Two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett will serve as the jury head of the 2020 Venice International Film Festival.
In a statement, the festival organisers said the decision was made on January 10 by the Board of Directors chaired by Paolo Baratta.
The 50-year-old actor's name for jury president was recommended by festival director Alberto Barbera.
Blanchett, who previously served as head of Cannes Film Festival jury in 2018, said to lead the Venice jury is a "privilege" and "pleasure".
"Every year I look expectantly to the selection at Venice and every year it is surprising and distinct. Venice is one of the most atmospheric film festivals in the world  a celebration of the provocative and inspirational medium that is cinema in all its forms," she said.
Barbera hailed Blanchett as an "icon of contemporary cinema" and said every filmmaker wants to work with her.
"Her commitment in the artistic and humanitarian fields and to the protection of the environment, as well as her defence of the 

Cate Blanchett named jury head of Venice Film Festival

PTI Automatic

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake shook the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca on Thursday, causing some damage, according to local authorities.
The quake struck south of Ciudad Ixtepec, according to the National Seismological Service.
"There is damage in the area near the isthmus due to tonight's earthquake. We are monitoring the area," state Civil Protection authorities said on Twitter.
The local Civil Protection coordinator, Heliodoro Diaz, separately said that two houses had been damaged in Matias Romero, a town in the southeast of the state.
In the neighboring town of Santa Maria Petapa, several houses and the public market were damaged by the quake, he added.
State governor Alejandro Murat said that security protocols had been activated in the earthquake's wake.
Oaxaca was previously hit by an 8.2 magnitude earthquake on September 7, 2017, causing damage in several towns.
Nearly two weeks later, on September 19, a deadly 7.1 magnitude quake hit further north.
A total of 369 people were ..

5.3 magnitude earthquake hits southern Mexico

More than nine lakh people speak Hindi in the US, a top Indian diplomat has said, as the Indian Embassy here conducts free Hindi classes for Americans and foreign nationals.
Happy to note that Hindi is spoken and taught widely in the US, Amit Kumar, Charge d' Affairs, Indian Embassy here, said in his remarks during the 'Vishwa Hindi Divas' celebrations at the Indian Embassy.
He also said that Hindi is taught in many schools in the US.
"According to the American Community Survey (ACS), more than nine lakh people speak Hindi in the US," Kumar said.
As India emerges as one of the most important countries in the world, Kumar said that there has been a phenomenal interest in learning the language.
For the people who are travelling to India for tourism, business and other purposes, learning Hindi could provide a key to win the hearts and minds of people of India, he said.
Sharing his own experience of learning Chinese and working in China, the top Indian diplomat said that speaking in ...

More than nine lakh people speak in Hindi in US says Indian diplomat

Despite the uncertain global economic situation, the MICE industry has been performing well with a strong potential for growth in Singapore, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Chee Hong Tat has said.
Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) is a type of tourism in which large groups, usually planned well in advance, are brought together.
The MICE market refers to a specialised niche of group tourism dedicated to planning, booking, and facilitating conferences, seminars, and other events, which is a big moneymaker in the travel industry.
"Globally, economic growth over the past year has been muted owing to uncertainties brought about by US-China trade tensions, Brexit and other geopolitical developments," the minister was quoted as saying in a statement on Thursday.
He was speaking at the launch of EXPO 2.0 by Singapore EXPO & MAX Atria, the convention and exhibition center, which has expanded its facilities and services.
The occasion also marked the ...

Singapore's MICE industry performing well: Trade and Industry Minister Chee Hong Tat

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza cruised into the women's doubles final of the Hobart International with her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok here on Friday.
Sania and Kichenok sailed past the Slovenian-Czech pair of Tamara Zidansek and Marie Bouzkova 7-6 (3) 6-2 in the semifinal contest that lasted one hour and 24 minutes.
The fifth-seeded Indo-Ukrainian combination will lock horns with second seeds Shuai Peng and Shuai Zhang of China. The Chinese pair got a walkover after Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens and Alison Van Uytvanck conceded the other semifinal match because of injury.
While Sania and Kichenok had to fight hard in the opening set, the second set was a cakewalk for the combination.
The first set was a tough contest between the two pairs, bringing the tie-breaker into the equation after it was level at 6-6.
In the tie-breaker, Sania and Kichenok upped their game by a few notches to outsmart their opponents and take the lead.
The second set was a no contest as Saina and Kichenok ...

Sania storms into Hobart International women's doubles final

Volcanic activity in India's Deccan Traps, previously thought to have contributed to the extinction of dinosaurs, did not play a role in their die-off, according to a study which suggests meteorite impact alone led to the death of the ancient reptiles.
While scientists had earlier focused on the role of volcanoes in causing the K-Pg mass extinction event which killed the dinosaurs, the current study, published in the journal Science, noted that volcanic gas release happened well before the space rock impact.
"Volcanoes can drive mass extinctions because they release lots of gases, like sulphur dioxide (SO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), that can alter the climate and acidify the world. But recent work has focused on the timing of lava eruption rather than gas release," said Pincelli Hull, lead author of the new study from Yale University.
According to the study, the environmental impacts from massive volcanic eruptions in India's Deccan Traps happened well before the K-Pg event, 66 ...

Meteorite impact, not India's Deccan Traps volcanoes, led to dino extinction: Study

The US Senate opened the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump with quiet ceremony Thursday  senators standing at their desks to swear an oath of impartial justice as jurors, House prosecutors formally reciting the charges and Chief Justice John Roberts presiding.
The trial, only the third such undertaking in American history, is unfolding at the start of the election year, a time of deep political division in the nation. Four of the senators sitting in judgment on Trump are running for the Democratic Party's nomination to challenge him in the fall.
Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye!" intoned the Senate's sergeant at arms, calling the proceedings to order just past noon.
Senators filled the chamber, an unusual sight in itself, sitting silently under strict rules that prohibit talking or cellphones, for a trial that will test not only Trump's presidency but also the nation's three branches of power and its system of checks and balances.
The Constitution mandates the chief justice serve ..

Trump's trial begins at the start of an election year

In a bid to further Indian business ties with Asean and East Asian markets, Institute of Directors (IOD) has signed a pact with Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organizations for collaboration in best corporate governance practices.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further Indian business ties with Asean and East Asian markets was signed by IOD and the Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organizations at the NUS Business School of National University of Singapore.
"The main objective is for collaboration in the areas of advancing good corporate governance practices and sharing of experiences," said the Centre's Director Lawrence Loh.
Singapore, a multi-national hub with operational centre for regional businesses, is strong in the East Asian practice, coming together will be good synergies for uplifting of corporate standards across India, Singapore, Asean and East Asia, Loh said.
"There are many things we can still learn from the Indian systems, he said, cited the ..

Institute of Directors, CGIO sign pact for best corporate governance practices

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok stormed into the women's doubles final of the Hobart International with a straight-set win over the Slovenian-Czech duo of Tamara Zidansek and Marie Bouzkova here on Friday.
The fifth seeded Indo-Ukrainian pair defeated Zidansek and Bouzkova 7-6 (3) 6-2 in the semifinal clash.
The 33-year-old Sania is returning to the WTA circuit after two years.
During her time away from the game, she battled injury breakdowns before taking a formal break in April 2018 to give birth to her son Izhaan. She is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik.

Sania sails into women's doubles final of Hobart International

At least 11 American troops were injured in an Iranian attack on an Iraqi base where American soldiers were deployed, US Central Command said Thursday, although the US military had previously maintained there were no casualties.
"While no US service members were killed in the Jan. 8 Iranian attack on al-Asad Air base, several were treated for concussion symptoms from the blast and are still being assessed," US Central Command spokesman Captain Bill Urban said in a statement.
At the time of the attack, most of the 1,500 US soldiers at the base had been tucked away in bunkers, after advance warning from superiors.
The strike caused significant material damage but no casualties, according to previous reports from the US military.
US President Donald Trump also said on the morning following the volley that "no American were harmed in last night's attack."
However, Urban said that "in the days following the attack, out of an abundance of caution, some service members were transported from .

11 US troops wounded in last week's Iran attack on Iraq base

Barcelona's appointment of Quique Setien, a fervent disciple of Johan Cruyff, came the day after Zinedine Zidane won his ninth final out of nine as coach of Real Madrid.
With both teams level on points at the top of La Liga, Spain's closest title race in years will be as much a contest of identity and beliefs as points won and lost.
Real Madrid, the club that defines itself by winning, against Barcelona, where winning is seen as the result of something more profound, a style heralded by Cruyff that has become their footballing philosophy.
Atletico Madrid and Sevilla, both five points behind, are still in touch but playing catch-up.
Setien once said he would have given his little finger to play under Cruyff. Now, 34 years later, he has the chance to resuscitate those ideals after two years under Ernesto Valverde when pragmatism took a greater hold.
Barca's new coach is not well-known outside of Spain and, at 61, he may be in the twilight years of his career.
"For me this is the ...

Setien's arrival sets Barca against Real in clash of identities

Liverpool can widen the chasm between themselves and Manchester United to a staggering 30 points if they come out on top in the battle between England's two most successful clubs at Anfield on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp's men look destined to end a 30-year wait to win a top-flight title, with a 14-point lead over defending champions Manchester City plus a game in hand.
United are a further 13 points back, having also played a game more than their rivals, and in need of a strong end to the campaign to avoid failing to qualify for the Champions League for a second consecutive season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men are, however, the only side to have slowed Liverpool's relentless march towards the Premier League title.
The 1-1 draw between the teams in October was the only time the European champions have dropped points this season. They have now set a record for Europe's top five leagues, with 20 wins from their opening 21 games.
"Our team have a winning mindset. We always think about the next ...

Relentless Liverpool seek to stretch lead over Man Utd to 30 points

China's President Xi Jinping was heading to Myanmar on Friday for a state visit likely to deepen the countries' already close bilateral relations at a critical time.
While the visit nominally marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar, it comes with the prospect of significantly boosting China's profile and investments in the future.
China's ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai told Chinese journalists last week that during Xi's two-day visit, the two countries would sign agreements "covering politics, economy, livelihoods and regional cooperation."
Some of these are expected to expedite major infrastructure projects that will extend Beijing's strategic presence all the way to the Indian Ocean.
A complicating factor is Myanmar's general election, scheduled for late 2020, since too much wheeling and dealing with China could leave Aung San Suu Kyi's government vulnerable to accusations by political opponents that it is selling out the ...

Chinese president heads to Myanmar for crucial state visit

Jurgen Klinsmann is planning a party if Hertha Berlin beat his former employers Bayern Munich on Sunday despite doubts about the validity of his coaching licence, as the Bundesliga resumes this weekend after a four-week break.
Since taking charge in November, the 55-year-old former Germany and US national team coach has pulled Hertha up from the relegation places to mid-table with 10 points from a possible 12 going into their clash with third-placed Bayern at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.
However Klinsmann, who led both the US and Germany at World Cup finals, has been left red-faced after it emerged his coaching licence, held since 2000, may no longer be valid and the relevant paperwork is at the family home in California.
"It's just been a bit of a chance for the media to let off a bit of steam," Klinsmann told Sky as questions over his licence became a hot topic in the German media.
"No one has ever approached me about a licence in 20 years -- whether as coach of Germany, the USA or ...

Klinsmann eyes shock win over ex-club Bayern in Berlin

American Danielle Kang birdied six of the first 10 holes on her way to an eight-under par 63 opening round to seize a two-stroke lead at the season-opening LPGA Tournament of Champions.
Kang, whose parents are from South Korea, qualified for the select 26-player field by winning the 2018 and 2019 LPGA Shanghai titles. Her only other LPGA victory came in a major at the 2017 Women's PGA Championship.
With nine birdies in all at against a lone bogey at Four Seasons in Orlando on Thursday, Kang opened a gap over South Korea's Park In-bee, Mexico's Gaby Lopez and American Angela Stanford, who shared second on 65 with bogey-free first rounds.
"I had a lot of fun today," Kang said.
"Hit pretty good drives out there. My wedges were good. I putted well. Saved the shots I needed to save. I had a good first round.
"Staying in the moment and staying in every single shot really mattered a lot for me today." Kang opened with a birdie, added back-to-back birdies at the fourth at par-3 fifth, then ...

Kang grabs two-shot lead at LPGA Tournament of Champions

As England's batsmen carefully negotiated the opening day of the third Test in Port Elizabeth on Thursday, many people in the cricket world were casting their minds back 20 years to another Test in South Africa.
The fifth Test at Centurion in 2000, which ended on January 18 with an exciting narrow England win, was celebrated at the time for its wonderful spirit before the shroud of match-fixing was lifted to reveal a cancer of corruption at the heart of the game.
"It was false, it was fake," Mark Butcher, who opened the batting for England in that game, told TalkSport.
It was a Test that marked the beginning of the end for Hansie Cronje, the South African captain, whose new leather jacket -- a reward from his bookmaker friend Marlon Arenstam for fixing the outcome of the Test -- became for a while the most famous in world sport.
"I saw it at the time as a terrific victory for England," said Darren Gough who hit the winning runs.
"If you ask anyone who played in that game or was there .

Cricket's 'end of innocence': Cronje's Centurion fix, 20 years on

Americans Zac Blair and Grayson Murray each shot eight under 64s while playing on different courses to seize the first-round lead at the US PGA Tour's La Quinta tournament here.
Both Blair and Murray started on the back nine with Blair teeing off on the La Quinta course and Murray hitting driver on the first tee of the Stadium course on Thursday.
The event with a 54-hole cut line is played over those two courses and the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.
Between the two of them, Blair and Murray have just one career win on the PGA Tour with Murray capturing the 2017 Barbasol Championship.
Blair made birdie on Nos. 11 and 13 and then birdied the par-four No. 17 to make the turn at three under.
The 224th-ranked player in the world got hot on his back nine with birdies on Nos. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8. Blair really excelled on the par-fives, finishing four under on the longer holes.
World No. 463 Murray fired a sizzling 30 on his first nine holes, including four consecutive birdies beginning at ...

Blair and Murray share lead at PGA La Quinta event

Margaret Court is one of Australia's greatest athletes, but celebrating 50 years since she won all four Grand Slam titles in a season is posing a dilemma for Australian Open organisers with her conservative views angering the tennis world.
Court's comments, including that the devil controls the government and media, and that tennis is "full of lesbians", threaten to impinge on a legacy that includes a record 24 Grand Slam titles.
Court, who is now 77 and a church pastor, swept all four majors in 1970 -- a feat matched by only four other players.
But marking the 50th anniversary is not proving straightforward, even at the event where she won 11 of her 24 Grand Slam trophies and where one of the stadiums bears her name.
Court has drawn condemnation for remarks that transgender children are the result of a Nazi-style plot, and that she would boycott national airline Qantas for its CEO's support of same-sex marriage, which Australia introduced in 2017.
Her stances have enraged some of her 

Controversial Court's anniversary is conundrum at Australian Open

Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska defeated her third top 20 opponent in a row to make the Adelaide International finals with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) win over Aryna Sabalenka on Friday.
The 19-year-old's blitzed world number 20 Donna Vekic in the quarter-finals of the Memorial Drive tournament a day after 18th-ranked Angelique Kerber retired from their match with back pain from a set down.
Yastremska, ranked 24th, will play for the fourth title of her career on Saturday against either Australian world number one Ashleign Barty or American Danielle Collins.
"I'm pretty happy, this new season is off to a good start," Yastremska said after defeating Sabalenka of Belarus for their third match in as many meetings.
"I'm just doing my job on court, playing my game. I do what I can on court.
"I feel confidence heading to the Australian Open." Yastremska broke once per set while losing her own service once in the 106-minute showdown.
She finished on a third match point in the tiebreaker as Sabalenka hit the 

Yastremska downs Sabalenka for Adelaide finals place

Andy Murray on Thursday said he would have to further delay his comeback after failing to shake off a pelvic injury.
The 32-year-old former world number one, who hasn't played since the Davis Cup Finals in Spain in November, had pencilled in a return at either Montpellier in France or the Dutch city of Rotterdam next month.
"I don't want to rush anything or put a timeline on my recovery," three-time major winner Murray was quoted as saying by British media.
"I'm going to listen to my body and step back on the court to compete when the time is right." "The bone bruising is taking longer to heal that first thought, so I won't be playing in Montpellier or Rotterdam in February."
The injury picked up at the Davis Cup had already forced him to miss the Australian Open which starts on Monday.
Murray, now ranked at 127 in the world, had hoped to make his return to Grand Slam action in Melbourne following a hip resurfacing operation last year.
But concerns over the fitness of the five-time ...

Murray delays comeback as pelvic injury lingers

Two gunmen fired through the window of a Chicago barbershop Thursday evening, injuring three three juveniles and two adults who were getting their hair cut, police said.
Chicago police Deputy Chief of Patrol Ernest Cato told The Chicago Tribune that the gunmen had walked into the store in the West Garfield Park neighbourhood and looked around, moments before firing into the shop from the street.
Police said the victims  ages 11, 12, 16, 30 and 40  all were expected to survive.
There was no motive given for the shooting.
Interim police Superintendent Charlie Beck, who was appearing at an unrelated event, said the victims were getting their haircut at the time of the shooting. All were taken to hospitals.
Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted, "Detectives are on scene, canvassing and retrieving video.

Page 1080 -