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The man behind the Beijing Winter Olympics mascot jokes that he wished he had kept a few more of his cuddly panda creations after they became highly sought after collectables in China.

Big brands who in recent years have sat out the TV advertising frenzy around the biggest US sporting event -- the Super Bowl -- are returning in force Sunday and forking out millions for prime spots.

When Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu won an Olympic gold on Tuesday with a stunning jump, only one thing threatened to overshadow the show -- the massive industrial cooling towers behind her, an unusual backdrop for a winter sport.

The streaming television race is heating up, with Disney showing Wednesday it is closing the gap with market leader Netflix, whose stride has slowed.

US comedian and actor Bob Saget, whose sudden death last month at a Florida hotel shocked Hollywood, was determined to have died of head trauma, his family revealed in a statement Wednesday.

For Farah al-Malki, growing coffee plants in Saudi Arabia's southwestern region of Jizan is more than just a profession. It is a family tradition passed down from generation to generation.

The Omicron variant coronavirus entered Tonga for the first time in the wake of last month's volcanic eruption, officials confirmed Thursday, as the number of Covid-19 cases in the kingdom almost doubled to 64.

President Joe Biden declared victory too early the last time that Covid seemed to be ending in the United States. This time, he risks being late.

Her 118th birthday wish is "to die soon". But in the meantime, Lucile Randon, better-known as "Sister Andre", always keeps her door open for any visitor who might want to say hello.

Some are men of arms, who have taken up a gun out of need or for a cause. Others are just ordinary civilians, struggling to survive from one day to the next and make sense of the mayhem.

She's accused of laundering billions of dollars in stolen bitcoin with her husband, but her alleged crimes are likely to be overshadowed by an excruciating foray into rap music.

Up to 40 SpaceX high-speed internet satellites have been knocked out of orbit by a geomagnetic storm shortly after launch, but pose little threat to Earth as they burn up in the atmosphere, the company said.

Sotheby's announced Wednesday that an auction of 200 pairs of the Louis Vuitton and Nike "Air Force 1" sneaker created by late US designer Virgil Abloh had fetched a total of $25 million.

New York on Wednesday joined a wave of Democrat-run US states to roll back mask mandates, as health officials increasingly talk about America moving towards a phase where Covid-19 doesn't disrupt daily lives.

Swelling mobilization by American conservatives over what is taught in schools has led several states to push for new curbs on what educators can discuss related to sexual and gender identity -- opening yet another front in the country's rolling culture wars.

Homo sapiens ventured into Neanderthal territory in Europe much earlier than previously thought, according to an archaeological study published in Science magazine on Wednesday.

West Ham on Wednesday fined Kurt Zouma the "maximum amount possible" for mistreating his cat as the RSPCA charity said it had taken two animals belonging to the France defender into care.

Canada's capital is sometimes ribbed as being so quiet it's dull. But not these days, as truckers and others frustrated over Covid-19 restrictions clog the city center, revving engines in a non-stop blast of anger.

Skipper Rohit Sharma on Wednesday hailed Prasidh Krishna's spell of 4-12 as one of the best in India after the hosts outplayed West Indies by 44 runs to clinch the one-day series.

US climate envoy John Kerry called Wednesday for an "open and competitive" energy market in Mexico, where planned energy reforms have alarmed foreign investors and environmentalists alike.

The two-week-long Canadian truckers' protests against Covid rules threatens the country's economic recovery, ministers said Wednesday, with growing demonstrations blocking a vital trade link with the United States.

France lock Cameron Woki said on Wednesday head coach Fabien Galthie has the squad "right into" preparation for Ireland's trip to Paris in the Six Nations this weekend after returning to the set-up.

US officials announced on Tuesday they had recovered $3.6 billion of bitcoin stolen in a 2016, throwing a light on the scams that surround cryptocurrency.

The death toll from Tropical Cyclone Batsirai has risen to 92 in Madagascar, authorities said Wednesday, as humanitarian organisations ramped up aid efforts with more than 110,000 people in need of emergency assistance.

"The Enigma", the world's largest known cut diamond at 555 carats, went under the hammer in London on Wednesday for £3.16 million ($4.3 million, 3.8 million euros) having recently gone on display for the first time.

Israel launched strikes against targets in Syria early Wednesday, hitting anti-aircraft batteries in response to a missile fired from Syria, the military said.

Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool's experience of recovering from losing finals to win major titles can provide solace for Mohamed Salah after Egypt's African Cup of Nations final misery.

New York on Wednesday joined a wave of Democrat-run US states to roll back mask mandates, a symbolic step towards restoring normal life in one of the early pandemic epicenters in America.

The only suspected assailant still alive after the terror attacks that rocked Paris in November 2015 said Wednesday that "I didn't kill anyone, I didn't hurt anyone" as he took the stand for the first time in the trial over the jihadist massacres.

The UN's top court on Wednesday ordered Uganda to pay the Democratic Republic of Congo $325 million over a brutal war two decades ago, just a fraction of what Kinshasa demanded.

Dewi Lake says Wales must be more physical in Saturday's Six Nations clash against an in-form Scotland after their hammering by Ireland in their tournament opener.

West Ham on Wednesday fined Kurt Zouma the "maximum amount possible" for mistreating his pet cat as the RSPCA charity said it had taken two animals belonging to the France defender into care.