• Reuters

    UPDATE 1-US, 17 other countries urge Hamas to release hostages, end Gaza crisis

    The United States and 17 other countries on Thursday issued an appeal for Hamas to release sick, elderly and wounded hostages as a pathway to end the crisis in Gaza. "We call for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza now for over 200 days," a statement by the countries said, in what a senior U.S. official called an extraordinary display of unanimity. The 18 countries all have citizens held by Hamas six months after the Palestinian militant group launched its Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel and killed 1,200 people.

  • The Telegraph

    Laurence Fox ordered to pay £180,000 after calling two people paedophiles on Twitter

    Laurence Fox has been ordered to pay a total of £180,000 in damages to two people he referred to as paedophiles on social media after losing a High Court libel battle.

  • Reuters

    UPDATE 1-ECB should not only target inflation, Macron says

    The European Central Bank should no longer focus solely on keeping inflation under control, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday, urging it to adopt growth and decarbonisation targets as well. Any formal changes to broaden the ECB's mandate are likely to meet stiff resistance from other euro zone members, including Germany, where the targeting price stability is of paramount importance. The ECB has long had a mandate to steer inflation towards a target of 2% over the medium-term whereas the U.S. Federal Reserve also aims to support maximum employment and moderate long-term interest rates.