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Politics
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.
Sports
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.
Economy
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.
Sports
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.
Economy
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.
Politics
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.
Economy
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.
Politics
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.
Economy
Markets extend gains on US trade deal hopes
Stock markets extended the week's gains Thursday on optimism other countries will follow up Japan's US trade deal with ones of their own, with speculation building that the European Union is on course.
Politics
Tariff negotiations with US 'not finished', says Philippines
Negotiations over the Philippines' new 19 percent US tariff rate are "not finished", a key government economic adviser said Thursday, tamping down fears over the deal's potential impact on the agriculture sector.
Economy
TotalEnergies net profit drops as oil prices fall
TotalEnergies said Thursday its net profit plunged in the second quarter despite increased output as global oil and gas prices dropped.
Economy
BTS agency HYBE raided over alleged fraud trading
HYBE, the agency behind K-pop superstars BTS, was raided by police on Thursday in connection with alleged fraudulent trading involving its founder Bang Si-hyuk, investigators said.
Boulevard
Judge to rule in sexual assault trial that rocked Canadian hockey
A Canadian judge is set to deliver a verdict Thursday in the trial of five professional ice hockey players on sexual assault charges, in a case that has shaken the national sport.
Politics
Thailand, Cambodia clash with jets, rockets, artillery in deadly border row
Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery, killing a civilian, in a dramatic escalation of a long-running border row between the two neighbours.
Boulevard
US Osprey makes emergency landing in Japan
A US Osprey military aircraft made an emergency landing on Thursday in northern Japan, the latest in a string of mishaps and accidents involving the controversial tilt-rotor plane.
Sports
Owen Farrell named on bench as revamped Lions look to seal series
Owen Farrell was on Thursday named on the British and Irish Lions' bench for the second Test against Australia, one of seven changes to the matchday 23 as the tourists look to clinch the series in Melbourne.
Sports
Indian football 'hurt, scared' as domestic game hits fresh low
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter once called India a "sleeping giant" of football, but the sport is mired in fresh crisis in the country and faces problems from the top down to grassroots.
Nature
Philippines shuts schools, scraps flights as Typhoon Co-May nears
The Philippines shut down schools and cancelled flights Thursday as torrential rains driven by a typhoon and a separate tropical storm pounded the country's northern island of Luzon.
Politics
Xi says China, EU must deepen trust but bloc chief urges 'real solutions'
Chinese President Xi Jinping said China and the EU must deepen trust in a turbulent world but the bloc's chiefs called for "real solutions" to move past an inflection point as they met in Beijing on Thursday.
Sports
Valetini returns for Wallabies in crunch second Lions Test
Rob Valetini was named Thursday in Australia's side for the second Test against the British and Irish Lions in Melbourne, a big boost for the Wallabies ahead of a clash they must win to keep the series alive.
Politics
Civilians wounded as Cambodia, Thailand trade fire in fresh border clashes
Thailand's army said three civilians were wounded in a Cambodian rocket strike on Thursday as the two countries' militaries clashed again in an escalating row over a disputed border.
Economy
US Osprey makes emegency landing in Japan
A US Osprey military aircraft made an emergency landing on Thursday in northern Japan, the latest in a string of mishaps and accidents involving the controversial tilt-rotor plane.
Politics
North Korea's Kim urges troops to prepare 'for real war'
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has urged his military to be ready "for real war" as he observed a firing contest of artillery units, Pyongyang state media said Thursday.
Sports
Owen Farrell named on bench for revamped Lions in second Test
Owen Farrell was named Thursday on the bench as the British and Irish Lions made seven changes to their matchday 23 for the second Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Politics
Cambodia, Thailand trade fire in fresh border clashes
Cambodian and Thai troops exchanged fire in a new round of clashes on Thursday, hours after the two sides downgraded diplomatic relations in an escalating row over a disputed border.
Nature
Cook Islands wages war on 'plague' of hungry starfish
Divers clutch wooden spears as they plunge beneath the waves, hunting hordes of hungry starfish destroying the coral reefs around the Cook Islands.
Weather
Pacific climate pioneer still fears for island nation's future
A founding father of the Pacific climate movement on Thursday welcomed an international court's decision on global warming but said he fears for the future of his almost 30 grandchildren on low-lying Kiribati.
Sports
Verstappen and Red Bull embark on new era
Max Verstappen and Red Bull seek a successful re-set of their season as they launch a new era at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, their first without Christian Horner in charge.
Economy
Atletico cash in on Real Madrid's Bernabeu concert woes
Mired in legal setbacks, Real Madrid are losing the lucrative star-studded concerts for which their costly Bernabeu stadium revamp was designed -- and cross-town rivals Atletico are cashing in.
Politics
Xi says China, EU must deepen trust in turbulent world
Chinese President Xi Jinping said China and the EU must deepen trust in a turbulent world, as he hosted the European bloc's bosses for a summit in Beijing on Thursday.
Politics
Asian markets extend gains on US trade deal hopes
Asian markets extended the week's gains Thursday on optimism other countries will follow up Japan's US trade deal with ones of their own, with speculation building that the European Union is on course.