US freestyle great Katie Ledecky, looking forward to the Olympic debut of the women's 1,500m free in Tokyo, clocked the fifth-fastest time ever in the event with a 15min 29.51sec at the Pro-Swim Series meeting in Des Moines, Iowa.
Ledecky, who set the world record of 15:20.48 on May 16, 2018, owns the top 10 times in the event and is the heavy favorite to take the first Olympic gold awarded at the distance for women.
"I'm really excited about it coming to the Olympics," Ledecky said.
"Obviously I want to do really well in that event this year, so at the moment I'm really trying to set myself up well for it."
A stomach ailment forced Ledecky out of the 1,500m free at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, where she had been slated to go for a fourth consecutive title.
She said Wednesday's performance showed she was on track in her preparations for the US Olympic swimming trials in June and the Tokyo Games that start July 24.
"It was good," said Ledecky, whose five Olympic gold medals 

Ledecky produces fifth-fastest 1500m free ever

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Megan Rapinoe thanked the US men's national team for showing solidarity in their fight for equal pay on Thursday, adding she was "very confident" of a positive outcome in the long-running dispute.
The US women have been fighting since 2016 for equality with their male counterparts and are seeking backpay totalling nearly $67 million.
On February 12, the union representing the US men's team issued a statement in support of the women, accusing the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) of engaging in a "false narrative" as the legal battle rumbles on.
A group of 28 players from the US women's national team has filed a class-action gender discrimination lawsuit against US Soccer with a trial expected to begin in May.  Rapinoe, who has been leading the demands for equality, said the US women were grateful for the support from the US men.
"It was much appreciated," Rapinoe told reporters ahead of the USA's SheBelieves Cup opener on Thursday.
"(The men) have been a little light on ...

Rapinoe praises US men in support for equality fight

Manchester City won a 20th consecutive domestic cup tie to move into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday as Tottenham crashed out on penalties to Norwich.
Sergio Aguero scored the only goal for the holders eight minutes into the second half as Wednesday goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith failed to get a strong enough hand to the Argentine's low strike.
A solitary goal was scant reward for the dominance of Pep Guardiola's men as the Catalan was rewarded for naming a strong line-up against the Championship side.
Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus missed glorious first half chances, while Nicolas Otamendi and Benjamin Mendy hit the woodwork before Aguero finally made the breakthrough.
Despite failing to add to their tally, City maintained hopes of a cup treble after lifting a third consecutive League Cup on Sunday and beating Real Madrid 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
"He is a good manager and crazy," said Aguero of Guardiola's relentless 

Man City, Leicester into FA Cup quarter-finals, Tottenham crash out

Kylian Mbappe hit a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain cruised into the final of the French Cup with a thumping 5-1 win at Lyon on Wednesday.
The World Cup winner took his goal tally in all competitions to 30 during a win that was eased by Fernando Marcal being sent off just before Neymar put the French champions ahead in the 64th minute from the penalty spot.
The defeat Lyon ends a five-match unbeaten run that included an impressive 1-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League and the weekend's triumph over local rivals Saint-Etienne.
"It was a solid, serious display full of concentration," said PSG coach Thomas Tuchel.
"After the Dortmund match (lost 2-1 in Germany), Mbappe has responded brilliantly. He uses his speed so intelligently ... he is in good form."
Mbappe equalised for the away side with a simple tap-in just three minutes after Martin Terrier had given the raucous home fans hope with a neat 11th-minute opener.  The 21-year-old was also key to PSG taking the lead in the ...

Mbappe treble fires PSG into French Cup final

Real Sociedad ended the Copa del Rey hopes of second division Mirandes on Wednesday with a 1-0 win which moved them into the final for the first time in 32 years.
Sociedad had already won the first leg 2-1 and cemented their spot in the decider when striker Mikel Oyarzabal scored a 41st-minute penalty after a handball in the area by a Mirandes player.
The April 18 final in Seville could be an all-Basque affair with Athletic Bilbao defending a 1-0 lead against fellow La Liga mid-table side Granada in their semi-final second leg on Thursday.
Mirandes were attempting to become the first second division club to reach the final since 1980.
Real Sociedad, who were Copa del Rey winners in 1909 and 1987 and knocked out Real Madrid 4-3 in this season's quarter-finals, will be playing in their first final since 1988 when they lost 1-0 to Barcelona.
With 23 titles, Athletic Bilbao are second on the all-time list of Cup winners behind Barcelona who have triumphed 30 times.

Real Sociedad into first Copa del Rey final in 32 years

Italy ordered on Wednesday that all major sporting events be held behind closed doors until April 3 as the country grapples with the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
The measure was announced as the Italian government stepped up its response to an epidemic that has killed 107 people and infected more than 3,000 others in Italy in the past two weeks.
In a decree released on Wednesday, the government states that "all sporting events and competitions of all types, whether private or public" can proceed "in sports facilities behind closed doors -- namely in the open air but without the presence of the public".
This week's Italian Cup semi-finals -- Juventus against AC Milan in Turin and Napoli's clash with Inter Milan at the Stadio San Paolo -- have been postponed because of the outbreak.
No new dates for the matches have been announced and the May 13 final is now likely to be postponed for at least a week.
The spread of the virus has played havoc with Serie A, with 10 matches postponed over .

Italy closes sports events to fans until April over virus fears

Former UN chief Javier Perez de Cuellar, who led the world body during the Iran-Iraq war and the civil war in El Salvador, died Wednesday in his native Peru, his son said.
"My dad died after a complicated week. He died at 8:09 pm tonight (0109 GMT Thursday) and is resting in peace," Francisco Perez de Cuellar told RPP radio.
The Peruvian diplomat served as United Nations Secretary General from 1981 to 1991.
Antonio Guterres, who currently heads the UN, wished him "with pride & joy" a happy 100th birthday on January 19.
"On this momentous occasion, we at the UN draw on his example for inspiration & are deeply grateful for his many contributions and achievements as Secretary-General," Guterres wrote on Twitter.
Perez de Cuellar's remains will lie at the Peruvian foreign ministry before burial on Friday, his son said.

Former UN chief Javier Perez de Cuellar dead at 100: Son

International war crimes judges will rule on Thursday whether a probe into wartime abuses in Afghanistan will go ahead, including possible atrocities committed by US forces.
The International Criminal Court last year rejected a demand by its chief prosecutor to look into crimes committed in the war-torn nation -- an investigation also bitterly opposed by Washington.
The court's judges in The Hague are now set to decide on an appeal by prosecutors against the initial decision.
In 2006, the ICC's prosecutors opened a preliminary probe into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in the central Asian nation since 2003.
In 2017, chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda asked judges to allow a full-blown probe, not only into Taliban and Afghan government personnel but also international forces, US troops and members of the Central Intelligence Agency.
But pre-trial judges said it "would not serve the interests of justice" and that the court should focus on cases with a better chance of ...

War crimes judges to rule on ICC probe in Afghanistan

Plans for the 84th Masters and related events will proceed as scheduled despite growing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley said Wednesday.
In a letter released by the club, Ridley said Augusta National is consulting with health experts and following the situation with plans to take further action as events require.
Spectators from around the world flock to Augusta annually for the year's first major golf championship, scheduled for April 9-12 under the famed Georgia pine trees down Magnolia Lane.
"The safety, health and well-being of everyone is our top priority at Augusta National Golf Club," Ridley said.
"We are, therefore, mindful of the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19, which has been widely reported and continues to spread in areas where it has been detected."
Other events that remain on schedule include the Augusta National Women's Amateur, a 54-hole event that starts April 1 and concludes at Augusta National on April 4 and the ...

Masters proceeding as scheduled despite coronavirus concerns

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) denied on Wednesday that a fine of just over 700 euros handed to Vitoria Guimaraes was for racist chants the club's fans directed at Porto player Moussa Marega.
News of the small fine sparked outrage on social media, with Marega commenting sarcastically "Oh no, that's a lot! Can I pay it for them Portuguese league?" on Instagram.
"It should be clarified that the fine given by the disciplinary committee ... was not for racist abuse," the FPF said in a statement, reacting to media reports to the contrary.
The committee's report on the match said that the 714 euro ($794.83) fine was for non-racist insults shouted by Guimaraes fans at Mali forward Marega, who walked off the field in disgust after being subjected to a torrent of monkey chants after scoring the winner in last month's 2-1 victory over his former club.
The FPF statement added that the racist chants from that match are subject to another investigation by the country's football league ...

Controversial Guimaraes fine not for Marega racist abuse: Portuguese FA

Almost 300 million students worldwide faced weeks at home on Thursday with Italy the latest country to shut schools over the deadly new coronavirus, as the IMF urged an all-out, global offensive against the epidemic.
More than 95,000 people have been infected and over 3,200 have died worldwide from the virus, which has now reached some 80 countries and territories.
The vast majority of global deaths and infections are in China, where the virus first emerged late last year, prompting the country to quarantine entire cities, temporarily shut factories and close schools indefinitely.
As the virus spread, other countries have also implemented extraordinary measures, with UNESCO saying Wednesday that 13 countries have closed schools, affecting 290.5 million children, while nine others have implemented localised closures.
While temporary school closures during crises are not new, UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay said, "the global scale and speed of the current educational disruption is ...

290 million students out of school as global virus battle intensifies

South Korea's total number of novel coronavirus cases -- the largest outside China, where the disease first emerged -- approached 6,000 on Thursday as authorities reported 145 new infections.
The total stood at 5,766, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, with 35 deaths.
So far 36 countries and regions have imposed a blanket entry ban on people who have recently been in the South, according to the foreign ministry in Seoul.
Nearly 90 percent of the national total come from the southern city of Daegu -- with more than 4,300 cases confirmed there -- and the neighbouring North Gyeongsang province.
The outbreak in the city of 2.5 million among Shincheonji members began with a 61-year-old woman, who developed symptoms on February 10 and attended at least four services in the city.
The government proposed an extra budget of 11.7 trillion won ($9.9 billion) on Wednesday to address the epidemic's impact and improve the country's infectious disease prevention system.
It is 

South Korea virus total nears 6,000

The death toll in the United States from the new coronavirus rose to 11 on Wednesday, as lawmakers in Congress agreed to provide more than USD 8 billion to fight the rapidly spreading disease.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared an emergency as he reported the state's first fatality from the COVID-19 illness -- an elderly person who had taken a cruise to Mexico -- while health officials in nearby Washington state said a 10th person had died there.
"The State of California is deploying every level of government to help identify cases and slow the spread of this coronavirus," Newsom told reporters.
"This emergency proclamation will help the state further prepare our communities and our health care system in the event it spreads more broadly."
Earlier in the day, Los Angeles County officials reported six new cases in the West Coast metropolis, while the number of confirmed cases in New York state rose to 11.
One of the Los Angeles cases concerns a medical screener at the city's ...

New coronavirus deaths in US as lawmakers reach USD 8.3 bn funding deal

Surveillance of "homegrown" US extremists by the FBI was flawed until 2019, a watchdog report said Wednesday, saying that the weaknesses may have allowed deadly attacks to occur.
The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report said that the FBI had closed several assessments of suspects who went on to launch attacks.
"Since September 11, 2001, HVE (home-grown violent extremists) have carried out over 20 attacks in the United States, some of which occurred after the FBI closed a counterterrorism assessment or investigation," it said.
"The FBI had not taken a comprehensive approach to resolving deficiencies."
According to the FBI, the extremists were jihad-inspired individuals radicalized in the United States and not receiving orders from abroad.
The report focused on one of the Boston marathon bombers, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who planted two home-made bombs near the finish line of the race in 2013, killing three people and injuring 264 others.
It said database ...

FBI extremist surveillance was flawed: US report

US Defence Secretary Mark Esper accused Russia Wednesday of violating the Open Skies Treaty designed to improve transparency and confidence between the militaries of the two superpowers.
Esper told a congressional hearing Russia had been blocking the United States from conducting flights over the Baltic Sea city of Kaliningrad and near Georgia that are permitted by the 18-year-old agreement.
"We've also been denied access to military exercise overflights," he said. "I have a lot of concerns about the treaty as it stands now." The deal, which has 32 other signatories, permits one country's military to conduct a certain number of surveillance flights over another each year on short notice.
The aircraft can survey the territory below, collecting information and pictures of military installations and activities.
The idea is that the more rival militaries know about each other, the lower the chances of conflict.
Esper said he raised the issue last month in the meeting with NATO defense ...

US accuses Russia of breaking 'Open Skies' treaty

One in five Europeans suffers from noise pollution considered harmful to their health, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said in a report on Thursday, deploring the EU's failure to meet its own commitments.
"Notably, the objective set for 2020...  of decreasing noise pollution and moving towards the WHO recommended levels for noise exposure will not be achieved," the agency said in a statement.
It added that in fact "noise pollution is projected to increase because of future urban growth and increased demand for mobility." Noise pollution, especially at night, affects public health across Europe, as noise can disrupt sleep, and chronic noise is known to cause cardiovascular and psychophysiological effects as well as reducing cognitive performance.
According to the EEA, an estimated 113 million people across Europe are affected by long-term traffic noise levels.
In addition, 22 million suffer from noise pollution from trains and four million from aviation.
"In most European ...

One in five Europeans suffers from noise pollution: report

Former US president Barack Obama called Wednesday for people to take "common sense precautions" over the coronavirus outbreak -- advising them to follow hand-washing guidelines but not to wear masks.
"Save the masks for health care workers. Let's stay calm, listen to the experts, and follow the science," tweeted Obama, who has kept a low public profile since leaving office in 2017.
He said people should keep track of updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -- and stay home if they are sick.
The World Health Organization has said masks, goggles and other protective equipment used by health workers were in short supply due to "rising demand, hoarding and misuse."
The death toll in the US from the virus rose to 11 on Wednesday, as lawmakers in Congress reached a deal to provide more than USD 8 billion to fight the outbreak.
Nationwide, more than 130 people have so far been infected, with the virus detected in more than a dozen states.

Obama on coronavirus: skip the masks, stay calm

The US government on Wednesday approved the sale to Poland of Javelin anti-tank missiles, the weapon system at the center of the Ukraine scandal that led to President Donald Trump's impeachment.
The Pentagon said the order, authorized by the State Department, was for 79 Javelin missile launchers and 189 missiles worth $100 million.
Poland's conservative government has stepped up its efforts in Washington, which it regards as its most reliable ally, to reinforce the presence of US troops on its soil.
Polish President Andrzej Duda signed an agreement in January to buy 32 F-35 stealth fighters, in a deal worth $4.6 billion.
Warsaw also bought US-made HIMARS mobile rocket launchers and Patriot anti-missile systems, to build up its air defenses.
Meanwhile the United States has committed to increase the US military presence in Poland to 4,500 troops.
The sale to Ukraine of Javelin anti-tank missiles, which Kiev needed to defend against Russian-backed rebels, was the subject of an infamous ..

US approves anti-tank missile sale to Poland

A group of Italian tourists tried to escape coronavirus confinement in Mauritania but were caught and sent back to their home country, the West African country said Wednesday.
The 15 tourists arrived in the capital Nouakchott on Saturday planning to travel to the northern tourist hub of Atar, health ministry spokesman Abdelkader Ould Ahmed told AFP.
But Mauritania has imposed a confinement period on travellers from countries considered to be a high coronavirus risk -- including Italy, which has Europe's most cases with more than 3,000 as well as 107 deaths.
So the tourists spent Saturday night in a Nouakchott hotel while waiting to go into confinement, the spokesman said.
"They made the mistake of attempting to evade the conditions imposed by the Mauritanian coronavirus health plan by secretly leaving their hotel for Atar," he said.
"The 15 were caught 90 kilometres (56 miles) from Nouakchott and brought back to the airport, from where they were re-routed to their country on Sunday ...

Italian tourists caught trying to evade Mauritania virus containment

The coronavirus epidemic already has disrupted travel and access to goods for US industry, and businesses nationwide have sounded the warning that things could get worse, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday.
While activity in the world's largest economy continued to grow at a modest to moderate pace in recent weeks, the outlook was becoming more uncertain, according to the Fed's beige book survey.
The report contains dozens of mentions of the virus, which said "producers feared further disruptions in the coming weeks.

Fed says coronavirus causing disruptions, widespread concern

The United States' two biggest cities reported 10 more coronavirus cases on Wednesday, as lawmakers in Congress reached a deal to provide more than USD 8 billion to fight the outbreak.
Los Angeles County officials declared an emergency as six new cases were reported in the West Coast metropolis, while New York reported four more patients -- all close contacts of a man who tested positive.
Nine people have died of the COVID-19 illness in the US and more than 130 have so far been infected, with the virus detected in more than a dozen states.
A congressional aide told AFP that Republicans and Democrats had reached a deal to fund the response to the tune of USD 8.3 billion -- with the House expected to vote today and the Senate tomorrow.
President Donald Trump had initially sought a much lower amount of USD 2.5 billion but later said he was happy to accept more money.
All of the newly infected individuals in LA were exposed to COVID-19 through close contact, health officials said.
Dr ...

AFP

AFP

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