
UN chief says world should not be intimidated by Israel
UN chief won't be intimidated by Israel, sees 'creeping' W.Bank annexation

UN chief warns 1.5C warming goal at risk of 'collapsing'

Canada coach Rouet only has eyes for World Cup glory after dethroning New Zealand
Culture
Canada bars Irish rap band Kneecap from entering
Canada said Friday it will bar entry to the Irish rap band Kneecap, accusing it of supporting groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.
Politics
Argentina's Milei says 'political panic' rattling markets
Argentine President Javier Milei blamed "political panic" for rattling markets Friday in the run-up to crucial midterm elections, sending the peso into a tailspin and hurting the country's sovereign risk.
Last news
England make quick start after dismissing India in fourth Test
England's openers made a flying start to their first innings in the fourth Test against India on Thursday, reaching 77-0 at tea after dismissing the tourists for 358, with captain Ben Stokes taking five wickets.

'Human shield': Niger's ousted president held by junta
President Mohamed Bazoum has been languishing for two years along with his wife in Niger's presidential palace since his ouster by a junta, which is using them as human shields to avert foreign military intervention to free them, according to the couple's lawyers.

Notre-Dame gets back St Thomas statue adorning spire base
A statue of the apostle Saint Thomas was on Thursday returned to Notre-Dame in Paris, which has now recovered all 16 statues that adorned the base of its spire before a 2019 devasting fire.

Notorious French singer faces new probe over ex-wife's death
A notorious French singer who beat his girlfriend to death is to face a new legal investigation over the suicide of his ex-wife following a Netflix documentary about his violent behaviour, prosecutors said Thursday.

India's Pant hits battling fifty as England captain Stokes strikes
Rishabh Pant defied a severe foot injury to make a gutsy fifty while England captain Ben Stokes took his first five-wicket haul in eight years as India were dismissed for 358 in the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Thursday.
Israel recalls Gaza negotiators after Hamas responds to ceasefire plan
Israel said on Thursday it had recalled its negotiators from Gaza ceasefire talks with Hamas, as international pressure mounted for a breakthrough to end nearly two years of devastating war.

Trump to tour Fed as war on central bank chief ramps up
Donald Trump is due to visit the US Federal Reserve Thursday as the president escalates his pressure on its chairman Jerome Powell over the central bank's management of the economy.

Farhan's 50 lifts Pakistan to 178-7 in third Bangladesh T20I
Opener Sahibzada Farhan hit a solid half century to guide Pakistan to an improved total of 178-7 in the third and final Twenty20 international against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Thursday.

ICC convicts pair over Central Africa war crimes
The International Criminal Court Thursday convicted a former top Central African Republic football official and a militiaman nicknamed Rambo for multiple war crimes committed during the country's civil war in 2013 and 2014.

EU-US trade deal hopes buoy stocks
Stock markets mostly extended gains Thursday as optimism grew that the European Union could soon strike a trade deal with the United States, following the Japan-US agreement.

EU turns up pressure with Trump trade deal 'in reach'
With the contours of a hard-fought EU-US trade deal taking shape, the European Union is flexing its muscles in a bid to squeeze concessions from US President Donald Trump in the run-up to his deadline of August 1.

Atomic Brussels? Support for nuclear power gains ground in EU
Long a taboo, Brussels opened the door to EU funding for nuclear power this month in a sign of the growing support atomic energy is enjoying within the bloc.

Isak considers Newcastle exit: report
Alexander Isak has reportedly told Newcastle he wants to explore a move away as the club confirmed he was not part of the squad travelling to Asia for pre-season friendlies.

Russian attacks kill 5, including family, in east Ukraine
Russian attacks killed at least five people, including three members of a displaced family, in separate attacks across Ukraine's war-scarred east, Ukrainian authorities said Thursday.

Plane crash in Russia's far east kills nearly 50 people
A passenger plane carrying nearly 50 people crashed in a remote area of Russia's far eastern Amur region on Thursday, killing all on board, authorities said.

EU says China's links with Russia now 'determining factor' in ties
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warned on Thursday that China's ties with Russia were now the "determining" factor in its relations with the European Union, as she wrapped up a summit in Beijing that also saw the bloc agree to speed up exports of rare earth minerals.

Justice Dept to meet Epstein accomplice Maxwell on Thursday: US media
The Department of Justice was to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned accomplice of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, on Thursday, US media reported, as President Donald Trump struggles to quell fury over his handling of the notorious case.
ECB holds rates with US tariffs decision on horizon
The European Central Bank held interest rates steady Thursday as policymakers waited to see whether the eurozone would be hit by higher US tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump.

Injured Pant bats on as India move on to 321-6 in fourth Test
Rishabh Pant defied a severe foot injury as the hobbling wicketkeeper-batsman helped India move on to 321-6 in the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Tides could help predict when huge icebergs break loose: study
Ocean tides can trigger city-sized icebergs to break off from Antarctic ice shelves, scientists said on Thursday, offering a potential way to predict these dramatic events in the future.

Injured Pant resumes innings for India in fourth Test against England
Rishabh Pant braved the pain barrier as he hobbled out to bat for India in the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Lord's to host historic women's Test match in 2026
Lord's will host a women's Test for the first time next year when England play India at the London ground.

From hospital bed to Euro hero -- Bonmati back to her decisive best for Spain
"You could write a book about this," said Aitana Bonmati on Wednesday as she reflected on the last few weeks in her life after scoring the goal which took Spain into the final of the Women's Euro 2025.

International media groups urge Israel to allow access to Gaza
International news agencies Agence France-Presse (AFP), Associated Press (AP) and Reuters as well as the BBC on Thursday called on Israel to allow journalists in and out of Gaza, which is subject to a strict blockade.
ECB to hold rates with US tariffs decision on horizon
The European Central Bank looked set to keep interest rates unchanged Thursday as policymakers waited to see whether the eurozone would be hit by higher US tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump.

Russian attack kills displaced Ukrainian family, officials say
A Russian overnight attack on the border region of Kharkiv killed three members of a Ukrainian family who had earlier fled their homes to escape Russian advances, authorities announced Thursday.

India's Modi and UK PM Starmer ink trade deal
Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised Britain's "unique bonds" with India as he and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi formally signed a recently announced UK-India trade deal during talks on Thursday.
Pant unfit to keep wicket against England in fourth Test
Rishabh Pant is unable to keep wicket in the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford after injuring his foot, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said on Thursday.

Stocks mostly rise on EU-US trade deal hopes
Stock markets mostly extended gains Thursday as optimism grew that the European Union could soon strike a trade deal with the United States, following the Japan-US agreement.

Troops kill at least 95 'bandits' in northwest Nigeria
Nigerian troops killed at least 95 members of an armed criminal gang in a shootout and airstrikes earlier this week, according to a situation report shared with the UN and seen by AFP on Thursday.

Gaza today: under debris and in darkness
In 21 months of war in Gaza, the destruction and damage of 70 percent of buildings has buried the Palestinian territory under millions of tonnes of debris and plunged it into darkness, according to data from the UN and NASA analysed by AFP.

England name squad as they eye glory at Women's Rugby World Cup
England on Thursday named a 32-player squad for the Women's Rugby World Cup on home soil as they seek to improve on their runners-up position in 2022.

Pharma giant Roche sees income soar in first half
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche on Thursday posted better-than-expected net income for the first half of 2025 amid strong sales of asthma and breast cancer treatments.

More misery for Ineos as Rodriguez quits Tour with broken pelvis
Ineos's top-ranked rider Carlos Rodriguez pulled out of the Tour de France on Thursday after suffering a broken pelvis on Stage 17's late mass pile-up.
Thailand, Cambodia clash with jets and rockets in deadly border row
Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery, killing at least 11 civilians, in a dramatic escalation of a long-running border row between the two neighbours.

Nestle struggles amid weak China market
Nestle said Tuesday its net profit fell in the first half of the year as the Swiss food giant behind Nespresso coffee capsules and KitKat chocolate bars struggles to turn around its fortunes amid sluggish consumer spending in China.

UN says Taliban committing 'rights violations' against Afghan returnees
The United Nations said Thursday that Taliban authorities were committing human rights violations, including torture and arbitrary detention, against Afghans forced to return by Iran and Pakistan.

Deutsche Bank posts bumper profits, shares soar
Deutsche Bank on Thursday reported its highest second-quarter profit since 2007 and said it was on track to meet annual targets, sending shares in Germany's biggest lender soaring.

Hamas says responded to latest Gaza ceasefire proposal
Hamas said on Thursday that it had responded to an Israeli proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, as pressure mounted for a breakthrough to end almost two years of devastating conflict that has triggered a humanitarian crisis for civilians.