News brief: Big stories of the day

Croatia create history, enter first World Cup final after defeating England in semis

Croatia showed magnificent resilience to come from behind and beat England 2-1 on Wednesday as Mario Mandzukic's extra-time goal sent them into their first World Cup final and sparked celebrations across the Balkan nation.

England had looked on course for their first final since 1966 as they led through Kieran Trippier's fifth-minute free kick and totally dominated the opening half.

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But Croatia, in their first semi since 1998, levelled through Ivan Perisic after 68 minutes and then looked the more dangerous side.

Trump tells NATO allies to double defence spending

US President Donald Trump accused Germany on Wednesday of being a "captive" of Russia due to its energy reliance, before a NATO summit where he pressed allies to more than double defence spending.

Having lambasted NATO members for failing to reach a target of spending 2 percent of national income on defence, Trump told fellow leaders in Brussels he would prefer a goal of 4 percent, similar to US levels, officials said.

That would represent a massive upheaval of budgetary priorities in Europe where Germany and many others have pledged only to reach 2 percent by 2024 or later, and it was not clear what allies would spend the money on.

All migrant children under 5 will be reunited with families by Thursday: US official

All migrant children under age 5 will be reunited with their families by Thursday, Reuters quoted a Trump administration official as saying.

The official said all children who are "eligible" will be reunited with their families.

India will become a 'Hindu Pakistan' if BJP comes to power in 2019: Shashi Tharoor

The two-time Lok Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday sparked a row after he said that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in 2019, it will compromise with the Indian Constitution and create a Hindu Pakistan.

Addressing an event in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr Tharoor further stated that the BJP will write a new Constitution which will pave the way for a nation, much like Pakistan, where rights of minorities are not respected.

"If they (BJP) win a repeat in the Lok Sabha, our democratic constitution as we understand it, will not survive as they will have all the elements they need to tear apart the constitution of India and write a new one," he added.

Thailand's Tham Luang cave to be turned into museum to showcase boys' rescue

A cave complex in Thailand where 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach were trapped for more than two weeks before they were safely brought out will be turned into a museum to showcase the rescue, the head of the operation said on Wednesday.