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

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.

US doughnut chain Krispy Kreme has opened its first shop in Paris, hoping to follow in the footsteps of other American fast-food franchises have won over the French in recent years.

Erik ten Hag says it is up to Marcus Rashford to force his way back into the Manchester United side after he was dropped for the midweek win against Chelsea.

Jurgen Klopp said he is happy with the progress of his rebuilt Liverpool team as they bid to go top of the Premier League at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Italy's Sofia Goggia relied on her unfaultering instincts to win her first World Cup super-G race in two years after streaking to victory in tricky conditions in St Moritz on Friday.

From the rise of the former KGB officer to the Kremlin to his invasion of Ukraine, AFP looks at key moments in the rule of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is bidding to remain in power until 2030.

French President Emmanuel Macron felt compelled Friday to justify allowing a Jewish ritual at the Elysee palace after critics accused him of failing to respect France's secular traditions.

Crowds lined the streets of Dublin on Friday to their pay respects to Irish songwriter Shane MacGowan, who died last month at the age of 65.

Mikel Arteta says he will continue to show passion on the touchline despite landing himself with a ban for Arsenal's trip to Aston Villa on Saturday.

Samoan backrow forward Giovanni Habel-Kuffner will miss Stade Francais' opening matches in the Champions Cup after being handed a two-week suspension on Friday by the French club for his part in a fracas with a member of the Pau coaching staff during an unauthorised night out.

President Vladimir Putin said Friday he will run for re-election in 2024, Russian news agencies reported, allowing the Kremlin leader to extend his decades-long grip on power into the 2030s.

French President Emmanuel Macron promised on Friday that the restoration of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral, badly damaged by fire in 2019, would be completed in time for its planned reopening next December.

Stock markets mostly gained and the dollar firmed Friday before the release of key US jobs data, but Tokyo was knocked by the yen's recent rally.

Italy's Sofia Goggia won her first World Cup super-G race in two years after streaking to victory in tricky conditions in St Moritz on Friday.

Israeli forces squeezed Gaza's main cities Friday, two months after Hamas's deadly attack sparked a war that has killed thousands, left the Palestinian territory in ruins, and triggered an extraordinary UN bid for a ceasefire.

Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin won the pairs competition at the Grand Prix Final in Beijing on Friday, inching past their closest rivals by half a point.

Glenn Phillips hit an aggressive 87 to keep New Zealand in the game on day three of a finely poised rain-hit second and final Test against Bangladesh on Friday.

The head of UN climate talks pressed nations Friday to move fast to deliver an "unprecedented" pact on tackling global warming, as negotiators scrambled to bridge differences over phasing out fossil fuels.

Spain's economy minister Nadia Calvino on Friday won the race to lead the European Investment Bank, the bloc's lending arm whose significance has grown since war broke out in Ukraine.

Spain's Economy Minister Nadia Calvino, the newly-named European Investment Bank (EIB) chief, is a politician who is well-versed in EU lore and a pragmatist with experience of navigating power struggles.

The head of the UN climate summit pressed nations Friday to strike a deal as talks resumed after a break, with only four days left for negotiators to iron out differences over the fate of fossil fuels.

Glenn Phillips hit an aggressive 87 to give New Zealand an eight-run lead as Bangladesh bowled the tourists out for 180 on day three of the rain-hit second Test on Friday.

Hundreds of migrants who cross into the United States from Mexico each day are being herded into open-air camps, where they have no access to food or water.

Matt Renshaw hit an unbeaten 136 against Pakistan in a timely reminder to Australian selectors Friday of his credentials to take over from David Warner when the veteran quits Test cricket.

A new exhibition at Madrid's Prado museum is throwing a spotlight on the reverse side of paintings, letting visitors see labels, seals and sketches that are usually hidden from view.

Role-playing hit "Baldur's Gate 3", based in the world of Dungeons and Dragons, was named video game of the year at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles late Thursday.

The Los Angeles Lakers, fueled by 30 points from ageless LeBron James, routed New Orleans 133-89 on Thursday to book a title showdown with upstarts Indiana in the inaugural NBA in-season tournament.

David Warner brushed off scathing criticism from former teammate Mitchell Johnson over his selection for Australia's Test series against Pakistan, saying Friday: "Everyone's entitled to their own opinions."

The Los Angeles Lakers, fueled by 30 points from ageless LeBron James, routed New Orleans 133-89 on Thursday to book a title showdown with upstarts Indiana in the inaugural NBA in-season tournament.