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Politics
Fighting erupts in DR Congo a day after peace deal signed
Fresh fighting in eastern DR Congo on Friday forced hundreds to flee across the border into Rwanda, a day after a peace deal was signed in Washington.
Sports
England boss Tuchel wary of 'surprise' in World Cup draw
England manager Thomas Tuchel said the Three Lions are confident but must show Croatia, Ghana and Panama the respect they deserve after Friday's World Cup draw.
Boulevard
10 university students die in Peru restaurant fire
Ten university students died and three were injured in a restaurant fire in southeastern Peru as they gathered for a birthday celebration, police said Friday.
Culture
'Sinners' tops Critics Choice nominations
"Sinners" topped the slate of nominees for the Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles on Friday, as the movie industry's awards season starts to take shape.
Culture
Netflix's Warner Bros. acquisition sparks backlash
Netflix faced fierce criticism on Friday over its blockbuster deal to acquire Warner Bros., the storied Hollywood studio.
Politics
France probes mystery drone flight over nuclear sub base
The French military used jammers as several suspected drones flew over a closely guarded base housing nuclear ballistic submarines, prosecutors said on Friday, as they opened an investigation into the incident.
Culture
Frank Gehry: five key works
Star architect Frank Gehry has designed some of the most famous and eye-catching buildings of modern times. Here are five standouts:
Politics
US Supreme Court to weigh Trump bid to end birthright citizenship
The US Supreme Court agreed on Friday to review President Donald Trump's bid to end birthright citizenship.
Culture
Frank Gehry, master architect with a flair for drama, dead at 96
Canada-born US architect Frank Gehry, whose daring and whimsical designs from the Guggenheim Bilbao to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles captivated fans and critics, died on Friday aged 96.
Sports
'It doesn't make sense': Trump wants to rename American football
Spurred on by World Cup 2026 fever, US President Donald Trump said Friday that American football should be renamed as the game played with a round ball, soccer, was the one true football.
Politics
A day after peace accord signed, shelling forces DRC locals to flee
A day after a peace accord aimed at ending the conflict in DR Congo was signed, fresh fighting in the east on Friday forced hundreds of civilians to flee across the border into Rwanda for safety, AFP journalists witnessed.
Sports
Draw for 2026 World Cup kind to favorites as Trump takes center stage
Holders Argentina and leading contenders Spain and England were all handed kind draws for the 2026 World Cup in a star-studded ceremony on Friday which saw US President Donald Trump receive FIFA's new peace prize.
Economy
Netflix to buy Warner Bros. in deal of the decade
Streaming giant Netflix said Friday it will buy film and television studio Warner Bros. Discovery for nearly $83 billion, the entertainment industry's biggest consolidation deal this decade.
Politics
US sanctions equate us with drug traffickers: ICC dep. prosecutor
The deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Friday lashed out at US sanctions, arguing they effectively put top court officials on a par with "terrorists and drug traffickers".
Boulevard
Migration and crime fears loom over Chile's presidential runoff
Crime and immigration are the issues dominating Chile's presidential election runoff -- nowhere more so than in the northern border city of Arica, where residents say fear has replaced the calm they once knew.
Boulevard
French officer charged after police fracture woman's skull
A policeman has been charged with aggravated assault seven years after a young woman was beaten by more than a dozen officers at a demonstration in southern France, prosecutors said on Friday.
Economy
Fresh data show US consumers still strained by inflation
US consumer pricing and sentiment reports released Friday pointed to lingering questions about affordability as the calendar moves towards the peak of the festive season.
Things to know
Eurovision reels from boycotts over Israel
The boycotts already announced by four countries over Israel's participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest were casting a shadow Friday over the glitzy annual TV extravaganza and its spirit of unity.
Sports
Trump takes centre stage as 2026 World Cup draw takes place
The draw for the 2026 World Cup took place in Washington on Friday, with US President Donald Trump playing a prominent part in a star-studded ceremony that will map the path to glory for contenders at the first ever 48-team finals.
Politics
Trump all smiles as he wins FIFA's new peace prize
US President Donald Trump became the first ever recipient of FIFA's new peace prize at the 2026 World Cup draw Friday -- a compensation gift for a leader whose dream of winning the Nobel remains unfulfilled.
EU hits Musk's X with 120-mn-euro fine, sparking US ire
The European Union hit Elon Musk's X with a 120-million-euro ($140-million) fine Friday for breaking its digital rules, sparking an angry reaction from Washington.
Health
US panel votes to end recommending all newborns receive hepatitis B vaccine
An advisory panel appointed by the Trump administration's vaccine-skeptic health secretary voted Friday to stop recommending that all newborns in the United States receive a hepatitis B vaccine.
Sports
Title favourite Norris reflects on 'positive' Abu Dhabi practice
Series leader Lando Norris topped opening practice at the decisive season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Friday but the McLaren driver cautioned "there’s nothing to smile about just yet".
Economy
Stocks consolidate as US inflation worries undermine Fed rate hopes
World stock markets gave a mixed picture Friday, with sentiment underpinned by hopes for sustained US central bank rate cuts, but nagging inflationary worries sparking some pre-weekend selling.
Boulevard
Volcanic eruptions may have brought Black Death to Europe
Previously unknown volcanic eruptions may have kicked off an unlikely series of events that brought the Black Death -- the most devastating pandemic in human history -- to the shores of mediaeval Europe, new research has revealed.
Sports
Arsenal the ultimate test for in-form Villa, says Emery
Unai Emery said the visit of Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday will be the acid test of Aston Villa's ambitions after his side stormed up to third in the table.
Economy
Emotions high, hope alive after Nigerian school abduction
Samaila Livinus has kept his grief locked inside -- trying hard to be strong while awaiting news about his five-year-old son who is among hundreds snatched from their dormitories in one of Nigeria's worst mass kidnappings.
Culture
Another original Hermes Birkin bag sells for $2.86 mn
A Hermes handbag that once belonged to Jane Birkin was sold for $2.86 million (2.45 million euros) at auction in Abu Dhabi on Friday, just months after the record-breaking sale of her first bag from the French brand, Sotheby's said Tuesday.
Boulevard
11 million flock to Notre-Dame in year since rising from devastating fire
A year after reopening to the public, Notre-Dame cathedral has drawn more than 11 million visitors, flocking to admire its restored pale stone and minimalist furnishings after the 2019 blaze that devastated the Paris landmark.
Economy
Gymnast Nemour lifts lid on 'humiliation, tears' on way to Olympic gold
Olympic gymnastics champion Kaylia Nemour on Friday spoke of the humiliation and violence she endured on her path to gold.
Politics
Lebanon president says country does not want war with Israel
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Friday told a United Nations Security Council delegation his country does not want war with Israel, days after civilian representatives from both sides held their first talks in decades.
Politics
France takes anti-drone measures after flight over nuclear sub base
The French military used anti-drone measures after five unmanned vehicles flew over a closely guarded base housing nuclear ballistic submarines, a source told AFP Friday.