Blasts in Tehran Explosions hit the Iranian capital on Monday, an AFP journalist reported, hours after Israel said it conducted large-scale overnight strikes. The blasts were heard in central Tehran as air defence systems were activated, the journa...

Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv was also under bombardment, the mayor said, adding that one person was wounded and transport infrastructure was damaged. Russian forces have stepped up long-range drone and missile attacks over recent months, m...

Global oil prices have surged by 40 to 50 percent after Iran attacked shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and launched waves of missile and drone strikes on targets in the Gulf, in retaliation for the war launched against it by the United States and Is...

"I literally saw hell," said the 34-year-old Iranian Kurd in Sulaimaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan's second city, as he showed AFP photos he took during recent anti-government protests of bodies lying on the bloodied ground. But his biggest worry today is ...

IS seized large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, declaring a so-called "caliphate" there. In August of that year, they murdered thousands of Yazidi men in Iraq's Sinjar province, and took into Syria thousands of women and girls to se...

The snow gun, made by Beijing-based Carving Ski, costs about a third less than Western brands such as Italian giant TechnoAlpin, Carving resort manager Tang Lingling told AFP on a crisp February morning at the bottom of the slopes. "By producing an...

"In the current Iran situation, we are not at the moment considering issuing a maritime security operation," Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told parliament. Trump called for reinforcements on Saturday from countries including Japan after earlier...

The fantasy flick, a clash of good versus evil drawing heavily on Korean mythology and driven by a pulsing K-pop soundtrack, won the Academy Awards for best animated feature and best original song at Sunday's ceremony in Hollywood. It had already b...

Crude shot up in the opening minutes after the US president said at the weekend that forces struck military targets on Kharg Island, a scrubby stretch of land in the Gulf that handles almost all of Iran's oil exports. He also warned attacks could e...

The Irish had their hands -- virtually -- on the Six Nations trophy until Thomas Ramos grabbed it back for France with the very last kick of a thrilling tournament, to secure victory over England on Saturday. Just as last year, the French were the ...

The competition featured a record 211 tries with a series of swashbuckling displays, shock results and wildly swinging fortunes. But with all the excitement and drama, it could not be ignored the six teams conceded a record 211 tries too. France m...

Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham have seemingly insurmountable mountains to climb, even with home advantage this week, as they trail by three goals against Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid respectively. Liverpool and Arsen...

The links raise fresh questions about supply chains in the biofuel sector, experts said, and follow persistent allegations of fraud involving palm oil products used as fuel feedstocks. There is no suggestion that Eni, Neste or other companies suppl...

The Thai-registered Mayuree Naree was hit by two projectiles on Wednesday while transiting through the Gulf waterway, after departing a port in the United Arab Emirates. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had struck the Thai ship, as well as a L...

Teammate George Russell took the chequered flag in the sprint but there were big problems for Red Bull's Max Verstappen while both McLarens, including world champion Lando Norris, failed to even start the race. AFP Sport looks at three talking poin...