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England star Ben Stokes could miss the World Cup opener against New Zealand due to a hip injury with captain Jos Buttler admitting Wednesday "it's not the time to take risks".

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ended long-running speculation Wednesday by announcing he was scrapping part of a massive high-speed rail scheme, during a keynote speech closing his ruling Conservatives' annual conference.

Japan emphatically ended Hong Kong's historic run with a 4-0 thumping Wednesday to move into an Asian Games men's football final against South Korea or Uzbekistan.

Former Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski said on Wednesday he hopes Harry Kane breaks his goal record with the German champions.

EU states on Wednesday agreed to the final part of an overhaul for rules on how they handle asylum seekers and irregular migrants, setting up a push to make it law by elections next year.

India defeated powerhouses South Korea to win the first archery gold of the 19th Asian Games on Wednesday, before two world stars of track and field look to end their seasons with a bang.

French singer and model Carla Bruni revealed Wednesday that she had fought off breast cancer as she called on women to get regular screenings in an Instagram post.

Manchester United's season is spiralling out of control and manager Erik ten Hag appears powerless to stop the rot.

The Indian army said Wednesday that 23 soldiers were missing after a flash flood caused by intense rainfall tore through a valley in the mountainous northeast Sikkim state.

Stock markets diverged Wednesday with investors on edge as US and German bond yields jumped over fears that interest rates will stay high for longer.

A Turkish opposition TV channel editor went on trial on Wednesday over on-air comments about jailed Kurdish insurgency leader Abdullah Ocalan that could put him behind bars for more than 10 years.

A trio of US-based researchers on Wednesday won the Nobel Chemistry Prize for developing tiny "quantum dots" used to illuminate TVs and lamps, hours after a prematurely sent statement revealed their names.

Pope Francis warned Wednesday the world "is collapsing" due to global warming, urging participants of the upcoming COP28 climate talks to agree to binding policies on phasing out fossil fuels.

North Korea's Pang Chol Mi exacted revenge on China's Chang Yuan in the Asian Games boxing to win the women's bantamweight (54kg) gold and silence the home fans on Wednesday.

Jude Bellingham's sensational start at Real Madrid, which continued in Naples on Tuesday night with a superb goal to earn Los Blancos another Champions League victory, has sparked comparisons with club greats Alfredo di Stefano and Zinedine Zidane.

Major champion Graeme McDowell said Wednesday he has made peace with not being part of Europe's Ryder Cup team and the likelihood that he will never become captain because of his move to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit.

France head coach Fabien Galthie on Wednesday picked Maxime Lucu to replace injured captain Antoine Dupont at scrum-half for this week's crucial Rugby World Cup clash with Italy.

Afghanistan skipper Gulbadin Naib hailed his "superstar" side Wednesday after they beat defending champions Sri Lanka by eight runs to book an Asian Games semi-final against Pakistan.

As a child, Alfredo Colato cooked eggs on this southern Italian volcano. Today, he is poised to flee Campi Flegrei, as experts warn earthquakes rocking his hometown could herald an eruption.

EU states on Wednesday sought a deal on the final part of an overhaul for rules on how they handle asylum seekers and irregular migrants, ahead of a push to make it law by elections next year.

Taiwan cancelled flights and closed schools in parts of its southern region on Wednesday ahead of Typhoon Koinu's expected landfall, the second major storm to make a direct hit on the island in a month.

Italy have healed their shattered confidence after last week's capitulation against New Zealand by throwing their unhappy memories "into the fire" ahead of their must-win Rugby World Cup clash with France, scrum-half Stephen Varney said on Wednesday.

Smashing records and nabbing multiple medals at top international events, Indonesia are an unlikely powerhouse in sport climbing ahead of next year's Paris Olympics.

Pakistan tackle outsiders Netherlands in their opening match of the World Cup on Friday desperate to avoid a repeat of the disastrous start of four years ago which undermined their campaign.

More than a thousand migrants rode atop a freight train to the edge of the US border on Tuesday after dodging authorities on a 10-day journey through Mexico.

Rasmus Hojlund says Manchester United must stick together if they are to emerge from a "tough period" after a chastening 3-2 Champions League defeat at home to Galatasaray.

Veteran British sprinter Mark Cavendish will dump plans to retire so he can launch another attempt to break the record for Tour de France stage wins, his Astana team indicated on Wednesday.

Britain's largest retailer Tesco on Wednesday said half-year net profit soared on slashed costs, and forecast a further slowdown in food price inflation.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos lifted a price ceiling on rice Wednesday, weeks after capping the cost of the staple to support poor households.

Flags flew at half-mast over Venice Wednesday after 21 people including a toddler were killed when a bus careered off an overpass and caught fire.

Markets fell Wednesday as robust US employment data and rising Treasury yields stoked fears that interest rates will be higher for longer.

India defeated powerhouses South Korea to win the first archery gold of the 19th Asian Games on Wednesday, before two world stars of track and field look to end their seasons with a bang.