SPORTS

European champions Paris Saint-Germain suffered a shock 1-0 Club World Cup defeat to Brazilian side Botafogo on Thursday after Lionel Messi lit up the tournament with a brilliant free-kick winner for Inter Miami.

The Los Angeles Dodgers said Thursday the club barred federal immigration agents from the team's stadium parking lot as a fresh wave of raids continued across America's second-biggest city.

The Los Angeles Lakers are being sold in a record-breaking $10 billion deal that makes the iconic franchise the highest-valued sports team in US history, ESPN reported Wednesday.

China tried to mislead foreign governments in 2024 by playing down the importance of a nuclear-capable missile test over the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand diplomats privately warned in documents obtained by AFP. Beijing sent shivers through the South Pacific in September 2024, when its elite Rocket Force fired a dummy warhead into the high seas near French Polynesia.

Chelsea began their Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory against Los Angeles FC in a largely empty stadium on Monday as Brazilian giants Flamengo also got off to a winning start and a Benfica comeback denied Boca Juniors in a stormy encounter.

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca labelled the atmosphere in his team's opening Club World Cup game on Monday "strange" after the Blues triumphed in front of nearly 50,000 empty seats.

Paris Saint-Germain laid down an ominous marker on their march towards global domination at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday as Bayern Munich showed no mercy to Auckland's amateurs with a ruthless 10-0 walloping.

Former Formula One driver Robert Kubica has long since tackled the demons of a near-fatal accident 14 years ago but Sunday's victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is arguably his greatest achievement yet.

The arena was packed on Friday night in the upscale Lekki neighbourhood of Nigeria's bustling commercial capital, Lagos.

When sharp minds unite with a shared vision and an itch to shake up the status quo, they can carve out a space where there previously was none. Cracked Racquets was born out of the founders' realization that there was no serious media coverage for emerging athletes, especially in the junior and collegiate tennis spaces.

Jannik Sinner ended the retiring Richard Gasquet's career with a one-sided victory at the French Open on Thursday, while Novak Djokovic successfully continued his Grand Slam record bid at Roland Garros.

France will ban smoking in all outdoor places that can be accessed by children, including beaches, parks and bus stops, the health and family minister announced Thursday.

Saudi officials are in "difficult" talks to keep Cristiano Ronaldo in the country, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told AFP on Thursday, after the star footballer suggested he was leaving Al Nassr.

Jannik Sinner takes on the retiring Richard Gasquet at the French Open on Thursday, while Novak Djokovic looks to sharpen his game in the second round in his pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title.

Jasmine Paolini moved into the French Open third round on Wednesday as Iga Swiatek continued her bid for a fourth straight Roland Garros crown, with title favourites Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz also in action.

Starting strokes will be eliminated from the season-ending Tour Championship, the PGA Tour announced on Tuesday, with the 30-man playoff finale being played as a 72-hole stroke-play tournament.

Novak Djokovic made a clinical start to his latest pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title at the French Open on Tuesday, while women's contenders Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva successfully got their campaigns under way at a windy Roland Garros.

When Sarah Lezito began messing around with motorbikes at 13 she never dreamed that one day she would become the stunt double of some of Hollywood's biggest stars.

A teenager has died in New Zealand after taking part in a rugby-inspired craze that sees participants sprint into each other head-on with no protective gear, police said Tuesday.

Novak Djokovic sets out on his latest pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title at the French Open on Tuesday, as women's contenders Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva get their campaigns under way.

Carlos Alcaraz powered into the French Open second round on Monday with a resounding win to start his title defence, while world number one Jannik Sinner and three-time defending women's champion Iga Swiatek also progressed at Roland Garros.

Roland Garros will pay tribute to its greatest champion with a ceremony for the retired Rafael Nadal on Sunday, while Aryna Sabalenka got her French Open campaign up and running with an emphatic victory.

The far-right Chega party climbed to joint second place in Portugal's snap general election, posing a major challenge for Prime Minister Luis Montenegro as he prepared on Monday to lead another minority government.

For weeks, Ziad Abu al-Dahab has been training for gold at an equestrian tournament near Damascus -- in a sport once dominated by Syria's Assad family and their inner circle.

Since the inhabitants of Jemna in southern Tunisia wrested control of their 100-year-old palm grove from the state during the 2011 Revolution, residents say their lives have radically improved.

European delegates staged a walkout at FIFA's Congress in Paraguay on Thursday after world football chief Gianni Infantino jetted in late for the session following meetings in Saudi Arabia and Qatar with US President Donald Trump.

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday said grave abuses were being committed on giant construction sites in Saudi Arabia and warned the risks to migrant workers could increase as the building of stadiums for the 2034 World Cup gathers pace.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will leave the club at the end of the season to take charge of the Brazil national team, the Brazilian football federation (CBF) announced Monday.

Pakistan has warned it will "not de-escalate" a spiralling conflict with India, and blamed New Delhi for bringing the two nuclear-armed neighbours closer to a full-blown war, with the death toll from days of violence crossing 50.