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Business activity in the eurozone contracted for the first time in 16 months in April, as the war in the Middle East drove energy prices up and disrupted global supply chains, a closely watched survey showed Thursday.

Sales of new cars jumped last month in the European Union as consumers turned to electric vehicles as petrol prices soared due to the war in the Middle East, data showed Thursday.

South Korea pushed back on Thursday against criticism of its business environment by US lawmakers, as a rare spat deepens over Seoul's investigation into online retail company Coupang.

Tens of thousands of Samsung Electronics workers rallied in South Korea on Thursday to demand higher pay and bonuses, as their threat of a weeks-long strike hung over the technology giant.

China's new supply chain regulations could be a "concern" for US firms, the American Chamber of Commerce in China warned on Thursday.

Iran vowed it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz as long as the United States continues to blockade its ports, in a tense standoff on Thursday that has dominated the ceasefire in the Middle East war.

Japan's Machida Zelvia shared their clubhouse with senior citizens doing fitness classes less than a decade ago. Now they're one win away from being Asian champions.

Contenders for next UN secretary-general made their case this week for a United Nations more invested in peace, but avoided taking positions that could antagonize the member states who will choose the world body's next chief.

France and "like-minded countries" must work together to avoid becoming "hostages" on critical minerals used in everything from phones to solar panels, Paris's trade minister said Thursday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points to propel the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 120-107 victory over Phoenix and a 2-0 lead in their NBA playoff series, as Detroit topped Orlando to knot their series at 1-1 on Wednesday.

The United States slammed China's "intimidation campaign" on Wednesday after several African countries were reportedly pressured by Beijing to derail an official trip by Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te by revoking overflight permits.

Luis Suarez scored his first goal of the Major League Soccer season but Lionel Messi failed to get on the scoresheet as champions Inter Miami struck late to beat Real Salt Lake 2-0 on Wednesday.

Inter Milan could have their first chance to seal the Serie A title on Sunday as the champions in waiting take on Torino while Napoli and AC Milan try to push back the celebrations by at least one more week.

The walls around Equatorial Guinea's notorious Bata prison were freshly painted salmon-pink for Pope Leo XIV's visit Wednesday, but inside there was no masking the acrid smell of sweat and urine.

Eddie Jones said Thursday he hoped Australian fans would roar on his Japan side when they face Ireland north of Sydney in July, and then again a year later at the Rugby World Cup.

Labourers sweated as they wheeled bags of clothes, shoes and accessories to a sprawling wholesale market in southern China, where shop owners hoped an upcoming visit by Donald Trump would see an easing of tariffs hitting their exports.

Asian stocks fell and oil prices rose Thursday as the United States and Iran appeared no closer to holding fresh peace talks and Tehran continued to refuse to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Every actor in kabuki -- a traditional Japanese performing art celebrated for its striking makeup and elaborate costumes -- relies on one final, essential element to fully inhabit their role: the wig.

A meeting of G7 nations on the environment begins in Paris on Thursday but climate change has been left off the agenda to avoid a row with the United States.

When President Donald Trump this week attacked Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries, two of America's most prominent Black figures, he chose a particularly pejorative insult: "low IQ person."

Chip giant SK hynix logged a record quarterly net profit on Thursday thanks to the artificial intelligence boom, shrugging off concerns that the Middle East war could drag on the semiconductor industry.

Tesla reported higher first-quarter profits Wednesday, topping expectations as it confirmed plans for massive additional investments in autonomous transport, humanoid robotics and artificial intelligence.

If four-time world champion Max Verstappen were to quit Formula One, as he has hinted on numerous occasions, it would be a "big loss" for the sport, his McLaren rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri said on Wednesday.

Israeli strikes killed five people, including a journalist, and wounded another in Lebanon on Wednesday, despite an ongoing ceasefire that Beirut will request an extension for in upcoming talks with Israel in Washington.

Barcelona moved a step closer to winning La Liga with a tight 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo on Wednesday but lost their goalscorer Lamine Yamal to an apparent hamstring injury.

Britain and France have agreed a new three-year deal to stop undocumented migrants making the risky journey across the English Channel, according to a French interior ministry roadmap seen by AFP Wednesday.

By extending a ceasefire indefinitely with Iran, President Donald Trump appears to be searching for a way out of a costly war, but Tehran may be unwilling to give him a win.

A benefit concert was held Wednesday in tribute to the victims of a fire on New Year's Day that killed 41 people in an upscale Swiss ski resort, nearly four months on from the tragedy.

Tesla reported higher first-quarter profits Wednesday, pointing to recovering demand in North America as it pursues significant investments in autonomous transport and artificial intelligence.

Manchester City edged ahead of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League as a 1-0 victory at Turf Moor condemned Burnley to relegation on Wednesday.

Harry Kane and Luis Diaz scored as Bayern Munich won 2-0 at Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday to reach the German Cup final for the first time since 2020.

A benefit concert was held Wednesday in tribute to the victims of a New Year's fire that killed 41 people at an upscale Swiss ski resort, nearly four months on from the tragedy.

Oil prices climbed Wednesday while stocks were mixed as Iranian officials refused to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after US President Donald Trump announced the extension of a ceasefire.

Iran said on Wednesday it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz as long as the US naval blockade remained in place, calling it a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire between the longtime foes.

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday made a tightly controlled visit to a notorious prison in Equatorial Guinea's biggest city, after launching a rare criticism of living conditions for inmates.

Atletico Madrid fell to a 3-2 defeat at lowly Elche in La Liga on Wednesday, their seventh loss in their last eight matches across all competitions.

Rugby World Cup winner Lewis Moody says he has been emboldened in his fight with motor neurone disease (MND) by a specialist saying there is "hope" -- despite there presently being no cure for the rare condition.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain strolled to a 3-0 win over lowly Nantes on Wednesday to move four points clear of Lens in Ligue 1.

Dozens of doctors, nurses and patients protested Wednesday outside a hospital in Ecuador's capital, expressing outrage at a health care system so overstretched that people undergoing surgery bring their own syringes and medication.