Severe storms in France: at least two dead, over 50,000 homes lose power

Thirty French departments were placed on orange alert for storms, with a risk of large hailstones on Thursday evening.

Sunbed wars and music bans: Europe’s surprising beach rules travellers should know this summer

To avoid having possessions confiscated or paying fines, here are all the rules you might not know about when spending time on Europe’s beaches this summer.

ECR MEPs Question the European Commission on Cardiovascular Health and Diet Promoting the Mediterranean Diet as an Alternative to Ultra-Processed Foods Is Key to Tackling Obesity

MEP Carlo Ciccioli, in coordination with Carlo Fidanza, Head of the Fratelli d’Italia delegation (Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party within the ECR Group) in the European Parliament, and fellow members of the Parliament’s Public Health Committee, MEP Ruggero Razza and MEP

GTA Online mimics reality by nerfing payouts after making everything cost more: 'Prices go up, paychecks go down'

You're now encouraged to give every activity a go, at least.

Wildfire smoke makes air unhealthy from the US Midwest to East Coast. Officials say stay inside

Heavy, pungent wildfire smoke darkened skies in the U.S. on Thursday from the Great Lakes to parts of the East Coast, reducing visibility and prompting warnings that breathing the air outside could be dangerous.

Forest City’s tech commune Network School puts $160m investment in Malaysia on hold amid probe

Its founder said the company had employed dozens of Malaysians and supported local technology start-ups and businesses.

Diesel and petrol prices soar: find out how much you'll pay from Monday

Petrol and diesel prices are set to rise in the week of 20–26 July, and the increase is expected to be far from negligible.

North Korea appears to have built rocket launcher facilities near DMZ

North Korea builds 21 new military structures, suspected as rocket launcher storage facilities.

Donald Trump Drops Part of $10 Billion BBC Lawsuit

U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed to dismiss part of his $10 billion defamation suit against the BBC. According to The Telegraph, Trump has dropped his claims against BBC Studios Distribution and BBC Studios Production, the broadcaster’s commercial and production arms.

Sánchez to attend Spain-Argentina World Cup final in New York without his wife

Pedro Sánchez will fly to New York for the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, after days of doubt about his timetable. After the match, the prime minister will travel on to Algeria for an official meeting on Monday.

Podcast | Is social media over for under -13s in the EU?

The EU is edging closer to restricting social media for children. But this step would not be without contention. Why is it stirring debate? And what is needed to the ban's implementation?

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment

SpaceX's mega Starship rocket came within a second or so from blasting off on a test flight Thursday, but some of the engines failed to ignite, triggering a launch abort amid billowing clouds of smoke and vapor.

Giovanni Veronesi’s ‘Dio Ride’ to Close Venice Film Festival

“Dio Ride,” written and directed by Giovanni Veronesi, will close the 83rd Venice Intl. Film Festival, which runs Sept. 2-12. The film will play in the out-of-competition section. “Dio Ride” stars Pierfrancesco Favino, Silvio Orlando, Alma Noce, Francesco Gheghi, Maurizio

Africa: UK to Cut Aid to Some African Countries by 90%

[allAfrica] The UK government has confirmed sweeping reductions to its bilateral aid programme. Nine African countries are set to lose more than 80% of direct British assistance by 2029 as overseas development spending is cut from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income.

The Radical, Unclassifiable Art of William Blake

William Blake is a household name, or not far from it, but things get more complicated when it comes to professional description. He was a poet, a painter, and a printmaker, at least insofar as he wrote poetry, painted paintings, and made prints. But we can’t hope to attain

Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell

U.S. officials have traced an explosive diarrhea-causing parasite outbreak in five states to shredded lettuce served at the popular fast-food chain

Ancient Egyptian princesses were ‘powerful’ weapon users, new analysis suggests

These findings challenge a long-held belief about weapons found in female burial sites

After years of drone warfare, Ukraine is selling its ‘blood experience’ to allies

As unmanned aerial vehicles target Israel, Persian Gulf states and U.S. forces in the Middle East, Ukraine is selling equipment, giving advice and establishing joint production lines.

Scientists tested 39 sweeteners and found unexpected gut effects

A large laboratory study found that many commonly used sweeteners can directly change the growth of gut bacteria. Researchers identified more than 100 cases in which sweeteners behaved differently when combined with medications, caffeine, or flavorings. The combination of

World Cup final in smoke: for fans, like smoking 10 cigarettes a day

A thick blanket of smoke from Canada’s wildfires has worsened air quality in New York and New Jersey, where Spain and Argentina will meet in Sunday’s 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.

Zaragoza wildfire nears 12,000 hectares and is Spain's biggest of the year

The Cinco Villas wildfire in Zaragoza has burned 12,000 hectares and forced six villages to evacuate. Guadalajara and Madrid battle two other fires, with over 2,000 people confined, while the Ciudad Real blaze is out after burning 800 hectares.

Hong Kong wraps up probe into 'preventable' deadly fire

‘Rivals’ Star Annabel Scholey Joins Netflix Thriller Series ‘The Lord’s Day’ Alongside Damson Idris and Harry Lawtey (EXCLUSIVE)

Annabel Scholey, the British actress most recently seen in the Disney+ hit “Rivals,” has joined the cast of Netflix’s upcoming thriller series “The Lord’s Day,” now in production in the U.K. Variety understands that Scholey, also known for BBC series “The Split,” has a key role

Africa: Nigeria Seeks Regional Collaboration to Boost Africa's Digital Economy

[This Day] Abuja -- Nigeria has urged African countries to foster greater collaborations to boost the continent's digital economy.

Major drop in pollution: How the 'Typhoon Project' is transforming Greece's beaches

Volunteers have helped transformed coastal areas across a slew of popular Greek islands.

Chile assesses damage after deadly storm surge floods coastal city of Penco

Chile's central coast has been hit by an exceptional storm surge that flooded homes and damaged infrastructure. Authorities are urging residents to stay away from the shoreline as dangerous sea conditions continue.

Forest City’s Network School says US$122m investment plan on hold amid Malaysia’s probe into alleged Israeli link

Locals in Johor’s Forest City tell CNA the startup community has boosted businesses but add that anyone found breaching Malaysia's immigration laws should face action.

Aqua adventures: Europe’s best islands for water sports, diving, surfing and more

A new study has ranked the best islands in Europe for water sports based on search interest for activities such as surfing, diving, kayaking, sailing, snorkelling, windsurfing and kitesurfing.

Andy Burnham set to become Labour leader before taking over as UK PM

Burnham is expected to deliver a speech on Friday where he will reportedly pledge to be "unashamedly Labour" and vow that his government will have the "courage to fix the big things that politics has neglected."

Qatar’s air defence intercepts fresh Iranian missile barrage over Doha

Iran has unleashed a new wave of attacks across the Gulf, targeting Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, following Tehran’s continuous threats of dragging the Gulf countries back into its escalating confrontation with the US over the Strait of Hormuz.

Kazakhstan's fixed capital investment tops 9.5 trillion tenge in H1 2026

Investment in fixed capital in Kazakhstan exceeded 9.5 trillion tenge in the first half of 2026, while private investment increased by 21.4 percent, according to a government review on the implementation of the president's directives to modernize the country's economic model,

Animation Finally Gets Its Own Green Certification

CineRegio, Ecoprod and Green Film's ANiMPACT pilot gives animation studios a path to funding tied to sustainability — something live action has had for years.

A Walk Through Homer’s Odyssey: A Guide to the Epic Before Seeing Christopher Nolan’s Film

You’re gearing up to see Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey, but you haven’t read the Homeric work. Or you read it so long ago that it feels like you’ve never read it at all. No worries. Above, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, the hosts of The Rest Is History podcast, take you

How do citizens of NATO countries view the alliance?

NATO has often been in the headlines in recent years, amid Russia's war in Ukraine and US President Donald Trump's threats against fellow member states and other crises. While citizens' opinions of the military alliance are generally positive, there are significant difference

Pakistan cargo crash families push for international help to find black boxes

By Akhtar Soomro and Ariba Shahid KARACHI, July 17 (Reuters) - Relatives of the five crew members aboard a Boeing 737 cargo plane that crashed into the Arabian Sea off Pakistan last week are urging an international search effort to find the flight recorders to determine the

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse isn't technically connected to the Netflix anime, but its cinematography was inspired by the show

We’re really hoping that people who’ve only watched the anime also enjoy the game," Konami said.

US-Iran strikes: latest developments

The United States struck Iran and Tehran hit back at US allies in the Gulf, as the foes battled over the vital Strait of Hormuz in the renewed Middle East war. Here are the latest developments on Friday: Tanker hit A tanker was hit overnight by an "unknown projectile" off the

Lil Baby Drops Pharrell Williams-Produced Single ‘Dead Fresh’

The rapper debuted the song last month at the Louis Vuitton’s Menswear Spring-Summer 2027 show in Paris

Commission adopts simpler rules for EU agri-food promotion policy

The European Commission has adopted simpler rules for EU agri-food promotion policy, reducing administrative and financial requirements for beneficiaries and Member States. The changes will make the programmes easier to implement, and benefit organisations applying for EU

Trump media to sell faster access to president's market-moving posts

Customers will receive posts from Truth Social’s “most influential accounts” in milliseconds through a service aimed at financial institutions and professional traders. The feed could include Donald Trump’s market-moving posts, although the company has not confirmed which

Trump Media to sell faster access to key market-moving social media posts

Customers will receive posts from Truth Social’s “most influential accounts” in milliseconds through a service aimed at financial institutions and professional traders. The feed could include Donald Trump’s market-moving posts, although the company has not confirmed which

Digital commune in Forest City: Founder says immigration probe a risk to Malaysia’s tech ambitions

The authorities earlier announced a probe into allegations that the commune hosted Israelis.

China's Moonshot AI chases 'DeepSeek moment' with much-hyped model

Kimi K3 drew excitement from industry insiders, with some evoking a 2025 release from China's DeepSeek that shook assumptions of US dominance in AI.

Spain 'strongest' team, EU Sport Commissioner backs La Roja

Glenn Micallef, EU sport commissioner, says the expanded World Cup format "worked" ahead of Sunday's final. Micallef says the tournament reflects the improvement of football worldwide, but insists the "best talent and best football is still being played in Europe", making him

India launches first hydrogen-powered train in clean energy push

The project is part of a broader push to modernise one of the world's largest rail networks while reducing carbon emissions.

Aamir Khan Denies ‘3 Idiots’ Character Was Based on Activist Sonam Wangchuk

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan denied that his character in “3 Idiots” was based on educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, addressing the long-running rumor during a BFI In Conversation event at BFI Southbank, held as part of the London Indian Film Festival, which

Trump puts election security at center of Republicans' midterm fight

WASHINGTON, July 17 - U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his effort to make election security a central issue in November's midterm elections, asserting that China interfered in the 2020 presidential campaign despite a U.S. intelligence assessment that found no evidence to

Desire, Tongues and Love: What are the best albums of 2026... So far?

How many have you heard? And do you agree with our first-half of 2026 ranking?

Netflix’s ‘Heartstopper Forever’ Is a Wistful and Mature Ending for Charlie and Nick’s Love Story: Review

One of the most terrifying aspects of being a teen is the continuous change. Young people are expected to navigate high school, friendships, romance and mental wellness before making major decisions about the future trajectory of their lives. Since its debut four years ago,