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Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler and England's Justin Rose scrambled not to lose ground on co-leaders Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns early in Friday's second round of the Masters.

For decades, the United States has cast itself as the guarantor of stability in the Middle East, allying militarily with Gulf Arab states as well as Israel and brushing aside global rival China's aspirations for a greater role.

Jannik Sinner brushed aside Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets on Friday to set up a Monte Carlo Masters semi-final against Alexander Zverev.

Inter Milan will be without captain and top scorer Lautaro Martinez for Sunday's Serie A match against Como, the Italian league leaders said.

Ukrainians on Friday were wary of Russia's pledge to pause fighting for an Orthodox Easter ceasefire -- first proposed by Kyiv -- this weekend.

Mikel Arteta challenged Arsenal to pile pressure on Manchester City by extending their lead at the top of the Premier League before their title rivals play 24 hours later.

Thousands of US homeland security employees are facing growing uncertainty over their pay after being told Friday's check could be their last until a record-long partial government shutdown is ended.

Crowds of flag-waving Hungarians have been cheering on their candidates for an election on Sunday, as Prime Minister Viktor Orban and challenger Peter Magyar hold frantic last-minute rallies.

A Swedish man suspected of exploiting his "vulnerable" wife to have sex with scores of men for payment, went on trial on Friday for aggravated pimping, rape and assault.

Inflation in the United States rose sharply in March, government data showed Wednesday, as higher energy prices due to the war in the Middle East hit Americans hard.

US Vice President JD Vance warned Iran on Friday against trying to "play" Washington, as he set off for talks in Islamabad aimed at transforming a fragile ceasefire into a lasting peace deal.

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior said that Enzo Fernandez remains dropped for Sunday's Premier League clash against Manchester City despite apologising for comments that cast doubt over his future at Stamford Bridge.

Borussia Dortmund and Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck has extended his deal by four years until 2031, the club announced Friday.

Roberto De Zerbi vowed to save troubled Tottenham from the humiliation of Premier League relegation as the Italian prepares for his first game in charge against Sunderland on Sunday.

Belgium's Antwerp port said Friday that it had reopened to North Sea shipping after an oil spill brought traffic to a near-halt in Europe's second-largest port.

Stock markets were mixed and oil prices were steady Friday with investors cautiously optimistic about the US-Iran ceasefire holding, and as a US inflation report was not as bad as feared.

Jannik Sinner brushed aside Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets on Friday to set up a Monte Carlo Masters semi-final against Alexander Zverev.

Pope Leo XIV and French President Emmanuel Macron held their first meeting Friday, a private audience at the Vatican where discussions ranged from the Iran war to basketball.

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior said on Friday that Enzo Fernandez had apologised after he "crossed a line" with comments that cast doubt on his future at Stamford Bridge.

Luciano Spalletti will stay on as Juventus coach after signing a new two-year deal, the Serie A club announced on Friday.

The head of a prominent anti-disinformation watchdog has warned of the dangers posed by AI chatbots, saying children are particularly vulnerable.

Pep Guardiola said Friday he was "grumpy" with Bernardo Silva, admitting he was in the dark over the future of his Manchester City captain.

Alexander Zverev edged out Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca in three sets on Friday to reach the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals for the third time.

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler and England's Justin Rose were set for early starts chasing co-leaders Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns as Friday's second round of the Masters began at Augusta National.

Celine Dion's fans are not the only ones excited about the megastar's new tour in Paris -- hotels, restaurants and shops are hoping for a multimillion-euro boost from concertgoers in the French capital.

Stock markets rose and oil prices flattened Friday with investors nervously optimistic about the shaky US-Iran ceasefire holding ahead of weekend talks aimed at finding a long-lasting truce.

The Irish government was set to hold talks Friday with agricultural and haulage representatives, as days of protests over spiralling fuel prices sparked warnings over supplies, including for emergency services.

Teenage Bayern Munich forward Lennart Karl will miss Wednesday's return leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid with a hamstring tear, the German club announced on Friday.

A cloud of uncertainty hung Friday over the scheduled start of talks in Pakistan between the United States and Iran, with no announcement yet on the arrival of negotiators and both sides accusing the other of failing to properly implement a fragile ceasefire.

Shipping was at a near-standstill in Belgium's port of Antwerp on Friday following an overnight oil spill, Europe's second-biggest port said as it raced to contain the risks of pollution and economic damage.

Inside an underground shelter at a hospital in the Israeli city of Haifa, a television screen flickers with images of Iranian missiles as doctors and midwives deliver Sarah Bird's third child.

Pakistan is due to host talks between Iran and the United States in a bid to turn a fragile two-week ceasefire into a lasting end to a war that has roiled global energy markets.

Arne Slot says he feels "complete support" from Liverpool's owners despite mounting pressure on the Dutch manager after a disastrous season.

When the US-Israeli war with Iran began at the end of February, it was widely assumed that Moscow would be one of the conflict's key winners.

A depleted Britain seized control of their Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against Australia on Friday with 17-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic stunning in-form Talia Gibson for the best win of her career.

China's President Xi Jinping met Taiwan's opposition party leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday, telling the visiting delegation he had "full confidence" that Taiwanese and Chinese people would be united.

Traffic in a seaside Australian town was briefly diverted on Friday when a local seal decided to take a nap on the road.

While the Artemis II astronauts have been protected from the icy vacuum of space on their journey, their bodies have nonetheless been left exposed to possibly high levels of radiation -- a danger of space travel that NASA is anxiously waiting to study.

Pakistan was poised on Friday to host Iranian and US delegations for negotiations in its capital, although Tehran's participation remained uncertain after deadly Israeli strikes on Lebanon threatened this week's temporary truce.