
Japan's financial precipice

Iraq vs. Iran – The end?

France's debt is growing

Azerbaijan defies Russia

Hundreds demonstrate in protest-hit UK town

Verstappen and Hamilton unhappy with 'overcautious' rain delay at Spa

Israel seeking to deport activists detained on Gaza-bound boat: NGO

Trump, EU chief strike trade deal in transatlantic standoff
Culture
'Fantastic Four' wins battle of heroes at N. America box office
"The Fantastic Four: First Steps," Disney's hotly anticipated reboot of the Marvel Comics superhero franchise, conquered the North American weekend box office, earning $118 million and sidelining "Superman," industry estimates showed Sunday.
Sports
Supreme Pogacar wins Tour de France for fourth time
Tadej Pogacar closed out a supreme 21-day performance to win the Tour de France in Paris on Sunday, crushing his rivals in the 3,400km slog to rack up a fourth title.
Last news

Winter Olympic downhill - the ultimate test of raw speed
The Beijing Olympic alpine skiing programme launches on Sunday with the eagerly anticipated men's downhill.

Rohit plots steady course for India-Windies series
India captain Rohit Sharma on Saturday ruled out drastic team changes in the wake of Virat Kohli's departure as skipper ahead of the hosts' 1,000th one-day international against the West Indies.

Snowboard legend White to retire after Olympics
American snowboard legend Shaun White said Saturday he will retire from competition after he attempts to defend his Olympic title in Beijing, citing the "little signs" from his 35-year-old body.

Norway's Johaug wins first gold medal of Beijing Winter Olympics
Norwegian cross-country skier Therese Johaug won the first gold medal of the Beijing Olympics on Saturday as sport moved centre stage after a troubled build-up dominated by coronavirus and rights concerns.

Norway's Johaug wins first gold of Beijing Winter Olympics
Norway's Therese Johaug won the first gold medal of the Beijing Winter Olympics on Saturday, storming ahead of the competition in the women’s 7.5km-plus-7.5km skiathlon cross-country skiing.

Jamaican woman bobsledder appeals to CAS over Olympic slot
Jamaica's flag-bearer at the Winter Games in Beijing has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in a bid to race in the two-woman bobsleigh at the Olympics, saying not enough spots are made available in women's events.

Increasing urgency over fate of Moroccan boy stuck days in well
Moroccan rescuers worked through the night into Saturday, the fifth day of an increasingly urgent and nerve-wracking effort to rescue Rayan, a five-year-old boy trapped underground in a well.

China's Xi hosts world leader banquet after two years of isolation
Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted a banquet on Saturday for heads of state and international organisations attending the Winter Olympics, part of a diplomatic blitz following nearly two years without face-to-face meetings due to the pandemic.

Beijing Olympics puts young Uyghur athlete at centre of controversy
China's move to thrust a young Uyghur athlete into the spotlight at the climax of the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony placed her at the centre of long-time controversy over rights abuses in Xinjiang.

Jazz down Nets in Mitchell's return, Mavs rally to beat Sixers
Donovan Mitchell returned from an eight-game injury absence to score 27 points for the Utah Jazz, who handed the Brooklyn Nets a seventh straight NBA defeat, 125-102 on Friday.

Austria Covid-19 'gargle' tests in expansion drive
Throughout the day, vans loaded with bags full of Covid PCR test kits arrive at a Vienna laboratory, currently analysing an average of 370,000 tests per day.

Germany's Scholz seeks to build trust in Washington debut
Olaf Scholz makes his Washington debut as German chancellor on Monday, trying to dispel doubts over Berlin's resolve to stand up to Russia in the standoff over Ukraine.

Canada protests against Covid measures set to ramp up
A week-long occupation of Canada's capital by truckers opposed to vaccine mandates was set to ramp up Saturday with thousands of demonstrators expected to pile into Ottawa while other cities also braced for protests.

Final men's Olympic downhill training cancelled due to high winds
The final training run for the men's Olympic downhill was cut short Saturday because of high winds that blew pre-race favourite Aleksander Aamodt Kilde 60 metres (200 feet) into the air on his run.

US panel recommends release of mentally ill Guantanamo detainee
American authorities have recommended releasing a mentally ill inmate from Guantanamo Bay and repatriating him to Saudi Arabia, according to a government document published Friday.

Cyclone Batsirai nears Madagascar, poses 'very serious threat'
Cyclone Batsirai was expected to reach eastern Madagascar on Saturday, posing a "very serious threat" to millions with powerful winds and torrential rains set to batter the large Indian Ocean island.

Cavaliers thwart Hornets rally, Raptors win again
The Cleveland Cavaliers fended off a furious Charlotte rally to snatch a 102-101 NBA victory over the Hornets in wild style on Friday.

Shiffrin admits no Beijing medal would be 'disappointing'
US ski star Mikaela Shiffrin has admitted she would be disappointed to leave the Beijing Olympics without a medal, but has warned it is impossible to have two "perfect weeks" at a Games.

Blues forward Kyrou upstages McDavid as NHL's fastest skater
St. Louis Blues speedster Jordan Kyrou upset three-time champion Connor McDavid on Friday to capture the fastest skater competition at the 2022 NHL All-Star Game weekend in Las Vegas.

Banjo-playing Aussie snowboarder looking to hit right note in Beijing
Banjo-playing Australian snowboarder Scotty James is ready to hit the high notes at the Beijing Olympics but he will have to be on song to beat a strong halfpipe field.

Coups and Covid loom large at African Union summit
Heads of state gathered Saturday at the African Union headquarters to kick off a two-day summit as the continent reels from a spate of military coups and the coronavirus pandemic.

Death toll from laced cocaine in Argentina climbs to 24
The death toll among dozens of people who consumed cocaine likely laced with opioids in Buenos Aires rose to 24 on Friday, with 23 still in hospital, health officials said.

Langer delivers shock resignation as Australia cricket coach
Australian men's cricket coach Justin Langer announced his surprise resignation Saturday, just weeks after trouncing archrivals England in a lopsided Ashes series and months after winning the T20 World Cup.

Bettman defends NHL decision to pull the plug on Beijing Olympics
Commissioner Gary Bettman defended the NHL's decision to pull out of the Beijing Olympics on Friday but said the league expects to make a return in 2026 in Italy.

Ireland's Power seizes Pebble Beach lead
Ireland's Seamus Power fired 10 birdies in an eight-under-par 64 on Thursday to grab the second-round lead in the US PGA Tour Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Compulsory vaccination rules come into force in Austria
It's official: From Saturday, Austrians over the age of 18 must be vaccinated against Covid-19 or face the possibility of a heavy fine, an unprecedented measure in the European Union.

Peru president sacks PM accused of domestic violence
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo dumped his prime minister Friday just three days after appointing him, amid outrage over revelations he was accused of domestic violence in 2016.

Record heat, forest fires in Colombia's Amazon in January
January of this year was the hottest month in the Colombian Amazon in a decade, leading to an increase in forest fires in the southeastern region and very likely impacting air quality in the capital Bogota, according to an Environment Ministry report seen by AFP Friday.

Ireland's Maguire, American Alex share 36-hole LPGA lead
Ireland's Leona Maguire fired a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 to share the lead with American Marina Alex after Friday's second round of the LPGA Drive On Championship.

US death toll from Covid-19 surpasses 900,000: tracker
The US death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic surpassed 900,000 on Friday, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker.

Man Utd suffer shock FA Cup shoot-out exit against Middlesbrough
Manchester United suffered a shock FA Cup fourth round exit as Championship club Middlesbrough won 8-7 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Friday.

Milik hat-trick fires Marseille second in Ligue 1
Arkadiusz Milik scored a hat-trick as Marseille overcame a nightmare start to thrash Angers 5-2 at the Stade Velodrome on Friday and move second in the Ligue 1 table.

Oil prices extend gains as markets weigh strong US jobs data
Stocks were mixed Friday as markets weighed a surprisingly good US jobs report against concerns over tightening monetary policy, while oil prices pushed closer to $100 a barrel.

Meta adds 'personal boundary' tool after virtual world harassment
Facebook parent Meta began rolling out Friday a minimum distance between users' avatars in its virtual reality Horizon network after reports of harassment, one of the thorny issues for its metaverse vision.

Seven dead as tourist plane crashes near Peru's Nazca lines: ministry
Five tourists and two crew died Friday when their plane crashed on a trip to view Peru's famous Nazca lines, the transport ministry said.

Russia rejects Colombian 'foreign interference' claims
Russia on Friday dismissed Colombian claims of "foreign interference" on the side of Venezuela as the South American neighbors quarrel over deadly fighting on their common border.

Colombian charged in Haiti president's killing pleads not guilty in US court
A former Colombian soldier charged in the United States with participating in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise pleaded not guilty Friday, his lawyer in Miami said.

Olympic 100m champ Jacobs wins on return, Duplantis just misses world record
Olympic 100m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs marked his long-awaited return to the track with victory in the 60m at the Berlin indoor meet on Friday, while pole vault star Armand Duplantis agonisingly missed out on breaking his own world record.

Sending mercenaries to Libya main income source for Darfur armed groups: UN
Providing mercenaries in Libya's internal conflict has become the main source of revenue for armed groups from Sudan's own war-torn Darfur region, the United Nations said in a report Friday.