Russia shot down 808 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Russian defense ministry said Thursday, in the wake of a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.

The drones, launched after Putin met Wednesday in Saint Petersburg with U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy, were destroyed by air defense systems over various regions of Russia and annexed Crimea, the ministry said in a statement.

The leader of France's hardline CGT union on Wednesday called for strikes after talks with Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu over fresh protests collapsed, as the country reeled from last weekend's riots.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that any interference in the Yemen war by Egypt or any other country would make the situation "more difficult".

The European Union opened an investigation into online travel agent Booking.com on Wednesday over alleged failures to tackle fake listings and phishing scams.

The El Nino weather phenomenon gripping the planet could be off the charts, the United Nations warned Wednesday, saying countries should take urgent action to prepare for the worst.

Holders Paris Saint-Germain made it three wins from three in this season's Champions League, beating Barcelona 4-2 thanks to late goals from Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz on Tuesday, while Liverpool clinched a dramatic comeback victory over Villarreal.

The images of France's riots posted and broadcast around the world have cast a pall on the country's important tourism sector, with many fearing worse consequences if violence returns.

Argentina's far-right President Javier Milei called Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez a "dictator" in a visit to Madrid on Wednesday, urging voters to oust the Socialist leader in upcoming elections.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday took an apparent swipe at counterpart Donald Trump of exploiting France's riots for advantage in the U.S. midterm election battle, as Paris prepared for more protests this weekend.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky called Wednesday for freezing the front in his country's war against Russia as a first step toward ceasefire talks.