Americans are commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11, remembering the shock, the dead and the sweeping consequences of the al-Qaida attacks on symbols of U.S. might and prosperity.

Friday's milestone anniversary will bring memorial rituals — wreath-laying, flag-flying, moments of silence, vigils and readings of victims' names — and volunteer projects in tribute to a day that about half of U.S. adults remember as the most historic event of their lifetime, according to a new poll.

In recent weeks, the United States has succeeded in loosening Iran's grip over the Strait of Hormuz while virtually shutting down Iran's own oil exports, accelerating its economic free fall.

But the war launched by the U.S. and Israel in February — intended to last a few weeks — is still far from over, and the stalemate is costly for both sides. An agreement reached in June quickly crumbled, with no sign of diplomatic progress since then. Low-level fighting persists, and the U.S. does not seem to have an exit strategy.

Lebanon’s mission to the United Nations has accused Israel of committing nearly 2,000 "land, air and sea violations" of Lebanon’s sovereignty during the month of July, according to a letter to the U.N.

The letter, published Thursday on the U.N. website, did not give details of the alleged violations. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A Japanese military transport ship docked on the island of Borneo on Thursday as part of a disaster relief mission to help fight wildfires in Indonesia that are causing a toxic haze impacting people's health in other countries.

Japan deployed 300 crew members, landing ship JS Kunisaki and three CH-47 helicopters, which arrived in Kalimantan on the island of Borneo.

Pep Guardiola's departure was expected to shift the balance of power in Manchester.

The early signs suggest otherwise.

Just arrived at Paris Saint-Germain, Ferran Torres is already setting records.

The World Cup final hero for Spain, Torres scored a hat trick in PSG's 6-1 rout of Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League late Wednesday.

The French Football Federation withdrew its support for Gianni Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president on Thursday after his controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.

The FFF said the executive committee decision was unanimous.

Rescuers struggled on Thursday to get into a passenger ferry that had caught fire and burned overnight off the western Philippines, leaving five people dead and 86 missing, officials said. By nightfall, search and rescue operations were halted but were to resume in the morning.

So far, 43 people have been rescued, coast guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said. The ferry MV June Aster was afloat but listing off the town of Coron after the fire that started on Wednesday evening. Smoke still rose from the charred vessel by midday Thursday.

A cargo ship docked for repairs in a Chinese port caught fire, killing 25 people, Chinese state media reported Thursday.

The ship was being repaired in the Beihai Shipbuilding Co. at the port of Qingdao, a major shipping hub on the northeastern Chinese coast. A photo released by Xinhua news agency identified the ship as the Ocean Melody, which sails under a Liberian flag, according to the tracking website VesselFinder.

The European Central Bank raised interest rates Thursday to cool inflation that is being fed by high oil prices from the Iran war. The decision was supported by a stronger-than-expected economy that suggests businesses can weather the higher borrowing costs.

The central bank for the 21 EU member countries that use the euro currency raised its benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point to 2.50% at a meeting held in Berlin, away from the bank's Frankfurt headquarters.