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Russia threatened Thursday to turn off its gas taps to Europe if the continent fails to pay in rubles, opening up a new front amid its war in Ukraine, where NATO and Kyiv warned that Russian troops were regrouping for new attacks.

Dubai shuttered Expo 2020 with a colourful closing ceremony punctuated by fireworks on Thursday, leaving a multi-billion dollar mini-city in the desert and heightened expectations for future hosts.

A dozen Greenpeace activists in kayaks and swimming in the water blocked the transfer of Russian oil between two tankers off Denmark's coast on Thursday, the environmental organisation said.

Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma hit half-centuries to give South Africa a slight edge on the first day of the first Test against Bangladesh at Kingsmead on Thursday.

President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned "unfriendly" countries, including all EU members, that they would be cut off from Russian gas unless they opened an account in rubles to pay for deliveries.

Tanks in the streets, a severe medicine shortage and Russian soldiers searching homes -- residents in Ukraine's southern city of Kherson told AFP about life under Russian occupation.

President Joe Biden will announce Thursday a record release from US strategic oil reserves in an attempt to curb a politically damaging surge in domestic fuel prices following Russia's attack on Ukraine, the White House said.

"Tarawih" prayers which Muslims perform every night during the holy month of Ramadan, are returning to Istanbul's Hagia Sophia mosque for the first time in 88 years, the country's top religious body announced on Thursday.

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin successfully carried out its fourth crewed spaceflight Thursday, a ten-minute joyride beyond the planet's atmosphere and back again.

Steering clear of scandals and of debates about Ukraine, France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen is gaining ground ahead of a presidential election and increasingly confident she has a fighting chance of defeating incumbent Emmanuel Macron.

Afghanistan's economy risks falling into a "death spiral" without urgent aid, with some Afghans already forced to sell their children and body parts to survive, UN chief Antonio Guterres said Thursday.

President Joe Biden will announce Thursday the release of a record million barrels of oil a day, for about 180 days, from US strategic stockpiles in an attempt to dampen soaring fuel prices in the wake of Russia's attack on Ukraine, the White House said.

Oil prices tumbled on Thursday on reports that the United States is considering tapping reserves to combat a supply crisis sparked by the Ukraine war.

President Joe Biden was expected Thursday to announce the release of a record million barrels of oil a day from US strategic stockpiles in a dramatic attempt to cushion the political fallout from soaring crude prices due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Ben McDermott smashed a maiden century Tuesday to guide Australia to a massive 348-8 in the second day-night international against Pakistan in Lahore.

Premier League clubs will be able to make five substitutions from the 2022/23 season after they belatedly agreed to the rule change on Thursday.

Nine foreign judges from Britain, Australia and Canada confirmed Thursday they will stay on Hong Kong's top court after two senior British justices resigned to avoid endorsing China's crackdown on political freedoms in the financial hub.

Lingering divisions over FIFA's decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar overshadowed the annual congress of football's world governing body on Thursday, forcing its president Gianni Infantino to insist that the event had already brought change to the Arab state.

President Joe Biden plans to announce a potentially record release of oil from US strategic stockpiles to counter elevated gasoline prices in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, US media reported Thursday.

Sebastian Vettel has been declared fit to take part in next week's Australian Grand Prix after he missed the opening two races of the season following a bout of coronavirus.

Lewis Hamilton has revealed he is "struggling mentally and emotionally" after a tough start to the Formula One season.

Bangladesh hit back with three wickets during the first afternoon of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Thursday.

US consumers spent less and saved more in February amid rising prices for a range of goods, even as their incomes continued to increase, government data showed Thursday.

The OPEC group of oil producing countries and its Russia-led allies agreed on another modest oil output increase on Thursday, ignoring Western pressure to significantly boost production as the Ukraine conflict has rocked prices.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday tried to distance himself from a highly controversial project to hold the World Cup every two years as he suggested the plan had never actually been proposed by world football's governing body.

FIFA's decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar took centre stage at the global body's annual congress on Thursday with president Gianni Infantino forced to defend progress made by the Gulf state on human rights.

The United Nations said on Thursday the refugee exodus from Ukraine was a "massive humanitarian crisis" that was growing by the second, after another 40,000 fled the country in 24 hours.

The OPEC group of oil producing countries and its Russia-led allies were expected Thursday to again ignore Western pressure to significantly boost production as the Ukraine conflict has rocked prices.

A Turkish prosecutor on Thursday asked an Istanbul court to halt the trial of 26 suspects in the murder of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi and hand the case over to Riyadh.

Kyiv said Thursday it was sending dozens of buses to evacuate civilians from the besieged city of Mariupol after a Russian ceasefire announcement, as the international Red Cross said it was ready to lead the "desperately important" operation.

Ex-NBA star Jonas Jerebko has been cut from Sweden's national basketball squad, the federation said Thursday, a day after he joined CSKA Moscow despite international condemnation of Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Dubai will bid farewell to its extravagant Expo 2020 world fair on Thursday, leaving a multi-billion dollar mini-city in the desert and heightened expectations for future hosts.