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German naval ambitions suffer setback as warship order axed
Germany on Wednesday pulled the plug on its largest naval order in decades after the anti-submarine warship project suffered delays, a setback for the country's ambitions to overhaul its military.
Stocks rebound after tech rout, oil prices drop
Stock markets rebounded slightly Wednesday from the previous day's rout in technology shares caused by concerns over massive AI spending.
London police to extend use of live facial recognition, drones
London's Metropolitan Police force said Wednesday it will expand the use of drones, artificial intelligence and live facial recognition technology, which has been criticised by rights campaigners.
Australia spy chief warns of Iran terror threat
An Australian citizen living in Iran who was a senior member of its Revolutionary Guards orchestrated a major antisemitic firebomb attack in Sydney, Australia's spy chief said Wednesday.
Europe swelters under record-breaking heatwave
Europe struggled to cope with a record-breaking heatwave on Wednesday, with at least 94 million people expected to experience temperatures above 35C, most of them in France and Spain.
Heatwave-hit Europe must adapt healthcare: WHO
The heatwave gripping Europe is putting people's health at risk, and the continent's leaders must invest in making their health services more climate-resilient, the WHO chief said Wednesday.
Iran says deal to end Mideast war 'declaration of US defeat'
Iran called the deal it struck to end the Middle East war "a declaration of America's defeat" on Wednesday, as the top US diplomat kicked off a tour of Gulf countries hit hardest by Tehran.
Euclid telescope snaps best photo yet of Milky Way's heart
The Euclid space telescope has captured the largest and most detailed photo ever taken of our galaxy's crowded heart, a dazzling image packed with 60 million stars, the European Space Agency said Wednesday.
S.Korea chip giant SK hynix seeks $29 bn in Nasdaq listing: regulatory filing
South Korea's SK hynix, a maker of memory chips for artificial intelligence data centres, said Wednesday it plans to raise 45.45 trillion won ($29 billion) through a listing on Wall Street's tech-heavy Nasdaq stock index.
French-German tank maker KNDS fires starting gun on mega-IPO
French-German tank maker KNDS said Wednesday that it would launch a stock market flotation in Paris and Frankfurt within weeks, firing the starting gun on Europe's biggest defence sector IPO in years.
'Pragmatists' vs 'hardliners': Is Iran split over US deal?
Factional divisions and opposition to talks with the United States exist within the Iranian hierarchy, but such splits will not suffice on their own to derail the negotiating process, analysts say.
Right-winger Fujimori poised to win Peru president runoff
Conservative Keiko Fujimori appeared on Tuesday to win Peru's presidential election, setting the stage for the return of the Fujimori name to power decades after her father's fall.
H5 bird flu detected in second Australia state
Scientists have detected the highly contagious H5 bird flu strain in a second Australian state, the nation's agriculture minister said on Wednesday.
Major power outage in France as Europe wilts under record heat
Europe braced Wednesday for another day of a sweltering heatwave that has smashed records, left tens of thousands of people without power and sent air conditioner sales zooming in a continent unused and ill equipped to handle searing heat.
Brazil aim for last 32 as World Cup goes into hectic phase
Brazil will seek to book their place in the last 32 of the World Cup on Wednesday when they face Scotland as the tournament shifts to a breathless six games a day.
Back in stork: returning birds bring joy to Croatian village
Spring brings flocks of noisy visitors to the sleepy Croatian village of Cigoc, outnumbering the locals, filling prime rooftop real estate and flying off again without spending a single cent.
Necessity drives gold miners in DR Congo's Ebola epicentre
In the mines of Mongbwalu, the epicentre of an Ebola outbreak in the northeastern Democratic Republic Congo, gold prospectors have no choice but to overcome their fear of the virus and carry on their backbreaking work.
China premier urges AI governance to avoid 'losing control'
The world risks "losing control" of frontier technology such as artificial intelligence if governments are too slow to regulate it, China's premier warned attendees at "Summer Davos" on Wednesday.
Japan PM heckled at WWII memorial
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was heckled at a World War II memorial event by protesters angry about Tokyo's further shift away from its decades-long pacifist stance, television footage showed.
Colombia beat DR Congo 1-0 to reach World Cup knockouts
Colombia finally broke down a stubborn DR Congo side on Tuesday to secure a 1-0 win that guaranteed their place in the World Cup knockout rounds.
Hanoi residents mount silent protest over home demolitions
Silent prayer vigils, cautiously worded protest banners and T-shirts pleading for neighbourhoods to be spared -- Hanoi residents are showing rare public opposition to a massive redevelopment scheme that could displace hundreds of thousands.
West Indies brace for Sri Lanka challenge as Da Silva returns
After a rain-ruined ODI series and a hard-fought T20 seriss, West Indies and Sri Lanka renew their Test rivalry in the Caribbean on Thursday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
US Congress passes symbolic Iran war rebuke to Trump
The US Senate passed a largely symbolic resolution Tuesday calling for an end to President Donald Trump's war with Iran, delivering a fresh rebuke to the White House as it tries to negotiate a lasting settlement with Tehran.
Stokes urged to use curfew controversy as fuel to beat New Zealand
Brendon McCullum has challenged England captain Ben Stokes to use the controversy over his curfew breach as fuel to inspire a series-clinching victory in the third Test against New Zealand.
Bolivia's government is 'stoking a civil war,' ex-president Evo Morales tells AFP
Former Bolivian president Evo Morales told AFP in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that the South American country's government is "stoking a civil war" with its "neoliberal politics."
Seoul bounces as Asian markets look to recover from rout
South Korean stocks bounced back Wednesday from the previous day's rout, while the rest of Asia battled to recover from a region-wide sell-off amid lingering concern about the AI spending boom.
Fans in China put politics aside to cheer Japan at World Cup
In a packed Shanghai sports bar, Chinese football fans erupted in frenzied delight as Japan's Ayase Ueda looped a header over Tunisia's goalkeeper to secure a 4-0 win in a World Cup group match.
North Korea's Kim unveils plans for 10,000-tonne warships, nuclear navy
North Korea will equip its navy with nuclear weapons and build larger warships, leader Kim Jong Un said according to state media Wednesday, as Pyongyang pushes ahead with a military expansion.
Geopolitics and AI in spotlight at China's 'Summer Davos'
Breakthroughs in technologies such as AI are touted as drivers of economic growth, but headwinds include concerns over job losses and geopolitical tensions, speakers told AFP at China's "Summer Davos" this week.
Ghosts of Gijon linger as new World Cup format encourages collusion
Algeria have waited 44 years for a shot at World Cup revenge against Austria, but the clash is one of many in the final round of group games where sides could settle for a mutually beneficial outcome.
Race for robotaxi market arrives in London
Bristling with sensors and electronic eyes, robotaxis are appearing on London's streets, slipping silently between red buses and black cabs, as companies battle to lead Europe's emerging autonomous vehicle market.
Panama out of World Cup after defeat to Croatia
Panama were eliminated from World Cup contention after Croatia kept their hopes of progressing to the last 32 alive with a hard-fought 1-0 win on Tuesday.