Monaco Journal - News from Monaco, Monte-Carlo and the world

Saudi Arabia will no longer stage the inaugural Esports Olympics scheduled to be held in 2027, the International Olympic Committee announced on Thursday.

A rare meeting between leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping has succeeded in temporarily stabilising US-China relations, analysts said on Thursday, with the talks drawing cautious optimism on the streets of Beijing.

France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy has received a prison visit from the justice minister, a source close to the case said on Thursday, despite a prosecutor warning that it could undermine judicial independence.

The eurozone economy grew faster than expected in the third quarter of 2025, official data showed Thursday, buoyed by better-than-anticipated growth in France despite political turmoil in Europe's second-biggest economy.

Saudi Arabia will no longer stage the inaugural Esports Olympics scheduled to be held in 2027, the International Olympic Committee announced on Thursday.

The trial of three Australians accused of plotting the murder of a compatriot at a villa on the Indonesian resort island of Bali began Thursday, with all facing the death penalty.

The Dutch election climaxed in an unprecedented cliffhanger Thursday, with only a few thousand votes separating the far-right party of firebrand Geert Wilders and a pro-European centrist party.

Saudi Arabia will no longer stage the inaugural Esports Olympics scheduled to be held in 2027, the International Olympic Committee announced on Thursday.

Russia battered Ukrainian energy facilities with hundreds of drones and missiles, Kyiv said Thursday, killing two people, wounding children, and piling more pressure on Ukraine's fragile energy grid.

British oil and gas giant Shell on Thursday said its net profit rose 24 percent in the third quarter as trading margins and sales volumes improved, despite falling oil prices.

Pakistan and Afghanistan will likely hold another round of peace talks in Istanbul, a Pakistani security source told AFP on Thursday, after Islamabad's announcement that previous negotiations had failed.

From a deal to reduce tariffs slapped on China to planned cooperation on ending the war in Ukraine, here's what Beijing and Washington say was achieved during Donald Trump and Xi Jinping's first face-to-face talks in six years:

Asian stock markets fluctuated on Thursday after a high-stakes meeting between US and Chinese leaders that resulted in an agreement to alleviate frictions between the world's two largest economies.

British entrepreneur Richard Branson vowed Thursday to "shake up" cross-Channel train services after regulators approved a key bid by his Virgin Group to share an east London depot with Eurostar.

Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight killed one person, wounded 17 and caused emergency power outages across the country, Ukrainian authorities said Thursday.

Asian stock markets fluctuated on Thursday after a high-stakes meeting between US and Chinese leaders that resulted in an agreement to alleviate frictions between the world's two largest economies.

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed on Thursday to ease the trade war between China and the United States that roiled global markets, with Washington cutting some tariffs and Beijing committing to keep supplies of critical rare earths flowing.

Volkswagen reported its first quarterly loss for five years Thursday, topping one billion euros, as the German auto giant struggles with US tariffs and a troubled electric shift at subsidiary Porsche.

In the heart of Los Angeles, a team of canvassers tirelessly knocks on doors, asking voters to let California redraw its electoral map to favor Democrats and resist US President Donald Trump.

A beaming US President Donald Trump hailed his "great success" in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the South Korean city of Busan on Thursday.

In the north coast parish of St. Ann, almost all residents are without power -- and many of them woke up without a roof over their heads after Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica, downing trees, utility poles and anything in its path.

"It's never too late to start a new hobby," says 89-year-old Irish harp-maker Noel Anderson, one of only a few making the intricate instrument, a national symbol of Ireland.

Tanzania was on lockdown with a communications blackout Thursday, a day after elections turned into violent chaos with unconfirmed reports of many dead.

Curbing China's critical mineral dominance will top the agenda at a G7 energy ministers meeting in Canada on Thursday, as industrialized democracies seek more reliable access to the resources that power future technologies.

US President Donald Trump called the meeting Thursday with China's Xi Jinping a "great success", after the world's top two economies agreed a deal to trim fentanyl-related tariffs and keep supplies of critical rare earths flowing.

A South Korean court ruled on Thursday against popular K-pop group NewJeans, whose members had sought to cut contractual ties with their label ADOR over what they called "mistreatment" by the agency.

India batsman Shreyas Iyer said Thursday he was "getting better every passing day" after lacerating his spleen when falling heavily in a one-day clash against Australia.

Rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage is eyeing a Hollywood ending to a remarkable season after a dazzling performance carried the Toronto Blue Jays to the brink of World Series glory on Wednesday.

The Bank of Japan kept interest rates on hold Thursday at 0.5 percent, warning of lingering economic "high uncertainties" linked to US trade tariffs.

In teeming Manila, where poverty runs deep and millions lack adequate shelter, some of the living have found refuge among the dead.

Nikola Jokic bagged his fourth straight triple-double to start the NBA season on Wednesday to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 122-88 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Crunch talks between US President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping focused on their trade war wrapped up in under two hours Thursday with no immediate public comment from either leader on whether progress was made.

UN chief Antonio Guterres called for an immediate end to military escalation in Sudan on Thursday after reports that more than 460 people were shot dead in a maternity hospital by paramilitary forces.

A promising 17-year-old Australian cricketer died on Thursday after being struck by a ball, with his family saying they were "utterly devastated".

Devastated by years of Russian attacks, the nine-storey buildings that dot the skyline of Kupiansk in northeast Ukraine now "stand like black candles", local Vitaly Bardas recalled.

US President Donald Trump and China's leader Xi Jinping opened on Thursday their first face-to-face meeting in six years, seeking a truce to end a trade war that has roiled the world economy.

The crew for China's next manned flight to the Tiangong space station will include the country's youngest ever astronaut to undertake a space mission, authorities said Thursday, as well as four lab mice.

A dazzling 12-strikeout display from rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage carried the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday to leave the Canadian franchise one win away from a first World Series title in 32 years.

The European Central Bank is expected to keep interest rates unchanged for its third straight meeting Thursday with inflation hovering around its target and the eurozone economy holding up.