AFP news

July is on track to be the hottest month in recorded history, scientists confirmed Thursday, as UN chief Antonio Guterres warned Earth has moved into an "era of global boiling".

The United Nations said Thursday it was deeply concerned for the safety of hundreds of migrants stranded in Tunisia following their removal to remote parts of the North African country.

The Ukrainian crew of the Gepard is rather proud of the four Russian drones and two missiles daubed in white on the armoured chassis of their German-made anti-aircraft tank.

Ukraine's Olha Kharlan was disqualified from the world fencing championships for refusing to shake hands with her beaten Russian opponent on Thursday in a decision blasted as "absolutely shameful".

Do social media echo chambers deepen political polarization, or simply reflect existing social divisions?

A fired Twitter product manager said Elon Musk ran the company newly renamed X by instinct not data, surrounded by sycophants with his mood changing unpredictably.

Ford lifted its full-year forecast Thursday after quarterly earnings nearly tripled on strong vehicle pricing in conventional autos that offset losses in electric vehicles (EV).

The North African country has become a major gateway for irregular migrants and asylum-seekers attempting the perilous sea voyage in often rickety boats in the hope of a better life in Europe.

Nearly 100 pilot whales have died after beaching in Western Australia, wildlife officials said Thursday, following desperate rescue attempts.

China said Thursday it opposed "malicious hype" concerning this week's removal of foreign minister Qin Gang, as it continued to avoid questions about the senior diplomat's disappearance.

On the road linking Niger's capital Niamey with the south of the country, illegal fuel warehouses have closed and intrepid black-market touts waving petrol canisters at passing cars have become an endangered species.

The Russian president will on Thursday host leaders of African countries for a summit in his native Saint Petersburg, as the continent braces for the consequences of Moscow's withdrawal from the Ukraine grain export deal.

As Sahel countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso fell to military junta rule in recent years, Niger's Mohamed Bazoum stood as one of the region's few remaining pro-Western, democratically elected leaders.

Turkey's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday spoke in Ankara with the Palestinian president and the head of Hamas in the run-up to a crucial meeting of Palestinian factions set for the weekend.

Russia on Wednesday sentenced Ilya Sachkov, co-founder of the Group-IB cybersecurity firm, to 14 years in prison on treason charges, according to an AFP journalist in the Moscow court.

We are not alone -- and American authorities are covering up the evidence, a former US intelligence officer told a congressional committee on Wednesday.

Elon Musk is rebranding his Twitter platform as "X" and wants to create a super-app where users will do all their finances as well as their socialising.

Coca-Cola lifted its full-year earnings targets Wednesday after second-quarter results topped estimates as it described plans to limit additional price hikes to emerging markets with the most intense inflation.

African migrants pleaded to be saved from a desert zone between Libya and Tunisia on Wednesday, weeks after Tunisian authorities allegedly dumped dozens of them there with nothing.

Internet privacy company Proton announced Wednesday a new VPN Observatory, tracking demand for its services to detect attacks on free speech in countries like Russia and Iran before they hit the headlines.

Major stock markets mostly retreated Wednesday as a China-induced rally gave way to cautious trading ahead of a Federal Reserve policy decision, with fresh data reviving the possibility of more US rate hikes before the end of the year.

Members of Niger's Presidential Guard on Wednesday sealed off the residence and offices of President Mohamed Bazoum, a source close to Bazoum said, describing the move as a "fit of temper" by the elite troops and that "talks" were underway.

Weary Kenyans on Wednesday voiced cautious optimism for an end to political unrest after President William Ruto said he was ready to meet opposition leader Raila Odinga "anytime" following months of anti-government protests.

The US Federal Reserve is poised to announce a fresh quarter percentage-point hike to its benchmark lending rate on Wednesday to tackle inflation, while keeping the option open for more such moves in the coming months.

Crisis-hit Lebanon -- which has no president and is ruled by a caretaker government -- will also have to go without a central bank chief from next week, says the country's deputy premier.

Tech titans Google and Microsoft announced better-than-expected earnings on Tuesday as the frenzy over artificial intelligence stokes investor excitement and breathes a new life into the sector.

A former US Marine who spent more than two years in a Russian prison was injured fighting in Ukraine, the State Department confirmed Tuesday.

Around 300 protesters rallied in Tunis Tuesday to mark the second anniversary of President Kais Saied's adoption of sweeping powers, and to demand the release of about 20 detained opposition figures.

Libyan border guards have recovered the bodies of several migrants from a desert area where many have reportedly been forcibly taken by Tunisian authorities, Tripoli's interior ministry said Tuesday.