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Contepomi backs inexperienced Argentina playmakers against Springboks
Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi said on Thursday he had full confidence in his inexperienced half-backs for their closing Rugby Championship match against South Africa this weekend.

Four wounded, suspect shot in Manchester synagogue attack
Four people were injured and a suspected knifeman shot by police Thursday after a car ramming and stabbing incident outside a synagogue in Manchester, officials said.

Depardieu sues French broadcaster over report that sped up downfall
A French court was Thursday examining accusations by actor Gerard Depardieu that a 2023 television report falsely portrayed him as making sexual comments about a young girl.

Zelensky warns Europe Russia looking to 'escalate' war
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Europe on Thursday that recent drone incursions showed Russia was looking to "escalate" its aggression, as he offered his country's war-honed expertise to help counter the threat.

Spain hosts record number of summer tourists
Spain welcomed a record 22.3 million foreign tourists in the key summer holiday months of July and August as the sector heads for another year of unprecedented numbers, data showed on Thursday.

OpenAI valuation soars to $500 bn in private share sale: reports
The valuation of ChatGPT developer OpenAI soared to a chart-topping $500 billion in a deal for employees to sell a limited number of shares, financial media reported Thursday.

Argentina scrum-half Cruz to start against Springboks
Argentina scrum-half Simon Benitez Cruz will make just his second Test start when they face South Africa in the Rugby Championship in London this weekend, the Argentina Rugby Union (UAR) announced on Thursday.

Formula One declares first official 'heat hazard' at Singapore GP
This weekend's Singapore Grand Prix was on Thursday declared an official Formula One "Heat Hazard" -- the first time a new rule to help drivers stay cool has been invoked.

Germany recall Schlotterbeck but drop Fuellkrug for World Cup qualifiers
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann made six changes to his 24-man squad for October's World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday, recalling centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck and dropping striker Niclas Fuellkrug.

Man City 'not good enough' for frustrated Haaland
Erling Haaland said Manchester City must show more energy to end their miserable run on the road in the Champions League after twice blowing the lead in a 2-2 draw at Monaco.

Paris fans now watching fashion shows like sports games
A giant screen, lots of cheering and applause: the scene inside La Caserne venue in trendy northeast Paris might feels like a sports bar. But the crowd there were watching live fashion, not football.

Gauff powers past unseeded Lys in straight sets for Beijing semis
Defending champion Coco Gauff brushed aside unseeded Eva Lys 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday to power into her third consecutive China Open semi-final.

France prolongs detention of two from Russia 'shadow fleet' vessel
France has extended the detention of two senior crew members of a tanker linked to Russia, which data showed was off the Danish coast last month during mysterious drone flights, prosecutors said on Thursday.

Siraj, Bumrah lead onslaught as India bowl out West Indies for 162
Red-hot Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah led India's bowling charge with seven wickets between them as the hosts dismissed the West Indies for 162 on day one of the first Test on Thursday.

Sinner primed for 'tough challenge' of defending Shanghai title
World number two Jannik Sinner said Thursday he anticipates "a very, very difficult and tough challenge" as he prepares to defend his Shanghai Masters title, a day after winning the China Open.

Israel to deport intercepted Gaza flotilla activists
Israel said on Thursday it will deport to Europe pro-Palestinian activists on an aid flotilla headed towards Gaza as the Israeli navy intercepted vessel after vessel in the Mediterranean.

Eddie Jones demands respect for Japan ahead of 'ambitious' tour
Coach Eddie Jones believes Japan do not get the respect they deserve on or off the pitch and said Thursday that they are out to change minds in Tests against some of the world's top rugby teams.

Dutch warning over 'annoying' chatbots
Dutch authorities told companies and organisations on Thursday they should not rely solely on chatbots to communicate with consumers, describing their use as "one of the biggest annoyances" customers face.

Markets surge on US rate hopes, tech fired by chip deal
Equities jumped Thursday after data showing job losses in the US private sector fanned optimism for more interest rate cuts and overshadowed a partial shutdown of the country's government.

UK supermarket Tesco lifts profit outlook on competitive prices
Britain's largest retailer Tesco on Thursday raised its 2025/2026 profit guidance as the supermarket chain won customers with competitive prices.

Young pianists vie for global glory in Poland's Chopin contest
Rehearsal time is over. The world's best and most ambitious young pianists have descended on Warsaw for the Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition -- for some, a gateway to classical music glory.

Robertson rallies All Blacks with Rugby Championship on the line
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson drilled the importance of consistency into his side with the Rugby Championship at stake on Saturday in a must-win Test against Australia.

Egyptian, Congolese contenders vie for UNESCO top job
An Egyptian ex-minister is the favourite to become head of the UN's culture agency, but his Congolese rival says bets are still off before a key decision next week.

Siraj on song as West Indies stumble to 90-5 in first India Test
Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj took three wickets to lead some inspired Indian bowling as West Indies stumbled to 90-5 at lunch on day one of the first Test on Thursday.

No more signs of life in Indonesia school collapse: rescuers
Rescuers detected "no more signs of life" at a collapsed Indonesian school where 59 people were believed missing days after it gave way, an official said Thursday, raising fears no more survivors would be found.

'Defect or be jailed': Turkey opposition mayors face new threat
Turkish opposition leaders say the government has found a new way to silence dissent: pressuring its mayors and local officials to defect to the ruling party.

Addicts swap drug dens for support centre in Abidjan
In Ivory Coast's biggest city Abidjan, vulnerable drug addicts say that discovering a secluded care and support centre in an upscale part of the city has helped them to turn around their lives.

Afropop icon Adekunle Gold embraces Nigerian roots with new album
Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold returns to his roots on Friday with the release of his sixth album, "Fuji", which he described as a tribute to the ancestral sounds of his home country.

Lithuania builds shelters as drones prowl border skies
Recent drone sorties over Lithuania and its neighbours have sparked fears of a full-scale Russian attack, prompting the small Baltic country to encourage the building of bomb shelters.

Wallabies bench O'Connor for All Blacks Test as Slipper set for farewell
Australia entrusted rookie Tane Edmed with playmaker duties ahead of the experienced James O'Connor for Saturday's crunch Rugby Championship Test with New Zealand that will be James Slipper's 151st and last.

Philippine quake toll rises to 72 as search winds down
The death toll from a powerful earthquake in the central Philippines rose to 72 on Thursday, officials said, as the search for the missing wound down and rescuers turned their focus to the hundreds injured and thousands left homeless.

Zelensky at European summit as EU seeks to bolster backing
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to join talks with leaders from across Europe in Copenhagen Thursday, as the EU seeks to bolster Kyiv's fight against Russia in the face of dwindling US support.