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Pope Francis said Friday he understood why governments buy weapons to defend themselves in a world wracked by war, as he prepared to preside over a traditional Easter procession.

President Emmanuel Macron has clashed with his rival Marine Le Pen over her plan to ban women from wearing the Islamic headscarf in public, with an eye on the votes of Muslims in the second round of elections.

Iga Swiatek marked her first match as world number one with an 18th straight victory as she steered Poland closer to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on Friday.

Police, army and volunteer rescuers on Friday widened the search for dozens still missing five days after the deadliest storm to strike South Africa's coastal city of Durban in living memory as the death toll rose to nearly 400.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina reached his first Masters semi-final on Friday adding Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz to his high profile scalps this week with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win in Monte Carlo which set up a clash with Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.

Russia's war in Ukraine is still being counted in days, but images of atrocities already number in the hundreds of thousands.

Russia's loss of its flagship cruiser Moskva represents a dent in the operational capabilities of the Russian navy and a severe wound to Russian pride at the height of the war against Ukraine, analysts say.

Some of Italian football's top figures could breath a sigh of relief on Friday after the country's football federation acquited everyone brought to its tribunal over suspicious transfer dealings.

Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann on Friday urged his side to turn "misery into momentum" as they return to Bundesliga action on Sunday after a shock Champions League exit to Villarreal.

More than five million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion, UN figures showed on Friday, in Europe's fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II.

The EU is working on broadening sanctions on Russia to include oil and gas embargoes but such measures would take "several months", European officials told AFP on Friday.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina reached his first Masters semi-final on Friday adding Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz to his high profile scalps this week with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win in Monte Carlo.

Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann said Friday he had been subjected to online death threats after his team's surprise Champions League exit to Villarreal this week.

Russia's media watchdog Roskomnadzor on Friday blocked access to the website of French radio station RFI for violating a law banning the dissemination of false or extremist information.

Police, army and volunteer rescuers on Friday widened the search for dozens still missing five days after the deadliest storm to strike South Africa's coastal city of Durban in living memory as the death toll rose to nearly 400.

A Ukrainian military factory outside Kyiv that produced missiles allegedly used to hit Russia's Moskva warship was partly destroyed by overnight Russian strikes, an AFP journalist at the scene saw Friday.

Russian strikes pounded a military factory near Kyiv that makes the missiles Ukraine claims it used to sink the Moskva naval flagship, with Moscow on Friday vowing further such attacks.

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka imposed fuel rationing on Friday in another worsening of the economic crisis that has sparked widespread demonstrations calling for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation.

The Ricketts-led consortium announced on Friday it had withdrawn its bid to buy Premier League club Chelsea, which is being sold by owner Roman Abramovich.

Barcelona midfielder Pedri sustained a hamstring injury in his side's defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League quarter-finals, the Spanish club announced Friday.

More than 150 people were wounded Friday in clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli police at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound, the first face-off in the area since the start of Ramadan.

Chinese automakers warned they may have to put the brakes on production if Covid-19 lockdowns in Shanghai persist, with a top Huawei executive also sounding the alarm Friday about snarled supply chains.

Moscow warned Friday it would step up missile attacks on Kyiv in response to what it said were sorties across the border, the day after its Black Sea naval flagship sank.

Police, army and volunteer rescuers on Friday widened the search for dozens still missing five days after more than 340 people died in the deadliest storm to strike South Africa's coastal city of Durban in living memory.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has rejected a proposed law requiring social media users to register their real names and phone numbers, citing threats to free speech and privacy, his spokesman said Friday.

Relegation-threatened Premier League club Burnley announced on Friday they had sacked long-serving manager Sean Dyche.

US ride-hailing giant Uber has suspended its services in Tanzania, saying government legislation that raises fares and cuts its commission made it difficult for it to operate.

Joe Root resigned as England's Test captain on Friday after a rollercoaster five-year term that ended in a torrid run of results including an Ashes drubbing and defeat in the West Indies.

Joe Root resigned as England's Test captain on Friday after a five-year term that ended in a torrid run of results including an Ashes drubbing and defeat in the West Indies.

The Mumbai Indians are the richest and most successful side in IPL history, having won the tournament five times, but currently sit at the bottom of the table after losing their first five games on the trot.

Chinese auto makers warned they may have to put the brakes on production if strict Covid-19 curbs in Shanghai persist, with a top Huawei executive also sounding the alarm Friday about snarled supply chains.

Joe Root is stepping down as England's Test captain, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Friday.