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US airport security officers missed their first full paycheck Friday as a partial funding shutdown of the government approached the one-month mark, with no breakthrough in a congressional standoff that is beginning to disrupt travel across the country.

Michael Carrick on Friday brushed off criticism from former Manchester United teammate Paul Scholes as he prepares his side for a crunch Premier League game against Aston Villa.

Oil dipped under $100 Friday, but remained far above pre-Mideast war levels with no end in sight to the disruption in supplies of crude.

The US Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge came in slightly lower than expected in January, registering 2.8 percent growth over a year ago, according to data released Friday ahead of a key central bank rate-setting meeting next week.

Six Georgian men's rugby international players have been suspended for doping violations following a joint investigation by World Rugby and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), it was announced on Friday.

The Djidji Ayokwe "talking drum", which was looted by French colonial troops in 1916 and taken to France, arrived back in Ivory Coast Friday, in the latest repatriation of stolen artefacts.

President Donald Trump said Friday he feels honored to be killing Iran's leadership, calling them "deranged scumbags."

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City's Premier League title challenge "will be over" if they fail to beat resurgent West Ham on Saturday.

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior hailed Reece James as the "best player in world football in his position" after the captain signed a new six-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

The US economy grew at a significantly slower pace than initially estimated for the final months of 2025, government data showed Friday, a major downgrade that comes as fallout from war in the Middle East looms.

Poland's centrist government on Friday unveiled a "Plan B" for financing the modernisation of its military and arms industry, after nationalist President Karol Nawrocki's veto of nearly 44 billion euros in European loans.

Deadly explosions rocked Tehran close to a pro-government rally attended by top officials Friday, as Israel and Iran unleashed fresh strikes in a war that has ignited the Middle East and threatens to torpedo the world economy.

Swiss skier Marco Odermatt sealed his fifth successive overall World Cup title on Friday with a third-placed finish in the downhill won by Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr.

Chelsea captain Reece James believes the Blues "have everything it takes" to be successful after signing a new six-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said Friday he was "confident" that Kylian Mbappe will be available to face Manchester City in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday for talks aimed at ramping up pressure on Russia to end its four-year invasion.

EU nations on Friday backed a ban on AI systems generating sexualised deepfakes, after an outcry over such images produced by Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok.

An Iranian drone has killed a French soldier in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, his commanding officer said on Friday, after President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the first French military death in the Middle East war.

Oil dipped under $100 Friday, but remained far above pre-Mideast war levels with no end in sight to disrupted crude supplies.

Sunrisers Leeds are facing a fierce social media backlash after the Indian-owned Hundred franchise signed Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed this week.

Abdul Malick sat among mourning relatives in his village in southern Pakistan, receiving condolences from neighbours after his nephew, Muzaffar Ali, was killed in Dubai last week.

Deadly explosions rocked Tehran close to a pro-government rally attended by top officials on Friday, as Israel and Iran unleashed fresh strikes in a war that has ignited the Middle East and threatens to torpedo the world economy.

Moscow on Friday urged the United States to lift more sanctions on its oil exports to stabilise the global energy markets, upended by the war in the Middle East.

"I am worried," a sailor stuck in the Gulf told AFP on Friday, his vessel unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, blocked for nearly two weeks after US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Iran says no one can exclude it from the World Cup later this year, in response to President Donald Trump's warning that their "life and safety" would be at risk in the US.

Arne Slot said the "bar at Liverpool is always high" as he targets glory in the FA Cup and Champions League to save the club's season following a disastrous Premier League title defence.

A fuming Max Verstappen said Friday was "a disaster" after torrid practice and sprint qualifying sessions at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Sri Lanka is repatriating on Friday the remains of 84 Iranian sailors who perished when their frigate was sunk nine days ago by a US submarine, the Foreign Ministry said.

Afghan authorities said on Friday that Pakistan attacks on Kabul and border provinces killed four people in the capital and two in the east, the latest deadly clashes in the long-running conflict.

Championship pacesetter George Russell took pole position on Friday for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, leading a Mercedes one-two ahead of Kimi Antonelli.

Manager Craig Bellamy told AFP on Friday that he "feels a responsibility" to take Wales to this summer's World Cup, ahead of a crunch home play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina this month.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Paris on Friday, his spokesman said, for talks with President Emmanuel Macron on ramping up pressure on Russia.