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Madagascar's president denounces 'coup' attempt in day of fresh protests
Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina condemned on Friday what he said was an attempt to topple his government as fresh protests flared against the political elite and years of misrule.

Stocks gain on AI optimism, US rate-cut hopes
Stock markets mostly rose Friday driven by investor optimism over AI and US rate-cut hopes, which overshadowed concerns about a government shutdown dragging on.

Carrefour name disappears from Arab stores as Israel boycotters claim victory
The Carrefour name has disappeared from storefronts in some Arab countries, with pro-Palestinian shoppers and activists hailing the shift as a victory for their boycott of brands perceived as being linked to Israel.

Russia-linked tanker stopped by France resumes voyage: vessel trackers
A tanker from Russia's "shadow fleet" detained by the French navy was heading towards the Suez Canal Friday with its captain back on board, according to data from maritime websites and a source close to the case.

Spain's Benidorm embraces its Franco-era mass tourism model
Fifty years after General Francisco Franco's death, Benidorm still clings to the mass tourism model it pioneered under his dictatorship, even as protests against overtourism sweep other Spanish holiday hotspots.

Munich airport resumes flights after drone sightings trigger closure
Germany's Munich airport restarted flights on Friday after several drone sightings forced its closure overnight, the latest in a string of similar aviation disruptions across Europe.

Munich airport halts flights after drone sightings
Germany's Munich airport halted flights after several drone sightings, a police spokesperson told AFP early Friday, the latest in a string of similar aviation disruptions across Europe.

Tech fans Tokyo rally on broadly positive day for Asian markets
A surge in tech firms helped Tokyo's Nikkei lead most Asian equities higher on Friday as investors headed into the weekend on a broadly positive note, with US rate-cut hopes out-muscling concerns about a government shutdown.

Virtual Jesus? People of faith divided as AI enters religion
Artificial intelligence, the technology upending nearly every corner of society, is creeping into religion, serving up virtual Jesus and automated sermons -- a change drawing mixed reviews from the faithful.

US farmers hit by trade war to get 'substantial' aid: Treasury chief
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaled Thursday that "substantial support" for farmers would be announced next week, particularly for those growing soybeans, as they struggle with fallout from President Donald Trump's trade conflicts.

US stocks end at records as government shutdown drags on
Wall Street stocks finished at fresh records again Thursday as a US government shutdown dragged into a second day.

US Treasury chief says 'fully prepared' to support struggling Argentina
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that his agency was "fully prepared to do what is necessary" in support of Argentina, a week after revealing both sides were in talks over an economic aid program.

Tech stocks fuel Asian and European gains, Wall Street wobbles
A surge in tech stocks helped fuel gains in Asia and Europe, but Wall Street wobbled as a partial US government shutdown entered a second day.

Tesla car sales lifted by end of US electric auto tax credit
Tesla reported higher global third-quarter auto deliveries on Thursday, joining a broad slate of automakers seeing a surge in electric vehicles ahead of the phaseout of a US tax credit.

Error 404: 48 hours of confusion in Afghanistan during internet blackout
Paralysed banks, grounded planes and chaotic hospitals: for two days, life ground to a halt in Afghanistan after the Taliban unexpectedly cut off the internet and phone networks.

France to try Chinese captain of Russia 'shadow fleet' vessel
A French court is to try the Chinese captain of a tanker from Russia's "shadow fleet" early next year, prosecutors said Thursday, after it was intercepted off the coast of France.

Germany reviews warship order after delays
Berlin said Friday it was reviewing a major warship order that has faced lengthy delays, as reports suggested a German group might take over the project from a Dutch shipbuilder.

Stock markets surge on tech rally, US rate hopes
Equities jumped Thursday thanks to gains in tech stocks and as weak US jobs data fanned optimism for more interest rate cuts, outweighing concerns over a partial government shutdown.

Paris fans now watching fashion shows like sports games
A giant screen, lots of cheering and applause: the scene inside La Caserne venue in trendy northeast Paris might feels like a sports bar. But the crowd there were watching live fashion, not football.

Dutch warning over 'annoying' chatbots
Dutch authorities told companies and organisations on Thursday they should not rely solely on chatbots to communicate with consumers, describing their use as "one of the biggest annoyances" customers face.

Markets surge on US rate hopes, tech fired by chip deal
Equities jumped Thursday after data showing job losses in the US private sector fanned optimism for more interest rate cuts and overshadowed a partial shutdown of the country's government.

UK supermarket Tesco lifts profit outlook on competitive prices
Britain's largest retailer Tesco on Thursday raised its 2025/2026 profit guidance as the supermarket chain won customers with competitive prices.

Addicts swap drug dens for support centre in Abidjan
In Ivory Coast's biggest city Abidjan, vulnerable drug addicts say that discovering a secluded care and support centre in an upscale part of the city has helped them to turn around their lives.

China's 'Great Green Wall' brings hope but also hardship
Inner Mongolian herder Dorj looked bitterly at the vast grasslands where his flock once grazed freely, before the practice was banned as part of a massive Chinese state greening project.

Elon Musk halfway to becoming world's first trillionaire: report
Billionaire Elon Musk, the world's richest person, is nearly halfway to becoming the planet's first trillionaire, Forbes magazine reported Wednesday.

Asian markets surge on US rate hopes, tech fired by chip deal
Asian equities jumped Thursday after data showing job losses in the US private sector fanned optimism for more interest rate cuts and overshadowed a partial shutdown of the country's government.

Trump wants Nobel but 'forgotten' peacemakers more likely, experts say
US President Donald Trump has made it clear he wants the Nobel Peace Prize when it is announced next week but experts predict he has little chance against those toiling on forgotten causes outside the limelight.

G7 ministers to target those increasing Russia oil purchases
G7 finance ministers pledged Wednesday to take aim at those who are continuing to step up purchases of Russian oil, since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.

Dow, S&P 500 end at records despite US government shutdown
Wall Street stocks rose again Wednesday, shrugging off the partial US government shutdown as major indices finished at records amid hopes for more Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.

First woman coach breaks barriers in Brazil basketball
Serbian-Australian basketball coach Jelena Todorovic wants to be more than just the first woman coaching a male team in Brazil, as she works on reversing the fortunes of players who finished bottom of the table last season.

Trump says to push China's Xi on soybeans as US farmers struggle
President Donald Trump signaled Wednesday that he plans to push Chinese leader Xi Jinping on US soybean purchases when they meet, as American farmers grapple with fallout from his trade wars.

French navy boards Russia 'shadow fleet' ship, arrests two
France has detained two senior crew members of a tanker linked to Russia, which data showed was off the Danish coast last month during mysterious drone flights, prosecutors said on Wednesday.