Ayokwe "talking drum", which was looted by French colonial troops in 1916 and taken to France, arrived back in Ivory Coast Friday, in the latest repatriation of stolen artefacts.
Trump says 'honor' to be killing Iranian military
President Donald Trump said Friday he feels honored to be killing Iran's leadership, calling them "deranged scumbags."
US economic growth sharply lower than estimated in fourth quarter
The US economy grew at a significantly slower pace than initially estimated for the final months of 2025, government data showed Friday, a major downgrade that comes as fallout from war in the Middle East looms.
Poland vows to ensure EU defence funding after presidential veto
Poland's centrist government on Friday unveiled a "Plan B" for financing the modernisation of its military and arms industry, after nationalist President Karol Nawrocki's veto of nearly 44 billion euros in European loans.
Deadly blast rocks Iran as leaders rally in show of defiance
Deadly explosions rocked Tehran close to a pro-government rally attended by top officials Friday, as Israel and Iran unleashed fresh strikes in a war that has ignited the Middle East and threatens to torpedo the world economy.
Zelensky meets Macron for talks on pressuring Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday for talks aimed at ramping up pressure on Russia to end its four-year invasion.
EU states back ban on AI generating sexualised deepfakes
EU nations on Friday backed a ban on AI systems generating sexualised deepfakes, after an outcry over such images produced by Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok.
Iran drone kills French soldier in Iraqi Kurdistan
An Iranian drone has killed a French soldier in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, his commanding officer said on Friday, after President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the first French military death in the Middle East war.
Iran strikes end Dubai dreams for Pakistani workers
Abdul Malick sat among mourning relatives in his village in southern Pakistan, receiving condolences from neighbours after his nephew, Muzaffar Ali, was killed in Dubai last week.
'Every day I can see missiles, hear explosions': sailor stuck in Gulf
"I am worried," a sailor stuck in the Gulf told AFP on Friday, his vessel unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, blocked for nearly two weeks after US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Sri Lanka to repatriate remains of 84 Iranians killed in US attack
Sri Lanka is repatriating on Friday the remains of 84 Iranian sailors who perished when their frigate was sunk nine days ago by a US submarine, the Foreign Ministry said.