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China's AliExpress risks fine for breaching EU illegal product rules
Chinese online giant AliExpress must do more to protect consumers from illegal product sales, the European Commission said Wednesday in an interim finding that could open the way to heavy fines.

Liverpool face Bournemouth in Premier League opener, Man Utd host Arsenal
Liverpool will kick off their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on Friday, August 15 while Arsenal head to Manchester United in a blockbuster clash on the opening weekend.

Heatstroke alerts issued in Japan as temperatures surge
Sweltering temperatures prompted heatstroke alerts in multiple Japanese regions on Wednesday, with dozens of people seeking emergency medical care in the capital Tokyo.

Liverpool to kick off Premier League title defence against Bournemouth
Liverpool will kick off their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on Friday, August 15 while Arsenal head to Manchester United in a blockbuster clash on the opening weekend.

Meta offered $100 mn bonuses to poach OpenAI employees: CEO Altman
Meta offered $100 million bonuses to OpenAI employees in an unsuccessful bid to poach the ChatGPT maker's talent and strengthen its own generative AI teams, the startup's CEO, Sam Altman, has said.

Spain pushes back against mooted 5% NATO spending goal
Spain is resisting US President Donald Trump's demands to hike defence spending to five percent of national output, potentially threatening NATO unity at a crucial alliance summit this month.

UK inflation dips less than expected in May
British inflation eased less than expected in May after surging in April, official data showed Wednesday, fuelling expectations that the Bank of England will hold interest rates steady this week.

Oil edges down, stocks mixed but Mideast war fears elevated
Oil prices slipped Wednesday following the previous day's surge but investors remained on edge fearing a US intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict after Donald Trump called for Tehran's "unconditional surrender".
Dozens of Bali flights cancelled after Indonesia volcano erupts
Dozens of flights to and from Indonesia's resort island of Bali were cancelled on Wednesday, authorities said, after a volcano in the archipelago's east erupted, shooting an ash tower 10 kilometres (six miles) into the sky.

Energy transition: how coal mines could go solar
Disused coal mines could be refashioned to place vast fields of solar panels, a new report suggests, providing an unlikely solution to a common obstacle to uptake of the green energy source.

Australian mushroom murder suspect not on trial for lying: defence
An Australian woman accused of killing three lunch guests with deadly mushrooms should not be judged guilty just because she lied after the meal, her defence lawyer said Wednesday.

New Zealand approves medicinal use of 'magic mushrooms'
New Zealand on Wednesday approved the medicinal use of psilocybin, a hallucinogenic compound notably found in so-called "magic mushrooms".

Suspects in Bali murder all Australian, face death penalty: police
Three Australians were arrested in Indonesia over the murder of a male compatriot on the resort island of Bali and face the death penalty, police said Wednesday, after a days-long manhunt.

Taiwan's entrepreneurs in China feel heat from cross-Strait tensions
Bustling Taipei-style shopping streets, majestic temples to the island's deities and thriving factories dot the eastern Chinese city of Kunshan, for years a hub for Taiwanese businesses.

N. Korea to send army builders, deminers to Russia's Kursk
North Korea will send military builders and sappers to help restore Russia's Kursk region after Ukraine's incursion, Moscow's security chief said, in a fresh sign of deepening ties between the two countries.

Sergio Ramos gives Inter a scare in Club World Cup stalemate
The 39-year-old Spanish great Sergio Ramos scored as Monterrey held Inter Milan 1-1 in a hard-fought FIFA Club World Cup Group E opener in Pasadena on Tuesday.

Kneecap rapper in court on terror charge over Hezbollah flag
A member of the provocative Irish rap group Kneecap, charged with a terror offence for allegedly showing support for Hezbollah, was due to appear in a London court Wednesday.

Panthers rout Oilers to capture second NHL Stanley Cup in a row
The Florida Panthers, powered by Sam Reinhart's four-goal effort, captured their second consecutive Stanley Cup on Tuesday, defeating Edmonton 5-1 to win the NHL Final.

Nearly two centuries on, quiet settles on Afghanistan's British Cemetery
Aynullah Rahimi's family has for decades tended the old cemetery in Kabul reserved for non-Afghans, but since the country's latest war ended and foreigners left in droves, he says few now enter the oasis of quiet in the capital.
G7 summit minus Trump rallies behind Ukraine
Group of Seven leaders on Tuesday vowed greater support for Ukraine but stopped short of joint condemnation of Russia for its growing attacks, at a summit missing Donald Trump.

Iran says hypersonic missiles fired at Israel as Trump demands 'unconditional surrender'
Iran claimed early Wednesday to have fired hypersonic missiles at Israel in the latest round of overnight strikes between the archfoes, hours after Donald Trump demanded the Islamic republic's "unconditional surrender".

Oil stabilises after surge, stocks drop as Mideast crisis fuels jitters
Oil prices stabilised Wednesday after surging the previous day on fears of a US intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict sparked by Donald Trump calling for Tehran's "unconditional surrender".

Paul Marshall: Britain's anti-woke media baron
Unlike Rupert Murdoch, he is barely known, but the UK has a new right-wing media mogul: Paul Marshall who has quietly built a powerful empire that reaches millions of Britons.

Inzaghi defends manner of exit from Inter to Saudi club
Former Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi has shrugged off criticism over the manner of his move to Saudi club Al-Hilal.

Made in Vietnam: Hanoi cracks down on fake goods as US tariffs loom
Since the United States accused Vietnam of being a hub for counterfeit goods, Tran Le Chi has found it increasingly hard to track down her favourite fake Chanel T-shirts, Gucci sunglasses and Louis Vuitton handbags.

Longer exposure, more pollen: climate change worsens allergies
Runny nose, itching eyes, worsening asthma symptoms -- the effects of hay fever are nothing to sneeze at, experts say, warning of an "explosion" of allergies as climate change lengthens and intensifies pollen seasons.

Sundowns edge Ulsan in front of empty stands at Club World Cup
Mamelodi Sundowns got off to a winning start at the Club World Cup with a 1-0 victory over South Korean side Ulsan HD on Tuesday in a match delayed by a weather warning and played before largely empty stands.

China downplayed nuclear-capable missile test: classified NZ govt papers
China tried to mislead foreign governments in 2024 by playing down the importance of a nuclear-capable missile test over the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand diplomats privately warned in documents obtained by AFP.

Canada needs 'bold ambition' to poach top US researchers
Like Europe, Canada is looking to attract top US scientists who may want to evade President Donald Trump's crackdown on universities and research institutions.

US Fed set to hold rates steady as it guards against inflation
The US central bank is expected to hold interest rates steady Wednesday after its key policy meeting, as officials gauge the impact of tariffs on inflation -- and despite President Donald Trump's calls for rate cuts.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial offers fodder for influencers and YouTubers
The criminal trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs is now in its sixth week of testimony -- and interest among influencers and YouTubers is still soaring, as online personalities flock to the Manhattan federal courthouse to livestream their musings.

New rules may not change dirty and deadly ship recycling business
Mizan Hossain fell 10 metres (33-foot) from the top of a ship he was cutting up on Chittagong beach in Bangladesh -- where the majority of the world's maritime giants meet their end -- when the vibrations shook him from the upper deck.