The talk before the opening ceremony of the Paris Games ideally should be about its grandiose backdrop: a summer sun setting on the Seine River as athletes drift by in boats and wave to cheering crowds.
Four-time NBA champion James scored 23 points with nine rebounds, nine assists and three steals to lead the Lakers in the play-in game victory that secured the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The Pelicans, rocked by a late injury to star forward Zion Williamson, will have another chance to advance on Friday when they take on the Sacramento Kings. The Kings ended the Golden State Warriors' playoff aspirations with a resounding 118-94 victory in the second Western Conference play-in game. Читать дальше...
Net profits came in at 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in the first quarter, compared to 2.0 billion euros the firm reported in the fourth quarter of last year. Bookings slumped to 3.6 billion euros, a sharp decline from the 9.2 billion euros reported in the fourth quarter. Company shares slumped more than six percent at the opening bell of the Amsterdam stock exchange, which was down 0.7 percent overall. ASML is one of the leading manufacturers of equipment to make state-of-the-art semiconductor chips... Читать дальше...
The Warriors had finished 10th in the Western Conference and needed a win against the ninth-ranked Kings to keep their playoff hopes alive. Instead the Kings will play the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday for the eighth and final playoff berth in the West. The last three regular-season games between the Northern California rivals had been decided by one point. But the Kings dominated this one, the Warriors never leading after the opening minutes in Sacramento. Keegan Murray led the Kings' scoring with 32 points. Читать дальше...
On Tuesday evening, a passenger alerted security to a 40-centimetre (nearly 16-inch) serpent lurking on a train between Nagoya and Tokyo, resulting in a 17-minute hold-up. It was unclear whether the cold-blooded commuter was venomous or how it ended up on the train, and there was no injury or panic among passengers, a spokesman for Central Japan Railway Company told AFP Shinkansen customers can bring small dogs, cats and other animals, including pigeons on board -- but not snakes. "It's difficult... Читать дальше...
The United Nations Security Council will vote Thursday on the Palestinians' application to become a full UN member state, several diplomatic sources have told AFP. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates on the situation in the Middle East.
Atalanta once again punched way above their weight last week by dishing out a 3-0 hammering to Liverpool and are on the verge of reaching the last four of a European competition for the first time since 1988. Back then Atalanta were a Serie B team and knocked out of the Cup Winners' Cup by Belgian outfit Mechelen, but nowadays the Italians are competing with and beating an altogether higher class of opposition. Last week's win in England was probably the greatest European night in Atalanta's history... Читать дальше...
"We want more. We want the (German) Cup, we want Europa League," the 42-year-old said over the stadium PA to thousands of Leverkusen fans after his side 43rd straight match without defeat. With a German Cup final meeting with second-division Kaiserslautern already booked for May 25, Leverkusen's next task is Thursday's trip to London to face West Ham in their Europa League quarter-final second leg. Alonso's side hold a 2-0 lead after the first leg, meaning anything other than a stunning loss to... Читать дальше...
Australia's spectacular Great Barrier Reef is experiencing its worst bleaching event on record, the country's reef authority reported on Wednesday.
Liverpool have a mountain to climb if they are to make the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday after losing the first leg of their last-eight tie at home to Atalanta 3-0. Klopp's men were also dumped out the FA Cup by Manchester United last month as the Red Devils edged a thrilling tie 4-3 at Old Trafford. Liverpool failed to learn their lesson from that defeat as they were held 2-2 by United three weeks later and then stunned 1-0 at home by Crystal Palace in their last two Premier League games... Читать дальше...
Amid Israel's military offensive in Gaza, the Palestinians in early April revived a membership application first made to the world body in 2011, though the veto-wielding United States has repeatedly expressed opposition to the proposal. The General Assembly can admit a new member state with a two-thirds majority vote, but only after the Security Council gives its recommendation. Regional bloc the Arab Group issued a statement Tuesday affirming its "unwavering support" for the Palestinians' application. Читать дальше...
Four-time NBA champion James scored 23 points with nine rebounds, nine assists and three steals to lead the Lakers in the play-in game victory that secured the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The 39-year-old superstar is in the playoffs for the 17th time in 21 seasons and will get another shot at Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, who swept the Lakers in the Western Conference finals on their way to the title last season. Zion Williamson scored 40 points and keyed the Pelicans' rally from an 18-point third-quarter deficit. Читать дальше...
Sweden was the first country to introduce legal gender reassignment in 1972, but a proposal to lower the minimum age from 18 to 16 to be voted on by parliament Wednesday has sparked controversy.
Heavy snow and rain, she said, sent a deluge of rocks, water and mud crashing into the house in the Central Asian country estimated to be among the most vulnerable to effects of climate change. "We had lived in fear until the day the mountain collapsed and destroyed our house," the 61-year-old said, wearing a shimmering headscarf. Makhmaliyeva and her husband Jamoliddin had feared a torrent of earth would destroy their home, and are now among thousands of Tajiks displaced by a growing number of natural disasters. Читать дальше...
Last year, more than half a million people braved the so-called Darien Gap, where they faced perilous river crossings and violent criminal gangs that extort, kidnap and abuse them. "We're going to close the Darien and we're going to repatriate all these people," Jose Raul Mulino told reporters during a visit to a working class suburb of the capital, without saying exactly how he would do it. "I hope and trust that the United Nations (Refugee Agency) will help us," he added, pledging to respect migrants' human rights. Читать дальше...
The UN's special envoy for Libya said Tuesday he had tendered his resignation, saying the world body could not successfully support the country's political transition as its leaders had put their own interests above finding a solution.
Byrne will take charge of Fiji after the Super Rugby season finishes in June, the national governing body said in a statement. The Australian replaces Simon Raiwalui, who guided Fiji to the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup last year. Under Byrne, the Drua have won their three home games this season including a rare victory over defending champions the Canterbury Crusaders, but four away defeats puts them in mid-table. "Everybody here at the Drua is delighted that Mick has been appointed... Читать дальше...
Solomon Islanders began voting Wednesday in an election that could reshape regional security, with citizens effectively choosing if their Pacific nation will deepen ties with China
Amid reports that the Bucks are preparing to open the post-season without their star, Rivers said Antetokounmpo was progressing in his recovery from the calf injury that saw him miss the last three games of the regular season. "He's doing well," Rivers said. "He's walking around, looks good. I can say (he's) farther than we thought he would be, but just not ready yet." Rivers declined to speculate on whether Antetokounmpo would be fit by Sunday. "I'm not going to make a decision," he said. "First of all... Читать дальше...
Dubai's major international airport diverted scores of incoming flights on Tuesday as heavy rains lashed the United Arab Emirates, causing widespread flooding around the desert country.
Kylian Mbappe struck twice as Paris Saint-Germain battled back to beat 10-man Barcelona 4-1 and book a place in the Champions League semi-finals with a 6-4 aggregate triumph on Tuesday.
Countries on Tuesday pledged more than $610 million to address the "critical" humanitarian situation in Ethiopia, where more than 21 million people need aid and a dire food crisis is deepening.
Dortmund beat Atletico Madrid 4-2 in the second leg of their quarter-final, coming from behind twice in the tie to progress 5-4 on aggregate to the last four, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain. Fuellkrug's brilliant second-half header brought Dortmund level in the tie, just three minutes before Marcel Sabitzer scored the hosts' decisive fourth goal. Describing the night as "magical", Fuellkrug savoured moving into the semi-finals, but said Dortmund were not finished. "We've got one goal... Читать дальше...