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Mayu Iizuka sheds her soft-spoken personality and starts cackling, screaming and waving wildly in a makeshift studio in Tokyo as her avatar appears on a livestream before hundreds of fans.

The death toll from a powerful explosion at a five-star hotel in central Havana climbed to 22 Friday with more than 50 people injured after a suspected gas leak, according to official tallies.

Jackson held out for more than a week as gunfire ripped through his poor neighborhood in the Haitian capital, hoping help would come to end the bloody turf war between rival gangs.

Leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will launch his campaign for Brazil's October presidential election Saturday, seeking to unseat far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and stage a remarkable comeback four years after being jailed for corruption.

The death toll from a powerful explosion at a five-star hotel in central Havana climbed to 18 Friday with more than 50 people injured after a suspected gas leak, according to new official tallies.

Australia's Jason Day, chasing his first US PGA title in four years, seized a three-stroke lead after Friday's rain-soaked second round of the Wells Fargo Championship.

Brazil and Guyana on Friday agreed to broaden energy cooperation during a visit by President Jair Bolsonaro to Georgetown, in which the South American neighbors also signed infrastructure and legal deals.

Brazil and Guyana on Friday agreed to broaden energy cooperation during a visit by President Jair Bolsonaro to Georgetown, in which the South American neighbors also signed infrastructure and legal deals.

George Russell confirmed Mercedes recovery from their early-season problems when he topped the times in Friday's second free practice for this weekend's inaugural Miami Grand Prix.

US President Joe Biden announced another package of military assistance for Ukraine on Friday as dozens of civilians were evacuated from Mariupol's besieged steelworks, the last pocket of resistance against Russian troops in the pulverized port city.

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol made weight Friday for their light-heavyweight world title clash in Las Vegas amid raucous support for Mexico's Alvarez.

The Italian authorities on Friday impounded a mega yacht at the centre of a mystery over its ownership as speculation swirled it might even belong to the Russian president.

On a night of wild swings in Serie A, Inter Milan came from two goals down Friday to beat Empoli and later Juventus conceded two late goals to lose at Genoa.

Global stocks mostly tumbled Friday to conclude a volatile week as investors fretted over inflation and worries about slowing growth despite a solid US jobs report.

The Dallas Mavericks organization was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Friday for violating league rules regarding team bench decorum in a playoff loss Wednesday at Phoenix.

Nine people were killed and 40 hurt when a powerful explosion, likely caused by a gas leak, ripped through a five-star hotel in central Havana Friday, the Cuban government said.

Clashes between two rival gangs in the outskirts of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince have claimed the lives of at least 75 people, including women and children, in less than two weeks, the UN said Friday.

After threatening to skip the inaugural Miami Grand Prix over a bling clampdown, Lewis Hamilton removed almost all his jewellery in time to drive in practice Friday.

World championship leader Charles Leclerc was fastest for Ferrari in Friday morning's opening free practice ahead of the inaugural Miami Grand Prix.

A mega yacht at the centre of a mystery over its ownership appeared ready to set sail from Italy Friday, an AFP photographer saw, as speculation swirls it might belong to the Russian president.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating 109 childhood cases of a mysterious form of hepatitis, including five reported deaths, the agency said Friday.

Eight people were killed and about 30 hurt in a powerful explosion, likely caused by a gas leak, that ripped through a five-star hotel in central Havana on Friday, the Cuban government said.

The United States said Friday it believes North Korea may be preparing a nuclear test as soon as this month, its first since 2017, and renewed an offer of dialogue on ratcheting tensions.

Dutch Alpecin rider Mathieu van der Poel said he had entered the Giro d'Italia because he thought he could win the opening stage, and on Friday he delivered.

Lautaro Martinez scored twice on Friday as Inter Milan backcame back from two goals down to beat visiting Empoli 4-2 and jump to the top of Serie A.

French dairy giant Lactalis is betting big on North America, adapting to local preferences to attract consumers while it manages country-specific issues, such as the extreme volatility of US milk prices.

Fifty civilians were evacuated Friday from Mariupol's besieged steelworks, the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance against Russian forces in the city, Kyiv said, but reports of renewed firing cast doubt on a promised truce.

Tournament host Danny Willett is seeking to give the trophy to himself after forcing his way back into contention on Friday's second day of the British Masters at The Belfry.

Australia's Jason Day, chasing his first US PGA title in four years, seized a three-stroke lead during Friday's rain-soaked second round of the Wells Fargo Championship.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating 109 childhood cases of a mysterious form of hepatitis, including five reported deaths, the agency said Friday.

Firefighters struggled Friday to contain a giant blaze that has been burning for more than a month in New Mexico, raising fears for the summer ahead in the drought-hit western United States.

Eight people were killed and about 30 hurt in a powerful explosion Friday that partly destroyed a five-star hotel in central Havana, the Cuban government said, adding the blast was likely caused by a gas leak.