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World champion Marquez crashes twice in Indonesia MotoGP practice
Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez fell twice on Friday in a crash-filled practice for the Indonesia MotoGP as Marco Bezzecchi clocked a blistering fastest time.

UK on 'high alert' following synagogue terror attack
Britain was on heightened alert Friday to ensure the Jewish community's safety following an attack outside a Manchester synagogue on a Jewish holiday that killed two people and seriously injured three.

Finland dismisses case over Baltic cable cuts
A Helsinki court on Friday dismissed a case against three members of a ship from Russia's "shadow fleet" suspected of cutting Baltic Sea cables, saying it was beyond its jurisdiction.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson ruled out until after international break
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has been ruled out until after this month's international break after injuring his hamstring in the Champions League defeat at Galatasaray.

Russia-linked tanker stopped by France resumes voyage: vessel trackers
A tanker from Russia's "shadow fleet" detained by the French navy was heading towards the Suez Canal Friday with its captain back on board, according to data from maritime websites and a source close to the case.

Hamas official says group still needs time to study Trump's Gaza plan
A Hamas official told AFP on Friday that the group still needed time to study a plan for Gaza put forward by US President Donald Trump and backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Goffin beats Shelton in first Shanghai Masters shock
The United States' Ben Shelton on Friday became the first top-10 seed to be booted out of the Shanghai Masters, beaten by 83rd-ranked David Goffin in straight sets.

Ton-up Rahul, Gill steer India into lead in West Indies Test
Opener KL Rahul hit an unbeaten century and together with skipper Shubman Gill steered a dominant India into a 56-run lead over the West Indies on day two of the first Test on Friday.

Spain's Benidorm embraces its Franco-era mass tourism model
Fifty years after General Francisco Franco's death, Benidorm still clings to the mass tourism model it pioneered under his dictatorship, even as protests against overtourism sweep other Spanish holiday hotspots.

Not all 'A's: Unconventional paths that led to Nobels
Some Nobel laureates were straight-A students from the get-go. But others AFP spoke to recounted how they cut class, got expelled, and had doubts about their future.

New York judge to sentence Sean 'Diddy' Combs after blockbuster trial
Sean "Diddy" Combs will be sentenced Friday for his conviction on two prostitution-related counts, crimes prosecutors say deserve more than a decade behind bars as the music mogul seeks "mercy" and a swift release.
Taylor Swift strides into 'Showgirl' era with sparkly new album
Taylor Swift is in a sparkling new era.

Typhoon Bualoi death toll in Vietnam tops 50
The death toll from Typhoon Bualoi in Vietnam rose above 50, the government said Friday, with more than a dozen people still missing days after the storm triggered widespread flooding.

Indonesia free meals programme under fire after thousands sickened
Indonesian families whose children were offered free school meals are joining non-profit groups calling for the flagship government programme to be suspended after thousands of students fell ill from the food.

South Korea's Hwang charges into Hawaii LPGA lead
South Korean Hwang You-min fired a career-best 10-under-par 62 to surge into a three-stroke lead on Thursday after 36 holes in the LPGA Lotte Championship in Hawaii.

Munich airport resumes flights after drone sightings trigger closure
Germany's Munich airport restarted flights on Friday after several drone sightings forced its closure overnight, the latest in a string of similar aviation disruptions across Europe.

Wallabies vow to send Slipper off on a high against All Blacks
Captain Harry Wilson on Friday told Australia to send off "ultimate team man" James Slipper with a performance to be proud of in their must-win Rugby Championship Test against New Zealand.

Cyberattack halts shipments from Japan's biggest brewer
A damaging cyberattack on Japanese beer giant Asahi this week has halted shipments from its breweries and there is no resumption in sight, the company warned Friday, fuelling fears of shortages.

Liverpool seek to steady ship, Man Utd's Amorim faces must-win game
Liverpool have no time to lick their wounds after back-to-back defeats as they prepare for a trip to Chelsea on Saturday while Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is under severe pressure to beat in-form Sunderland.

Luxembourg gets new Grand Duke with royal abdication
Luxembourg will enthrone a new sovereign Friday with Prince Guillaume set to succeed his father, Grand Duke Henri, who officially abdicates on the same day, ending a 25-year reign.

Cambodian ex-MP's killer jailed for life in Thailand
A Thai gunman was sentenced to life in prison on Friday for the murder of a Cambodian opposition politician in Bangkok, a judge said.

Czechs head to polls with billionaire ex-premier tipped to come first
Czechs will cast ballots on Friday and Saturday in a general election which the party of self-described "Trumpist" Andrej Babis is expected to top, though without getting a majority.

Taylor Swift moves into 'Showgirl' era with new pop album
Taylor Swift is in a new sparkling era.

Last flotilla boat sails on towards Gaza after Israel interceptions
The only remaining boat in a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza sailed towards the war-torn Palestinian territory on Friday, after Israeli navy interceptions of its fellow vessels drew worldwide protests.

Munich airport halts flights after drone sightings
Germany's Munich airport halted flights after several drone sightings, a police spokesperson told AFP early Friday, the latest in a string of similar aviation disruptions across Europe.

Rookie Schlittler pitches gem, Yankees beat Red Sox to advance in MLB playoffs
Rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler made a spectacular post-season debut, striking out 12 in eight scoreless innings to carry the New York Yankees to a 4-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox and into the second round of the Major League Baseball playoffs on Thursday.

Indonesia school collapse death toll rises to 7: rescue official
The death toll in a school collapse on Indonesia's main island of Java rose to seven on Friday after two bodies were pulled from the building's ruins, a rescue official said.

China trials 'energy-saving' underwater data centres
Power-hungry data centres run hot, so one Chinese company is planning to submerge a pod of servers in the sea off Shanghai with hopes of solving computing's energy woes.

Tech fans Tokyo rally on broadly positive day for Asian markets
A surge in tech firms helped Tokyo's Nikkei lead most Asian equities higher on Friday as investors headed into the weekend on a broadly positive note, with US rate-cut hopes out-muscling concerns about a government shutdown.

Group leading Morocco protests demands govt dismissal
The group leading Morocco's mass protests called on Friday for the government's dismissal, following days of unrest that have seen the deaths of three people.

Virtual Jesus? People of faith divided as AI enters religion
Artificial intelligence, the technology upending nearly every corner of society, is creeping into religion, serving up virtual Jesus and automated sermons -- a change drawing mixed reviews from the faithful.

McEvoy calls on World Aquatics to make 25m sprint an official event
Speed king Cameron McEvoy has urged World Aquatics to make the 25m freestyle sprint an official event, arguing it adds excitement to the sport and will be embraced by fans.