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As the deadliest year this century for forest fires comes to a close, attention is turning to how to prevent such infernos happening again.

Erik ten Hag says the return of key players will bolster Manchester United's consistency as they plot to build on Tuesday's dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

Dean Elgar hit a boundary-studded century as South Africa scored rapidly on the second day of the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday.

Hundreds of university students in Indonesia's westernmost province stormed a temporary shelter for more than a hundred Rohingya refugees on Wednesday, forcing them to leave in the latest rejection of the persecuted Myanmar minority.

The Hamas-run Gaza Strip's health ministry said Wednesday the death toll from the war with Israel had surged above 21,000, about two thirds of them women and children.

Manchester United must consult with INEOS over any January transfer window deals and the future of manager Erik ten Hag prior to the Premier League ratifying its agreement to take a 25 percent stake in the club.

"A house on the beach is not a dream!" The advertising slogan by an Israeli settlement developer is music to the ears of former Gaza settlers yearning to return to the Palestinian territory after the war.

Wolfgang Schaeuble, one of the most important figures in German politics and an icon of budgetary rigour in the eurozone, has died aged 81, the German parliament said Wednesday.

Asian and European stocks climbed Wednesday, with several key equity markets reopening after a festive break, as investors bet on the US Federal Reserve cutting interest rates as early as March.

KL Rahul completed a century and held a catch behind the stumps for India on the second morning of the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday.

The UK government said on Wednesday it had dropped its plan to start selling in imperial measures after a consultation revealed 99 percent support for keeping the metric system.

Novak Djokovic warned Wednesday he expects great rival Rafael Nadal is returning "to win a Grand Slam, not just to play" as the world number one prepares to defend his Australian Open title next month.

Israel again pounded Gaza with air strikes and shelling on Wednesday after its armed forces chief warned the war raging with Hamas since the October 7 attacks will last "many more months".

Liverpool's Cody Gakpo believes his side have the forward firepower to cope without Mohamed Salah when the Egypt star departs for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

Russia has redirected its oil exports from Europe to China and India, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Wednesday, almost two years after Moscow was hit by Western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict.

Bangladesh claimed an historic five-wicket win over New Zealand on Wednesday after their seamers ran riot in the opening game of their three-match Twenty20 series on Wednesday in Napier.

Russian swimming star Kliment Kolesnikov is all about winning Olympic medals -- but not at all costs.

Bangladesh's seamers ran riot as New Zealand laboured to 134-9 in the opening game of their three-match Twenty20 series on Wednesday in Napier.

Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon put Australia in the driving seat of the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday to leave Pakistan tottering at 194-6, still 124 runs behind on day two.

Guatemala's supreme court on Tuesday ordered the release of former anti-corruption prosecutor Virginia Laparra, who was sentenced in December 2022 to four years in prison for abuse of authority in a trial criticized by the international community.

Before fleeing the advancing Azerbaijani troops for Armenia, Suren Martirosyan glanced back one last time at his fruit garden in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the momentary vision has haunted him ever since.

Drinkers are getting into something of a fizz over Turkish sparkling wine.

"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," starring Jason Momoa as a sea-dwelling superhero, splashed to the top of the three-day Christmas weekend boxoffice despite muted ticket sales for the DC Extended Universe offering, industry watchers reported Tuesday.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, fueled by 34 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander knocked off Western Conference leaders Minnesota 129-106 on Tuesday as Detroit's 27th defeat saddled them with an unwelcome piece of NBA history.

South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film "Parasite", was found dead Wednesday, police said. He was 48.

Israel's army chief warned its war with Hamas will last "many more months" as the military stepped up strikes inside the Gaza Strip, where more than 20,000 people have already been reported killed.

Opener Abdullah Shafique battled to an unbeaten 39 as Pakistan narrowed Australia's lead to 250 runs at tea on day two of the second Test in Melbourne on Wednesday, losing one wicket in the process.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met Tuesday to discuss shifting "to a different phase" of the Israel-Hamas war with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, a White House official said.

South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film "Parasite", was found dead Wednesday in an apparent suicide, Yonhap news agency reported.

Rafael Nadal returns from a "winding, tortuous" injury journey in Brisbane this week, while fellow superstar Novak Djokovic kickstarts his bid for an unprecedented 11th Australian Open title at Perth.

Asian markets opened higher on Wednesday, tracking Christmas holiday gains on Wall Street, with investors betting on the US Federal Reserve cutting interest rates as early as March.

In 2023, Sha'Carri Richardson finally came good on the global stage, while Victor Wembanyama quickly left his mark on the NBA and Rachin Ravindra lit up the Cricket World Cup.