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A theatre boss -- still dressed in his everyday workwear of jumper and chinos -- stepped in mid-performance to make sure the show went on at London's Royal Opera house after its star tenor was taken ill, a report said Thursday.

British pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca said Thursday that it would invest $15 billion in China through 2030 to expand its medicines manufacturing and research, during a trip by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Beijing.

A US plan to step up scrutiny of foreign visitors' social media use threatens to cut tourist spending by up to $15.7 billion this year as people decide to stay away, an industry group said Thursday.

US President Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan was set to present his plans on Thursday as the new face of the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, after two federal agents involved in the fatal shooting of an American citizen were placed on leave.

One of the hottest trends in fashion right now is hosting catwalk shows in empty office blocks or disused car parks.

Premier League clubs have flexed their muscle on and off the field in Europe, with five English sides finishing in the top eight of the Champions League group phase.

Environmental groups Thursday raised the alarm after finding toxic "pesticide cocktails" in apples sold across Europe, in a new study highlighting widespread contamination.

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina said the plight of her homeland put her Australian Open semi-final loss Thursday into perspective, calling herself "a very, very lucky person".

Deutsche Bank said Thursday it aimed to become a "European champion" after reporting record profits in 2025, even as the results were overshadowed by a money-laundering probe reportedly linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.

French energy giant TotalEnergies officially relaunched Thursday a massive gas project in northern Mozambique after a five-year pause imposed following a jihadist attack that claimed hundreds of lives.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that "really good progress" had been made on issues such as visa-free travel and tariffs during talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday.

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka powered into her fourth Australian Open final in a row with a dominant win over Ukraine's Elina Svitolina on Thursday in a politically charged encounter.

Turkey will offer to mediate between Washington and Tehran during a visit by Iran's foreign minister on Friday, officials said, as Ankara considers reinforcing security along its border should the dispute escalate.

Oumar Cisse used to lead tours of Djenne, an ancient, fabled city in central Mali known for its towering mud-brick mosque, but he now ekes out a living driving an old motorcycle taxi in Bamako.

China's football association issued lifetime bans to 73 people, including former national team head coach Li Tie, and punished 13 top professional clubs for match-fixing and corruption, it said Thursday.

Ghana is preparing to overhaul its mining laws to increase its share of the revenues generated by the surge in the precious metal's price, sparking concern among foreign mining companies in Africa's top gold producer.

South Africa's main cinema houses have pulled a documentary about US First Lady Melania Trump just ahead of its release, with the distributor citing "the current climate", local media reported.

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has been banned for five Confederation of African Football (CAF) matches and fined $100,000 after the chaotic scenes at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final against Morocco this month, it was announced on Thursday.

Russia's oil giant Lukoil, sanctioned by Washington over the Ukraine war, said Thursday that it would sell its foreign assets to the US investment firm The Carlyle Group.

Australian Open chief Craig Tiley said Thursday it was "a fine line" between player promotion and privacy after top stars complained about backstage cameras at the Grand Slam, with Iga Swiatek comparing it to a zoo.

Britain's Keir Starmer is the latest Western leader to thaw trade ties with China in a shift analysts say is driven by US tariff pressure and unease over Donald Trump's volatile policy playbook.

Gold prices soared to a fresh record near $5,600 Thursday, while oil rallied after Donald Trump ramped up geopolitical tensions with his threatened military strike on Iran.

Adeliia Petrosian will be in a fierce spotlight when she takes to the ice at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics four years after the doping debacle involving fellow Russian teenager Kamila Valieva overshadowed the Beijing Games.

China executed 11 people linked to Myanmar criminal gangs, including "key members" of telecom scam operations, state media reported Thursday, as Beijing toughens its response to the sprawling, transnational industry.

Germany plans to better protect its critical infrastructure with a new law on Thursday as surging tensions with Russia stoke fears of sabotage attacks and other national security threats.

Investigators were battling thick fog in the Colombian mountains Thursday to reach the site of a plane crash that killed all 15 people on board, including a politician.

Serena Williams has reignited speculation that she could make a return to tennis, refusing to rule it out when asked and instead replying: "I don't know. I'm just going to see what happens."

Vietnam and the European Union pledged to deepen economic and security cooperation on Thursday, upgrading their diplomatic relationship to hedge against an increasingly unpredictable United States.

The colour of the winning party in Myanmar's junta-run election is the same green as a general's uniform, its staff are retired senior officers, and most expect it to march in lockstep with the military.

Deutsche Bank on Thursday reported record pre-tax profits of 9.7 billion euros ($11.6 billion) in 2025, with all divisions performing well, even as Germany's biggest lender faces a new money-laundering probe.

Thailand's foreign minister said Thursday that he hoped Myanmar's recent election would be the "start of a transition" that could ultimately lead to a sustainable peace in the civil war-torn country.

Novak Djokovic knows all too well the mountain he must scale to capture an elusive record 25th Grand Slam crown, but the Serbian great is not ready to "walk out with a white flag" just yet.