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Notre-Dame's twin towers ready to thrill visitors after fire
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday reopened the two great mediaeval towers of the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris for public visits, one of the final steps in its immense reconstruction following a devastating fire.

Bol retains world 400m hurdles gold
Femke Bol retained her world 400 metre hurdles title on Friday in an event that two-time Olympic champion and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opted to skip.

Trump and Xi talk on TikTok, US-China trade
US President Donald Trump and China's leader Xi Jinping spoke by phone Friday with expectations that they were set to finalize the fate of the hugely popular and influential video app TikTok, as well as discussing trade.

Benjamin outpaces Warholm for world 400m hurdles title
American Rai Benjamin outpaced rivals Alison Dos Santos and Karsten Warholm to claim a first world 400 metres hurdles title in Tokyo on Friday.

Massive Attack join Israel boycott campaign
British trip-hop group Massive Attack announced they are joining a new music industry initiative to block their music in Israel and have also asked for their songs to be removed from Spotify.

Slot thanks Everton for solidarity after Jota tragedy
Liverpool manager Arne Slot thanked Everton for the support they showed their Merseyside rivals after Diogo Jota's tragic death in July.

Turkey singer faces criminal probe for 'obscene' song
A Turkish singer-songwriter has been slapped with a criminal complaint by the interior ministry over a song deemed "obscene" in the latest legal move targeting artists over alleged public indecency.

Tariff uncertainty delays World Cup orders for China's merch makers
Tariff fears are hurting World Cup merchandise orders at Shang Yabing's Chinese knitwear factory, where racks of scarves bear the logos of national teams from Ireland to Tanzania.

Defending champion Ingebrigtsen into world 5,000m final
World and Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen rebounded from failing to make the 1,500m final by safely advancing to the final of the 5,000m at the world championships in Tokyo on Friday.

Maresca defends Chelsea exile for Sterling and Disasi
Enzo Maresca insists exiled Chelsea flops Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi have no reason to complain about being forced to train alone.

Taliban release detained elderly British couple
An elderly British couple detained in Afghanistan for almost eight months were released on Friday, the Taliban authorities said, after pressure built to free the pair due to fears over their health.

Stocks diverge, dollar up before Trump-Xi talks
Stock markets diverged and the dollar rose Friday at the end of a week marked by central bank decisions, as attention turned to a call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Arsenal to face Lyon in Women's Champions League
Holders Arsenal will take on eight-time winners Lyon, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the new-look league phase in this season's Women's Champions League.

Everton must bridge 'gulf' to rivals Liverpool, says Moyes
Everton manager David Moyes said Liverpool have earned the right to spend a record amount in the transfer window as he aims to bridge the gap between the Merseyside rivals.

India and Pakistan meet again at Asia Cup after handshake row
India and Pakistan clash again in the Asia Cup on Sunday, renewing one of cricket's fiercest rivalries a week after their last match was overshadowed by a handshake row.

Israel army says will use 'unprecedented force' in Gaza City
The Israeli military warned on Friday it will operate with "unprecedented force" in Gaza City, urging residents to flee southwards while announcing the closure of a temporary evacuation route opened 48 hours earlier.

Sri Lanka's Wellalage told of dad's death moments after win
Sri Lanka all-rounder Dunith Wellalage learnt about the sudden death of his father moments after victory at the Asia Cup and has temporarily returned home from the UAE, team officials told AFP on Friday.

Norris on top ahead of Piastri in opening Baku practice
An in-form Lando Norris set the pace ahead of McLaren team-mate, title rival and championship leader Oscar Piastri in Friday's eventful and red flag-punctuated opening practice at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Terland hat-trick fires Man Utd into Women's Champions League
Norway striker Elisabeth Terland scored a hat-trick as Manchester United hammered Brann 3-0 on Thursday to reach the main draw of the Women's Champions League for the first time.

Stars Tim Burton, Monica Bellucci announce separation
Hollywood director Tim Burton and Italian actress and model Monica Bellucci are separating, they announced Friday in a statement to AFP.

What to look for in China and Europe's climate plans
Dozens of countries are expected to announce new climate targets before the UN COP30 summit in November, but none will be as closely scrutinised as the pledges made by China and the EU.

Asian markets mixed ahead of Trump-Xi talks
Asian markets were mixed Friday at the end of a strong week for investors following a US interest rate cut, with attention now turning to a call between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping due later in the day.

India target record Asian Games medal haul as LA 2028 beckons
India are targeting a record medal haul at next year's Asian Games in Japan as part of a long-term plan to boost their prospects at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Tracing the 'Green Sahara' in Chad's northern desert
A cloud of dust escapes from an excavation site in the sand of Chad's arid north, where scientists are looking for signs of human habitation in an area once humid and called the "Green Sahara".

Asian markets mostly drop ahead of Trump-Xi talks
Asian markets mostly fell Friday at the end of a strong week for investors following a US interest rate cut, with attention now turning to a call between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping due later in the day.

US comics slam 'censorship' after Kimmel pulled
Late-night TV comics skewered President Donald Trump and denounced "blatant censorship" after Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show was pulled off air over his comments on the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

China's Xiaomi to remotely fix assisted driving flaw in 110,000 SU7 cars
Chinese consumer tech giant Xiaomi will remotely fix a flaw in the assisted driving system on over 110,000 of its popular SU7 electric cars, the firm and regulators said Friday, months after a deadly crash involving the model.

Brewing battle: coffee booms in tea-loving Kosovo
At dawn, bleary-eyed workers pour into a traditional teahouse in Kosovo nestled under the minarets of the local mosque, seeking a rich amber brew that has outlived empires and continues to draw devotees.

Dortmund on lookout for leaders as familiar cracks emerge
Borussia Dortmund's early promise is already being eroded by familiar failings in crucial moments just three games into the Bundesliga season.

BoJ holds interest rates but to sell funds in shift from easing policy
The Bank of Japan kept interest rates on hold Friday amid lingering political uncertainty and economic concerns but said it would start offloading funds bought as part of its earlier monetary easing campaign.

Real Madrid aiming to stay perfect against impressive Espanyol
Real Madrid have made a perfect start to life under new coach Xabi Alonso and are aiming to extend that run on Saturday in La Liga when they host an Espanyol side who have also begun the season in impressive form.

Georgia's Niniashvili aims to stay 'crazy' at new club La Rochelle
Georgia full-back Davit Niniashvili said his coaches at new club La Rochelle want him to remain "crazy" as they prepare to head to Toulon in the Top 14 on Sunday.