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France to pull troops from Mali after decade-long jihadist fight
France announced Thursday that it was withdrawing troops from Mali due to a breakdown in relations with the country's ruling junta, after nearly 10 years of fighting a jihadist insurgency.

Gisin rode 'craziest rollercoaster' on way to Olympic gold
Michelle Gisin reflected on "the craziest rollercoaster" having battled back from illness to win Beijing Olympic gold in the alpine combined on Thursday.

Japan eases virus border rules for workers, students
Japan will ease its strict virus border rules to allow students and businesspeople into the country from March, but tourists will still be barred, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday.

Mercedes and Red Bull could be playing catch-up in new F1 season: Brawn
Formula One managing director Ross Brawn believes Mercedes and Red Bull could be off the pace when the new season starts next month after they were caught up in last year's "intense" world championship battle.

'Afar has been raided': Suffering stalks Ethiopia's forgotten front
The shell crashed through Aicha Nur's flimsy hut just as she was serving a lunch of bread and milk to her nine-year-old son Tahir.

G20 warned of Ukraine threat to global recovery
The crisis in Ukraine is a serious threat to the global economy's post-pandemic recovery, Indonesia's leader on Thursday warned a meeting of finance chiefs from the G20 nations.

Spanish port devastated by Canada shipwreck tragedy
Flags at half-mast, black ribbons everywhere and families devastated by grief: the Spanish port town of Marin was left reeling after a deadly shipwreck left 21 sailors dead or missing at sea.

Russia says pulling back more troops despite US claims
Russia on Thursday announced more troop pullbacks from the Ukrainian border as Washington insisted that Moscow is still building up forces for a potential invasion of its pro-Western neighbour.

France announces Mali troop pullout after decade
France announced on Thursday that it was withdrawing troops from Mali due to a breakdown in relations with the ruling junta, after nearly 10 years of fighting a jihadist insurgency.

Swiss coach blasts judges in Olympic 'kick' controversy
Switzerland's ski cross head coach criticised Beijing Olympics judges after athlete Fanny Smith lost out on a bronze medal when she was penalised for kicking a rival in Thursday's women's final.

Mozambique's ex-president Guebuza to testify in debt scandal
Ex-president Armando Guebuza was on Thursday expected to testify in Mozambique's biggest corruption scandal, an affair concerning secret loans contracted under his tenure that triggered an economic crisis.

UK speaker urges 'respect' amid 'dangerous' Ukraine tensions
Long experienced in calming rowdy parliamentary debates, Britain's speaker Lindsay Hoyle has stressed the need for "respect" during confrontation and urged rivals "turn the heat down" amid soaring tensions in Ukraine.

Misfiring Shiffrin feels like Olympic 'joke'
Mikaela Shiffrin says the prospect of leaving the Beijing Olympics without an individual medal makes her feel like a "joke" and denied that the weight of expectation had been at the root of her misfiring performances.

'No basis': Beijing dismisses US's WTO criticism
Beijing on Thursday dismissed the United States' assessment of China's World Trade Organization membership, saying its criticism had "no basis in international economic and trade rules".

Cameraman becomes 'cushion' for freefalling Olympic freeskier
Freestyle skier Jon Sallinen had an unfortunate cameraman to thank at the Beijing Olympics after crashing into him on Thursday, helping to provide a "cushion" from a heavy fall.

Russian tanks at Belarus-Ukraine border stir up anger ... at US
Ukrainian pensioner Lidiya Silina would take her trash out on the Belarusian side of the border opposite the twisty stream. That was until trouble started and the Russian tanks came.

Shiffrin's Beijing Olympics hits new low as Valieva goes for title
Mikaela Shiffrin's last chance of winning an individual medal at the Beijing Olympics vanished on Thursday, while Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was aiming for her second title under the cloud of doping.

Asian markets dip as traders eye Ukraine, Fed eases rate fears
Asian markets mostly dipped Thursday as investors assess the situation in Ukraine after the West said Russia had not started withdrawing troops from its border, while minutes from the Federal Reserve's January meeting eased concerns it was set to hike rates sharply.

'Redemption' as Canada beat US for fifth women's ice hockey gold
Canada beat rivals the United States 3-2 to win women’s Olympic ice hockey gold on Thursday, avenging an emotional loss in the final four years ago and capping a dominant run in Beijing.

Airbus posts record profit, eyes more deliveries in 2022
European aircraft giant Airbus posted record profits in 2021 after two years of losses as it cruises past the pandemic-induced crisis in the travel industry, company results showed Thursday.

G20 finance leaders' meeting begins with Ukraine warning
Finance ministers and central bank governors of G20 nations began a two-day meeting Thursday with Indonesia's leader warning the Ukraine crisis was a threat to the post-pandemic recovery.

Shiffrin to exit Beijing without individual medal as Gisin triumphs
Mikaela Shiffrin will leave the Beijing Games without an individual medal after dramatically crashing out of Thursday's alpine combined won by Switzerland's Michelle Gisin.

Treasured trash: UK waste gets new lease of life
From facial scrubs using coffee grounds to clothes made from plastic bottles and furniture decorated with agave fibres, efforts to upcycle or repurpose waste products are gaining traction in Britain.

Shiffrin crashes out, won't win individual medal in Beijing
Mikaela Shiffrin will leave the Beijing Games without an individual medal after dramatically crashing out of the slalom section of the alpine combined event on Thursday.

Australia's largest coal-fired power plant to close
Australia's largest coal-fired power plant will shut in 2025 -- several years sooner than planned -- operators announced Thursday, saying the facility is no longer viable given the low cost of renewables.

Hunt on for great white shark that killed Sydney swimmer
Sydney authorities on Thursday deployed baited lines to try to catch a giant great white shark that devoured an ocean swimmer, as beach communities in Australia's largest city were rocked by the first such attack in decades.

Hockey 'optimistic' that NHL stars will return to Winter Olympics
Ice hockey's governing body said Thursday that it will work with the National Hockey League to avoid another "frustrating" absence of NHL stars from future Winter Olympics.

Beijing Olympics reports no new Covid cases for first time
Beijing Olympics organisers said Thursday that there were no new Covid cases in the "closed-loop" bubble for the first time, hailing the success of China's strict approach.

New Zealand ahead after Henry's seven destroys South Africa
New Zealand dominated South Africa to hold a 21-run lead on day one of the first Test in Christchurch on Thursday after Matt Henry spearheaded the attack with a career-best seven for 23.

Beijing Olympic organisers hit out at Xinjiang 'lies'
Beijing Olympics organisers hit out at "lies" about Xinjiang on Thursday and reiterated the Chinese government's stance on Taiwan, while also railing against "politicising" the Games.

'What's the big deal?': Gu braces for granny's shrug at Beijing Olympics
Eileen Gu has become the face of the Beijing Olympics but she thinks her grandmother will be "unfazed and unimpressed" by the attention when she watches her Californian-born granddaughter compete for China on Friday.

Russia's Valieva aims for second Olympic title under doping cloud
Teenage Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva will attempt to win a second Beijing Olympics title on Thursday in the next chapter of a doping scandal which has overshadowed the Games.