Brussels top official Ursula von der Leyen will meet Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London on Wednesday, just three weeks before Britain leaves the European Union.
An EU spokesman said the president of the European Commission would meet Johnson for the first time since taking up her post and also give a speech at the London School of Economics.
A spokesman for Johnson confirmed: "There's a bilateral meeting next Wednesday at Downing Street."
No details were released about the agenda for the talks, but Brussels is keen to begin preparations for post-Brexit trade negotiations as soon as possible.
Von der Leyen studied economics at the LSE in 1978 when she was hiding out under an assumed identity in London to escape kidnap threats from far-left extremists in Germany.
According to the school's website, she will give an address entitled: "Old Friends, New Beginnings: building another future for the EU-UK partnership."
Von der Leyen's commission and her chief negotiator are drawing up a ...

EU's von der Leyen to meet UK's Johnson in London

PTI Automatic

The killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US strike on Baghdad threatens to inflame the situation in the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.
"This action can seriously aggravate the situation in the region," the Kremlin quoted him as saying during a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Putin says killing of Soleimani risks 'aggravating' Mideast situation

Wall Street stocks opened sharply lower Friday after a US strike killed a top Iranian commander, prompting threats of reprisal by Tehran.
About two minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 28,616.27, down 0.9 per cent.
The broad-based S&P 500 also shed 0.9 per cent to 3,229.22, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 1.0 per cent to 8,999.84.
Major indices had closed at records on Thursday, but the US attack on Qasem Soleimani -- and Iran's threat to avenge his death -- shook the market out of a state of contentment that has produced numerous records in recent weeks.

Wall Street stocks tumble after US kills Iran general

A man was shot and killed by officers on Friday after stabbing passers-by at a park in a suburb south of Paris, police  and sources close to the inquiry said.
The man had attacked "several people" in a park in Villejuif before he was "neutralised," the Paris police department said.
Sources told AFP two people were injured in the attack and the assailant killed.

Man 'neutralised' after stabbing passers-by in Paris suburb: Police

A seven-storey building under construction collapsed in southern Cambodia on Friday trapping dozens of workers under the rubble, police said, as rescuers pulled eight injured survivors from the wreckage.
The building in coastal Kep province was meant to be a hotel but crumbled at around 4:30pm, with video circulating online showing concrete floors sandwiched together as firefighters and an excavator arrived.
"Around 30 people are believed to be trapped," National Police spokesman Chhay Kim Khoeun told AFP, adding that law enforcement was assisting in the search.  Deadly accidents plague the kingdom's poorly regulated building sector even as the country has enjoyed a construction boom.
In June nearly 30 people died after the collapse of a building under construction in Sihanoukville, a beach town undergoing a Chinese investment bonanza.
Last month at least three workers died and more than a dozen others were seriously injured after an under-construction dining hall at a temple ...

Dozens 'trapped' in rubble of Cambodia building collapse

Paris prosecutors on Friday opened a rape investigation into author Gabriel Matzneff, a day after the publication of a book detailing his sexual relationship with a girl of 14 over three decades ago.
The case has attracted huge interest in France, which is only now beginning to scrutinise attitudes after decades of what is seen by some as an overly permissive attitude towards sexual exploitation of women and paedophilia.
The probe was launched after an examination of the book "Consent", published on Thursday, where author Vanessa Springora describes a sexual relationship she had with Matzneff in the mid-1980s when he was 36 years her senior, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said in a statement.
Heitz said the inquiry would focus on "rapes committed against a minor" aged under 15.
In "Consent", Springora, 47, now a leading publisher, describes how she was seduced at the age of 14 by Matzneff and how this left lasting scars.
Matzneff, an essay writer long admired by some in French literary ..

Underage rape probe opened into French author Matzneff

England captain Joe Root was unable to take advantage of a dropped catch as England lost four wickets before tea on the first day of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands on Friday.
England were 149 for four at tea after winning the toss.
Root had an escape with his score on 31 when a flying edge off Anrich Nortje burst through first slip Rassie van der Dussen's hands and went for four runs.
But two balls later Root ducked into a fast bouncer from Nortje and gloved the ball to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.
Root's 35 was one of three scores in the thirties by English batsmen as the touring team struggled to take advantage of an easy-paced pitch. Dom Sibley made 34 and Joe Denly 38.
Ben Stokes was unbeaten on 28 at the ground where he made a career-best 258 four years ago.
Four South African bowlers claimed a wicket each.
Vernon Philander, who has announced he will retire from international cricket after the series, struck in the third over of the match when he had Zak ...

Second Test: South African bowlers claim four before tea against England on day 1

Iran warned of "severe revenge" and said arch-enemy the United States bore responsibility for the consequences after killing one of its top commanders, Qasem Soleimani, in a strike Friday outside Baghdad airport.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed the commander of its Quds Force foreign operations arm had been killed by US forces in Baghdad, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denouncing it as a "dangerous escalation".
"The Revolutionary Guards announces that the glorious commander of Islam, haj Qasem Soleimani, following a life of servitude, was martyred in an attack by America on Baghdad airport this morning," the Guards said.
"Two vehicles were attacked with missiles by US forces" and all 10 passengers, including Soleimani, were "martyred", said Iran's ambassador to Iraq, Iraj Masjedi.
The Quds Force said the dead consisted of five members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary network and five Guards -- Brigadier General Hossein Pourjafari, Colonel Shahroud ...

Iran threatens revenge as it mourns Guards killed by US

England have put a stop to warm-up football games after injury to Rory Burns ruled him out of the Test series against South Africa.
Burns was injured before England's final practice ahead of the second Test which started at Newlands in Cape Town on Friday.
The ban was confirmed by an England team spokesman, who said the decision was made by head coach Chris Silverwood, supported by Ashley Giles, England's director of men's cricket.
Giles previously banned football warm-ups during stints with English counties Warwickshire and Lancashire but had not stopped the England team from playing the game.
It was the second relatively serious injury by an England player in just over a year. Jonny Bairstow was injured and missed several matches during a tour of Sri Lanka in October 2018.
Burns suffered ligament damage to his left ankle when he kicked the turf in trying to make contact with the ball on Thursday.

England give up their morning kicks

Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas both crashed to defeat in their first matches of the year Friday as day one of the inaugural ATP Cup sprung some big upsets.
The German world number seven was stunned by Australia's fast-improving Alex de Minaur, who rallied from a set and 4-2 down to win 4-6 7-6 (7/3) 6-2.
Greek star Tsitsipas, who won the 2019 season-ending ATP Finals in London and is now ranked six, slumped to a 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7/4) loss to young Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
It led to both Germany and Greece being defeated in their opening ties at the 24-nation event, where the countries are split into six groups across Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
The top eight from the round robin go onto the knockout phase in Sydney before one is eventually crowned the winner.
Along with Australia and Canada, Belgium also won, sweeping Moldova 3-0, while tennis minnows Norway pulled off a big 2-1 upset against the United States.
Drawcards Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic make their debut on ...

Zverev, Tsitsipas upset at ATP Cup

A British judge ruled Friday that ethical veganism is a philosophical belief and is protected under anti-discrimination laws.
The ruling came as part of an employment tribunal being heard in Norwich, eastern England, between Jordi Casamitjana and his former employers the League Against Cruel Sports, a group that campaigns against blood sports such as recreational hunting.
The decision "will influence the life of many vegans", said Casamitjana, who declined to discuss the rest of the ongoing case for legal reasons.
Judge Robin Postle determined that ethical veganism meets the tests required to be a philosophical belief and is therefore protected under the Equality Act 2010.
Ethical vegans follow a vegan diet but also exclude animal-derived products such as wool and leather from their daily lives.
They also try to abstain from using items such as cosmetics that underwent animal testing.
Spanish-born Casamitjana, 55, says he was fired from an animal welfare charity for raising concerns ..

Ethical veganism is a protected belief: UK judge

American nationals working at Iraqi oil fields were evacuating the country on Friday after a US strike killed top Iranian and Iraqi commanders in Baghdad, an oil ministry spokesman said.
Several had already left on Friday morning and others were preparing to fly out, Assem Jihad told AFP, adding that there was "no impact" on Iraq's oil production.
The number of American staff at fields in OPEC's second-biggest crude producer had already dwindled in recent months as tensions between the US and Iran soared.

American oil field workers evacuating Iraq: ministry

Aston Villa goalkeeper Tom Heaton and forward Wesley have been ruled out for the rest of the season, the Premier League club announced on Friday.
Record signing Wesley and Heaton were injured during the New Year's Day 2-1 win at Burnley.
It has since been confirmed that both players have suffered knee ligament damage and Heaton appears certain to miss England's Euro 2020 campaign.
Heaton, 33, and Wesley were both in their first seasons as Aston Villa players following their summer arrivals from Burnley and Club Brugge.
Wesley 23, has scored six goals in 22 appearances in all competitions and earned himself a call-up to the Brazil squad.
Villa boss Dean Smith will hold transfer talks with chief executive Christian Purslow after losing the players.
"We've got business planned, that'll continue, I'm sitting down tonight with Christian and (sporting director) Suso to see what this changes for us. It'll hasten what we do in the market," said Smith, ahead of Saturday's FA Cup third-round ...

Aston Villa suffer double injury blow

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short a visit to Greece and flew home Friday as Lebanon's Hezbollah demanded revenge for the killing of a top Iranian commander in a US strike.
A source in Netanyahu's office said that the premier was returning from Athens but did not elaborate.
Following Friday morning's killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani, Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement called for the missile strike by Israel's closest ally, to be avenged.
"Meting out the appropriate punishment to these criminal assassins... will be the responsibility and task of all resistance fighters worldwide," Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said in a statement.
The Israeli army on Friday closed a ski resort in the annexed Golan Heights, which border Lebanon and Syria.
"Following a security assessment, it was decided to close Mount Hermon to visitors today," an army spokeswoman told AFP.
"There are no further instructions for civilians in the area."
The ski resort on Mount Hermon ...

Netanyahu hurries home after Hezbollah calls for revenge

A head-on collision between a bus and a car in mountains on the Myanmar-Thai border killed 19 and left more than 30 injured on Friday.
Images posted by local media showed the bus upside down after it span off the road and plummeted down a steep bank at a spot notorious for traffic accidents.
Myanmar Social Rescue Group vice-chairman Aung Myint told AFP the express bus had been travelling from Yangon Friday morning when it careered into an oncoming car after its brakes failed.
"The bus plunged off the mountain, killing 18 and injuring 33 outright," he said by phone, adding the number included the car's seven passengers who all lost their lives.
A doctor at Myawady hospital confirmed that one critically-injured woman later died, bringing the toll to 19.
Myawady town in Karen state is one of the key land border points between Myanmar and Thailand with hundreds of traders crossing daily in both directions.
"A lot of accidents happen here," Aung Myint said about the site of the accident, ..

Bus crash kills 19, injures dozens on Myanmar-Thai border

Hundreds cheered as the three beauty contest finalists strolled out into the middle of the grounds and raised their painted trunks to the judges -- symbols of all that is admired and denounced at Nepal's annual elephant festival.
With her toe nails painted red and a lotus on her trunk, 35-year-old Buffkali took the trophy at the end of the nine-day festival that ended Friday.
But while elephants were judged on how well they were decorated and groomed, officials were also meant to check their heads and ears for signs of beatings.
Many outsiders were also looking for signs of abuse at the festival, which has been held in the Chitwan district, home to Nepal's most important conservation area and a lucrative tourist destination, since 2004.
Elephants are worshipped as the Hindu god Ganesh in Nepal and big crowds attended the festival -- where over 25 of the creatures took part in football, polo and races, as well as the beauty pageant and a picnic where they were served bananas and ...

Nepal elephant festival scrutinised for beauty and bruises

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Tehran to protest against American "crimes", an AFP correspondent reported, after US strikes killed a top Iranian commander in Baghdad Friday.
Chanting "Death to America" and holding up posters of the slain commander, Qasem Soleimani, the demonstrators filled streets for several blocks in central Tehran after Friday prayers.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed the commander of its Quds Force foreign operations arm had been killed by US forces in Baghdad.
Women and men, many of them elderly, took part in the procession, some holding up portraits of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"The axis of any evil is America, the motto of religion and the Koran is death to America," they said in unison.
"O leader of our revolution, condolences, condolences." State news agency IRNA said there were similar demonstrations in the cities of Arak, Bojnourd, Hamedan, Hormozgan, Sanandaj, Semnan, Shiraz and Yazd.
News of the death 

Tens of thousands rally in Iran capital against US 'crimes'

Britain recorded its highest ever summer and winter temperatures in 2019, ending one of the hottest decades in history, the Met Office said Friday.
As much of northern Europe sweltered in a July heatwave, the mercury hit 38.7 Celsius (101 Fahrenheit) in the east of England, marking Britain's highest daily maximum temperature on record.
In February, temperatures in London hit 21.2C, a record high for winter.
2019 also saw Britain's record highest minimum winter temperature, 13.9C in the Scottish Highlands.
Overall, the decade to 2019 saw eight high temperature records smashed, compared with one low temperature record.
"It is notable how many of these extreme records have been set in the most recent decade and how many more of them are reflecting high- rather than low-temperature extremes," said Mark McCarthy, head of the National Climate Information Centre.
He said the records were "a consequence of our warming climate".
Britain's warmer and wetter than average year fits a global ...

Britain temperature records tumbled in 2019

Thai shoppers grabbed baskets, buckets and even a wheelbarrow to skirt a new ban on single-use plastic bags at big retailers, with many posting images of their efforts online.
The restriction, introduced at the start of the new year by several major mall operators and the ubiquitous 7-Eleven convenience stores, was a victory for environmental campaigners in a country where individuals use an average of eight plastic bags a day.
Customers can now pay a small fee for reusables but budget-conscious shoppers saved money by grabbing anything available and celebrating the different choices on social media.
Make-up artist Acharin Prahausri borrowed food-storage netting from his mother that she normally dries fish with, tossing snacks, milk and juice and posing for a photo at a 7-Eleven in eastern Thailand.
"It's normally used to protect from flies," he told AFP, as his post racked up more than 1,600 likes.
In other posts, one man grinned at the camera as he held a wheelbarrow laden with ...

Going meme: Thai shoppers get creative after plastic bag ban

Eden Hazard's injury-plagued start at Real Madrid will continue this month after Zinedine Zidane said on Friday the Belgian will not play in the Spanish Super Cup next week.
Hazard suffered an ankle fracture during Madrid's draw against Paris Saint-Germain on November 26 and was expected to be out for around four to six weeks.
But Zidane has confirmed Hazard will miss Madrid's La Liga game against Getafe on Saturday and will not travel to Saudi Arabia, where his team face Valencia in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals on Wednesday before a potential final against either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid four days later.
"He is 100 per cent out of the Super Cup," said Zidane in a press conference. "He is not travelling, he is recovering and we hope that just after the Super Cup, little by little, we could see him with us again."
If Hazard returns against Sevilla in La Liga on January 18 he will have been out for almost eight weeks.
The 28-year-old, who joined Real Madrid for 100 million ...

Hazard to miss Spanish Super Cup with ankle injury, confirms Zidane

Manchester United were in full support of the decision that led to Paul Pogba undergoing ankle surgery, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Friday.
The Norwegian boss appeared to suggest after the New Year's Day defeat to Arsenal that Pogba's "people" had recommended the surgery, raising questions over how much input the club had in the decision.
The French World Cup winner made his comeback after nearly three months out with an ankle injury in a 2-0 defeat at Watford on December 22 and also made an appearance off the bench in a 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle four days later but has since been sidelined again.
Speculation continues to surround the 26-year-old, who has been regularly linked with a move away from Old Trafford and whose agent, Mino Raiola, has been scathing about the club in comments made in the Italian media.
But Solskjaer was keen to play down any suggestion of a disagreement regarding the injury, and said: "Paul came back after a long spell out, (featured in) a few ...

AFP

AFP

Page 236 - Afp/pti