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US President Donald Trump said Friday the world’s biggest oil companies pledged to invest $100 billion to revive Venezuela's oil sector as he prepared for a meeting with top industry executives.

Fierce winds battered France and Britain on Friday as storms barrelled through northern Europe, snarling train travel, shutting schools and cutting power to hundreds of thousands of homes in plunging winter temperatures.

Manchester City added to their attacking arsenal on Friday with the signing of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth for a reported £65 million ($87 million).

The world's oceans absorbed a record amount of heat in 2025, an international team of scientists said Friday, further priming conditions for sea level rise, violent storms, and coral death.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner teased Friday the prospect of teaming up for doubles as the world's top two prepare to open their seasons with a lucrative exhibition match in South Korea, a week before the Australian Open.

Manchester City added to their attacking arsenal on Friday with the signing of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth for a reported £65 million ($87 million).

Shares in Chinese AI startup MiniMax soared 109 percent as it went public in Hong Kong on Friday, raising US$619 million in a sign that strong investor demand is rewarding the country's rapidly developing sector.

Iranians staged their biggest protests yet of an almost two week movement sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, chanting slogans including "death to the dictator" and setting fire to official buildings, videos showed Friday.

Stock markets were mixed Friday after a two-day stutter as traders look ahead to the release of crucial US jobs data and a possible Supreme Court ruling on Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs.

World number two Iga Swiatek defied a partisan crowd to thrash Australian Maya Joint in Sydney on Friday and give Poland the lead in their United Cup quarter-final.

Tens of thousands of Philippine Catholics twirled white cloths and chanted "Viva, viva" as a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ was paraded through the streets of Manila on Friday in the nation's biggest annual religious event.

Kazuyoshi Miura vowed Friday to show he still has what it takes aged 58 as the former Japan international striker gets set for his 41st professional football season.

Syria's defence ministry announced a ceasefire in Aleppo on Friday after days of deadly clashes between the army and Kurdish fighters forced thousands of civilians to flee.

Russia hit Ukraine with its hypersonic Oreshnik missile overnight after rejecting the latest post-war peacekeeping plan, as part of a massive attack that set apartment blocks ablaze and killed at least four people in the capital Kyiv.

Fierce winds battered France and Britain on Friday as Storm Goretti barrelled through northern Europe, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of households in plunging winter temperatures.

Asian markets were mixed Friday after a two-day stutter as traders look ahead to the release of crucial US jobs data and a possible Supreme Court ruling on Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs.

Fierce winds battered France and Britain on Friday as Storm Goretti barrelled through northern Europe, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of households in plunging winter temperatures.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka sent an Australian Open warning as she beat Madison Keys on Friday in Brisbane in a repeat of last year's Melbourne final.

South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung will travel to Japan next week for talks with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Seoul said Friday, days after meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Bayern Munich vice-captain Joshua Kimmich is expected to miss his side's clash with Wolfsburg on Sunday due to injury, as the Bundesliga resumes amid icy conditions across Germany.

Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina said Friday she agreed with Aryna Sabalenka's description of the tennis schedule as "insane" -- but does not see it changing.

Led by Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, Nigeria's form at the Africa Cup of Nations has offered cause for optimism ahead of Saturday's heavyweight quarter-final against Algeria despite reports of unrest in the squad.

The snow-lined street in the midwestern city of Minneapolis where Renee Nicole Good was gunned down by an immigration agent Wednesday lies less than a mile from the site of another slaying that shook Americans.

A tiny Swiss village is reeling from the "unimaginable" loss of numerous young people in the New Year inferno at a ski resort bar, including seven players on the same football team.

All of Switzerland will mark a national day of mourning Friday for the dozens of mostly teenagers killed when fire ravaged a ski resort bar crammed with New Year revellers.

Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine's capital, setting apartment blocks alight and killing at least four people, Kyiv's mayor said Friday after Moscow rejected the latest post-war peacekeeping plan.

The EU is expected Friday to give a long-delayed go ahead to a huge trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur championed by business groups but loathed by many European farmers.

Former champion Stan Wawrinka was handed a wildcard on Friday for the Australian Open in his final season but home favourite Nick Kyrgios will play only doubles.

Asian markets rose Friday after a two-day stutter as traders look ahead to the release of crucial US jobs data and a possible Supreme Court ruling on Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs.

China is moving against the cyberscam tycoons making fortunes in Southeast Asia, driven by mounting public pressure and Beijing's desire to keep control of judicial processes, analysts say.

The Chicago Bulls' home game against the Miami Heat on Thursday was postponed at the 11th hour because of an unplayable court.

Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli said he had apologised to Conor Bradley for shoving the Liverpool defender off the pitch when badly injured in a 0-0 Premier League draw.

Venezuela on Thursday began releasing a "large number" of political prisoners, including several foreigners, in an apparent concession to the United States after its ouster of ruler Nicolas Maduro.

Tens of thousands of Philippine Catholics twirled white cloths and chanted "Viva, viva" as a historic statue of Jesus Christ was paraded through the streets of Manila on Friday in the nation's biggest annual religious event.

Inspired by playmaker Alberto Moleiro, Villarreal are aiming high in La Liga after humiliating early failures in cup competitions this season.

Liam Rosenior's first match as Chelsea manager comes laced with giant-killing danger as he takes the Blues to second-tier Charlton in the FA Cup third round.

Over the whine of buzzsaws and the steady whir of sanders, hundreds of Vietnamese workers in a factory outside Ho Chi Minh City hustle to fill orders for high-end furniture.

Syria's defence ministry announced a ceasefire in Aleppo on Friday after days of deadly clashes between the army and Kurdish fighters forced thousands of civilians to flee.

New Zealand's critically endangered flightless parrot, the kakapo, started breeding last week for the first time in four years, the government conservation department said.