World Cup could make football 'mainstream' in co-host Canada
India postpones big cat summit over Ebola outbreak
Thousands line streets to celebrate Villa's Europa triumph
Trump eases curbs on planet-warming gases used in refrigerants
Politics
Rubio warns Cuba after US indicts former leader
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Cuba on Thursday that the United States was laser-focused on changing the communist system, after the island was stunned by a US indictment of its former president Raul Castro.
Boulevard
Court ousts leadership of Turkey's main opposition party
An Ankara court on Thursday annulled the 2023 leadership election of Turkey's main opposition CHP party, in a sharp escalation against the country's embattled opposition, court documents showed.
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Economy
US voices hope on Iran deal progress before Pakistan army chief visit
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced hope on Thursday of progress on ending the war with Iran, with mediator Pakistan's army chief due to arrive in the Islamic republic for talks.
Sports
Maguire 'shocked' to be omitted from England World Cup squad
England defender Harry Maguire said Thursday he was "shocked and gutted" to have been left out of Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad.
Weather
US expects 'below normal' Atlantic hurricane season
US forecasters on Thursday predicted the Atlantic hurricane season is likely to be "below normal" in 2026, but cautioned that "it only takes one."
Weather
Trump eases 'ridiculous' curbs on greenhouse gases used in refrigerants
US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the easing of curbs on a group of powerful greenhouse gases commonly found in refrigerators and air conditioners.
Sports
Ineos-owned Nice in disarray before French Cup final against Lens
Nice can win a first trophy in almost three decades when they play Lens in Friday's French Cup final, but the Ineos-owned club are in disarray and more preoccupied with maintaining their top-flight status.
Politics
US Democrats release - and disown - 2024 election autopsy
US Democrats on Thursday released a long-awaited autopsy of their 2024 presidential election defeat -- a document missing a conclusion and accompanied by an apology from the party chairman that it was not up to scratch.
Politics
First Gaza flotilla activists arrive in Istanbul from Israel: AFP
The first of hundreds of Gaza flotilla activists began arriving at Istanbul airport Thursday after being arrested then deported from Israel, an AFP correspondent said.
Politics
Ghana delays evacuation of 800 citizens from South Africa
Ghana said Thursday it has delayed the evacuation of more than 800 of its citizens from South Africa after a viral video showing the alleged assault of a Ghanaian man triggered outrage.
Oil gains, stocks cautious on uncertain Mideast peace prospects
Oil prices jumped and the dollar firmed on Thursday while stocks diverged as hopes of a Middle East peace accord faded on conflicting headlines on the state of talks.
Boulevard
Air France, Airbus convicted of manslaughter in 2009 Paris-Rio crash
A French appeals court Thursday convicted Air France and Airbus of involuntary manslaughter over the 2009 crash of a Rio-Paris flight that killed 228 people, the worst disaster in France's aviation history.
Economy
From conflict to cleaning, expo showcases China's drone dominance
Russians looking for drone interceptors brushed shoulders with entrepreneurs keen to see the latest industrial cleaning technology at a massive industry expo showcasing China's dominance of the drone industry on Thursday.
Sports
Belgium's Segaert snatches Giro 12th stage, Eulalio stays in pink
Alec Segaert won the 12th stage of the Giro d'Italia on Thursday after a surprise late attack denied the sprinters their chance of a bunch finish, as his teammate Afonso Eulalio again stayed in the overall lead.
Economy
Fans create AI-generated team songs ahead of World Cup
World Cup fans are wielding artificial intelligence to mass-produce viral songs supporting their teams ahead of next month's tournament.
Politics
Italy and Spain urge EU sanctions on Israeli minister for activists' treatment
Italy and Spain have called on the EU to sanction Israel's far-right national security minister, who posted a video showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla forced to their knees with hands bound.
Sports
Senegal have 'big dreams' for 2026 World Cup
Senegal have "big dreams" to "achieve great things" at the 2026 World Cup, coach Pape Thiaw said Thursday as he unveiled an expanded 28-man squad for next month's tournament.
Health
'People thought it was witchcraft': DR Congo's Ebola outbreak
The Ebola virus was circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo for several weeks before the outbreak was identified and declared, during which time affected communities believed it to be a "mystical illness".
Sports
Arteta on BBQ duty as Arsenal clinched Premier League title
Mikel Arteta said he was barbecuing alone in his garden when Arsenal ended their 22-year wait to win the Premier League this week.
Boulevard
Top UN court says right to strike protected in key labour treaty
The top United Nations court ruled Thursday that the right to strike was protected in a key treaty of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a decision that could have profound implications for global labour relations.
Technology
Musk's SpaceX bonus comes with unique condition: colonize Mars
SpaceX's blockbuster IPO filing included some out of this world details, including a provision that founder Elon Musk's massive bonus only kicks in if one million humans settle on Mars.
Sports
Guardiola's Premier League legacy carried forward by Spanish coaches
Pep Guardiola's expected departure from Manchester City marks the end of an era, but a strong Spanish influence remains on the Premier League thanks to an array of talented coaches.
Economy
Walmart reports solid results but sees some consumers struggling
Walmart reported increased profits Thursday as it capitalized on affordability concerns at a time of soaring gasoline prices, but shares fell sharply on disappointment over the retailer's sales forecast.
Economy
Oil gains, stocks slip on uncertain Mideast peace prospects
Oil prices jumped while stock markets mostly retreated and the dollar firmed Thursday as hopes of a Middle East peace accord faded on conflicting headlines on the state of talks.
Economy
Stellantis unveils 60 bn euro push to revive profitability
Jeep and Fiat owner Stellantis said Thursday that it would invest 60 billion euros in a five-year push to restore profitability, reducing its factory capacity in Europe while focusing on "affordability" in the shift to clean-energy vehicles.
Politics
French films tackle war and fascism as crunch election looms
A year out from a presidential election that could see France elect a far-right nationalist leader, the country's filmmakers are releasing a series of movies set amid the fascism of World War II.
Sports
Italian divers in Maldives may have got lost in cave: recovery firm
Italian divers who died in the Maldives may have taken the wrong tunnel in a cave and died in a dead-end corridor, the head of the company that recovered their bodies told AFP Thursday.
Sports
Do tennis players really only take 15 percent of Grand Slam revenues?
Many of the world's tennis stars will protest against perceived low prize money when they gather at Roland Garros for media duties ahead of the French Open which begins on Sunday.
Sports
Sinner, Djokovic kept apart in French Open draw
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic will not be able to meet until the French Open final after the pair were placed in opposite halves of the men's draw on Thursday, while Coco Gauff could face Aryna Sabalenka in the women's semis.
Economy
In Ankara, DW journalist goes on trial for 'insulting president'
A Turkish journalist with Deutsche Welle (DW) went on trial in Ankara on Thursday for allegedly "insulting the president", with the court granting him conditional release, the German broadcaster said.
Sports
Arteta alone in garden when Arsenal clinched Premier League title
Mikel Arteta said he was barbecuing alone in his garden when Arsenal ended their 22-year wait to win the Premier League this week.
Israel deports all foreign activists from Gaza flotilla
Israel said on Thursday it had deported all the foreign activists seized by Israeli forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, following global outcry over their treatment in custody.
Politics
EU countries urge sanctions on Israeli minister for activists' treatment
Italy, Ireland and Spain have called on the EU to sanction Israel's far-right national security minister, who posted a video showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla forced to their knees with hands bound.
Economy
EU slashes eurozone 2026 growth forecast on Mideast war
The eurozone economy will expand less than expected this year, the EU said Thursday, as the Middle East war and subsequent energy shock take their toll.
Politics
Chinese authorities demolish villager's madcap 10-storey home
Authorities have razed a ramshackle 10-storey home that for years defied demolition notices and building restrictions to become an off-beat tourist attraction in southwestern China, footage from the owner showed.
Boulevard
Air France, Airbus guilty of manslaughter in 2009 Paris-Rio crash: French court
Paris' appeals court Thursday found Air France and Airbus guilty of involuntary manslaughter over the 2009 crash of a Rio-Paris flight that killed 228 people, the worst disaster in France's aviation history.
Sports
Lustrinelli succeeds Eta as Union Berlin coach
Swiss coach Mauro Lustrinelli has replaced Marie-Louise Eta as coach of Union Berlin, the Bundesliga club announced on Wednesday.
Sports
Alex Marquez out of Italy, Hungary MotoGP races after crash
Spanish rider Alex Marquez will be sidelined for at least the next two MotoGP races after suffering two fractures in a horror crash at the Catalan Grand Prix last weekend, his Gresini Racing team said Thursday.
Things to know
'French Banksy' and Daft Punk star turn Paris bridge into Alpine cave
Tourists and Parisians goggled at the sight of the French capital's oldest bridge transformed into a giant "cave" on Thursday, a spectacular new public work by the street artist JR.
Things to know
Late queen pushed for son Andrew to be UK trade envoy: official papers
Britain's late queen Elizabeth II pushed for her son Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to be given a high-profile job as a trade envoy, a senior official said in a 2000 document released by the government on Thursday.
Boulevard
Denmark to autopsy 'Timmy' the whale
Scientists will conduct an autopsy on "Timmy", the humpback whale whose ordeal to return to the open seas captured Germany's hearts and sparked a media frenzy, Denmark's environmental protection agency said on Thursday.