A US government employee in China suffered brain trauma linked to "abnormal sounds" that resembled the still-unexplained injuries that befell US and Canadian diplomats in Cuba last year, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday.

If Philip Roth is credited with a damning premonition of the Trump presidency in his 2004 novel "The Plot Against America," the late novelist was profoundly shocked by the reality of 21st century US politics.

US central bankers are likely to raise the key interest rate "soon," the Federal Reserve said Wednesday, a clear signal of a rate hike coming next month, as financial markets expect.

President Donald Trump cannot legally block Twitter users who disagree with him, a federal judge ruled Wednesday in a case with potentially far-reaching implications for social media use by public officials.

President Donald Trump violated the US constitution by blocking Twitter users who disagree with him, a federal judge ruled Wednesday in a case closely watched for implications for online free speech.

Tributes poured in Wednesday honoring the late US literary giant Philip Roth, whose prolific career as a novelist, essayist and critic chronicled the American experience in the 20th century.

Failing to cap global warming at two degrees Celsius or less could cost the world economy tens of trillions of dollars over the next 80 years, researchers warned Wednesday.

Italy's president on Wednesday approved little-known lawyer Giuseppe Conte's nomination to be prime minister of a government formed by far-right and anti-establishment parties.

National Football League owners reached agreement Wednesday on a policy requiring players to stand during the national anthem but giving them the option of remaining in the locker room if they preferred.

The new head of USA Gymnastics apologized before Congress on Wednesday for the "despicable" sexual abuse of Olympic gymnasts by disgraced team doctor Larry Nassar and pledged to make athlete safety the top priority.

Hostility towards ethnic minorities is contagious and the acceptability of destructive behaviour towards them can easily change depending on how others behave, according to a new study by a Czech-Slovak team.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday the fate of a landmark summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un will be decided "next week," as aides traveled to Singapore on a preparatory mission.

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has a clear "potential to expand", WHO warned Wednesday, amid news three people infected with the deadly virus had fled a local hospital.

The human brain is disproportionately large. And while abundant grey matter confers certain intellectual advantages, sustaining a big brain is costly -- consuming a fifth of energy in the human body.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday urged Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the bosses of other tech companies accused of hoovering up personal data while avoiding taxes to use their clout for global good.

Italy's would-be prime minister Giuseppe Conte headed into talks Wednesday with the country's president who must decide whether to approve his nomination to lead a government formed by far-right and anti-establishment parties.

Philip Roth, a giant of US literature whose work explored what it meant to be American, male and Jewish, was a towering figure among 20th century novelists whose five-decade career won him legions of awards around the world.

A full-fledged bidding war for key assets of Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox erupted Wednesday as media and cable giant Comcast announced it plans an all-cash bid that would top an offer already on the table from Walt Disney Co.

A guitar that played a key role in Bob Dylan's artistic evolution from folk music to rock fetched a half million at auction on Saturday.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has denied a request by Brazil's ex-president Lula da Silva seeking emergency action against his imprisonment, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The search for flight MH370 will end next week, Malaysia's transport minister said Wednesday, more than four years after the plane disappeared and triggered one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries.

The US embassy in China issued a health alert Wednesday after a US government employee experienced an "abnormal" sound and suffered a mild brain injury -- in an incident reminiscent of a mysterious illness that hit diplomats in Cuba.

Hundreds mourned a Pakistani exchange student killed in a mass shooting at a Texas high school last week during her burial in Karachi Wednesday.

Moroccan women surfers have become a common sight as they skim the waves off the coast of the capital, Rabat, but they still can face prejudice and harassment back on land.

Rohingya militants massacred Hindu villagers during last year's uprising in Myanmar's Rakhine, Amnesty International said Wednesday in a report that sheds fresh light on the complex ethnic rivalries in the state.

A unit of electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn said it will launch an initial public offering in China on Thursday aimed at raising $4.2 billion, in the biggest mainland debut in nearly three years.

Flagmakers in Bangladesh are doing a roaring trade weeks ahead of the World Cup, but no-one is interested in the home nation's colours -- the money is all on pennants for Lionel Messi's Argentina and Neymar's Brazil.

Toulouse took a huge step towards preserving their French Ligue 1 status with a 3-0 win over troubled Ajaccio in the first leg of a relegation/promotion play-off staged at an empty stadium in Montpellier.

Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth seeks his first victory since last year's British Open at this week's PGA Fort Worth Invitational, where he produced top-two finishes the past three years.

Brazil's star forward Neymar is returning to training "better than expected," after more than two months out with a broken foot bone, the Brazilian team physical trainer said Wednesday.

Andres Iniesta tweeted Wednesday he was going to his "new home" with his "friend" Hiroshi Mikitani, owner of Japan's Vissel Kobe, implying he would now be playing there after leaving Barcelona.

Andres Iniesta tweeted Wednesday he was going to his "new home" with his "friend" Hiroshi Mikitani, owner of Japan's Vissel Kobe, implying he would now be playing there after leaving Barcelona.

Doc Rivers has signed a coaching contract extension with the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers even after they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011, the team announced Wednesday.

Italy's Elia Viviani won a sprint finish for his fourth stage win of this year's Giro d'Italia on Wednesday as Britain's Simon Yates held the leader's pink jersey as the race heads for the Alps.

Carlo Ancelotti has been appointed coach of Italian club Napoli on a three-year deal, the Serie A side confirmed on Wednesday.

Four-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has welcomed back the "beautiful" grid girls at this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, saying their return is "a lovely thing".

National Football League owners reached agreement Wednesday on a policy requiring players to stand during the national anthem but giving them the option of remaining in the locker room if they preferred.

The new head of USA Gymnastics apologized before Congress on Wednesday for the "despicable" sexual abuse of Olympic gymnasts by disgraced team doctor Larry Nassar and pledged to make athlete safety the top priority.

Ireland boss Joe Schmidt has named uncapped duo Ross Byrne and Tadhg Beirne in his squad for the forthcoming tour to Australia.

Carlo Ancelotti has reached agreement to take over as Napoli coach ending Maurizio Sarri's three-year reign at the Serie A club, according to reports in Italy on Wednesday.

Ruled out of the World Cup with a ruptured Achilles tendon, Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has written a letter of encouragement to the France squad, national coach Didier Deschamps said on Wednesday.

Before Real Madrid try to get their hands on a third straight Champions League crown this week, Lyon have the chance to achieve the same feat in the women's showpiece.

Maurizio Sarri's departure as Napoli coach was confirmed Wednesday by club president Aurelio De Laurentiis hours after Carlo Ancelotti agreed to take over.

National Football League owners reached agreement Wednesday on a policy which would require players to stand during the national anthem but give them the option of remaining in the locker room if they preferred.

Arizona and New Orleans were confirmed as the hosts of the 2023 and 2024 Super Bowls on Wednesday as National Football League owners met at their annual spring meeting in Atlanta.

Veteran Malaysian shuttler Lee Chong Wei enacted his revenge on world number one Viktor Axelsen by stunning the Dane in a two-game match in their final group encounter of the Thomas Cup on Wednesday.

Olympic champion Monica Puig withdrew from the French Open on Wednesday after failing to recover from a hip injury, the Puerto Rican player announced on Twitter.

All Blacks legend Dan Carter will miss Racing 92's Top 14 semi-final against Castres on Saturday with a hamstring injury, but should be fit for an eventual final, a club source told AFP.

Dutch left-back Mitchell Dijks has signed a five-year contract with Serie A club Bologna from Ajax, the Italian club confirmed on Wednesday.

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis welcomed Unai Emery as his club's manager on Wednesday by claiming the Gunners' job is the "most attractive" in world football.

Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy is hoping this week's PGA Championship can be the catalyst for a run of success as his previous win at Wentworth proved to be in 2014.

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot "has made a huge mistake" in refusing to be a World Cup standby player, France manager Didier Deschamps said on Wednesday as his squad assembled at their Clairefontaine training centre.

Exeter boss Rob Baxter is relishing a Premiership final showdown against Saracens as the clubs prepare to go head to head at Twickenham on Saturday.

New Italy coach Roberto Mancini has unveiled his backroom staff as his 28-man squad meet for the first time on Wednesday evening for a training camp at Coverciano, outside Florence ahead of three upcoming friendlies.

A full-fledged bidding war for key assets of Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox erupted Wednesday as media and cable giant Comcast announced it plans an all-cash bid that would top an existing offer from Walt Disney Co.

If Philip Roth is credited with a damning premonition of the Trump presidency in his 2004 novel "The Plot Against America," the late novelist was profoundly shocked by the reality of 21st century US politics.

Tributes poured in Wednesday honoring the late US literary giant Philip Roth, whose prolific career as a novelist, essayist and critic chronicled the American experience in the 20th century.

Four-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has welcomed back the "beautiful" grid girls at this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, saying their return is "a lovely thing".

Philip Roth, a giant of US literature whose work explored what it meant to be American, male and Jewish, was a towering figure among 20th century novelists whose five-decade career won him legions of awards around the world.

The death of America's prolific novelist Philip Roth aged 85 has led to his admirers scorning the Nobel Literature Prize that eluded his work, which often portrayed male sexuality and relations with women.

CBS filed a new complaint Wednesday seeking to wrest control of the media group from controlling shareholder Shari Redstone, accusing her of trying "reap private benefits" at the expense of other stockholders.

A guitar that played a key role in Bob Dylan's artistic evolution from folk music to rock fetched a half million at auction on Saturday.

US media and cable giant Comcast said Wednesday it preparing an all-cash offer for the key television and entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox that would top an offer on the table from Walt Disney Co.

"Rain Man" director Barry Levinson will be honoured at the Czech Republic's Karlovy Vary film festival in July, organisers said on Wednesday.

China surpassed North America to become the world's largest movie market during the first quarter of 2018, fuelled in part by big-grossing domestic films, according to US and Chinese box-office figures.

"Point Break" has its surfers robbing banks when they aren't on the water, while in "Blue Crush" they clean hotel rooms. In "Breath," they swim in the choppier waters of erotic asphyxiation.

Swedish superstar DJ Avicii, who died last month aged 28, is to be buried "privately" with only his closest relatives and friends present, his family said on Tuesday.

Feathers are flying in the free speech-friendly Netherlands after Israel's embassy Tuesday complained about a Dutch parody of Netta Barzilai's winning Eurovision song, calling the home-grown version "in bad taste" and "disgraceful".

Newlyweds Prince Harry and Meghan attended their first engagement as a married couple on Tuesday after their spectacular, tradition-defying wedding in Windsor Castle, which was watched around the world.

Kendrick Lamar, the US music star and Pulitzer prize winner, halted a recent gig to call out a white fan for rapping the "n-word" from his own lyrics.

After Kazakhstan's Samal Yeslyamova scooped a surprise award for best actress at the Cannes film festival, many of her compatriots found themselves typing her name into search engines.

The big tent in a Saint Petersburg park is not just a circus but a space for disabled and disadvantaged children, often shunned by Russian society, to express themselves.

The five nations bordering the Arctic Ocean on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment made in Greenland a decade ago to "peacefully" settle their differences over the resource-rich region threatened by climate change.

Music historians have long suspected that the inventors of the violin wanted to imitate the human voice, and a study out Monday shows how 16th to 18th century luthiers in Italy did it.

In the wildly popular "Star Wars" films, Han Solo once told a lightsaber-wielding Luke Skywalker: "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."

Another weekend, another $100-million-plus superhero opening: This time it was 20th Century Fox's "Deadpool 2," with a $125.5 million take in North American theaters and a huge debut overseas, box office tracker Exhibitor Relations said Monday.

Allegations of sexual assault against US celebrity chef Mario Batali spotlight once again an industry known for its macho work environment as the #MeToo era claims yet another high-profile American scalp.

The San Antonio Spurs have become the first team in the NBA to disband their all-female dance group, announcing plans to replace the squad with a "family-friendly" co-ed act, the franchise has confirmed.

Barack and Michelle Obama have entered into a multi-year agreement to produce films and series with Netflix, the world's leading internet entertainment service announced on Monday.

Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre spent three stints in rehab during his career to battle addictions to alcohol and prescription pills, the NFL icon told Sports Illustrated in an interview on Monday.

Newlyweds Prince Harry and Meghan thanked everyone who took part in the celebrations of their wedding on Saturday, as their Kensington Palace residence published three official wedding photographs.

NASA's new administrator, a former lawmaker nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the US space agency, admitted Wednesday he has changed his mind about climate change and now believes that humans are the main driver of greenhouse gas emissions.

Failing to cap global warming at two degrees Celsius or less could cost the world economy tens of trillions of dollars over the next 80 years, researchers warned Wednesday.

A toxic weedkiller linked to Parkinson's disease and banned in more than 30 countries will not be outlawed in Thailand, after authorities announced Wednesday they would instead restrict its use.

As carbon dioxide rises due to the burning of fossil fuels, rice will lose some of its protein and vitamin content, putting millions of people at risk of malnutrition, scientists warned on Wednesday.

Hostility towards ethnic minorities is contagious and the acceptability of destructive behaviour towards them can easily change depending on how others behave, according to a new study by a Czech-Slovak team.

The human brain is disproportionately large. And while abundant grey matter confers certain intellectual advantages, sustaining a big brain is costly -- consuming a fifth of energy in the human body.

The German government approved a draft law Wednesday that paves the way for energy giants RWE and Vattenfall to receive hundreds of millions of euros in compensation for the country's decision to phase out nuclear power.

Rwanda has become the official tourism partner of English football club Arsenal FC, whose players will sport a "Visit Rwanda" logo on their sleeves, the club announced Wednesday.

Authorities in Hamburg said Wednesday they would ban some diesel vehicles from two major arteries to improve air quality, making the German port city the first to take the long-feared step.

A shipbuilding hub since the days of the British empire, the Scottish city of Glasgow is now reaching for the stars with a growing space satellite industry.

Mount Everest's Hillary Step -- a rocky outcrop just below the summit -- is now a slope, say climbers who recently returned from the mountain.

A slow-moving lava flow is starting to close in on a power plant near Kilauea volcano, which has authorities scrambling to keep it from becoming part of the drama.

From ivory baubles and leopard coats to rare turtles and live bears, the online market for protected wildlife is booming, according to an International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) investigation released Wednesday.

Why did birds lose their teeth? Was it so they would be lighter in the air? Or are pointy beaks better for worm-eating than the jagged jaws of dinosaur ancestors?

In 27 years from now, almost a quarter of the global population will be obese, researchers said Wednesday, warning of the mounting medical bill.

A SpaceX rocket Tuesday blasted off a duo of sports car-sized satellites built by the US and Germany to reveal changes in sea level rise, ice melt and drought on Earth.

A SpaceX rocket Tuesday blasted off a duo of sports car-sized satellites built by the US and Germany to reveal changes in sea level rise, ice melt and drought on Earth.

Indian police on Tuesday killed 12 demonstrators after opening fire on thousands of people demanding the closure of a copper factory due to pollution concerns, a police officer said.

Finnish materials physicist Tuomo Suntola, who developed a groundbreaking technology to reduce the size of complex devices, on Tuesday won Finland's take on the Nobel science prizes.

The reason we know today just how much ice is melting in Greenland and Antarctica is because of a pair of satellites, launched in 2002 by NASA and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). Now, they are set to be replaced by a more modern duo.

Bike-friendly capitals Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Oslo have Europe's cleanest and safest transport systems while heavily congested Rome has the worst, a Greenpeace study found Tuesday.

The five nations bordering the Arctic Ocean on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment made in Greenland a decade ago to "peacefully" settle their differences over the resource-rich region threatened by climate change.

The death toll from an outbreak of the rare Nipah virus in southern India jumped to 10 Tuesday with more than 90 people quarantined to try to stem the spread of the disease, officials said.

Dozens of people are feared to have died in a heatwave gripping Pakistan's largest city Karachi this week, a charity in the sprawling metropolis said Tuesday, as temperatures hit 42 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit).

Animal and plant species are vanishing at an accelerating pace around the world -- sometimes even before we know that they exist -- but conservationists are pushing back against the juggernaut of mass extinction.

A pair of identical, sportscar-sized satellites are poised to zoom around the Earth and track changes in water and ice, offering new insights into global warming and sea level rise, NASA said Monday.

Wildlife officials in the US state of Washington on Monday were probing what prompted a cougar to attack two cyclists over the weekend, leaving one dead and the other seriously injured.