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With its donations falling and medicines and equipment running short, a Moscow children's hospice fears possible closure due to the impact of Western sanctions over Russia's military action in Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden came up-close to the war in Ukraine Friday as Russia appeared to row back on its vaulting ambitions, after a month of dogged resistance by Ukrainian forces backed by ever-rising Western support.

Gareth Southgate insists there would be no benefit from England boycotting the World Cup amid concerns about Qatar's human rights record.

Early season championship leader Charles Leclerc maintained his impressive form with Ferrari on Friday when he topped the times ahead of Max Verstappen in opening practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Scientists have discovered microplastics in human blood for the first time, warning that the ubiquitous particles could also be making their way into organs.

Some 3.7 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia's invasion a month ago, the UN said Friday.

Thousands of supporters turned out in the northern Philippines Friday as the eldest son of presidential election favourite Ferdinand Marcos Junior launched a campaign for Congress.

South African World Cup winner Cobus Reinach has extended his contract with Montpellier by two years to 2025, the Top 14 leaders announced Friday.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins was thrilled to claim a historic Test series in Pakistan just months after their Ashes victory, on their first tour to the country in 24 years.

US President Joe Biden came up-close to the war in Ukraine Friday after forging a new set of measures with Europe designed to place a tighter squeeze on Russia's tottering, energy-rich economy.

North Korea likely has "more in store" after successfully test-firing its largest-ever intercontinental ballistic missile this week, a top White House official said Friday.

Israel said it will host a "historic summit" from Sunday of top diplomats from the United States and three Arab states with which it has normalised ties.

Big Tech companies will be regulated like banks, a top EU official said on Friday, as a new landmark digital law was hailed as Europe's long overdue counterweight to Google, Meta and Amazon.

Toulouse, shorn of their international stars, paid a heavy domestic price for France's Six Nations triumph, having a terrible start to the year with a six-game losing streak.

Ukrainian athlete Valentyna Veretska, who fled Russia's invasion of her country and took refuge in Israel, on Friday won the Jerusalem marathon, race organisers said.

Benchmark oil prices slid by three percent Friday after European countries decided against a ban on Russian oil imports over its Ukraine invasion -- but Germany said it would drastically slash its energy purchases from Moscow.

Reigning world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has left war-torn Ukraine to begin his preparation for a rematch with Britain's Anthony Joshua, his manager told AFP on Friday.

British finance minister Rishi Sunak is being accused of being out of touch with ordinary voters, in a sudden fall from grace just months after he was tipped as the next prime minister.

Tigrayan rebels agreed to a "cessation of hostilities" on Friday, a new turning point in the nearly 17-month war in northern Ethiopia following the government's announcement of an indefinite humanitarian truce a day earlier.

Gilbert Houngbo, the former prime minister of Togo, was on Friday elected the next head of the International Labour Organization, and will become the first African to lead the UN agency.

Spain on Friday offered a rebate and a onetime cash payment to end a truckers' strike over soaring fuel prices that has led to food shortages in supermarkets nationwide.

Wales prop Tomas Francis should have been "immediately and permanently" removed from last month's match against England after suffering a head injury, a Six Nations review panel said on Friday.

One of the few remaining routes open from Russia to the European Union is closing down after Finland's railway operator announced the last train from St Petersburg to Helsinki will run on Sunday.

Australia claimed a historic victory against Pakistan on Friday, taking the three-Test series 1-0 with a 115-run win on the fifth day of the last match in Lahore.

Until Gareth Bale pulled up with cramp late in Wales' 2-1 win over Austria in their World Cup play-off semi-final, there was little to suggest this was a man desperately short of action for his club.

The United States and EU announced Friday a new drive to wean Europe off Russian gas imports and so choke off the billions in revenues that are fuelling Moscow's ruinous war against Ukraine.

Roberto Mancini's future as Italy boss is uncertain after an unimaginable play-off defeat to North Macedonia denied the team he guided to Euro 2020 glory a place at the World Cup.

Australian captain Pat Cummins took two quick wickets to put Australia on the verge of a historic series win in the third Test against Pakistan on Friday.

Germany said Friday it was drastically slashing its energy purchases from Russia amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, with oil imports to be halved by June and coal deliveries to end by the autumn.

Loik Le Priol, the main suspect in the murder of former star Argentine rugby player Federico Martin Aramburu in Paris, is to be handed over to France, a Hungarian court ruled Friday.

Leather jacket, sunglasses and a gigantic missile: North Korean state media announced the launch of Pyongyang's largest-ever intercontinental ballistic missile with an attempt at old school Hollywood flair on Friday.

A giant diamond nicknamed "The Rock" went on display for the first time in Dubai on Friday ahead of an auction where it is expected to fetch up to $30 million.