The Irish Press - News from Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Drogheda, Galyway, Ireland and the world

As Europe's heatwave leaves millions sweltering in poorly insulated apartments, schools and retirement homes, more French people are breaking with tradition to turn to air conditioning.

A landmark conference on Ukraine's post-war reconstruction is set to open Thursday in Poland without President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is snubbing the event over a diplomatic row with ally Warsaw.

Mounds of garbage, potholed roads and sewage spills: grim conditions like these led voters near Johannesburg to abandon their long-time loyalty to the ANC and hand the rival DA its first black township ward in South Africa.

Faouzi Abdulbagi Mahammat Anour woke up in Tine, Chad, with a burnt face and his right eye missing after being attacked on the Sudanese side of the border by a drone.

Top US diplomat Marco Rubio was in Bahrain on Thursday after promising Gulf allies that Washington would protect their interests as it seeks to hammer out a final settlement to end the war with Iran.

South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo took the blame for his team's limp 1-0 defeat to South Africa on Wednesday that left their World Cup hopes hanging by a thread.

South Africa coach Hugo Broos said his team had shut up the "big mouths" after the Bafana Bafana qualified for the World Cup knockouts for the first time in their history by beating South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday.

Brazil punished Scotland's defensive frailties to advance to the World Cup's last 32 on Wednesday as South Africa, Canada and Bosnia-Herzegovina completed a historic hat-trick by progressing to the knockout rounds for the first time.

"Antonio, it's your mom, I'm right here," a mother's desperate cries bounced off the rubble of a 22-story building in Caracas that collapsed following two powerful earthquakes in Venezuela on Wednesday.

At 15, like most Danish teenagers, Nora Pihl chose to get confirmed but for her, as for a growing number of young Danes, it wasn't a religious affair.

South Africa beat South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history -- an astonishing turnaround after a dismal opening defeat.

South Korea's Kospi soared more than five percent in a tech-led surge across Asia on Thursday as a forecast-busting earnings report from US chip titan Micron helped traders brush off their latest worries about the AI investment boom.

Scotland coach Steve Clarke accepted that his team may be heading home from the World Cup in a few days after completing the group stage with a comprehensive 3-0 loss to Brazil on Wednesday.

Venezuela's interim leader declared a state of emergency Wednesday as two massive earthquakes caused buildings in the capital to crumble and forced the closure of the country's main airport.

Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu said Wednesday his side were focused solely on beating "a very strong" Sweden in their final group match and hoping that would be enough to finish top of Group F.

Above the patter of rain cascading through the jungle canopy comes the haunting call of a pileated gibbon singing to fend off intruders in Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains.

It was founded as a Sixties utopia "where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony" without money or religious strife in southern India.

"When the city starts feeding the countryside, it means the country is done for," farmer Emil Deliev said from southern Bulgaria's mountains where small dairy farms are vanishing one after another.

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti hailed Vinicius Junior as "one of the best players in the world" after the Real Madrid forward continued his excellent World Cup form with a brace in Wednesday's 3-0 win over Scotland.

US President Donald Trump opened 16 days of celebrations for America's 250th anniversary Wednesday with a rally-style speech -- turning a national commemoration into a highly politicized showcase for his second-term agenda.

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said his players have to believe they can become the first African winners of the World Cup after storming into the last 32 unbeaten.

A French court will rule Thursday on whether oil and gas giant TotalEnergies breached its legal duty to address environmental risks in a high-stakes climate case brought by NGOs and the city of Paris.

Known by acronyms that need no explanation, viruses like Covid, Sars and Ebola conjure up images of medics in protective suits and spark fear in populations worldwide.

The Spice Girls burst onto the music scene with the release of their infectious debut "Wannabe" 30 years ago on Friday, carving a place in pop history championing Girl Power, and leaving their mark on fashion and global culture.

Curacao boss Dick Advocaat said the World Cup debutants have proved they belong on football's biggest stage as they prepare to face Ivory Coast on Thursday with a place in the last 32 at stake.

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Wednesday he believes his side are at a disadvantage as World Cup group winners due to reduced preparation time for their last-32 tie.

Morocco twice overcame the shock of conceding to Haiti to win a World Cup thriller 4-2 in Atlanta on Wednesday, but missed out on top spot in Group C to Brazil.

Bosnia-Herzegovina reached the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time after beating 2022 hosts Qatar 3-1 in their final Group B match on Wednesday.

Two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck the same area of Venezuela on Wednesday evening, causing buildings to collapse, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and AFP journalists.

Brazil punished Scotland's defensive frailties to advance to the World Cup knockout rounds on Wednesday as Switzerland and Canada sealed their place in the last 32.

Vinicius Junior made it four goals in three games at the World Cup as Brazil cruised to a 3-0 victory over Scotland on Wednesday, sealing progress to the last 32 as Group C winners and leaving their opponents in danger of another first-round exit.

Morocco twice overcame the shock of conceding to Haiti to win a World Cup thriller 4-2 in Atlanta on Wednesday, but missed out on top spot in Group C to Brazil.