Sudan war drains life from once-thriving island in capital's heart

Birk Ruud led from the start to win Beijing Olympic gold in the men's freeski Big Air final on Wednesday -- even carrying a Norwegian flag in his hand for his third jump.
France's Alexis Pinturault will have a crack at an elusive Olympic gold when he takes on the Beijing 2022 men's alpine combined on Wednesday.
Hindu worshippers from across India gather each morning to pray in Ayodhya, near where a historic mosque was torn down three decades ago by religious zealots -- triggering inter-faith riots that killed thousands of people.
One after the other, quickly, carefully, keeping their heads down, a group of Afghan women step into a small Kabul apartment block -- risking their lives as a nascent resistance against the Taliban.
While the closure of cinemas during the pandemic has eaten into popcorn sales, demand for the microwavable form of the popular snack has reached new records, according to Europe's biggest producer.
Mikaela Shiffrin said she felt "awful" after the American ski star's Beijing Olympics campaign went from bad to worse on Wednesday when she slid out of the slalom.
Peru's leftist President Pedro Castillo on Tuesday appointed a new cabinet, the fourth since he came to power six months ago, including replacing a prime minister who lasted just three days in office.
In the six months since taking back control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have erased all visible signs of the former government from the capital.
On the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, grappling with an influx of asylum seekers, the small town of Chlorakas has become the centre of tensions. One-quarter of its residents are refugees.
China's vast region of Xinjiang has hit the headlines as a centre of massive alleged human rights abuses, but Beijing is keen it gets recognition for another reason -- as a top winter sports destination.
Asian markets rose Wednesday following a positive performance on Wall Street as traders prepared for the release of highly anticipated US inflation data, while sentiment was also buoyed by signs of easing Russia-Ukraine tensions.
The storied library of Iraq's Mosul University boasted a million titles before Islamic State group jihadists rampaged through it, toppling book shelves and burning ancient texts.
The UN's top court will rule Wednesday in a long-running compensation fight between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is claiming billions of dollars over a brutal 1998-2003 war.
"You get used to it. The walls shake," says Sam, a resident of Midland, a town in west Texas where hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas -- known as "fracking" -- is causing more and more earthquakes.
The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August brought an end to 20 years of fighting -- and relief for many women -- but harsh restrictions imposed by the new government are also causing despair.
Soccer jerseys are everywhere in football-mad Brazil, often with the numbers of the country's all-time legends: Ronaldo's 9, Pele's 10, Romario's 11.
Argentine great Juan Martin del Potro made a losing return to tennis after a two-and-a-half-year injury absence on Tuesday, beaten in straight sets by compatriot Federico Delbonis in the Argentina Open.
US President Joe Biden, who has not publicly referred to Tesla when talking about electric vehicles since taking office, finally did so Tuesday after the carmaker's head Elon Musk complained about the lack of attention.
The parents of a teenager who shot dead four people at a high school in Michigan had ignored the boy's psychiatric problems and his calls for help, witnesses told a US court Tuesday.
Several thousand protesters marched in Buenos Aires on Tuesday to denounce the agreement reached between the government of centre-left President Alberto Fernandez and the IMF on the repayment of a $44 billion loan.
British superstar Adele won three awards, including the coveted Album of the Year, at the Brit awards on Tuesday, during a ceremony that did away with gender specific categories for the first time.
The front-runner in Colombia's May presidential election apologized on Tuesday for a speech he gave the day before while under the influence of alcohol, which drew criticism and jeers from his opponents.
David Moyes insisted he is an "animal lover" as the West Ham manager defended his controversial decision to pick Kurt Zouma for Tuesday's 1-0 win over Watford despite the Frenchman's cat-kicking shame.
US and Canadian business groups on Tuesday demanded truckers protesting against Covid restrictions end their blockade of a vital trade route between the two countries.
Truckers paralyzing the Canadian capital in anger at Covid rules showed no sign of backing down Tuesday, as several of the nation's provinces announced it was time to roll back restrictions that count among the world's toughest.
Manchester United dropped out of the Premier League's top four after a damaging 1-1 draw against struggling Burnley, while Newcastle boosted their survival bid with a crucial 3-1 win against Everton on Tuesday.
Oil prices fell Tuesday on easing geopolitical concerns surrounding major crude producers Iran and Russia while stock markets mostly moved higher.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer will not face criminal charges over assault allegations which forced him to miss the second half of the 2021 season, prosecutors confirmed on Tuesday.
Inter Milan marked the return of Jose Mourinho to the San Siro on Tuesday by dumping their idol's new team Roma out of the Italian Cup 2-0 and reaching the semi-finals.
Manchester United slipped out of the Premier League's top four after being held 1-1 by bottom-of-the-table Burnley at Turf Moor on Tuesday.
Newcastle moved out of the Premier League relegation zone with a vital 3-1 win against Everton that plunged Frank Lampard's side deeper into trouble on Tuesday.
The number of Brazilian children aged six and seven who do not know how to read or write has risen by 66 percent during the coronavirus pandemic, a report found Tuesday.
Three years after the devastation of missing out on the Super Bowl through injury, Cooper Kupp has bounced back from that disappointment with one of the best seasons in NFL history.
Seated around a campfire flanked by big rigs, with a view of parliament, bleary-eyed protesters on their 12th day of occupying Canada's capital say they are more determined than ever to stay put -- and defend their "freedom."
Morocco attacker Hakim Ziyech said on Tuesday he would be dedicating his energy on his club Chelsea, and would not play for his country again.
Amazon on Tuesday announced its telemedicine service has expanded nationwide in the United States, a new extension of the firm's empire that has steadily gone far beyond e-commerce.
European leaders on Tuesday pledged unity in their goal of averting war on the continent, as France's President Emmanuel Macron said he saw a path forward on easing tensions with Russia over Ukraine after an urgent round of shuttle diplomacy.
Talks to revive a deal with Iran on its contested nuclear programme resumed on Tuesday in Vienna after officials signalled an agreement was "in sight".
Canada's Saskatchewan province announced Tuesday the lifting of all Covid restrictions including wearing of masks and proof of vaccination for indoor dining -- as truckers continued occupying Ottawa with similar demands.