L'indépendance Luxembourgeoise - News from Luxembourg, Ardennes, Guttland, Moselle, Terres Rouges, Mullerthal, Europe and the whole world

Ukraine said Saturday it encircled several thousand Russian troops near a key town in one of the four Moscow-held territories that President Vladimir Putin annexed a day earlier despite condemnation from Kyiv and the West.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fastest in a rain-shortened final practice Saturday for the Singapore Grand Prix, half a second quicker than championship leader Max Verstappen.

The death toll of a suicide bombing on a Kabul classroom has risen to 35, the UN said Saturday, as Shiite Hazara women who bore the brunt of the attack staged a defiant protest against the "genocide" of their minority community.

Russia was even more diplomatically isolated Saturday after President Vladimir Putin annexed four Moscow-held areas of Ukraine with Kyiv condemning the move and vowing to retake the territories.

Deadly Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the United States, was still dumping rain on parts of the country early Saturday, but was beginning to wind down after walloping Florida.

Tournament MVP A'ja Wilson poured in 19 points as the all-conquering United States crushed China 83-61 to win their fourth straight women's basketball World Cup and 11th overall in Sydney on Saturday.

Italian rookie Marco Bezzecchi clinched his first MotoGP pole position on Saturday as he scorched his way to a lap record in Thailand, with title contender Francesco Bagnaia qualifying third.

Team boss Christian Horner on Saturday hit back at claims from rivals that Red Bull had exceeded Formula One's cost cap as "fictitious", adding they were considering taking action after "hugely defamatory" accusations.

The death toll of a suicide bombing on a Kabul classroom has risen to 35, the UN said Saturday, as Shiite Hazara women who bore the brunt of the attack staged a defiant protest against the "genocide" of their minority community.

Burkina Faso awoke to fresh uncertainty Saturday after its second coup this year when junior officers toppled a junta leader, saying he had failed to fight jihadist attacks in the deeply poor and restive West African nation.

The shirt that Diego Maradona wore when he scored his infamous 'Hand of God' goal against England in 1986 will go on display in Qatar during the World Cup just five months after it set a record price at auction, a top official said Saturday.

Erik ten Hag's faith in Manchester United "warrior" Lisandro Martinez will be put to the test as Manchester City striker Erling Haaland aims to extend his red-hot streak in Sunday's derby.

A record four Japanese horses will line up for Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with one of the quartet's jockeys Christophe Lemaire saying Japan winning the race widely regarded as the greatest in Europe would be the "Holy Grail".

German raider Torquator Tasso will bid to become the eighth horse to retain their Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe crown at Longchamp on Sunday.

As Pete Belinda and his wife slowly walked down a road outside Fort Myers Beach on the southwestern coast of Florida, they each dragged a large suitcase behind them.

An emotional Lauren Jackson produced a vintage performance to head into retirement on a high, 25 years after her debut, as Australia swept past Canada 95-65 to claim women's basketball World Cup bronze on Saturday.

Dozens of women from Afghanistan's minority Hazara community protested in the capital Saturday after a suicide bombing a day earlier killed 20 people -- mostly young women from the ethnic group.

A'ja Wilson poured in 19 points as the all-conquering United States crushed China 83-61 to win their fourth straight women's basketball World Cup and 11th overall in Sydney on Saturday.

Over a year after it was conceived as a ground-breaking response to Greece's notoriously unruly universities, a special campus police force has officially deployed -- to underwhelming results.

Britain's housing market has been rocked by the UK government's costly budget, as retail banks pull mortgage rates in anticipation of more costly products, sparking fears of tumbling home prices.

Finland's Kalle Rovanpera celebrated his birthday on Saturday by dominating the third day of Rally New Zealand, moving him to the brink of becoming the youngest-ever world champion.

Lauren Jackson produced a vintage performance to go out on a high, 25 years after making her debut, as Australia swept past Canada 95-65 to claim the women's basketball World Cup bronze medal on Saturday.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's new title of prime minister, announced this week, could prove more significant abroad than inside the kingdom where he already wields enormous power.

Latvians headed to the polls on Saturday in the shadow of neighbouring Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with victory expected for centrist parties that have vowed to continue backing Kyiv.

Flamboyant Japanese professional wrestler turned politician Antonio Inoki died Saturday aged 79, according to a company he founded.

Military officers have seized control of Burkina Faso, claiming to be restoring peace to the jihadist-wracked country as they overthrew a junta leader who had also come to power in a coup at the start of this year.

Jonathan Franzen, a writer beloved by millions of readers, likes coming to Europe where he doesn't face "the baggage" his public persona carries back in the United States.

Elon Musk on Friday showed off the latest version of a humanoid robot that the world's richest man said could one day eliminate poverty.

Flamboyant Japanese professional wrestler turned politician Antonio Inoki died Saturday aged 79, local media reported.

Millions of people around the world are believed to suffer from long Covid yet little remains known about the condition -- though research has recently proposed several theories for its cause.

Gaza teenager Bissam says she has trouble sleeping and concentrating as the buzzing sound of Israeli military drones above the crowded Palestinian enclave drives her to distraction.

At a samba bar in Rio de Janeiro, three university students are engaged in a vigorous political debate as they count down the days to Brazil's presidential elections.

After four years being called "liars," "scum" and worse by President Jair Bolsonaro, journalists in Brazil are ready for a return to civility -- but also wary of what awaits the press under his election rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

A game that's easy to pick up and more accessible than tennis, pickleball is all the rage in New York, as the sport snags investors and grows increasingly professionalized across the United States.

The United States would almost certainly discover ahead of time if Russia was preparing a nuclear strike on Ukraine, and Moscow might very well want it known, nuclear weapons experts say.

Deadly Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the United States, roared into South Carolina on Friday, delivering a powerful second punch after walloping Florida.

North Korea fired two ballistic missiles early Saturday, South Korea's military said, the nuclear-armed country's fourth such launch this week as Seoul, Tokyo and Washington ramp up joint military drills to counter Pyongyang.

Burkina Faso strongman Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba came to power in a military coup eight months ago.

Argentina wing Matteo Carreras scored two tries as Newcastle ended Bristol's unbeaten start to the English Premiership rugby union season with a 30-15 win on Friday.