PARIS: France managed to avoid a fresh credit downgrade from a leading rating agency on Friday, despite mounting concern over the country’s surging national debt. Leading ratings agency Fitch in April lowered its rating on France’s debt, which is approaching three trillion euros ($3.2 trillion). It pointed to the country’s
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden took a face-first tumble on Thursday after tripping over an obstacle on stage at the Air Force Academy in Colorado, but he appeared unhurt. Biden, 80, who had delivered the commencement address to graduates of the military academy, had just shaken hands with a cadet and
BRASÍLIA: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for South American unity Tuesday as he hosted fellow leaders for a regional “retreat,” but drew barbs for his warm welcome of Venezuelan socialist Nicolas Maduro. Veteran leftist Lula, who returned to office in January after leading Brazil from 2003 to
MADRID: Spain’s weather agency issued weather warnings for large parts of the country Tuesday as several days of torrential rains following a prolonged drought caused minor flooding. The heavy rains have mainly affected the southern provinces of Alicante and Almeria which have been hit by several thunderstorms since the weekend.
SYDNEY: The men’s and women’s Australian Open golf events will again take place at the same courses at the same time after the format’s debut success, organisers said yesterday. Golf Australia chief executive James Sutherland said last year’s tournaments, also with an equal split between men and women for prize
MELBOURNE: Former Manchester United and Portugal winger Nani has left Melbourne Victory after just 10 league appearances, the Australian club said yesterday. The 36-year-old was hailed as one of the A-League’s biggest coups in years when he signed last year. But he did not live up to the hype, failing
BEIJING: China’s manufacturing activity shrank in May for the second successive month, official figures showed yesterday, the latest sign that the country’s economic recovery is losing steam. The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) — a key measure of factory output — fell to 48.8 this month, below the 50-point
PARIS: Daniil Medvedev backed 172nd-ranked Thiago Seyboth Wild to break the top 30 by the end of the year after suffering a shock French Open first round exit at the hands of the Brazilian on Tuesday. As far as the mercurial Russian is concerned, he was just happy to turn
PARIS: World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said this year’s Rugby World Cup is “timely” as yesterday marked 100 days to go until the start of the tournament. The competition begins on September 8 as hosts France play three-time winners New Zealand. Problems over recent months have included clubs in
SEOUL: North Korea attempted to launch a military spy satellite on Wednesday that would monitor the United States, but it crashed into the sea with Pyongyang conceding there had been “serious defects”. North Korea does not have a functioning satellite in space and leader Kim Jong Un has made developing
