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Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated new Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, state media reported Wednesday, the day after he took office in Tokyo.

The New Saints are no strangers to making football history and on Thursday they become the first Welsh domestic club to compete in the main draw of a European club competition.

Just three years after being crowned kings of Europe, Chelsea find themselves slumming it in the UEFA Conference League.

Detroit's Tarik Skubal pitched six scoreless innings and the Tigers held off a late fightback to defeat Houston 3-1 on Tuesday as the Major League Baseball playoffs began.

Former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic was on target as Al Hilal, buoyed by Neymar returning to training this week, swept past Al Shorta 5-0 in the AFC Champions League Elite late Tuesday in Riyadh.

Israel's onslaught against Hezbollah in Lebanon is reassuring for Turkey, which could seize the opportunity to strengthen its regional influence in the face of its rival Iran, analysts told AFP.

Oil prices rose more than one percent Wednesday, extending the previous day's rally, and safe haven gold pushed towards a record high after Iran's missile attack on Israel ramped up fears about an escalation in the Middle East.

Japan had its second-hottest September since records began with some regions the warmest yet, the weather agency said, in a year likely to become the warmest in human history.

Nintendo opened its first museum on Wednesday in a renovated factory in Kyoto, showcasing the long history of the Japanese video game giant from playing cards to "Super Mario".

A Greenland court will decide Wednesday whether to keep anti-whaling activist Paul Watson in custody pending a decision on his extradition to Japan, where he is wanted over a clash with whalers.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday told Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin he was ready to "expand" cooperation, as the two leaders exchanged congratulations on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, state media said.

US vice presidential contenders J.D. Vance and Tim Walz clashed on abortion and migration in their televised debate Tuesday, but ended up repeatedly circling back to one subject -- Donald Trump.

As the 10 teams prepare for the start of the 2024 T20 Women's World Cup, AFP Sport takes a look at six players who are at the forefront of their team's hopes of lifting the trophy on October 20.

Manchester United will attempt to recover from another demoralising defeat that raised fresh questions over manager Erik ten Hag's future as they head to Porto in the Europa League on Thursday.

Growing up in a rough Colombian neighborhood governed by criminals and their mob law, Franklin Mina was destined to become a gangster.

Prison cells so hot that inmates splash themselves with toilet water. Jails described as ovens where convicts are baked to death.

The two candidates for US president offer starkly different visions of the world, with November's election carrying the potential to dramatically change policy toward Ukraine and other partners.

US vice presidential contenders J.D. Vance and Tim Walz took on the crisis in the Middle East as they met Tuesday for what could be an unusually important undercard debate, competing for decisive votes weeks before the election.

A Brazilian judge on Tuesday ordered the unblocking of the bank accounts of Elon Musk's X in the country after the social media platform agreed to pay more than $5 million in fines.

Starting next year, diners in the western US state of California can smoke cannabis at certain restaurants, thanks to a new law allowing for "cannabis cafes" akin to those popularized in the Netherlands.

Taiwan shut down schools and closed its financial markets on Wednesday as Typhoon Krathon pounded its south and east with torrential rains and winds ahead of its expected landfall.

A Netflix period war drama produced by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook will open Asia's largest film festival Wednesday, the first time a streaming title has kicked off the event.

Playing a monotonous sound stimulates the activity of a fungus that promotes plant growth, a study suggested on Wednesday, raising the potential that playing music could be good for crops and gardens.

The death toll from powerful storm Helene, which battered the southeastern United States, has climbed to at least 155, authorities said Tuesday, as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris prepared to survey the damage.

Guatemalan authorities on Tuesday dismantled a criminal network, with police among its ranks, responsible for smuggling migrants to the United States, the government said.

Detroit's Tarik Skubal pitched six scoreless innings and the Tigers held off a late fightback to defeat Houston 3-1 on Tuesday as the Major League Baseball playoffs began.

The United States said Tuesday that it was discussing a joint response after Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel, warning Tehran of "severe consequences".

Nike reported a drop in profits Tuesday on sagging revenues as the sports giant cautioned that a turnaround from a rocky period would take time under a new CEO.

US vice presidential contenders J.D. Vance and Tim Walz face off in what could be an unusually important undercard debate Tuesday as they compete for decisive votes in America's heartland just weeks before the election.

Arsenal beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in their heavyweight Champions League duel on Tuesday, while last season's beaten finalists Borussia Dortmund gave Celtic a brutal reality check with an emphatic 7-1 win in Germany.

Inter Milan won their first match of this season's revamped Champions League on Tuesday by sweeping aside Red Star Belgrade 4-0 at the San Siro.

Detroit's Tarik Skubal pitched six scoreless innings and the Tigers held off a late fightback to beat Houston 3-1 on Tuesday as the Major League Baseball playoffs began.