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France coach Didier Deschamps defended his decision to change almost his entire line-up for Wednesday's final World Cup group game against Tunisia as he admitted his mind was on keeping players fresh for the knockout phase.

Lawmakers in the US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to prevent a potentially catastrophic freight rail strike, stepping in to break an impasse between workers and executives during a critical pre-holiday period.

French-born Wahbi Khazri scored the only goal of the game as Tunisia claimed a famous 1-0 win over holders France at the World Cup on Wednesday, but it was not enough for them to reach the last 16.

Newly-wed Charith Asalanka battled cramps in his unbeaten 83 to lead Sri Lanka's thrilling four-wicket win over Afghanistan in the third one-day international and end the series level at 1-1 on Wednesday.

From a scientist's laptop to the syringe used to inject the UK's first Covid vaccine dose, an exhibition that opened Wednesday in London recounts the quest to produce a coronavirus jab through objects.

Tunisia captain Wahbi Khazri said his side would go out of the World Cup with heads held high after completing their campaign with a shock 1-0 win over holders France on Wednesday.

France's President Emmanuel Macron underlined US-French cooperation with a tour of NASA headquarters Wednesday, but tough talks on trade and China are expected when he meets Joe Biden for the main part of a rare state visit.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon destroyed an area bigger than Qatar in the 12 months through July, according to official figures released Wednesday, which showed a decline from the year before -- but a sharp increase overall under outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro.

Germany and Norway want to start a NATO-led alliance to protect critical underwater infrastructure, their leaders said on Wednesday, weeks after explosions hit two key gas pipelines in the fallout from the war in Ukraine.

Kenya avoided becoming a sporting pariah as World Athletics president Sebastian Coe welcomed its government's pledge of a financial package to combat doping in what he called "a long journey" to build trust.

Australia beat Denmark 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the last 16 of the World Cup for just the second time in their history while holders France won the group despite an upset defeat to Tunisia.

A French judge on Wednesday allowed European aerospace firm Airbus to pay 15.9 million euros ($16.4 million) to avoid a corruption probe into aircraft deals in Libya and Kazakhstan between 2006 and 2011.

Charith Asalanka smashed an unbeaten 83 as Sri Lanka pulled off a record chase of 314 to edge out Afghanistan by four wickets in the third one-day international and end the series level at 1-1 on Wednesday.

The Islamic State jihadist group said Wednesday that its leader Abu Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi has been killed in battle and announced a replacement.

Three migrants who arrived in the Canary Islands after enduring an 11-day journey from Nigeria on the rudder of a fuel tanker have asked for asylum in Spain, officials said Wednesday.

French-born Wahbi Khazri scored the only goal of the game as Tunisia claimed a famous 1-0 win over holders France at the World Cup on Wednesday, but it was not enough for them to reach the last 16.

Archeologists have rediscovered a pre-Hispanic fresco depicting mythological scenes in northern Peru that they had only seen in black and white photographs that were more than a century old.

Australia reached the last 16 of the World Cup for only the second time in their history with a 1-0 win over a disappointing Denmark on Wednesday.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has told a probe into a burglary scandal enmeshing him that $580,000 in cash stolen from beneath sofa cushions at his ranch came from a cattle buyer, according to leaked documents on Wednesday.

Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday chose Hakeem Jeffries to succeed Nancy Pelosi as their leader in the House of Representatives, making him the first Black person ever to lead a US congressional caucus.

Brazilian football legend Pele has been hospitalized again, but there is "no emergency," his daughter said Wednesday, the latest health issue for the 82-year-old icon, who has been in treatment following a colon tumor.

A decision on whether to start the first Test between Pakistan and England will be taken early Thursday morning after several members of the touring squad fell ill with a viral infection, the home cricket board said.

At least 19 people were killed and 24 others wounded Wednesday by a blast at a madrassa in Afghanistan's northern city of Aybak, a doctor at a local hospital told AFP.

Britain's government on Wednesday rejected union pay demands after ambulance workers joined nurses in voting to go on strike.

HSBC on Wednesday announced plans to permanently shut more than a quarter of its remaining bank branches in the UK as customers increasingly switch to making transactions online.

China has room to adjust its strict zero-Covid policy, the IMF said Wednesday, while underlining that the country's tough virus restrictions have been especially hard on its people.

German energy giant Uniper said Wednesday it was taking Gazprom to an international tribunal over the Russian company's failure to deliver gas, saying it has so far cost them 11.6 billion euros ($12 billion).

A security guard at Ukraine's embassy in Madrid was lightly injured Wednesday while opening a letter bomb addressed to the Ukrainian ambassador, prompting Kyiv to boost security at its embassies.

Former Italian cycling champion Davide Rebellin has died aged 51 after a hit-and-run collision between his bike and a truck in the Venice region.

Coach Hansi Flick on Wednesday laughed off suggestions he would lose his job if Germany crash out of the World Cup at the group stage for the second tournament in a row.

Luis Enrique said Spain will not count their chickens before they are hatched when they face Japan on Thursday, aiming to win and qualify for the World Cup knockout phase.

The eurozone annual inflation rate fell for the first time in 17 months in November as it slowed to 10 percent, official data showed Wednesday.