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French pensions strikes lose momentum as March showdown looms
French protesters joined fresh rallies and strikes against a bitterly contested pensions reform on Thursday, but turnout failed to match the massive numbers seen in previous demonstrations.
King Charles faces 'not my king' protest on walkabout
King Charles III on Thursday encountered a group of anti-monarchy activists while on walkabout in the city of Milton Keynes north of London.
Bitcoin tops $25,000 to hit eight-month high
Bitcoin hit an eight-month high to surge past $25,000 on Thursday as the volatile cryptocurrency rises despite pressure from US regulators.
Jankto says coming out 'definitely a relief'
Czech international footballer Jakub Jankto said Thursday his coming out as gay earlier this week was "definitely a relief".
Kudermetova stuns Gauff in Doha to set up Swiatek clash
Veronika Kudermetova upset the Doha Open seedings to defeat American teenager Coco Gauff 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 on Thursday and set up a semi-final clash with world number one Iga Swiatek.
Spain passes law for Europe's first 'menstrual leave'
Spain's parliament approved Thursday a law granting paid medical leave to women suffering severe period pain, becoming the first European country to advance such legislation.
Paris, London stocks hit all-time highs but Wall Street tumbles
The London and Paris stock exchanges leapt to all-time highs on Thursday as strong corporate results propelled European markets, but Wall Street fell on renewed concerns about future interest rate hikes.
Wagner chief slams 'bureaucracy' slowing Russian offensive
The head of Russia's mercenary outfit Wagner said on Thursday it could take months to capture the embattled Ukraine city of Bakhmut and slammed Moscow's "monstrous bureaucracy" for slowing military gains.
Australia rout Sri Lanka by 10 wickets at Women's T20 World Cup
Australian opening batters Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy took the defending champions to a dominant 10-wicket Women's T20 World Cup win against Sri Lanka at St George's Park in Gqeberha on Thursday.
Winning skiing gold medals is very rare, says world star Shiffrin
Mikaela Shiffrin bagged a 13th individual world medal -- and seventh title -- when she won the giant slalom in Meribel on Thursday, but the American star batted away suggestions she was now the greatest of all time.
Nestle, Absolut owner to hike prices again amid high costs
Swiss food giant Nestle and liquor group Pernod Ricard, owner of Absolut vodka and Jameson whiskey, announced fresh price hikes on Thursday due to inflation even as consumers across the world face a cost-of-living crunch.
Ukrainian Nobel winner demands justice for Russian 'war criminals'
Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Ukrainian rights activist whose NGO was co-winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize, called Thursday for the world to "hold Russian war criminals accountable," in an interview with AFP.
England rugby maternity policy can 'normalise motherhood in sport'
England women's lock Abbie Ward hailed a new maternity policy from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) on Thursday as giving mothers the "best possible chance of returning to play."
Stocks mostly fall but Paris hits record high
The Paris stock market hit an all-time high on Thursday but Wall Street and most European indices fell on renewed concerns about future interest rate hikes.
Passports and war driving pregnant Russians to give birth in Argentina
When migration officials detained six pregnant Russian women at a Buenos Aires airport last week, they exposed a phenomenon that has been growing in the country for a year: Russian birthing tourism.
Harris shines as Australia strangle Sri Lanka batters
Australian all-rounder Grace Harris held a spectacular catch and took two wickets as Sri Lanka struggled in a top-of-the-table Women's T20 World Cup clash at St George's Park in Gqeberha on Thursday.
Shiffrin storms giant slalom for 13th world medal and seventh gold
Mikaela Shiffrin put the split with her long-time coach behind her as she won a memorable seventh world title, storming to giant slalom glory at the World Ski Championships on Thursday.
UK energy group Centrica's surging profit sparks fury
Britain's biggest domestic energy supplier Centrica on Thursday posted rocketing annual profit, sparking fury as Britons face soaring household electricity and gas bills that have fuelled a cost-of-living crisis.
Irish lock Tadhg Beirne ruled out of Six Nations with injury
Ireland lock Tadhg Beirne has been ruled out for the rest of the Six Nations due to surgery on his ankle, the Irish Rugby Football Union said Thursday.
French pensions strikes slow before March showdown
Turnout was sharply down on Thursday for new strikes in France against a bitterly opposed pension reform being debated in parliament, with union heads hoping for a bigger showdown to come.
Gatland would not support Welsh players' strike ahead of Six Nations clash
Wales head coach Warren Gatland would not support his players if they decided to strike ahead of their Six Nations clash with England.
Turkey quake tests Erdogan's all-powerful rule
When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan assumed sweeping powers in 2018, he swore the state would deliver more under a centralised system that his critics compare to one-man rule.
US wholesale price inflation rebounds on goods prices
Wholesale prices in the United States picked up more than expected in January, according to Labor Department data released Thursday, bumped up by goods costs and fueled by higher gasoline prices.
French company charged over baby milk salmonella scandal
French food company Lactalis said Thursday it had been charged over a five-year-old global scandal in which dozens of babies fell sick from salmonella-contaminated powdered formula milk.
Struggling 'peripheral France' at centre of new protests
France is in the grip of a fresh wave of protests, with support for demonstrations particularly strong in small and medium-sized towns, often overlooked areas of the country that are simmering with resentment, experts say.
Shiffrin storms giant slalom for 13th world medal, seventh gold
Mikaela Shiffrin put the split with her long-time coach behind her as she won a memorable seventh world title when she stormed to giant slalom glory at the World Ski Championships in Meribel on Thursday.
Spain passes trans law allowing gender self-determination
Spanish lawmakers on Thursday voted through a transgender law letting anyone 16 and over change gender on their ID card even as similar measures elsewhere have sparked division over the complexities of the issue.
'We knew': NATO chief looks back at Russia's Ukraine invasion
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says he went to sleep on the eve of February 24, 2022 knowing full well the carnage that would be unleashed coming within hours.
China remains Germany's biggest trade partner in 2022
China was Germany's biggest trading partner in 2022 for the seventh year in a row, figures published Thursday showed, as policymakers worry about economic over-reliance on Beijing.
Syria quake survivors battle cold in tents and vehicles
Since the earthquake destroyed her home, Syrian teacher Suzanne Abdallah has lived in a small truck crammed with her family members, just a stone's throw from where their house stood.
Rohingya refugees land on Indonesia's west coast
At least 69 Rohingya refugees, many of them women and children, landed on Indonesia's west coast Thursday in a wooden boat, an official with the United Nations refugee agency said.
Belarus and Ukraine face off across 'tense' border crossing
Beyond piled-up tyres and barbed wire, a Ukrainian flag flutters across from Belarusian border guards patrolling an increasingly tense frontier.