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West African military chiefs meet over Niger coup
West African military chiefs met in Ghana on Thursday to coordinate a possible armed intervention to reverse a coup in Niger, as Germany called for EU sanctions against the rebel leaders.
Spain's Canary Isles battle 'most complex fire' in 40 years
The huge wildfire ravaging the Spanish holiday island of Tenerife that has burnt through more than 2,600 hectares of land is the "most complex" blaze to hit the Canary Islands in four decades, the regional government said Thursday.
Coe says return of Russian athletes 'unlikely' before Paris Olympics
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said Thursday it was "unlikely" that track and field athletes from Russia and Belarus would be welcomed back to competition before next year's Paris Olympics.
Olympic sprint champ Jacobs yearns for worlds 'favourite' tag
Olympic 100m champion Marcell Jacobs said Wednesday he yearned to be tagged as favourite going into the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, despite it carrying a great weight of expectation after a "rollercoaster" of a season.
Coe re-elected as president of World Athletics
Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics since 2015, was on Wednesday re-elected as head of track and field's governing body on a third and final four-year mandate.
'Successful' surgery for Madrid keeper Courtois
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has had "successful" surgery on a knee injury he picked up in pre-season, the club announced on Thursday.
Walmart raises 2024 forecast after 'strong' quarter
Walmart raised its full-year forecast on Thursday following a jump in quarterly profits, pointing to solid increases at US stores and e-commerce.
Ten killed in light plane crash on street in Malaysia
A light plane crashed into a street in Malaysia's central Selangor state on Thursday, killing eight people on board and two motorists on the ground, the local police chief said.
Ballgowns, surveillance and cloning for sale at China pet fair
A shimmering, 1.5-metre-long golden ballgown stood pride of place in a Shanghai exhibition hall Thursday -- and for the cool price of $13,700, your dog could be the lucky animal to leave Pet Fair Asia wearing it.
World Rugby appeals against overturned Farrell red card
England captain Owen Farrell's involvement in the upcoming World Cup was thrown into fresh doubt Thursday when World Rugby announced it would be appealing against the decision to overturn his red card in a warm-up match against Wales.
Targeted Christians found shelter with Muslims during Pakistan rampage
Pastor Javed Bhatti was roused from his sleep by the mosque's loudspeaker -- not the usual Islamic call to prayer, but a thundering call to protest against alleged blasphemy by Christians.
France's Sarkozy blasted for call to compromise with Russia
France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy has stirred outrage in Kyiv and Paris by suggesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine could be ended with new referendums in occupied territories.
Ship from Ukraine port nears Turkey despite Russian blockade
A civilian cargo vessel sailing from Ukraine in defiance of a Russian blockage was hugging the coast of Bulgaria on Thursday on its way to Turkey, marine traffic monitors said.
Spain Socialists win first parliamentary battle, securing speaker role
Spanish lawmakers on Thursday elected the Socialist party's candidate for parliamentary speaker following a closely-watched vote that augurs well for Pedro Sanchez's efforts to return as prime minister.
Michael Parkinson: Britain's chatshow king
Michael Parkinson was a regular first port of call for reporters looking for a tribute on the passing of the rich and famous, so much so that he often picked up the phone and asked: "Who's died now?"
Super Cup success does not mask cracks in Man City's facade
Manchester City's treble winners have added more silverware to their collection, but a UEFA Super Cup victory over Sevilla only exposed some cracks in Pep Guardiola's squad ahead of another demanding campaign.
Britain's 'chat show king' Michael Parkinson dies aged 88
Michael Parkinson, the veteran British chat show host whose decades-spanning career featured interviews with some of the world's highest profile figures, has died at the age of 88, his family said Thursday.
Alldritt to lead France against Fiji as Hastoy takes keys to No 10
La Rochelle backrow forward Gregory Alldritt will captain France against Fiji in Saturday's Rugby World Cup warm-up against Fiji in Nantes as Antonie Hastoy takes over at fly-half for the injured Romain Ntamack.
China's property sector crisis fuels fears of contagion
Troubled Chinese property giant Country Garden risks defaulting on its bond payments next month, which could have disastrous consequences for the world's second-largest economy.
Ukraine vows long fight to counter Russia's 'grip' on Africa
Ukraine will make "long-term" efforts to deepen ties with African countries as it seeks to counter Russia's influence on the continent, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told AFP this week.
Alldritt to lead France against Fiji as Willemse and Cros return
La Rochelle backrow forward Gregory Alldritt will captain France against Fiji in Saturday's Rugby World Cup warm-up against Fiji as Paul Willemse and Francois Cros are recalled by the tournament hosts.
Spain MPs elect new speaker with Catalan separatists in focus
Spain's new parliament began meeting Thursday after an inconclusive July election with lawmakers to choose a new speaker in a closely-watched vote in which the hardline Catalan separatist party JxCat will play a key role.
Israel says US okays 'landmark' missile defence deal with Germany
Israel said the United States on Thursday approved the "landmark" sale of the Arrow 3 hypersonic missile defence system to Germany, in the country's biggest military deal worth $3.5 billion.
Israel says US okays Arrow 3 missile defence system sale to Germany
Israel said the United States on Thursday approved the sale of the Arrow 3 hypersonic missile defence system to Germany, in the country's biggest ever military deal worth $3.5 billion.
Where summer heat hits hard: Mideast and North Africa
Climate change has impacted the Middle East and North Africa where summer is already very hot. Many in Iraq, Syria, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia still labour in the heat.
Most markets drop as US rate, China fears dent global optimism
Most Asian markets joined a global sell-off Thursday on fresh worries the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates again, while China's economic woes continued to shred traders' nerves.
'Silent threat': Bahrain to build walls against rising sea
Already battling extreme heat, Bahrain is scrambling to ward off another environmental threat: rising seas that could swallow parts of its coast, the island nation's oil and environment minister told AFP.
'How to win graciously': Sportsmanship melts hearts at World Cup
Unless there is an uncharacteristic outbreak of hostility and flurry of red cards in Sunday's final, opposing players consoling each other after games will be among the enduring images of the Women's World Cup.
South Africa and Russia, the 'strange bedfellows'
South Africa's hosting of a BRICS summit next week has turned a spotlight on ties between Pretoria and the Kremlin that are cosy and, for some, a puzzle.
Morning-after pill more effective when taken with painkiller: study
Women who took a prescription painkiller alongside a morning-after pill had more success preventing pregnancies than those who only took the emergency contraceptive, according to a new medical study from Hong Kong.
Ireland's fishermen fear species migration as sea temperatures soar
When he finished school Daragh McGuinness knew he wanted to join a fishing crew but now, at 23, he fears climate change may kill off the industry that has sustained his family for generations.
Under-fire Jones rants at 'negativity' as Wallabies head to World Cup
Under-pressure Wallabies coach Eddie Jones on Thursday lashed out at "all the negativity" as the team departed for the World Cup after what he called the "worst press conference I've ever had in world rugby".