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Skipper Harry Wilson said Friday Australia will look to feed off a wave of patriotic sporting fever sweeping the country when they face Ireland in the Nations Championship.

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea said Friday it was a "blessing" to see how Christchurch has recovered 15 years after a deadly earthquake, as New Zealand prepare to play France at the new Te Kaha stadium.

From century-old maps to meticulous field notes, Belgium is sitting on a trove of geological records on colonial-era Congo -- a coveted archive it is working to open up amid a global scramble for critical minerals.

"Private property. No entry", "No photography" read the signs on a gate set up in front of a traditional log house in Vlkolinec, a UNESCO-listed Slovak village visited by tens of thousands of tourists a year.

Amid fast-changing fashion trends, Wimbledon has remained a bastion of "classy" style, with players and attendees donning their finest whites at the London tennis tournament which some say is reminiscent of traditional British high society.

The opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo has called demonstrations in the capital and other cities on Wednesday to demand the resignation of the president, who it says is trying to cling on to power by changing the constitution.

Ukraine said on Friday that the death toll from a massive barrage on its capital had risen to at least 30 people, as both Kyiv and Moscow vowed fresh assaults.

NBA star Kyrie Irving walked out onto a basketball court in southwest China to rapturous applause, his brightly coloured Chinese-made sneakers a vivid statement of domestic sportswear brands' increasing global reach.

El Nino will quickly develop into a strong event between July and September, fuelling the likelihood of extreme weather, the United Nations' weather and climate agency warned Friday.

A man died after setting himself on fire outside the UN's headquarters in New York on Thursday, police said, with activists and reports identifying him as a pro-Tibet campaigner.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic and Portugal's Roberto Martinez paid tribute on Thursday to Luka Modric, who almost certainly played his last World Cup match.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said VAR is taking "the joy out of football" after seeing his team have a stoppage time equaliser disallowed in their 2-1 World Cup defeat to Portugal on Thursday.

The number of monks killed has risen to 10 after an 11-year-old boy drove a pickup truck into a Buddhist procession in Thailand, officials said Friday.

Lugging suitcases across the border after packing up in Pakistan, Afghans are returning home with their worldly possessions but often lack one key item to restart their lives: an identity card.

Asian stocks rose Friday as tech firms enjoyed a much-needed reprieve from the heavy selling of recent weeks, with a big miss on US jobs creation soothing worries over a Federal Reserve interest rate hike.

Cristiano Ronaldo said it was a "coincidence of life" that Portgual's World Cup last-16 win against Croatia on Thursday came almost a year since the death of his late teammate Diogo Jota.

The main act of pop sensation Taylor Swift's wedding to NFL star Travis Kelce was due to get underway Friday, as celebrities flooded New York for the A-lister extravaganza at the storied Madison Square Garden.

Banned Japan coach Eddie Jones will be absent as his team begin their Nations Championship campaign in Tokyo on Saturday against an Italy side looking to build on Six Nations success.

After giving birth, Shakhnoza Nazarova thought registering her daughter's name would be a mere formality. Instead, her chosen name was rejected -- deemed not Tajik enough by authorities of the Central Asian country.

Portugal battled into the last 16 of the World Cup with a drama-filled 2-1 victory over Croatia on Thursday to set up a titanic showdown with European champions Spain.

From grocery stores to restaurants and fuel, Cuba's burgeoning private sector is filling the vacuum left by a collapsing communist-run state.

Maria believed she was romancing a prince from Dubai, captivated by his flirtatious smile and declarations of affection he showered on her during live video calls. But the suitor was an AI deepfake, making her yet another victim of an online romance scam.

In the heart of old Baghdad, legendary movie theatres stand abandoned and shrouded in dust, bearing witness to Iraq's once-vibrant cultural scene.

Substitute Goncalo Ramos's headed goal edged Portugal into the last 16 of the World Cup on Thursday after a gripping contest with Croatia.

Ireland coach Andy Farrell insists Australia can beat any team in world rugby, but the Wallabies' recent history points to an uphill task in their Nations Championship opener on Saturday.

England will travel to Mexico for Sunday's World Cup last-16 match knowing they face a huge altitude problem but powerless to do much about it as they prepare to enter the lion's den.

Spain star Lamine Yamal said Thursday he was delighted with his team's performance in their 3-0 win in the World Cup last 32 against Austria -- but admitted he would have liked to score.

Ukraine and Russia on Thursday vowed fresh assaults in their over-four-year war after Moscow launched a massive barrage on Kyiv, killing at least 27 people, tearing open apartment buildings and sending tens of thousands to shelters.

The first act of pop sensation Taylor Swift's wedding to NFL star Travis Kelce kicked off Thursday, with a rehearsal dinner for 100 guests ahead of a star-studded extravaganza at the famed Madison Square Garden.

Cape Verde head coach Bubista said a showdown against Argentina and Lionel Messi will be the "match of our lives" but said they will not fear the defending World Cup champions in Friday's last 32 clash.

France forward Bradley Barcola warned on Thursday that Paraguay would bring a physical approach when the sides meet in the World Cup last 16 in Philadelphia.

Americans living in 2276 will get a taste of what their ancestors today think best represents the nation thanks to a time capsule to be buried this July 4.

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt led from the front on her return from injury with a superb 75 in a 40-run Women's T20 World Cup semi-final thrashing of South Africa in at the Oval on Thursday.

Cape Verde's stunning progress to the World Cup knockout stages is "no accident" said Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni as he warned his side about the threat posed by the Blue Sharks in their last 32 tie.

European champions Spain cruised into the last 16 of the World Cup on Thursday with a dominant 3-0 win over Austria to set up a potential showdown with Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

Spain coasted past Austria and into the World Cup last-16 on Thursday, thoroughly outclassing their opponents in a 3-0 knockout win with a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal and a Pedro Porro header.

Twelve months after the most painful loss of his career, Grigor Dimitrov wept tears of joy after a cathartic Wimbledon second round win against Czech rising star Jakub Mensik on Thursday.

Brazil forward Endrick highlighted his versatility on Thursday as a potential asset against Norway should Carlo Ancelotti turn to him in their World Cup last-16 encounter.

The first act of pop sensation Taylor Swift's wedding to NFL star Travis Kelce was set to kick off Thursday, with a rehearsal dinner for 100 guests ahead of a star-studded extravaganza at the famed Madison Square Garden.