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Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that he cannot afford to lose in Ukraine and is "doubling down" on the war, but shows no signs of planning to use tactical nuclear weapons, CIA director Bill Burns said Saturday.

Sergio Perez topped the times for Red Bull ahead of championship leader Charles Leclerc in Saturday's final free practice ahead of Sunday's inaugural Miami Grand Prix.

Manchester United's dismal season hit a new low as Brighton condemned them to a 4-0 defeat that ended their hopes of finishing in the Premier League's top four on Saturday.

Sinn Fein leader Michelle O'Neill on Saturday acclaimed a "new era" for Northern Ireland as her Irish nationalist party handed a historic election defeat to pro-UK unionists who had monopolised power for decades.

Carlos Alcaraz became the first player to defeat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the same tournament on clay as he stormed into the Madrid Open final on Saturday.

British rider Simon Yates of Bike Exchange-Jayco won stage two of the Giro d'Italia on Saturday, crossing the Budapest finish line of the 9.2km time-trial 03sec faster than Mathieu van der Poel, who retained the overall lead, while Tom Dumoulin was third.

Charismatic ex-steelworker Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva rose from poverty to become the most popular president in Brazilian history, only to fall spectacularly from grace when he was jailed for corruption.

The death toll after an explosion ripped through a luxury hotel in central Havana climbed to 26 people including a Spanish tourist, state television reported Saturday, one day after the powerful blast due to a suspected gas leak.

Both captains scored on Saturday as Moroccan visitors Wydad Casablanca took a step towards the CAF Champions League final place by defeating local club Petro Atletico 3-1 in Angola.

Reigning champions Toulouse beat Munster in a penalty shootout after fighting back to draw 24-24 in Dublin on Saturday to reach the semi-finals of the European Champions Cup.

Watford were relegated from the Premier League after just one season back in the top-flight as Wilfried Zaha's penalty earned Crystal Palace a 1-0 win on Saturday.

Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva launched his campaign for a new presidential term Saturday, vowing to rebuild Brazil after what he called the "irresponsible and criminal" administration of far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

Eleven Nepali climbers reached the top of Mount Everest on Saturday, the first of hundreds of climbers expected to summit the world's highest mountain from its southern approach in the coming weeks.

Chelsea blew a two-goal lead in front of prospective owner Todd Boehly as Wolves snatched a dramatic 2-2 draw, while Watford were relegated from the Premier League after defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

British rider Simon Yates of Bike Exchange won stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia on Saturday, crossing the Budapest finish line of the 9.2km time-trial 03sec faster than Mathieu van der Poel, who retained the overall lead, while Tom Dumoulin was third.

FIFA has rejected Algeria's desperate bid to have their World Cup play-off with Cameroon replayed, saying on Saturday "they consider the dossier closed".

Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce posted the fastest 100m in the world this year as she clocked 10.67secs to win her season opener in Nairobi on Saturday.

Dutch winger Sheraldo Becker grabbed a goal and an assist as Union Berlin stunned top-four hopefuls Freiburg with a 4-1 win in a dramatic afternoon in the Bundesliga race for Europe on Saturday.

Napoli strengthened their hold on third place in Serie A on Saturday after beating Torino 1-0 to keep Juventus at bay.

US First Lady Jill Biden hailed the "amazingly strong" refugees from war-torn Ukraine as she visited neighbouring Romania on Saturday.

The death toll after an explosion ripped through a luxury hotel in central Havana climbed to 25 people including a Spanish tourist, state television reported Saturday, one day after the powerful blast due to a suspected gas leak.

Celtic virtually guaranteed a 52nd Scottish league title by coming from behind to beat Hearts 4-1 on Saturday.

Russia on Saturday held its final rehearsal for an annual parade marking the Soviet victory in World War II, where its military might will be showcased amid Moscow's campaign in Ukraine.

The Taliban on Saturday imposed some of the harshest restrictions on Afghanistan's women since they seized power, ordering them to cover fully in public, ideally with the traditional burqa.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday vowed a new start to face immense challenges in foreign and domestic policy, as he was inaugurated for a second term after his election victory over the far right.

A Colombian drug cartel has set fire to dozens of vehicles, retaliating over the extradition of the group's leader to the United States on trafficking charges, authorities said Friday.

Chelsea have some clarity after an uncertain few months with the consortium led by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly set to buy the Premier League giants.

Postwoman Iryna Fedyanina's laughter drowns out the mortar fire ringing out as she hands out pensions to the frightened masses near a river splitting Ukrainian and Russian forces.

Ukraine hoped to evacuate more civilians from a besieged Mariupol steel plant on Saturday as Russian forces unleased new bombardments across the country ahead of Victory Day festivities in Moscow.

French President Emmanuel Macron was on Saturday inaugurated for a second term after his election victory over the far right, facing immense challenges in foreign and domestic policy following a first term which had often polarised the nation.

Belgium has refused to extradite Ecuador's former president Rafael Correa, his lawyers announced Friday, after Brussels recently granted him asylum.

The Taliban on Saturday imposed one of the harshest restrictions on Afghanistan's women since seizing power, ordering them to wear the all-covering burqa in public.