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Japan announced the official start of Tokyo's cherry blossom season on Tuesday, 10 days earlier than usual and tied with a record early start seen only twice before.

"We are here to save our music," proclaims Ramiz, a young Afghan musician who has been welcomed in Portugal, along with other students from the national music school he left as he fled the Taliban's cultural crackdown.

Rock pioneer and poet Lou Reed began writing a book in 2009 on an art at the heart of his lifestyle: tai chi.

Carlos Alcaraz fended off tenacious Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 on Monday to reach the fourth round at Indian Wells as he and women's top seed Iga Swiatek passed tough tests in the California desert.

Mike Trout smashed a three-run home run as the USA bounced back from their shock defeat to Mexico to rout Canada 12-1 in their World Baseball Classic pool game on Monday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from injury with a vengeance on Monday, scoring 46 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a come-from-behind 133-124 victory over the in-form Sacramento Kings.

The dramatic implosion of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) last week could bring the Federal Reserve's current cycle of interest rate hikes to an end far sooner than many analysts expected.

Manchester City midfielder Alex Robertson was called up by Australia on Tuesday and is set to become the third generation of his family to play for the Socceroos.

Sitting near a wall of stacked rocks, fisherman Mustagfirin looks out to sea from the tiny Indonesian island of Pari, wondering whether his home will exist for much longer.

World number one Iga Swiatek passed the test she'd been looking for, roaring through the tiebreaker to win a roller-coaster clash with Bianca Andreescu 6-3, 7-6 (7/1) to reach the fourth round at Indian Wells.

Using geothermal resources to generate electricity is a divisive prospect in Japan, but there is little disagreement about another use for it: natural steam for cooking.

With over 100 active volcanos, Japan has the world's third largest geothermal resources, but also a powerful industry that has steadfastly opposed developing the sector: hot springs.

Frozen in time for 20 years, two superyachts lie at the confluence of Iraq's Tigris and Euphrates rivers, bearing witness to the false glories of former dictator Saddam Hussein.

Increased childcare funding is expected to feature in the UK government's budget this week, in a bid to ease pressure on families and particularly women.

Jaylen Brown erupted for 43 points but it was not enough to stop the Boston Celtics stumbling to a shock 111-109 defeat to the lowly Houston Rockets on Monday.

With hindsight, there were warning signs ahead of last week's spectacular collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, missed not only by investors, but by bank regulators.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia lived up to comparisons with icon Diego Maradona with a wonder goal which has Napoli on a high ahead of their Champions League showdown with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Karim Benzema has formed an essential part of Real Madrid's Champions League success, but there are doubts over whether his team can rely on him to extend their European domination this season.

Asian markets sank Tuesday, with banks bearing the brunt of the selling on fears of contagion in the sector after the collapse of two regional US lenders.

Keanu Reeves is back with the fourth chapter of his megahit gun-frenzy franchise "John Wick" next week. He sees its expertly coordinated action scenes as "almost ballet".

In New York, one of the most celebrated culinary centers in the world, a war over foie gras is pitting the city, backed by animal rights activists, against duck farmers and restaurant owners, whose position is supported by the state.

The nearly overnight collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has left the US tech scene in shock, wondering how one of its most valued institutions could vanish so suddenly, shunned by the companies that used it most.

A California appeals court on Monday upheld a state law letting Uber, Lyft and other app-based, on-demand companies treat drivers as independent contractors rather than employees.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina punched her ticket to the fourth round at Indian Wells on Monday with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over former champion Paula Badosa.

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles Tuesday, Seoul said, Pyongyang's second launch in three days and the first since South Korea and the United States began their largest joint military drills in five years.

Lawyers for Jair Bolsonaro say the former Brazilian president has agreed to hand over to authorities jewels gifted by Saudi Arabia and which entered the country without being declared to tax authorities, local media reported Monday.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka scored a win for the old guard Monday, beating 19-year-old seventh seed Holger Rune 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5 to reach the fourth round at Indian Wells.

A Texas courtroom will be the latest battleground in the national fight over abortion rights when a judge hears arguments Wednesday over the legality of a widely-used abortion pill.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina punched her ticket to the fourth round at Indian Wells on Monday with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over former champion Paula Badosa.

China will once again start issuing a range of visas to foreigners as of Wednesday, the country's embassy in Washington said, a major easing of travel restrictions in force since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A landmark nuclear submarine pact between the United States, Australia and Britain underscores concerns over growing Chinese military power, but it will be years before the new vessels can help counter Beijing's efforts to expand its reach and influence.

Alvaro Morata snatched a 94th minute winner to earn Atletico Madrid a 1-0 victory at Girona on Monday and tighten their hold on third place in La Liga.