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A Ukrainian flag wrapped around her shoulders, pensioner Iryna Gayeva had a simple message as she demonstrated in second city Kharkiv on Saturday, just 40 kilometres from the Russian border.

US podcaster Joe Rogan apologized Saturday for his past use of racist language including the "N word" and said streaming giant Spotify had deleted some of the most offensive episodes of his show.

An occupation of Canada's capital by truckers opposed to vaccine mandates gained steam as it entered its second week on Saturday, with more demonstrators piling onto the clogged streets of Ottawa, while protests kicked off in several other cities.

Cyclone Batsirai struck Madagascar's eastern region on Saturday with strong winds and heavy rain, the second storm to hit the island nation in just a few weeks, a senior meteorologist said.

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton said on Saturday there is a lot to "brush up on" for next weekend's tricky Six Nations visit to France despite their impressive bonus point win over champions Wales.

Mohamed Salah is determined to experience the "special" feeling of lifting the Africa Cup of Nations for Egypt as he prepares to come up against Sadio Mane's Senegal in Sunday's final in Yaounde.

France captain Antoine Dupont said on Saturday coach Fabien Galthie missing their Six Nations opener with Italy this weekend after contracting coronavirus is "not ideal".

French far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour on Saturday used a meeting in the northern city of Lille to launch a tirade against welfare handouts.

Major automaker Ford will cut its North American vehicle production next week due to a semiconductor shortage, US media reported Saturday.

Karim Benzema will miss Real Madrid's game at home to Granada on Sunday with a thigh injury, nine days before Madrid face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Frank Lampard enjoyed a dream start as Everton manager when his new team thrashed Brentford 4-1 to ease into the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday.

Frank Lampard made a winning start to his Everton reign as Brentford were beaten 4-1 in the FA Cup fourth round, while non-league Kidderminster were seconds away from causing a huge upset before West Ham escaped with a 2-1 victory on Saturday.

Protesters again poured into Canada's capital early Saturday to join a convoy of truckers whose occupation of Ottawa to denounce Covid vaccine mandates is now in its second week.

Powerful Cyclone Batsirai was closing in on eastern Madagascar Saturday as residents sought secure shelter or reinforced their roofs with sandbags after warnings that "widespread damage" was feared.

One year after its sudden and disconcerting disappearance from a wall at the United Nations, a vast tapestry representing Picasso's iconic "Guernica" has been returned by owners the Rockefeller family to its prominent place at the global body.

French striker Alassane Plea rescued a point for crisis-hit Bundesliga club Borussia Moenchengladbach against Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday, as high-flying minnows Freiburg and Union Berlin both slumped to surprise defeats in the race for the Champions League.

American Harold Varner III hit a birdie on the closing hole to pull one shot clear of Spain's Adri Arnaus in a blustery third round at the Saudi International on Saturday.

Ireland laid down a marker for the Six Nations title easing to a convincing 29-7 victory over champions Wales at Lansdowne Road on Saturday for their ninth successive Test win.

Nicolo Zaniolo was denied late glory for Roma on Saturday after what looked to be a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Genoa was ruled out after a VAR check in a goalless draw.

Non-league Kidderminster Harriers were seconds away from one of the biggest shocks in FA Cup history until Declan Rice rescued West Ham as the Premier League side progressed to the fifth round 2-1 after extra time.

Queen Elizabeth II made a rare public appearance on Saturday, chatting and cutting cake at a party, a day before she enters her 70th year as monarch.

As powerful Cyclone Batsirai closed in on eastern Madagascar on Saturday people sought shelter in more secure concrete buildings while others reinforced their roofs with large sandbags.

US steps on lifting sanctions are "good but not enough", Iran said on Saturday, following Washington's announcement it was waiving sanctions on Iran's civilian nuclear programme.

Belgian rider Maxim Van Gils won the Saudi Tour after a fifth and final stage in the old town of Al-Ula won by Dylan Groenewegen on Saturday.

Morocco held its breath as rescue workers on Saturday entered a tunnel leading to a pocket where a five-year-old boy has been trapped for days after falling into a well, AFP correspondents said.

Borussia Dortmund star striker Erling Haaland is expected to miss Sunday's top-of-the-table clash with Bayer Leverkusen, but promised social media followers that he would return to action "soon".

Aprilia's motorcycle racing team took first and second place at the MotoGP pre-season test in Malaysia on Saturday, powering past all opponents on the first day at the Sepang circuit.

Together Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have lifted the Premier League and Champions League for Liverpool, but only one can fulfil their dreams on the international stage on Sunday when they face off in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

Walter Wallberg of Sweden stunned reigning Olympic moguls champion Mikael Kingsbury at the Beijing Games on Saturday.

It's official: Austrians over the age of 18 must be vaccinated against Covid-19 from Saturday or face the possibility of a heavy fine, an unprecedented measure in the European Union.

France international Ousmane Dembele has been named on the Barcelona squad for Sunday's crunch Spanish league match against Atletico Madrid despite his ongoing contract standoff with the Liga side.

Ursa Bogataj came from behind to win the women's individual ski jump title at the Beijing Olympics on Saturday -- Slovenia's first ever gold medal in the sport.