Lawyers for former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn on Thursday appealed against a decision by a Tokyo court to refuse him bail, as he faces charges on three counts of financial misconduct.
Since his stunning arrest on November 19 the auto tycoon has languished in a Tokyo detention centre, facing questioning over allegations he under-reported his salary and tried to shift personal losses onto the company.
On January 11 he was formally charged on two of the counts and his request for bail refused again. Even his own lawyer has admitted he is likely to be kept behind bars until a trial -- which could take six months.
The court has previously refused to release the 64-year-old Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian businessman on the grounds that he could present a flight risk and destroy evidence.
The appeal came as the French government called for him to be replaced at the head of Renault, the only one of the three companies he used to head that has retained him.
Japanese firms Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors 

Ghosn appeals against Japan bail rejection

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Actor Steve Carell is set to star in Netflix's new comedy series "Space Force".
The series is inspired by US President Donald Trump's idea for a space force as the sixth branch of the military.
The show has been co-created by Carell and his "The Office" showrunner Greg Daniels, the streaming giant said in a statement.
The official logline of the series read, "Workplace comedy centred around the people tasked with creating a sixth branch of the armed services... Space Force."
On Twitter, Netflix also shared a brief video teaser that set the scene for the upcoming show.
"On June 18, 2018, the federal government announced the creation of a 6th major division of the United States Armed Forces," captions in the video.
"The goal of the new branch is 'to defend satellites from attack' and 'perform other space-related tasks'... or something. This is the story of the men and women who have to figure it out," it added.
In addition to headlining the show, Carell will also executive produce while 

Steve Carell to headline Netflix comedy series 'Space Force'

US awaits concrete steps by North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons that threaten America and other countries in the region, Vice President Mike Pence has said.
Pence's statement comes during his address to the global chief of mission conference on Wednesday and gains significance as the White House is preparing another summit between President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The two leaders have recently exchanged letters.
Kim and Trump held a historic meeting in Singapore on June 12 last year where they issued a vague goal for the "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean Peninsula without describing when and how it would occur.
Pence said that the US awaits North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons.
"While the president has started a promising dialogue with Chairman Kim, we still await concrete steps by North Korea to dismantle the nuclear weapons that threaten our people and our allies in the region," Pence said.
In his address, Pence also said that ..

N Korea yet to take concrete steps to dismantle nukes: Pence

US President Donald Trump has nominated three influential Indian-Americans including a woman nuclear expert to powerful administration positions.
Rita Baranwal was nominated for the post of Assistant Secretary of Energy (Nuclear Energy), Aditya Bamzai for member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board and Bimal Patel as the assistant secretary of Treasury.
The nomination of Baranwal, Bamzai and Patel was sent to the Senate Wednesday.
So far, Trump has nominated or appointed more than three dozen Indian-Americans in key positions.
Nikki Haley, the first cabinet ranking Indian-American and Raj Shah, the first Indian-American deputy Press Secretary, have left the Trump administration.
Baranwal holds the post of Director, Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative.
If confirmed by the Senate, she will be heading the powerful Office of Nuclear Energy. She will also be responsible for the department's nuclear technology research and the development and ...

Trump taps 3 Indian-American experts for key admin posts

New Zealand on Thursday brought back Tom Latham and Colin de Grandhomme in the team in its bid to field the strongest possible squad for the ODI series against India starting next week in Napier.
Both Latham and de Grandhomme were rested during the 3-0 clean sweep of Sri Lanka, but were included in the 14-member squad for the first three ODIs of the five-match series starting on next Wednesday.
Skipper Kane Williamson and pacer Trent Boult, who were rested for the lone Twenty20 against Sri Lanka last Friday, are too named in the squad along side fit-again Mitchell Santner.
Santner made his comeback in the lone Twenty20 against Sri Lanka after being sidelined by injury for 10 months.
New Zealand coach Gary Stead said the squad had been selected keeping in mind two priorities -- first planning for the World Cup and secondly to give the Kiwis the best possible chance of winning the series against world no.2 India.
"Our two main priorities have been to select and prepare a squad capable ..

Latham, de Grandhomme back as NZ name strong squad for India ODIs

The nation's first law eliminating bail for suspects awaiting trial is on hold until California voters decide whether to overturn it, officials said Wednesday.
A referendum that qualified for the 2020 state ballot would overturn the law signed last year by then-Gov.
Jerry Brown, Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in a statement.
The law would replace bail with a risk-assessment system  although it's still unclear how the system will work.
The law scheduled to go into effect in October 2019. Now it must be approved by a majority of voters before it can take effect.
The rules would give the state's judicial council broad authority to reshape pretrial detention policies. Based on the council's framework, each county's superior court will set its own procedures for deciding who to release before trial, potentially creating a patchwork system based on where a suspect lives.
Most suspects accused of nonviolent felonies will be released within 12 hours of booking, while those charged with .

California voters must approve law to end bail before trial

British Prime Minister Theresa May reached out to opposition parties to "constructively" work together on a new Brexit plan as she narrowly survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament, a day after her divisive divorce deal with the EU was overwhelmingly rejected by MPs.
The prime minister won Parliament's first no-confidence vote in a British government in 26 years by 325 votes to 306, a majority of 19, on Wednesday.
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street after emerging victorious, 62-year-old May said the government has won the confidence of Parliament.
This now gives "us all the opportunity to focus on finding a way forward on Brexit", she said.
May promised to return to Parliament on Monday with an alternative Brexit strategy devised through talks with the opposition.
"Overwhelmingly, the British people want us to get on with delivering Brexit, and also address the other important issues they care about," the Conservative leader said.
This is now the time to put "self-interest aside", .

UK PM May narrowly survives no-confidence vote after Brexit defeat; reaches out to rivals

Southampton's dismal season hit a new low as the Premier League strugglers were dumped out of the FA Cup by second tier Derby after a penalty shoot-out.
In a third round replay heavily influenced by the latest controversy over the use of VAR, Ralph Hasenhuttl's side blew a two-goal lead in the closing stages at St Mary's.
The tie finished 2-2 after extra-time on Wednesday, with Derby winning 5-3 on penalties.
Having avoided falling behind when VAR dubiously ruled out a goal from Derby's Craig Bryson in the first half, Saints went ahead through Stuart Armstrong's 68th minute header.
Nathan Redmond doubled their lead with a cool finish two minutes later.
Both Southampton goals were also referred to VAR, but the drama with the video assistant wasn't over.
Derby got one back with 14 minutes left when Harry Wilson's free-kick went straight in and was allowed to stand by VAR despite Southampton's claims that several Rams players were offside.
Just six minutes later, Martyn Waghorn headed ...

Southampton rocked as Derby win FA Cup shoot-out

England pace bowler Olly Stone will miss the tour of the West Indies after suffering a back injury.
Stone has been hampered by stiffness in his lower left back since taking part in a practice session on Sunday.
The 25-year-old went for scans in Barbados that confirmed the extent of the injury was serious enough to rule him out of the Tests against the West Indies.
Stone had hoped to make his Test debut in the three-match series, but the Warwickshire seamer will have to wait for his maiden five-day appearance.
"Following the result of scans, Olly Stone has sustained a bone stress injury to the left lower back. He will return home from the Caribbean later this week and have further tests in the UK," a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Wednesday.
Stone impressed with his speed and hostility during four appearances in England's one-day series win against Sri Lanka in October.
But the back problem is the latest injury blow for Stone, who saw his promising career ...

England fast bowler Stone ruled out of West Indies tour

South Africa's AB de Villiers hopes his involvement in this year's Pakistan Super League will encourage the world's best players to return to the country.
Pakistan have had to play most of their 'home' games in the United Arab Emirates since a 2009 attack on Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore, although the West Indies did tour Pakistan in April last year.
But former Proteas captain De Villiers will become arguably the most high-profile overseas cricketer to play in Pakistan for a decade should he, as planned, feature in two fixtures in the PSL, a domestic Twenty20 tournament, in Lahore on March 9 and 10.
"I felt that I had this opportunity to maybe make an impact to help international cricket return to Pakistan," he told the BBC World Service's Stumped programme.
"I was reluctant to go a few years back, when we were all a bit worried, but I feel the time is right to go back there."
"I'm hoping to go there and have some fun and show the whole world that Pakistan is safe to travel to ...

De Villiers says 'time is right' to play in Pakistan

Antoine Griezmann scored one and set up another but could not prevent Atletico Madrid tumbling out of the Copa del Rey as Girona progressed on away goals after a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Real Madrid and Sevilla each avoided upsets on Wednesday, their first-leg victories proving enough despite losses to Leganes and Athletic Bilbao respectively.
Defeat for Real, however, means they have now won only two of their five matches this year while Santiago Solari's frosty relationship with Isco shows no signs of improvement.
Isco started, but struggled, and was replaced in the 68th minute.
For Atletico, Griezmann came off the bench in the second half and turned the tie in their favour on Wednesday, teeing up Angel Correa and then scoring himself to give his team a 3-2 lead at a rocking Wanda Metropolitano.
But Girona pulled out one more surprise to go through to the quarter-finals as Seydou Doumbia's shot found the corner in the 88th minute, snatching a 4-4 draw on aggregate after last week's first 

Atletico crash out of Copa del Rey but Real, Sevilla sneak through

Tennis great Steffi Graf has backed Serena Williams to match and even beat Margaret Court's record 24 Grand Slam titles, saying the American's determination and experience will get her over the line.
Williams, 37, has won 23 majors so far over a storied career and is gunning to match Court's mark at the Melbourne Open on the Australian's home territory.
She pulled clear of Graf's 22 by winning at Melbourne Park in 2017 while eight weeks pregnant and many already consider her the greatest of all time.
Graf, who is married to Andre Agassi and no longer actively involved in the game, is back in Melbourne for the first time in 15 years and said Williams still had all the attributes to win more Slams.
"I don't know if she can do it here (equal the record) but I believe that she can absolutely," she told the Melbourne Herald Sun Thursday.
"Her game, her serve being such an incredible weapon. I think she at any time is dangerous.
"With the experience she's had, she's still so determined and .

Steffi backs Serena to match Court's 24 Slams

Stuart Law believes disgraced Australia stars Steve Smith and David Warner will have a better idea of "what life is all about" after playing club cricket as he called for their return to international duty as soon they complete year-long bans.
Australia captain Smith and Warner, his deputy, were both given 12-month suspensions from state and international fixtures by Cricket Australia for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal during a Test match in South Africa in March last year.
Australia have since slipped to fifth in the world Test rankings and, in the absence of world-class batsmen Smith and Warner, recently suffered a first home series defeat by India.
But the CA bans did not include club games, with Smith playing for Sutherland against a Randwick-Petersham side featuring Warner in a Sydney grade match in September.
"Australia definitely have got the talent, I think we've just lost track of what's important," said former Australia batsman Law, the new coach of Middlesex.
"When 

Law hopes Smith and Warner's club calls set Australia example

Bethanie Mattek-Sands is known for her knee-high football socks, fashion statements, dyed hair and colourful tattoos, with the American revelling in being known as the tennis world's "Lady Gaga".
The brash 33-year-old is still battling back to full fitness after suffering an horrific broken knee cap at Wimbledon in 2017, and was beaten in the first round at the Australian Open.
But she remains positive and launched her own fashion brand in Melbourne this week -- "Love Down Under".
"Fashion is fun for me. I love interesting design too; I'm renovating a house, so I'm kind of an artist at heart," she said in a column for the Players Voice website.
"It's what I take on the court with me. I'm original, fun, and always myself."
Back in 2011, one of singing superstar Lady Gaga's fashion designers, Alex Noble, designed a tennis ball dress for her to wear at the Wimbledon player's party at Kensington Gardens.
And the nickname "Lady Gaga of the tennis world" quickly caught on.
"When I met with .

Going Gaga! Mattek-Sands revels as rock star of tennis

The Australian Open's new balls this year are dividing opinion at Melbourne Park, with even the two greatest men's Grand Slam winners of all-time failing to see eye-to-eye.
Roger Federer, winner of 20 Slams, says the new Japanese-made Dunlop balls behave differently in cooler night conditions and do not allow players to "out-spin" rivals.
But Rafael Nadal, the 17-time major winner renowned for his huge top-spin groundstrokes, countered: "I can't say it's a bad ball." Australian John Millman reckoned "they're a bit heavy" after losing on Wednesday night while his big-mouth countryman Bernard Tomic pulled no punches, saying they were "dead" and "really shit" before he lost in the first round.
Tournament director Craig Tiley has defended the change from Wilson balls, claiming earlier in the week he had heard only "positive feedback".
He might have to change his mind after defending champion Federer offered a different opinion on Wednesday.
"Well, they definitely play a touch different to 

New balls, different spin: Roger and Rafa exchange shots

Sixth seed Elina Svitolina and seventh-seeded Karolina Pliskova kept their dreams of a maiden Grand Slam title alive Thursday ahead of 23-time major winner Serena Williams swinging back into Australian Open action.
Despite being ranked in the top 10, neither has progressed further than the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park.
Self-assured Svitolina dismantled Viktoria Kuzmova of Slovakia 6-4, 6-1 to make the third round, while Pliskova woke up after losing the first set to race past Madison Brengle 4-6 6-1 6-0.
Williams is in action later against Eugenie Bouchard, while six-time winner Novak Djokovic turns back the clock in a night match with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Rod Laver Arena.
World number one Simona Halep, who narrowly survived a first-round scare, is also back on court against American Sofia Kenin, who won the warm-up Hobart International and is on a six-match win streak.
Ukraine's Svitolina scored her biggest career win by clinching the WTA Finals in Singapore last October, and is 

Svitolina, Pliskova keep Slam dreams alive ahead of Serena entrance

When he lost his job running a mutual fund company after stocks tanked in the early 70's, John C Bogle decided that money managers knew very little about predicting the market  and charged way too much for that lack of knowledge.
He founded a new fund company, Vanguard, in 1974.
Two years later, Vanguard introduced the first index fund for individual investors  a vehicle that simply tracks the performance of an index like the S&P 500.
It was no frills and enabled investors to avoid the higher fees assessed by professional fund managers who frequently failed to beat the market.
The fund, called First Index Investment Trust, was derided for years as "Bogle's folly."
Critics maintained that it aimed only for mediocrity and missed moneymaking opportunities outside the index's narrow focus.
Bogle, who died Wednesday at the age of 89, and Vanguard eventually won investors over. That initial fund is now the Vanguard 500 Index fund with USD 400 billion in assets.
It is no longer ...

John Bogle dies at 89; fought for lower fees for investors

SpaceX said Wednesday that it will build test versions of its Mars spaceship in south Texas instead of the Port of Los Angeles in another blow to the local economy that comes days after the company announced massive layoffs.
The decision was made to streamline operations, the Hawthorne, California-based company said in a statement.
SpaceX won approval last year to lease 19 acres at the port's Terminal Island.
It planned to erect a new facility to do work on the interplanetary spacecraft, now called Starship, and its launch vehicle, the Super Heavy, which would be the largest rocket ever built.
The port facility would have allowed the giant craft to be barged or shipped to launch sites.
It could have added about 700 jobs to the area.
SpaceX now won't proceed with that option.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk tweeted that development of Starship will continue in Hawthorne but prototypes will be built in south Texas.
The company has a launch facility in Boca Chica near Brownsville, where one ...

SpaceX to build Mars ships in Texas, not Los Angeles

A record-breaking 65.2 million tourists visited New York in 2018, its tourist board said Wednesday, with British people particularly keen to visit the Big Apple from overseas.
According to new figures from NYC & Company, around 51.6 million Americans and 13.5 million foreign tourists visited the city last year -- compared to 13.1 overseas visitors in 2017.
Britons topped the list of overseas visitors, with 1.24 million, followed by China (1.1 million), Canada (1 million), Brazil (920,000) and France (807,000).
New York ranked the 6th most-visited city in the world for foreign tourists, according to Mastercard's annual Global Destination Cities list published in September, based on a projected 13.1 million visitors.
Bangkok topped that list, ahead of London, Paris, Dubai and Singapore.
The US's financial capital, where tourism employs over 390,000 people, hopes to break records again in 2019 with a predicted 67 million visitors.
One event expected to draw people in is June's Gay ...

New York breaks tourism record in 2018

A volcano erupted on a small island in southern Japan on Thursday, the country's meteorological agency said, spewing ash and smoke into the air over the sparsely-inhabited area.
Public broadcaster NHK said there were no reports of injuries or damage yet from the eruption of the volcano on Kuchinoerabu island in the far south of Japan.
The agency said the eruption occurred at 9:19am local time (0019GMT), shortly after it issued a new warning.
"There have been eruptions there since last year but we sent an alert out (this morning) for this latest eruption as it will have a wider impact," said Jun Fujimatsu, an official at the meteorological agency's volcanic activity division.
"We have maintained a level three warning, which means a ban on entering the volcano area," he told AFP.
"There are several craters at the volcano... The danger zone is two kilometres (1.2 miles) from the Shindake crater," he added.
"We do not think the latest eruption would engulf the entire island." Images ...

Volcano erupts on small Japan island: agency

US authorities are in the "advanced" stages of a criminal probe that could result in an indictment of Chinese technology giant Huawei, a report said Wednesday.
The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources, said the Justice Department is looking into allegations of theft of trade secrets from Huawei's US business partners, including a T-Mobile robotic device used to test smartphones.
The Justice Department declined to comment on the report and Huawei did not respond to a request for comment.
The move would further escalate tensions between the US and China after the arrest last year in Canada of Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who is the daughter of the company founder.
The case of Meng, under house arrest awaiting proceedings, has inflamed US-China and Canada-China relations.
Two Canadians have been detained in China since Meng's arrest and a third has been sentenced to death on drug trafficking charges -- moves observers see as attempts by Beijing to pressure ...

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