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Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych on Friday lost his appeal against his ban from the Winter Olympics for wearing a helmet depicting Ukraine's war dead, while US figure skating sensation Ilia Malinin eyes double gold glory.

George Russell produced the second fastest time in Friday's pre-season testing, behind only his teammate Kimi Antonelli, but the English driver still insisted Mercedes had 'taken a step back' in Sakhir.

The death toll from Cyclone Gezani rose to 40 on Friday, three days after its passage across Madagascar, as officials struggled to restore widespread cuts to power and water supplies.

Ben Earl believes the way England ended their Calcutta Cup drought last year can help them to yet more Six Nations success against Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday.

World stock indexes struggled for inspiration Friday as investors remained cautious after heavy selling of companies seen vulnerable to AI deployment and concerns about tech sector valuations more broadly.

The United States, led by Saiteja Mukkamalla's 79 and Harmeet Singh's 4-21, dominated with bat and ball to thrash the Netherlands by 93 runs in the T20 World Cup on Friday.

Australian Alex de Minaur had to dig deep Friday with a battling performance to sneak past local hero Botic van de Zandschulp and book his place in the Rotterdam Open semi-final.

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych on Friday lost his appeal against his disqualification from the Winter Olympics for wearing a helmet adorned with pictures of the Ukrainian war dead.

Ghanaians have rushed to defend their colourful handwoven "fugu" smocks after President John Mahama's wearing of the loose-fitting traditional garment on a recent state visit to Zambia caused an online storm.

Nottingham Forest are set to appoint Vitor Pereira as their fourth manager this season, according to reports on Friday.

England rugby union captain Maro Itoje has labelled Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe's controversial comments about immigration as "ridiculous" and "wrong".

Europe could be facing a period of prolonged tensions with Russia reminiscent of the Cold War, and should speak to Moscow with "one voice" to get its interests heard, Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky told AFP on Friday.

A prolonged impasse between US lawmakers over immigration enforcement threatens to ensnare the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a partial government shutdown beginning Saturday, following two fatal shootings in Minneapolis.

The United States was preparing on Friday to deploy a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East after President Donald Trump warned of "traumatic" consequences if Tehran failed to agree a deal over its nuclear programme.

Troubled French games giant Ubisoft will strive to project confidence this weekend with a massive esports event for its shooter "Rainbow Six Siege", while hoping a reorganisation and expansion to China can keep the money rolling in.

Stock indexes were mostly lower Friday as investors remained cautious after heavy selling of companies seen vulnerable to AI deployment and concerns about tech sector valuations more broadly.

Tottenham are set to hire Igor Tudor as interim manager until the end of the season after Thomas Frank's dismissal, according to reports on Friday.

Four astronauts were on their way to the International Space Station Friday after they successfully embarked on their research mission to the orbiting laboratory.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been charged by the English Football Association after saying referees have to be "neutral" following his side's controversial clash with Tottenham.

Italian biathlete Rebecca Passler has been cleared to compete in the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics after a successful appeal to the Italian Anti-Doping Agency (NADO) following a failed drugs test last month.

President Emmanuel Macron Friday denounced what he described as an "antisemitic hydra" that had crept into "every crack" of society two decades after Ilan Halimi, a 23-year-old French Jewish man, was tortured to death.

Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu believes his "desperate" side can take heart from England's example as they look to revive their fortunes with victory over the 'Auld Enemy' in Saturday's Calcutta Cup clash at Murrayfield.

Cash-strapped and running out of options, a public hospital in southwestern France has turned to an unlikely source of rescue: potential patients.

Consumer inflation in the United States cooled slightly more than expected in January, government data showed Friday, as energy prices dipped.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged Friday a rift had opened up between Europe and the United States but issued an appeal to Washington: "Let's repair and revive transatlantic trust together."

German leader Friedrich Merz called Friday for "a new transatlantic partnership" between the United States and Europe, as he rallied officials at a top security conference under heavy pressure from US President Donald Trump.

After a break-in, strikes and a ticket fraud scandal, the beleaguered Louvre museum in Paris said Friday it had suffered a water leak in its most-visited wing, the second flood in three months.

In the Moroccan village of Ouled Salama, 63-year-old farmer Mohamed Reouani waded through his crops, now submerged by floodwaters after days of heavy downpours.

Russia and Ukraine will hold US-brokered talks on February 17-18 in Geneva, both countries said Friday, announcing the next leg in fraught negotiations seeking to end the four-year war.

The Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych said he hoped "truth will prevail" after he appealed his disqualification from the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics at sport's top court on Friday.

Aspiring physical education teacher Gao Yemiao missed his 30-second window to buy a train ticket home for China's biggest holiday before seats sold out -- but he was lucky.

President Emmanuel Macron Friday denounced what he described as an "antisemitic hydra" that had crept into "every crack" of society two decades after Ilan Halimi, a 23-year-old French Jewish man, was tortured to death.

Excitement was hitting fever pitch in Colombo and across South Asia on Friday after Pakistan relented and decided to play against India in the T20 World Cup, reigniting the most lucrative match in cricket.

Cross-country skiing great Johannes Klaebo won the men's 10km interval start race on Friday to collect a record-equalling eighth Winter Olympics gold medal.

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych said he hoped "truth would prevail" as he appealed to sport's highest court on Friday following his Olympic ban as US figure skating sensation Ilia Malinin eyed a second gold of the Milan-Cortina Games.

European and Asian stock markets mostly fell Friday following another tech-led plunge on Wall Street as investors reassess their vast AI investments.

When she was growing up, Sophie Adenot plastered her childhood bedroom with posters of rockets launching from Cape Canaveral.

A third woman allegedly raped by the son of Norway's crown princess told an Oslo court Friday she was drunk and on sleeping pills when he had non-consensual sex.

London's high court on Friday upheld a challenge to a government ban on activist group Palestine Action, saying the proscription had interfered with the right to freedom of speech.