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Concerns grew Friday over the fairness of Venezuela's presidential elections as Caracas was accused of blocking international observers from arriving for the Sunday vote, including a delegation of ex-presidents.

French rail officials warned of travel chaos for hundreds of thousands of people throughout the weekend after saboteurs following a meticulous plan paralysed much of the train network Friday as the Olympic Games started.

The concept had been derided as overly ambitious and the location criticised as a prime security risk. But after years of preparation, France could Saturday breathe a sigh of relief -- it had pulled off the Olympic opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Games.

Marie-Jose Perec was rewarded for her career as France's greatest track athlete when she lit the Paris Olympics cauldron along with judo triple gold medallist Teddy Riner on Friday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived early Saturday in Laos, where he will attend a regional meeting and hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, part of a multi-nation Asia visit aimed at reinforcing ties with regional allies in the face of an increasingly assertive Beijing.

Panama on Friday accused Venezuela of blocking a flight carrying former Latin American presidents -- all critics of President Nicolas Maduro -- to observe elections due in two days.

A historic boat parade down the River Seine launched the Paris Olympics with spectacular French flair Friday, as the City of Light welcomed the world's greatest athletes for a sporting extravaganza.

Wrapped in a poncho under torrential rain, Brazilian Lucas Amadeu said he regretted forking out 2,700 euros ($2,930) for a top seat at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Friday.

G20 nations have agreed to work together to make the super-rich pay their taxes, but stopped short of a more substantial deal, according to a declaration adopted Friday after a meeting of finance ministers in Rio de Janeiro.

Boundary-breaking, genre-defying and unprecedented: the opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics got the 2024 Summer Games underway with a pulsating energy and unique show that will never be forgotten.

Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura joined dancers, an opera diva and even a heavy metal band in an opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics that sought to proudly showcase French culture with a modern twist.

An attorney for Justin Timberlake asked a judge to dismiss drunk driving charges against the US pop singer Friday, saying his client was "not intoxicated" when he was arrested last month.

Warner Brothers Discovery filed a lawsuit against the NBA on Friday, claiming the US professional basketball league broke a contract by refusing a new media rights deal to accept an offer from Amazon.

Kobe Bryant's Staples Center locker and Maradona's 1986 World Cup jersey went on display Friday in New York, part of an auction of rare sports memorabilia at Sotheby's.

A historic boat parade down the River Seine launched the Paris Olympics with spectacular French flair Friday, as the City of Light welcomed the world's greatest athletes for a sporting extravaganza.

Major stock markets pushed higher Friday as traders welcomed data showing a moderation in US inflation, firming expectations the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates in September.

US authorities announced Friday the return of another artwork stolen by Nazis to the family of Fritz Grunbaum, the Austiran-Jewish cabaret performer and collector who originally owned it.

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has made what could be its most astonishing discovery to date: possible signs of ancient life on the Red Planet.

A huge, fast-moving and rapidly growing wildfire in northern California has forced more than 4,000 people to evacuate as firefighters battle gusty winds and perilously dry conditions, authorities said Friday.

The co-founder of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel pleaded not guilty to US drug charges on Friday after being flown to Texas in a scheme allegedly orchestrated by another top leader of the notorious trafficking ring.

Weeping families packed homes in a southern remote part of Ethiopia on Friday to bid farewell to relatives killed following a devastating landslide, as authorities announced three days of mourning.

Lady Gaga and French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura joined dancers, an opera diva and even a heavy metal band in an opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics that sought to proudly showcase French culture with a modern twist.

Boeing's safety troubles and the Airbus scramble to ramp up production should have left a gap for smaller rivals to challenge their dominatiion of the commercial airliner market.

Thousands of Olympic competitors cruised down the River Seine in a spectacular opening ceremony for the Paris Games on Friday that celebrated French history and culture to the delight of a crowd undeterred by persistent rain.

A downbeat Lando Norris said he was "not so comfortable" and felt he was unable to "nail it down" in spite of topping the times ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri in Friday’s practice for the Belgian Grand Prix.

Jason Holder produced a fine all-round display as the West Indies took three late wickets, including both England openers with successive deliveries, in a stirring fightback on Friday's opening day of the third Test at Edgbaston.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump sharply criticized his Democratic political rivals and pledged to work for peace in the Middle East if reelected as he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida on Friday.

The opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics began Friday, an unprecedented and ambitious show with up to 7,000 athletes parading down the River Seine past the historic monuments of the French capital despite the risk of rain dampening spirits.

Matthew Mott's future as head coach of the England men's white-ball team was left hanging in the air after the chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) failed to offer the under-pressure Australian "the dreaded vote of confidence" on Friday.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gave a warm greeting to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife on Friday as the two leaders met for talks in Florida.

South African authorities rounded up 95 Libyans in a raid Friday at a farm that appeared to have been converted into an illegal military training base, police said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to arrive Saturday in Laos, where he will meet his Chinese counterpart at a regional conference and work to reinforce Washington's ties with its allies.