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Russia claims Mariupol 'liberated' as US rushes new aid for Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday claimed the "liberation" of the flattened city of Mariupol after nearly two months of fighting, demanding that its trapped Ukrainian defenders be sealed up in their underground last stand.
Biden announces new $800 million military package for Ukraine
US President Joe Biden announced Thursday a new package of $800 million in military aid for Ukraine, saying it would help Kyiv's forces in the fight against Russians forces in the Donbas region.
'Small actions' can help reduce reliance on Russian energy: IEA
Adjusting the heating and working more from home are just some of the "small actions" that can reduce Europe's reliance on Russia, the International Energy Agency and the European Commission said Thursday.
Frappart named as first woman to referee French Cup final
Stephanie Frappart will make history when she becomes the first woman to referee the men's French Cup final, after being handed the game by the French Football Federation (FFF) on Thursday.
Russia's economic outlook worsens: central bank survey
Russia's economic outlook has worsened as a central bank survey on Thursday showed a deeper contraction than previously expected and inflation soaring to 22 percent this year.
France's Macron, Le Pen in final quest for votes after fiery debate
French leader Emmanuel Macron and far-right rival Marine Le Pen on Thursday launched a final push for votes in working class heartlands of France after a pre-election debate from which the president was judged to have emerged on top.
Tesla, airline shares take off
US and European stock markets rose on Thursday, with Tesla shares shooting higher after the electric carmaker reported record profits and airlines soaring as the travel outlook brightened.
American Airlines eyes Q2 profit after latest loss
American Airlines reported another quarterly loss Thursday, but said a recent sharp improvement in bookings should enable it to achieve profitability in the second quarter.
At least 16 dead as blasts rock Afghan cities
At least 16 people were killed by bomb blasts in two Afghan cities Thursday -- including 12 at a Shiite mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group.
Ronaldo thanks Liverpool fans for show of 'compassion'
Cristiano Ronaldo expressed his gratitude to Liverpool fans for their show of support after his newborn baby son died.
UN top court raps Colombia over sea row with Nicaragua
The United Nations' top court on Thursday ordered the Colombian navy to stop interfering in Nicaraguan waters, ruling on a longstanding legal battle over maritime borders.
Shanghai's cautious awakening from Covid lockdown
When Rui ventured out of her Shanghai apartment complex this week for the first time in 20 days, she found a city much altered since Covid-19 brought it to a standstill.
Spyware allegations poison Spain's ties with Catalan separatists
Catalan separatists have accused Spain's intelligence services of using spyware to snoop on their mobile phones, reviving tensions with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's minority leftist government which relies on their support to pass legislation.
Gaza rockets, Israel strikes stoke new Jerusalem clashes
Palestinian militants in Gaza and Israeli warplanes exchanged fire early Thursday in the biggest escalation in months, followed by fresh violence at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque.
Airline shares take off on bullish United outlook
Shares in European airlines took off Thursday after United Airlines forecast surging travel demand as the pandemic impact fades on the aviation sector.
Ten Hag accepts his toughest challenge as Man Utd manager
Erik Ten Hag has never shied away from a challenge, but the biggest task of the Dutchman's coaching career awaits after accepting the role of Manchester United manager.
Ukraine war steals the show at Venice Art Biennale
Pavlo Makov fled Russia's invasion with almost nothing but is proud to represent Ukraine at this year's Venice Biennale, which raises questions about the role of art at a time of war.
Freddie Mercury to live forever in South Korea statue
A die-hard Queen fan unveiled a life-size bronze statue of Freddie Mercury on Thursday on South Korea's resort island of Jeju, after an eight-year quest to honour his late hero.
Ten Hag to become Man Utd manager next season
Erik ten Hag will leave Ajax to become Manchester United manager next season, the English giants confirmed on Thursday.
Russia claims Mariupol 'liberated' but West hails Ukraine's resistance
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday claimed the "liberation" of the flattened city of Mariupol after nearly two months of fighting, but signalled he would forgo a final bloody offensive against beleaguered Ukrainian defenders there.
EU nears deal on massive tech services regulation
The European Union could agree on Friday a new regulation imposing unprecedented curbs on online content, the second part of its massive project to regulate tech companies.
UK PM arrives in India for hard sell on anti-Russia action
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in India Thursday touting job-creating investment but facing long odds to get his reluctant counterpart Narendra Modi to back Western action against Russia.
Libya's oil industry falls hostage again to politics
Libya's oil industry, the lifeblood of its economy, has fallen hostage once more to a political schism, as the re-emergence of parallel administrations has forced many hydrocarbon facilities to close.
Macron, Le Pen in final push for votes after fiery debate
President Emmanuel Macron and far-right rival Marine Le Pen on Thursday launched a final push for votes in working class heartlands of France after a pre-election debate marked by bitter clashes.
Toulon suffer blow as Kolbe sidelined with broken thumb
Toulon were dealt a hammerblow Thursday with news that South African winger Cheslin Kolbe will be sidelined for "several weeks" with a broken thumb.
Hosting Britain's migrants: The view from Rwanda
Britain's controversial deal to send migrants and asylum-seekers to Rwanda has attracted a flood of criticism in the UK, with opposition politicians, campaigners and the UN refugee agency calling for the multi-million-dollar agreement to be scrapped.
Bucha: A street filled with bodies
An AFP team were the first journalists to discover the horrors of Bucha, a quiet commuter town near Kyiv occupied by the Russian army for over a month.
China reinforces tight control over plane crash mystery
The cause of China's deadliest air crash in decades remains a mystery, with authorities giving few details in a preliminary report on Wednesday while enforcing strict censorship one month after the disaster.
Gaza militants, Israel in biggest exchange of fire since 2021 war
Palestinian militants fired volleys of rockets from Gaza into Israel, which responded with air strikes in the early hours of Thursday in the biggest escalation since an 11-day war last year.
Horror master Cronenberg makes art from 'beautiful' kidney stones
Canadian film-maker David Cronenberg has been shocking audiences for decades with his graphic "body horror" movies but he has now gone further by creating art from his own insides.
Fontaines DC, dark balladeers of Irish identity
Fontaines DC's raw, romantic tales of Dublin street life marked them out as the Next Big Thing in rock. Moving to London in the pandemic has taken their music in a darker direction.
After life of trauma, Liberian lab chimps settle into retirement
Floating on a river boat near a Liberian island, vet Richard Ssuna watches intently as animal carers wade towards the shore hurling fruits and imitating chimpanzee calls as they go.