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Top Justice Dept official grills Epstein accomplice Maxwell
A top US Justice Department official spent hours on Thursday grilling Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned accomplice of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as President Donald Trump struggles to tamp down a furor over his handling of the explosive case.
Global stocks mostly rise on trade deal hopes while Tesla plummets
Stock markets mostly bumped upwards Thursday as hopes grew that the European Union could strike a trade deal with the United States, while Tesla shares nosedived on poor earnings results.

White House lashes out at 'South Park' Trump parody
The White House on Thursday lashed out at the creators of "South Park" after the bawdy satire skewered Donald Trump in an episode featuring an AI-generated version of the US president crawling naked through a desert.

Taiwan's opposition protests ahead of recall vote
Taiwan's main opposition will protest on Friday, the eve of unprecedented recall elections targeting its lawmakers that could tip the balance of power to President Lai Ching-te's ruling party.

France will recognise State of Palestine: Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September, the most powerful European nation to announce such a move.

Top Justice Dept official meeting Epstein accomplice Maxwell
A top Department of Justice official was meeting on Thursday with Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned accomplice of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, US media reported, as President Donald Trump struggles to tamp down a furor over his handling of the explosive case.

Why are Gazans not getting sorely needed aid?
Gazans are in desperate need of essentials after more than 21 months of war, but efforts to get aid into the Palestinian territory -- and to its hungry residents -- face major obstacles.

Trump to tour Fed, ramping up war on central bank
Donald Trump is due to visit the US Federal Reserve Thursday as the president escalates pressure on its chairman Jerome Powell over the central bank's management of the economy.

French anger over toxic chemical piles pressure on Macron
A student-initiated petition against a toxic chemical deadly to bees has sparked a grass-roots movement in France that commentators say might be a sign of people's growing frustration with political elites.

French drug baron transferred to new supermax prison
Notorious French drug baron Mohamed Amra, known as "The Fly", was on Thursday transferred to a new supermax prison, built to stop narcotics criminals from plying their trade from behind bars.

EU-US trade deals buoy stocks while Tesla plummets
Stock markets mostly bumped upwards Thursday as hopes grew that the European Union could strike a trade deal with the United States, while Tesla shares nosedived on poor earnings results.

Hungary bans Kneecap performance over 'antisemitic hate speech'
The Hungarian government on Thursday barred provocative Irish rap group Kneecap from entering the country for three years and performing at the upcoming Sziget festival, accusing the band of "antisemitic hate speech".

Justice Dept to meet Epstein accomplice Maxwell on Thursday
A top Department of Justice official was expected to meet on Thursday with Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned accomplice of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as President Donald Trump struggles to quell fury over his handling of the notorious case.

'Human shield': Niger's ousted president held by junta
President Mohamed Bazoum has been languishing for two years along with his wife in Niger's presidential palace since his ouster by a junta, which is using them as human shields to avert foreign military intervention to free them, according to the couple's lawyers.
Israel recalls Gaza negotiators after Hamas responds to ceasefire plan
Israel said on Thursday it had recalled its negotiators from Gaza ceasefire talks with Hamas, as international pressure mounted for a breakthrough to end nearly two years of devastating war.

Atomic Brussels? Support for nuclear power gains ground in EU
Long a taboo, Brussels opened the door to EU funding for nuclear power this month in a sign of the growing support atomic energy is enjoying within the bloc.

Russian attacks kill 5, including family, in east Ukraine
Russian attacks killed at least five people, including three members of a displaced family, in separate attacks across Ukraine's war-scarred east, Ukrainian authorities said Thursday.

EU says China's links with Russia now 'determining factor' in ties
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warned on Thursday that China's ties with Russia were now the "determining" factor in its relations with the European Union, as she wrapped up a summit in Beijing that also saw the bloc agree to speed up exports of rare earth minerals.

Justice Dept to meet Epstein accomplice Maxwell on Thursday: US media
The Department of Justice was to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned accomplice of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, on Thursday, US media reported, as President Donald Trump struggles to quell fury over his handling of the notorious case.

International media groups urge Israel to allow access to Gaza
International news agencies Agence France-Presse (AFP), Associated Press (AP) and Reuters as well as the BBC on Thursday called on Israel to allow journalists in and out of Gaza, which is subject to a strict blockade.

Russian attack kills displaced Ukrainian family, officials say
A Russian overnight attack on the border region of Kharkiv killed three members of a Ukrainian family who had earlier fled their homes to escape Russian advances, authorities announced Thursday.
Stocks mostly rise on EU-US trade deal hopes
Stock markets mostly extended gains Thursday as optimism grew that the European Union could soon strike a trade deal with the United States, following the Japan-US agreement.

Troops kill at least 95 'bandits' in northwest Nigeria
Nigerian troops killed at least 95 members of an armed criminal gang in a shootout and airstrikes earlier this week, according to a situation report shared with the UN and seen by AFP on Thursday.

Gaza today: under debris and in darkness
In 21 months of war in Gaza, the destruction and damage of 70 percent of buildings has buried the Palestinian territory under millions of tonnes of debris and plunged it into darkness, according to data from the UN and NASA analysed by AFP.
Thailand, Cambodia clash with jets and rockets in deadly border row
Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery, killing at least 11 civilians, in a dramatic escalation of a long-running border row between the two neighbours.

UN says Taliban committing 'rights violations' against Afghan returnees
The United Nations said Thursday that Taliban authorities were committing human rights violations, including torture and arbitrary detention, against Afghans forced to return by Iran and Pakistan.

Hamas says responded to latest Gaza ceasefire proposal
Hamas said on Thursday that it had responded to an Israeli proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, as pressure mounted for a breakthrough to end almost two years of devastating conflict that has triggered a humanitarian crisis for civilians.

Tariff negotiations with US 'not finished', says Philippines
Negotiations over the Philippines' new 19 percent US tariff rate are "not finished", a key government economic adviser said Thursday, tamping down fears over the deal's potential impact on the agriculture sector.

Thailand, Cambodia clash with jets, rockets, artillery in deadly border row
Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery, killing a civilian, in a dramatic escalation of a long-running border row between the two neighbours.

Xi says China, EU must deepen trust but bloc chief urges 'real solutions'
Chinese President Xi Jinping said China and the EU must deepen trust in a turbulent world but the bloc's chiefs called for "real solutions" to move past an inflection point as they met in Beijing on Thursday.
Civilians wounded as Cambodia, Thailand trade fire in fresh border clashes
Thailand's army said three civilians were wounded in a Cambodian rocket strike on Thursday as the two countries' militaries clashed again in an escalating row over a disputed border.

North Korea's Kim urges troops to prepare 'for real war'
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has urged his military to be ready "for real war" as he observed a firing contest of artillery units, Pyongyang state media said Thursday.