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Trump says cancelled envoys' Pakistan trip, but war not resuming
US President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled his envoys' planned trip to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran on Saturday, but said that did not mean an immediate resumption of the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic.
Russia pounds Ukraine's Dnipro for 20 hours straight, killing six
Relentless Russian barrages of drones and missiles pounded on Ukraine's central-eastern city of Dnipro for 20 hours straight, killing six people and wounding dozens, local authorities said on Saturday.
Germany blames Russia for Signal phishing attacks on MPs
Top officials in the German government on Saturday blamed Russia for repeated phishing attacks targeting lawmakers and senior administration officials using the Signal messaging app.
Iran FM leaves Pakistan ahead of planned visit by US envoys
Iran's foreign minister wrapped up a diplomatic visit to Islamabad on Saturday before the planned arrival of US negotiators, as Pakistani mediators pushed for new talks to end the Middle East war.
US envoys headed to Pakistan for Iran war talks
US envoys were expected in the Pakistani capital on Saturday to kickstart a new round of peace negotiations with Iran, although Iranian state media said Tehran's representatives had no immediate plans to hold face-to-face talks.
Mali junta battles 'terrorist groups' amid intense fighting
The army in junta-ruled Mali on Saturday battled what it called "terrorist groups" that launched surprise attacks around the capital Bamako and other parts of the west African nation.
Gunfire in Mali as army battles 'terrorist groups'
The army in junta-ruled Mali on Saturday battled "terrorist groups" it said had launched attacks across the west African nation stricken by more than a decade of jihadist conflict.
US envoys head to Pakistan for Iran war talks
US envoys headed to the Pakistani capital Saturday to kickstart a new round of peace negotiations with Iran, although Iranian state media said Tehran's envoys had no immediate plans to hold face-to-face talks.
From radiation to invasion: a Chernobyl worker's two wars
Nikolay Solovyov was on shift the night of April 26, 1986 when the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded. Instead of fleeing, he chose to fight his "first war" against radiation.
AI firms flex lobbying muscle on both side of Atlantic
AI developers are ramping up efforts to win over the hearts and minds of officials in Europe and the United States, hoping to sway governments as they weigh high-stake regulatory frameworks for the ever more powerful technology.
Palestinians vote in first elections since Gaza war
Palestinians in the West Bank and a central area of Gaza began voting Saturday in municipal elections in a first vote since the Gaza war, marked by a narrow political field and widespread disillusionment.
US envoys heading to Pakistan for uncertain Iran talks
US envoys headed to the Pakistani capital Saturday in a bid to kickstart a new round of peace negotiations with Iran amid a fragile ceasefire, though the prospect of direct talks remained uncertain.
Crunch nuclear proliferation meeting at UN amid raging global wars
Signatories of the landmark nuclear non-proliferation treaty will meet at the UN from Monday as hopes fade they can reach agreement and tensions soar between the atomic powers.
Palestinians to vote in first elections since Gaza war
Palestinians in the West Bank and a central area of Gaza head to the polls Saturday for municipal elections in a first vote since the Gaza war, marked by a narrow political field and widespread disillusionment.
Pragmatism, not patriotism, pushes young Lithuanians to military service
Outside a high school classroom in Vilnius, several students look apprehensive as they discuss their looming futures -– university, the job market and, for many of them, serving in the military.
Venezuela, Colombia pledge military cooperation on first post-Maduro visit
Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez and her Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro pledged military cooperation to combat "mafias" on their shared border, as Petro became the first foreign leader to visit Venezuela since the ouster of strongman Nicolas Maduro.
US hopes for progress, but Iran says not direct talks
Iran's foreign minister arrived in Islamabad on Friday and US envoys headed to the Pakistani capital in a bid to kickstart a new round of peace negotiations amid a fragile ceasefire.
UK PM vows legislation to ban Iran Guards: report
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to propose legislation within weeks to proscribe Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, a report said Friday.
S&P 500, Nasdaq end at records as Intel shares surge
Major Wall Street indices closed at fresh records as markets cheered the latest batch of earnings reports and US and Iranian officials headed to Pakistan for expected peace talks.
EU, US sign critical minerals plan to counter China reliance
The European Union and United States signed an agreement Friday to coordinate on the supply of critical minerals needed for key industries including defense, as China's dominance becomes a growing concern.
The 'housewives' did well -- Ukraine takes drone know-how abroad
Like something straight out of a spy movie, lots of cloak and dagger was required before AFP could meet three Ukrainian drone manufacturers on the fringes of a hush-hush defence forum in Paris earlier this month.
One injured in bomb attack on Colombia military base
A bomb attack against a military base in the Colombian city of Cali wounded one person on Friday, health authorities said, amid fears of violence ahead of May 31 presidential elections.
Envoys from Iran, US expected in Pakistan for new talks
Iran's foreign minister and envoys of US President Donald Trump were heading to Pakistan, their respective governments said Friday, in the first concrete sign of movement on renewed peace negotiations in nearly two weeks.
ILO names US official as number two amid grumbling over unpaid dues
After months of delay, the UN labour agency has appointed Trump administration official Sheng Li as its deputy director general, despite Washington's failure to pay its dues for two years.
Havana property market stirs as investors bet on political change
Havana's real estate market is showing glimmers of revival as investors bet that a political and economic revolution is coming to the Communist-governed island.
Children's lives at risk from US funding cuts to vaccine alliance: CEO
The head of a global vaccine organisation told AFP on Friday that aid cuts by the United States and other donors have forced it to slash its malaria programme in Africa, threatening tens of thousands of children's lives.
Lebanon truce extended as Pakistan bids to revive US-Iran talks
Israel and Lebanon extended their shaky ceasefire by three weeks on Friday, as Iran's foreign minister prepared for meetings with officials in Pakistan, which has been mediating efforts to end the wider Middle East war.
Merz says no 'immediate' Ukraine EU membership, floats Kyiv joining meetings
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday there was no prospect of Ukraine's "immediate accession" to the EU, but suggested Kyiv could join meetings of the bloc's members without voting rights.
Russia, Ukraine swap 193 POWs
Russia and Ukraine on Friday swapped 193 captured soldiers each, the second exchange this month in one of the few areas of cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv.
Macron leaves future open as political curtain nears
With just one year left in his second five-year term, French President Emmanuel Macron has said he will quit politics in 2027 -- leaving observers and supporters guessing about his next moves.
Germany launches spying probe into Signal attacks targeting MPs
German prosecutors Friday launched a spying investigation into phishing attacks targeting lawmakers on the Signal messaging app, with an MP saying the latest Russia-directed plot against Germany was a "wake-up call".
Oil prices fall on hopes of fresh Iran peace talks
Oil prices fell on Friday after it appeared a second round of Middle East talks was back on, bolstering prospects for an end to a war that has crippled energy shipments from the Gulf.