Russian-led peace talks on Syria  will be held on January 30 in the Black Sea resort of Sochi,  Russia's chief negotiator Aleksandr Lavrentyev said today,  quoted by Interfax news agency.
Russia, a steadfast supporter of Syrian President Bashar  al-Assad, is set to co-host the summit with regime ally Iran  and rebel backer Turkey with the aim of setting up a new  constitution for post-war Syria.
Organisers had said earlier that the peace talks were  planned for January 29 and 30, but Lavrentyev said that the  participants would arrive on January 29 and "the forum itself  will take place on January 30".
Diplomats from Russia, Turkey and Iran have been holding  discussions on how to organise the talks behind closed-doors  in a Sochi hotel, Russian news agencies reported.
"I consider the meeting went well. We managed to agree on  lists of participants of the forum," Lavrentyev said.
He said invitations would be sent within a few days,  quoted by RIA Novosti news agency.
Russian Foreign ..

Russia-led Syria peace congress to be held Jan 30: negotiator

PTI Automatic

Turkish war planes today launched  air strikes on positions of the Kurdish People's Protection  Units (YPG) militia in Syria, the prime minister said, as  Ankara launched a new operation against the group.
Units of pro-Ankara rebels known by Turkey as the Free  Syrian Army (FSA) also began moving into the Afrin area of  Syria which is controlled by the YPG, the state-run Anadolu  news agency said.
"Our armed forces have started an air campaign in order  to destroy elements" of the YPG, Prime Minister Binali  Yildirim said in a televised speech.
An AFP correspondent on the Turkish side of the border  saw two war planes launch air strikes inside Syrian territory,  sending huge white plumes of smoke up into the early evening  sky.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier that Turkey  had "de-facto" launched the operation that Ankara had  threatened for days in defiance of warnings from the United  States.
But these were the first reports from on the ground that  the operation had ...

Turkish planes strike Kurdish militia positions in Syria: PM

US Vice President Mike Pence arrived  in Egypt today to begin a delayed Middle East tour  overshadowed by anger in the Arab world over Washington's  recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Controversy over President Donald Trump's decision to  move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem had led to  the cancellation of a number of planned meetings ahead of the  trip originally scheduled for December.
While the deadly protests that erupted in the Palestinian  territories at the time have subsided, concerns are mounting  over the future of the UN aid agency for Palestinians (UNRWA).
Washington has frozen tens of millions of dollars of  funding for the cash-strapped body, putting at risk operations  to feed, teach and heal hundreds of thousands of Palestinian  refugees.
The Palestinian leadership, already furious over the  Jerusalem decision, has denounced the US administration and  had already refused to meet Pence in December.
But the vice president's press secretary, Alyssa .

Pence starts Mideast tour in Egypt amid Arab anger over

The airport serving the Libyan  capital resumed flights today following a five-day suspension  after deadly clashes around the facility that also damaged  planes on the tarmac.
Lotfi Khalil, the director general of Mitiga airport on  the eastern outskirts of Tripoli, said services resumed with  Buraq Air flying to the eastern city of Tobruk and Libyan  Airlines leaving for Tunis.
One local carrier, state-owned Afriqiyah Airways,  however, has yet to resume operations because its planes were  damaged in Monday's fighting in which at least 20 people were  killed, he told AFP.
Since the closure, flights had been diverted to Misrata,  a city 200 kilometres east of the capital.
Mitiga airport, a former military air base, was evacuated  on Monday after militiamen attacked it in an attempt to free  detainees at a jail there.
The health ministry of Libya's UN-backed Government of  National Accord (GNA) said 20 people were killed and 63  wounded in the violence.
The GNA condemned what it ...

Tripoli airports reopens after fighting suspended flights

Paul Bocuse, one of the greatest  French chefs of all time, died today aged 91 after a long  battle with Parkinson's disease.
Dubbed the "pope" of French cuisine, Bocuse helped shake  up the food world in the 1970s with the Nouvelle Cuisine  revolution and create the idea of the celebrity chef.
French President Emmanuel Macron led the tributes,  calling him a "mythic figure who transformed French cuisine.  Chefs are crying in their kitchens across France."
"He was one of the greatest figures of French gastronomy,  the General Charles de Gaulle of cuisine," said French food  critic Francois Simon, comparing him to France's wartime  saviour and dominant postwar leader.
A giant in a nation that prides itself as the beating  heart of gastronomy, Bocuse was France's only chef to keep the  Michelin food bible's coveted three-star rating through more  than four decades.
The heart of his empire, L'Auberge de Collonges au Mont  D'Or, his father's village inn near Lyon in food-obsessed  ...

'Pope' of French cuisine Paul Bocuse dies age 91

North Korea will send 22 athletes  to next month's Winter Games in the South, the International  Olympic Committee said today, approving a landmark deal  between two nations still officially at war.
South Korea had hoped that the Games which begin in  Pyeongchang on February 9 could help ease the crisis on the  peninsula plagued by months of rising tensions over the  North's nuclear and missile and programme.
In a surprise New Year's announcement, the leader of  Stalinist North Korea Kim Jong-un said he was open to sending  a delegation to Pyeongchang.
Before this week's meeting at IOC headquarters in  Lausanne, the two Koreas had already agreed on a set of  momentous compromises, including delegations from both  countries marching together at the opening ceremony and the  formation of a unified women's hockey team.
But the two Koreas still needed approval from the IOC, as  the pact required the suspension of some basic Olympic rules.
IOC president Thomas Bach gave that approval ...

North Korea to send 22 athletes to Olympics in South

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic  kept up their relentless march towards a semi-final meeting at  the Australian Open today as Maria Sharapova suffered a  crushing defeat by Angelique Kerber.
The two greats of the game -- who have won 11 Australian  Opens between them -- could meet in the last four if they  maintain their winning ways.
Defending champion Federer was never troubled by France's  Richard Gasquet, who has failed to take a set off him since  2011, as he steamed into the last 16 with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 win.
"The second set was tight, the match was close and I had  to focus to the very end," said the Swiss 19-time Grand Slam  winner, who next plays little-known Hungarian Marton Fucsovics  for a place in the quarter-finals.
He added: "So far, so good."
Djokovic was equally convincing in his 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 rout  of Spanish 21st seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas, although there was  concern when he sought a medical timeout for treatment to his  lower back.
"It was straight sets but I had ..

FedExpress steams on as Sharapova grinds to halt

Two American and two Canadians who  were kidnapped in an ambush by gunmen in northern Nigeria this  week were freed today, police said.
Nigerian armed forces had launched a manhunt for the four  after they were seized on Tuesday evening in the state of  Kaduna by kidnappers who shot dead two of their police  escorts.
"They have been rescued thanks to the efforts of the  police," Kaduna state police spokesman Muktar Aliyu said.
"All of them are a good condition of health," he said,  and are now with their embassies.
One person has been arrested, he added.
The four North Americans were on private business in  Kaduna when they were snatched on the road from the town of  Kafanchan to the state capital of Abuja, the latest abduction  in Nigeria involving foreigners.
Aliyu said they were rescued at about 5 am (0400 GMT) in  the same area where they were kidnapped.
"I cannot confirm if there have been negotiations or a  ransom  paid," Aliyu said, adding that it was "classified  ...

Four US, Canadian captives freed in Nigeria: police

Barcelona and Antoine Griezmann have  reached an agreement for the France striker to switch from  Atletico Madrid to the Catalan giants at the end of the  season, Spanish daily Sport reported today.
"The Atletico Madrid forward has agreed to join Barcelona  and will be under (coach) Ernesto Valverde's orders next  season," Sport said.
The Catalan daily also points out that while Griezmann  currently has a buyout clause of 200 million euros ($240  million), that figure drops by half on July 1.
Barcelona have been scrambling to add high-quality  players to their squad since Paris Saint Germain lured  Brazilian star Neymar to France in a world record signing in  August.
Philippe Coutinho joined from Liverpool this month in  180-million-euro ($220 million) deal.
The newspaper says it believes Griezmann's transfer would  take place after this summer's World Cup in Russia, where he  will have a key role for France, who are among the favourites.
Another Catalan daily, Mundo Deportivo, ...

Griezmann 'to join Barcelona after World Cup' - report

North Korea will send 22 athletes to  next month's Winter Games in the South, the International  Olympic Committee said today, and confirmed that the two  nations will march together at the opening ceremony.
The IOC has further approved a plan for North and South  to field a unified women's hockey team, Olympic chief Thomas  Bach told reporters following a meeting in Lausanne with sport  and government officials from the two countries.
The announcement from Bach marked the approval of a  landmark deal between the two Koreas that has eased tensions  building for months.
The 22 athletes will compete in three sports and a total  of five disciplines, including figure skating, short-track  speed skating, cross-country skiing and Alpine skiing, in  addition to hockey.
North Korea will also send 24 officials and 21 media  representatives to the Games in Pyeongchang, which start on  February 9.
At the opening ceremony, the joint delegation "will be  led into the Olympic stadium by the Korean .

22 North Koreans will compete in 3 sports at 2018 Games: IOC

Defending champion Roger Federer  continued his dominance over Richard Gasquet to reach the  round of 16 at the Australian Open today and keep his quest  for a 20th Grand Slam title on track.
The Swiss star beat the Frenchman 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 in just  under two hours in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.
Federer has unheralded Hungarian and one-time training  partner Marton Fucsovics up next and a potential quarter-final  with Tomas Berdych, who upset Juan Martin Del Porto in  straight sets earlier Saturday.
Federer, rated the favourite to win his 20th major even  at the venerable age of 36, progressed to the fourth round at  the Australian Open for the 16th time.
The Swiss has only lost twice to the stylish Frenchman in  their 19 meetings, winning all their four Grand Slam  encounters.
Significantly, Gasquet hasn't won a set against Federer  since 2011, a run of 22 sets to the Swiss.
"I was able to stay more on the offensive than he was and  maybe I was protecting my own serve better ...

Federer keeps hunt for Slam number 20 on track

Novak Djokovic sought a medical  timeout for a lower back injury as he claimed his 11th round  of 16 appearance at the Australian Open today.
The six-time champion advanced with a clear-cut 6-2, 6-3,  6-3 win over Spanish 21st seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas in 2hr  21min on Margaret Court Arena.
But there was concern in his camp when the former world  No.1 sought a medical timeout early in the second set for  treatment to his lower back.
Djokovic later played down the extent of the problem,  saying "it's okay, nothing major".
The Serb, looking for matches after a six-month lay-off  with right elbow trouble, will face South Korea's Chung Hyeon  in Sunday's fourth round after he shocked fourth seed  Alexander Zverev.
The injury was a fresh worry for the 12-time Grand Slam  champion, whose ranking has slipped to 14 after an inactive  second half of 2017.
"It's okay. Nothing major. I knew I wanted to use the  medical timeout because I needed it," he said.
"But at the same time I knew it was ...

Djokovic downplays injury as he powers on

North Korea has informed Seoul it  will send a delegation tomorrow to prepare cultural  performances during the Winter Olympics, the South's  unification minister said today, a day after Pyongyang  abruptly cancelled the visit.
The North had initially planned to send a seven-member  advance team headed by the leader of a popular all-female  Western-style band for a two-day visit from today to inspect  venues for proposed performances in Seoul and the eastern city  of Gangneung.
Hyon Song-Wol, reportedly an ex-girlfriend of leader Kim  Jong-Un, would be the first North Korean official to visit the  South in four years.
But Pyongyang said yesterday it had suspended the plan,  giving no reason.
"The North informed us that it will send the arts  delegation on Sunday", a day later than initially planned, the  ministry said in a statement today.
Hyon was the subject of lurid 2013 reports in the South  that she and around a dozen other state musicians had been  executed for appearing in porn 

N Korean arts delegation to visit South on Sunday: Seoul

President Recep Tayyip  Erdogan today said that Turkey had "de-facto" launched a new  operation on the ground to oust Kurdish militia from a  northern Syrian enclave, defying US warnings that the action  risked destabilising the area.
Turkey has in recent days sent dozens of military  vehicles to the border area and readied pro-Ankara Syria  rebels amid repeated threats from top officials the operation  on the town of Afrin was imminent.
The Turkish army has over the last two days shelled camps  and refuges used by the People's Protection Units (YPG)  militia in response to fire from the militia group, which  Turkey deems to be a terror organisation.
"The Afrin operation has de-facto been started on the  ground," Erdogan said in a televised speech in the city of  Kutahya, without elaborating.
"This will be followed by Manbij," he added, referring to  another Kurdish-controlled Syrian town to the east.
Turkey accuses the YPG of being the Syrian offshoot of  the Kurdistan Workers Party .

Erdogan says Turkey has launched new ground operation in Syria

Angelique Kerber roared out of  the blocks and ruthlessly crushed Maria Sharapova in a battle  of former champions at the Australian Open today.
The 2016 winner sped into a 4-1 first set lead with a  display of effervescent hitting in their hotly-anticipated  third-round encounter.
Sharapova, the Melbourne Park champion here 10 years ago,  was sent packing in just 64 minutes as a resurgent 21st seed  dismantled her 6-1, 6-3.
"I was just trying to enjoy every point," said Kerber  after ending unseeded Sharapova's run in only her second Grand  Slam tournament back since serving a 15-month doping ban.
The mouth-watering match-up of the only the two  Australian Open winners -- and Grand Slam champions -- left in  the women's draw got top billing on Rod Laver Arena but was  turned into a tennis exhibition by Kerber.
"I have so many good memories on this court," said  Kerber, who won her first Grand Slam title there two years ago  when she beat Serena Williams in the final.
"I knew before ..

Aggressive Kerber snuffs out Sharapova's Aussie quest

Tennis great Andre Agassi has  urged fiery Australian Nick Kyrgios to get a coach to fulfil  his unquestionable potential, believing there will be a queue  of people keen to help him out.
The 22-year-old is showing greater maturity at the  Australian Open after frequent criticism in the past for his  on-court blow-ups.
But the American, who is coaching 12-time Grand Slam  champion Novak Djokovic, told the Melbourne Age newspaper he  believes Kyrgios can only take himself so far without help.
"I'm a big believer in life, and what I've learned is  that learning (something that) in 10 minutes would take  someone (by themselves) 10 years is a very effective way to  maximize the short window that you get in this sport," he  said.
"To go it alone and not get access to things tried and  lessons learned is an unforced error. But having no coach is  better than having the wrong coach."
Kyrgios, seeded 17, indicated earlier this month he has  no plans to hire a coach for the 2018 season.
So far 

Agassi urges Kyrgios to get a coach

Maria Sharapova says she is  inspired by the likes of thirtysomethings Serena Williams and  Roger Federer to get back to the top after her doping ban.
The Russian, back in the top 50 after 15 months on the  sidelines, had her progress at the Australian Open ruthlessly  snuffed out by 2016 champion Angelique Kerber in the third  round Saturday.
"I'm here because I'm motivated to get better at my  craft. I really do believe that I can otherwise I wouldn't be  here," said the five-time Grand Slam champion after losing 6-  1, 6-3 in 64 minutes.
"I definitely take great examples of a Federer or a Nadal  or a Serena and Venus that have continued to have the  motivation that they do at this age," said Sharapova who turns  31 in April.
"It's not just walking through a Grand Slam tunnel and  getting on court.
"There's so much more to it. I have a lot of admiration  for that because I know what goes into creating those moments  and getting to that stage.
"Yeah, that definitely inspires me, ...

Sharapova inspired by Serena to get back to top

Eleven people were killed and 46  injured when a Turkish intercity bus taking families bound for  a half-term skiing trip crashed into trees while travelling on  a motorway, local officials said.
The bus, which was making an overnight journey from the  capital Ankara to the western city of Bursa, crashed in the  region of Eskisehir amid good road conditions, Eskisehir  governor Ozdemir Cakacak was quoted as saying by the Dogan  news agency.
The road was empty and neither wet nor frozen, Cakacak  said, vowing that the causes would be made clear.
Dogan reported that the passengers on the bus were mainly  families with their children who were going to Bursa to spend  the upcoming half-term at the popular Uludag ski resort  nearby.
The news agency did not say if any children were among  those killed.
The two drivers, who were both lightly injured, have been  detained and prosecutors launched an investigation, Dogan  said.
Turkey has a dire road safety record with over a million  accidents 

Eleven killed, 46 wounded in Turkey bus crash: official

World 100 meter silver medalist  Christian Coleman opened his 2018 campaign by breaking the 60  meter indoor world record with a time of 6.37sec.
The 21-year-old American set the new mark at the low-  level Clemson Invitational track meet to surpass the previous  record of 6.39sec held by fellow American Maurice Greene.
Greene ran the time twice, in 1998 in Madrid, Spain, and  2001 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Coleman's previous best was 6.45sec at last year's US  collegiate indoor championships.
"Great start to my career," tweeted Coleman, who is in  his first year as a professional athlete.
The time still needs to be ratified by athletics' world  governing body, the IAAF.
The meet at Clemson University in South Carolina was the  first event of the season for Coleman. Earlier in the day he  ran a time of 6.47sec.
Tevin Hester, of the US, was second in 6.57 while Warren  Fraser of the Bahamas finished third with a time of 6.69.
Coleman set prodigious times as a college athlete and has  been ..

American Coleman breaks 60m indoor world record

World number one Simona Halep  saved three match points to survive a titanic struggle and  make the last 16 at the Australian Open today where she joined  Karolina Pliskova and Dominic Thiem.
With the temperatures a manageable 26 Celsius (79  Farenheit) at Melbourne Park after two days of oven-like  conditions, the Romanian looked out for the count against  American Lauren Davis.
But she finally got over the line 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 in a  gruelling 3hr 44min on Rod Laver Arena to make the fourth  round in a contest that took its toll.
"I'm almost dead," the tenacious Romanian said after the  incredible battle, in which Davis lost a toenail and Halep  served for the match four times.
"The feeling in my muscles is gone and I don't feel my  ankle anymore," she added.
Davis is ranked just 76 in the world and was knocked out  in the first round of all four Grand Slams last year, but you  would never have known it.
Halep, a former quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park who  slumped out in the first 

'Almost dead' Halep joins Thiem in last 16

Swimming great Michael Phelps  revealed that he has battled severe anxiety and depression for  much of his life which drove him to consider suicide after his  success at the 2012 Olympics.
Speaking at a mental health conference in Chicago, the  23-time Olympic gold medal winner talked openly about his long  battle with crippling depression and is encouraging others to  get help like he did.
"After every Olympics I think I fell into a major state  of depression," the 32-year-old Phelps said.
Phelps said he reached rock bottom following the 2012  Olympics in London where he won four gold medals and two  silver. For four days he remained in his room without food or  sleep.
"I didn't want to be in the sport anymore," he said. "I  didn't want to be alive."
When he hit a low point in his depression, Phelps said,  "You do contemplate suicide."
Over the past two years Phelps has opened up about his  struggles. Once again, Phelps said his depression and anxiety  problems have been a staple of .

AFP

AFP

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