Morning Chronicle - News around the clock from London, Great Britain and the world

Inevitable Madrid continue Champions League love affair

Nissan net profit nearly doubles despite China challenges

Spain vows to block BBVA's hostile bid for rival bank

Olympic torch relay sets off in Marseille

Blackstone wins bidding war for UK music rights firm

Famed Thai holiday isles suffer water shortages after heatwave

Nissan annual net profit nearly doubles on-year

Putin says nuclear forces 'always' on alert in Victory Day speech

Chinese cities lift curbs on buying homes as property crisis bites

Malaysian team pulls out of season opener after footballer acid attack

Japan's Mount Fuji barrier delayed

Markets' rally stutters as traders eye rate cut outlook

Equity traders struggled to get a recent rally back on course Thursday following a tepid lead from Wall Street, but record performance in Europe highlighted optimism that central banks were on course to cut interest rates.

Spanish bank BBVA goes hostile in Sabadell takeover bid

Spain's second-largest bank BBVA announced Thursday a hostile takeover bid for Banco Sabadell, three days after its smaller rival rejected an offer that would create a European banking giant.

S. Korea president admits 'shortcomings' in rare address

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held a rare press conference Thursday, admitting "shortcomings" after his party's recent electoral defeat, and laying out policies on issues from the country's low birthrate to Russia's war in Ukraine.

Romania opens first crowd-funded hospital

At Romania's new crowd-funded children's cancer hospital, one-year-old Eric Ivan eagerly walked up and down the corridor, his mother holding his hands to steady him.

Swift and Beyonce show the lucrative pop-fashion liaison

The return of mega-concerts since the Covid-19 pandemic, with Beyonce and Taylor Swift leading the way, has highlighted the lucrative links between fashion brands and pop stars.

Struggling Crusaders boosted by return of All Blacks pair

Struggling Super Rugby titleholders Canterbury Crusaders will be boosted by the return of All Blacks front-row forwards Codie Taylor and Tamaiti Williams against Otago Highlanders.

Kewell seeks coaching redemption in AFC Champions League final

Harry Kewell's coaching career has not yet matched the heights he reached as a player but he can take a big step forward in this week's AFC Champions League final.

Malaysian team pulls out of showpiece after footballer acid attack

One of Malaysia's top football clubs has pulled out of Friday's season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country.

Israel shells Rafah as Biden vows arms suspension

Israel shelled Rafah on Thursday as US President Joe Biden offered his starkest warning yet over the conduct of its war against Hamas, vowing to cut off arms transfers if an offensive into the southern Gaza city goes ahead.