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The Canterbury Crusaders are through to the Super Rugby Pacific semifinals after a 32-12 victory over the Queensland Reds on Friday.

Moscow launched dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones at Ukraine early Friday, killing at least three people in Kyiv, after President Vladimir Putin vowed retaliation for an audacious Ukrainian attack on Russian airbases.

Uzbekistan's coach said "this victory belongs to all of us" after steering the Central Asian nation to the World Cup for the first time in their history.

The largest and most complex World Cup in history kicks off in just over a year's time, with the United States, Canada and Mexico co-hosting the football extravaganza against a backdrop of political tension triggered by Donald Trump.

Amazon has agreed to clamp down on fake online reviews of products advertised on its UK site, Britain's competition regulator said Friday.

Markets stuttered on Friday as optimism from "very positive" talks between presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping was wiped out by the stunning public row between the US leader and Elon Musk.

Mercedes Yamarte's three sons fled Venezuela for a better life in the United States. Now one languishes in a Salvadoran jail, another "self-deported" to Mexico, and a third lives in hiding -- terrified US agents will crash the door at any moment.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kashmir on Friday, his first visit to the contested Himalayan region since a conflict with arch-rival Pakistan last month, and opened a strategic railway line.

The discovery of high levels of bacteria has led the World Expo in Japan's Osaka to suspend daily water shows and use of a shallow play pool, organisers said.

From dangerous diet tips to disinformation, cyberbullying to hate speech, the glut of online content harmful to children grows every day. But several European countries have had enough and now want to limit minors' access to social media.

Pilgrims were performing the last major ritual of the hajj -- the "stoning of the devil" -- on Friday, as Muslims around the globe celebrated the beginning of the Eid al-Adha holiday.

India's central bank cut interest rates more than expected on Friday, citing muted inflation and a need to kickstart economic growth amid concerns about the impact of US tariffs.

Vietnam's exports rose sharply last month, official figures showed Friday, as the communist country tries to negotiate relief from swingeing tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump.

Indian police have arrested two people including a senior executive at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, reports said Friday, after 11 fans were crushed to death during celebrations for the team's maiden IPL title.

Fed-up Chinese football fans and pundits expressed dismay Friday after the country's World Cup dreams were torpedoed following a crushing qualifying defeat in Indonesia.

Japan's Studio Ghibli turns 40 this month with two Oscars and legions of fans young and old won over by its complex plots and fantastical hand-drawn animation.

Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said the Thunder must stick to the principles that made them the best team in the NBA regular season as they seek to bounce back from a devastating loss to Indiana in game one of the NBA Finals.

Coach Hong Myung-bo immediately turned his thoughts to next year's World Cup in North America after South Korea secured qualification following a turbulent campaign.

Since trading the battlefield for Afghanistan's halls of power, some Taliban members have also swapped their weapons for pens to tell their version of the 20-year conflict with Western forces, who they accuse of distorting "reality".

Indian police arrested two people including a senior executive at IPL-winning cricket team Royal Challengers Bengaluru after 11 fans were crushed to death during victory celebrations, local media reported Friday.

Japan's hopes of achieving its first soft touchdown on the Moon by a private company were dashed Friday when the mission was aborted after an assumed crash-landing, the startup said.

A court on Thursday put a temporary stay on Donald Trump's latest effort to stop foreign students from enrolling at Harvard, as the US president's battle with one of the world's most prestigious universities intensified.

Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton sank the game-winning basket in the final second to give the Pacers a stunning 111-110 fightback victory over Oklahoma City in Thursday's opening game of the NBA Finals.

The head of submarine mining pioneer The Metals Company told AFP he had "no doubt" the Canadian firm would be the first to to extract coveted minerals from the deep seas, with help from Donald Trump.

Jeremy Flores faced numerous challenges in the water as he carved himself a hugely successful surfing career but nothing prepared the Frenchman for the tumultuous months that followed his retirement in 2021.

Struggling Stade Francais host Castres on Saturday with their place in the French Top 14 on the line in the final round of the regular season.

The imperious Shergar and Harzand bookended the late Aga Khan IV's five Epsom Derby winners and on Saturday Midak can provide a poignant win in the race this year named in his honour.

Asian markets stuttered Friday as optimism from "very positive" talks between presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping was wiped out by the stunning public row between the US leader and Elon Musk.

When the United States, Mexico and Canada launched their joint bid for the 2026 World Cup in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, the prevailing mood was unmistakeably upbeat.

Pakistan's children are losing weeks of education each year to school closures caused by climate change-linked extreme weather, prompting calls for a radical rethink of learning schedules.

Four-time NFL Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers has agreed terms to join the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal, the club confirmed on Thursday.

Filling the giant shoes of David Warner continues to be a headache for Australia 17 months after the bombastic Test opener retired, with Marnus Labuschagne shaping as the latest contender in the World Test Championship final against South Africa.