Lucu replaces banned France captain Dupont for Japan Test
Scrum-half Maxime Lucu will replace World Rugby player of the year Antoine Dupont in France's side to face Japan in the Autumn Nations Series this weekend, Les Bleus head coach Fabien Galthie said on Friday.
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Japan drop Matsushima for France Test for 'physicality' reasons
Japan head coach Jamie Joseph said on Friday he had dropped ex-Clermont winger Kotara Matsushima to the bench for this weekend's Autumn Nations Series Test with France for "physicality reasons".
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France faces high risk of power grid strain in January: operator
The French electricity grid operator warned Friday of a "high risk" of network strain due to ongoing nuclear power plant outages, which could see businesses and households forced to curb usage to avoid outright power cuts.
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France sweat on Benzema, Varane ahead of World Cup opener
Defending champions France are hoping Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane will be fit enough to feature in their opening World Cup match against Australia, with teammate Adrien Rabiot insisting both are "determined to play".
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Iran protesters set fire to Khomeini's ancestral home: images
Protesters in Iran have set on fire the ancestral home of the Islamic republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini two months into the anti-regime protest movement, images showed on Friday.
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Major German trade union wins pay hike, averting strike
Germany's biggest trade union agreed Friday to hefty wage hikes that are expected to cover almost four million workers facing soaring inflation, averting a major strike in Europe's top economy.
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Climate change 'main threat' for world heritage sites
One of the world's first cities came close to being wiped off the map during tragic floods this summer in Pakistan. Though Mohenjo Daro survived, it has become a symbol of the threat global warming poses to humanity's cultural heritage.
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Qatar 2022 - a one-off World Cup fantasy
FIFA's president promised the World Cup would be like "Disneyland" while rights groups say workers have been through hell, but one thing is certain -- there will never be another World Cup like Qatar 2022.
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At least 11 killed in northern Iraq gas tank explosion
Rescuers searched for more victims on Friday after a fuel tank explosion that killed at least 11 people and caused a house to collapse in northern Iraq, according to local authorities.
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Six star players to watch at the World Cup
The 2022 World Cup gets underway on Sunday in Qatar, with France hoping to become the first team to successfully defend the title since Brazil 60 years ago.
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