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Hosts Bilbao ready as 'Tour de France' 100-day countdown starts
The mayor of Basque city Bilbao told an event to mark 100 days to the start of the 2023 Tour de France on July 1 that he was eager to show off his city to a global audience.
UBS, Credit Suisse tie-up may not lead to Swiss bliss
The marriage of UBS and Credit Suisse was hastily arranged to prevent a global financial meltdown -- but the resulting megabank could cause domestic problems in Switzerland, the central bank admitted Thursday.
TikTok chief faces off with US lawmakers as ban looms
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew battled for the survival of the hugely popular video-sharing app in the United States on Thursday, as he faced skeptical Washington lawmakers over the company's alleged ties to the Chinese government.
Kyiv threatens Bakhmut counterattack as Zelensky visits Kherson
A top Ukrainian commander on Thursday threatened an impending counterattack against Russian forces in the frontline town of Bakhmut as President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Kherson, still partially controlled by Russia.
German unions call major transport strike
Transport across much of German will be paralysed Monday as workers strike demanding higher wages to cope with surging inflation, the latest industrial action in Europe's top economy.
Bone fragments held by Nazis get funeral in Berlin
A funeral was held on Thursday for thousands of human bone fragments found during excavations at Berlin's Freie Universitaet, thought to have been part of "scientific" collections held by the Nazis.
Shou Zi Chew, TikTok's low-key CEO, faces down US Congress
TikTok's CEO Shou Zi Chew, who will represent the Chinese company in a US congressional meeting Thursday, is a former banker turned tech boss whose soft-spoken persona belies his meteoric rise.
IMF warns Lebanon at 'very dangerous moment'
Crisis-hit Lebanon is "at a very dangerous moment", a visiting International Monetary Fund delegation said Thursday, criticising slow progress on reforms needed to unlock billions in loans.
Stocks mixed after more interest rate hikes
Wall Street rose but European stock markets fell Thursday after the Bank of England and other central banks joined the US Federal Reserve in hiking rates despite turmoil in the banking sector.
'Not the most attractive': Underdog snail wins Mollusc of the Year
In the end it was neither beauty, nor gymnastic mating rituals that won the public over.
Controversy in France over AI-assisted Olympics surveillance
French government plans to trial surveillance cameras upgraded with artificial intelligence at the 2024 Paris Olympics have opponents fuming at what they say is unnecessary and dangerous security overreach.
UEFA launch probe into Barcelona refereeing scandal
European football's governing body UEFA said on Thursday it was launching an investigation into claims Barcelona paid for favourable refereeing decisions.
TikTok chief faces grilling in US Congress as ban looms
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will fight for the survival of the hugely popular video-sharing app in the United States on Thursday, as he faces skeptical Washington lawmakers over the company's alleged ties to the Chinese government.
Bangladesh thrash dismal Ireland by 10 wickets to win series 2-0
Liton Das and Tamim Iqbal breezed past Ireland's dismal 101-run total in less than 14 overs for Bangladesh's first-ever 10-wicket win, sealing a 2-0 series victory during Thursday's final one-day-international in Sylhet.
More central banks hike rates despite banking turmoil
The Bank of England joined Norway and Switzerland in hiking interest rates Thursday to tackle stubbornly-high inflation, though banking-sector turmoil could soon lead to a pause in US tightening as hinted by the Federal Reserve.
World Athletics set to tighten transgender rules and lift Russia doping ban
World Athletics is likely to tighten rules governing the participation of transgender women in female competition on Thursday after a meeting that is also expected to decide to lift the ban imposed on Russia for mass doping.
Xi's Moscow visit risks further emboldening Putin: analysts
There is no sign the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Moscow will rein in President Vladimir Putin in his war on Ukraine, even if it again highlights a lopsided relationship where Russia is clearly the junior partner, analysts say.
Japan's Uno digs deep to take lead at skating worlds
Japan's defending champion Shoma Uno said he "gave everything" to overcome an injury scare and take the lead after the men's short programme at the world figure skating championships on Thursday.
Man Utd owners await revised offers for Premier League giants
Manchester United's owners were Thursday awaiting fresh bids from a Qatari banker and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe after the deadline passed for revised offers to buy the Premier League giants.
Uno overcomes injury to take lead at skating worlds
Defending champion Shoma Uno shrugged off an injury scare and the challenge of "QuadGod" Ilia Malinin to lead after the men's short programme at the world figure skating championships on Thursday.
France-Germany tensions overshadow EU leaders' summit
A burgeoning row between France and Germany fired by differences over nuclear energy and combustion engines threatened to spill over into a gathering of the 27 European Union leaders Thursday.
European stocks drop after rate hikes
European stocks sank Thursday after the US Federal Reserve and other central banks in Europe hiked interest rates despite turmoil in the banking sector.
Toshiba says it will 'support' $15 bn takeover bid
Troubled Japanese conglomerate Toshiba said Thursday it will "support" a $15 billion takeover bid by a consortium led by investment fund Japan Industrial Partners.
'Together for now': Ukrainian families serving on the front
When Marta Synchina was first sent to Ukraine's war-ravaged east as a military nurse, she and her father -- deployed in the same brigade -- decided not to tell her mother.
Dutch lose Gakpo, De Ligt and others for France clash due to virus
Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt and three other Netherlands players have a virus and will miss the Euro 2024 qualifier against France, the Dutch federation said Thursday.
Controversial gold mine reopens in Thailand
A controversial gold mine in Thailand restarted operations on Thursday, more than six years after the government forced it to close over health and environmental concerns.
After Fed, European central banks hike rates
Switzerland and Norway hiked interest rates Thursday to tackle inflation despite banking-sector turmoil, with the Bank of England next in line after the US Federal Reserve also lifted borrowing costs.
Ethiopia appoints senior TPLF official as head of Tigray interim govt
The Ethiopian government said Thursday it has appointed a senior official in the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) as head of an interim government for Tigray after a peace deal ended a brutal two-year conflict.
Toshiba to go private as board accepts $15 bn takeover bid: reports
Troubled Japanese conglomerate Toshiba on Thursday accepted a $15 billion takeover bid by a consortium led by investment fund Japan Industrial Partners, major local media outlets reported.
Even free transport can't shake Luxembourg's love of the car
Three years after Luxembourg declared all public transport free in a bid to clear its roads of jams and cut pollution, the car is still king of the congested Grand Duchy.
After Fed, European central banks hike their rates
Switzerland and Norway hiked interest rates Thursday to tackle inflation despite banking-sector turmoil, with the UK's central bank next in line after the US Federal Reserve also lifted borrowing costs.
China holds 'upper hand' in Russian gas exports
A massive new gas pipeline to China could help reduce Russia's reliance on European buyers, but analysts say the project reveals a growing imbalance between the longtime strategic allies.