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Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been held in Iran since 2016, was on Wednesday handed over to the UK authorities in Tehran, with her local MP in London saying she was on her way home.

Marco Odermatt became the first Swiss man to win the overall World Cup alpine skiing title since 2010 on Wednesday.

Ukraine on Wednesday dismissed Russian proposals to turn it into a neutral state, as the United States readied a huge package of military aid ahead of a historic address to Congress by Kyiv's defiant leader.

Russia is due to make an interest payment on its foreign debt Wednesday as sanctions over the Ukraine conflict have raised concerns that Moscow could default.

Marco Odermatt became the first Swiss man to win the overall World Cup alpine skiing title since 2010 on Wednesday.

Somalia has again pushed back the deadline for completing lower house elections, delaying until March 31 a process that is already more than a year overdue and has resulted in political sanctions.

Workers in PPE gear in Hong Kong carted the bodies of coronavirus victims into refrigerated shipping containers on Wednesday, as the city's morgues run out of space from a deadly Omicron surge.

Famed Russian pianist Boris Berezovsky has shocked the classical world after calling for pressure to be increased on Ukraine by cutting power to the capital Kyiv.

Skipper Babar Azam survived dropped catches off successive balls from Australian spinner Mitchell Swepson Wednesday to keep Pakistan in with a chance of a fighting draw on the fifth and final day of the second Test in Karachi.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson began lobbying Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to pump more oil to calm markets roiled by Russia's invasion of Ukraine as he met the Gulf states' leadership on Wednesday.

Trading in nickel resumed Wednesday on the London Metal Exchange after a lengthy pause linked to the Ukraine crisis but was quickly suspended again after a sharp fall.

Tokyo prosecutors said Wednesday they will appeal a court ruling in which former Nissan executive Greg Kelly was handed a six-month suspended sentence for helping disgraced auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn.

Asian equities rallied Wednesday after their recent rout, with Hong Kong leading the way after Chinese authorities pledged to provide support and stability to the country's troubled markets.

Captain Pat Cummins dismissed opener Abdullah Shafique four runs short of a century Wednesday to give Australia a long-awaited breakthrough on the fifth and final day of the second Test against Pakistan in Karachi.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was to lobby Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to pump more oil to calm turbulent markets as he meets the Gulf states' leadership on Wednesday.

Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu told his players to finish the job and clinch qualification for the World Cup after naming his squad Wednesday for next week's clash against Australia.

Images of Ukrainian troops carrying Javelin missile launchers on their shoulders have flashed around the world, making the anti-tank weapon -- capable of piercing the most sophisticated armor, and particularly useful in guerrilla warfare -- a symbol of Ukrainian resistance to Russia's invasion.

Hong Kong will close most of the city's beaches, leader Carrie Lam said Wednesday, after photos of maskless residents enjoying sun and surf sparked outrage in mainland China.

The United States homeland security secretary on Tuesday signed a deal to address migration in Central America during a visit to Costa Rica.

England skittled India to keep their faltering Women's Cricket World Cup defence alive on Wednesday, but not before a brittle batting display chasing a small target produced some nervous moments.

Spain's Paula Badosa kept her Indian Wells WTA title defense on track Tuesday, holding off determined Canadian Leylah Fernandez to reach the quarter-finals in the California desert.

The Mediterranean's first offshore wind farm is rising from the shallows off Italy, its turbines a symbol of hope for a Europe suffering an energy crisis exacerbated by war.

The United States is set to unveil a fresh round of security assistance to Ukraine Wednesday, a White House official said, as Western leaders faced mounting pressure to stop Russia's bombardment of civilians and peace talks made halting progress.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has revealed the "shaking foundation" of democracy, Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei said as he unveiled what he said was the biggest retrospective of his work to date.

Vietnam announced an end to quarantine for international travellers on Wednesday, as it seeks to restart its tourism industry after two years of strict Covid-19 restrictions.

With its shimmering azure waters, secluded coves and golden sands, Turkey's Mediterranean coast is a destination beloved by Russian tourists, nearly five million of whom visited last year.

South Korea reported more than 400,000 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, a new record, as the country continues to ease restrictions despite the Omicron-fuelled wave of infections.

If there's one guy who knows how to make an erotic thriller in Hollywood, it's Adrian Lyne.

North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile that exploded mid-air shortly after launch, Seoul said Wednesday, with analysts warning it was likely a failed test of Pyongyang's so-called "monster missile".

China has moved to free up hospital beds as officials on Wednesday reported thousands of new cases from an Omicron-led coronavirus outbreak that has put millions under lockdown and raised fears for the health system.

Indonesia hosts its first motorcycle grand prix in 25 years on Sunday, confident that concerns surrounding the new track will be forgotten once racing begins in front of a sell-out crowd.

North Korea fired a projectile Wednesday but the launch appears to have immediately failed, Seoul said, with analysts warning it was likely a test of Pyongyang's so-called "monster missile".