Showing 1 - 10 of 992
'Artists of steel': Japanese swords forge new fanbase
AFP, Published on 11/02/2026
» MISATO, SAITAMA (JAPAN) - Sparks illuminate the soot-covered studio of Japanese swordsmith Akihira Kawasaki as his apprentice hammers red-hot steel, showcasing a millennium-old craft now enjoying a resurgence in popularity.
Japan PM Takaichi basks in election triumph
AFP, Published on 09/02/2026
» TOKYO - Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was savouring an election triumph on Monday, with her ruling coalition projected to have won a two-thirds majority in the powerful lower house.
Cuban tourism in crisis; visitors repelled by fuel, power shortages
AFP, Published on 03/02/2026
» HAVANA - Cuba's tourism sector suffered a sharp decline in 2025, with shortages of basic goods repelling visitors even before the United States began strangling the island's fuel supply.
French museum fare hikes for non-European tourists spark outcry
AFP, Published on 13/01/2026
» PARIS — Should foreign tourists pay more for state-funded galleries than locals, or should art be accessible to all, without discrimination? France is hiking prices for non-Europeans at the Louvre this week, provoking debate about so-called "dual pricing".
New protests hit Iran as alarm grows over crackdown 'massacre'
AFP, Published on 11/01/2026
» PARIS (FRANCE) - Iranians took to the streets in new protests against the clerical authorities overnight despite an internet shutdown, as rights groups warned on Sunday that authorities were committing a "massacre" to quell the demonstrations.
Overseas scholars drawn to China's scientific clout, funding
AFP, Published on 07/01/2026
» SHANGHAI - China's government has long made efforts to tempt top scientists from abroad, but researchers say its institutions themselves are increasingly attracting talent thanks to their generous funding and growing prestige.
Australia falls silent, lights candles for Bondi Beach shooting victims
AFP, Published on 21/12/2025
» SYDNEY - Australians fell silent in flickering candlelight Sunday to honour the Bondi Beach shooting victims, marking one week since gunmen fired into crowds at a Jewish festival.
Louvre Museum closed as workers strike
AFP, Published on 15/12/2025
» PARIS (FRANCE) - The Louvre Museum closed its doors to thousands of disappointed visitors on Monday as staff launched a strike to protest working conditions at the Paris landmark, two months after a shocking robbery.
In Jerusalem, Merz reaffirms Germany's support for Israel
AFP, Published on 07/12/2025
» JERUSALEM - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaffirmed Berlin's support for Israel during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem on Sunday before talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Despite hurdles, Toronto will be 'ready' for World Cup
AFP, Published on 27/11/2025
» TORONTO — The 2026 World Cup will be the first played across three countries -- but unlike the United States and Mexico, Canada has never hosted before.