Alexandra Hudson

Germany's central bank proposed on Tuesday a far-reaching reform of the country's constitutionally enshrined cap on borrowing, which could give the government up to 220 billion euros ($232 billion) worth of extra cash for defence and investment this decade.

Lending growth in the 20-nation euro zone accelerated last month, suggesting that a string of interest rate cuts have started to transmit through to the real economy, European Central Bank data showed on Thursday.

U.S. energy and metals production could see a limited boost in the short run as a result of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff plans, but a potentially bigger boost over the longer run from broader "commodity dominance" policies, Goldman Sachs said in a note on Wednesday.

Syria condemned on Tuesday Israel's incursion into its territories and called for Israel to withdraw, according to a the closing statement of a national dialogue summit organised by Syria's new Islamist rulers to outline the country's political roadmap.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday sent condolences to the presidents of Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan for the casualties caused by the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, China's state broadcaster CCTV reported.

A French court sentenced eight people to prison terms ranging from one to 16 years for their roles in a hate campaign that culminated in the murder of a teacher who had shown caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad in class, local media reported.

Britain's prime minister and leader of the main opposition party spar almost daily on everything from immigration, taxation to spending, but on Thursday, the two battled over a new subject - whether sandwiches make a good lunch.

France said on Wednesday it believed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had immunity to actions by the International Criminal Court which is seeking his arrest for alleged war crimes in Gaza, given Israel has not signed up to the court statutes.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday announced 2.3 billion euros ($2.42 billion) in additional aid to reconstruct areas of the Valencia region hit by the deadliest flash floods in Spain's modern history.

The Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp's trip to Israel has been postponed, the ministry said on Thursday, confirming an earlier report by Dutch News Agency ANP.