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Military-run Niger has enacted a new penal code criminalising same-sex relations with heavy jail sentences, following several other west African countries which have recently adopted tough anti-LGBTQ legislation.

British Defence Secretary John Healey sensationally quit on Thursday, accusing beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the finance ministry of failing to commit enough money to protect the country.

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, was on Thursday named to officiate UEFA's Super Cup, European football's governing body announced.

Police arrested 16 people during a second night of disorder in Northern Ireland sparked by a brutal Belfast stabbing, a senior minister said Thursday, condemning rioters for "racist thuggery".

Mongolia has recovered a rare dinosaur skeleton and a trove of fossils illegally exported two decades ago, authorities said Wednesday, concluding years of efforts to return the palaeontological treasures.

US President Donald Trump vowed fresh attacks against Iran on Thursday, saying American forces would also soon seize the country's key oil infrastructure after the two sides exchanged strikes overnight.

The first group of Nigerians repatriated from South Africa following escalating anti-immigrant attacks landed in Lagos on Thursday, AFP journalists saw.

France and Switzerland are imposing tight security for a looming G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, with a demonstration to be held Sunday in Geneva serving as their first test.

The European Central Bank on Thursday raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time since 2023 as the Middle East war stokes inflation, despite concerns the move could hit the struggling eurozone economy.

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday condemned "indifference" towards migrants during a visit to Spain's Canary Islands that symbolised the perils of deadly irregular routes to Europe.

British Defence Secretary John Healey resigned on Thursday, in a shock move which he blamed on Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the finance ministry failing to commit sufficient resources to defence investment.

European stocks rose Thursday after losses in Asia as oil prices wavered following the latest flare-up in the Middle East war, with investors also assessing the outlook for US and European interest rates as inflation rises.

New Zealand expect Devon Conway to be available for next week's second Test against England at the Oval despite a 23,000-mile (37,000 kilometre) round trip to Wellington to attend the birth of his second child.

World record holder Kaylee McKeown powered through a scorching 200m backstroke Thursday to complete the 50-100-200 sweep at the Australian trials, while Kyle Chalmers blazed to victory in the 100m freestyle.

Carbon dioxide removal experts have sounded the alarm in Milan this week over a shortfall in research and investment in the nascent sector viewed as essential for mitigating climate change.

Martin O'Neill has been named as Celtic's permanent manager at the age of 74 after leading the club to the Scottish double during his interim reign last season.

Marnus Labuschagne and Xavier Bartlett put on a century stand to steer Australia to 187-8 in 42 overs after they slumped to 0-3 against Bangladesh in the rain-hit second ODI on Thursday.

Wolves sacked manager Rob Edwards on Thursday after just seven months in charge following their relegation from the Premier League.

Wimbledon's prize money pot has been increased by 20 percent to a tournament-record figure of £64.2 million ($85.7 million).

Iran's national football team walked out of their hotel in Tijuana to cheers on Wednesday, with Mexican supporters hoping to lift the spirits of a side whose World Cup campaign has been partly overshadowed by war.

Sweden's right-wing government withdrew Thursday a heavily contested proposal to lower the age at which children can be sentenced to prison from 15 to 13, citing a lack of support in parliament.

Police arrested 16 people during a second night of disorder in Northern Ireland sparked by a brutal Belfast stabbing, a senior minister said Thursday, condemning rioters for "racist thuggery".

External and domestic pressures on Indonesia's economy were "manageable", the country's deputy finance minister said Thursday, despite a rout of the rupiah that has forced the central bank to hike interest rates.

Europe's leading nations and their G7 allies will seek to narrow differences with Donald Trump at a summit from Monday in France chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron but expected to be dominated by the US leader's presence.

Serena Williams' bid to win the Queen's Club doubles title on her return to tennis came to a premature end on Thursday after the American legend's partner Victoria Mboko was forced to withdraw from the tournament.

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Spain's Canary Islands on Thursday to meet migrants, many of whom survived a dangerous Atlantic crossing to reach the archipelago.

Planetary heating is intensifying and key climate indicators are deteriorating, top scientists said Thursday, warning that funding decisions affecting Earth observation systems in the United States and other countries threaten efforts to track global warming.

Iran warned on Thursday that the shaky ceasefire in the three-month Middle East war was now "practically meaningless" following fresh strikes by the United States that saw Tehran respond with attacks around the region.

Russia has lifted its ban on the popular gaming platform Roblox, after tens of thousands of children and parents sent letters complaining about the measure.

Sweden's right-wing government withdrew Thursday a heavily-contested proposal to lower the age at which children can be sentenced to prison from 15 to 13, citing a lack of support in parliament.

Two Chinese Uyghur men were sentenced to death Thursday for carrying out a 2015 attack on a Bangkok shrine that killed 20 people, a long-awaited verdict in Thailand's deadliest bombing case.

Britain's competition watchdog said Thursday that it had opened an investigation into Irish carrier Ryanair over fees that parents must pay to sit with their children.