Badminton looks to future with 'evolution and innovation'
Synthetic shuttlecocks, shorter games and a new generation of stars are all part of the "evolution" of badminton, a top official told AFP, saying the sport can't afford to sit still.
Economy
Tokyo's Nikkei index soared Thursday to lead another strong rally across Asia stocks, fuelled by growing optimism the Iran war is close to ending and the revival of demand for all things AI.
Sports
Australian cricket star David Warner will "accept responsibility" for drink-driving, his lawyer told reporters on Thursday after a Sydney court hearing.
Sports
Jalen Brunson spearheaded a late surge as the New York Knicks edged a razor-tight NBA playoff clash against the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102 to take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semi-final series on Wednesday.
Politics
America's top diplomat, Marco Rubio, will visit the first US pope, Leo XIV, on Thursday, seeking to ease tensions between Washington and the Vatican while also promoting President Donald Trump's interests.
Politics
In an airy office in South Korea, workers comb through social media, uncovering AI-generated content whose growing sophistication is testing toughened election laws ahead of local polls.
Culture
Australian authorities on Thursday reversed a ban on public watch parties in Melbourne's Federation Square for the 2026 football World Cup after the decision sparked an outcry.
Nature
Yerson Granados used to fish off Colombia's Caribbean coast for a living, but when he discovered the havoc he was wreaking on coral reefs, he changed his ways.
Politics
The Lobito Corridor mega-project linking three African countries is shifting from blueprint to proving ground in the global race for critical minerals.
Economy
The chief executive of the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) project to link southern African mines to an Angolan export port says his priority is the business of the operation, not the geopolitical tussle over Africa's minerals.
Politics
US President Donald Trump will host his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the White House on Thursday -- the latest test of the ideological opposites' tenuous relationship, with security and investment topping the agenda.
Politics
Around 50,000 fans of K-pop superstars BTS gathered outside Mexico's National Palace on Wednesday to get a look at the group, who waved to the crowd from a balcony after meeting with President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Politics
Millions of Britons vote Thursday in local elections set to heap more pressure on beleaguered Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer and showcase the rise of hard-right and left-wing populists.
Politics
Leaders of the ASEAN states are descending on the central Philippines for what President Ferdinand Marcos has pledged will be a "bare bones" summit focused on economic issues tied to the Middle East war.
Politics
A US judge on Wednesday released a suicide note purportedly written by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein weeks before his death in a New York jailhouse.
Politics
An Israeli court on Wednesday rejected an appeal contesting the detention of two foreign activists seized by Israeli forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, with the rights group representing them denouncing the ruling as "unlawful."
Boulevard
US aviation giant Boeing was "negligent" in the 2019 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 aircraft, the lawyer for the family of one of the victims told a Chicago federal civil court on Wednesday.
Sports
Kane Williamson will continue his pursuit of 10,000 Test runs after being named Thursday in New Zealand's squad to play Ireland and England in May and June.
Sports
Paris Saint-Germain have been the most thrilling outfit in Europe over the last year but Luis Enrique's side showed another side to their game as they held off Bayern Munich on Wednesday to reach a second straight Champions League final.
Sports
Detroit Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez was handed a six-game suspension and given an undisclosed fine from Major League Baseball on Wednesday for intentionally throwing a pitch at Boston Red Sox star Trevor Story.
Politics
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he believed a deal with Iran was "very possible" but threatened to again bomb the country if negotiations fell apart.
Economy
AI startup Anthropic announced Wednesday it has agreed to a major computing partnership with Elon Musk's SpaceX, securing access to a vast data center as the Claude maker scrambles to keep pace with surging demand for its AI services.
Sports
Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer bemoaned his side's lack of killer instinct in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final elimination at the hands of holders Paris Saint-Germain.
Economy
A cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak will reach the Spanish island of Tenerife "within three days", with the evacuation of passengers to start from May 11, Spain said Wednesday.
Sports
Holders Paris Saint-Germain set up a Champions League final against Arsenal after a 1-1 second-leg draw at Bayern Munich secured a 6-5 aggregate victory on Wednesday.
Russia sent an evacuation warning to foreign diplomats in Kyiv on Wednesday, saying it would attack the city if Ukraine disrupted World War II commemorations in Moscow this weekend.
Things to know
Ruhi Cenet was surprised when cruise-ship life carried on as usual aboard the MV Hondius, even after the captain announced the first passenger's death.
Politics
The first hantavirus case on the MV Hondius could not have been infected during the cruise, a World Health Organization expert told AFP on Wednesday.
Sports
Kentucky Derby-winner Golden Tempo will not run in the Preakness Stakes, history-making trainer Cherie DeVaux said Wednesday, dashing hopes of a Triple Crown challenge in 2026.
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he believed a deal with Iran was "very possible", but threatened to resume his bombardment of the country if negotiations fell apart.
Politics
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva flew to Washington Wednesday for talks with US President Donald Trump on thorny issues, while seeking to boost his image at home ahead of October elections.
Sports
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic says it's still unclear when he'll return from a hamstring strain that has sidelined him for the team's NBA playoff campaign.
Economy
A plane believed to be carrying a passenger from a cruise ship struck by the deadly hantavirus landed in the Netherlands on Wednesday after patients were evacuated from the vessel off Cape Verde.
Sports
Amad Diallo has no doubt "everyone" at Manchester United would be pleased to see Michael Carrick carry on as head coach next season.
Sports
Rory McIlroy says he's "more motivated" than ever after bagging his second Masters title to take his tally of major championships to six.
Sports
South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen smacked 69 to help Sunrisers Hyderabad climb to the top of the IPL table with a convincing 33-run win over Punjab Kings on Wednesday.
Politics
France's aircraft carrier the Charles de Gaulle was on Wednesday heading towards the southern Red Sea to pre‑position for a possible mission to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Paris said.
Economy
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he believed there was "a very good chance" of sealing a peace deal with Iran, but threatened to resume his bombardment of the country if negotiations fell apart.
Sports
Unai Emery said Wednesday his Aston Villa side can still challenge for silverware in future even if they fall short in their Europa League semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
Sports
Oliver Glasner has insisted that "now is not the time to get melancholic" as he tries to guide Crystal Palace to their first major European trophy before leaving the club at the end of the season.