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

The last French troops deployed in the Central African Republic left on Thursday following a chill in relations caused by closer ties between Bangui and Moscow, an AFP reporter saw.

Global stocks sank Thursday as central banks hiked interest rates again and signalled they needed to go higher to fight inflation.

A Swedish zoo said Thursday it had to shoot dead three chimpanzees after they escaped from their enclosure, with the situation still not under control.

Disgraced former tennis superstar Boris Becker was flying to Germany on Thursday after his release from a British prison where he served a sentence relating to his 2017 bankruptcy, his lawyer said.

The United States is expected to announce it will equip Ukraine with Patriot missile units, boosting its defenses against Russia's assault on its infrastructure.

Israeli scientists have created a species of egg-laying hens that only produce females, a breakthrough that could help end the annual culling of around seven billion male chicks globally.

Retail sales in the US turned negative in November as the holiday shopping season got underway, dragged by auto, furniture and building supplies, according to official data released Thursday.

The European Central Bank opted for a smaller interest rate rise of half a percentage point on Thursday but warned it expects "significantly" further hikes as red-hot inflation was still "far too high".

In just the first weeks of Moscow's war in Ukraine, Russian forces summarily killed hundreds of civilians, the UN rights chief said Thursday, decrying likely war crimes.

The Bank of England on Thursday hiked its interest rate by half a point to 3.5 percent, the highest level in 14 years, in a bid to cool sky-high inflation.

The family of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat submitted a case Thursday to the International Criminal Court accusing top Palestinian officials over his death in custody, relatives told AFP.

As winter temperatures plunge, a Lithuanian metal processing company has been turning used car parts into small stoves to keep war-weary and power-starved Ukrainians warm.

Volkswagen's new boss Oliver Blume will seek to rally the board and shareholders at back-to-back meetings from Thursday to support his strategy on a crucial automotive software that felled his predecessor.

The International Criminal Court on Thursday threw out an appeal by Dominic Ongwen, a Ugandan child soldier-turned-commander in the Lord's Resistance Army, against his conviction for war crimes.

Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav shone with both bat and ball as India plunged Bangladesh into serious trouble on the second day of the first Test in Chittagong on Thursday.

It was the Greek city where the ancients flocked in the hope of learning the secret of life after death.

Avid fans of the best-selling FIFA video game watched on a big screen as leading Senegalese gamers battled it out as virtual iterations of footballing royalty like Cristiano Ronaldo and Olivier Giroud.

Kyle Chalmers outswam Romanian sensation David Popovici to win the 100m freestyle title at the World Short Course Championships on Thursday, with Emma McKeon making it a golden night for Australia by claiming the women's crown.

Global stocks sank Thursday and the dollar rose after the US Federal Reserve hiked interest rates again and signalled they would go higher to fight inflation.

Boris Becker became an overnight sensation when he won Wimbledon as an unknown teenager but personal and financial troubles have dogged him since he hung up his racquet.

Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav shone with both bat and ball as India plunged Bangladesh into serious trouble on the second day of the first Test in Chittagong on Thursday.

Former tennis superstar Boris Becker has been released from prison after serving a sentence relating to his 2017 bankruptcy, British media said on Thursday.

Fiji's opposition on Thursday demanded counting stop in the coup-prone nation's bitterly fought general election, alleging serious "anomalies" that put the poll's legitimacy in doubt.

Injury-hit Pakistan face the dread of a first-ever series whitewash at home when they meet a rampant England in the third and final Test in Karachi from Saturday.

EU leaders met in Brussels on Thursday at a summit focusing on a trade dispute with key ally the United States that threatens to trigger a subsidy race between the economic superpowers.

The European Court of Justice's top legal advisor said Thursday that football governing bodies UEFA and FIFA had acted within the law when they threatened to expel clubs or players who joined a proposed Super League.

The inspirational leadership of Didier Deschamps and a deep pool of talent have turned France into the most formidable force in international football as they prepare to face Argentina in Sunday's World Cup final.

Prince Harry accused his brother William of a furious response to his plans to quit royal life but insisted he had few regrets about leaving in final docuseries episodes out on Thursday.

The death of a young medical student in China ignited concern Thursday over the strain on the country's healthcare system as staff battle a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases.

France and Argentina are gearing up for a heavyweight World Cup final that pits Kylian Mbappe against Lionel Messi in a hotly anticipated duel, with history on the line.

Iran on Thursday accused the United States of orchestrating its removal from a UN women's rights body over its response to protests triggered by death of Mahsa Amini.

Mohammed Siraj dismissed Najmul Hossain on the first ball of the Bangladesh innings as the hosts made the worst possible start in reply to India's 404 in the first Test on Thursday.

Asian and European equities fell Thursday after the Federal Reserve signalled US interest rates would go higher than expected and warned the world's biggest economy would grow less than expected next year, fanning fears a recession is on the way.

UK nurses on Thursday staged an unprecedented one-day strike as a "last resort" in their fight for better wages and working conditions, despite warnings it could put patients at risk.

Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam grabbed four wickets each as Bangladesh bowled out India for 404 in their first innings of the first Test in Chittagong on Thursday.

Winter is closing in but the sound of chainsaws still reverberates on the forest-covered slopes of the mountains in northern Bulgaria, while horses stand ready to transport the freshly cut wood down the steep paths.

Wrapped up in brightly coloured snowsuits, Yekaterina Filimonova cycles through Moscow's snow-blanketed streets with her three sons to their nursery.

Fiji's opposition on Thursday demanded counting be stopped in the coup-prone nation's bitterly-fought general election, alleging serious "anomalies" that put the legitimacy of the vote in doubt.

The family of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat will submit a case Thursday to the International Criminal Court accusing top Palestinian officials over his death in custody, relatives told AFP.