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The Indian government freed Kashmir's chief Muslim cleric and influential separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday after more than four years of house arrest.

Iran says it has received thousands of Achaemenid-era clay tablets from the United States in the fifth such instalment, following a drawn-out legal effort to repatriate the antiquities.

Libya's devastating flood has transformed Derna from a busy port welcoming fishing boats and ships loaded with goods and passengers into a dump brimming with rubble, car wrecks and dead bodies.

As decorative fountains frame a view of the Eiffel Tower and a fashionable young woman walks a poodle nearby, you might mistake China's Tianducheng neighbourhood for Paris -- if not for the concrete towers in the distance and Chinese signs on every shopfront.

Ireland head into their crunch Pool B match against South Africa on Saturday with one eye on what flanker Josh van der Flier calls the physical DNA of the defending world champions.

Tens of thousands of Catholics are expected in the French Mediterranean city of Marseille for Pope Francis's two-day visit, but the once dominant faith is in a long decline in France.

Taiwan's defence minister said China's recent military activities were "abnormal", after a spike in incursions by Chinese warplanes around the island this week.

Organisers of the Berlin marathon pleaded with climate activists on Friday not to disrupt this weekend's race but said they were prepared for "such eventualities".

Residents in Nagorno-Karabakh's separatist stronghold cowered in basements Friday as a fragile ceasefire held two days after Azerbaijan reclaimed control of the region in a lightning offensive.

MotoGP apologised to Indian fans Friday for displaying a map of the country without Kashmir -- which is disputed with Pakistan -- on its live stream of a practice session.

The European Commission slapped a new fine of 376 million euros ($400 million) on US chipmaker Intel on Friday after an EU court annulled a previous record penalty for abusing its dominance in the computer chip market.

Volkswagen's factory in the heart of the east German city of Dresden was conceived as a showcase for the auto giant's electric future but on a September afternoon the production line stands still.

Lexi Thompson starred as the United States romped to a clean sweep of the opening morning foursomes against Europe at the Solheim Cup in Spain on Friday.

European and Asian stock markets diverged Friday with traders contemplating further hikes to interest rates as inflation stays high despite a recent cooling of consumer-price rises.

England scrum-half Danny Care said on Friday Marcus Smith will "light up the world" when he features for the first time in his career at full-back against Chile in the Rugby World Cup this weekend.

Julian Nagelsmann hit a rare low ebb when he was surprisingly sacked by Bayern Munich earlier this year, but has now been given the chance to lead his native Germany at next year's European Championship on home soil.

A Chinese activist pleaded for authorities not to deport him after he landed at Taiwan's international airport on Friday, and requested asylum from the United States and Canada.

In the sandy courtyard of a school turned shelter in northern Sudan, two children idly pass a football back and forth. Around them, dozens of adults wait, trapped between a war and a border.

France captain Antoine Dupont sustained a facial fracture in the record victory over Namibia but has not yet been ruled out of the World Cup, the French federation announced Friday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a "strategic partnership" with Syria on Friday during talks with President Bashar al-Assad, who is seeking financial support to help rebuild his devastated country.

England defence coach Kevin Sinfield said on Friday he expects France captain Antoine Dupont to return quickly from the facial fracture he suffered in the host nation's rout of Namibia.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has signed a new five-year contract at the club, becoming the latest player to commit his long-term future to the Gunners.

Germany on Friday named Julian Nagelsmann as their head coach to replace the sacked Hansi Flick, just nine months before hosting the European Championship, the German football association (DFB) announced.

Australia coach Eddie Jones on Friday picked Ben Donaldson to start at fly-half with Tate McDermott returning from concussion to partner him in the half-backs for this weekend's must-win World Cup clash with Wales.

Violence-wracked Somalia is seeking a three-month delay in the planned reduction of African Union troops after suffering "several significant setbacks" in its fight against Al-Shabaab militants, according to a government letter seen by AFP.

Eurozone economic activity shrank further in September but the rate of decline has slowed, a key survey showed on Friday.

Max Verstappen laid down a marker with the fastest times in both practice sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday, as he looks to put one hand on his third-straight Formula One title.

Sri Lanka swept aside Thailand on Friday in a rain-affected women's cricket quarter-final at the Asian Games and Bangladesh joined them in the last four after their clash with Hong Kong was washed out.

Xbox-owner Microsoft has closed in on its $69-billion takeover of "Call of Duty" video-game maker Activision Blizzard after the UK said Friday that a revamped deal addressed regulatory concerns.

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has made four changes to his starting XV for their second World Cup Pool B match against Tonga in Nice on Sunday.

France captain Antoine Dupont sustained a facial fracture in the record victory over Namibia, but has not yet been ruled out of the World Cup, the French federation announced Friday.

Most stock markets rose Friday, reversing early losses and a sell-off on Wall Street, as traders contemplate further interest rate hikes by central banks struggling to tame inflation.