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Andy Murray and Taylor Fritz applied a final layer of gloss to their pre-Australian Open form Thursday with straight-sets wins at the Kooyong Classic.

Australia pulled out of an upcoming one-day series against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday citing Taliban moves to further restrict women's rights.

Demonstrators in Peru blocked roads and held mass funerals on Wednesday for those killed in violent anti-government protests that have gripped the country for weeks, as the United States called for "restraint" on both sides.

Novak Djokovic was drawn Thursday to play Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena on his return to the Australian Open and could meet Nick Kyrgios in the last eight.

An Australian state leader on Thursday emphatically ruled out a taxpayer-funded memorial for Cardinal George Pell, saying it would be "deeply distressing" for sexual abuse survivors.

Human Rights Watch on Thursday hailed the international response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, urging governments to show the same concern for civilians caught up in other conflicts.

Tennis star Nick Kyrgios became part-owner of Australian basketball side South East Melbourne Phoenix on Thursday, saying he was looking forward to growing the franchise.

Asian markets rose Thursday as traders grew confident ahead of data later in the day that is expected to show another softening of US inflation, giving the Federal Reserve room to slow its pace of interest rate hikes.

World number one Iga Swiatek leads the field in an Australian Open women's draw shorn of some of its biggest recent stars.

World number one Iga Swiatek is the woman to beat when the Australian Open begins on Monday without retired great Serena Williams and last year's champion Ashleigh Barty.

Juventus' unexpected entry into the Serie A title discussion will undergo its toughest test yet on Friday when the league's form team travel to runaway leaders Napoli.

The sea has already swallowed the village graveyard in Togoru, Fiji, and long-time resident Lavenia McGoon is dreading the day it claims her house.

Mobs of rioters who stormed Brazil's seats of power raised conspiracy-laden slogans against voting machines, a prime target of disinformation campaigns seeking to undermine trust in electoral systems around the world.

Aviation authorities were racing Wednesday to figure out what caused the outage of a crucial alert system that forced the temporary halt on all US domestic takeoffs, triggering thousands of delays and cancellations.

Peru was rocked by further unrest Wednesday as demonstrators blocked roads and held mass funerals for those killed in violent protests that have gripped the country, as the United States called for "restraint" on both sides.

Wasps' financial meltdown left the club in tatters and booted out of the English Premiership, but some players have rebounded in fine form in the Top 14, where life has proved to be different from that in Coventry.

Jeff Beck, the influential guitarist who rose to rock and roll stardom with 1960s supergroup the Yardbirds and later enjoyed a prolific solo career, has died, his official website said Wednesday. He was 78 years old.

The United States said Wednesday that attacks in space would invoke its defense treaty with Japan and announced the deployment of a more agile Marine unit in its ally as alarm grows over China.

Most symptoms from long Covid clear up within a year for people who had mild initial infections, a large Israel study said Thursday, with the findings welcomed as "reassuring".

Scientists have found the remains of four species of dinosaurs, including a megaraptor, in an inhospitable valley in Chilean Patagonia that has emerged over the past decade as an important fossil deposit, researchers said Wednesday.

Golden Globes television ratings slumped to a new low of just 6.3 million viewers, even as the troubled award show tried to bounce back from its recent scandals, broadcaster NBC's preliminary figures showed Wednesday.

Jeff Beck, the influential guitarist who rose to rock and roll stardom with 1960s supergroup the Yardbirds and later had a prolific solo career, has died, his official website said Wednesday. He was 78.

Security was boosted in Brasilia Wednesday as backers of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro vowed fresh protests just days after riots that shocked the Brazilian capital.

Graham Potter claims he has the hardest job in football as injury-ravaged Chelsea struggle to live up to expectations following Todd Boehly's takeover of the Premier League club.

Forward Enzo Copetti has joined Major League Soccer's Charlotte FC after completing a move from Argentina's Racing Club on Wednesday.

Lionel Messi scored in Paris Saint-Germain's 2-0 win over Angers in Ligue 1 on Wednesday on his first appearance since leading Argentina to victory in the World Cup in Qatar.

Tatjana Patitz, one of the original supermodels who dominated fashion in the 1980s and 90s commanding huge payouts for photoshoots, died Wednesday, her agent said. She was 56.

Thibaut Courtois was the star for Real Madrid as they beat Valencia 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Riyadh on Wednesday to reach the Spanish Super Cup final.

Lionel Messi made his first appearance for Paris Saint-Germain since winning the World Cup with Argentina and scored in a 2-0 victory against Angers in Ligue 1 on Wednesday.

Global stock markets mostly rallied Wednesday as investors were buoyed by optimism over China's reopening and upcoming data expected to show a further slowdown in US inflation.

Manchester City suffered a shock League Cup exit as struggling Southampton swept to a 2-0 victory in Wednesday's quarter-finals.

Thibaut Courtois was the hero for Real Madrid as they beat Valencia 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Riyadh on Wednesday to reach the Spanish Super Cup final.