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Japanese ski-jumping duo poised to soar in pursuit of Olympic gold
Japan are pursuing a ski-jumping double when the Beijing Games start this week and victory would be especially sweet for Sara Takanashi as she looks to lay her Olympic demons to rest.

US law scholar says Hong Kong denied him visa to teach at university
An American legal scholar specialising in LGBTQ rights said Wednesday he was denied a visa to teach at a Hong Kong university, as concerns deepen about academic freedom in the city.

Sports set to start at Beijing Olympics but controversies weigh heavy
The sporting action gets under way at the Beijing Winter Olympics on Wednesday, two days before the opening ceremony of a Games overshadowed by diplomatic boycotts and concerns about human rights and Covid.

Spring in February: UK plants flowering 'a month early'
Global warming is causing plants in the UK to burst into flower around a month earlier, with potentially profound consequences for crops and wildlife, according to research Wednesday that used nature observations going back to the 1700s.

Art sleuth returns statue to France almost 50 years after heist
A Dutch art detective has returned a rare Roman statue that was considered one of France's most important treasures to the museum from which it was stolen nearly 50 years ago.

Low-key Beijing Olympic torch relay kicks off
A shortened Winter Olympics torch relay kicked off in Beijing on Wednesday as China's capital gears up to host the Games against a backdrop of diplomatic boycotts and the coronavirus pandemic.

Aboubakar and Toko-Ekambi hold key to AFCON success for Cameroon
Forget Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane, because the most prolific strikers at this Africa Cup of Nations are the two players leading the attack for the hosts as they face Egypt in the semi-finals on Thursday.

Giannis' triple double helps topple struggling Wizards
Giannis Antetokounmpo posted his fourth triple double of the season as the Milwaukee Bucks handed the Washington Wizards their sixth straight loss with a 112-98 victory on Tuesday.

Luge ace Loch must tame Beijing's 'flying snow dragon'
The sliding events at the Beijing Winter Olympics get off to a high-speed start on Saturday when Germany's Felix Loch tries to write history in the men's luge.

Whoopi Goldberg suspended by ABC for Holocaust comments
US actress Whoopi Goldberg on Tuesday was suspended from the talk show she hosts for two weeks after saying that the Nazi genocide of six million Jews "was not about race."

France eases Covid curbs, including outdoor mask-wearing
France began lifting coronavirus restrictions including mandatory outdoor mask-wearing Wednesday in a bid to ease citizens' daily lives, dividing opinion as the country only last month reported record Covid-19 infections.

Fell asleep a princess, awoke a queen: Elizabeth in Kenya
Princess Elizabeth was deep in the Kenyan forest on the adventure of a lifetime, spotting wildlife from high up in the treetops, when her father died and she became queen.

Brits on platinum pudding quest for queen's jubilee
"It would be such an honour!": Amateur British cooks are battling to create the best Platinum Jubilee pudding to mark 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign.

Queen Elizabeth II to mark 70 years on the throne
Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday becomes the first British monarch to reign for 70 years, heralding the start of her Platinum Jubilee year despite her retreat from public view.

Asian markets extend rally as optimism returns to trading floors
Asian equities built on a rally across world markets Wednesday as investors become less worried about the Federal Reserve's plans to tighten monetary policy, while more strong corporate results lifted optimism about the outlook.

Low-key Beijing 2022 Olympic torch relay kicks off
The Winter Olympics torch relay kicked off in Beijing on Wednesday as China's capital gears up to host the global sporting event against a backdrop of diplomatic boycotts and the coronavirus pandemic.

Kilde looks to set Norwegian tone in Olympic downhill
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde will bear the weight of an expectant nation when the Norwegian competes in alpine skiing's opening event of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the men's downhill, on Sunday.

EU presses on with green label for gas, nuclear
The EU will face the fury of opponents to nuclear and gas energy on Wednesday when it proposes new criteria for a "green label" for investment projects intended to help fight climate change.

Erdogan seeks payoff from Russia-US clash on Ukraine
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will try to leverage his strategic position in NATO and his rapport with Russia's Vladimir Putin when he visits Kyiv on Thursday in a bid to head off war in Ukraine.

Wildlife rebounds in divided Cyprus 'dead zone'
In a long-abandoned village in the UN buffer zone that divides Cyprus, an endangered curly-horned wild sheep offers hope not only for wildlife but that bitter ethnic divisions might slowly be healed.

Taco-a-day or meal-a-month, US restaurants join subscription craze
For Jebin Tuladhar, the past two years have been like walking a tightrope as he tried to steer Shanti, the Indian restaurant chain he manages in Boston, through the pandemic.

24 dead, dozens injured as flooding hits Ecuador capital
The heaviest flooding to hit Ecuador in two decades has killed at least 24 people in Quito, inundating homes, swamping cars and sweeping away athletes and spectators on a sports field, officials said Tuesday.

'Necessary evil': Some artists say can't quit Spotify
After music legends Neil Young and Joni Mitchell quit Spotify over a Covid misinformation row, some lesser-known artists have said they simply couldn't afford to leave the world's largest music streamer -- despite their concerns.

Pellistri inspires Uruguay, Sanchez reignites Chile's WC hopes
Young winger Facundo Pellistri stole the show on only his second appearance for Uruguay as the twice former World Cup winners boosted their hopes of reaching Qatar 2022 with a 4-1 win over Venezuela on Tuesday.

Eruption-hit Tonga closes borders as Covid detected
Volcano-devastated Tonga will close its borders Wednesday after Covid-19 was detected in the previously virus-free Pacific kingdom as it struggles to recover from last month's deadly disaster, officials said.

Starbucks reports higher profits, but Omicron adds costs
Starbucks reported higher quarterly profits Tuesday, but said an unexpectedly costly hit from the latest Covid-19 wave would lead to further price increases.

General Motors sees solid 2022 on strong demand, improving chip supply
Despite a hit from the semiconductor crunch in the fourth quarter, General Motors on Tuesday projected a highly profitable 2022 based on strong consumer demand in the face of rising inflation.

Flores sues NFL, alleging racist hiring practices
Brian Flores, who was passed over for a job with the New York Giants last week, has sued the National Football League, accusing the league and its owners of running their operation "like a plantation."

Pfizer seeks US approval of Covid vaccine for children under 5
Pfizer and BioNTech said Tuesday they are seeking emergency authorization from US health regulators for use of their Covid vaccine for children aged over six months and under five years.

Google parent Alphabet nearly doubles annual profit
Google's parent firm Alphabet announced quarterly profits Tuesday that beat expectations and nearly doubled in 2021 -- after a booming holiday season for the online ads giant facing anti-trust scrutiny.

Sanchez stars to relaunch Chile's World Cup hopes
Veteran Alexis Sanchez scored a brilliant brace to relaunch Chile's hopes of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup with a 3-2 win away to Bolivia on Tuesday.
G.Bissau president says survived deadly coup bid, situation 'under control'
Guinea-Bissau's president on Tuesday said he survived heavy fire for five hours during an attempted coup which he claimed killed or injured many people in the unstable west African country.