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Iran protest movement subsides in face of 'brutal' crackdown
The protest movement in Iran has subsided after a crackdown that has killed thousands under an internet blackout, monitors said Friday, one week after the start of the biggest protests in years challenging the Islamic republic's theocratic system.
Spanish singer Julio Iglesias says abuse allegations 'absolutely false'
Spain's veteran singer and cultural icon Julio Iglesias on Friday rejected allegations of abuse lodged against him by two women ex-employees, in a case that has dominated headlines.
Malnutrition having 'harrowing' impact on Afghan women: WFP
A worsening malnutrition crisis is having dire effects on women and girls in Afghanistan who are failed by the international community, the World Food Programme's top official in the country told AFP.
US strikes deal with Taiwan to cut tariffs, boost chip investment
Taiwan vowed Friday to remain the world's "most important" AI chipmaker, after reaching a trade deal with the United States that will reduce tariffs on the island's shipments and increase Taiwanese investment on US soil.
China's 2025 economic growth likely slowest in decades: analysts
China's economy likely grew last year at its weakest rate in three decades, outside of the pandemic, according to an AFP survey of analysts ahead of official data on Monday.
Libyan filmmaker fights for cinema revival
Mouayed Zabtia shoots most scenes for his latest movie in a studio he built at his Tripoli home. For the filmmaker, it is one way to overcome the obstacles he faces in a country where cinema once nearly vanished.
Afghan man goes on trial over deadly Munich car-ramming
An Afghan man goes on trial in Germany on Friday accused of ramming a car into a crowd in Munich last year, killing a two-year-old girl and her mother and injuring dozens.
As Trump turns screws, how long can Europe play nice?
One headspinning year down, three more to go.
Venezuelan interim leader vows oil sector reform after Maduro ouster
Venezuela's interim president on Thursday announced pending legal reforms to the country's critical fossil fuel sector, as she seeks to recalibrate ties with Washington following the US military ouster of her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro.
Twenty-six charged in latest basketball gambling scandal
Twenty-six people have been charged with fixing US college and Chinese professional basketball games in an alleged transnational criminal conspiracy, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
Venezuela's Machado meets Trump for 'positive' talks despite snub
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado met Donald Trump Thursday for what the White House called "positive" talks -- despite the US president sidelining her and openly coveting her Nobel Peace Prize.
US says Iran halts executions as Gulf allies pull Trump back from strike
The United States on Thursday said Iran halted 800 executions of protesters under pressure from President Donald Trump, after Gulf allies appeared to pull him back from military action over Tehran's deadly crackdown on demonstrations.
Goldman Sachs' profits jump on hot merger market
Goldman Sachs' quarterly profits jumped on robust merger activity as clients seize a "window" of opportunity during the Trump administration, bank officials said Thursday.
Venezuela's sidelined Machado arrives at White House for Trump talks
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado arrived at the White House on Thursday for talks with US President Donald Trump, who has sidelined her since toppling Nicolas Maduro -- and who openly covets her Nobel Peace Prize.
Oil prices slump after Trump eases concerns over Iran
Oil prices tumbled Thursday after US President Donald Trump appeared to dial down threats of imminent military action on crude producer Iran.
Syrians flee Kurdish-controlled area near Aleppo
Syrians began fleeing an area east of Aleppo city on Thursday after the army gave civilians a deadline to leave amid fears of an escalation in clashes with Kurdish forces.
Pressure piles on Musk's X to curb sexualised deepfakes
More governments vowed crackdowns Thursday to prevent Grok, the AI chatbot on Elon Musk's X platform, from undressing or sexualizing images of real people in their jurisdictions, in a face of a growing backlash against the deepfakes.
Fatal back-to-back Thailand crane failures tied to same firm
The collapse of a highway construction crane killed two people near Bangkok on Thursday, with Thailand's leader vowing to blacklist the building firm which was also involved in a crane failure the day before that left 32 dead.
Oil prices tumble after Trump eases concerns over Iran
Oil prices slumped Thursday after US President Donald Trump appeared to dial down threats of imminent military action on crude producer Iran.
Russia expels UK diplomat accused of being spy
Russia said Thursday it was expelling a British diplomat, calling him an undercover spy in an accusation blasted by London as "malicious" and "baseless."
German economy returns to growth, but headwinds fierce
Germany's economy eked out meagre growth in 2025 and dodged a third straight year of recession, data showed Thursday, but Europe's languishing industrial powerhouse still faces huge challenges to return to long-term health.
Musk's Grok AI bot barred from undressing images after backlash
Elon Musk's platform X announced measures to prevent its AI chatbot Grok from undressing images of real people, but the Philippines on Thursday said it would become the latest country to block the online tool in a growing global backlash.
Uganda votes under internet blackout and polling delays
Ugandans found polling stations still not open hours after voting was due to start Thursday, as President Yoweri Museveni seeks to extend his 40-year rule amid an internet shutdown and a police crackdown on the opposition.
'Silent crisis': the generation of Salvadorans deprived of a dad
Jade comes home from school each day to feed the chickens at her home in the Central American nation of El Salvador with her classmates' taunts ringing in her ears.
Trump to host Venezuelan opposition leader sidelined by US
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Thursday with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, whose pro-democracy movement he has sidelined since toppling her country's leader, and whose Nobel Peace Prize he openly envies.
Taiwan's TSMC logs net profit jump on AI boom
Taiwanese chipmaking titan TSMC announced Thursday a forecast-busting net profit for the fourth quarter in a sign of sustained global demand for AI technology.
Fatal back-to-back crane failures tied to same Thai firm: minister
The collapse of a highway construction crane killed two people near Bangkok on Thursday, with a Thai minister saying the building firm was also involved in a crane failure the day before that left 32 dead.
Uganda votes under internet blackout and police crackdown
Uganda was on edge as it headed for elections on Thursday, with President Yoweri Museveni expected to extend his 40-year rule amid an internet shutdown and a police crackdown on the opposition.
Spanish singer Julio Iglesias prepares defence against abuse allegations: Hola! magazine
Veteran Spanish singer Julio Iglesias is preparing his defence against sexual abuse and human trafficking allegations by two women ex-employees that have dominated headlines in Spain, celebrity magazine Hola! reported.
Trump says Iran killings stopped, Tehran says 'no plan for hanging'
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had been told the killings of protesters in Iran had been halted, but added that he would "watch it and see" about threatened military action.
US stocks fall again as Iran worries lift oil prices
Wall Street stocks fell again Wednesday as investors shrugged off solid bank earnings and US data while oil prices jumped on rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
'Bridgerton' premieres in Paris promising 'Cinderella with a twist'
The promoters of Bridgerton, the most English of TV series, chose Paris Wednesday to launch the fourth series of the hit show whose key plotline promises to be "Cinderella with a twist", according to star Yerin Ha.