Year: 2025

Sydney (AFP) – India coach Gautam Gambhir declined to confirm Thursday whether embattled skipper Rohit Sharma would play in the decisive fifth Test against Australia, but said he was “extremely confident” his team could win.

Islamabad (AFP) – The space in which refugee Shaharzad has to live has shrunk to the small courtyard of a guesthouse in Pakistan’s capital, reminiscent of her life under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.

Taichung (Taiwan) (AFP) – Taiwanese persimmon farmer Lo Chih-neng stands on a ladder in his sprawling orchard using secateurs to cut the golden-yellow fruit still hanging from branches after enduring a tough season.

Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Karl-Anthony Towns scored 31 points and Josh Hart delivered his second straight triple-double to propel the New York Knicks to their ninth straight NBA victory on Wednesday, 119-103 over the Utah Jazz.

New Orleans (AFP) – The celebratory atmosphere of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, long an American byword for indulgence and revelry, was dimmed Wednesday as residents and visitors alike reeled from a deadly truck attack on New Year’s crowds.

Hong Kong (AFP) – Asian stocks began 2025 mostly in the red on Thursday after worries about US interest rates, tariffs and China’s economy gave Wall Street the holiday blues for a fourth straight session.

Beijing (AFP) – Last year was China’s warmest on record, its weather agency said, as the world experiences a surge in extreme weather fuelled by climate change.

Nelson (New Zealand) (AFP) – Kusal Perera cracked a career-best 101 off just 46 balls as Sri Lanka secured a consolation seven-run victory in the third and final Twenty20 match against New Zealand in Nelson on Thursday.

Muan (South Korea) (AFP) – South Korean police on Thursday raided the offices of Jeju Air and the operator of Muan International Airport as part of the probe into the fatal crash of a Boeing 737-800 plane that killed 179 people.

Seoul (AFP) – Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was resisting arrest for a third day on Thursday after vowing to “fight” authorities seeking to question him over his failed martial law bid.