- Global stock markets diverge as investors focus on earnings
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- Serena Williams has grapefruit-sized cyst removed from neck
- Lavreysen wins record-equalling 14th world cycling track title
- School's out! Argentina students study in the street to protest budget cuts
- Lower rates, surging stock market fail to ignite US IPO market
- Pogba 'willing to give up money' to stay at Juve
- Few countries have drawn up nature protection plans: UN
- Biden to make farewell trip to Germany as Ukraine war rages
- EU announces 30 mn euros to stem Senegal irregular migration
- Italy extends surrogacy ban to couples seeking it abroad
- Panama Canal crossings down 29 percent due to drought
- 'Clear indications' India violated Canada's sovereignty: Trudeau
- World champion Springboks to host Italy in 2025, Moerat to miss November tour
- Trump claims to be 'father of IVF' at all-female campaign stop
- WHO demands space to finish Gaza polio vaccination
- Mitchell left out of England squad for Autumn internationals
- Real Madrid back Mbappe amid Swedish rape investigation reports
- Middle East crisis top-of-mind at first EU-Gulf summit
- Israeli minister criticises Macron over France defence show ban
- Global stock markets diverge as markets focus on earmings
- Who said what on Tuchel's appointment as England manager
- Amazon bets on nuclear power to fuel AI ambitions
- Zelensky plan will be 'on table' at NATO talks this week: Rutte
- Harris steps into lion's den with Fox interview
- Macron riles Netanyahu with jab on Israel's creation
- Britain bounce back in America's Cup as New Zealand suffer
- Turkey shuts down radio station in Armenia genocide row
- Global stock markets diverge as tech fears linger
- Tuchel targets trophies as England manager
- War piles pressure on roads, services in crisis-hit Beirut
- Israeli booths, equipment barred from defence show in France
- Tuchel hopes to deliver 'missing trophies' to England
- England 239-6 in second Test after Sajid strikes for Pakistan
- Britain off the mark in America's Cup as New Zealand suffer
- Lufthansa fined 'record' $4 mn for barring Jewish passengers
- First migrants arrive in Albania under contested Italy deal
- Zelensky rules out ceding Ukrainian land in Victory Plan, urges NATO invite
- Global stock markets fall as tech fears weigh
- Musk's X escapes tough EU competition rules
- Thomas Tuchel: Abrasive but effective
- Root could break 16,000-run barrier, says England great Cook
- Indian airplane forced to divert after latest bomb hoax
- Tuchel 'has to' win World Cup for England, says Shearer
- Duckett half-century as England make brisk reply to Pakistan's 366
- Israel strikes Hezbollah strongholds after rejecting Lebanon ceasefire
- India issues flood warnings as rain pounds south
- Saudi crown prince in Brussels for first EU-Gulf summit
- Thomas Tuchel appointed England manager: Football Association
- 'Age of Electricity' coming as fossil fuels set to peak: IEA
Australia ready to pounce as USA bid to shore up Olympic swimming dominance
Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel spearhead the United States' bid to retain supremacy in the Olympic pool from Saturday against a formidable and confident Australia, amid simmering tensions over a Chinese doping scandal.
The mighty USA have long-owned Olympic swimming, collecting 30 medals, including 11 gold, to top the table at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games, ahead of Australia with nine gold and 20 in total.
They are unbeaten on the gold medal front since 1988, but Australia stunned them by claiming more titles at the world championships last year to set up a blockbuster showdown over an intense nine days in La Defense Arena.
Adding spice, the US contested that they won the duel at the worlds in Fukuoka, claiming they were best courtesy of their higher overall medal count.
That saw recently-retired Australian legend Cate Campbell brand them "sore losers", which prompted 23-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps to encourage his compatriots to "make them eat every word" in France.
Australian head coach Rohan Taylor attempted to dial down the rivalry, and expectations.
"I think the Americans are the standard of the sport," he said last week. "As a whole, in every event, they'll have somebody who can get on the podium. We want to be as good as them."
The decorated Ledecky, a seven-time gold medallist, is still the woman to beat in the 800m and the 1500m freestyle, but has lost her invincibility over 400m.
Six swimming world records tumbled in Tokyo and the first in Paris could come on the opening night with Ledecky attempting to reclaim her 400m crown against Australia's Ariarne Titmus and Canada's Summer McIntosh.
Known as "The Terminator", Titmus beat Ledecky in a thrilling Tokyo final then broke the American's long-standing world record in 2022, only for McIntosh to better the mark last year.
The Australian hit back to reclaim the world record months later and swam the second fastest time in history last month.
"I don't think about the result or the magnitude of the Olympic Games," said Titmus. "I just think about putting together eight great laps."
Titmus will also race the 200m freestyle -- as world record holder -- and 800m where she will also face Ledecky in the American's quest for a fourth straight title.
More world records will be on the line in the women's 100m and 200m backstroke, with Australia's Kaylee McKeown and American Regan Smith dominant and at the peak of their powers.
Superstar Dressel won five gold medals in Tokyo but stepped away from the sport in 2022 to tend to his mental health.
While the 27-year-old will not defend his 100m freestyle gold, he qualified for the 50m free and 100m butterfly and remains a significant contender in both.
- Three-Peaty? -
Another big-name veteran looking to turn back the clock is British breaststroke king Adam Peaty.
Like Dressel, he took time out to deal with depression but is back and in form as he seeks to become the first swimmer since Phelps to win the same race at three consecutive Olympics, in the 100m.
"Obviously now I do it to win, I want to be the best. I am the best," Peaty said.
But a crowded field is planning to dethrone him, led by China's Qin Haiyang who won all three breaststroke events at the 2023 world championships.
Qin is one of 23 Chinese swimmers implicated in a major doping scandal which only came to light this year and continues to hang over Paris.
They all tested positive for trimetazidine -- which can enhance performance -- ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, but were not sanctioned.
Instead, WADA accepted the explanation of Chinese authorities that the results were caused by food contamination.
An independent investigation cleared the world anti-doping agency of any wrongdoing, but not before an ugly war of words with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
Eleven of the Chinese swimmers, including butterfly specialist Zhang Yufei, who won two golds in Japan, and another gold medallist in Wang Shun, are in France.
The hosts have their own star in Leon Marchand after his sizzling 4:02.50 in the 400m medley last year shattered Phelps' 15-year-old world record.
A five-time world champion, Marchand will also be heavy favourite in the 200m medley and 200m butterfly as he bids to cement a burgeoning reputation.
F.Bennett--AMWN