Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has begun making arrangements to forgo participating as an observer at a meeting of signatories to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons to be held in the United States in March, it has been learned.

After achieving its goal of having a Thai rider in the MotoGP, Thai Honda has vowed to build on that success and continue their support for local motorsport talent this year.

MELBOURNE - Jannik Sinner is wary of "physical beast" Alexander Zverev as the Italian bids to join an elite group with back-to-back Australian Open titles in a final Sunday that pits the world's top two players.

Ratchanok Intanon is one win away from her first title of the year after reaching the final of the US$475,000 BWF Indonesia Masters in Jakarta on Saturday.

SYDNEY - A statue in Sydney of British explorer James Cook, captain of the first Western ship to reach the east coast of Australia, was sprayed with red paint and damaged two days before Australia’s national day, authorities said.

SEOUL - North Korea has test-fired sea-to-surface strategic guided cruise missiles, state news agency KCNA reported Sunday, adding that the weapons "precisely" hit their targets.

GAZA STRIP (PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES) - A fragile truce aimed at ending the war in Gaza entered its second week on Sunday, after four Israeli hostages and around 200 Palestinian prisoners were released to joyful scenes.

Tributes have poured in for Denis Law, who passed away last week at the age of 84. Sir Alex Ferguson called him "the greatest Scottish player of all time" and few would dispute that.

Ratchanok Intanon battled her way into the women's singles semi-finals of the US$475,000 BWF Indonesia Masters in Jakarta on Friday.

Ten-man Buriram United drew 0-0 with Singapore's Lion City Sailors in the Asean Club Championship (Shopee Cup) on Thursday night.