Iran's president accused the U.S. on Thursday of conducting a "failed policy of destabilization" targeting his nation after Iranians in cities nationwide protested the death of a 22-year-old woman in the custody of the country's morality police.

President Ebrahim Raisi's repeated comments have tried to blame the demonstrations sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini as a Western plot, even as school-age protesters remove their mandatory headscarves, or hijabs. They come after protests in cities across Iran on Wednesday, with videos circulating of security forces apparently firing toward demonstrators and using violence to put down the dissent.

Israeli police fired live rounds, tear gas and stun grenades in widespread Jerusalem street confrontations with Palestinians who threw stones, firecrackers and firebombs. It was the fiercest unrest in the contested city in months.

Tensions in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem have been soaring since a suspected Palestinian assailant shot and killed an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint at the entrance to the Shuafat refugee camp earlier this week. Movement in and out of Shuafat, a neglected Jerusalem slum, has been restricted as troops search for the shooter.

Cristiano Ronaldo will defend himself against an improper conduct charge brought by the English Football Association.

The Manchester United forward was charged following an incident with a fan after a game against Everton in April. Footage caught on camera appeared to show Ronaldo knocking a phone out of the hand of a supporter as he made his way to the locker room following United's 1-0 loss.

The German government on Wednesday slashed its growth forecast for this year and predicted that Europe's biggest economy would shrink in 2023 as it deals with the fallout from Russia's war in Ukraine, including Moscow cutting off natural gas supplies.

The Economy Ministry said it expects Germany's gross domestic product to grow by 1.4% this year and then decline by 0.4% next year. In late April, it had forecast 2.2% growth in 2022 that would accelerate to 2.5% next year.

NATO defense ministers met Wednesday as the alliance's member countries face the twin challenges of struggling to make and supply weapons to Ukraine while protecting vital European infrastructure like pipelines or cables that Russia might want to sabotage in retaliation.

In the almost eight months since President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine, the 30-nation military alliance has been treading a fine line, as an organization, providing only non-lethal support and defending its own territory to avoid being dragged into a wider war with a nuclear-armed Russia.

South American football leaders have given their backing to Gianni Infantino's bid for re-election as FIFA president as they prepare a four-nation bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

Infantino, who is now in Qatar ahead of the World Cup, went to Paraguay to take part in a CONMEBOL council meeting attended by the leaders of the 10 associations.

Studio Ghibli fans can visit a new theme park in Japan from November, immersing themselves in the fantastical worlds dreamed up by director Hayao Miyazaki and his colleagues.

Here are five of Miyazaki's most beloved films:

Beyond the gates, a whimsical world awaits, complete with a fluffy Cat Bus, the toothy grin of Totoro and a life-sized No-Face seated on a train: welcome to Ghibli Park.

On Wednesday, media got a sneak peek at the highly anticipated new theme park from Studio Ghibli, creator of beloved titles like "My Neighbor Totoro" and the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away".

Syria uncovered a large intact mosaic that dates back to the Roman era, describing it Wednesday as the most important archaeological discovery since the country's conflict began 11 years ago.

Journalists were shown the mosaic in the central town of Rastan near Homs, Syria's third largest city.

Palestinian shops and businesses in east Jerusalem shut down on Wednesday to protest Israeli police raids in the area that have prompted fierce clashes between police and Palestinian protesters.

Israeli police have been operating in the Shuafat refugee camp in Jerusalem's eastern sector to hunt for a suspect in a deadly shooting attack at a checkpoint on Sunday that killed a soldier.