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Beijing's largest-ever exercises around Taiwan have offered key clues into its plans for a gruelling blockade in the event of a war to take the self-ruled island, and revealed an increasingly emboldened Chinese military, experts told AFP.

Israel hit Gaza with air strikes on Saturday and a Palestinian militant group retaliated with a barrage of rocket fire, in the territory's worst escalation of violence since a war last year.

US actress Anne Heche has been hospitalized in critical condition after crashing her car into a Los Angeles home, US media reported Friday.

Top seed Andrey Rublev won twice on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the ATP and WTA Washington Open, dispatching Americans Maxime Cressy and J.J. Wolf at the US Open tuneup.

Major flooding in California's Death Valley on Friday stranded approximately 1,000 people, buried cars and shut down all roads into and out of the famously parched national park.

World number one Daniil Medvedev continued the build up toward his US Open title defense with a 7-6 (7/0), 6-1 victory over Miomir Kecmanovic in the ATP hardcourt touranment in Los Cabos, Mexico.

A Pakistan zoo is auctioning off a dozen lions to private collectors next week to free up space for a pride that won't stop growing.

Taiwan accused the Chinese army of simulating an attack on its main island Saturday, as Beijing doubled down on its retaliation for US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei after announcing a suspension of cooperation with Washington on key issues.

China has doubled down on its retaliation for US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, announcing a suspension of cooperation with Washington on key issues as it was set Saturday to continue massive military exercises in the Strait.

Top seed Andrey Rublev won twice on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the ATP and WTA Washington Open, dispatching Americans Maxime Cressy and J.J. Wolf in the US Open tuneup.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr Saturday in a bid to bolster the countries' "strong" alliance, as China conducts military drills around nearby Taiwan.

Second-seeded Spaniard Paula Badosa swept into the semi-finals of the WTA hardcourt tournament in San Jose on Friday with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 victory over rising US star Coco Gauff.

In the Hamptons, New York's playground for the rich and famous, a Native American tribe is battling with the latest threat to what's left of its traditional land: climate change.

Nicaraguan police on Friday accused the Catholic Church and Bishop Rolando Alvarez, who has been under siege in his residence for two days, of inciting violence to destabilize the country.

"Humanity is playing with a loaded gun" as crises with the potential for nuclear disaster proliferate worldwide, UN head Antonio Guterres said in Hiroshima on Saturday, the 77th anniversary of the first atomic bomb attack.

Rising South Korean star Kim Joo-hyung was all smiles again on Friday after firing a six-under par 64 to share the second-round lead in the US PGA Tour Wyndham Championship.

Australia captain Michael Hooper has cited personal reasons for withdrawing from Saturday's Rugby Championship Test against Argentina, believing he doesn't have the right "mindset" to lead his country.

A high-ranking US delegation lands in the Solomon Islands Saturday, as Washington wrestles with Beijing for influence in the region months after the Pacific nation signed a secretive security pact with China.

Beijing is freezing its cooperation with Washington on global warming, but experts are hoping that, for the sake of humanity, the cold spell between the world's two largest emitters is only temporary.

Amazon on Friday announced a $1.7 billion deal to buy the maker of robotic vacuum Roomba in a merger that would play into the tech giant's artificial intelligence and smart home ambitions.

Grenada's Lindon Victor retained his Commonwealth Games decathlon crown in a nail-biting finale on Friday as host nation England closed the gap on Australia at the top of the medals table.

Rising South Korean star Kim Joo-hyung was all smiles again on Friday after firing a six-under par 64 to share the early second-round lead in the US PGA Tour Wyndham Championship.

Kyiv and Moscow accused each other of striking Europe's largest nuclear site on Friday, causing a reactor stoppage as three grain ships departed Ukraine under a deal to avert food shortages.

Grenada's Lindon Victor narrowly retained his Commonwealth decathlon crown on Friday as New Zealand shot putter Tom Walsh also held onto his title in Birmingham.

Three people, including an elderly couple celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary, were pronounced dead Friday after being struck by lightning in a park near the White House.

Mikel Arteta praised Arsenal's ability to ride out a second-half onslaught from Crystal Palace to make the perfect start to the Premier League season with a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park on Friday.

Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann said he didn't mind if it was beginning to feel "normal" for his team to win the title, after thrashing an overwhelmed Eintracht Frankfurt 6-1 away at Deutsche Bank Park on Friday.

Wayne Parnell's maiden five-wicket Twenty20 international haul led South Africa to a convincing 44-run win over Ireland at Bristol on Friday as the Proteas completed a 2-0 series win.

Arsenal ensured there was no repeat of their disastrous start to last season as Mikel Arteta's men saw off Crystal Palace 2-0 on Friday to open the 30th season of the Premier League.

Stock markets mostly fell Friday as a much stronger-than-expected US jobs report raised the prospect that the Federal Reserve will maintain its aggressive monetary policy to combat inflation.

A Cuban TV program, state-run like all others in the communist country, has cautioned against responding to protests on the island with "repression," in a rare deviation from the official media line.

Bayern Munich got their quest for an 11th consecutive Bundesliga title off to the best possible start, thrashing an overwhelmed Eintracht Frankfurt 6-1 away at Deutsche Bank Park on Friday.