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Brazil will not "shy away" from championing a phaseout of fossil fuels as host of COP30 next year, even if it is a major oil producer, the country's climate envoy said Wednesday.

Jasmine Paolini celebrated an "unbelievable year" for both herself and Italian tennis after driving her nation to Billie Jean King Cup glory on Wednesday.

Spanish World Cup winner Juan Mata has joined the ownership group for San Diego FC, the MLS expansion team making its debut next year, the new club announced on Wednesday.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged "more voices" to end the Ukraine war and a ceasefire in Gaza, as he conducted a state visit to Brazil's capital, Chinese state media said.

Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu received a surprise visit after his Greenock-born grandmother made a secret journey from Australia to watch him in action against the Wallabies this weekend.

Elon Musk outlined plans Wednesday for his new role as "efficiency" czar -- signaling an assault on federal spending and staffing that would be backed by President-elect Donald Trump's executive powers and a conservative Supreme Court.

The speaker of the US House of Representatives came out Wednesday against letting a newly elected transgender woman use the women's restroom at the legislature.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday recognized Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the president-elect of the country, a day after the United States officially did the same.

Mali's junta chief on Wednesday sacked civilian Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga and the government, days after Maiga issued a rare criticism of the military rulers.

The US decision to send landmines to Ukraine is "not justifiable", aid groups have told AFP, highlighting the long-term impact on civilians of the internationally banned weapons supposed to help slow Russia's advance.

Ukraine has fired UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles into Russia for the first time, British media reported Wednesday, after being given the green light from London.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday hailed a recently upgraded EU-Chile free trade agreement as he met counterpart Gabriel Boric in Santiago on the last leg of a Latin America tour.

FC Dallas, which missed the MLS playoffs this year for the second time in four seasons, named Eric Quill as the club's new head coach on Wednesday.

Soaring violence in Port-au-Prince since last week has left at least 150 people dead, bringing the number of deaths in Haiti this year to over 4,500, the United Nations said Wednesday.

Elon Musk outlined plans Wednesday for his new role as "efficiency" czar -- signaling an assault on federal spending and staffing that would be backed by President-elect Donald Trump's executive powers and a conservative Supreme Court.

England have insisted Tom Curry is "100 percent fit, healthy and ready to go" against Japan on Sunday despite the flanker's latest concussion.

US movie theaters are hoping the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of last year's "Barbenheimer" phenomenon can strike again this weekend, with the simultaneous release of two of 2024's most hyped films: "Wicked" and "Gladiator II."

Italy won the Billie Jean King Cup for the fifth time as Jasmine Paolini beat Rebecca Sramkova to secure a dominant 2-0 win over Slovakia on Wednesday.

South Africa have decided to rest prop Ox Nche for their Test against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

US auto giants signaled Wednesday they could further slow the ramp-up of electric vehicle production as Detroit awaits the arrival of a Trump administration eager to reverse key Biden climate initiatives.

Low-cost airline Ryanair threatened Wednesday to stop serving 10 French regional airports if the government goes forward with a proposed tax hike.

Veteran Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye appeared in a military court in Kampala on Wednesday after his reported abduction in neighbouring Kenya at the weekend.

The reigning Olympic champion United States women's national football team will compete against Japan, Australia and Colombia in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, US Soccer announced on Wednesday.

LPGA golfers will compete for a record $131 million in prize money over a 33-event season in 2025, the tour's 75th anniversary campaign, LPGA officials announced on Wednesday.

Australia great David Campese said Wednesday he had changed his mind about Joe Schmidt, admitting the New Zealander was "proving me wrong" as Wallabies coach.

Lucia Bronzetti put Italy in touching distance of a fifth Billie Jean King Cup with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova on Wednesday.

Wilfried Nancy of the Columbus Crew was named Major League Soccer's 2024 Coach of the Year on Wednesday after guiding the reigning champions to club records for points and goals in a season.

Human-driven warming of ocean temperatures increased the maximum wind speeds of every Atlantic hurricane in 2024, according to a new analysis released Wednesday, highlighting how climate change is amplifying the destructive power of storms.

The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council push to call for a ceasefire in Gaza that Washington said would have emboldened Hamas.

The US Federal Reserve should be careful not to cut rates "too quickly" and risk reigniting stubborn inflation, a senior bank official said Wednesday.

Anglican church leader Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, said Wednesday he will step down on January 6 having resigned over a damning report into the church's handling of a serial abuse case.

Barcelona said on Wednesday their return to the Camp Nou would be delayed until at least mid-February as the iconic stadium undergoes modernisation and expansion work.