Mercedes confirmed its status as favorite to win the Formula One season-opening Australian Grand Prix by setting the fastest two times in Friday's practice sessions, with Lewis Hamilton edging his teammate Nico Rosberg.

Hamilton failed to complete a lap in the opening practice session due to a malfunctioning oil pressure sensor that shut down his engine, but recovered to set a time of 1 minute 29.625 seconds in the second session around the Albert Park circuit, 0.157 seconds ahead of Rosberg.

Roger Federer beat Kevin Anderson 7-5, 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday, continuing his strong play at the tournament where he has yet to drop a set in four matches.

Anderson failed to break Federer's serve in the match, which lasted just over an hour. The South African had 21 unforced errors, while Federer hit 17 winners and won 79 percent of his first serve points.

Benfica and Valencia secured convincing away wins to take a giant step toward the Europa League quarterfinals on Thursday while Real Betis surprisingly beat Sevilla 2-0 in a fierce Spanish derby played for the first time on the European stage.

Brazilian defender Luisao scored two second-half goals to help Benfica beat Tottenham 3-1 and cap a good night for Portugal's top clubs in the last-16 first legs, with Porto defeating Napoli 1-0 at home.

Paris Hilton unveiled her first real estate project Thursday in metropolitan Manila and said she wants to follow in the footsteps of her great-grandfather and grandfather, who created and led a luxury hotel empire.

Hilton inaugurated the urban Paris Beach Club, which she designed in collaboration with Philippine developer Century Properties. The bean-shaped, three-story club fronting a man-made beach is within the resort-themed Azure condominium community in Paranaque City.

A journalist on trial in Britain's phone hacking scandal testified Thursday that Princess Diana provided him with information on the royals, including a phone directory, as part of her feud with her estranged husband, Prince Charles.

Former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman said Diana handed over the data after her separation from Charles, when she was going through a "very, very difficult time" and was looking for media support. Diana and Charles separated in 1992 and divorced four years later. She died in a Paris car crash in 1997.

The latest novel by the acclaimed Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, "Americanah," has won the National Book Critics Circle prize for fiction.

Sheri Fink's book on Hurricane Katrina, "Five Days at Memorial," won for nonfiction. The biography winner was Leo Damrosch's "Jonathan Swift" and Amy Wilentz's "Farewell, Fred Voodoo" received the autobiography prize.

Lady Gaga kicked off 24 hours in the spotlight at South By Southwest in typically memorable fashion.

The pop provocateur began her appearance at Stubb's BBQ on Thursday night during the annual music festival and conference by roasting herself on a spit like a gutted pig as her dancers basted her with barbecue brushes — and then things got really weird.

Zeb Postelwait of Washington state always wanted to build a treehouse for his sons. He got the chance last summer after moving into a Wenatchee home with a big tree in the front yard.

Two months later he received his first notice from the city to tear it down.

British police have arrested former Manchester United great Eric Cantona and cautioned him for assaulting a man in London.

Cantona was briefly taken into custody following the incident that happened in the Primrose Hill area of north London on Wednesday.

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness was found guilty Thursday and sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for evading millions of euros (dollars) in tax through an undeclared Swiss bank account.

The 62-year-old Hoeness, one of the most powerful figures in German football, was initially charged with dodging 3.5 million euros ($4.85 million) in taxes through the Swiss account.