Takehiro Tomiyasu's lone strike sent Saudi Arabia crashing out of the Asian Cup as Japan beat the three-time champions 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals on Monday.
Tomiyasu's first-half header was enough to seal it for Japan as the last-16 game between two teams with seven titles between them failed to live up to its billing.
Japan, record four-time winners of the Asian Cup, march on to a quarter-final with Southeast Asian champions Vietnam despite not yet hitting top form at the tournament.
Saudi Arabia were in the ascendancy early on but it was Japan who snatched the advantage with a straightforward goal from a set piece on 20 minutes.
From a corner, Belgium-based defender Tomiyasu climbed above his marker and nodded firmly into the bottom corner for his first of the tournament.
The Saudis twice came close with headers as they strived for a way back, and Hatan Bahbri curled one just off-target as he went for the top corner.
Yoshinori Muto's shot was blocked on the hour-mark but most ..

Japan's Tomiyasu sends Saudis spinning out of Asian Cup

PTI Automatic

The Greek parliament is expected to vote Thursday on a deal to change Macedonia's name to the Republic of North Macedonia amid deep social division and a crisis in centrist political parties.
Lawmakers will debate the draft name-change deal between Greece and Macedonia on Wednesday and Thursday before the vote, Athens News Agency said Monday.
Macedonia's parliament backed a constitutional revision to change the country's name 10 days ago. But for the deal to go through, the change must also be approved by Greek MPs.
Macedonia is a former Yugoslav republic, but for most Greeks it is the name of their history-rich northern province made famous by Alexander the Great's conquests.
On Sunday, clashes between police and masked protesters left several injured in Athens as tens of thousands demonstrated against the name change.
According to the government, "the incidents were provoked by extremists, members of the Golden Dawn, who attempted to enter parliament".
Seven people arrested on ...

Greek MPs to vote on Macedonia deal amid political turmoil

Conqueror of his idol Roger Federer in the last 16 of the Australian Open, the rise of Greek youngster Stefanos Tsitsipas is one that appears destined to carry him to the top of the tennis world.
He made no secret of his immense respect for the Swiss star, whose posters coated the walls of Tsitsipas' bedroom as a child, but the 20-year-old Athenian didn't allow sentiment to stand in his way.
"He's a legend of our sport," Tsitsipas said ahead of his clash with the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
"If I thought about it now it's insane I'm in this position where I can actually play him. It's really emotional."
But Tsitsipas showed scant regard for the world number three -- the double reigning champion in Melbourne -- on Sunday, playing the brand of tennis that has propelled him to 15th in the rankings after barely two seasons on tour.
He will climb yet further following his best performance to date at a Grand Slam, and the Greek intends to continue building on a breakthrough year in ...

Stefanos Tsitsipas, a Greek tennis god in the making

France's data watchdog on Monday announced a fine of 50 million euros (USD 57 million) for US search giant Google, using the EU's strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the first time.
Google was handed the record fine from the CNIL regulator for failing to provide transparent and easily accessible information on its data consent policies, a statement said.
The CNIL said Google made it too difficult for users to understand and manage preferences on how their personal information is used, in particular with regards to targeted advertising.
"People expect high standards of transparency and control from us. We're deeply committed to meeting those expectations and the consent requirements of the GDPR," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.
"We're studying the decision to determine our next steps." The ruling follows complaints lodged by two advocacy groups last May, shortly after the landmark GDPR directive came into effect.
One was filed on behalf of some 10,000 ...

France hits Google with 50 million euro data consent fine

Drained Novak Djokovic admitted he "didn't feel so great" after surviving a physical fourth-round examination against 15th seed Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open.
The world number one came through an almost three-and-a-half hour, four-set grind that extended into the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Djokovic dropped a set for the second match running but won 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3 at 12:43 am to set up a quarter-final against Japan's eighth seeded Kei Nishikori on Wednesday.
Serb Djokovic and Russian Medvedev both needed attention from the trainer during an exhausting encounter liberally sprinkled with punishing rallies of 30 shots or more.
"I didn't feel so great, you know, in the last 20 minutes of the match," Djokovic told reporters.
"So we'll see tomorrow how the body reacts, but I'm confident I can recover and I can be ready for next one," he said.
"It was just, you know, a little bit of fatigue, a little bit of back. Nothing major. But there are a couple of things that ...

Drained Djokovic 'not feeling so great' after grind past Medvedev

Ghanaian forward Kevin-Prince Boateng is on the verge of joining Barcelona in a shock loan move from Italian side Sassuolo, according to media reports in Spain on Monday.
Catalan daily Sport reported that the leaders of La Liga had agreed a deal to take Boateng on loan until the end of the season with an option to make the move permanent in the summer.
Madrid-based sports daily As claimed Barcelona would pay eight million euros (USD 9 million; 7 million) in the event of a permanent transfer.
The arrival of Boateng, 31, would provide much-needed cover for Luis Suarez up front in Ernesto Valverde's squad following the departure of Munir El Haddadi to Sevilla.
Born in Germany, the half-brother of Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng moved to Serie A last year after helping Eintracht Frankfurt win the German Cup. He has scored five goals in 15 games this season for Sassuolo.
The former Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan and Schalke player has previously had a spell in Spain, with Las Palmas in .

Boateng set for shock Barcelona move - reports

Zimbabwe's High Court on Monday ruled that State Security Minister Owen Ncube had no power to order the internet shutdown which took place during last week's nationwide protests.
"It has become very clear that the minister had no authority to make that directive," judge Owen Tagu said in a case brought by human rights lawyers and journalists.
The shutdown occurred as the security forces cracked down on protesters following a wave of anti-government demonstrations which turned violent.
David Halimana, the lawyer representing the complainants, said the ruling meant "mobile network operators are with immediate effect required to give full and unrestricted access of internet to all their subscribers".
Halimana said that, in terms of the law, only the state president has powers to order an internet shutdown.

Zimbabwe court rules against internet shutdown: Judge

google

Google allegedly made it too difficult for users to understand and manage preferences on how their personal information is used.

France uses strict EU privacy law first time, fines Google 50 mn euros

Press Trust of India

A medical emergency and a mechanical problem left passengers on a United Airlines flight stuck for about 16 hours on the frigid tarmac of a Canadian airport in the plane's barely heated interior, the CBC network reported.
United Flight 179 had taken off late Saturday from Newark, New Jersey en route to Hong Kong with about 250 passengers on board.
When a passenger suffered a medical problem the plane made an emergency landing at Goose Bay airport in Newfoundland and Labrador province, on Canada's east coast, the airline told CBC.
But after paramedics took him to hospital, the plane was unable to take off, reportedly because bitterly cold temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees Fahrenheit) had caused a door to freeze.
One of the passengers, Sonjay Dutt, reached by phone, said the plane was under-heated and that the arrival of the food and coffee was not enough to appease increasingly angry passengers.
With no customs officers on duty overnight, passengers were forced to stay ..

Passengers shiver through 16-hour ordeal on Canadian tarmac

France uses new EU data law to fine Google 50 mn euros

A fired-up Serena Williams slugged past world number one Simona Halep Monday as she inches ever closer to a 24th Grand Slam title, while Novak Djokovic survived a battle to stay on course for a record seventh Australian Open crown.
In a towering performance, the American great scored her biggest win since having a baby to grind down the Romanian top seed 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 and move into a quarter-final against seventh seed Karolina Pliskova.
Czech Pliskova is another form player, winning the warm-up Brisbane International and easing past two-time Grand Slam winner Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 6-1 to set up the Williams clash.
"I'm such a fighter, I never give up," declared Williams after the epic encounter.  "It was an intense match and there were some incredible points but I love playing tennis and being out here and I love this court, it's really cool to be back."
While Williams stayed calm, highly-rated German fourth seed Alexander Zverev lost the plot against Canadian Milos Raonic, crashing ..

Serena outslugs top seed Halep as Djokovic battles

Thirty-one Rohingya Muslims including 17 children remained stranded on the India-Bangladesh border after three days, Dhaka officials said Monday, as both sides refuse to accept them.
As many as 1,300 Rohingya Muslims have crossed into Bangladesh from India in recent weeks as fears of deportation to Myanmar spark an exodus.
The latest group crossed barbed-wire fences along the Indian part of the border, but Bangladesh border guards stopped them from entering their territory.
"They are now living in two tents provided by Indian border forces on the border's zero line," Mannan Jahangir, a local government official at the Bangladeshi border town of Kasba, told AFP.
Lieutenant Colonel Golam Kabir, a Bangladesh border guard commander, said the group first arrived at the border from the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir on January 18.
Senior officials from both sides held a meeting on Sunday, with Dhaka insisting that New Delhi take the refugees as they had Indian health cards and documents .

31 Rohingya in limbo on Bangladesh-India border

The European Union imposed chemical weapons sanctions on nine Russian and Syrian officials on Monday, including the chief of the powerful GRU military intelligence agency.
The EU blamed the Russians -- two agents and the head and the deputy head of the GRU -- for the "possession, transport and use" of the nerve agent used in the attack in Salisbury, England last March.
In addition to an assets freeze and travel ban for the Russian officials, the bloc announced sanctions on an alleged Syrian chemical weapons agency and five Syrians, EU states said in a statement.
"This decision contributes to the EU's efforts to counter the proliferation and use of chemical weapons which poses a serious threat to international security," the statement said, after a meeting of EU foreign ministers.  Full details of those targeted were to be placed in the EU Official Journal later Monday.
Russian agents have been blamed for the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the ...

EU sanctions Russia military intel chief over Skripal

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Athens on Monday received an envelope containing suspicious powder, the fire department said, after dozens of mystery deliveries to Greek universities and institutions.
A police source told AFP the envelope for the high commissioner was similar to nearly 40 letters sent from India to Greece over recent weeks.
All contained an industrial irritant that provoked some allergic reactions but was not dangerous to health, the authorities said.
According to media reports, some of the letters contained "Islamist content" written in English, but they gave no further detail.
Greece's counter-terrorism unit last week launched an inquiry to try to locate the sender.
On Friday another five suspicious envelopes were intercepted at several post offices and the Thessaly Technological Educational Institute in Larisa.  Contacted by AFP, the UNHCR would not comment on Monday's delivery.

Suspicious mail from India arrives at UNHCR in Athens

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday said resistance against new technologies is "outdated" as he once again criticised the judiciary's blocking of social media.
"Resisting new technologies and modern developments is an outdated approach," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast by state television.
"We can see that some still oppose new phenomena especially those related to communication and information," he added.
Iran in recent years has blocked access to many social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and in May the judiciary blocked the Telegram messaging app.
In May Rouhani said the government does not approve of the judiciary's blockage of Telegram - the country's most popular social network with some 40 million users or around half the population.
In his speech Monday he said preventing Iranians from accessing social would amount to creating a forbidden fruit which they would crave more and more.
"Filtering is not the solution. We must raise the society's ...

Resisting new technology is 'outdated' says Iran's Rouhani

A group of soldiers rose up against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro at a command post near Caracas Monday, posting an appeal for public support in a video.
Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino issued a statement after the video was posted saying the soldiers were arrested.
The soldiers rose up at a National Guard command post in Cotiza, north of Caracas, which was surrounded by police and troops.
"We are the professional troop of the National Guard against the regime, which we completely repudiate. I need your help, take to the streets," a man who identified himself as the group's sergeant said in video images circulated on social media.

Venezuela military group calls in video for not recognizing Maduro

Japanese fighter Kei Nishikori recovered from two sets down to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals with an epic win over Pablo Carreno Busta 6-7 (8/10), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 7-6 (10/8).
It was Nishikori's third five-setter of the tournament and the second time the never-say-die eighth seed had recovered from two sets behind.
His win over the 23rd seeded Spaniard took a marathon 5hr 5min after an opening set that alone lasted 76 minutes.
The former US Open finalist moves into the quarter-finals for the fourth time where he will face either top-ranked Novak Djokovic or 15th seed Daniil Medvedev.

Never-say-die Nishikori into Open quarters after five-set epic

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has taken his "warriors" to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp where he will search for a solution to his defensive dilemma.
The Premier League leaders, four points ahead of Manchester City, are not in action this coming weekend because they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the last round.
But James Milner's sending-off in Saturday's 4-3 win over Crystal Palace leaves Klopp with a headache at right-back for next week's visit of Leicester.
Joe Gomez, sidelined with a broken bone in his foot, will step up his recovery in Dubai and could have an outside chance of making the game but Trent Alexander-Arnold is still a couple of weeks away from fitness.
Fabinho would have been an option in a position he has played for Brazil but he came off injured late on against Palace and even if fit he may be needed in midfield, with Georginio Wijnaldum out with a hamstring problem.
Klopp gave 18-year-old Rafael Camacho his Premier League debut for the final few ...

Klopp seeks solutions for Liverpool defensive crisis

Kevin De Bruyne has described how coming back from successive knee injuries was "mentally hard" but says he is happy with the way he is playing.
The Belgium playmaker was pivotal to Manchester City's title success last season but has been restricted to just eight league appearances during this campaign due to ligament injuries, first in his right knee then in his left knee.
De Bruyne returned to action last month but City manager Pep Guardiola has taken a cautious approach with him.
"I'm getting better obviously," said De Bruyne.
"You need the run of games where you play a lot because I'm not used to playing every three days.
"But I'm getting there. I'm happy with the way I'm performing. It's not the same like it was last year, but that's what you can expect.
"I've been out since the World Cup and to come back twice is mentally hard, but I'm happy to be here to play football again."
The 27-year-old made his first league start since December 26 in Sunday's 3-0 win at managerless ...

De Bruyne describes mental challenge of injury-hit season

Marcello Lippi said China need to learn how to focus for an entire game ahead of their crunch Asian Cup quarter-final with Iran, the biggest -- and possibly last -- game of his tenure.
The Italian World Cup-winning coach hailed his players after they overcame Thailand 2-1 to reach the last eight, saying they had proved they were among the best in Asia.
But Lippi, 70, said China still had a habit of drifting in and out of games after another Jekyll-and-Hyde performance in which they trailed 1-0 midway through the second half.
"Chinese players have to improve psychologically," said Lippi, who is expected to leave China after the Asian Cup following two-and-a-half years at the helm.
"Sometimes they need to be much more focused and concentrated and pay more attention during the game. It's a psychological thing.
"It's very important to have the same intensity, the same determination from the beginning of the game." China were under the cosh against Thailand on Sunday until Lippi switched ..

Lippi says China need 'more focus' ahead of Iran clash

World number one Simona Halep on Monday shrugged off a fourth-round loss to Serena Williams that ended her Australian Open hopes and threatens her top ranking.
The Romanian top seed lost 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 but remained upbeat after a gutsy display against 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams, who is on a mission this year for a record equalling 24th title.
Halep, 27, a finalist in 2018, arrived at Melbourne Park on a five-match losing streak, equalling the worst run of her career and trying to shake off a back injury that curtailed her season.
After appearing listless through the early rounds, the French Open champion lifted to defeat Venus Williams then played her best tennis of the tournament against Serena after weathering an early onslaught.
When asked to rate her campaign she replied: "Close to 10." "I have the courage to say that, because I took the risk to stay home so much (for off-season rest).
"I haven't prepared for the highest level in tennis, but I didn't play bad, so I'm ...

AFP

AFP

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