The former head of Catalonia, Charles Puigdemont, was back in Spain on Thursday after seven years on the run, despite facing arrest. Puigdemont, who fled the country over his role in a failed bid for Catalonian independence, addressed supporters at a park near the regional parliament, which is set to elect a new leader later in the day.
The bill would allow citizens to choose either religious authorities or the civil judiciary to decide on family affairs. Critics fear this will lead to a slashing of rights in matters of inheritance, divorce and child custody. In particular, they are worried it would effectively scrap the minimum age for Muslim girls to marry, which is set in the 1959 Personal Status Law at 18 -- charges lawmakers supporting the changes have denied. According to the United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, 28... Читать дальше...
Two astronauts on a mission of up to two weeks who have been stuck at the International Space Station since early June due to safety concerns over Boeing's Starliner capsule may need to use SpaceX for a ride back to Earth in February 2025, the US space agency NASA said Wednesday.
Venezuelan President Maduro has vowed to eliminate members of the opposition questioning his reelection for a third term in a widely contested vote. Exit polls showing that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, Maduro’s opponent, had won more votes sparked widespread protests last week that saw dozens killed and thousands arrested.
Despite initial promises, so-called 'flying taxis' will not be circling above Paris during the Olympic Games this summer. German manufacturer Volocopter Thursday said it has scrapped test flights of the 18-rotor drones that resemble small helicopters over delays in the certification for the vehicle’s engine.
The 32-year-old has sport in the blood, born to a mother who was part of the French volleyball team and a father who competed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics in windsurfing. Cadre fell into breakdancing at the age of nine after seeing a clip on TV, later adding contortion to his skill set, followed by acrobatics and circus arts. Not forgetting "a bit of ballet, tap-dancing" and freerunning, which involves creatively throwing yourself around obstacles and urban environments, like parkour. His talents don't end there... Читать дальше...
2024 has seen each month surpass its temperature record for the time of year, spawned the two hottest days on record, and contributed to the intensification of hurricanes, heatwaves, and wildfires across the world – all signs that it will likely go down as the hottest year on record.
Days after winning two gold medals at the 2024 Olympics, Teddy Riner returned to his home place, Guadeloupe, where he was swarmed by proud, adoring fans.
World bronze medallist Phogat, 29, was in the public eye for months last year as part of a long-running protest against the then-chief of Indian wrestling when he was embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal. Phogat, who has won three Commonwealth Games gold medals, had been due to face Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States for the gold medal on Wednesday in Paris but was found to be 100 grams over the 50kg limit. "Mother wrestling won against me, I lost. Your dreams and my courage are shattered," Phogat wrote on social media platform X. Читать дальше...
"My brother's coming back early because I told him it's brilliant," 42-year-old Morad Sahbani told AFP as he pushed a pram at a packed fanzone in northwest Paris where thousands of locals were cheering on French medal hopefuls. "I knew it was going to be good. We French like to criticise ourselves a lot, but in the end we do it well," he added. "These Olympics have been a success... Lots of people regret not being here." The mood has shifted noticeably in the capital since the rain-soaked opening ceremony on July 26... Читать дальше...
The new favorite tourist attraction during the Paris Games, the Olympic Cauldron, has drawn thousands of visitors who want to witness the burning balloon hover above the host city. On spectator says: "This is the Paris we love: the romantic Paris you read about in books. We're dreaming, it's too beautiful!"
Recently appointed social affairs minister Kamel Madouri will take over as Tunisian prime minister after his predecessor, Ahmed Hachani, was removed for no explicit reason on Wednesday by President Kais Saied, whose reelection campaign is under scrutiny following the arrest of multiple presidential hopefuls.
Lyles ended the USA's 20-year wait for a gold medal in the 100m and goes into the 200m the clear favourite as a three-time world champion in the event. "I spent years working on the 100m, but the 200 is where it's at. This is where I get to show my speed and endurance and my top-end speed," said Lyles. "This is where I get to show I'm stronger than everybody else." The American will face competition from team-mates Kenny Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton and Botswana's Letsile Tebogo. Reigning champion... Читать дальше...
AFP Sport picks out four key players to follow in Friday's final between hosts France and Spain: Jean-Philippe Mateta The bruising 27-year-old Crystal Palace striker scored 16 goals in the Premier League last season, including 14 in his last 16 appearances. Despite those impressive statistics, he was never likely to be called up to the full France squad for Euro 2024. But coach Thierry Henry chose him to lead the line at the Olympics and Mateta has had a big impact. His tally of four goals has... Читать дальше...
Data last Friday showing that fewer US jobs than expected were created in July continues to reverberate as it fanned fears that the world's top economy was heading for recession. While a soft labour market reading would usually have been taken as a positive, giving more ammunition for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, investors are beginning to fear it shows the central bank may have waited too long to move. Weak earnings from Disney, Airbnb and TripAdvisor added to the sense of concern... Читать дальше...
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said last month was the second warmest on record books going back to 1940, only slightly cooler than July 2023. Between June 2023 and June 2024, each month eclipsed its own temperature record for the time of year. "The streak of record-breaking months has come to an end, but only by a whisker," said Samantha Burgess, deputy director of C3S. Last month the global average temperature was 16.91 degrees Celsius, only 0.04C below July 2023, according to C3S's monthly bulletin. Читать дальше...
Led by coach Thierry Henry, France are looking to win a second gold medal in the Olympics men’s football in 40 years as they face off against Spain on Friday. Despite missing star players Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann, Les Bleus are guaranteed a medal after beating Argentina and Egypt in the quarters and the semi-final.
One goat, two elephants, and now three monkeys: British street artist Banksy thrilled fans in London on Wednesday by installing his third new artwork in three days.
Despite 22 states instituting abortion bans of varying severity, a new study by the Society of Family Planning finds that broader access to abortion pills and telehealth-led procedures protected by Democrats' "shield laws" has contributed to a nationwide increase in abortions since the Supreme Court's June 2022 ruling.
Wednesday's Olympics athletics events saw Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali reach rarefied air with his second 3000m steeplechase gold, while American Quincy Hall's last gasp 400m win and Jamaican Roje Stona's record-breaking discus performance dazzled a capacity crowd at the Stade de France.
Palestinian athlete Omar Ismail was beaten in the last 16 of the men's flyweight taekwondo Wednesday, ending the 18-year-old's hopes of winning gold at the Paris Olympics. Fighters from Iran, Israel and Saudi Arabia took to the mat in the Grand Palais, with two athletes from the Refugee Olympic Team also testing their mettle early in the day.
Austrian authorities arrested two suspected extremists, one of whom pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, who had made "preparatory actions" for an attack on an upcoming event in Vienna, prompting the cancellation of three concerts by pop superstar Taylor Swift in the Austrian capital.
The four-time Grand Slam champion from Japan needed only 72 minutes to eliminate ninth-seeded Jabeur and collect her fifth triumph this year over a player ranked in the top 20 in her return from maternity leave. Osaka has won all seven of her WTA titles on hardcourts, including the 2018 and 2020 US Opens and 2019 and 2021 Australian Open crowns, and hopes to add this US Open hardcourt tuneup to the list. "Everyone knows I really love hard courts. I wasn't thinking too much. It was very instinctual," Osaka said of her victory. Читать дальше...
Stona threw an Olympic record of 70.00 metres -- just three centimetres farther than Lithuania's Mykolas Alekna. "This is what I've been preparing for," he said. "This is what I dream of. To come here and actually do it, it's one of the best feelings of my life. It's the best day of my life." But the 25-year-old said he was undecided on his sporting future. "I'm going to sleep on it," he said. "I'm going to see what happens." Stona has had tryouts for hopefuls at NFL teams the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints. Читать дальше...
The 27-year-old 7-footer from Finland was named the NBA's 2022-23 season's Most Improved Player, when he averaged a career-high 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds a game. "I'm excited to get this extension done," Markkanen said in a video posted on the Jazz's X account. "I'm ready to get back to work and build with this franchise. You guys deserve to win. Go Jazz." Markkanen's deal, according to ESPN, is worth $238 million. He had one year and $18 million remaining on his contract but will get $24 million... Читать дальше...
