World

Exclusive-US diplomats asked if non-whites qualify for Trump refugee program for South Africans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -In early July, the top official at the U.S. embassy in South Africa reached out to Washington asking for clarification on a contentious U.S. policy: could non-whites apply for a refugee program geared toward white South Africans if they met other requirements?

World

Lithuania urges respect for Russian speakers amid language debate

VILNIUS, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania's Department of National Minorities has called for a balanced approach to the growing public debate over Russian language use, urging respect for ethnic minorities while promoting Lithuanian learning.

World

German business sentiment rises, but recovery faces external threats

BERLIN, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Germany's business confidence rose in July to its highest level in over a year, a survey showed Friday. However, economists cautioned that the recovery remains fragile amid persistent external headwinds, including the U.S. tariffs threat.

World

Botswana implements initiatives, reforms to counter U.S. tariff impacts: bank official

GABORONE, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Botswana is implementing several initiatives and structural reforms to mitigate the potential adverse effects of U.S. tariffs on the southern African country, a Bank of Botswana official said on Friday.

World

Over 100 Chinese enterprises target Zambia's premier show to boost business

LUSAKA, July 25 (Xinhua) -- About 100 Chinese companies are expected to exhibit at the 97th Agricultural and Commercial Show to boost business ties, the Zambia Chinese Association (ZCA) revealed on Friday.

World

Romania faces one of driest agricultural years since 1901

BUCHAREST, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Romania is facing one of its driest agricultural years in over a century, with rainfall far below normal levels, the head of the National Meteorological Administration (ANM) said on Friday.

World

Wildfire spreads in southern BiH

SARAJEVO, July 25 (Xinhua) -- A massive wildfire that started Thursday in the forests of Prozor-Rama, southern Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), continues to spread across mountain terrain, local authorities said on Friday.

World

Interview: China leading in wetland preservation, says Wetlands International CEO

VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe, July 25 (Xinhua) -- China is playing a leading role in the global wetland preservation agenda, Wetlands International Chief Executive Officer Coenraad Krijger said Friday.

World

Feature: Rewriting norms -- Emirati women thrive in traditionally male domains

DUBAI, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Amid the roaring hum of towering cranes at Dubai's Jebel Ali Port, Emirati engineer Hind Al-Kaabi skillfully directs a series of precise maneuvers to load enormous containers onto a cargo ship heading to South Asia.

World

Violence in Mexican state of Sinaloa continues one year after 'El Mayo' Zambada's arrest in US

Culiacan, Mexico (Reuters) -The street vendor said the few tourists who still visit Culiacan no longer look for posters of drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and accused drug kingpin Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, once the Mexican city's most famous residents.

World

Chinese, Ghanaian doctors break new grounds with minimally invasive surgery

ACCRA, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The 14th Chinese medical team and Ghanaian doctors have successfully carried out the first laparoscopic transabdominal anterior hernia repair within the West African country's public hospital system.

World

Barcelona squad departs late for Japan, South Korea

MADRID, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Barcelona's squad has traveled to Asia for a three-match tour of Japan and South Korea with a 24-hour delay after resolving contract problems with the tour promotors.

World

Feature: Reaching new heights - China's artistic swimming triumphs at Singapore Worlds

by sportswriters Li Jia, Wang Zijiang and Yue Chenxing

Football

Soccer-England's injured James a question mark for Euro final

ZURICH (Reuters) -England striker Lauren James's participation in Sunday's Euro 2025 final against Spain is in doubt after she injured her ankle in their semi-final victory over Italy.

World

IMF praises Sri Lanka's economic rebound, urges continued reforms

COLOMBO, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan authorities' economic reform program is yielding commendable outcomes with real GDP growing by 4.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, outperforming expectations, Evan Papageorgiou, mission chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for Sri Lanka, said on Friday.

World

Study projects Malaysia's data centers to generate 34 bln USD economic output

KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The Asia-Pacific Data Center Association (APDCA) has projected that Malaysia's data center sector will generate approximately 34 billion U.S. dollars in total economic output and support 30,900 jobs by 2030.

World

Rwanda launches campaign to curb air pollutants from vehicle emissions

KIGALI, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda has launched a campaign to curb air pollutants from vehicle emissions, which authorities say are fueling asthma, heart disease and lung cancer.

World

Pop Mart opens first Berlin store to "endless" queues

BERLIN, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Not even the rainy weather could dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of devoted fans who queued for kilometers outside a major Berlin shopping center early Friday morning, eagerly awaiting the opening of China's toy-maker Pop Mart's first store in Germany.

Cycling

Cycling-Arensman wins Tour de France 19th stage as Pogacar retains yellow jersey

LA PLAGNE, France (Reuters) -Thymen Arensman claimed his second victory in this year's Tour de France when he benefited from the top guns' waiting game to prevail in the 19th stage, the last mountain trek of the race on Friday.

Motorsport

Motor racing-Piastri takes dominant sprint pole in Belgium

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (Reuters) -Formula One leader Oscar Piastri secured pole position for the Saturday sprint by nearly half a second at the Belgian Grand Prix while McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris qualified third.