AFP/RSS

Co-hosts Mexico meanwhile bid to continue their journey in front of a fervent crowd at the Estadio Azteca when they take on Ecuador.

Bear attacks have been on the rise in Japan in recent years, something scientists attribute to a spike in the animals' population and a declining number of people in rural areas.

Five days after powerful back-to-back quakes flattened entire neighborhoods in the coastal state of La Guaira, the task of recovering the dead loomed large, as hopes of finding survivors faded.

Some 1,700 people were killed and thousands remain missing following the quakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 -- the strongest to hit the South American nation in more than a century.

The state-run Petroleum Corporation said it will lower diesel by 25 rupees a litre to 382 rupees ($1.15), while petrol was lowered by 20 rupees to 414 rupees.  

Kyiv has stepped up its long-range drone strike campaign against Russia in recent months, particularly against energy infrastructure to target a vital source of the Kremlin's revenue to fund its war effort, now in its fifth year.

The Moroccans, beaten semi-finalists at the 2022 World Cup, advanced to the last 16 on Monday after winning a thrilling battle with the Netherlands on penalties in Monterrey.

Washington and Tehran both have said they were sending teams to the Gulf state, but issued conflicting statements on most other details, including timing and purpose of the trip.

The announcement came after Iran held its first talks with Oman on managing the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Iran deal was signed, and as Washington and Tehran agreed to halt their attacks, which had strained the agreement.

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made the crucial save to block the Netherlands' fifth penalty from Crysencio Summerville before striker Ismael Saibari stepped up to blast home the winning spot-kick that sealed a 3-2 shootout win.