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

The latest developments in the Middle East war:

Shares in the French fashion groups Kering and Hermes plunged Wednesday after both reported sales that missed analyst expectations, in part due to the Middle East war, which has hit business in a key region.

When Oleksiy Kravchuk joined the Ukrainian military at the start of Russia's invasion in 2022, he fought as a sniper and was known by his military nickname Saint Nicholas.

In the jagged Hindu Kush in eastern Afghanistan, hundreds of men dug into the rocky bed of the Kunar River searching for a few grams of gold dust as an alternative source of income.

Stocks rose and crude dropped again Wednesday after Donald Trump said a second round of US-Iran talks could take place "over the next two days", fuelling hopes for a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow crude to flow again.

Denmark's double Olympic badminton champion Viktor Axelsen announced his retirement at 32 on Wednesday, saying back problems meant he could no longer "compete and train at the highest level".

Peruvian right-wing presidential hopeful Rafael Lopez Aliaga gathered hundreds of supporters in Lima on Tuesday and gave authorities 24 hours to annul the first round of the country's election over allegations of fraud.

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise and Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu thrilled CinemaCon attendees on Tuesday with a sneak peek of their comedy "Digger," one of the releases highlighted by Warner Bros. at the Las Vegas industry convention.

Spanish singer Rosalia spent her early years training in classrooms, rehearsal spaces and small venues across Barcelona as she developed the voice and style that would define her career.

Dutch tech giant ASML, which makes cutting-edge machines to manufacture semiconductor chips, said Wednesday that rapidly expanding AI-related investments had pushed up net profits as it also hiked its sales forecast for 2026.

Tottenham forward Maika Hamano scored the only goal as Japan ended the United States' 10-game unbeaten streak with a 1-0 victory in a friendly in Seattle on Tuesday.

China's President Xi Jinping met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday, Chinese state media said, as a string of leaders of countries impacted by the Middle East war flock to Beijing.

From anti-transgender narratives about Olympic swimmers tofabricated comments from right-wing politicians, a slew of Facebook pages managed from Vietnam are capitalising on Australia's febrile politics to promote AI-generated articles on websites designed for profit.

A memory chip crunch fuelled by the artificial intelligence boom is hindering efforts to bring more people online worldwide, the head of the GSMA telecoms industry association told AFP.

LaMelo Ball was hero and villain as the Charlotte Hornets sent the Miami Heat tumbling out of the NBA play-in tournament with a thrilling 127-126 overtime victory on Tuesday.

US rapper Kanye West postponed late Tuesday his concert in the French city of Marseille, following reports that the country's interior minister was seeking to block the performance.

Indonesia, fresh off concluding a defence pact with Washington and an oil deal with Russia, has also agreed to boost defence industry cooperation with France, Jakarta said Wednesday after the countries' presidents met in Paris.

Super Rugby side Moana Pasifika said on Wednesday that it will fold at the end of the season, becoming the second team in three years to go under because of financial problems.

LaMelo Ball was hero and villain as the Charlotte Hornets lifted their curse to send the Miami Heat tumbling out of the NBA play-in tournament with a thrilling 127-126 overtime victory on Tuesday.

Japanese game studio Capcom is taking a big science fiction swing this week with moon-bound action title "Pragmata", juiced by the success of hit franchises like "Resident Evil".

Stocks rose and oil fell again Wednesday after Donald Trump said a second round of US-Iran talks could take place "over the next two days", fuelling hopes for a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow crude to flow again.

Pope Leo XIV is to arrive in Cameroon on Wednesday, the second stage of an African tour shadowed by insults from US President Donald Trump and suicide attacks in Algeria on his first day.

A top US lawmaker called on FIFA to pay for World Cup public transportation costs on Tuesday following a report that local authorities in New Jersey are planning massive price hikes during the tournament.

On a street in a suburb of Port-au-Prince, a dozen teenagers using stones for goalposts are immersed in a Sunday game of football as traffic winds around them.

Not quite like a gig or going clubbing, but there's a new night out spreading in cities around the world: an evening at a "listening bar".

Japan's most famous monster thundered into CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Tuesday as theater-owners got their first look at "Godzilla Minus Zero," which sees the creature rampage through New York.

Peruvian right-wing presidential hopeful Rafael Lopez Aliaga on Tuesday called for the first round of the country's election to be annulled, alleging fraud without providing proof of his claim.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that US-Iran peace talks could resume this week, while Israel and Lebanon agreed to launch direct negotiations, signaling movement on two key fronts in efforts to ease the Middle East conflict.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said he would be surprised if Hugo Ekitike features again this season after being stretchered off in his side's Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said that his team was ready to finally win the Champions League after knocking out Barcelona on Tuesday to reach the semi-finals.

Mohamed Salah's glorious Liverpool career will have an anti-climactic end after Paris Saint-Germain swatted aside Arne Slot's men in a meek Champions League exit that will ensure a trophyless season for the Reds.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said he believes his eliminated team deserved to progress to the Champions League semi-finals but had to learn from their 3-2 aggregate defeat by Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.