The United Nations said on Thursday Gaza's post-war reconstruction would require an international effort unseen since the aftermath of World War II, estimating it could cost up to $40 billion.
US President Joe Biden insisted Thursday that "order must prevail" on college campuses after weeks of turmoil, clashes with police and mass arrests involving student protests against Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. Biden, who had remained tight-lipped as the student unrest expanded, spoke just hours after hundreds of police moved in to forcibly clear a sprawling encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles, tearing down barriers and detaining more than 200 protestors.
Mikel Arteta's Gunners are a single point above Pep Guardiola's men with three games left but City, who host Wolves, crucially have a game in hand. Newcastle can pile the pressure on Manchester United in the battle for a Europa League place if they win at Burnley, who are plotting a great escape. AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of the action. Can Wolves stop City juggernaut? Arsenal have hit a rich vein of form since their 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa last month, but are competing... Читать дальше...
Britain's ruling Conservatives lost a parliamentary seat to the main Labour opposition Friday, as the country awaited local election results likely to pile more pressure on embattled leader Rishi Sunak.
In a resolution adopted on Thursday, the lower house of parliament urged organisers of the 2024 Paris Games, as well as athletes, trainers and journalists to use French as much as possible. Annie Genevard, the conservative sponsor of the resolution, expressed alarm to fellow MPs that "the Olympic Games reflect the loss of influence of our language." She recalled the much-criticised slogan used for Paris' original bid for the Games -- "Made for Sharing" -- as well as other recent government-backed... Читать дальше...
Lyles added a third world gold in Budapest last year after anchoring the US team to victory in the 4x100m relay. He will be joined in the Caribbean by Olympic 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek and in-form Courtney Lindsey, while four women who helped USA to gold in the 4x100m in the Hungarian capital will also be present: Gabby Thomas, Tamari Davis, Tamara Clark and Melissa Jefferson. Lyles posted a wind-aided 9.96sec 100m victory in Bermuda on Monday, Davis winning the women's short sprint in 11.04... Читать дальше...
AC exhaust units are a common feature of urban landscapes in many parts of Asia, clinging like limpets to towering apartment blocks in Hong Kong or tucked in a cross formation between the windows of a building in Cambodia. They offer relief from temperatures that have toppled records in recent weeks, with many countries in the region hitting 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) or higher. Scientists have long warned that human-induced climate change will produce more frequent, longer and more intense heatwaves. Читать дальше...
Taiwan's defence ministry said Friday it had detected 26 Chinese aircraft and five naval vessels around the self-ruled island in the previous 24 hours.
Georgia has been engulfed by huge protests triggered by a proposed law that critics see as a threat to media freedom and the country’s aspirations to join the European Union.
Norway retained its top position, while Eritrea came last, taking over from last year's lowest-ranked country, North Korea. Among the most significant declines were Afghanistan, (which fell 26 places to 178th), Togo (down 43 to 113th) and Ecuador (down 30 to 110th). The bottom 10 includes China, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Eritrea. But the watchdog, known by its French acronym RSF, warned that politicians across a wide range of countries were targeting the media. "Some political groups fuel... Читать дальше...
Police forcibly removed scores of defiant pro-Palestinian protesters at several universities on Thursday, including taking down an encampment at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) in a jarring scene that underscored the heightened chaos that has erupted at universities this week.
Under a roof of plastic sheets in one of the camps in Kayah state, Augusta waits for the 10 gallons that must cover her family's drinking, cooking and washing needs for the next three days. More than 123,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Kayah by the conflict unleashed by the military's 2021 coup, according to the United Nations. Now, a heatwave that has sent the mercury in Myanmar to 48 degrees Celsius (118 Fahrenheit) in some places has added to uncertainties of life in the camps. Читать дальше...
"I've suppressed so much," Berthelsen said. "I had an IUD (intrauterine device) fitted nine times since the age of 13, according to my medical records," the psychologist and activist explained with poise and dignity. "Luckily -- if one can say luckily -- they fell out," she said, her voice cracking. "I remember being in so much pain," she told AFP at her home in a Copenhagen suburb. Now 66, Berthelsen is one of the 143 Greenland Inuits who have sued the Danish state for violating their rights... Читать дальше...
India is renowned for its fanatical cricket obsession but in the central state of Chhattisgarh, cockfighting draws the crowds. "Earlier there was no other entertainment and it helped us meet people from other villages," Raju, whose skill in raising fighting fowl has made him something of a local celebrity, told AFP. "Even with all the changes around us today, the sport is still very popular," the 32-year-old added. The forests of Bastar district are home to numerous tribal communities living in scattered villages. Читать дальше...
After months of stop-start negotiations, Hamas has sounded an optimistic tone about the latest hostages-for-ceasefire proposal, raising hopes an agreement may soon be reached -- even as medics in the besieged strip reported fresh strikes on Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah on Friday. Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said the group will "soon" send a delegation to Egypt to complete ongoing ceasefire discussions with a deal that "realises the demands of our people". Haniyeh, the leader of the militant group's political wing... Читать дальше...
Mounting flags and chanting "Long live free Palestine," the protesters set up tents in front of the National Autonomous University of Mexico's (UNAM) head office in Mexico City. The students called on the Mexican government to break diplomatic and commercial ties with Israel. "We are here to support Palestine, the people who are in Palestine, and the student camps in the United States," said Valentino Pino, a 19-year-old philosophy student. Jimena Rosas, 21, said she hoped the protest would have... Читать дальше...
Hamas said Thursday it will send a delegation to Cairo as soon as possible for further ceasefire talks. The group's political leader Ismail Haniyeh said he spoke to Egypt’s intelligence chief and “stressed the positive spirit of the movement in studying the ceasefire proposal” put forth by US and Egyptian mediators. This comes as police arrested more people during the pro-Palestinian protests that have swept US college campuses. Follow our live blog for the latest updates on the Israel-Hamas war.
"It is a silent war, one which is not visible," said Aviram Atzaba, the Israeli National Cyber Directorate's head of international cooperation. While Israel has fought Hamas in Gaza since the October 7 attack, it has also faced a significant increase in cyberattacks from Iran and its allies, Atzaba said. "They are trying to hack everything they can," he told AFP, pointing to Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement but adding that so far "they have not succeeded in causing any real damage". He... Читать дальше...
UNESCO on Thursday awarded its world press freedom prize to all Palestinian journalists covering the war in Gaza, where Israel has been battling Hamas for more than six months.
Marseille's Europa League semi-final tie against Atalanta is finely poised going into the return after the teams drew 1-1 in Thursday's first leg in France.
