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Underwater lion dance at Malaysian aquarium ahead of Lunar New Year
With fish and turtles swimming around them, divers performed an underwater lion dance in a Malaysian aquarium on Friday, in a fresh take on the traditional Lunar New Year performance.

China incensed by French parliament's genocide declaration
China condemned a French parliament resolution on Friday that accuses Beijing of carrying out a genocide against its Uyghur Muslim population, a move that has strained ties two weeks before the Winter Olympics.

Taiwan woman faces execution over fire that killed 46
A Taiwanese woman faces the death penalty for allegedly starting the island's deadliest fire in decades in an attempt to get back at a boyfriend she suspected was cheating on her.

Samsung pulls Singapore drag queen ad after backlash
South Korean tech giant Samsung has pulled an online advert in Singapore that featured a hijab-wearing Muslim woman hugging her drag queen son after it sparked a backlash from socially conservative corners.

Barca and Atletico Madrid turn attention to La Liga race for top four
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will have to put recent struggles behind them this weekend as they continue their scrap to finish in La Liga’s top four.

Soaring Covid self-test kit sales fuel India underreporting fears
Booming sales of home self-test kits for Covid are prompting Indian authorities to tighten the rules around their sale and fuelling long-held fears of underreporting as cases surge.

Syria Kurds hunt down IS jihadists after prison attack
Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria on Friday hunted down Islamic State group fighters after an IS attack on a Kurdish-run prison housing fellow jihadists, a war monitor and Kurdish forces said.

'Immersive' Princess Diana documentary opens Sundance
An "immersive" Princess Diana documentary offering an "origin story" for the British royal family's latest woes was among the opening night movies at the online Sundance film festival Thursday.

UN says Philippine typhoon destruction 'badly underestimated'
The United Nations said destruction caused by Typhoon Rai in the Philippines had been "badly underestimated" in initial assessments, tripling the number of people "seriously affected" to nine million.

Missing son of hard-luck Chinese labourer long dead, say police
The story of a Chinese migrant worker whose plight sparked a wave of online sympathy after he tested positive for the coronavirus took another sad twist Friday, as police said his missing son was long dead.

Kecmanovic grabs 'second chance' after Djokovic deportation
Serbia's 77th-ranked Miomir Kecmanovic emerged as a big winner from the Novak Djokovic saga -- and capitalised on his good fortune by reaching the fourth round at the Australian Open on Friday.

Short-handed Pacers topple Warriors, Suns rally to beat Mavs
Dominican rookie Chris Duarte led the injury-hit Indiana Pacers to a 121-117 NBA overtime triumph over Stephen Curry and the Golden Warriors on Thursday.

Swimming Australia vows change, apologises over abuse
Swimming Australia looks set to ban skin-fold tests and the term "physique" while unreservedly apologising Friday for the way women have been treated in the sport.

Ground-breaking film school gets down to work in Senegal
It's the tale of a boy who cheats on his fiancee -- one misdeed too many in a selfish life -- and in desperation turns to a genie for help.

UK warns Putin faces Ukraine 'quagmire'
Russia risks becoming embroiled in a "terrible quagmire" if it invades Ukraine, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Friday, raising the spectre of a prolonged, bloody and sapping conflict for Moscow.

Draghi, Berlusconi in mix as Italy elects new president
Italy's parliament begins voting for a new president Monday, with Prime Minister Mario Draghi tipped for election in a high-stakes version of musical chairs which threatens the survival of the government.

Burning bright: Vietnam's gold-plated new year tiger
Vietnamese are paying hundreds of dollars for gold plated tiger models as gifts as Lunar New Year draws near, bucking a major economic slowdown caused by the pandemic.

'Hope they're scared': Krejcikova survives to set up Azarenka clash
French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova said her rivals should be "scared" after pulling off a gritty comeback win against Jelena Ostapenko on Friday at the Australian Open.

Hong Kong warns animal lovers not to obstruct hamster cull
Hong Kong's government Friday warned local animal lovers not to obstruct its ongoing cull of small animals, a policy triggered when hamsters in a pet shop tested positive for the coronavirus.

India, Pakistan to clash at MCG in 2022 T20 World Cup
India and Pakistan will lock horns in a blockbuster T20 World Cup group clash for the second year running after the fixtures for the October-November 2022 tournament in Australia were announced on Friday.

Abuse, bullying: the dark side of South Korean Olympic skating glory
South Korea's short track speed skaters head to the Beijing Olympics next month hoping to leave behind high-profile scandals and bring glory to a country deeply passionate about the breakneck sport.

Crashed World War II aircraft found in India after 77 years
A missing World War II plane has been identified in India's remote Himalayas nearly 80 years after it crashed with no survivors, following a treacherous search that led to the deaths of three guides.

Azarenka 'climbs ladder' towards third Australian Open title
Victoria Azarenka compared her bid for a third Australian Open title to climbing a ladder on Friday -- now she needs to make sure she does not fall off.

US extends protection of Venezuelan oil unit Citgo
The US Treasury on Thursday extended by one year a rule that shields Citgo, a US-based unit of Venezuela's state-owned oil company PDVSA, from being seized by creditors, the department said.

West warns Russia against 'any' Ukraine incursion
The United States and its allies have warned Moscow Thursday of grave consequences if "any" of the tens of thousands of troops massed on the border were to cross the border into Ukraine.

17 killed, 59 injured by explosion in western Ghana
At least 17 people were killed and 59 injured Thursday in a devastating explosion in a western Ghana town after a truck carrying explosives intended for a mine collided with a motorcycle, the government said.

Bottles clinking, Turkish party train blazes through night
Festive garlands, white tablecloths and enticing bottles appear the moment passengers board the Eastern Express for an epic journey across Turkey's snow-capped Euphrates plateaus.

Medvedev targets top ranking with Djokovic future uncertain
US Open champion Daniil Medvedev said he was eyeing the world number one ranking with uncertainty over Novak Djokovic's immediate playing future.

'Lewandowski is best Bundesliga striker of modern era' - Klinsmann
Jurgen Klinsmann rates Robert Lewandowski as the best Bundesliga striker of the modern era with the Bayern Munich star poised to inflict more misery on struggling Hertha Berlin this Sunday.

Premier League top-four race hots up as Chelsea stumble
Manchester City could move 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League on Saturday but erstwhile challengers Chelsea are looking nervously over their shoulders after a slump in form.

Raducanu learns she has 'fight in me' despite Melbourne exit
Emma Raducanu says a key lesson from her first Australian Open is that "I've got that fight in me" after the teenager adapted her game and gritted her teeth to play through pain with nasty blisters.

Five do battle for top UN labour job
Five candidates are battling to take over the United Nations' International Labour Organization, winding up two days of hearings on Friday that set out contrasting visions for the ILO's future.