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Taylor Swift-fever struck Paris on Thursday as the highest-grossing tour in history finally arrived in Europe with fans excited to hear songs from her latest album performed live for the first time.

Spain's second-largest bank BBVA on Thursday announced a hostile takeover bid for smaller rival Banco Sabadell but the government vowed to block the move, which would create a European giant in the sector.

Teams raced against the clock Thursday to deliver aid to flood-stricken communities in southern Brazil before the arrival of new storms forecast to batter the region again.

Sheldon Keefe was fired as head coach of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, five days after the club was eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Boston Bruins.

German sports carmaker Porsche on Thursday confirmed it had recalled several thousand of its electric Taycan model because of risks their batteries could catch fire.

Spain's Pelayo Sanchez of the Movistar team emerged from the dust, gravel and hills after a 180km ride to Rapolano Terme to beat Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe by a bike length in the Giro d'Italia sixth stage on Thursday.

Saracens and England star Billy Vunipola has been given a formal warning by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) following his arrest in Mallorca last month.

Nuno Espirito Santo says Nottingham Forest have "moved on" from their failed appeal against a points deduction as his struggling side focus on securing their Premier League survival.

Everton manager Sean Dyche says uncertainty over the club's ownership situation is hampering his plans to strengthen the squad after they secured Premier League survival.

Stormy Daniels returned to the witness stand on Thursday at Donald Trump's historic hush money trial with attorneys for the former president seeking to paint her as a greedy liar who profited from her allegations.

Donald Trump's youngest son, who is still at high school and largely shielded from the public eye, will debut on the political stage in July as a delegate at the Republican Party convention.

Kylian Mbappe is set to play his last game for Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes when they host Toulouse on Sunday, in their first outing since being eliminated from the Champions League.

Rafael Nadal battled into the second round of the Rome Open on Thursday after bouncing back from a set down to beat qualifier Zizou Bergs 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

A Boeing passenger plane came off the runway during takeoff from Dakar international airport early Thursday, injuring 11 people and shutting the hub for almost 12 hours, its operator said.

Leicester forward Ollie Chessum is set to miss England's tour of Japan and New Zealand after being ruled out for the rest of the domestic rugby season with an injury.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron on Thursday indicated that the UK would not follow the United States in warning Israel that it would halt sales of arms that could be used in an assault on the Gaza city of Rafah.

Australian actor Cate Blanchett will receive a lifetime achievement award at Spain's San Sebastian film festival in September, organisers said Thursday.

The Olympic torch relay began in Marseille on Thursday with the port city's football legend Basile Boli taking the flame in front of the iconic basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde before passing it on to a number of other celebrity sports stars including Ukrainian gymnast Mariia Vysochanska.

Arsenal midfielder Jorginho has signed a contract extension, reportedly for one year, setting his sights on winning silverware with the Gunners.

Stormy Daniels returned to the witness stand on Thursday at Donald Trump's historic hush money trial for another round of tough grilling by attorneys for the former president.

Scientists Geoffrey Hawtin and Cary Fowler, who on Thursday received the prestigious World Food Prize for "their work to preserve the world's heritage of seeds", are on a mission.

The London and Frankfurt stock exchanges hit record highs Thursday as the Bank of England kept its interest rate at a 16-year high but raised hopes of a cut in the coming months.

Smoke rose from strikes on Gaza's crowded southern city of Rafah Thursday after US President Joe Biden vowed to stop supplying artillery shells and other weapons to Israel if a full-scale offensive into the city goes ahead.

The Spanish Football Federation on Thursday accepted Atletico Madrid's appeal against a partial stadium ban after racial abuse directed at Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams.

Nepali conservationists condemned on Thursday new regulations permitting hydropower and hotel projects in protected nature reserves, saying they threatened to damage the habitats of tigers and other endangered animals.

Finn Russell is set to return from injury in time to boost Bath's quest for the English Premiership rugby title.

Australian actor Cate Blanchett will receive a lifetime achievement award at Spain's San Sebastian film festival in September, organisers said Thursday.

A migrant rescue charity warned Thursday that a new Italian ban on using surveillance planes to spot migrant boats in distress in the Mediterranean could endanger lives.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor has warned his side to keep their cool when they face Rangers in the cauldron of the Old Firm derby on Saturday.

India's Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra on Thursday said he was hoping to break the elusive 90-metres mark at the Doha Diamond League as he warms up for the Paris Games.

Lando Norris is "100 percent" confident that McLaren can mount a challenge for the Formula One title next season as he celebrated his maiden Grand Prix win at the team's British headquarters on Thursday.

The London and Frankfurt stock exchanges hit record highs Thursday as the Bank of England kept its interest rate at a 16-year high but raised hopes of a cut in the coming months.