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Pierre de Coubertin, the controversial founder of the modern Olympic Games, will have his own wax figure in Paris, the Grevin Museum has announced in the run-up to the sporting extravaganza.

A French international diver on Friday laughed off an embarrassing mishap in front of President Emmanuel Macron which saw him fall on the diving board and crash into the water at the inauguration of the aquatics centre for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel said Friday Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Noussair Mazraoui were in doubt for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final at Arsenal.

Two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard suffered lung damage during a horrific mass crash in the Tour of the Basque Country race, his team said Friday.

Max Verstappen went fastest on Friday in the first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix, with the second session badly affected by rain.

Residents wearing hard hats and carrying large backpacks stood outside a building Friday with a crumbling facade in Hualien, the epicentre of Taiwan's biggest earthquake in 25 years, waiting to be allowed in to collect their belongings.

The UN Human Rights Council on Friday demanded a halt in all arms sales to Israel, highlighting warnings of "genocide" in its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 33,000 people.

France's 2021 MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartararo boosted the morale of the ailing Yamaha team on Friday by extending his contract for another two years with the Japanese outfit.

Ukraine said Friday it had destroyed at least six Russian military planes at an airbase in the southern Rostov region in a barrage of overnight drone attacks.

Stocks fell Friday and oil extended the previous day's surge on worries that Israel's war with Hamas could widen to a regional conflict with Iran as both sides ratcheted up tensions.

Thousands of people gathered in Tehran on Friday for the funerals of seven members of the Revolutionary Guards killed in a strike in Syria, which Iran blamed on Israel.

Scrum-half Taufa Funaki grabbed two tries Friday as the Auckland Blues romped to a 50-3 home thrashing of Super Rugby bottom side the Western Force.

Nick Kyrgios expects to return to the tennis court next week after the Australian missed virtually the entire 2023 season with injury.

McLaren's Oscar Piastri went fastest on Friday in a second practice for the Japanese Grand Prix that was badly affected by rain at Suzuka.

Stocks fell Friday and oil extended the previous day's surge on worries that Israel's war with Hamas could widen to a regional conflict with Iran as both sides ratcheted up tensions.

Fruit, flowers and incense paper were laid on a table Friday as authorities prepared a ceremony before demolishing a precariously tilting building that has become a symbol of Taiwan's biggest quake in 25 years.

Israel announced on Friday that it would allow "temporary" aid deliveries into famine-threatened northern Gaza, hours after the United States warned of a sharp shift in its policy over Israel's war against Hamas militants.

New Zealand on Friday said it was ready to sign a new cooperation deal with NATO, as the country rethinks security in the face of regional tensions and growing Chinese military might.

Two months before Greeks vote in European Parliament elections, a political spamming scandal has forced a candidate to drop out and authorities to launch a probe in a case that has rekindled national concerns over data leaks.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said Friday that "you can never discount" Sebastian Vettel, after the four-time world champion hinted he could return to Formula One to replace Lewis Hamilton.

Days after invading Ukraine, Russian forces fired rockets at a museum housing colourful paintings by the late Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko, admired by Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall. The building burned down but her joyful work survived.

US Treasury chief Janet Yellen warned during a visit to China on Friday that Beijing's subsidies for industry could pose a risk to global economic resilience.

Thanks to quirks of South Korean election law and history, almost every candidate on the campaign trail has a theme song, a dance routine, and politically-tweaked lyrics to make their message hit home.

China has extended its manufacturing domination to clean energy industries in recent years, alongside a global push for climate change action, but that is starting to worry the United States, Europe and others.

Nine people were freed from a winding cave in Taiwan's mountainous east, while two others were located but feared dead, as rescuers pressed on with their search Friday for those still missing after the island's biggest earthquake in 25 years.

At a rowdy Bangkok stadium, BG Pathum United's "Rabbit Girls" dance to a drumbeat and cheer their team on -- the Thai football league's last band of women promoters.

Israel announced on Friday that it would allow "temporary" aid deliveries into famine-threatened northern Gaza, hours after the United States warned of a sharp shift in its policy over the Gaza war.

US Treasury Chief Janet Yellen called on Friday for a "level playing field" between American and Chinese companies, telling officials during a visit to southern China that Beijing's industrial subsidies threatened that balance.

Tyrese Maxey scored 37 points and Joel Embiid added 29 to ignite the Philadelphia 76ers in a 109-105 victory at Miami on Thursday and boost their NBA playoff chances.

Asian stocks tumbled Friday and oil extended the previous day's surge on worries that Israel's war with Hamas could widen to a regional conflict with Iran as both sides ratcheted up tensions.

South Korea's Kim Sei-young, Spain's Carlota Ciganda and Americans Angel Yin and Rose Zhang shared the lead after Thursday's second day of stroke play at the LPGA Match Play tournament.

President Javier Milei's government has rekindled debate over Argentina's military dictatorship by questioning the number of its victims, while also seeking a greater role for the armed forces in tackling ongoing security issues.