Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko asked Donald Trump for support against "Russian aggression" during a congratulatory telephone conversation with the US president-elect.
	Trump's shock election victory has been met with trepidation in Kiev because of the outspoken reality TV star's praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his apparent indifference to the Western coalition against Moscow.
	The billionaire businessman suggested earlier this year the US could accept Russia's annexation of Crimea if it led to improved relations between the two nations, which are bitterly at odds over Syria.
	Poroshenko congratulated Trump on his victory and said he wished "to work together with his administration to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States", according to a statement by the Ukrainian presidency.
	He also "underlined the necessity of strong support from Washington in the fight against Russian aggression and the implementation of crucial ...

Poroshenko appeals to Trump for support in phone call

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Australia's cricketers have lost their "fear factor" and could be heading towards a West Indies-style decline, batting great Brian Lara has warned.
     Lara, whose career began when the now struggling West Indies were in the ascendancy in the 1980s, sees some similarities in the trajectory of Steve Smith's Australia.
     His comments come after Australia lost their fifth straight Test in an ignominious innings defeat to South Africa in Hobart on Tuesday's fourth day.
     "The fear factor is no longer there and a similar thing happened to the West Indies 25 years ago," Lara told News Corp newspapers.
     "When Australia beat us at home in 1995, no one feared us any more and that's going to be the situation with Australia. Especially if they are not travelling well."
     The once-proud West Indies are a mere shadow of the team that won a then-record 11 straight Tests in the 1980s. They now wallow at eighth on the world rankings, ahead of only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
     Lara said 

Aussies have lost 'fear factor', says Lara

Australia's media lashed out at the country's "mollycoddled" cricketers Wednesday, saying they were a "disgrace" and heads should roll after crashing to a fifth successive Test defeat.
     With the sport in crisis after a dismal performance against South Africa in the first two Tests of a three-Test series, the press was unrelenting in its criticism.
     "Humiliating", the Sydney Morning Herald screamed in a front page headline, while The Australian said: "Disgrace to the Baggy Green."
     The tabloid Sydney Daily Telegraph called the team "a bunch of amateurs", with cricket writer Robert Craddock saying they had become pampered and lost their backbone.
     "Australian cricket is facing its greatest crisis in 30 years, and it only has itself to blame," he said, adding that there were no longer any of the "flint hard Test players that once did our nation proud".
     "Australia's players are overpaid and mollycoddled to the point where the priceless quality that separates the great 

'Mollycoddled' Aussies face backlash

Pakistan and New Zealand both claimed the high ground on the eve of Thursday's first Test in Christchurch, with the Black Caps drawing inspiration from Brendon McCullum's classic farewell innings.
     Just days after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake rattled the city and devastated parts of the South Island, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq looked to cash in on a perceived lack of confidence in the New Zealand ranks after their disastrous tour of India, where they suffered a series whitewash.
     But although Pakistan are on a high after crushing the West Indies last month, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson claimed his side was rejuvenated by returning to home conditions and familiar seamer-friendly wickets.
     After being flummoxed by Indian spin in all three Tests in October, Williamson said New Zealand's challenge was to pick themselves up.
     "It's important when you come off the back of that India tour, which was extremely tough, that we still come back here and play with freedom, 

New Zealand draw on McCullum heroics for Pakistan clash

Substitute Isco struck deep in stoppage time to earn Spain a 2-2 draw and deprive Gareth Southgate of victory in his final game as England interim manager on Tuesday.
     Goals from Adam Lallana and Jamie Vardy had set England up for an impressive win, but Spain debutant Iago Aspas reduced the arrears in the 89th minute before Isco levelled with practically the last kick.
     Southgate, who lost Lallana to injury in the first half, cursed his luck on the touchline, but having gone four games unbeaten since replacing Sam Allardyce, the job is still expected to be his full-time.
     "The players over the period of the four matches couldn't have given any more," Southgate said.
     "It feels like a defeat for the players, but I couldn't be more proud of what they've done. It was a healthy, positive performance."
     While victory eluded England at the last, the vibrant nature of their performance at Wembley will help to erase lingering memories of their Euro 2016 humiliation by ...

Aspas, Isco deny Southgate's England victory

WhatsApp has temporarily suspended giving parent company Facebook information about users in Europe for ad targeting, responding to concerns there over privacy, a source close to the matter has said.
	Conversations with officials in Europe over the past few months resulted in the social network deciding to only tapping into WhatsApp user data there for purposes such as fighting spam, according to the source.
	The break was described as an effort to give regulators time to share privacy concerns and for Facebook to consider ways to address them.
	German data protection authorities in September cited privacy concerns when they blocked Facebook from collecting subscriber data from WhatsApp there.
	"It has to be (the users') decision whether they want to connect their account with Facebook,"  Hamburg's Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Johannes Caspar said at the time.
	"Facebook has to ask for their permission in advance."
	WhatsApp announced in August that it ..

WhatsApp suspends giving Facebook European user data

An injury-time goal by local hero Magomed Ozdoev gave 2018 World Cup hosts Russia a 1-0 win over Romania in a historic friendly in Chechen capital Grozny on Tuesday.
     The volatile Caucasian region, where Moscow fought two brutal conflicts against separatists two decades ago, played host to the national team for the very first time at the modern Akhmat Arena home of Premier League side Terek Grozny.
     It was Russia's second win in five matches since Stanislav Cherchesov took over as coach in August, the other coming against Ghana in September.
     Cherchesov was appointed after the country's disastrous Euro 2016 campaign and faces a daunting task of rejuvenating the team for the World Cup on home soil, where he has set his men a target of reaching the semi-finals.
     "Our winning goal wasn't accidental at all. The crowd spurred us on until the very end and it helped us to claim the win," Cherchesov said.
     "I knew that the fierce crowd support would help us a great deal. ..

Russia beat Romania in historic Chechnya friendly

Lionel Messi scored a majestic free-kick as Argentina reignited their misfiring World Cup qualification campaign against Colombia on Tuesday before declaring a media boycott over claims of drug use by a team-mate.
     Barcelona maestro Messi was at his bewitching best in a 3-0 win over the Colombians which included his 10th-minute 30-yard free-kick before assists for Lucas Pratto and Angel Di Maria.
     But the feelgood factor from a win which catapulted Argentina into the qualifying places in South America's campaign was short-lived at an explosive post-match press conference.
     Addressing reporters as he stood in front of the entire Argentina squad, Messi said players would no longer speak to the media following a claim made on Twitter by one journalist that forward Ezequiel Lavezzi had been caught smoking pot in the camp.
     "We have made the decision not to talk to the press anymore, obviously you know why," the Argentina skipper said.
     "There were a lot of accusations, 

Messi's media fury after Argentina sink Colombia

Gianluigi Buffon earned a European record-equalling 167th cap as Italy played out a goalless friendly draw with their Euro 2016 quarter-final tormentors Germany in Milan on Tuesday.
     The 38-year-old Buffon, who made his Italy debut in 1997, is now level with retired Spain legend and fellow goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
     Although Buffon is now just 17 behind world record-holder Ahmed Hassan of Egpyt (184), the appearance of AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma for a more positive second half was a reminder that retirement may not be too far off.
     Hosting Germany just four months after a dramatic penalty shoot-out defeat ended their Euro 2016 hopes in Bordeaux, Italy were looking to end their three-game winless streak against the world champions.
     But the hosts failed to transform a promising finish to the game into a win, Torino striker Andrea Belotti notably hitting the upright late on.
     "We were facing the world champions and gave very little away," said Italy coach ...

Buffon reaches landmark as Germany hold Italy

The United States has insisted its soldiers and spies in Afghanistan are not subject to prosecution by the International Criminal Court and any war crimes probe into their actions would be "unwarranted."
	On Monday, ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said she is considering whether to launch a full investigation into allegations that US troops and CIA operators tortured Afghan prisoners between 2003 and 2004.
	But Washington has not ratified the Hague-based court's founding Rome Statute, and State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau yesterday said the United States thoroughly investigates allegations against its personnel.
	"We have a robust national system of investigation and accountability that is as good as any country in the world," she said.
	"We do not believe that an ICC examination or investigation with respect to the actions of US personnel in relation to the situation in Afghanistan is warranted or appropriate," she added.
	"As we previously noted, the United States ..

US rejects ICC 'war crimes' probe

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in Cuba to boost ties as a breakthrough in the communist island's US relations hung in the balance following Donald Trump's presidential election win.
	After arriving at Havana airport yesterday, Trudeau headed straight to the city's iconic Revolution Square and laid a wreath, an AFP photographer saw.
	He was scheduled later to meet with Cuba's President Raul Castro, officials said.
	The two-day visit is the first stop on a tour that will also take Trudeau to Argentina and to Peru for the APEC Asia-Pacific trade summit.
	It comes 40 years after Trudeau's father Pierre Elliott Trudeau committed to a lifelong friendship with Cuba's former revolutionary president Fidel Castro during a similar visit.
	According to Trudeau's office, the goal is to "renew and strengthen" the bilateral relationship.
	The visit will also provide an opportunity to "collaborate more closely on sustainable economic growth, inclusive governance, security, climate ...

Canada's Trudeau visits Cuba to reboot ties

Syria's regime and its ally Russia has launched a wide-ranging assault on rebels with renewed strikes on the besieged eastern neighbourhoods of Aleppo, sparking fury in Washington.
	The United States strongly condemned Russia's renewed bombing campaign, warning that strikes on civilian targets break international law.
	Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu spoke of a "major operation" which saw the first missions carried out by warplanes taking off from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier that arrived off Syria last week.
	In Aleppo, Syrian government aircraft pounded the eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and barrel bomb attacks, a monitor and AFP correspondent yesterday said.
	The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least five civilians were killed in the bombardment, the first of its kind since October 18.
	State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said Washington had received reports that the latest Russian and Syrian regime strikes had hit ...

Syria, backed by ally Russia, renews assault on rebels

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Western media of sympathising with the failed coup aimed at ousting him from power, as he officially opened a new Ankara-backed English language news channel.
	Erdogan yesterday said in a speech at his presidential palace to mark the formal opening of the TRT World channel that there were writers in Western media sympathetic to the US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen who Ankara blames for the July 15 coup.
	"If the coup had been successful... Then foreign media would have mobilised their cameras and pens to legitimise the coup," Erdogan said.
	He said those foreign media who are now criticising Turkey over freedom of expression "would have given their screens over to the junta".
	But with the defeat of the coup, "The headlines they prepared were good for nothing."
	The Turkish strongman said his country had had "bitter experience" over the last three years and was "well aware" how foreign media had behaved during the 2013 protests 

Erdogan accuses Western media of sympathising with coup

The United States today strongly condemned Russia's renewed bombing campaign in Syria and warned that strikes on civilian targets break international law.
	State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said Washington had received reports that the latest Russian and Syrian regime strikes had hit hospitals and clinics.

US: Renewed Russian strikes in Syria break international law

Hundreds of high school students demonstrated in New York today morning outside Trump Tower in the pouring rain as the president-elect was inside fleshing out his new administration.
	"No Ku Klux Klan, no fascists, no racists" the students from Manhattan and Queens shouted in turn, alternating their cries with: "Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here."
	In Washington, several hundred high school students marched on the Mall, the grassy esplanade that runs from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, heading toward the White House.
	The protests came one day after hundreds of students walked out of classrooms to rally against Donald Trump's election in Portland, Oregon; Silver Spring, Maryland; and Los Angeles.
	"We are showing people that what Donald Trump says and his rhetoric -- it's not okay even though he was elected president," said Grace, a 17-year-old who declined to give her last name.
	Trump Tower has been the focus of protests every day since the New York ...

Hundreds of New York students protest outside Trump Tower

Former French economy minister Emmanuel Macron is set to announce his candidacy for next year's presidential election tomorrow after floating the idea for months, reports said.
	The 38-year-old former investment banker has barely concealed his ambition to occupy the Elysee Palace since he quit the unpopular Socialist government in August.
	Macron, a business-friendly former protege of President Francois Hollande, will aim to exploit the deep divisions in the French left in his presidential run.
	He has announced a press conference tomorrow morning in a Paris suburb, with French media BFM and RTL saying he will finally put an end to speculation about his intentions.
	A source in Macron's team told AFP last week that Macron would announce his candidacy in the coming weeks.
	Hollande, who has the lowest popularity ratings of any post-war president, has said he will not decide until early December whether to seek re-election.
	Macron has never held elected office but in April founded his .

Macron to announce French presidential bid tomorrow: reports

Pioneering DJ David Mancuso, whose intimate, invitation-only parties in New York helped give birth to the modern dance music scene, has died. He was 72.
	Mancuso, who helped establish the techniques and atmosphere for club music around the world, died yesterday of undisclosed causes, said his friend Craig Shifty, who runs the dance label Kid Recordings.
	"See you in paradise, my friend. Be sure to save a space for me on the dance floor," Shifty wrote on Facebook.
	Mancuso, then an antiques dealer, threw his first bash with the theme "Love Saves the Day" in 1970 in an era when New Yorkers would throw "rent parties" in which guests would chip in to help the hosts pay for their apartments.
	At a time before disco and electronica brought DJs into the mainstream, Mancuso awed his guests by spinning records well into the morning -- leaving the crowd eager for more.
	The party became regular and known as The Loft, taking place legally but underground around the Noho, Soho and East Village ...

New York DJ pioneer Mancuso dead at 72

Around 100 people were missing, feared drowned, in the Mediterranean today after a migrant dinghy capsized off Libya, according to rescue teams frantically searching for survivors in darkness and rough seas.
	German NGO Jugend Rettet, whose boat was at the scene, said 23 survivors had been rescued by an oil tanker which was first to reach the stricken boat.
	"The crews are searching for survivors in the water and recovering dead bodies," it added in a tweet.
	The survivors and four recovered corpses were transferred from the tanker to the Acquarius, a boat operated by another charity group, SOS Mediterranee.
	A survivor told one of that organisation's staff that the dinghy had begun to sink at 6.00 AM (local time), four hours before the tanker arrived.
	"We were 122 on the boat, no children under 15, but there were 10 women travelling with us and only one survived," the survivor was quoted as saying.
	"We waited in the water, taking any floating thing to remain afloat, but most of the 

100 feared dead in Med after migrant boat capsize

Republican members of the US House of Representatives today unanimously chose Paul Ryan to keep his job as Speaker, following their victory at the polls last week, the House GOP conference announced.
	"It is a tremendous honour to be nominated by my colleagues to serve as Speaker of the House. Now it's time to go big," Ryan, a 46-year-old lawmaker from Wisconsin, tweeted after the closed-doors vote at the Capitol.
	Given that the Republicans maintain their majority in the House, Ryan's re-election as speaker is essentially a foregone conclusion -- unless another Republican decides to mount a surprise challenge come January.

US House Republicans keep Paul Ryan as Speaker

President Francois Hollande today proposed extending France's year-old state of emergency to May, to cover the next presidential election.
	Speaking on the sidelines of UN climate talks in Morocco, Hollande said he wanted to prolong the emergency measures in place since the November 2015 Paris attacks, which had been due to expire in January.
	France's two-round presidential election takes place on April 23 and May 7.
	"I want to extend the state of emergency until the presidential election," he said in an interview with France 24, RFI and TV5Monde in Marrakesh.
	Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said his government was going to ask parliament for a new extension beyond January.
	The state of emergency was introduced on the night of the November 13, 2015 Paris attacks and extended for six months in late July.
	Today's extension announcement came days after France marked the first anniversary of the jihadist attacks which left 130 people dead.
	Hollande, who has the ...

Hollande proposes to extend French state of emergency till May

German automaker Volkswagen and US environmental regulators have reached an agreement on the diesel-powered 3.0 liter cars also involved in the company's emissions scandal, according to a news report today.
	Under the terms of the agreement, which still requires court approval, Volkswagen would fix 60,000 vehicles with affected 3.0 liter engines and repurchase 19,000 older models for which repairs would be too complex, Bloomberg reported, citing anonymous sources close to the negotiations.
	The settlement would close another major chapter in the company's emissions cheating scandal. Volkswagen last month concluded a record-setting $15 billion settlement concerning 2.0 liter diesel cars.
	However, this latest agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agency and California's Air Resources Board does not resolve legal actions brought by owners of 3.0 liter cars or by the Federal Trade Commission, according to the report.
	A spokeswoman for Volkswagen told AFP the talks were ...

AFP

AFP

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