
Geopolitics: Peru's balancing act

Israel's Covert Nuclear Rise

Spain defies NATO's 5% goal

Iran's Nuclear Ambitions

World's smallest snake makes big comeback

Trade on agenda as Trump lands in Scotland for diplomacy and golf

UN chief blasts 'lack of compassion' for Palestinians in Gaza

Trump administration expected to say greenhouse gases aren't harmful
Sports
Hamilton suffers unprecedented spinning knockout in Belgian GP sprint qualifying
A downcast Lewis Hamilton said he had never before had a spin like the one that knocked him out of sprint qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix on Friday, while Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc qualified fourth.
Politics
European powers urge end to Gaza 'humanitarian catastrophe'
Britain, France and Germany on Friday urged an end to Gaza's "humanitarian catastrophe" as the UN food agency warned almost a third of people in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory were not eating for days.
Last news

Morocco starts construction of anti-Covid vaccine plant
Morocco on Thursday inaugurated construction of an anti-Covid vaccine manufacturing plant in partnership with Swedish firm Recipharm, the official news agency MAP reported.

Nadal targets shot at history, Medvedev faces Tsitsipas test at Open
Rafael Nadal can give himself a shot at becoming the first man to win 21 Grand Slam titles, providing he can get past Italian power server Matteo Berrettini when they clash in an afternoon Australian Open semi-final on Rod Laver Arena on Friday.

Versatile Dane Wass joins Atletico from Valencia
Denmark's Daniel Wass has signed for Atletico Madrid from La Liga rivals Valencia, the capital city side announced on Thursday.

Aston Villa add Arsenal's Chambers to January splurge
Aston Villa signed versatile defender Calum Chambers from Arsenal on Thursday to take their tally of new recruits this month to five.

Xiomara Castro: from first lady to Honduras's first woman president
Honduras's former first lady Xiomara Castro forged her political career at the head of protests against the coup d'etat that ousted her husband, Manuel Zelaya, in 2009.

Atalanta's Gosens joins Inter
Inter Milan said on Thursday they had signed Germany's Robin Gosens from fellow Serie A club Atalanta.

Honduras: Poor, violent and corrupt
Honduras, which inaugurated Xiomara Castro as its first-ever woman president Thursday, is a small country with idyllic beaches at the heart of Central America's "triangle of death," plagued by gangs, poverty and corruption.

US school board bans Holocaust graphic novel 'Maus'
A school board in Tennessee has added to a surge in book bans by conservatives with an order to remove the award-winning 1986 graphic novel on the Holocaust, "Maus," from local student libraries.

Syria Kurds hunt down jihadists after prison attack
Kurdish-led forces on Thursday found dozens of jihadists holed up in a Syrian prison during mop-up operations after recapturing the facility from Islamic State group fighters.

McDonald's profits rise as fast-food giant lifts prices carefully
Price increases helped McDonald's report higher profits Thursday as the fast-food giant navigates an inflationary environment that it argues advantages the Big Mac maker over its competitors.

Xiomara Castro becomes first woman president of Honduras
Leftist Xiomara Castro was sworn in Thursday as the first woman president of Honduras after seemingly resolving a rebellion in her own party that had challenged her authority.

Iran women in stadium for victory over Iraq
Iranian women were allowed to attend a national team football match for the first time in almost three years Thursday -- and cheered their side to victory.

Iran into World Cup final as Japan, South Korea move closer
Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for the 2022 World Cup finals on Thursday with a 1-0 victory over Iraq as Japan and South Korea moved a step closer to Qatar.

'Big Ben' retires after 18 NFL years, two Super Bowl wins
Ben Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl champion and one of the NFL's greatest quarterbacks, announced his retirement on Thursday after an 18-year career spent entirely with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Tests of HIV vaccine using mRNA technology have begun
Testing in humans of an HIV vaccine that uses messenger RNA technology has begun, the biotech firm Moderna and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative said Thursday.

Web-tracking 'cookies' meant to protect privacy: inventor
The data-tracking "cookies" at the heart of concerns over online privacy were meant to shield people, rather than serve as cyber snoops, their inventor told AFP.

World champion cyclist Pieters still in coma after fall
A month after suffering head injuries on a Dutch national team training camp in Spain, track world champion Amy Pieters remains in a coma, her cycling team SD Worx said on Thursday.

Rare Botticelli sells for $45 mn at New York auction
A rare Botticelli painting depicting Jesus Christ sold at auction for more than $45 million Thursday at Sotheby's in New York, a year after a record $92 million was paid for a work by the Italian Renaissance master.

Zambia's leader says turning around economy, despite empty coffers
President Hakainde Hichilema on Thursday said his new government was on the fast track to restoring Zambia's credibility and creditworthiness after inheriting an economy strapped for cash and crippled by debt.

Stocks rebound as US economy posts decades-high growth
US and European stock markets rose on Thursday as investors put aside rate hike fears and focused on data showing the US economy grew at its fastest pace in decades last year.

Taremi fires Iran into 2022 World Cup finals with win over Iraq
Mehdi Taremi was on target as Iran confirmed their spot in the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar with a 1-0 victory over Iraq at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran on Thursday.

Man Utd winger Diallo joins Rangers on loan
Manchester United teenager Amad Diallo has joined Scottish champions Rangers on loan for the rest of the season.

Denmark to pull troops out of Mali after junta demands
Denmark announced Thursday it would withdraw a newly deployed contingent of 100 troops from Mali after repeated demands, which Copenhagen denounced as a "political game" by the military junta.

Denmark's Hansen leads in Dubai, Morikawa makes strong start
Denmark's Joachim B. Hansen fired a seven-under-par 65 to take the lead after the first day of the Dubai Desert Classic on Thursday, while Collin Morikawa, Sergio Garcia and Viktor Hovland all made good starts.

With Fed set to hike US rates, 'ultra-cheap money' era nears end
Consumers, companies and financial markets are bound to see borrowing costs rise as the Federal Reserve gets ready to hike rates after two years of loose policy meant to support the US economy during the pandemic.

Women attend Iran-Iraq match in Tehran stadium
Iranian women were allowed Thursday for the first time in almost three years to attend a football match of their country's national team in a Tehran stadium.

Stocks rise as US economy posts decades-high growth
US and European stock markets rose on Thursday as investors put aside rate hike fears and focused on data showing the US economy grew at its fastest pace in decades last year.

UK's Johnson waits for report on lockdown parties
Boris Johnson on Thursday awaited a report into lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street that could determine his future as Britain's prime minister, and rejected new claims that he prioritised pets over people in the chaotic Afghan evacuation.

Trudeau to isolate after Covid exposure
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday that he had been exposed to Covid-19 and would isolate for five days, in accordance with health rules for vaccinated people.

Standing up to violent colleagues a high-risk 'duty' for US police
US police officer Cariol Horne intervened when a colleague started choking a Black suspect during an arrest in 2006. "Fifteen years of hell" ensued for Horne, also African-American, as she was punished for stepping out of rank.

US economy grew 5.7% in 2021, but Omicron hit looms
The world's largest economy staged a solid recovery last year as it grew at the fastest pace since 1984, but damage from the Omicron variant of Covid-19 still looms.

Greenpeace says abandoned Yemen oil tanker a 'grave threat'
A long-abandoned fuel tanker off the coast of war-torn Yemen poses a "grave threat" to millions of the impoverished country's residents, potentially exacerbating its humanitarian crisis, Greenpeace warned on Thursday.

Italy again fails to elect president as parties buy time
The fourth round of Italy's presidential elections flopped before it began Thursday, with parties unwilling to risk a crisis by picking Prime Minister Mario Draghi, but unable to agree on an alternative candidate.

Women allowed to watch Iran-Iraq match in Tehran stadium
Iranian women were allowed Thursday for the first time in three years to attend a football match of their country's national team in a Tehran stadium.

Kosovo's first female Winter Olympian Kryeziu aims for glory in China
Young, determined and willing to take chances, slalom skier Kiana Kryeziu's journey to the Olympics mirrors the recent history of her native Kosovo with the teenage skier set to become its first female Winter Olympian when she heads to Beijing.

Exeter Chiefs to end Native American branding
English Premiership club Exeter Chiefs have decided to abandon their controversial Native American branding from July.

Higher prices, fewer Covid-19 closures lift McDonald's profits
McDonald's reported higher profits Thursday on price increases and fewer impacts from Covid-19 restrictions despite higher operating costs.

Kosovo's first female Winter Olympian aims for glory in China
Young, determined and willing to take chances, slalom skier Kiana Kryeziu's journey to the Olympics mirrors the recent history of her native Kosovo with the teenage skier set to become its first female Winter Olympian when she heads to Beijing.

Dutch Olympic champion Kromowidjojo retires from the pool
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands said on Thursday she has retired from competitive swimming aged 31.