NEWS

The UN on Wednesday appealed for more than $47 billion to deliver vital aid next year in a world ravaged by surging conflicts and the climate crisis, but warned many in need would not be reached.

Donald Trump's presidential election victory is fuelling fears that Britain must choose between its "special relationship" with the United States and forging closer ties with the European Union regarding trade.

US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened retaliation against governments that challenge the US dollar, vowing "100 percent tariffs" on countries that undercut the US currency.

The US government said Tuesday it was "disappointed" after nations negotiating a global treaty to curb plastic waste failed to reach a deal, blaming a "small group" of countries and producers for blocking progress.

Ukraine insisted Tuesday that NATO membership was the only "real guarantee" for its security as foreign ministers from the alliance looked set to rebuff Kyiv's push for an invite ahead of Donald Trump's return to the US presidency.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on Monday described as "very worrisome" the presence of a Russian attack submarine off the country's coast in the disputed South China Sea.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Monday warned her Chinese counterpart that Beijing's support for Moscow would impact ties and instead urged China to help end the Ukraine conflict.

A deadly stampede at a football match killed at least 56 people in Guinea's second city N'Zerekore, the junta-controlled government said Monday.

Due to the sweeping closure of service centers and call centers from Dec. 25 to 27, and Jan. 1, 2025, individuals will be required to report their income early and on a new reporting date to receive payment on time.

Japanese electronics giant Sony is set to celebrate 30 years since it launched the PlayStation console, the little grey box that catapulted the firm into the gaming big league.

A US offer to give Ukraine anti-personnel mines to help battle Russia's invasion has thrown a landmark global anti-landmine treaty into "crisis", campaigners said Friday, urging Kyiv to snub the proposal.

An Australian teenage news boss says landmark legislation barring under-16s from social media is a "really bad idea" that will stifle young people's creativity.

Donald Trump's tariff threats have rattled foreign businesses and governments, with many fearing it could signal the opening salvo of an all-out trade war when he returns to the White House next year.

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te will stop over in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam during a trip to the Pacific, his office said Thursday, eliciting a fresh vow from China to "resolutely crush" any attempts for Taiwan independence.

A Syria war monitor on Thursday said clashes between the army and jihadists killed more than 130 combatants in the worst fighting in the country's northwest in years, as the government also reported fierce battles.

Donald Trump on Tuesday named Jamieson Greer his trade representative, a key figure in implementing the president-elect's economic agenda, particularly his plans to use tariffs to raise revenue and help bring more manufacturing to US shores.

Germany's former chancellor Angela Merkel gives a spirited defence of her 16 years at the helm of Europe's top economy in her memoir "Freedom", released in 30 languages on Tuesday.

Australia's proposal to ban under-16s from social media platforms is "rushed", social media companies claimed Tuesday, expressing "serious concerns" about potential unintended consequences.

The planned reopening of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant is praised as a boon for Pennsylvania and a boost for AI, but it is loathed by residents still haunted by a near-catastrophic meltdown there in 1979.

Iran said Friday it would launch a series of "new and advanced" centrifuges in response to a resolution adopted by the UN nuclear watchdog that censures Tehran for what the agency called lack of cooperation.

A staggering 281 aid workers have been killed around the world so far this year, making 2024 the deadliest year for humanitarians, the UN aid chief said Friday.

A second young Australian tourist died in a Thai hospital on Friday, bringing the death toll related to suspected methanol poisoning during a night out in a Laos backpacker hotspot to six.

China's President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Brazil Wednesday, fresh off a warm reception at summits of the G20 and APEC groups, both held under the cloud of Donald Trump's White House return.

Russia on Wednesday accused the US of prolonging the "war in Ukraine" by stepping up weapons deliveries to Kyiv ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House.

European powers and the United States have submitted a resolution censuring Iran for its poor cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, diplomats told AFP on Wednesday, as Tehran warned of a "proportionate" response if it passes.

State-sponsored hackers were leveraging AI's popularity to infiltrate computer systems of businesses and organizations and then sitting dormant to remain undetected, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) said in a report.

Japan and Britain have agreed to hold regular high-level talks on economic security, Tokyo said Tuesday after the two countries' leaders met on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

G20 leaders met in Rio de Janeiro on Monday for talks on climate change, ongoing wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon, and more, at a forum that highlighted differences between world powers but also delivered some successes.

Donald Trump's allies voiced vehement criticism Monday of President Joe Biden's decision to let Ukraine use US-supplied long-range missiles for attacks inside Russia, accusing him of a dangerous escalation.