SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's 2010 Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yuna helped unveil a set of commemorative coins for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games on Thursday.

BANGKOK (Reuters) - The Thai capital of Bangkok has beaten London to be crowned the world's most popular travel destination this year, according to an annual ranking by global payments and technology company Mastercard released on Thursday.

TORONTO, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Canada clinched the top spot in Group A by beating Team Europe, while North America stayed in the hunt for a semi-finals berth with a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over Sweden on Wednesday at the World Cup of Hockey.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An Afghan anti-corruption body formed in 2008 has been ineffective, lacks independence and never verified the asset declaration forms of former President Hamid Karzai, the U.S. government's top watchdog on Afghanistan said in a report published on Thursday.

LONDON, Sept 22 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The United States unveiled plans on Thursday to ramp up efforts to end female genital mutilation (FGM) after figures showed more than half of million women and girls were living at risk.

BEIJING, Sept 22 (Reuters) - China has conditionally lifted an import ban on some shipments of U.S. boneless beef and beef on the bone, the agriculture ministry and quality watchdog said on Thursday.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has launched a probe into soaring sugar imports following complaints by its domestic industry, the government said on Thursday, the latest sign that trade tensions between major commodities producing nations is intensifying.

UNITED NATIONS/BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry demanded on Wednesday that Russia and the Syrian government immediately halt flights over Syrian battle zones, in what he called a last chance to salvage a collapsing ceasefire and find a way "out of the carnage".

(Reuters) - Vice President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that he sees a "less than even chance" that the U.S. Congress approves the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact before the next administration takes office in January.