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Lamont Marcell Jacobs caused many a jaw to drop when he streaked to victory in the 100m at last year's Tokyo Olympics.

Ukraine's leader on Thursday said Russia was building a new Cold War wall across Europe "between freedom and bondage", after his government accused invading forces of bombing a theatre sheltering many civilians and marked with the word "children".

Ireland's prime minister Micheal Martin tested positive for Covid-19, forcing him to leave a gala event attended by President Joe Biden and upending plans for the two leaders to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day at the White House on Thursday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday the country will "stick with" its zero-Covid strategy, state TV reported, as the world's most populous nation battles its largest outbreak since the early days of the pandemic.

France coach Fabien Galthie said Thursday his team had learned from its past disappointments as they prepare to face England on Saturday hoping to win their first Six Nations title since 2010.

Soaring bread prices sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine have bitten into the purchasing power of consumers in Egypt, a leading importer of wheat from the former Soviet states.

South Korea's Hyundai has launched the first electric car assembly plant in Indonesia, as the Southeast Asian archipelago looks to exploit an abundance of resources used in EV production.

The Bank of England on Thursday hiked its main interest rate to its pre-pandemic level, the third increase in a row, to combat decades-high inflation.

The Moscow stock exchange ended 2021 in fine form: a record number of companies were listing their shares, foreign money was flowing in and ordinary Russians were keen on investing.

Ireland on Thursday heralded the return of St Patrick's Day festivities after a two-year halt due to coronavirus, as hundreds of thousands of Irish and international visitors flocked to the capital Dublin and beyond.

American skier Mikaela Shiffrin won the women's overall World Cup title for the fourth time in her career on Thursday, bouncing back from a disastrous performance at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

In 2013 he achieved one of the great shocks in tennis history, knocking defending champion Roger Federer out of Wimbledon.

Oil prices soared Thursday on tensions surrounding key producer Russia, as equities diverged with traders tracking also interest rate decisions and China's pledge to support volatile markets.

The families of two British-Iranians who returned to the UK after years imprisoned in Tehran on Thursday spoke of their overwhelming relief and gratitude at finally being reunited.

East Timor will hold presidential polls on Saturday, with the winner facing a Covid and cyclone-battered economy, as well as a protracted political impasse.

Ukraine's leader on Thursday said Russia was building a new Cold War wall across Europe "between freedom and bondage", after his government accused invading forces of bombing a theatre sheltering many civilians and marked with the word "children".

Russia announced Thursday that it paid interest on foreign debt due this week, avoiding a devastating default for now after it was hit by unprecedented Western sanctions over Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is riding high in the polls, is to reveal his manifesto on Thursday at his first major campaign event for the election next month.

American skier Mikaela Shiffrin won the overall women's World Cup title for the fourth time in her career on Thursday, bouncing back from a disastrous performance at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel has tested positive for Covid-19 and will be replaced by Nico Huelkenberg for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, the Aston Martin team said on Thursday.

US prosecutors accused China on Wednesday of spying on pro-democracy activists in the United States and seeking to harass and intimidate a former Tiananmen Square dissident who is running for Congress.

International takeaway food app Deliveroo on Thursday announced rising annual losses after costs rose by more than one third, offsetting a surge in home deliveries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Germany in an emotional video address before parliament Thursday to help destroy a new "Wall" Russia was erecting in Europe.

Mali's ruling junta ordered French broadcasters RFI and France 24 off the air on Wednesday night, complaining they had falsely accused the army of committing abuses.

People in northeast Japan were cleaning up and surveying the damage on Thursday after a powerful 7.4-magnitude quake derailed a bullet train, opened cracks in highways and initially cut power to over two million homes.

A Cambodian court handed out jail terms Thursday to 20 opposition figures including exiled leader Sam Rainsy, who condemned the judgment as a fresh bid by strongman ruler Hun Sen to quash dissent.

South Africa notched a two-wicket win over New Zealand on Thursday to virtually guarantee themselves a spot in the Women's Cricket World Cup semi-finals and leave the hosts in danger of elimination.

Asian and European markets rallied further Thursday with another blistering surge in tech firms helping Hong Kong extend its recovery from the recent rout, while traders also cheered soothing comments on the US economy by the Federal Reserve after it lifted interest rates.

Thailand's embattled prime minister will hold talks with party leaders in his ruling coalition Thursday as he seeks to control growing divisions that could lead to early elections later this year.

South Korea reported a record of more than 600,000 coronavirus cases Thursday, with authorities saying the country was near the peak of an Omicron-fuelled infection wave.

Hong Kong's leader said Thursday she was mulling easing some of the city's coronavirus restrictions due to waning public tolerance, but could not provide a roadmap out of the current Omicron-fuelled crisis.

France's film industry needs to focus on splashier productions to stay ahead in the streaming era and keep its cinemas alive, the head of Paris-based Pathe Films told AFP.