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

An extraordinary UN bid to call for a ceasefire in Gaza was blocked by the United States on Friday while Israeli forces continued a relentless offensive to destroy Hamas after its deadly attack two months ago.

Columbus Crew coach Wilfried Nancy had a modest playing career as a journeyman in the lower divisions of French football but now, as a coach, he finds himself one game away from a place in Major League Soccer history.

Led by Beyonce and Taylor Swift, whose "Eras Tour" was the first to bring in more than $1 billion, ticket revenues from the top 100 concert tours of 2023 jumped to a record $9.17 billion, industry magazine Pollstar said Friday.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday suggested that a referendum be held on the future of bullfighting in the country's capital, where fights have been suspended since mid-2022.

Israeli forces maintained a relentless bombardment and ground invasion across Gaza two months after Hamas's deadly attack sparked a war that has decimated the Palestinian territory and triggered an extraordinary UN bid for a ceasefire on Friday.

Prey has been discovered inside the stomach of a tyrannosaur skeleton for the first time, scientists said Friday, revealing that the mighty dinosaurs had an "appetite for drumsticks" when they were young.

The discovery of vast oil deposits is blamed for reigniting a decades-old territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana that fast worsened as Guyana started granting licenses to multinationals to exploit crude in waters claimed by both countries.

Dozens of alleged human rights abusers around the world face new sanctions Friday under a coordinated action by the United States, Britain and Canada to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Pope Francis, who recently recovered from bronchitis, prayed for all "oppressed" peoples on Friday as he led Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrations in a cold and grey central Rome.

The hard-living lead singer of The Pogues, Shane MacGowan, received a rousing Irish send-off with music, song and dancing on Friday, after his death at the age of 65.

The United States and Mexico have submitted a joint bid to host the 2027 Women's World Cup, the two federations announced on Friday.

Stellantis has notified thousands of workers in the US states of Ohio and Michigan of potential layoffs, attributing the move partly to California rules that limit where vehicles can be sold.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday that he hopes Vinicius Junior and Eduardo Camavinga can return from injury absences after La Liga's winter break.

Ange Postecoglou said his Tottenham team will stick to their attacking principles despite a damaging run of results that has caused a tumble down the Premier League table.

On a crisp, winter's day at a London scout centre, seasoned customers picked their way along muddy rows of Christmas trees in pots labelled with their names while newcomers mulled over which one to rent. "It's a big decision", said one.

The president of Harvard publicly apologized in an interview published Friday for remarks she made during a congressional hearing about anti-Semitism on US campuses amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Wall Street stocks shrugged off data showing that hiring unexpectedly accelerated in the United States last month even though it might dent chances of an interest rate cut early next year.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that Hamas brutality could never justify "collective punishment" of Palestinians as Israel presses its campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

On a crisp, winter's day at a London scout centre, seasoned customers picked their way along muddy rows of Christmas trees in pots labelled with their names while newcomers mulled over which one to rent. "It's a big decision" said one.

Vladimir Putin, who on Friday announced that he will seek a fifth term as Russian president in elections next year, is one of the world's ten longest-serving elected leaders.

Israeli forces maintained a relentless bombardment and ground invasion across Gaza on Friday, two months after Hamas's deadly attack sparked a war that has decimated the Palestinian territory, triggering an extraordinary UN bid for a ceasefire.

The United Nations Security Council is to meet behind closed doors Friday on the fast-escalating row between South American neighbors Venezuela and Guyana over a disputed oil-rich region.

The United States saw its jobless rate dip in November while hiring rose more than expected, government data showed Friday, fueling optimism that the world's biggest economy may achieve the elusive goal of avoiding recession, while also taming inflation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that Hamas brutality could never justify "collective punishment" of Palestinians as Israel presses its campaign against Hamas in the Gaza strip.

Mauricio Pochettino admitted the pressure on Chelsea to perform is "massive" after another setback against Manchester United in midweek but insisted he was "building something that will pay off".

Negotiators were searching for a compromise on phasing out fossil fuels at UN climate talks Friday as momentum gathered to strike an historic deal in Dubai.

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City's recent Premier League slump has delivered a much-needed reality check as he prepares for Sunday's match at lowly Luton.

Olympic chiefs on Friday gave the green light to the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at next year's Paris Games as neutrals, outside of team events and as long as they did not actively support the war on Ukraine.

Margrethe Vestager is preparing to return to her day job as the European Union's competition chief after a hard-fought and ultimately unsuccessful bid to lead the bloc's lender.

Data showing that hiring unexpectedly accelerated in the United States last month gave a cold shower to hopes for an interest rate cut early next year, sending bond yields and the dollar higher and Wall Street stocks lower.

Old-fashioned, slow, infrequent and often non-existent, trains have long been the poor relation of cars and planes in the United States.

The United States saw its jobless rate edge down in November while hiring rose more than expected, government data showed Friday, as policymakers mull the need for further efforts to cool the economy.