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China sent warships through waters around Taiwan on Thursday as it vowed a "resolute response" to the island's president meeting US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Brazil's ex-president Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday denied any misconduct while being questioned by police over allegations he tried to illegally import millions of dollars' worth of jewelry gifted by Saudi Arabia, a source told AFP.

Growing fears of a US recession weighed on equities Thursday as traders gear up for the release of key jobs data that could determine the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision.

In a Tripoli arcade, players banter amid the bleeping and music of video games. Isolated by decades of dictatorship and post-revolution chaos, Libyan gamers are finally taking on the world.

France on Thursday braced for another day of protests and strikes to denounce President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform after talks between the government and unions ended in deadlock.

Scottie Scheffler will launch his bid to become just the fourth golfer to win back-to-back Masters on Thursday when the 87th edition of the tournament gets under way at Augusta National.

French and EU leaders will on Thursday seek to make Europe's case for bringing an end to the conflict in Ukraine in a Beijing meeting with Xi Jinping, a close ally of Vladimir Putin.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson looks set to miss the one-day World Cup in India later this year after rupturing a knee ligament, it was announced Thursday.

Marseille's drug lords have a problem. Last year 32 of their foot soldiers were shot dead in the crime-plagued French Mediterranean port city.

Napoli travel to Lecce on Friday trying to bounce straight back from their crushing home defeat at the hands of AC Milan with the all-Italian Champions League quarter-final between the two looming.

South African sides the Stormers and the Sharks will compete in Champions Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, in a first for the country.

Taiwan's president expressed gratitude for a meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday, saying it showed her island was "not isolated" on the international stage -- but Beijing soon after threatened a "resolute" response.

Twitter drew the anger of venerable US radio broadcaster NPR on Wednesday after the social media platform owned by Elon Musk tagged the news giant as a state-backed entity.

Karim Benzema struck a hat-trick as Real Madrid hammered Barcelona 4-0 at Camp Nou to reach the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday, progressing 4-1 on aggregate.

Tom Hoge overtook LIV Golf's Bubba Watson with an ace-birdie finish to win Wednesday's Masters Par-3 Contest, risking an Augusta National curse on the eve of the 87th Masters.

Nantes reached a second straight French Cup final as Ludovic Blas' brilliant goal gave the holders a 1-0 last-four victory over Lyon on Wednesday.

Karim Benzema struck a hat-trick as Real Madrid hammered Barcelona 4-0 at Camp Nou to reach the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday, progressing 4-1 on aggregate.

A feminist French minister who posed for Playboy told the magazine she backed the right of women to pose nude if they wanted to amid fresh criticism from her cabinet colleagues about her stunt on Wednesday.

Marcus Rashford sent Manchester United back into the Premier League top four with the winner as the Red Devils beat Brentford 1-0 on Wednesday, while Newcastle won 5-1 at West Ham to stay third.

Holders RB Leipzig kept their hopes of a second straight German Cup title alive, winning 2-0 against Borussia Dortmund to reach the semi-finals on Wednesday.

More than 600 children in the eastern US state of Maryland were abused by over 150 clergy and other Catholic Church members, according to a study made public Wednesday that covers six decades.

US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy welcomed Taiwan's president in California on Wednesday, in a meeting she said reassured the island's people they were "not isolated" in the face of rising Chinese anger.

Global criticism and concern mounted Wednesday after Israeli police clashed with Palestinians inside Islam's third-holiest site, sparking a military exchange of rockets and air strikes, with fears of further escalation.

Several thousand Barcelona fans at Camp Nou chanted Lionel Messi's name in the 10th minute of the Copa del Rey semi-final Clasico on Wednesday.

Scotland's Sandy Lyle insists he won't get emotional when he takes his final bow at the scene of his greatest triumph when he plays his final Masters at Augusta National starting on Thursday.

Frank Lampard is set to return for a second spell in charge of Chelsea on an interim basis until the end of the season, according to reports on Wednesday.

Augusta National isn't planning to make its own reduced-distance golf ball, but chairman Fred Ridley said Wednesday the Masters host club supports planned changes by the R&A and US Golf Association.

Skipper Shikhar Dhawan's unbeaten 86 and four wickets from Nathan Ellis helped Punjab Kings to their second straight IPL victory with a tense five-run win over Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday.

Lawyers acting on behalf of Liverpool supporters caught up in the chaos at last season's Champions League final in Paris formally filed 887 claims against UEFA.

Britain on Wednesday announced plans to house around 500 asylum seekers on a barge, as the government seeks cost-cutting measures and deterrents for arrivals crossing the Channel.

Skipper Shikhar Dhawan's unbeaten 86 and four wickets by Nathan Ellis helped Punjab Kings to their second straight IPL victory with a tense five-run win over Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday.

The United States said Wednesday it would refuse visas for four powerful judges in Georgia over alleged corruption, the latest toughening of its approach toward an ally after concerns of a shift in Tbilisi toward Russia.