Iran's foreign minister claimed Thursday that his country is ready to reach a lasting agreement with world powers, blaming the latest failure to revive Tehran's tattered nuclear deal on an allegedly "unrealistic vision" by the United States.

Final preparations are underway for the 94th Academy Awards and a long awaited return to Hollywood's glamourous normalcy after a muted ceremony and ratings low last year. Here's everything you need to know about the 2022 Oscars, including where to watch the live show, who's expected to win and what the big controversies are this year.

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Nabih Bakhsh's family has been part of Afghanistan's musical tradition for generations. His great-grandfather was a musician in the court of the Afghan emperor 150 years ago. His father was a famous maestro and singer. Bakhsh too carried on the family art, performing and running an instrument repair shop.

Until now. The 70-year-old had to give up music and turn his shop into a convenience stall selling soda.

The Russian stock market opened Thursday for limited trading under heavy restrictions for the first time since Moscow invaded Ukraine, coming almost a month after prices plunged and the market was shut down as a way to insulate the economy.

Trading of a limited number of stocks, including energy giants Gazprom and Rosneft, took place under curbs meant to prevent a repeat of the massive selloff on Feb. 24 that came in anticipation of Western economic sanctions.

The Germany government has announced a package of measures to help cushion the blow of high energy prices for consumers, with fuel subsidies, discounted public transport, tax benefits and additional support for the poorest.

Senior lawmakers unveiled the measures Thursday after lengthy haggling between the three parties that make up the center-left governing coalition.

French automaker Renault moved to pause production at its Moscow plant in an apparent move to fend off mounting criticism, breaking ranks with other major French companies that have defied pressure to keep operating in Russia.

The company's board of directors voted Wednesday night to suspend "activities at the Renault Moscow plant." It came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the company and others in France of aiding Russia's war effort during an emotional virtual address to parliament.

Africa's World Cup playoffs will serve up a Mohamed Salah vs. Sadio Mané sequel as the Liverpool teammates face off on opposite sides again with their countries, this time for a place at soccer's biggest show.

Salah's Egypt will face Mané's Senegal in one of the continent's five decisive World Cup playoffs, with the first leg in Cairo on Friday. The draw for the playoffs was made before the two Liverpool stars met in last month's African Cup of Nations final, which was won by Senegal in a shootout thanks to Mané's winning penalty.

Brazil coach Tite and his players are doing their best to boost Neymar's morale after the striker's recent struggles at Paris Saint-Germain, where he has been booed by his own fans.

Neymar and Argentina great Lionel Messi have both faced heavy criticism in Paris after the team's loss to Real Madrid in the round of 16 of the Champions League. But ahead of the team's final two World Cup qualifiers, Brazil coach Tite is hoping Neymar can forget about his club's troubles and rediscover his best form. Brazil has already qualified for this year's tournament in Qatar, meaning Neymar won't be facing the same level of scrutiny.

Japan qualified for a seventh straight World Cup by beating Australia 2-0 Thursday and ended the Socceroos' chances of automatic qualification.

The result in Sydney also qualified Saudi Arabia from Group B.

At first glance, the Souq Waqif clinic in the historic center of Doha, the capital of Qatar, could be any other state-of-the-art hospital.

Nurses in blue scrubs move briskly through the bright wards, conducting rounds. Radiology and operating rooms whir with the beeps and blinks of monitors. Specialists squint at X-rays and masked doctors make incisions with all the high-tech tools of modern surgery on hand.