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George Ford will start at fly-half England's Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome on Saturday after coach Steve Borthwick named a side featuring several new faces.

Mediators pushed on with efforts for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire as fighting raged in the besieged Gaza Strip on Thursday, deepening a dire humanitarian crisis.

Spain's second city Barcelona and much of the surrounding region of Catalonia entered a drought emergency Thursday, clearing the way for tighter water restrictions after three years without significant rainfall.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Thursday that workers from Ukraine's atomic energy operator Energoatom have been barred from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

Blair Kinghorn has been ruled out of Scotland's opening Six Nations matches due to a knee injury, with Kyle Rowe set to make his first international start at full-back in Saturday's clash at Wales.

Consistency is key for victory in the Six Nations, France captain Gregory Alldritt argued ahead of the "massive challenge" of taking on Ireland in Marseille on Friday.

Wall Street rebounded on Thursday as shares in US tech titans rose after a selloff that was sparked by the US Federal Reserve dousing hopes of an imminent interest-rate cut.

France's leading farming unions called Thursday to end nationwide roadblocks over pay, tax and regulation after securing promises of financial assistance and other help from the government.

UK opposition leader Keir Starmer promised Britain's corporate community Thursday that his Labour party would better marshal the economy than the ruling Conservatives if elected.

A Russian-Belarusian band that denounces Moscow's Ukraine invasion arrived in Israel Thursday after being held in Thailand on immigration charges that had sparked fears they could be deported to Russia and face prison.

Netflix is betting on its ambitious new sci-fi series from the creators of "Game of Thrones" to help extend its streaming dominance in 2024, as the company unveiled a sprawling TV and film lineup Thursday.

Hundreds of Greek farmers on Thursday converged on the country's second city Thessaloniki to demand aid increases, as similar protests gather pace across Europe.

Perpignan teenager Posolo Tuilagi has been called up by France coach Fabien Galthie for Friday's opening Test match of the 2024 Six Nations in Marseille against Ireland.

Shares in European banking giants BNP Paribas and ING tumbled on Thursday as disappointing fourth-quarter results took the shine off bumper annual profits.

Activist Greta Thunberg defied police orders to move during a climate demonstration, prosecutors told a London court on Thursday, on the first day of her two-day trial for public order offences.

Inter Milan and Juventus' Serie A title credentials will on the line on Sunday as two giants of Italian football face off in a San Siro showdown.

France's government offered a slew of new concessions Thursday to farmers, hoping to calm anger behind tractor blockades of major roads nationwide.

The British Museum said on Thursday that a number of items stolen from its vast collection and then recovered will form part of a new exhibition.

European farmers took their growing protest over low prices and the threat of competition from South American agri-food importers to Brussels on Thursday, clogging the streets with 1,300 tractors as EU leaders met for a summit.

Japan's Yuma Kagiyama took a comfortable lead in the men's event at the Four Continents figure skating championship in Shanghai on Thursday, continuing his strong return from injury as he hit a season's best.

With an exuberant flourish, Ethiopian artist Fikru Gebremariam slaps bold streaks of paint across the large canvas propped up against a wall in his Addis Ababa studio.

The Bank of England froze its key interest rate Thursday for a fourth meeting in a row, matching US Federal Reserve policy, as high inflation prevents cuts to borrowing costs.

Ange Capuozzo will start on the right wing in Italy's Six Nations opener with England in Rome on Saturday, as Gonzalo Quesada makes his debut as Azzurri coach.

UN rights experts voiced alarm Thursday at soaring numbers of journalists killed in the Gaza war, decrying an apparent "deliberate" Israeli strategy to silence critical reporting.

Spain's northeastern Catalonia region declared a drought emergency for Barcelona on Thursday and the surrounding area, which will now face tighter water restrictions following three years without significant rain.

A massive Finnish strike movement kicked off on Thursday, grounding most air traffic and closing workplaces in a protest against proposed government labour reforms that include social benefit cuts.

A Russian court on Thursday extended the detention of US-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva -- who her employer says faces 15 years in prison for violating censorship laws -- until 5 April.

EU leaders on Thursday struck a deal with Viktor Orban to get 50 billion euros in financial aid to Ukraine, overcoming the Hungarian prime minister's veto with surprising speed at a crunch summit in Brussels.

George North has been ruled out of Wales' Six Nations opener at home to Scotland on Saturday because of a shoulder injury.

Japan's Asian Cup risks being fatally undermined by coach Hajime Moriyasu's reliance on an error-prone rookie goalkeeper and he has left himself with no convincing alternatives.

Newly-installed Ireland skipper Peter O'Mahony says performance will be "paramount" when his team takes on France in the "colossal" opening Test of the 2024 Six Nations in Marseille on Friday.

UK police were on Thursday hunting a suspect who attacked a woman and her two young daughters with a corrosive substance on a busy south London street.