Justin Bieber says he hopes Argentines can forgive him. He may need to tell that to some judges.

The 19-year-old pop sensation faces two criminal complaints and demands for refunds in Argentina, in addition to trouble with police for allegedly spraying graffiti in Brazil and Colombia.

Venezuela's congress has voted in favor of granting President Nicolas Madurothe emergency decree powers he's seeking to help fight corruption and stabilize the inflation-plagued economy.

The pro-government majority on Thursday approved the request in the first of two required debates. The second will be held next week.

A former FBI explosives expert was sentenced on Thursday to about 3½ years in prison for possessing and disclosing secret information, which he has said included intelligence he gave to The Associated Press for a story about a U.S. operation in Yemen in 2012.

The story on Yemen led to a federal leaks investigation and the seizure of AP phone records in the government's search for the information's source.

Spain's decision to play an international friendly at Equatorial Guinea is raising eyebrows.

The World Cup winners face Spain's former African colony on Saturday, drawing the ire of Equatorial Guinea's opposition in exile group in Madrid.

Finnish driver Heikki Kovalainen will replace Kimi Raikkonen for Lotus in the final two Formula One races of the season.

Raikkonen will miss the United States Grand Prix and Brazilian GP to undergo back surgery. He is joining Ferrari next season.

Matches in the French league will go ahead as scheduled after clubs agreed to postpone plans to boycott a full round of games in protest at a government plans to impose a controversial super-tax on players' salaries.

The Union of Professional Football Clubs (UCPF) met with a government mediator on Wednesday and announced Thursday that the matches for November 29 through December 2 will go be played.

Kevin Magnussen was promoted to McLaren's driver lineup for the 2014 Formula One season on Thursday, replacing Sergio Perez as the partner for Jenson Button at the British team.

The 21-year-old Dane has been McLaren's development driver for the last two seasons, winning this year's feeder World Series, and will be the first F1 debutant at McLaren since Lewis Hamilton in 2007.

Mexico swept to a 5-1 victory over New Zealand in the first leg of their intercontinental playoff on Wednesday to become the overwhelming favorite for a place at next year's World Cup finals.

Paul Aguilar put Mexico ahead in the 32nd minute and Raul Jimenez made 2-0 before the break. Oribe Peralta added two more in the second half before Rafael Marquez scored in the 84th and Chris James grabbed a consolation goal for New Zealand a minute later.

Cruzeiro won its third Brazilian league title after a 3-1 win against Vitoria on Wednesday, lifting the trophy with four rounds yet to be played.

Willian, Ricardo Goulart and former Brazil forward Julio Baptista scored for Cruzeiro, which started celebrating at halftime after second-place Atletico Paranaense lost 2-1 to Criciuma to end its chances.

Katy Perry is on a four-week journey that snakes around the world, including stops in Amsterdam, Australia and Japan. She's got Germany to go before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to Miami. And then it's across the continent to Los Angeles.

"I am probably not going to be able to tell you what day of the week it is or what time it is because I will have lived in so many different time zones," Perry said.