India's island choke point
China’s lithography leap
China’s cartel lifeline
Australia limits migration
Australia defends Pacific climate meeting despite doubts on attendance
Hong Kong democracy activist Wong pleads guilty to foreign collusion
Iran attacks US sites after American strikes, wedding deaths
World record prize winner Romantic Warrior retires from horse racing
Politics
Stocks drop, yields at three-decade highs on Mideast flare-up
Stocks fell and bond yields held at multi-decade highs on Wednesday as investors ramp up rate hike bets amid a fresh flare-up in Middle East tensions that has sparked another surge in oil prices.
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5,000 US sailors arrive in Thailand after months at sea
Around 5,000 US sailors and Marines arrived in Thailand on Wednesday for their first port call in nine months, after concerns over conditions on board sparked debate back home over President Donald Trump's war with Iran.
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Australian players back UN appeal for crisis-hit Sri Lanka
The visiting Australian cricket team on Thursday threw their support behind a United Nations appeal to buy urgently needed food and life-saving medicines for Sri Lanka, which is currently undergoing a spiralling economic crisis.
US PGA Tour bans LIV Golf rebels from its tournaments
US PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan banished 17 players who have joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series on Thursday as the controversial new venture teed off in Britain.
France flanker Ollivon to skipper Barbarians against England
France flanker Charles Ollivon will make his return to international rugby union when he skippers the Barbarians against England at Twickenham on June 19, the invitational side anounced Thursday.
US ready to deliver millions of Covid vaccines to youngest children
The White House on Thursday said it had an operational plan to deliver 10 million doses of Covid vaccine for the nation's youngest children by June 20, pending clearance by regulators.
Stocks extend losses as ECB eyes multiple rate hikes
Stock markets moved deeper into the red on Thursday after the European Central Bank said it was planning a series of rate hikes from next month to tame runaway inflation in the single currency area.
Mickelson, Johnson tee off in Saudi-backed breakaway series
Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson are among the stars who teed off on Thursday at the LIV Golf Invitational London, the launch event of a lucrative and divisive series that is rocking the sport.
Family of UK man missing in Amazon call for deeper search
The family of a British journalist missing in the Amazon urged British and Brazilian authorities in London on Thursday to step up their efforts to find him.
Wimbledon singles champions to win £2m each in 2022
Wimbledon announced record prize money Thursday for this year's edition of tennis' oldest Grand Slam tournament, with the two singles champions taking home £2 million ($2.5 million, 2.3 million euros) each.
From Lewandowski to Mane: Transfer window movers to watch
Kylian Mbappe is staying at Paris Saint-Germain and Erling Haaland is on his way to Manchester City, but plenty more big-name stars are on the market as the summer transfer window opens in Europe.
Iran's removal of monitoring cameras may scupper nuclear talks: UN
The UN atomic energy watchdog said on Thursday that Iran was removing 27 surveillance cameras at its nuclear facilities, warning this could be a "fatal blow" to negotiations to revive a landmark deal.
UK yachting champ turned environmental activist wins Spain prize
Former British yachting champion turned environmental campaigner Ellen MacArthur on Thursday won Spain's prestigious Princess of Asturias prize for international cooperation for her work to promote the circular economy.
ECB begins inflation fightback with July rate hike
The European Central Bank on Thursday said it would raise interest rates for the first time in over a decade next month to combat runaway inflation, bringing the curtain down on the eurozone's era of cheap money.
Summer transfer window opens but it's the era of player power
The summer transfer window officially opens in England on Friday with Premier League clubs again set to splash the cash while the futures of a selection of out-of-contract stars dominate headlines on the continent.
France tried to 'deflect blame' over Champions League chaos: Liverpool mayor
French authorities tried to deflect blame and scapegoat Liverpool fans after their "incompetence" caused chaos at the Champions League final last month, the mayor of the Liverpool region told AFP Thursday.
France probes alleged nuclear power cover-up: source
French prosecutors are investigating claims that officials at a nuclear power station covered up incidents of malfunction at an ageing plant, a source close to the probe told AFP on Thursday.
UK denies breaking law with new Northern Ireland plan
Britain said on Thursday it was readying new legislation to rewrite its Brexit commitments on Northern Ireland but denied it was breaking its treaty obligations to the European Union.
Biden eyes climate progress as Brazil leader joins Americas summit
Joe Biden sought Thursday to step up action on climate at an Americas summit with hopes for at least small progress with Brazil, whose far-right leader will hold a potentially tense meeting with the US president.
Paris police chief admits security 'failure' at European final
The head of Paris police acknowledged Thursday the "failure" of security operations for the Champions League final last month where crowd problems, tear-gas and street crime marred the biggest night in European club football.
Leach retains England place for 2nd Test against New Zealand
Jack Leach has kept his place in an unchanged England XI for the second Test against New Zealand at Nottingham's Trent Bridge starting Friday after being passed fit following concussion.
Sandberg exit unlikely to improve Facebook: whistleblower
The departure of controversial Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg is unlikely to improve the troubled social media giant, whistleblower Frances Haugen told AFP.
Auction gathers horse-lovers from across divided Libya
A trainer walks a mare around a grassy pen under the gaze of potential buyers from across Libya, where passion for horses is undimmed despite years of violence.
Champion jockey Murphy thought about quitting due to blackouts
Three-time British champion jockey Oisin Murphy, who is currently banned from riding, told the BBC he was blacking out from drinking so much last year he considered quitting horse racing.
Medvedev: Russia's reforming president turned arch-hawk
Dmitry Medvedev as Russian president chomped on a burger at an American diner with Barack Obama, praised independent media and made ambitious promises of reform to create a more open Russia.
Europe's 'largest predatory dinosaur' found by UK fossil hunter
A giant crocodile-faced dinosaur discovered on the Isle of Wight by one of Britain's best fossil hunters was probably the largest predator ever to stalk Europe, scientists said on Thursday.
Five stories from the Baku pits
Baku hosts the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday. AFP looks at five stories doing the rounds ahead of the eighth leg of the Formula One world championship:
Isolated Russia celebrates tsar who opened 'window to Europe'
More than three centuries after he sought to bring Russia closer to Europe, Russians on Thursday marked the 350th birthday of tsar Peter the Great with the country deeply isolated over the Ukraine conflict.
Stocks drop as inflation fears mount, eyes on ECB
Equity markets mostly fell Thursday as inflation fears gain momentum, with all eyes on the outcome of a European Central Bank policy meeting aimed at tackling soaring consumer prices in the eurozone.
Iran slams censure by UN watchdog in new cloud over nuclear talks
Iran condemned as "unconstructive" Thursday its censure by the UN atomic energy watchdog for failing to cooperate, in a new spat that clouded efforts to revive a deal limiting its nuclear activities.
Thailand takes step towards legalising cannabis
Thailand relaxed its cannabis laws Thursday, with users permitted to possess and grow the plant -- albeit under complicated new guidelines.
Italy's Draghi says EU should cushion energy inflation blow
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Thursday suggested an EU-wide scheme to protect citizens from higher energy costs resulting from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine says fate of Donbas rests in battleground city
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the fate of the whole Donbas region hinges on the "very fierce" battle with Russian troops for the flashpoint eastern city of Severodonetsk.
England's smoking age limit should be raised every year: study
The age at which people can buy tobacco in England should rise by one each year until it becomes a "smoke-free" society, a government-commissioned review recommended Thursday.