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American champion Quinn Simmons of Lidl-Trek won stage four of the Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes on Wednesday when a breakaway group made it home just ahead of a charging peloton at the thermal spa resort village of Montrond-les-Bains.

The world's largest whale graveyard has been discovered at the bottom of the Indian Ocean by Chinese scientists, who found that the vast expanse of both new and ancient carcasses supports huge communities of deep-sea life.

England captain Ben Stokes and team-mate Gus Atkinson have been dropped from the squad for next week's second Test against New Zealand at the Oval, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Wednesday.

Belfast steeled itself Wednesday for a second night of violence directed at immigrants in Northern Ireland, unrest that authorities say is being stoked by far-right activists on social media.

Juve and Torino fans were on Wednesday slapped with a 10-match ban from travelling to away fixtures as punishment for trouble before last month's local derby which led to the game kicking off more than an hour late.

Stock markets mostly fell on Wednesday as fresh strikes in the Middle East, a jump in US inflation and a tech sell-off weighed on sentiment.

US consumer inflation surged to a fresh three-year high in May, with soaring energy prices caused by US President Donald Trump's Iran war posing a key challenge to Republicans ahead of midterm elections.

Michael Vaughan has backed Ben Stokes to retain the England captaincy despite being investigated for breaking the team's curfew.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates arrived on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning for questioning from US lawmakers over his relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, whose network of wealthy and powerful associates has fueled years of scrutiny and conspiracy theories.

Amnesty International accused Israel on Wednesday of an "ethnic cleansing" campaign against Bedouin and herding communities in the occupied West Bank, saying the measures aimed to accelerate the annexation of the Palestinian territory.

A group of companies led by Airbus is set to present their plan for a next-generation fighter jet in Berlin on Thursday, hoping to replace the Franco-German FCAS project that was scrapped this week.

Mollie O'Callaghan clocked the fourth fastest women's 200m freestyle in history Wednesday to narrowly miss the world record and Sam Short surged to the third quickest 800m freestyle of all time.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Iran has taken too long to negotiate a deal over the conflict in the Middle East and will now "have to pay the price."

US President Donald Trump accused Iran on Wednesday of taking too long to negotiate a peace deal and warned it would now "have to pay the price", a day after suggesting an agreement was in the offing.

Pakistan has renewed deadly airstrikes on neighbouring Afghanistan, officials in both countries said Wednesday, in the worst violence in weeks following a period of relative calm.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will seek re-election in Israel's upcoming national vote, his Likud party announced Wednesday, after US President Donald Trump publicly questioned whether the 76-year-old would run.

Stock markets fell on Wednesday as fresh strikes in the Middle East and a tech sell-off weighed on sentiment ahead of closely watched US inflation data.

Six-sevening crowds and joking about Bad Bunny, AI and football rivalries -- 70-year-old Pope Leo XIV has appealed to a younger crowd during his visit to Spain as part of his efforts to revive the Catholic Church.

Burnt-out cars and smashed windows littered Belfast streets on Wednesday as a Sudanese man appeared in court over a brutal knife attack that triggered "terrifying" violence against immigrants in Northern Ireland.

Paul Gascoigne said on Wednesday he hopes England can reproduce the same "unbelievable" team spirit as the squad at the 1990 World Cup during their quest for glory at this year's tournament.

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, returned to a hero's welcome in Mogadishu and vowed to take part in the next tournament in 2030.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is set to face the media on the eve of the World Cup on Wednesday, as off-field distractions dogged the build-up to the tournament.

Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano is hoping to bring a taste of his homeland to the Artemis III mission he will pilot near Earth in 2027 to test two lunar modules.

Iran attacked American bases in Jordan and Bahrain on Wednesday, warning its Gulf neighbours that they had a "responsibility" to stop the United States and Israel from using their territory to strike the Islamic republic.

Stocks fell Wednesday to extend a rollercoaster week for markets, with tech firms once again bearing the brunt of the selling as investors fret over elevated prices and possible US interest rate hikes.

A Sudanese man was due to appear in court in Northern Ireland Wednesday over a brutal knife attack captured on video that triggered a night of violence by anti-immigration protesters.

Saudi Arabia launched its second national carrier Riyadh Air after more than a year of delays on Wednesday, defying the economic turmoil triggered by the Middle East war and strong competition from established Gulf airlines.

Japan coach Eddie Jones joked Wednesday that he was "looking for a laundry basket" to escape a four-match ban imposed by his own bosses for verbally abusing a referee.

In an era dominated by hyper-violent blockbusters and larger-than-life action spectacles, Indian filmmaker Imtiaz Ali believes young audiences are searching for something deeper -- love that lasts.

Toy charms shaped like a goat and decked out in Lionel Messi's Argentina number 10 shirt pepper a factory tabletop in China, where sellers are betting on the country's lucrative fan market for a big World Cup boost.

Lionel Messi scored moments after coming off the bench on Tuesday to dispel any injury doubts and help Argentina win their final warm-up game for a World Cup overshadowed by off-field distractions, as the Somali referee refused entry to the United States said his dream was over.

Iran attacked US bases in Jordan and Bahrain on Wednesday, the latest salvo in tit-for-tat strikes with the United States after the downing of a US helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.