Iran held annual military drills with Russia on Thursday as a second American aircraft carrier drew closer to the Middle East, with both the United States and Iran signaling they are prepared for war if talks on Tehran's nuclear program fizzle out.

Canada captain Sidney Crosby appeared to injure his right knee in the second period of the quarterfinal against Czechia on Wednesday.

South Korea's Kospi touched a record high for the second straight day on Friday, powered by a rally among insurance stocks and defense players.

Treasuries ticked higher in choppy trading, ending a two-day selloff, amid heightened geopolitical tensions and ongoing concerns about the outlook for inflation.

Norway is relocating some of the around 60 soldiers it has in the Middle East to Norway as well as to other countries in the region on security grounds, a spokesperson for the Norwegian armed forces said on Friday.

Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank shot and killed a Palestinian American man during an attack on a village, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un opened the ruling Workers' Party's Ninth Congress, state-run media reported Friday, hailing major achievements over the past five years.

Tens of thousands of Muslims gathered under heavy security at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan, among them Palestinians who crossed into Israel from the occupied West Bank.