Showing 1 - 10 of 174
Sumo diplomacy: Japan's heavyweight 'soft power' ambassadors
AFP, Published on 30/01/2026
» TOKYO - Two giants stare each other down before colliding with a dull thud. After years on the sidelines, sumo is back centrestage as part of Japan's soft power arsenal overseas.
Immigration opposition fuels English flag frenzy
AFP, Published on 04/09/2025
» LONDON - Bitter debate about immigration in the United Kingdom has triggered a new trend of flying English and British flags in a vivid show of patriotism spearheaded in part by far-right figures.
'Angry gamblers' behind half of abusive tennis social media posts - report
AFP, Published on 20/12/2024
» PARIS - Tennis chiefs revealed Thursday that "angry gamblers" accounted for almost half of abusive social media posts targeting top tennis stars.
Chinese chess world rocked by cheating, bad behaviour
AFP, Published on 26/12/2023
» SHANGHAI - The world of Chinese chess is in uproar over rumours of cheating and a bad behaviour scandal that saw the national champion stripped of his title on Monday after a victory celebration ended with him defecating in a hotel bathtub.
UEFA suffers court defeat, but Super League finds few fans
AFP, Published on 21/12/2023
» LAUSANNE - Europe's top court dealt football governing body UEFA a scything legal tackle on Thursday, but an attempt by rival Super League promoters to kick off a new competition met a solid defensive wall of clubs and fans.
Donald Tusk: recent EU bigwig back in command in Poland
AFP, Published on 13/12/2023
» WARSAW - Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who ousted the conservatives from power, is a veteran politician and former EU chief with a passion for football and roots in the anti-communist movement.
For Turkish city named after founder, centenary holds special significance
AFP, Published on 23/10/2023
» KEMALIYE (TURKEY) - Standing at the foot of the cliff overlooking Kemaliye, the golden statue of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the father of the nation, evokes the glorious past of this small town in eastern Turkey.
LIV Golf bid for ranking points rejected by official body
AFP, Published on 11/10/2023
» LOS ANGELES - LIV Golf's bid to be recognised by the sport's global rankings body has been rejected, the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) organisation confirmed on Tuesday.
US Open to stick with night time double bill despite concerns
AFP, Published on 18/08/2023
» MIAMI - The US Open will stick with its policy of placing two night matches on the main Arthur Ashe court despite concerns from players about finishes in the early hours.
Women wrestlers battle for equality with Swiss 'schwinger kings'
AFP, Published on 09/08/2023
» ROMANEL-SUR-LAUSANNE (SWITZERLAND) - Traditional Swiss wrestling, known as "schwingen" in German, has been a male preserve for centuries -- the ultimate test of manhood for Alpine alpha males.