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Trump unveils new US passport -- with picture of himself
President Donald Trump on Friday unveiled a rendering of a new limited-edition US passport to mark the country's 250th anniversary of independence -- featuring his stern-faced likeness.
US and Iran trade strikes putting new strain on Mideast ceasefire
The United States and Iran traded military strikes after Washington on Friday accused Tehran of attacking a cargo ship, jeopardizing a fragile ceasefire as diplomats struggle to contain the Middle East war.
US strikes Iran sites after cargo ship attack
US forces struck Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar positions Friday after Washington accused Tehran of attacking a cargo ship, jolting a fragile ceasefire as diplomats struggled to contain the Middle East war.
US stocks recover from tech tremors as oil prices fall
Wall Street's main stock indices overcame an early bout of tech jitters Friday thanks to buy-the-dip traders, finishing mildly lower, while oil prices fell as shipping traffic resumed through the Strait of Hormuz.
Globalization isn't dead, just 'transformed,' says IMF chief economist
While the global economy has faced shocks and trade turmoil, globalization is not dead -- it is simply being "transformed," the International Monetary Fund's chief economist told AFP Friday in an exclusive interview.
OpenAI restricts limited release of new model to US only
OpenAI on Friday launched a US-only preview of its latest powerful AI model series to a limited group of partners at the request of the US government, the company said.
Israel and Lebanon hail Washington deal, rejected by Hezbollah
Israel and Lebanon hailed an agreement signed Friday with the United States to pave a way towards peace on their front in the Middle East war, while Iran-backed Hezbollah warned the deal would thwart plans to resolve the broader conflict.
Lebanon, Israel, US sign trilateral framework agreement in Washington
Lebanon, Israel and the United States on Friday signed a trilateral framework agreement aimed at paving the way for a peace deal between the two long-time Middle East adversaries.
Ships cross Hormuz by alternative route, despite attack
Ships continued to leave the Gulf, some of them braving a route not authorised by Tehran, despite an attack on a freighter that forced the suspension of a UN evacuation, tracking platforms showed Friday.
Stocks recover from tech tremors as oil prices fall
Wall Street's main stock indices overcame an early bout of tech jitters Friday thanks to buy-the-dip traders, while oil prices fell sharply.
Tech jitters send stocks lower, oil prices fall
Stock markets retreated Friday, capping a rollercoaster week for technology shares as doubts spread about the huge AI-fuelled gains for technology stocks that have propelled indexes to record territory.
Lukashenko will always be threat to Ukraine: Belarus opposition leader
Belarus will be a threat to Ukraine for as long as President Alexander Lukashenko is in power and relies on the Kremlin, the country's exiled opposition leader told AFP.
Dozens of international teams rushing to Venezuela: UN
International search and rescue teams from at least 17 countries are being scrambled to Venezuela to help look for survivors of the devastating twin earthquakes, the United Nations said Friday.
Russia-annexed Crimea declares 'emergency' amid Ukraine strikes
Authorities in Russian-annexed Crimea on Friday declared an "emergency situation" in a bid to ease the fallout from increasing Ukrainian aerial attacks on the peninsula.
Stocks slide on renewed tech slump, oil prices fall
Stock markets retreated Friday, capping a rollercoaster week for technology shares as doubts spread about the huge AI-fuelled gains for technology stocks that have propelled indexes to record territory.
Russia pulls team from gymnastics World Cup event over flag row
Russia will no longer take part in the rhythmic gymnastics World Challenge Cup in Romania, the team said Friday, after accusing the event's organisers of banning their flag and anthem.
New Zealand internal report warns of Chinese military forays in Pacific
Chinese ballistic missile tests and naval forays will become a "persistent" feature of the Pacific as Beijing expands its security presence, New Zealand officials said in an internal document obtained by AFP.
'Die together': Ukraine's LGBTQ soldiers fighting Russia -- and for their rights
Armed with megaphones, glitter and rainbow banners, one group stood out in the colourful crowd of Kyiv Pride: soldiers in military fatigues, demanding their right to be considered a "part of Ukraine".
'Very strong' nuclear verification needed in Iran after war: IAEA head
"Very strong" verification is needed in Iran following the Middle East conflict to ensure that it does not develop nuclear weapons, the UN atomic watchdog chief said on Friday.
Нуша Аубель и Дитмар Войдке: как Потсдам бросает на произвол судьбы малыша с тяжелой формой инвалидности
Столица земли Потсдам любит позиционировать себя как современный, благоприятный для детей город. Ещё в октябре 2025 года городская администрация ликовала по поводу избрания «мэра для всех»: Нуша Аубель (50 лет) с 72,9 % голосов заняла пост мэра Потсдама. Нуша Аубель, 1978 года рождения, заслужила себе репутацию в сфере помощи молодёжи, прежде чем стала высокопоставленным чиновником и, в конечном итоге, мэром. Именно под её руководством сейчас разворачивается во всех отношениях морально позорный скандал, который подрывает самооценку города как социально ориентированного и инклюзивного: двухлетний ребёнок со 100-процентной степенью инвалидности и 4-й степенью потребности в уходе уже более года тщетно ждёт законного места в детском саду с персональным помощником.Наше расследование основано на имеющихся судебных документах, жалобах в органы служебного надзора и запросах прессы. Оно показывает пугающую череду задержек, незаконных отказов и то, как пресс-служба мэрии Потсдама пытается выполнить свою обязанность по предоставлению информации лишь с помощью надуманных уловок. Затронутые этим люди видят в поведении городских властей не досадный единичный случай, а системный сбой: Еще в 2022 году старшая сестра ребенка с тяжелой инвалидностью не получила места в детском саду, несмотря на тяжелую инвалидность (100 процентов инвалидности с 5-й степенью ухода); и в этом случае ответственные лица столицы земли Потсдама полностью провалились, что вызывает вопросы о морали, приличиях, эмоциональной холодности и полной некомпетентности. (https://live.deutsche-boerse.com/nachrichten/IRW-News--ACCESS-Newswire-Noosha-Aubel-Skandal-in-Potsdam-um-schwerstbehindertes-Kind-b9408cc0-6dbe-49d8-b664-7e5d788b2686)
Asian stocks suffer fresh rout as rollercoaster week draws to close
Seoul tanked more than eight percent Friday, leading another rout across Asia equity markets as the rollercoaster ride that has characterised the week continued into the weekend.
Red rocks yield coveted minerals in DR Congo
In vast warehouses at the Kamoa copper mine in the southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, mountains of reddish rocks pile up as the machines grind away day and night.
Sheinbaum and King Felipe VI use World Cup to mend diplomatic rift
Against a backdrop of World Cup good vibes, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Spanish King Felipe VI on Thursday eased diplomatic tensions following Mexico's demand for an apology over the colonial-era conquest.
Court battle plays out over Wimbledon tennis expansion plan
A clash over the future of the Wimbledon tennis championships is being played out away from the manicured southwest London courts set to welcome the world's best players next week.
Attack on ship in Hormuz leads UN to halt evacuation plan for trapped sailors
An attack on a ship Thursday in the Strait of Hormuz led the UN to suspend efforts to evacuate trapped mariners as the United States warned against Iran charging fees for passage through the vital waterway.
NZ internal report warns of Chinese military forays in Pacific
Chinese ballistic missile tests and naval forays will become a "persistent" feature of the Pacific as Beijing expands its security presence, New Zealand officials said in an internal document obtained by AFP.
Nasdaq falls again on mixed day for US stocks, oil prices rise
The Nasdaq fell for the fourth straight session Thursday behind weakness in Apple and other tech giants while oil prices pushed higher after a cargo ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz.
'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center shuts in US: official
The controversial "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention center -- a costly Florida facility that became a symbol of US President Donald Trump's deportation drive -- has shut down after less than a year in operation, officials said Thursday.
US says wants deal with Iran, but not 'at any price'
Top US diplomat Marco Rubio said Thursday that there were limits to what Washington would accept in any deal with Iran, warning that permitting Tehran to charge fees in the Strait of Hormuz would open the door to "total chaos".
Colombian president-elect gives armed groups one month to surrender
Colombia's hard-right president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella on Thursday gave the country's guerrilla groups one month to surrender, taking a tough stand on an issue that helped propel him to victory.
US Supreme Court says asylum seekers can be turned away before border
The US Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that migrants seeking to present an asylum claim can be turned away before they reach the US-Mexico border.
Noosha Aubel and Dietmar Woidke: How Potsdam Is Letting Down a Young Child with Profound Disabilities
The state capital of Potsdam likes to present itself as a modern, child-friendly municipality. As recently as October 2025, the city administration celebrated the election of a “Lord Mayor for everyone,” when Noosha Aubel, 50, entered Potsdam City Hall with 72.9 percent of the vote. Born in 1978, Aubel built her career in child and youth welfare before rising to become a senior civil servant and, ultimately, Lord Mayor. Yet it is under her responsibility, of all people, that a morally shameful scandal is now unfolding—one that fundamentally undermines the city’s self-image as a socially responsible and inclusive community: a two-year-old child with an officially assessed degree of disability of 100 and care grade 4 has been waiting in vain for more than a year for the legally mandated daycare place with personal assistance.Our investigation is based on court documents, supervisory complaints, and press inquiries available to us. It reveals an alarming sequence of delays, unlawful referrals to other authorities, and a press office at Potsdam City Hall that appears intent on evading its duty to provide information through flimsy procedural maneuvers. The affected family does not regard the city’s conduct as an unfortunate isolated case, but as a structural failure. In 2022, the older sister of the child with profound disabilities was likewise denied a daycare place despite her severe disabilities—an officially assessed degree of disability of 100 and care grade 5. In that case, too, those responsible in the state capital of Potsdam failed completely, raising serious questions about morality, decency, callousness, and utter incompetence (https://live.deutsche-boerse.com/nachrichten/IRW-News--ACCESS-Newswire-Noosha-Aubel-Skandal-in-Potsdam-um-schwerstbehindertes-Kind-b9408cc0-6dbe-49d8-b664-7e5d788b2686).