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Urban fighting rages in Gaza as war enters third month
Heavy urban combat raged in and around Gaza's biggest cities on Thursday as the bloodiest-ever war between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas entered its third month since the militants' attack on October 7.
EU states make last-ditch effort to back spending rules reform
EU finance ministers will try to hammer out an agreement over dinner on Thursday to reform bloc-wide spending rules after months of bitter divisions, especially between France and Germany.
Under-pressure UK PM insists Rwanda migrant plan 'will work'
UK leader Rishi Sunak insisted Thursday that his latest immigration plan would work, as the issue threatened to tear apart his ruling Conservatives, putting his premiership in jeopardy.
Ex-PM Johnson hits out at 'version' of Partygate which prompted his downfall
Former UK prime minister Boris Johnson on Thursday hit out at "absolutely absurd" portrayals of partying in Downing Street during the Covid pandemic, as he faced a second day of questioning at a public inquiry.
UK to raise BBC licence fee after two-year freeze
The UK government announced Thursday that the BBC licence fee will rise after a two-year freeze, but the broadcaster indicated the increase would not be enough to ward off further cuts.
Macron hosts Hungary's Orban in bid to break Ukraine deadlock
French President Emmanuel Macron meets Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday in a bid to break the deadlock ahead of an EU summit after the Hungarian leader threatened to block further backing for Ukraine.
Greece, Turkey vow to work on improving relations
Greece and Turkey on Thursday restarted high-level talks to reduce chronic tensions in their relations as the Turkish president visited Athens for the first time in six years.
EU presses China on trade, concerns over Taiwan and Russia at summit
EU leaders said Thursday they had pressed China's leadership on a yawning trade imbalance as well as expressing concern over Beijing's pressure on Taiwan and support for isolated Russia, at their first in-person summit in over four years.
Putin, Saudi leader urge oil cooperation as prices flag
The leaders of Saudi Arabia and Russia used a rare face-to-face meeting to urge oil producers to stick to pledged supply cuts, a joint statement said Thursday.
French minister says 'no Plan B' for Tahiti's Olympic surfing
France's Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera on Thursday ruled out any move of Olympic surfing events away from Tahiti after environmental damage occurred during tests last week.
Ukraine 'very concerned' over Russian Olympics call: Sports minister
The Ukrainian government is "very concerned" by the call from sports federations and National Olympic Committees to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at next year's Paris Olympics, its acting sports minister has told AFP.
Urban fighting rages in Gaza as Israel-Hamas war enters third month
Heavy urban combat raged in and around Gaza's biggest cities Thursday as the bloodiest ever war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas entered its third month since the October 7 attacks.
Fatah in freefall as Hamas and Israel wage war
Fatah, the largest Palestinian party, has seen its popularity plunge during the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, from where the Islamists violently ousted rivals Fatah in 2007.
'A place of fear': Hong Kong activist recalls years of repression
Agnes Chow was trapped in Hong Kong, had her passport seized and was branded a "foreign agent" after years as one of the city's most prominent democracy activists.
Asia tracks Wall Street sell-off as US labour market softens
Asian stocks sank Thursday, extending a rollercoaster week across world markets as investors jockey for position ahead of key US jobs data and oil struggled to bounce back after hitting a five-month low.
'National circumstances' key to COP28 fossil fuel deal: S.Africa minister
Any eventual agreement on a fossil fuel phase-out at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai must take into account "different national circumstances", South Africa's environment minister Barbara Creecy told AFP.
Israel battles Hamas in south Gaza city
Israeli troops battled Hamas militants Thursday in the heart of southern Gaza's main city where a suspected mastermind of the October 7 attacks is believed to be hiding, while pressing their offensive across the besieged territory.
Turkey's Erdogan in Athens in 'new chapter' bid
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan travels to Athens on Thursday in a keenly watched visit billed as an attempted "new chapter" between the NATO allies and historic rivals after years of tension.
Stretched to breaking, Germany's debt rule faces reform
Germany's strict constitutional debt rule faces an overhaul after a shock court ruling blew a hole in the budget and left the government scrambling to make its sums add up.
Asia tracks Wall St sell-off as US labour market softens
Asian stocks sank Thursday, extending a rollercoaster week across world markets as investors jockey for position ahead of key US jobs data, while oil struggled to bounce back after hitting a five-month low.
Israel battles Hamas militants inside south Gaza city
Israeli troops battled Hamas fighters Thursday in the heart of southern Gaza's main city where a top militant leader is believed to be hiding, while pressing their offensive across the besieged territory.
Ukraine sees drones as crucial to battlefield success
Sat in a soggy field and strapped into a virtual reality headset, Ukrainian soldier Igor was piloting a military drone test flight using a small control panel in his hands.
Australia, Papua New Guinea announce security deal
Australia clinched a security deal with Papua New Guinea on Thursday, bolstering ties to a key Pacific neighbour that has been courted persistently by China.
Guyana army helicopter missing near tense border with Venezuela
A Guyanese army helicopter with seven people on board was reported missing Wednesday near the border with Venezuela, an official said, as tensions between the two neighbors soar over a disputed oil-rich territory.
EU leaders in China for summit with high stakes but low expectations
European leaders will meet their Chinese counterparts in Beijing on Thursday for talks dominated by divisions between the bloc and its largest economic partner over everything from trade to the war against Ukraine.
US finds war crimes and ethnic cleansing in Sudan war
The United States said Wednesday that Sudan's rival forces have both committed war crimes in their brutal conflict and alleged a new ethnic cleansing campaign in scarred Darfur.
US Senate blocks Ukraine, Israel aid in row over immigration
Republican senators blocked a White House request for $106 billion in emergency aid primarily for Ukraine and Israel Wednesday as conservatives balked at the exclusion of immigration reforms they had demanded as part of the package.
Venezuela, Guyana agree to keep talking as border tension mounts
Guyana and Venezuela agreed Wednesday to keep "communication channels open" in a fast-escalating feud over an oil-rich region, as Brazil reinforced its troops near its own border and Washington urged calm.
UK minister quits over Rwanda bill, heaping pressure on PM Sunak
Britain's ruling Conservative party was in disarray Wednesday after its immigration minister quit over legislation regarding sending migrants to Rwanda as hardliners turned the screw on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Israel-Hamas battles rage in south Gaza city
Israeli forces battled Hamas militants in Gaza's main southern city on Wednesday, as the UN warned a complete breakdown in public order was imminent after nearly two months of war sparked by deadly attacks on Israel.
Venezuela, Guyana open 'communication channels' as border tension mounts
Guyana and Venezuela agreed Wednesday to "keep the communication channels open" in a fast-worsening feud over a disputed, oil-rich region as Brazil reinforced troops on its northern border with the neighbors.
'This cannot wait': Biden urges Congress to pass Ukraine aid
President Joe Biden urged feuding US lawmakers Wednesday to approve military aid for Kyiv, warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not stop with Ukraine and could even clash with NATO.
Displaced Palestinians forced to fend for themselves in Gaza's south
A plastic sheet rigged up as a tent, branches gathered from here and there to make a fire -- at the southern tip of Gaza, displaced Palestinians are settling in as best they can.
Paris attacker faces judge on terror charges
A man suspected of stabbing a German tourist to death near the Eiffel Tower appeared before a French judge on Wednesday with a view to being charged with carrying out a terror attack, prosecutors said.
UK slams three airlines over greenwashing ads
A UK watchdog on Wednesday banned three online adverts from airlines Air France, Etihad Airways and Lufthansa for "misleading" claims over their environmental impact.
Putin visits Saudi Arabia, UAE on Middle East tour
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Saudi Arabia Wednesday after visiting the United Arab Emirates, making a rare trip abroad as Moscow seeks to reassert itself on the global stage.
Stock markets rise on rate-cut hopes, oil slumps
Global equities rose Wednesday with Frankfurt striking a record peak, as investors tracked resurgent hopes of interest rate cuts from the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve.
US Treasury sanctions network for role in fentanyl import
The United States is imposing sanctions on 15 Mexican individuals accused of involvement in importing fentanyl into the country, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Wednesday, as Washington seeks to further the fight against the deadly substance.
Israel-Hamas fighting closes in on south Gaza city
Israeli forces on Wednesday battled Hamas militants in Gaza's main southern city, leading to "deepening horror" for civilians, the UN said, after nearly two months of war sparked by deadly attacks on Israel.