Turkey today ruled out the risk of  a clash with American forces in its operation in Syria, saying  there were no US troops in the area where the campaign was  taking place.
Turkey yesterday launched operation "Olive Branch"  seeking to oust from the Afrin region of northern Syria the  Peoples' Protection Units (YPG) which Ankara considers a  terror group.
But the campaign risks further increasing tensions with  Turkey's NATO ally the United States - which has used the YPG  in the fight against Islamic State jihadists.
"US officials declared that there has been no American  military or American soldiers in the region," Turkish Deputy  Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag told reporters in Istanbul.
"It is out of the question to have a direct clash between  Turkey and the US in the region," he added.
Afrin is an enclave of YPG control, cut off from the  longer strip of northern Syria that the group controls to the  east extending to the Iraqi border, where there is an American  presence.
Turkey 

Turkey rules out risk of 'US clash' in Syria operation

PTI Automatic

Spain wants ex-Catalan leader Carles  Puigdemont arrested if he travels to Denmark for a university  debate from his Belgian exile, Madrid prosecutors said today.
The prosecution service said it would "immediately" have  a supreme court judge issue an arrest warrant for the  secessionist leader, sacked by Madrid after the Catalan  parliament declared independence on October 27, and urge  Denmark to hand him over.
Puigdemont fled to Belgium in late October after Madrid  sacked his cabinet over their breakaway attempt, but is eyeing  a return to power after pro-independence parties won an  absolute majority in regional elections in December.
At home, however, he risks arrest on charges of  rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds.
Several fellow separatist lawmakers are already in  custody in Spain over their role in the regional parliament  unilaterally declaring independence on October 27 and Spain's  general prosecutor office said Saturday that "it's  inadmissible that the ...

Spain wants exiled ex-Catalan leader arrested if he travels to

Iranian officials today voiced  support for efforts to end a dispute in neighbouring Iraq  sparked by a Kurdish referendum on independence last year and  underscored the need for Iraqi unity.
President Hassan Rouhani and the secretary of the Supreme  National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, made the comments  during talks in Tehran with the prime minister of Iraq's  Kurdish autonomous region.
Rouhani told Nechirvan Barzani that Tehran backs "a  united Iraq" in which "the legal and legitimate rights" of the  Kurdish people are recognised in line with the constitution,  the presidency said.
Shamkhani said Tehran "will do everything in its power to  support efforts to ease the differences" between Baghdad and  the Kurdish regional capital Arbil, official IRNA news agency  reported.
Iraq's Kurds voted overwhelmingly in September to  establish their own country but the non-binding vote was  deemed illegal by the federal government in Baghdad which took  retaliatory measures.
The ...

Iran to support efforts by Iraq, Kurds to resolve dispute

The World Bank today approved a  USD 300 million loan for Nepal as the impoverished nation  struggles to raise money to rebuild almost three years after  an earthquake killed thousands and flattened homes.
Nearly 9,000 people died when a 7.8-magnitude quake  struck in April 2015, destroying more than half a million  homes.
Only one in ten of those homes has been rebuilt as the  third anniversary of the disaster looms and Nepal faces a USD  1.2 billion shortfall in reconstruction funds, the World Bank  said.
"The gap has decreased" through this loan, said Kamran  Akbar, a disaster risk management specialist at the global  financial lender.
"We understand that there is still a requirement but  there are also others who are supporting Nepal," he told AFP.
Kathmandu estimated the recovery bill from the  devastating quake at USD 6.7 billion but costs quickly  spiralled.
The government has faced mounting criticism over the slow  pace of reconstruction.
Political wrangling meant Nepalis who .

World Bank signs USD 300m loan for Nepal quake reconstruction

One Syrian refugee was killed and  32 people were wounded today in rocket fire on a Turkish town  close to the Syrian border, a local official said, a day after  the Turkish army began a new operation against Kurdish militia  in Syria.
Two of those hurt were badly injured, Huseyin Sanverdi,  the mayor of Reyhanli, a small town situated in Hatay province  on the Syrian border, told NTV television.
Earlier, several rockets hit the Turkish border town of  Kilis without causing fatalities.
The Dogan news agency said that three rockets had hit the  centre of Reyhanli, damaging buildings and parked vehicles.
Turkish forces yesterday began a major new operation  aimed at ousting the Peoples' Protection Units (YPG) Kurdish  militia from Afrin, pounding dozens of targets from the sky in  air raids and with artillery.
Turkey accuses the YPG of being the Syrian offshoot of  the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has waged a rebellion  in the Turkish southeast for more than three decades and is 

One dead in rocket attack on Turkish town near Syria: official

Bahraini police said today they had  arrested 47 people on charges linked to terrorism, including  plots to assassinate "public figures", as well as filing  charges against another 290.
Authorities have cracked down hard on dissent since mass  street protests in 2011 which demanded an elected prime  minister and constitutional monarchy in the Sunni-ruled,  Shiite majority kingdom.
The government accuses Shiite Tehran of training  "terrorist cells" in the tiny island state, located between  rival regional heavyweights Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Iran denies involvement.
In a statement released by Bahrain's police force today,  the interior minister said law enforcement had arrested 49  "terrorist agents" and foiled attacks across the country,  including planned killings of "officials and public figures".
Police had also transferred the cases of 290 wanted  persons and suspects to the public prosecutor's office, it  said.
The statement did not specify the dates of the arrests  but said they .

Bahrain arrests 47, charges 290 in mass crackdown

Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez and  Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan were to  undergo medicals today as their swap deal neared completion,  reports said.
Britain's Mirror newspaper said Sanchez was due to arrive  in Manchester with agent Fernando Felicevich, with a medical  scheduled for Sunday afternoon, while Sky reported that  Mkhitaryan would have a medical in London.
The Mirror said the deals may not be officially completed  until Monday as both Sanchez and Mkhitaryan are non-EU players  and must have their work permits ratified by their new clubs.
Chile's Sanchez, 29, is set to become United's best-paid  player, with some reports putting his salary at 400,000  ($554,000) per week, prompting a warning from former England  boss Steve McClaren that his high wages could create  dressing-room disharmony.
Sky Sports News showed Armenian international Mkhitaryan,  also 29, at a central London hotel on Saturday evening  alongside agent Mino Raiola ahead of his expected ...

Sanchez, Mkhitaryan set for medicals ahead of swap deal

Scoreboard of the fourth match of  tri-nation one-day international tournament between Sri Lanka  and Zimbabwe at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here today:
Zimbabwe
H. Masakadza c Tharanga b T. Perera 20
S. Mire c Dickwella b T. Perera
21
C. Ervine c Tharanga b T. Perera
2
B. Taylor c Tharanga b T. Perera
58
S. Raza c Mendis b Sandakan
9
M. Waller c Dickwella b Sandakan
24
P. Moor run out (Mendis/Dickwella)
0
G. Cremer b Pradeep
34
K. Jarvis b Pradeep
5
T. Chatara not out
2
B. Muzarabani b Pradeep
0
Extras (lb8, w15)
23
Total (all out in 44 overs)
198
Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-49, 3-56, 4-73, 5-139, 6-140, 7  -171, 8-191, 9-198, 10-198.
Bowling: Lakmal 7-0-23-0, Pradeep 8-2-28-3, T. Perera 8-  0-33-4, Dananjaya 10-0-45-0, Sandakan 10-0-57-2, Gunaratne 1-  0-4-0.
Sri Lanka (target 199)
K. Perera c Sub b Muzarabani
49
U. Tharanga b Chatara
17
K. Mendis b Muzarabani
36
N. Dickwella c Sub b Muzarabani
7
D. Chandimal not out
38
A. Gunaratne c sub b Jarvis
9
T. Perera not out
39
Extras .

Dhaka, Jan 21 (AFP) Scoreboard of the fourth match of

Thisara Perera starred with bat and  ball as Sri Lanka ended their recent dismal run by beating  Zimbabwe by five wickets in the tri-nation one-day  international tournament her today.
Perera claimed four wickets to lead an inspired Sri  Lankan bowling attack that limited Zimbabwe to 198 all out  before his unbeaten 39 helped the islanders to chase down  their target in 44.5 overs.
Sri Lanka were in trouble at 145-5 before skipper Dinesh  Chandimal (38 not out) and Perera put on an unbeaten 57-run  stand for the sixth wicket.
Perera, who bats left-handed, sealed the win with a six  to keep Sri Lanka's tournament hopes alive after they lost  against Zimbabwe and hosts Bangladesh.
Zimbabwe paceman Blessing Muzarabani claimed three  wickets to rattle the Sri Lankan top-order after opener Kusal  Perera's dominating 49.
But the day belonged to Thisara Perera, who soon took the  attack to the opposition with his 26-ball knock that was laced  with a four and 3 sixes.
Chandimal, leading the ..

Perera halts Sri Lanka slide after win over Zimbabwe

President Bashar al-Assad today  condemned Turkey's offensive against Kurdish militia in the  northern Syrian region of Afrin, saying it was part of  Ankara's support for extremist groups.
Turkey and allied Syrian rebels entered the Afrin region  today, a day after launching their offensive against the  Kurdish-controlled area.
"The brutal Turkish aggression on the Syrian town of  Afrin cannot be separated from the Turkish regime's policy  from the first day of Syria's crisis, which was essentially  built on supporting terrorism and terrorist organisations,  whatever their names," Assad said in statements carried by  state news agency SANA.
Since Syria's conflict broke out in 2011, the government  has repeatedly slammed Ankara for its support of rebels,  accusing it of funding jihadist factions.
As Turkish threats of a potential attack escalated last  week, Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad warned that Syria  could shoot down Turkish warplanes used in an assault.
But the Damascus .

Assad slams Turkey offensive as 'support for terrorism'

Rafael Nadal battled through a  huge test to make his 10th Australian Open quarter-final today  as Grigor Dimitrov ousted Nick Kyrgios to join him and  Caroline Wozniacki kicked into full gear.
On an overcast and muggy day at Melbourne Park, the  Spanish world number one was up against his most dangerous  opponent yet in pocket-rocket Diego Schwartzman, one of the  smallest men on tour.
The Argentine 24th seed endeared with his astonishingly  powerful groundstrokes before Nadal prevailed 6-3, 6-7 (4/7),  6-3, 6-3 in almost four hours on Rod Laver Arena.
It kept alive his push for a 17th Grand Slam title and  also ensured he will remain number one when the new rankings  come out after the tournament.
"It was a great battle," said Nadal, who is chasing his  second Melbourne title after beating Roger Federer in the 2009  final.
"Of course, I feel little bit tired, but I was able to  keep fighting until the end."
He will play sixth seed Marin Cilic for a place in the  semi-finals after ...

Relieved Rafa survives test as Dimitrov ousts Kyrgios

Bulgaria's world No.3 Grigor  Dimitrov won a gripping four-setter to knock Australia's big  hope Nick Kyrgios out of the Australian Open today.
Dimitrov downed the 17th seeded Kyrgios 7-6 (7/3), 7-6  (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in 3hr 26min and will face Britain's  Kyle Edmund in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
Dimitrov stepped up his campaign after a couple of  indifferent wins in the earlier rounds to avenge his defeat to  Kyrgios in the semi-finals of this month's Brisbane  International.
He won all three tiebreakers in a charged night match  atmosphere on Rod Laver Arena before a capacity home crowd  willing their player on.
"Playing against Nick is always tricky, two weeks I lost  against him," Dimitrov said.
"He was serving and playing unbelievable and he fought  really hard. It's one of those matches that you have to be  locked in and try to get any opportunity you have.
"Even when I was serving for the match I felt that I was  not finding my spots very well and I'm just glad I got ...

Dimitrov ousts Kyrgios to reach Open quarters

Jordan's King Abdullah II today  voiced concern over Washington's controversial recognition of  Jerusalem as Israel's capital, as US Vice President Mike Pence  visited Amman during an uncomfortable Middle East tour.
Arab outrage over President Donald Trump's decision to  move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem had prompted  the cancellation of several planned meetings ahead of Pence's  trip, originally scheduled for December.
Abdullah, a key US ally, said he had "continuously voiced  over the past year... my concerns regarding the US decision on  Jerusalem that does not come as a result of a comprehensive  settlement to the Palestinian Israeli conflict".
"Jerusalem is key to Muslims and Christians as it is to  Jews," he added. "It is key to peace in the region. And key to  enabling Muslims to effectively fight some of the root causes  of radicalisation."
Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967 and later annexed  east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international  ...

Jordan's King Abdullah tells Pence of concern over Jerusalem

The United Nations today made what it  said was a record appeal for aid to Yemen, calling for nearly  USD 3 billion in humanitarian relief for the war-torn country.
The USD 2.96 billion will be used to respond to an ever-  broadening crisis in Yemen, where war, looming famine and  cholera have killed thousands and put millions of lives at  risk.
The appeal, made on behalf of UN agencies and  humanitarian partners, came as 11.3 million people "urgently  require assistance to survive", UN aid agency OCHA said in a  statement.
"A generation of children is growing up in suffering and  deprivation," OCHA said.
"Nearly two million children are out of school, 1.8  million children under the age of five are acutely  malnourished, including 400,000 who suffer from severe acute  malnutrition and are 10 times more likely to die if they do  not receive medical treatment."
More than 9,200 people have been killed in Yemen since  2015, when a Saudi-led military coalition intervened to back  the ...

UN appeals for nearly USD 3 bn to save millions in Yemen

Yemen's cash-strapped government today  released its first official budget since the Huthi rebels  overran the capital Sanaa in 2014 and following a bailout from  ally Saudi Arabia.
Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher said spending in the 2018  budget is projected at 1.5 trillion Yemeni riyals (USD 3.9  billion), with revenues estimated at 978 billion riyals (USD  2.6 billion).
The Aden-based government projected a deficit of USD 1.3  billion, based on the official exchange rate of 380 riyals to  the dollar -- higher than the market rate of about 450 riyals  to the dollar.
In a post on Facebook, the prime minister painted a  devastating picture of the country's economy, saying that oil  and gas production -- the main source of revenue before the  war -- had ground to a halt and that USD 5 billion in foreign  reserves and stocks of the local currency had been "looted" by  rebels who maintain a separate central bank in Sanaa.
Bin Dagher did not offer details on revenue sources for  the ...

Yemen government announces budget after three-year hiatus

Syria's army today announced it  had captured the vital Abu Duhur military airport in the  country's northwest, more than two years after losing it to  rebels and jihadists.
"After a string of special operations, units from our  armed forces in coordination with allied fighters succeeded in  their military operation and took control of the Abu Duhur  military airport in Idlib province," the army said in a  statement.
"Engineering units are now dismantling and clearing  mines, explosives, and bombs planted by terrorists in the  area," he said.
An alliance of jihadists and rebels overran the vast  majority of Idlib province in 2015, seizing Abu Duhur in  September of that year.
Syrian troops had been advancing on the northwest  province of Idlib, and Abu Duhur in particular, as part of a  fierce offensive launched in late December with Russian  backing.
Regime loyalists have seized dozens of towns and villages  as part of the assault, but the air base's capture marks the  first military 

Syria army says captured key military airport in northwest

A scintillating century from Jos  Buttler brought England a 16-run win and a one-day  international series victory against Australia here today.
The hosts, set 303 to win by England after winning the  toss and electing to bowl, were always struggling in their  chase and eventually managed only 286 for six.
The result gave England an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the  five-match ODI series, a remarkable turnaround after Australia  had trounced the tourists 4-0 in the Ashes Tests.
Australia's hopes largely rested with Steve Smith (45)  and Mitchell Marsh (55), but both were dismissed at a crucial  stage of the chase, with Smith falling to a contentious low-  down catch by Buttler off the bowling of Mark Wood (2-46).
Marcus Stoinis made a late attempt to lift Australia with  a punishing 56, but England managed to hold on despite losing  pacemen Liam Plunkett to a leg injury early in the Australian  innings.
Buttler, 27, was the only batsman from either team really  to get to grips with a ...

Buttler serves up series success for England against Australia

At least one person was killed in  Kinshasa today after security forces opened fire to disperse  protesters at a banned march demanding that President Joseph  Kabila stand down, the UN and witnesses said.
A young woman died after shots were aimed at the entrance  to a church in the Kitambo area of the capital of the  Democratic Republic of Congo, Jean-Baptise Sondji, a former  minister and government opponent who is also a doctor, told  AFP.
The United Nations peackeeping mission MONUSCO also  reported one dead in the same area.

One dead in banned protest in Kinshasa: UN and witnesses

Scoreboard at the end of the third  one-day international between Australia and England here  today:
Australia Innings
A. Finch lbw Rashid 62
D. Warner c Hales b Woakes 8
C. White c Buttler b Wood 17
S. Smith c Buttler b Wood 45
M. Marsh c Hales b Rashid 55
M. Stoinis c sub (Billings) b Woakes 56
T. Paine not out 31
P. Cummins not out 1
Extras (lb5, b4, w2) 11
Total (for six wickets, 50 overs) 286
Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-44, 3-113, 4-181, 5-210, 6-284.
Bowling: Wood 10-1-46-2, Woakes 10-0-57-2, Plunkett 1.2-  0-6-0, Ali 10-0-57-0, Root 8.4-0-60-0, Rashid 10-0-51-2.

Sydney, Jan 21 (AFP) Scoreboard at the end of the third

An Iraqi court said today it had  condemned to death by hanging a German woman of Moroccan  origin after finding her guilty of belonging to the Islamic  State jihadist group.
She was sentenced for providing "logistical support and  helping the terrorist group to carry out crimes," said court  spokesman Abdel Settar Bayraqdar.
"The accused admitted during interrogations that she left  Germany for Syria then Iraq to join IS with her two daughters,  who married members of the terrorist organisation," he said.
In September 2017, the same court sentenced to death by  hanging a Russian man who was captured in Iraq's second city  Mosul and found guilty of fighting for IS.
Iraqi forces expelled the jihadists from Mosul in July  2017, ending three years of IS rule in the city.
The same month, a German teenage girl suspected of  joining IS was arrested in Mosul, according to Germany's  justice department.
German daily Der Spiegel reported she had been held in  Baghdad with three other German ...

Iraq condemns German woman to death for belonging to IS

Mexico saw a total of 25,339  murders last year, official data has shown, after 2017 was  already established as a record-breaking year based on  killings carried out until November.
The interior ministry yesterday said 2,219 people were  murdered in December 2017.
Authorities began collecting data in 1997, and the  previous record high of 22,409 occurred in 2011.
The homicide rate per 100,000 inhabitants meanwhile  climbed to 20.51, against 16.80 in 2016, when 20,545 were  murdered.
Mexico is convulsing from a wave of violence linked to  drug trafficking that has left almost 200,000 dead since  December 2006, when former president Felipe Calderon's  government launched a controversial military anti-drug  operation that, according to its critics, has only led to more  murders and attacks.
The figures do not detail how many of the murders are  linked to organised crime but experts say it is probably a  large majority since the bulk were recorded in states where  drug cartels are deeply 

AFP

AFP

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