AFP news

Playing a monotonous sound stimulates the activity of a fungus that promotes plant growth, a study suggested on Wednesday, raising the potential that playing music could be good for crops and gardens.

A Netflix period war drama produced by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook will open Asia's largest film festival Wednesday, the first time a streaming title has kicked off the event.

A Brazilian judge on Tuesday ordered the unblocking of the bank accounts of Elon Musk's X in the country after the social media platform agreed to pay more than $5 million in fines.

The two candidates for US president offer starkly different visions of the world, with November's election carrying the potential to dramatically change policy toward Ukraine and other partners.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday told Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin he was ready to "expand" cooperation, as the two leaders exchanged congratulations on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, state media said.

Israel's onslaught against Hezbollah in Lebanon is reassuring for Turkey, which could seize the opportunity to strengthen its regional influence in the face of its rival Iran, analysts told AFP. Despite being one of Israel's fiercest critics, Turkey has been measured in its response to the blows struck against the Shiite militant group, armed and financed by Tehran, including the killing of its leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Tech giant Oracle on Wednesday said it plans to invest more than $6.5 billion on cloud services data centres in Malaysia, joining a list of US titans rushing to build up their AI infrastructure in Southeast Asia.

Ukraine's army said Wednesday it had withdrawn from the eastern town of Vugledar, handing Russia one of its most significant territorial gains in weeks.

Keir Starmer arrived in Brussels on Wednesday on his first visit as British prime minister, looking to build on a promised "reset" of relations with the European Union after the rancour of Brexit.

On the streets of Tehran, a small crowd celebrated Iran's missile attack on Israel while others are worried about the consequences of the Islamic Republic's boldest move yet in a year of escalating Middle East conflict.

US vice presidential candidates J.D. Vance and Tim Walz met Tuesday in likely their only live and televised face-to-face debate.

Afghan journalists have reported hundreds of cases of abuses by government officials, including torture and arbitrary detention, as well as tightening censorship since the Taliban authorities returned to power.

Oil prices extended a rally Wednesday after Iran's missile attack on Israel fanned fears of a Middle East-wide conflict, while the Hong Kong market ploughed on with its China-fuelled surge with more big gains.

At the border with Iran, streams of Afghan refugees return with children in their arms, their entire worldly possessions contained in a large bag.

Arsenal beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in their heavyweight Champions League duel on Tuesday, while last season's beaten finalists Borussia Dortmund gave Celtic a brutal reality check with an emphatic 7-1 win in Germany.

Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in Tuesday as Mexico's first woman president, inheriting a country beset by gang violence and economic uncertainty over controversial reforms passed by her powerful ruling party.

US vice presidential contenders J.D. Vance and Tim Walz face off in what could be an unusually important undercard debate Tuesday as they compete for decisive votes in America's heartland just weeks before the election.

Tens of thousands of workers at major ports on the US East and Gulf Coasts went on strike Tuesday in an action that could drag on the world's largest economy just ahead of a November presidential election.

Jimmy Carter celebrated his 100th birthday on Tuesday -- the first ever US president to reach the century mark and another extraordinary milestone for the one-time peanut farmer who found his way to the White House.

Jimmy Carter holds a unique place in US politics: he is the oldest former president and a Nobel peace laureate, who left office under a cloud of unpopularity and has seen his star rise ever since.

France's new Prime Minister Michel Barnier pledged new taxes and spending cuts Tuesday to reduce a "colossal" debt, in a policy address that met with a raucous reception from lawmakers who could topple his government at any time.

Nearly a year of devastating war has left Gaza's 2.4 million people enduring a humanitarian tragedy, with children in the besieged territory the most vulnerable, a UNICEF official told AFP in an interview.

"Fortnite"-maker Epic Games is suing tech giants Google and Samsung, it announced Monday, accusing them of illegally colluding to block competition on Samsung devices.

Every year in India's megacity Kolkata, the world's oldest trade gets fleeting respect from an ancient custom -- when soil outside brothels is considered sacred and collected for Hindu rituals.

British rock band Coldplay's upcoming tour of India has triggered a police investigation and dismayed fans after scalpers bought up cheap tickets to resell online for more than $1,000 apiece.

The eurozone's annual inflation rate fell to its lowest level in three-and-a-half years in September, official data showed Tuesday, dropping below the European Central Bank's two-percent target and fuelling expectations of a rate cut.

German chemicals group Covestro said Tuesday it had accepted a takeover bid from UAE state energy company ADNOC, as one of the key sectors in Europe's largest economy is gripped by crisis.

A Russian strike on a southern Ukraine market killed six people on Tuesday as the nation held a moment of silence to mark a major public holiday honouring troops, authorities said.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange said on Tuesday he was released after years of incarceration only because he pleaded guilty to doing "journalism", warning freedom of expression was now at a "dark crossroads".