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Real Madrid roared back to life this week, led by a superb Vinicius Junior, who is looking to confirm his own resuscitation and that of his team at Villarreal on Saturday in La Liga.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane revealed a hidden motivation behind his brilliant season with the German giants -- a schnitzel for every goal he scores.

President Donald Trump said a US "armada" was heading toward the Gulf and that Washington was watching Iran closely, even after downplaying the prospect of imminent military action and saying Tehran appeared interested in talks.

Carlos Alcaraz stepped up his quest to win a maiden Australian Open as he overwhelmed showman Corentin Moutet on Friday to reach the last 16 while Aryna Sabalenka said she was "emotionally all over the place" in victory.

Powerhouse Australian sprinter Sam Welsford stormed home from well back for his seventh stage win in the Tour Down Under as Jay Vine remained the overall race leader on Friday.

Fast-rising Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko has been racking up a lot of firsts in recent months, with a clash against a world number one on centre court at a Grand Slam the latest.

An ominous Carlos Alcaraz wasted little energy in his 100th Grand Slam match to sweep into the last 16 of the Australian Open on Friday with a straight-sets mauling of French showman Corentin Moutet.

Aryna Sabalenka said Friday she planned to have children at some point in the next few years, but would return to tennis "just to challenge myself".

Gutsy three-time Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev fought back from two sets down to reach the last 16 on Friday against unseeded Fabian Marozsan of Hungary.

The Philadelphia 76ers, fueled by 36 points from Tyrese Maxey and a triple-double from Joel Embiid, beat the Houston Rockets 128-122 in an NBA overtime thriller on Thursday.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament on Friday ahead of a snap election on February 8, counting on her cabinet's high poll numbers to steer her otherwise unpopular ruling party to victory.

India hopes next month's T20 World Cup will bolster its credentials as a global sports host -- and the country's Olympic ambitions -- but preparations have been rocked by a diplomatic row with Bangladesh and accusations of political interference.

Progressive white women have been persistent punching bags of President Donald Trump's MAGA movement, but attacks targeting the demographic group have become particularly vicious in recent weeks.

Rusted nails hold used infusion tubes on the wall of a clinic run by one among hundreds of thousands of unqualified doctors operating across Pakistan.

Aryna Sabalenka said she was "emotionally all over the place" as she was forced to dig deep to reach the last 16 on Friday at the Australian Open, where Carlos Alcaraz will resume his quest for a maiden Melbourne title.

Asian markets extended their recovery Friday after Donald Trump withdrew his tariff threats over Greenland, though lingering uncertainty about US policy weighed on the dollar and helped push precious metals to fresh record highs.

Ukrainian, US and Russian officials will hold security talks in the United Arab Emirates on Friday, the Kremlin said, following a meeting of top US negotiators with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on a US-drafted plan to end the Ukraine war.

An emotional top seed Aryna Sabalenka survived a thorough examination from Anastasia Potapova before reaching the last 16 of the Australian Open on Friday to keep her on track for a third Melbourne title.

Rescuers dug into deep mud searching for at least six people still missing Friday after a landslide from an extinct volcano crashed into a popular campsite in northern New Zealand.

Chilean authorities announced Thursday the arrest of a fourth person suspected of causing deadly wildfires that have ravaged the south of the country.

Japan's punk rock lawyer Akihiro Shima was belting out songs at a packed bar in Tokyo, sporting a mohawk and bright-red jacket, nine days after filing a landmark climate lawsuit.

United States forward Trinity Rodman has signed a new three-year deal with the NWSL's Washington Spirit that will reportedly make her the world's highest-paid woman footballer.

TikTok announced Thursday it has established a majority American-owned joint venture to operate its US business, allowing the company to avoid a ban over its Chinese ownership.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' $240 million signing of Kyle Tucker has reignited calls for Major League Baseball to introduce a salary cap, putting team owners and the players union on a collision course.

The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned Washington Thursday that the force had its "finger on the trigger" in the wake of mass protests, as US President Donald Trump said Tehran still appeared interested in talks.

Tennis greats Martina Navratilova and Lindsay Davenport took Naomi Osaka to task on Friday, saying she had failed to keep to "basic etiquette" after her Australian Open flashpoint.

A drained, hobbling and "pissed off" Nick Kyrgios said he did not know where his career was going next after the former Wimbledon finalist suffered defeat in the first round of the Australian Open men's doubles.

Arsenal are hunting their fifth straight Premier League home win against old foes Manchester United this weekend as they look to stay clear of a faltering chasing pack.

One crisis defused, how long until the next one? European leaders huddled for summit talks Thursday exuding relief at Donald Trump's climbdown on Greenland -- but already steeling themselves for the next jolt from the mercurial US leader.

Emergency workers dug through deep mud in search of victims Friday after a landslide from an extinct volcano crashed into a popular campsite in northern New Zealand.

World number one Scottie Scheffler made a bright start to 2026, firing a nine-under par 63 on Thursday to join a big group one off the lead shared by Min Woo Lee and Pierceson Coody at the US PGA Tour event in La Quinta, California.

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