Last news
Sports
Humanoid robots go for knockout in high-tech Vegas fight night
Two robots the size of schoolchildren stepped into the ring at BattleBots Arena.
Politics
Brazil's Lula vetoes law reducing Bolsonaro's sentence
Brazil's left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday vetoed a law dramatically reducing the prison sentence of former far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, convicted last year of coup plotting.
New protests, strikes hit Iran as security forces open fire
Protesters denounced the Iranian authorities and staged strike actions Thursday in a new wave of demonstrations that have spread across the Islamic republic, as rights groups accused security forces of shooting on people in several locations.
Politics
Macron accuses US of 'turning away' from allies, breaking rules
French President Emmanuel Macron warned Thursday the United States was "gradually turning away" from some of its allies and "breaking free from international rules", offering some of his strongest criticism yet of Washington's policies under Donald Trump.
Boulevard
Joshua pays tribute to close friends killed in crash
Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua paid a moving tribute on Thursday to the two close friends killed in a car crash in Nigeria, labelling them "brothers" and "great men".
Boulevard
Protesters, US law enforcement clash after immigration officer kills woman
Protesters clashed with law enforcement officers in Minneapolis on Thursday after the fatal shooting of a woman by an immigration agent triggered outrage fueled by the Trump administration's insistence she was guilty of "domestic terrorism."
Boulevard
French ex-spy chief cops suspended jail term for 15 mn euro shakedown
A former head of France's foreign intelligence agency was handed a one-year suspended jail sentence Thursday for attempted extortion worth millions of euros.
UN climate chief says Trump scores 'own goal' with treaty retreat
The UN climate chief led a chorus of criticism Thursday over President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from a bedrock climate treaty, calling it a "colossal own goal" that will only harm his country.
Economy
Syria bombs Kurdish areas in city of Aleppo
Syria's military began heavy bombardment of Kurdish neighbourhoods in the city of Aleppo on Thursday after warning civilians to leave on a third day of fighting.
Politics
Confusion reigns over Venezuela's oil industry as US looms
Between US demands for its crude, tankers threatened with seizure, storage tanks at overflow risk and bewildered local authorities, the outlook for Venezuela's oil industry has never been murkier.
Economy
Stocks retrench as traders eye geopolitics, US jobs data
Stock markets pulled back Thursday as an early-year rally ran out of steam, with investors locking in profits ahead of the release of key US jobs data this week.
Economy
US trade gap shrinks to smallest since 2009 as imports fall
The US trade deficit made a sharp and unexpected pullback in October, reaching its lowest level since 2009 as goods imports dropped while President Donald Trump's tariffs took hold, government data showed Thursday.
Politics
Russia releases French researcher in prisoner exchange
Russia has exchanged jailed French researcher Laurent Vinatier for a Russian basketball player who was being held in France, state media reported on Thursday, citing Russia's FSB security service.
Economy
Spain signs agreement with Church to compensate abuse victims
The Spanish government and the Catholic Church signed a landmark agreement Thursday to compensate victims of sexual abuse by clergy, aiming to settle what officials described as a "moral debt".
Politics
Macron accuses US of 'breaking free from international rules'
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that the United States was "breaking free from international rules" and "gradually turning away" from some of its allies.
Politics
US could run Venezuela, tap its oil for years, Trump says
The United States could run Venezuela and tap into its oil reserves for years, President Donald Trump said in an interview published Thursday, less than a week after toppling Nicolas Maduro.
Sports
England to stick with Stokes and McCullum despite Ashes flop
England will limp home from Australia after a humbling 4-1 Ashes defeat but appear likely to stick with the regime of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, who have vowed to learn lessons from a painful tour.
Politics
Nobel laureate Bialiatski tells AFP 'important' to keep pressure on Belarus
Nobel winner and Belarusian dissident Ales Bialiatski told AFP on Thursday that it was "very important" to keep up pressure on Belarus in order to free political prisoners after his first meeting with the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
Politics
Russia slams Western peacekeeping plan for Ukraine
Russia on Thursday slammed a plan for European peacekeepers to be deployed to Ukraine as "dangerous" and dubbed Kyiv and its allies an "axis of war", dousing hopes the plan could be a step towards ending the almost four-year-war.
Sports
Bordeaux's Du Preez wary of Northampton's Champions Cup revenge mission
Bordeaux-Begles's South African back-rower Jean-Luc du Preez says that Northampton will be desperate for revenge for last season's Champions Cup final defeat when the teams meet in the pool stage on Sunday.
Sports
Romero apologises for Spurs slump as crisis deepens
Cristian Romero added to the mounting crisis at Tottenham as the Argentine appeared to take a swipe at the club's hierarchy after apologising for their latest dismal defeat.
Sports
Former Premier League referee Coote gets suspended sentence for indecent image
Former Premier League referee David Coote was given a suspended prison sentence on Thursday after admitting making an indecent image of a child, with the judge describing his "spectacular fall from grace".
Boulevard
New clashes hit Iran as opposition urges protests, strikes
Security forces used tear gas and live fire to disperse protesters in Iran, rights groups said Thursday, as people angered by economic crisis kept up their challenge to the authorities and exiled opposition groups urged new protests as well as strikes.
Politics
Stocks retreat as traders eye geopolitics, US jobs data
Stock markets fell Thursday as an early-year rally ran out of steam, with investors locking in profits ahead of the release of key US jobs data this week.
Culture
'Girl with a Pearl Earring' to be shown in Japan, in rare trip abroad
Johannes Vermeer's painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring" will be displayed in Japan later this year, the Dutch Mauritshuis museum said Thursday, a rare outing abroad for one of the world's most famous artworks.
Politics
Syria tells civilians to leave Aleppo's Kurdish areas
Syria's military warned civilians in two besieged Kurdish neighbourhoods in the city of Aleppo to leave on Thursday, as it prepared to conduct a fresh wave of strikes targeting Kurdish positions.
Farmers enter Paris on tractors to rage against trade deal
French farmers rolled into Paris on tractors Thursday in a show of anger against an EU trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur they fear will create unfair competition, as the government warned against "illegal" protest actions.
Economy
'Sign of life': defence boom lifts German factory orders
Factory orders in long-struggling Germany unexpectedly posted a sharp jump in November, boosted by higher demand for defence equipment as Europe rushes to rearm, official data showed Thursday.
China confirms extradition of accused scam boss from Cambodia
Accused scam boss Chen Zhi has been extradited to China from Cambodia, Beijing confirmed on Thursday, after he was indicted by the United States over alleged multibillion-dollar fraud.
Economy
Japan's Fast Retailing raises profit forecast after China growth
Japanese retail giant Fast Retailing lifted its 2025-26 annual net profit forecast on Thursday, buoyed by a strong performance in mainland China.
Sports
Olympic champion Zheng out of Australian Open
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen announced on Thursday that she was withdrawing from the Australian Open later this month due to a lack of physical conditioning.
Sports
England's Brook 'deeply sorry' for nightclub fracas
England's white-ball captain Harry Brook issued an apology on Thursday saying he was "deeply sorry" for an altercation at a New Zealand nightclub ahead of the Ashes.