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Three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut are set to launch for the International Space Station on Saturday, the latest crew rotation for the orbital outpost.

Max Verstappen won Saturday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix to give Red Bull a timely boost after a trying week for the world champions and team principal Christian Horner.

Borussia Dortmund won 2-0 at Union Berlin to stay fourth on Saturday, one point clear of RB Leipzig who handsomely defeated Bochum in an increasingly tight race for fourth spot.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday urged the West to deliver more air defence systems as a wave of Russian missile, drone and artillery strikes killed at least ten people.

Tadej Pogacar fired a warning shot to his cycling rivals on Saturday by storming to a stunning win in the Strade Bianche, blowing away the competition with a solo attack a full 81 kilometres from the finish line in Siena.

Israel's top ally the United States said it began air-dropping aid into war-ravaged Gaza on Saturday, as the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry reported more than a dozen child malnutrition deaths.

American cargo planes air-dropped 38,000 meals into the besieged Gaza Strip on Saturday, part of a series of drops planned by Washington to help curb a growing humanitarian crisis in the war-racked territory.

Tadej Pogacar stormed to a stunning win in Saturday's Strade Bianche after blowing away the competition with a solo attack a full 81 kilometres from the finish line.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday promised a full investigation after what appeared to be a recording of confidential army talks on the Ukraine war was posted on Russian social media, in a potentially huge embarrassment for Berlin.

Chad's junta leader Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said on Saturday he would stand in the May 6 presidential election, just three days after his chief rival was killed in murky circumstances.

Barcelona coach Xavi said Saturday it was now the 'moment of truth' for his side who are on a roll of six wins in all competitions with an away match at Athletic Bilbao in La Liga and a Champions League return game at home to Napoli.

A man has been jailed for seven months for stealing a bag containing Olympic security plans from an employee of the Paris town hall, a judicial source confirmed on Saturday.

A cargo ship loaded with fertiliser has sunk in the Gulf of Aden less than two weeks after it was damaged by missiles from Yemen's Huthi rebels, Yemen's government said Saturday.

Hundreds of Russians visited the grave of dead Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Saturday, risking arrest to pay tribute to the anti-corruption campaigner for a second day running.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday promised a full investigation after what appeared to be a recording of confidential army talks on the Ukraine war was posted on Russian social media, in a potentially huge embarrassment for Berlin.

A communications blackout has made information scarce from Sudan's Al-Jazira state, which paramilitaries pushed into in December, but rare interviews with residents have detailed grim conditions in the former safe haven.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said Saturday that Paul Pogba's ban for doping violations means football has lost an "extraordinary" talent.

The first stage of construction of the controversial aluminium judges' tower for the surfing event at the Paris Olympic Games was completed this week in Polynesia despite opposition from environmentalists.

Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami on Saturday won the first women's super-G race of the weekend in Kvitfjell to extend her lead in the overall World Cup standings on injured US star Mikaela Shiffrin.

Greece's Miltiadis Tentoglou retained his world indoor long jump title in Glasgow on Saturday as American Grant Holloway moved smoothly into the semi-finals of the 60m hurdles.

The mother of dead Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny visited his grave on Saturday, a day after thousands of Russians risked arrest to pay tribute to the anti-corruption campaigner at his funeral.

Chad junta chief Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said Saturday he would contest a May 6 presidential election, just three days after his chief rival was killed in murky circumstances.

Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami on Saturday won the first women's Super G race of the weekend in Kvitfjell to extend her lead in the overall World Cup standings on injured US star Mikaela Shiffrin.

Defending champions Canterbury Crusaders suffered back-to-back defeats to open a Super Rugby season for the first time in a decade after slumping 37-24 against the NSW Waratahs Saturday.

The German defence ministry said Saturday it was checking whether a confidential videoconference on the Ukraine war had been wiretapped after a recording was posted on Russian social media, in a potentially huge embarrassment for Berlin.

Iran began counting ballots on Saturday after a vote for parliament and a key clerical body, with local media estimating a low turnout and conservatives expected to dominate.

A UN team has reported seeing "a large number" of gunshot wounds among Gazans after Israeli troops opened fire near an aid convoy, an incident which highlighted near-famine conditions after nearly five months of war.

The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny visited his grave on Saturday, a day after thousands of Russians had risked arrest to pay tribute to the anti-corruption campaigner at his funeral.

As Israelis are called up to join the war effort in Gaza, anger is mounting at the ultra-Orthodox community which has long been spared the compulsory military service required of most citizens.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday urged the West to deliver more air defence systems after five people were killed in the latest Russian strikes.

Japan's Ayaka Furue moved atop the leaderboard with her third-round four-under-par 68 at the HSBC Women's World Championship on Saturday, keeping cool under sweltering conditions in Singapore.

Defending champion Alex De Minaur booked a return to the Acapulco ATP final on Friday as Jack Draper retired while trailing in the third set of their semi-final.