More than 10 people have died in China’s commercial hub Shanghai, a local health official said Wednesday as the city swelters in its highest temperatures for at least 140 years.

England spearhead James Anderson said on Tuesday that the side were focused solely on the job in the hand ahead of the third Ashes Test against Australia and not a 5-0 whitewash.

This week’s third Ashes Test will see the International Cricket Council (ICC) trial an independent television feed with the aim of improving its controversial Decision Review System.

Australian fifth seed Samantha Stosur, coming off a shock first-round loss last week, defeated American Varvara Lepchenko 7-5, 6-1 on Monday at the WTA Southern California Open.

Ecuador striker Christian Benitez has died suddenly in Qatar at the age of 27, his agent Jose Chamorro said on Monday.

A man forgotten for five days in a US jail without food or water has won a $4.1 million (3.1 million euro) settlement from the US government, news reports said Wednesday.

The father of US fugitive Edward Snowden reached out to his son on Russia’s national television Wednesday, telling him he did not mind if the intelligence leaker stays in Russia as long as he is safe.

Syrian troops attacked rebel positions outside Khan al-Assal on Wednesday as they seek to recapture the northern town at the centre of rival chemical weapons accusations, a watchdog said.

France’s foreign minister demanded Tuesday that Egypt’s ousted president Mohamed Morsi be freed, describing the political crisis as “very critical” after bloody unrest in Cairo.

British police said Tuesday they were investigating violent and sexually explicit Twitter postings directed at a lawmaker in a growing row over threats to women on the social network.