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

Markets rallied again Monday following another strong performance on Wall Street, as below-forecast US jobs data fanned optimism that the Federal Reserve had reached the end of its interest rate hiking cycle.

After two years of misery in the Champions League group stage, Barcelona have the chance to book their place in the knock-out rounds against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday in Hamburg.

Gianluigi Donnarumma will be given a fierce reception on Tuesday when he faces crisis-club AC Milan at the San Siro for the first time since jumping ship for Paris Saint-Germain and becoming public enemy number one.

New Orleans Pelicans guard C.J. McCollum has been diagnosed with a small right lung collapse, the NBA team announced Sunday, marking his second such situation in the past two years.

Irish-trained Vauban heads into Tuesday's Melbourne Cup as favourite in Australia's "race that stops a nation", but faces a looming threat from in-form Gold Trip who is targeting back-to-back wins.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping will welcome Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to Beijing on Monday, a high-water mark in their nations' ties following years of tensions that cut billions of dollars in trade.

Kevin Durant scored 41 points to lead the Phoenix Suns over Detroit and former Suns coach Monty Williams on Sunday while Britain's O.G. Anunoby sparked Toronto's stunning NBA rally at San Antonio.

Nestled in the mountains of northern Lebanon, a museum dedicated to Kahlil Gibran in his hometown of Bsharre has been celebrating the centennial of "The Prophet", the renowned author's most famous work.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds tough talks in Turkey on Monday, aimed at soothing the anger of one of Washington's most strategic but difficult allies about the bloodshed in Gaza.

Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead Philadelphia's dramatic 28-23 NFL victory over Dallas on Sunday while Kansas City and Baltimore notched impressive triumphs.

Whether they sell smartphones, ads or computer chips, the heavyweights of Silicon Valley have everything to prove to investors looking to see who is best placed in the race to dominate the generative artificial intelligence market.

Former president Donald Trump is expected to testify Monday in the New York civil case threatening to upend his real estate empire and deal him a damaging financial blow as he seeks to retake the White House next year.

Sporting Kansas City ended Western Conference top seeds St. Louis City's magical first MLS season on Sunday with a 2-1 victory that sealed a 2-0 win in their first-round playoff series.

France has recorded more than a thousand anti-Semitic acts since the deadly October 7 attack by Hamas gunmen on Israel, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Sunday.

Second-ranked Iga Swiatek defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday to reach the title match of the WTA Finals, where she will face fellow unbeaten Jessica Pegula.

Kevin Durant scored 41 points to lead the Phoenix Suns over Detroit and former Suns coach Monty Williams on Sunday while Britain's O.G. Anunoby sparked Toronto's stunning NBA rally at San Antonio.

South Africa's Erik van Rooyen, inspired by a sick friend, rolled in a long eagle putt at the final hole to grab an emotional two-shot triumph Sunday in the US PGA Tour World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said there was "no drama" despite his team failing to build on their Clasico triumph, dropping two points in La Liga's title race with a 0-0 derby draw against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Welsh star Leigh Halfpenny said he relished the chance to play for the Canterbury Crusaders as the defending Super Rugby champions confirmed Monday that he has signed a one-year deal.

Real Madrid failed to build on their Clasico triumph and dropped two points in La Liga's title race with a 0-0 derby draw against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Team boss Toto Wolff slammed his Mercedes outfit's car and Brazilian Grand Prix performance on Sunday, claiming it was akin to a three-wheeler and "does not deserve to win" a race this year.

Juventus kept pace with Serie A leaders Inter Milan thanks to Sunday's 1-0 win at Fiorentina in a match controversially played despite deadly floods, while Romelu Lukaku fired Roma to a late 2-1 win over Lecce.

A week after coach Fabio Grosso was injured in an assault by Marseille fans, Lyon remain winless but clawed back a 1-1 home draw with fellow strugglers Metz, as Nice reclaimed top spot and Monaco beat Brest on Saturday.

Colombian international Luis Diaz begged the guerrilla group which kidnapped his parents on October 28 to release his father after scoring on his return to action for Liverpool on Friday.

Patrick Mahomes threw for two touchdowns as the Kansas City Chiefs bounced back to beat the Miami Dolphins while the in-form Baltimore Ravens trounced the Seattle Seahawks in early NFL action on Sunday.

Telecom Italia on Sunday approved an offer by US investment fund KKR for its fixed-line network, infuriating its main shareholder which vowed to contest the "illegal" decision.

Israel said Sunday it was pounding Gaza with "significant" strikes after cutting it in two, as America's top diplomat pressed a Middle East tour focused on humanitarian aid for the Palestinians.

Romelu Lukaku fired Roma to a stunning 2-1 win over Lecce on Sunday with a stoppage-time strike which completed an unlikely late comeback and sent his team into next weekend's Rome derby in positive mood.

Max Verstappen secured his 17th win in a record-breaking season on Sunday, resisting early pressure from Lando Norris to triumph in an accident and incident-hit Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Four relatives of a journalist were killed on Sunday in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, the official Lebanese news agency said, adding that the journalist was also wounded.

Rassie Erasmus will return as coach of the world champion Springboks, a high-ranking South African Rugby Union (SARU) official told AFP on Sunday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday said he was "not ready" for talks with Russia unless its invading troops withdraw, as Kyiv investigated a deadly strike on its soldiers.