The Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar’s two other 500-mile events will have a greater impact on deciding a season champion under a revamped season points scoring system announced Thursday. Double points will be awarded for the Indy 500, the May 25 flagship…
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Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica said Thursday that his country had agreed to receive detainees from the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, calling the decision a matter of human rights. US President Barack Obama is struggling to fulfill his five-…
Tottenham crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday but not before giving Benfica a huge scare as English interest in the continent’s second-tier tournament ended. Benfica survived a dramatic late onslaught in Lisbon to reach the quarter-finals with…
World number one Tiger Woods is suffering from a bulging disc in his back that will not require surgery, Golfweek magazine reported Thursday on its website. Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus,…
The cost of Brazil’s World Cup is edging ever higher, amid new estimates indicating Rio and Sao Paulo authorities must find more cash for temporary installations. Rio’s state government earlier this week revealed in Brazil’s Official Journal that it…
Google said Thursday its popular Gmail service would use encryption to thwart snooping, in the latest move by the tech sector reassuring customers following revelations about US surveillance programs. “Your email is important to you, and making sure…
K-pop made fresh inroads Thursday when Lady Gaga revealed that South Korean girl group Crayon Pop will open her upcoming summer concerts in Canada and the United States. “I’m excited to announce June 26 through July 22 of Lady Gaga’s artRAVE: The ARTPOP…
The French intelligence agency in charge of military and electronic spying is massively collecting data and monitoring networks of telecoms giant Orange, Le Monde newspaper reported in its Friday edition. “The DGSE can read, like an open book, the origin…
Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region pledged Thursday to export 100,000 barrels of oil per day through central government-controlled pipelines in a bid to resolve an impasse with Baghdad ahead of elections. The Kurds and the government are locked in a row…
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu promised his US counterpart Chuck Hagel in a telephone call Thursday that Moscow would not assault eastern Ukraine. Hagel voiced concern about Russian military movements but Shoigu assured him that “the troops…
US-sponsored peace talks with Israel have reached an impasse because of Jewish settlement activity, a Palestinian spokesman said Thursday, as plans for over 2,000 West Bank units were moved forward. “Israel’s settlement activity caused the negotiations…
The deputy head of the NSA spying agency accused fugitive intelligence contractor Edward Snowden on Thursday of displaying “amazing arrogance” in revealing US eavesdropping techniques. NSA deputy director Richard Ledgett argued that Snowden, hailed…
A stroke of free-kick brilliance from Andrea Pirlo secured Juventus’s ticket to the Europa League quarter-finals after a 1-0 win over 10-man Fiorentina on Thursday. Fiorentina had high hopes of making the last eight of Europe’s second tier club competition…
Benfica survived a dramatic late onslaught from Tottenham to reach the Europa League quarter-finals with a 2-2 draw in Thursday’s last 16 second leg in Lisbon. After winning the first leg 3-1 at White Hart Lane last week, Jorge Jesus’s team appeared…
World Cup hopefuls Italy will face Ireland at Fulham’s Craven Cottage ground as the Azzurri finalise preparations for this summer’s tournament in Brazil, the Italian football federation (FIGC) said Thursday. Italy, the beaten Euro 2012 finalists, recently…
Major League Soccer will have its top referees back on the field this weekend after a deal was reached between the referees’ union and the governing group for MLS officials. The five-year contract announced Thursday by the Professional Referee Organization…
Turkey’s combative prime minister warned on Thursday that he would eradicate Twitter in the wake of damaging allegations of corruption in his inner circle that have spread across social networks in recent weeks. “We will wipe out Twitter. I don’t care…
Andy Murray remained confident of defending his title at the ATP Miami Masters as he explained his surprise split from coach Ivan Lendl on Thursday after two years together. “It was mutual,” Murray said. “We sat down Saturday evening, we went and had…
South African retailer Shoprite on Thursday opened its first outlet in northern Nigeria, as part of an aggressive expansion drive and defying wider concerns about security in the region. The store in Kano — the north’s largest city and main commercial…
Ivory Coast announced Thursday it will transfer Charles Ble Goude, the jailed right-hand man of former president Laurent Gbagbo, to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. In September last year, The Hague-based ICC unsealed a…