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

From promising to defend Taiwan militarily to suggesting regime change in Russia, US President Joe Biden has developed a knack for off-the-cuff pronouncements that have rattled diplomacy.

Eva Peron is back on Argentina's currency, six years after the mythic former first lady -- who died 70 years ago -- was replaced by an Andean deer.

Chinese premier Li Keqiang has sent a congratulatory note to newly elected Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, Beijing's state media reported, ending a year-long freeze in diplomatic contact between the two countries.

The famed river bridges of the Iranian city of Isfahan are a beloved tourist draw -- but much of the time their stone arches span just sand and rocks, not water.

Lebanese law student Charbel Chaaya spent the election campaign distributing flyers in Beirut and trying to convince his parents to vote for independents to shake the grip of established parties.

Injured fly-half James O'Connor is to miss the rest of the Super Rugby season, the Queensland Reds said, but barring complications is expected to be fit for Australia's home Test series against England in July.

TikTok on Monday said it will start letting some popular accounts at the video-snippet streaming star charge subscriptions for live streams.

A trial against Bill Cosby began Monday in California, with a civil suit alleging the disgraced comedian sexually assaulted a teenage girl almost five decades ago.

The UK's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan last year showed "systemic failures of leadership, planning and preparation", according to a scathing inquiry by MPs published on Tuesday.

A 21-year-old Russian soldier was found guilty of war crimes for killing an unarmed civilian and handed a life sentence by a Ukrainian court on Monday, in the first verdict of its kind since the invasion began three months ago.

Novak Djokovic said Monday he "intends to go to Wimbledon" to defend his title despite the controversy over the tournament being stripped of ranking points.

Quality control workers at a studio owned by Activision Blizzard voted Monday to form a union in the first such win at a major US video game company.

Some 20 countries offered new security assistance packages for Ukraine to battle invading Russian forces in a meeting of allies on Monday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced.

Reigning champion Novak Djokovic won in straight sets on his return to Grand Slam action at the French Open on Monday and 13-time Roland Garros winner Rafael Nadal eased to victory, but Naomi Osaka crashed out in the first round.

Novak Djokovic said Monday he "intends to go to Wimbledon" to defend his title despite the controversy over the tournament being stripped of ranking points.

The leaders of Japan, India, Australia and the United States meet in Tokyo on Tuesday seeking common ground on countering China's growing regional economic and military clout.

New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson was suspended for one game and given an undisclosed fine by Major League Baseball on Monday for a remark to Chicago White Sox player Tim Anderson that triggered accusations of racism.

Reigning champion Novak Djokovic won in straight sets on his return to Grand Slam action at the French Open on Monday, while Rafael Nadal eased to victory as he kicked off his quest for a 14th Roland Garros title.

Sci-fi shockmeister David Cronenberg grossed out the Cannes Film Festival Monday with an ultra-creepy take on the future of sex starring Kristen Stewart, Lea Seydoux and long-time collaborator Viggo Mortensen.

Home rental service Airbnb is shutting down its business in China as a pandemic lockdown shows no sign of ending there, a source close to the company told AFP Monday.

Uyghurs have urged UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet to avoid falling victim to a public relations stunt as her trip to China enters a delicate new phase on Tuesday with a visit to the remote Xinjiang region.

Marking the end of an era, New York City on Monday removed the last of its storied payphone booths, which have fallen victim to the ubiquity of free Wi-fi and cell phones in recent years.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic cruised into the second of the French Open on Monday as the world number one returned to Grand Slam tennis for the first time this year.

Beaten-down Wall Street stocks rallied Monday amid hopes that equities have bottomed, while the euro advanced after European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde signaled the end of negative interest rates.

Pep Guardiola joked it had been part of his plan for Manchester City to come from 2-0 down to beat Aston Villa 3-2 to claim the Premier League title as his side paraded the trophy through Manchester on Monday.

The United States is preparing to give monkeypox vaccines to close contacts of people infected and to deploy treatments, with five cases now either confirmed or probable and the number likely to rise, officials said Monday.

Hertha Berlin secured their place in the Bundesliga for next season with a 2-0 away win at Hamburg on Monday to take the promotion/relegation play-off 2-1 on aggregate.

President Joe Biden vowed Monday that US forces would defend Taiwan militarily if China attempted to take control of the island by force, prompting Beijing to warn that America was "playing with fire."

With a warning to China that the United States will defend Taiwan, President Joe Biden has offered the island its loudest reassurance in decades but brought more uncertainty to a US stance designed to be ambiguous.

The United States said Monday it was looking for ways to represent the people of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua in a summit next month following threats to boycott over their governments' exclusion.

Jamaica's Olympic sprint queen Elaine Thompson-Herah will head a star-studded field in the women's 100m at this weekend's Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting in Oregon, organisers confirmed on Monday.

Leonardo Spinazzola will made his return to the Italy squad after Roberto Mancini named him among 39 players for the European champions' 'Finalissima' clash with Argentina and the Nations League.