Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture approved several agriculture products that use the chemical dicamba, a weed killer whose use has been blocked by a court in the United States, according to a notice in the government gazette on Thursday.

The executive branch of the world's chemical weapons watchdog on Thursday condemned the use of banned sarin and chlorine bombs by Syria's air force, but stopped short of taking direct action to penalise Damascus.

* Irish police raid Dublin office - Irish Times (Adds report of Irish offices raided by police)

A U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday forecast the development of La Niña pattern during the August-October season, which is expected to persist through the remainder of 2020.

There is about 50-55% chance of La Niña development during the northern hemisphere fall in 2020, with a 50% chance the pattern will continue through winter 2020-21, a U.S. government weather forecaster said on Thursday.

Covestro's preliminary second-quarter net loss and earnings before taxes have come in above the market's consensus expectations due to higher demand for its products in June, the German chemicals group said on Thursday.

Sri Lankan shares ended higher on Thursday, driven by gains in financial and industrial stocks, after the central bank cut two key interest rates sharply to support the economy hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has offered concessions in a move to unblock a stalemate with opposition leaders that has mired the country in turmoil since a disputed legislative election in March.

Covestro expects to beat quarterly core profit expectations by more than 50%, the German chemicals maker said on Thursday.

European measures taken to protect bees and butterflies and prevent their decline across the bloc have been largely ineffective, auditors said on Thursday.