A nationwide strike in France has disrupted schools and transport as unions demand higher wages and better public services. More than 250,000 people had joined protests by early afternoon, according to the CGT union.
News Mash
Indiana executed Jeffrey Weisheit for the 2010 murders of two children after a divided state Supreme Court rejected a bid to pause his execution. Florida and Alabama also planned executions Thursday.
A Dublin-to-Rome flight diverted to a French military airfield Thursday as bomb threats disrupted other flights across Europe. Authorities have reported no explosives found so far.
London-based Xyra Group has made a rescue offer for Poundland after its US owner rejected an earlier bid. The retailer’s possible collapse threatens about 12,000 jobs and could also hit suppliers.
Pope Leo XIV and Bob Dylan exchanged a rosary and an autobiography during a brief Vatican meeting between the singer’s Italian concert dates. Leo has previously quoted Dylan’s anti-nuclear song “Go Away You Bomb.”
Voters approved dozens of data center restrictions, and newly elected governors in Texas and Georgia have pledged construction pauses. Analysts expect delays for AI infrastructure projects but differ on the broader economic impact.
Trump says Pete Hegseth is doing a very good job, while CBS News reports the president has asked advisers whether the defense secretary should stay after Republican midterm losses. The Iran war and Hegseth’s leadership face growing scrutiny from lawmakers.
Democrats won both chambers of Congress after campaigning on affordability, healthcare and the war on Iran. Senate rules, potential vetoes and the need for Republican support could limit what they can enact.