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France locks down 1,700 on cruise ship after 90-year-old dies
French authorities on Wednesday confined more than 1,700 passengers and crew on a British cruise ship docked in Bordeaux after an elderly passenger died, said officials, who played down any links to the hantavirus scare.
After the hobbits, director Peter Jackson tackles 'Tintin'
"The Lord of the Rings" maestro Peter Jackson revealed Wednesday that he is taking on another cult classic -- "Tintin".
Real Madrid win legal battle over Bernabeu concert noise
Real Madrid said Wednesday they have won a legal battle in their dispute with a residents association complaining about "noise pollution" generated by concerts held at their Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
EU won't ban LGBTQ 'conversion therapy' but will push states to act
The European Union will not ban "conversion therapy" targeting LGBTQ people, but will push member states to take action against such practices, it said Wednesday.
Revived Swiatek cruises past Pegula and into Italian Open semis
Iga Swiatek gave another indication that she might be back to her brilliant best after destroying Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-2 on Wednesday and breezing into the Italian Open semi-finals.
Shots heard at Philippine Senate as lawmaker wanted by ICC holds out: AFP
Multiple gunshots were heard late Wednesday inside the Philippine Senate, where a senator wanted by the International Criminal Court has sought refuge, AFP journalists said.
Vin Diesel drives 'Fast and Furious' tribute in Cannes
Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez will lead a cast reunion of "The Fast and the Furious" stars on Wednesday in Cannes ahead of a special screening to mark the 25th anniversary of the original movie.
Heckler ejected from Eurovision after Israel song disruption
Four people were thrown out of the first Eurovision Song Contest semi-final, which saw attempts to disrupt Israel's performance, organisers said Wednesday.
Australia's North savours 'tremendous honour' of England role
Former Australia batsman Marcus North said Wednesday it was "a tremendous honour" to be appointed as England's national selector.
For hantavirus, experts aim to inform without igniting Covid panic
Thrust back into the front line by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, infectious disease experts have to balance informing the public about its potential risks without provoking undue fear of a Covid-scale pandemic.
Mbappe can show 'commitment' to Real Madrid: Arbeloa
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa called on French striker Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday to show "his commitment" to the team in the last three matches of the season.
Chinese tech giant Alibaba posts profit drop amid AI drive
Chinese tech giant Alibaba said Wednesday that net profit dropped by nearly a fifth during its most recent fiscal year, weighed by challenges in the domestic economy and an expensive push into artificial intelligence.
King Charles lays out Starmer's agenda as PM fights for survival
King Charles III outlined UK leader Keir Starmer's legislative plans during a pomp-filled ceremony Wednesday, despite uncertainty over the prime minister's future as he faces calls to resign from his own party.
Japan suspend Eddie Jones for verbally abusing officials
Japan suspended head coach Eddie Jones for four games and cut his salary on Wednesday for "verbal abuse directed at local officials" during an Australian tour.
Stocks rise ahead of US-China summit as Iran talks stall
Stock markets mostly rose on Wednesday as investors awaited a high-stakes summit between the leaders of the United States and China, as Middle East peace talks stalled.
SoftBank profit quadruples to $32 bn on AI investments
Japan's SoftBank Group said Wednesday its annual net profit quadrupled to more than $30 billion, boosted by its investments in AI.
Africa must drop 'victim mentality': mogul Tony Elumelu
Africans should welcome all foreign investors and put colonial hang-ups behind them, Nigerian businessman and philanthropist Tony Elumelu told AFP.
'Ungovernable' Britain? Once-stable politics in freefall
For years, under long-serving leaders such as Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, the worst mid-term challenge a British prime minister might face was a rowdy jeering in parliament.
China tech giant Tencent sees Q1 profit jump after AI bets
Chinese tech firm Tencent reported a 21 percent jump in quarterly net profit Wednesday as the video game giant bets big on the booming artificial intelligence sector.
Nissan expects return to profit after huge loss
Nissan projected Wednesday a small net profit this year after posting a huge loss for the second year running, with the Japanese automaker saying it has "moved beyond recovery".
World Cup broadcast deadlock ends up in Indian court
A standoff over World Cup broadcasting rights in India has ended up in the courts with fans fearing they won't be able to watch football's biggest party when it begins in under a month.
Asian stocks mixed on US-Iran impasse, AI setbacks
Asian stocks were mixed on Wednesday as markets digested the lack of progress towards Middle East peace and setbacks that rattled the boom in AI technology.
Besieged Starmer seeks to heal Labour divisions in King's Speech
King Charles III will on Wednesday outline UK leader Keir Starmer's next legislative plans, during a pomp-filled ceremony that could have huge repercussions for the embattled prime minister's future.
After winter storms, fires now threaten Portugal's forests
In a forest of pine and eucalyptus trees in central Portugal, chainsaws and diggers hum away clearing paths blocked by trees uprooted in winter storms, but the threat now is a high risk of summer fires.
Philippine senator seeks military support to block ICC drug war arrest
Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte's chief drug war enforcer urged the military on Wednesday to stop government attempts to arrest and fly him to the Netherlands to stand trial on charges of crimes against humanity.
UK's Catherine on first official foreign trip since cancer revelation
Britain's Princess Catherine starts a two-day visit to Italy on Wednesday focused on early childhood development, in her first official foreign trip since her 2024 cancer diagnosis.
'Short of blue-collar workers': Ukraine's battle for labour
After fleeing Russia's advancing army and resettling in the central industrial hub of Dnipro, Ukrainian worker Anatoliy Synkov had no trouble finding a job.
'Don't understand it, but it looks fun': cricket bowls Japan over
Curious spectators clutching rulebooks watch as a batsman smacks a six into the sand and weeds surrounding Japan's brand-new cricket ground, four months before it hosts matches at the Asian Games.
Trump vows to push Xi to 'open up' China at superpower summit
US President Donald Trump said he would ask Xi Jinping to "open up" China to American firms as he headed to Beijing on Wednesday for a high-stakes summit that will also bring up the Iran war.
Poor planning fuels Bangladesh contraceptive crisis
Bangladesh's once-praised family planning system is buckling under severe contraceptive shortages, raising fears of a rise in unplanned pregnancies in one of the world's most densely populated countries.
Fugitive financier sought in Malaysian fund scandal seeks Trump's pardon
A fugitive financier accused of involvement in a massive corruption scandal in Malaysia in which top officials looted billions from state fund 1MDB has filed for a pardon from US President Donald Trump.
World Cup comes to 'Soccer Town USA,' but locals priced out
Anthony Duro had hoped the World Cup coming to his soccer-mad New Jersey town would mean watching games at nearby MetLife Stadium, but sky-high ticket prices are beyond his budget.