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Arab foreign ministers on Wednesday denounced Israel's siege of Gaza following the shock attack by Palestinian militants on Israel, demanding that aid be "immediately" allowed to enter the blockaded enclave.

The US Supreme Court heard a case touching on the thorny issues of race and politics on Wednesday that could help determine whether Democrats or Republicans control the House of Representatives next year.

Shares of German sandals maker Birkenstock fell about 10 percent from their introductory price on Wednesday, in premiere trades on a New York Stock Exchange whose floor was dotted with the footwear.

India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah says seeing his mother again takes priority over Saturday's blockbuster World Cup clash against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Fat Bear Week 2023 is in the books, with a specimen called 128 Grazer nabbing the title of bulkiest bruin in an Alaskan national park.

Inmates at Paraguay's largest prison on Wednesday freed 22 guards they had taken hostage during a riot that has now ended after negotiations with authorities, police said.

Fiji hooker Sam Matavesi is a doubt for the team's Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against England this weekend after having returned home following the death of his father.

Republicans nominated Steve Scalise as their candidate for speaker of the US House of Representatives Wednesday as they sought to heal bitter internal divisions paralyzing their domestic agenda and preventing action on the Israel crisis.

Spain coach Luis de La Fuente said his team were not out for "revenge" against Scotland on Thursday but victory would "almost" book La Roja's place at Euro 2024.

Actor Jada Pinkett Smith has been separated from husband Will Smith since 2016 -- six years before the infamous "Oscars Slap" -- she revealed in an interview that aired Wednesday.

A Kenyan-led multinational force will hopefully help bring some semblance of stability to Haiti, where gang violence has escalated into a form of "urban guerrilla" warfare, the Caribbean country's police chief tells AFP.

India superstar Virat Kohli and Afghanistan fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq put an ugly IPL episode behind them with a warm embrace during their World Cup clash on Wednesday.

The US Federal Reserve's fight against inflation seems to be heading in the right direction, while the US economy remains resilient, a senior Fed official said Wednesday.

Finnish authorities on Wednesday said the leak leading to the shutdown of a natural gas pipeline from Estonia to Finland appeared to have been caused by "mechanical" force and not a blast.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed Wednesday to Israel in a show of solidarity after a bloody attack by Hamas, with Washington closing ranks with its ally as it launched heavy retaliation on the Gaza Strip.

France's talismanic captain Antoine Dupont is "100 percent" ready to face defending champions South Africa in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final, scrum coach William Servat said.

A Swedish court on Wednesday imposed another fine on climate activist Greta Thunberg, convicting her for having resisted arrest during a July protest that blocked traffic at the port city.

Republicans gathered to pick their candidate for speaker of the US House of Representatives on Wednesday as war in the Middle East and a looming government shutdown underscored the urgent need to end the leadership vacuum.

British author Salman Rushdie is to release a memoir about the stabbing attack that nearly killed him last year when a knife-wielding assailant jumped on stage at an arts event in New York state.

A sample collected from the 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid Bennu contains abundant water and carbon, both vital materials for the formation of our planet, NASA revealed on Wednesday.

South Africa batsman Quinton de Kock predicted that Thursday's high-profile World Cup clash with old rivals Australia will be decided by a battle of "big egos".

Mali's ruling junta on Wednesday cancelled the authorisation given to Air France to resume flights to the country, which have been suspended for two months amid heightened tensions in the Sahel as well as between Mali and France.

Captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday surpassed compatriot Sachin Tendulkar with a record seventh World Cup century to lead India to a crushing eight-wicket win over Afghanistan.

Veteran Russian human rights campaigner Oleg Orlov on Wednesday denounced Russia's offensive in Ukraine and the suppression of dissent as he was fined by a Moscow court for an op-ed on the dangers of "fascism" in his country.

Grigor Dimitrov fought back to beat top seed Carlos Alcaraz in three sets and reach the quarter-finals on Wednesday in the latest upset at the Shanghai Masters.

An international team of prosecutors seeking to put Russia's top brass on trial over Ukraine has already gathered "thousands" of pieces of evidence, the head of EU judicial agency Eurojust told AFP on Wednesday.

Austria's capital Vienna on Wednesday rolled out a programme to combat "period poverty" with drugstores offering free sanitary products to disadvantaged women.

India captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday surpassed compatriot Sachin Tendulkar as his record seventh World Cup century kept his team on course for a commanding win over Afghanistan.

As Israel kept bombing Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a political rival announced an emergency government for the duration of the conflict.

Ukraine on Wednesday called for greater global support to help demine large swathes of the war-torn country, as more than 30 countries promised nearly 500 million euros ($531 million).

Mali's ruling junta has cancelled the authorisation given to Air France to resume flights to the country, two senior officials and an air transport official said Wednesday.

More debris and suspected human remains have been recovered from a privately owned submersible which failed catastrophically in June while on a mission to the Titanic, the US Coast Guard said.