G7 ministers set to tackle financial fallout of Mideast war

Amsterdam on Wednesday celebrated 25 years since same-sex weddings were legalised, with Rob Jetten, the first openly gay Dutch prime minister, as guest of honour. 

The Netherlands made history on April 1, 2001, when it became the world's first country to legalise gay marriage.  

Nearly 36,000 same-sex couples have tied the knot in the quarter-century since, according to the Dutch statistics bureau. Three more made their solemn matrimonial vows shortly after midnight at a ceremony marking the milestone. 

"I was 14 years old when, 25 years ago, the first marriages took place here in Amsterdam," Jetten, a 39-year-old centrist who is engaged to Argentine hockey player Nicolas Keenan, told AFP. 

"For me, it was one of the first moments that I saw on television that it is possible, even as a young, back then, gay boy, to be yourself and to love whoever you want to love," Jetten, who was elected last October, said. 

Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema, who officiated the three marriages, hailed Jetten's presence at the ceremony.

"You know, we had a conservative government for a couple of years and there was no good news for gay rights," said Halsema, who is from the Green party.

"And now we have a gay prime minister who is very self-aware and proud. And I think for young gay people it's a great example."

Eelke de Jong, 45, and Elton Dos Santos Fiame, 39, were among the three couples wedded by Halsema. 

"It's the milestone to celebrate a big accomplishment from 25 years ago of what happened. And we were just too excited to be a part of it," Dos Santos Fiame told AFP.

Twenty-five years on, several dozen countries have followed the Dutch in recognising gay marriage. 

While a step forward, more progress needs to be made, Halsema argued. 

"So we're celebrating and we're also protesting a little bit today," the mayor added.

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The head of France's Dassault Aviation said on Wednesday he was giving his company "two to three weeks" to see if the multibillion-euro warplane programme with Germany could work as the government tries to salvage the project.

He spoke after French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz voiced determination to rescue the programme. Merz said last week that two mediators had been tasked with making a proposal by the end of April.

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme is a flagship joint effort to build a next-generation combat aircraft between France, Germany and Spain.

But it has faltered as disagreements persist between Dassault and Airbus, which represents Germany and Spain.

On Wednesday, Eric Trappier said he was "not a man for co-management".

"We're giving ourselves a little more time -- two to three weeks –- to try to reach an agreement between the French and Germans, between Dassault and Airbus," he said at a forum in Paris.

"I am not in favour of an ambitious industrial project that will serve our armed forces being co-managed. We need a leader."

The FCAS programme was launched in 2017 to replace the Rafale jet and the Eurofighter planes used by Germany and Spain.

It is often seen as a bellwether of defence and security cooperation between France and Germany as the two EU powerhouses seek to put up a united front in the face of a hostile Russia and wavering US security commitment.

Trappier once again stressed that his company was capable of going it alone.

"We are going to build an aircraft to succeed the Rafale. It must be capable of carrying out missions and operating from an aircraft carrier," he said.

"We built the Rafale on our own. We know how to do it on our own, whereas the Eurofighter was built by four countries," he said, referring to Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.

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Pakistan and Afghanistan are holding talks in China to end months of conflict, two officials from Islamabad told AFP on Wednesday.

The meeting in the northwestern city of Urumqi comes after Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, travelled to Beijing on Tuesday to meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

The pair discussed Islamabad's role in trying to get the United States and Iran to the negotiating table, and set out a joint five-point plan for an end to the conflict.

Dar had been due to return to Islamabad on Wednesday.

China has sought to mediate in the escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Pakistan says it is targeting extremists who have carried out cross-border attacks, but authorities in Kabul deny harbouring militants.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan's foreign ministry and military when contacted by AFP, or from the Afghan government.

But a senior Pakistani security official said: "A delegation led by an official from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in Urumqi to hold talks with the Afghan Taliban

"The meeting is taking place at the request of our Chinese friends."

A second senior government official also confirmed the talks, adding: "The meeting is to set a base for full-scale dialogue."

The first official said Pakistan's demands from Afghanistan "remain unchanged", urging Kabul to "take verifiable action" against extremists and "end any support for the group".

It also wants to "ensure that Afghan territory is not used as a base for launching attacks against Pakistan". 

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Leading economic institutes more than halved their growth forecasts for Germany on Wednesday, warning that the energy shock caused by the Middle East war would hit Europe's top economy hard.

A group of leading institutes slashed their joint growth forecast for 2026 to 0.6 percent, down from a September prediction of 1.3 percent.

Inflation is now forecast to rise to 2.8 percent, up from 2.0 percent, "weighing on household purchasing power".

"The energy price shock triggered by the Iran war is hitting the recovery hard," said economist Timo Wollmershaeuser of the Ifo institute, adding that increased government spending was nevertheless "preventing a stronger slide".

Oil and natural gas prices have surged since the end of February, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran, killed its supreme leader and plunged the Middle East into war. 

Iran has since closed the Strait of Hormuz to ships of countries it considers allied with the US and Israel, effectively blocking a sea lane that normally transports about a fifth of the world's oil and gas trade.

Higher inflation in Germany would hit consumer spending, the institutes said, weighing on an already weak economy that has barely grown since a burst of pent-up demand after the Covid pandemic in 2022.

- 'Zero growth' -

Germany's economy, struggling with fierce Chinese competition in sectors from cars to chemicals, was in the doldrums even before US President Donald Trump last year imposed sweeping new tariffs before starting the Mideast war in late February.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who took office last May, vowed to borrow and spend hundreds of billions for a special infrastructure fund over coming years in what was dubbed a spending "bazooka" aimed at getting Europe's top economy back on its feet.

But the economists said that much of the money was simply paying for day-to-day spending.

"Government expenditure on consumption is rising much more sharply than investment," economist Oliver Holtemoeller of the Halle Institute for Economic Research said. "That was not the idea behind changing the financing rules."

The outlook for the longer term was also dire.

Citing low productivity, industrial decline and an ageing population, the institutes warned that Germany's economy would soon be unable to grow sustainably. 

"We have also reassessed the structural changes in the German economy and, in particular, revised our forecast for industrial growth downwards," Wollmershaeuser said.

In an era when "demographic change is hitting with full force", he said, "potential growth will come to a standstill by the end of the decade, and we will have to get used to average GDP growth rates of zero percent".

In this phase of "multiple transformations," the institutes recommend the German government "increase incentives for employment" and ease regulations to "improve conditions for investment and innovation".

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A study commissioned by Greenpeace said on Wednesday that oil companies have been making more than 80 million euros a day in "war profits" in the European Union since the start of the war in the Middle East.

"If this level persists, the oil companies can expect additional operating profits of approximately 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion) for the month of March alone," the study said.

The study examined the difference between the price of crude oil and the price of fuel at the pump between January and February 2026, and the first three weeks of the war in March.

"The report shows that the rise in prices at the pump is far greater than that of underlying crude oil prices," Greenpeace said in a statement.

The increase in margins was much greater for diesel fuel than for petrol.

"Compared with the pre-war months, the oil companies earned a daily excess profit of 75.3 million euros from the sale of diesel fuel to cars and trucks," the report said.

"Petrol sales contributed 6.1 million euros per day."

Margins were expanded predominantly in countries with high purchasing power such as the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Austria and Germany, the report said.

In Germany, excess profits stood at 23.8 million euros per day, followed by France, at 11.6 million euros per day.

"Greenpeace France is calling on European governments to introduce permanent additional taxes on the profits of oil and gas companies, the proceeds of which would be used to reduce energy bills and accelerate European energy independence," the environmental group said.

The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, triggering a regional conflict that has caused global oil and gas prices to surge and sparked fears of fuel shortages, especially in import-reliant Asia.

Last week, the price of diesel in France hit its highest level since 1985, surpassing the peaks reached after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Under increasing pressure, many governments have rolled out measures to limit the impact of supply difficulties and soaring energy prices. 

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned Wednesday the months ahead "may not be easy" because of the Middle East war, in a rare address to the nation across television networks. 

"The months ahead may not be easy. I want to be upfront about that. No government can promise to eliminate the pressures that this war is causing," Albanese said.

The conflict that began on February 28 with US-Israeli attacks on Iran has mushroomed throughout the region, sending energy markets into a tailspin and threatening to torpedo the global economy.

Facing historic spikes in petrol prices, Albanese urged Australians to switch to using public transport, preserving fuel for rural communities and essential services.

"Australia is not an active participant in this war. But all Australians are paying higher prices because of it," he said.

"Farmers and truckies, small businesses and families are doing it tough. And the reality is, the economic shocks caused by this war will be with us for months," he said.

Albanese has previously sought to reassure motorists that shipments of fuel continue to arrive in Australia, and petrol shortages in rural towns stem from panic buying and distribution bottlenecks.

Australians can help the situation by switching to taking the train, bus or tram to work, he said.

This will preserve fuel for nurses, shift workers, trades people and miners who rely on driving.

Australia this week announced temporary tax relief for small businesses and halved a fuel tax to help motorists experiencing soaring petrol prices, but has resisted imposing fuel restrictions.

Geographically isolated and with only two working oil refineries, Australia is heavily exposed to disruptions in global fuel supply and imports most of its petrol.

Australia holds roughly 37 days' worth of petrol in reserve, according to government figures, far below the 90-day minimum dictated by the International Energy Agency.

"No government can promise to eliminate the pressures that this war is causing. I can promise we will do everything we can to protect Australia from the worst of it," he added.

Australian prime ministers typically reserve an address to the nation for only the gravest of circumstances. 

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made one at the height of the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, while Scott Morrison did the same as Covid-19 swept the globe in 2020.

US President Donald Trump is due to address his nation later Wednesday night (0100 GMT Thursday).

Trump, whose statements on the war have swung from combative to conciliatory, said Tuesday the war could be over in "two weeks, maybe three".

"But we're finishing the job," he insisted.

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Luka Doncic returned from suspension to score 42 points as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 127-113 to extend their impressive form with a fourth straight victory on Tuesday.

The Lakers, who have emerged as genuine title contenders after winning 15 of 17 games in March to climb up the Western Conference standings, took control with big quarters either side of half-time to cruise to victory.

The Lakers outscored Cleveland 33-19 in the second quarter and then erupted for 45 points in the third to put the game away.

Doncic finished with 42 points, 12 assists and five rebounds, shooting 6-of-13 from three-point range.

Doncic's latest virtuoso performance also saw him break Kobe Bryant's record for the most points scored by a Lakers player in a calendar month, which had stood at 578 set in 2006.

Doncic said extending the Lakers' winning run meant more than setting personal records.

"If you don't win, it doesn't really mean anything," Doncic told reporters. 

"So the run that we've been on it really means a lot. We've got to keep playing like that."

Austin Reaves added 19 points while Deandre Ayton scored 18 as six Lakers players finished in double figures.

LeBron James finished with 14 points as the win saw him pass yet another statistical milestone. 

The 41-year-old's 1,229th career win in regular season and playoff games breaks the record previously held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Lakers coach JJ Redick singled out James for praise in helping knit the team together during their recent resurgence.

"He's great on both sides of the ball," Redick said. "He's just doing a little bit of everything at a super high level for us.

"Luka may get the headlines here and there, AR (Austin Reaves) may get a headline. But really it's been every single guy, and LeBron has led on that."

The Lakers are now looking ahead to a blockbuster showdown with the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on the road on Thursday.

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Anthropic accidentally released part of the internal source code for its AI-powered coding assistant Claude Code due to "human error," the company said Tuesday.

An internal-use file mistakenly included in a software update pointed to an archive containing nearly 2,000 files and 500,000 lines of code, which were quickly copied to developer platform GitHub.

"Earlier today, a Claude Code release included some internal source code. No sensitive customer data or credentials were involved or exposed," an Anthropic spokesperson said.

"This was a release packaging issue caused by human error, not a security breach."

A post on X sharing a link to the leaked code had more than 29 million views early on Wednesday.

The exposed code related to the tool's internal architecture but does not contain confidential data from Claude, the underlying AI model by Anthropic.

Claude Code's source code was partially known, as the tool had been reverse-engineered by independent developers. An earlier version of the assistant had its source code exposed in February 2025.

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Jason Heath had ventured with his family from northeastern Maine to the Sunshine State for a vacation -- but soon found out they were set to "witness history" with the launch of NASA's Artemis 2 mission.

"It's definitely cool to know that humans are going further than ever before," the 40-year-old shipbuilder told AFP from the shores of Cocoa Beach, a popular Florida resort area near the NASA launch complex from which the enormous orange-and-white rocket will blast off.

"It's definitely pretty cool to know that I'll be around," said Heath, his daughter and nephew clinging to his legs.

After several years of delays, the Artemis 2 mission is poised to carry three Americans and one Canadian on a journey that is expected to break the distance record set by the Apollo missions, venturing further into space than any crew has gone before.

The lunar mission -- the first of its kind in more than 50 years -- will see the first person of color, the first woman and the first non-American embark on a journey to the Moon.

According to local Florida newspapers, some 400,000 people are expected to turn up to watch liftoff, which is currently slated for Wednesday at 6:24 pm local time (2224 GMT).

- Fortuitous timing -

Temperatures were hovering around 77F (25C) as Alyx Coster, 38, enjoyed the beach with her children, who she says are "super excited" for the launch.

The family that includes a 10, 11 and 18-year-old had come into town from Minnesota for a baseball trip -- "we didn't know it was happening until we got down here," she told AFP.

But now they are now clued in to their fortuitous timing.

Coster said her children were "super proud that they'll get to witness history."

Their unawareness of the upcoming Moon launch is far from the exception: despite NASA's communication and subsequent news coverage emphasizing the historic nature of the flight, many Americans interviewed by AFP in recent weeks said they were unaware of the mission.

Melinda Schuerfranz, 76, remembers the Apollo days, when everyone would gather around the television to watch scientific advancement in action.

"I think it was way more exciting then, but I think it was publicized more too, and everybody tuned into it," the retiree from Ohio told AFP.

The "space race" with the Soviet Union also boosted interest, her husband John added.

But the couple enjoying their beach vacation were excited nonetheless: "We've never seen anything like this."

"We can't wait," said Melinda. "We'll be here early."

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Israel struck Iran's capital on Wednesday ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned address to the American public on the month-long war he said could end within weeks.

The conflict that began on February 28 with US-Israeli attacks on Iran has mushroomed throughout the region, sending energy markets into a tailspin and threatening to torpedo the global economy.

With the official status of talks to resolve the conflict uncertain, Iranian state television reported "attacks on Tehran" and explosions heard in the capital's north, east and centre early Wednesday.

The Israeli military confirmed it had carried out a "wide-scale wave of strikes" on Tehran and later said it was intercepting a new missile attack from Iran, the first in around 20 hours.

Trump, whose statements on the war have swung from combative to conciliatory, had earlier said the war could be over in "two weeks, maybe three".

"But we're finishing the job," he insisted.

The White House said he would give "an important update on Iran" to the nation at 9:00 pm Wednesday (0100 GMT Thursday).

His Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian meanwhile assured that the Islamic republic had the "necessary will" to end the war, provided its enemies guaranteed it would not flare up again.

The comments came as Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened major US tech firms from Wednesday if more Iranian leaders were killed in "targeted assassinations".

The Guards said that 18 companies, including Intel, Tesla and Palantir, were complicit in previous killings and warned they should expect "destruction" if there were any further deaths.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the campaign would go on, even after insisting the conflict had "changed the face of the Middle East" and eradicated Iran's ballistic and nuclear threats.

"We had to act, and we acted," he said in a televised statement on the eve of the Passover holidays. "We will continue to crush the terror regime."

Israel said on Wednesday its air defences were responding to a missile fired from Yemen, which Israeli media said was intercepted with no reports of casualties. 

Yemen's Houthi rebels joined the war over the weekend, firing missiles at Israel, and have threatened Red Sea shipping, which would further hamper trade already constrained by Iran largely shuttering the Strait of Hormuz.

- Tanker hit -

On another front, Lebanon's health ministry said early Wednesday that seven people were killed in Israeli strikes in south Beirut and a nearby area, while the Israeli military said it had struck a senior Hezbollah commander.

Israel's campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah has left more than 1,200 dead in Lebanon, according to the health ministry, with over a million displaced.

The Israeli military said Wednesday it had struck "approximately 7,000 targets" since the start of the war, including "4,000 terrorist targets" in Iran.

More than 2,000 Iranian soldiers and commanders were "eliminated" in the strikes, it said.

Iran has kept up retaliatory attacks on Gulf nations it accuses as serving as a launchpad for US strikes and has threatened to target vital infrastructure across the region, including energy sites.

Kuwait's civil aviation authority said Wednesday that the Gulf state's international airport had come under an Iranian drone attack that led to "a large fire" at its fuel tanks.

Bahrain's interior ministry said a fire broke out at a business facility "as a result of the Iranian aggression".

Saudi Arabia's defence ministry said several drones were "intercepted and destroyed".

A tanker was hit by a projectile in the Gulf, off the coast of Qatar's capital Doha, a British maritime security agency said, reporting some damage but no casualties.

- 'Nothing they can do' -

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, speaking to reporters early Tuesday after he visited US troops in the Middle East, vowed that "the upcoming days will be decisive."

"Iran knows that, and there's almost nothing they can militarily do about it."

US Central Command shared a video late Tuesday it said showed forces dropping "precision munitions on underground military targets deep inside Iran". 

Trump had threatened on Monday that if Iran didn't agree to a deal, US forces would "obliterate" its oil wells, its main Kharg Island export terminal, and possibly water desalination plants.

The United States has not said who it is speaking with in Iran, which has denied it is in talks.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera that he still receives messages from US envoy Steve Witkoff, "directly, as before, and this does not mean that we are in negotiations."

Crude prices jumped on lingering worries about Iran's closure of the strategic Hormuz strait, even as Asian stocks rallied on the back of Trump's comments about the war possibly ending soon.

Japan's Nikkei climbed more than three percent at the open Wednesday and South Korea's Kospi was up nearly five percent.

Trump said France, China and other countries that seek passage through the Strait of Hormuz will have to "fend for themselves," lashing out at allies that have refused to help Washington secure the waterway while fighting takes place.

Rising fuel prices in the US stoked by the standoff have become a headache for Trump.

At a gas station in Washington's suburbs, Jeanne Williams, 83, was aghast at more costly prices visible on an LED board.

"That is horrible," she said.

"I'm just bewildered, confused, unhappy. Because we didn't ask for the war."

But the US leader said he was not worried about spiking prices hurting American wallets.

"All I have to do is leave Iran," he told reporters.

"And we'll be doing that very soon, and they'll come tumbling down."

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