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DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Civil rights in Turkey Turkeyʼs Ankara bans gayrelated events All LGBTI gender events have been banned in Ankara, just days after authorities barred a German gay film festival. The governorʼs office in the Turkish capital cited the need to "provide peace and security." Turkeyʼs capital clamped down further on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) life on Sunday in a move likely to deepen concern among rights advocates. All LGBTI events, including cinema, theater, discussion panels and interviews, were forbidden until further notice, Ankaraʼs gubernatorial office said, to avert "public hatred and hostility" likely to emerge "within certain segments" of society.

Once hugely popular gay pride parades have already beenbanned for several yearsin the Turkish capital and the countryʼs largest city of Istanbul.

Reports of sex abuse in German army on the rise German Defense Minister von der Leyen has interpreted a rise in reports of sex abuse in the Bundeswehr as positive. She says it stems from the "atmosphere of openness" the army has tried to foster under her leadership. The number of alleged sex offenses reported in the German army rose sharply this year, according to German Defense Ministry figures cited in the Bild am Sonntag tabloid newspaper on Sunday. Through mid-November there were 11 reported rapes this year in the Bundeswehr, the paper said, compared with five rapes reported in all of 2016. Overall, through the end of September 2017 there were 187 reports of inappropriate sexual behavior, which ranged from nonconsensual touching to rape. There were 128 such reports in 2016.

The 2017 figures, however, also included some cases from the past years that remained unresolved.

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Vladimir Putin hosts Bashar Assad to talk terrorism Assad thanked Russia for its support in fighting terrorism in Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held talks with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad, the Kremlin has revealed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad in the Russian resort of Sochi, the Kremlin said in a statement on Tuesday. The two leaders discussed the fight against terrorism and the prospects of arapid political solution to the ongoing civil war in Syria. "On November 20 talks took place between the president of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the president of the Syrian Arab Republic Bashar Assad, who was in Russia on a working visit," a Kremlin statement said. What was said at the meeting? Syrian and Russian news agencies confirmed the meeting took place, reporting that both leaders agreed the military operations in Syria were "coming to an end." According to reports and statements issued by the Kremlin: Putin congratulated Assad on his "fight against terrorism," stressing that the Syrian people "are approaching victory over terrorists"The Russian leader claimed there was still a long way to go for complete victory over terrorists, but that "as far as our joint work in Syria is concerned, this military operation is indeed wrapping up"Assad said the situation on the

ground now allowed for a political process and that Syria "counts on the support of Russia to ensure the non-interference of outside players in that process." Why this is significant: Both leaders are in agreement that the main focus in Syria should now switch from the battlefield to the negotiating table. The bloody conflict has been raging in Syria since 2011. An uprising that turned into a civil war has left hundreds of thousands dead and displaced millions of citizens. According to Russian state news agency SANA, the meeting also provided Putin and Assad the opportunity to plan ahead for Thursdayʼs Syria summit in Sochi, where Putin is set to discuss the crisis with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranʼs Hassan Rouhani.Russia and Iran have been Assadʼs main backers in the Syria conflict, while Turkey has supported the opposition forces.

What is the state of the Syrian opposition? Syrian opposition forces, meanwhile, are in a state of disarray, as the US and its allies have come to terms with the notion of a Syrian ceasefire deal that doesnʼt demand Assadʼs immediate removal from power.

UNICEF: Millions of children fare worse than parents Around 180 million children are more likely to live in extreme poverty, be out of school or suffer a violent death than their parents, according to UNICEF. The World Childrenʼs Day report suggests things could get worse. One in 12 children worldwide live in countries where they face far bleaker prospects than 20 years ago, according to a UNICEF report released Monday to coincide with World Childrenʼs Day. According to the analysis, a drop in quality of life was clear in 37 countries, and driven by factors such as conflict, financial crises and poor governance. "While the last generation has seen vast, unprecedented gains in living standards for most of the worldʼs children, the fact that a forgotten minority of children have been excluded from this — through no fault of their own or those of their families — is a travesty," Laurence Chandy, UNICEF director of data, research and policy, said.

Morocco food stampede leaves at least 15 dead At least fifteen people have been killed in a Moroccan village after a stampede erupted as food aid was being distributed. Several women were caught beneath an iron barrier as hundreds scrambled to get hold of food. The stampede broke out in the town of Sidi Boulaalam in Moroccoʼs Essaouira province on Sunday as food aid was being handed out to locals at the local "souk," or market. Most of the victims were reportedly women, who had scrambled to receive food being handed out by a prominent benefactor from the region.

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Russia vetoes last-ditch bid to save probe into gas attacks in Syria Russia used its veto twice in 24 hours to deny a new mandate to the UN team looking into chemical weapon attacks in Syria. Moscow said it would not extend the mandate of the probe without fixing its "fundamental flaws." Tensions were running high in the UN Security Council on Friday after Russia vetoed a last-ditch motion

by Japan to continue the UN-led investigation into chemical weapons use in Syria. The move comes only a day after Russiavetoed a separate US draft resolutionto extend the probe, and its own draft was in turn rejected by the US, UK, and France. Moscow has repeatedly criticized the findings of the UN-backed investigative body, dubbed Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) as biased and inaccurate. Last week, JIM released a report blaming the Syrian regime for the chemical attack which killed around 100 people in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in April. Russia rejected it as "invented" and insisted that the body needed to reform.

Ousted Venezuelan opposition leader escapes house arrest, flees to Spain Ousted Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma has likened his escape to a film. He plans to take the fight against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro abroad.

The ousted opposition mayor of Caracas arrived in Spain on Saturday after orchestrating a daring escape from house arrest in Venezuela. Antonio Ledezma landed in Madrid from Bogota, Colombia, where he arrived a day earlier after slipping across the border. He was greeted by his wife and two daughters who live in Spain.

Ledezma said he planned to organize resistance from abroad to President Nicolas Maduro, under whose rule millions of Venezuelans have suffered from shortages of food and other basic supplies. "I am going to travel the world to spread the hope of all Venezuelans to escape this regime, this dictatorship," Ledezma said. The 62-year-old opposition figure was removed as mayor of Caracas and arrested in 2015 on allegations he sought to topple Maduro. He was later put under house arrest due to health issues. Ledezma was one of the opposition leaders who led protests against the government in 2014, which also resulted in the arrest of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez.

He remains under house arrest.

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Emmerson Mnangagwa calls on Robert Mugabe to resign Zimbabwe crisis:

Zimbabweʼs ousted vice president has urged Robert Mugabe to step down, adding that he would return to the country if his security was guaranteed. The countryʼs parliament is set to begin impeachment proceedings.

Sacked Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwajoined a chorus of military leaders and politicians on Tuesday who have urged Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to resign.

"The people of Zimbabwe have spoken with one voice and it is my appeal to President Mugabe that he should take heed of this clarion call by the people of Zimbabwe to resign, so that the country can move

Argentina navy loses contact with submarine with 44 crew on board No one has heard from an Argentinian submarine for at least two days. While authorities initially insisted it wasnʼt missing, Argentinaʼs navy has stepped up its search efforts. Argentinaʼs navy lost contact with one of its submarines and its 44 crew members, it announced on Friday. Although the German-built ARA San Juan has been out of contact for two days, the navy initially did not consider it lost. "Itʼs not that itʼs lost, because to be lost, you have to look for it and not find it," the navy told a local broadcaster. However, after an initial search operation in the submarineʼs last known position, around 430 kilometers (267miles) off the southeastern

forward and preserve his legacy," Mnangagwa said in a statement.

Mnangagwa, who is not currently in Zimbabwe, said he fled the country because his life was threatened after being purged from the ruling ZANU-PF party. He confirmed that Mugabe invited him to return "for a discussion," but that he would not do so unless his safety is guaranteed.

Valdez peninsula, bore no results, Argentina said it was stepping up its search efforts and calling on allies for help. "We have not been able to find, or have visual or radar communication with the submarine," navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters at a news conference. "I donʼt want to dramatize the issue. Weʼre lacking communication and donʼt know what happened."

The incident has formally been upgraded to a "search and rescue" operation, Balbi added.

Cambodia charges 2 journalists with espionage The arrests are the latest in a widening crackdown on media and the opposition in Cambodia ahead of elections next year. The move further

Australia shutters Papua New Guinea detention center Around 600 asylum seekers have refused to leave the facility, citing fears of attacks from locals. Australian lawmakers have warned of a "humanitarian emergency" when authorities in Papua New Guinea shut off the water.

Private security staff at a controversial Australian detention center in Papua New Guinea left the facility for the first time in years on Tuesday ahead of its expected closure.

The facility formed an integral part ofAustraliaʼs expensive offshore detention programknown as "Sovereign Borders." However, Papua New Guineaʼs Supreme Court ruled that the facility is unconstitutional and needed to be closed. Some 600 asylum seekers residing at the facility have refused to leave, saying the alternatives provided are less secure.

Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the campʼs closure would proceed, and that the asylum seekers have access to temporary residences nearby. "All have been informed for a considerable period of time that there is safe and secure alternate accommodation where health and other services will be maintained," Dutton told Reuters news agency in an emailed statement.

strains ties between the United States and Cambodia. Two Cambodian journalists who worked for a US-funded radio station were charged with espionage on Saturday, the latest move in a widening crackdown on critics of authoritarian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Uon Chhin and Yeang Socheameta, former journalists of the Washington-based Radio Free Asia, were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly providing information to a foreign power. The offense carries up to 15-years in prison. Radio Free Asiaʼs Phnom Penh bureau closed its office in September, citing "intimidation" and threats that it was violating tax and registration regulations. The Cambodia Daily newspaper reported the two journalists were accused of setting up broadcasting equipment in the capital and sending news reports to Radio Free Asiaʼs Washington bureau.

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Charles Manson dies aged 83 after decades in prison Notorious cult leader Charles Manson passed away on Sunday evening in a hospital in Kern County, California. Manson directed a series of gruesome murders, including that of Hollywood star Sharon Tate.

After half a century in prison, the hippie cult leader died on Sunday evening, local time. He became a face of evil across America after organizing the horrific murders of pregnant Hollywood actress, Sharon Tate, and six others during the summer of 1969. Debra Tate, Sharon Tateʼs sister, told celebrity website TMZ that she had received a call from prison officials telling her thatManson had died on Sunday evening, following a long illness. California prison officials later released a statement confirming Mansonʼs death.

The murders horrified the world and, together with the violence that marked a 1969 Rolling Stones concert at Califor-

US and Poland strike $10.5 billion missile defense deal The US has approved the $10.5 billion sale of a Patriot anti-missile system to NATO ally Poland. Eastern European NATO states have been ramping up their military capabilities in the face of perceived Russian aggression.

In a move likely to irk Russia, the US and Poland agreed on Friday a major arms deal that could see the eastern European NATO member soon begin conducting air and missile defense operations. As part of the $10.5 billion (€8.9 billion) sale, Poland is expected to receive 208 Patriot Advanced Capabilty-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement missiles, 16 M903 launching stations, four AN/MPQ-65 radars, four control stations, spares, software and associated equipment. Made by US defense contractor Raytheon, the missiles are reportedly designed to detect, track and engage unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cruise missiles and shortrange or tactical ballistic missiles. In a statement issued following the sale, the State Department said that: "A secure Europe capable of deterring air and missile threats and other forms of aggression promotes peace and stability within NATO and on the European continent."

niaʼs Altamont Speedway, showed the violent, drug-fueled underbelly of the hippie counterculture movement, and seemed to mark the end of the era of peace and love. "Many people I know in Los Angeles believe that the Sixties ended abruptly on August 9, 1969," author Joan Didion wrote in her 1979 book "The White Album." Manson had been in and out of jail for petty crimes since childhood. He moved to San Francisco during the so-called "Summer of Love," busking on the streets with his guitar. But he quickly established himself in a hippie commune, surrounded by mostly female followers he referred to as his "Family."

Kenya Supreme Court upholds Kenyatta election victory

Kenyaʼs Supreme Court has upheld the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta, dismissing petitions to overturn the vote. Tensions remain high in Kenya after weeks of political unrest have left dozens dead. The Supreme Court in Kenya upheldPresident Uhuru Kenyattaʼs re-electionin a repeat vote on Monday,dismissing

two petitionsthat argued that the poll had not been conducted according to the law. "The court has unanimously determined that the petitions are not merited. As a consequence, the presidential election of 26 October is hereby upheld as is the election of the third respondent," said Chief Justice David Maraga, referring to Kenyatta.

Austrian full-face veil ban comes into effect Austriaʼs prohibition of full-face coverings has officially come into force. The government said the ban helps uphold Austrian values and promotes integration despite criticism from Muslim and refugee groups. People in Austria are now banned from covering their faces in public.

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274/2017 • 23, November 2017 Can the ad industry become sustainable?

A look at an entrepreneur who wants to revolutionize the ad industry. Andrea Henao is a former advertising executive who left the corporate world to found her own business — a boutique ad agency that vets its clients. ndrea Henao wants to change the ad industry. Two years ago, the Berlin-based French entrepreneur founded an ad agency that only works with sustainable brands. I met Henao in her offices, not too far from the Berlin’s notorious Alexanderplatz. The premises are decorated with second-hand furniture that she bought online, and art pieces collected and made with friends and colleagues. While showing me around, she shared the stories about the furniture and art. Henao understands the importance of stories. And she knows just how brands come up with stories that appeal to customers with certain values.

With rising consumer awareness about environmental issues and labor practices, brands increasingly emphasize ecological footprint and employee working conditions. Unfortunately, ad campaigns do not always tell the truth — they exaggerate, embellish and lie.

And this is something Henau wants to change. "We really believe that we are responsible for the ad that we promote, hence we promote exclusively sustainable brands," she tells me. The ad industry has yet to play a significant role in ensuring brands tell the truth.The onus to reveal false claims has generally fallen on activists, consumer groups and the media. But Henao believes advertisers can play a bigger role.

China sales behind German carmakersʼ rosy third quarter Strong vehicle sales in the wordʼs most important car market have been essential in enabling German carmakers to end their third quarters on a positive note. Their dependence on China is expected to increase further.

Germanyʼs top carmakers would not have been able to present positive third-quarter results without a booming auto market in China, a study by consultancy EY showed Tuesday.

It said China had long become the most important market for Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler, with one in three of their cars sold in the third quarter having gone to the Asian nation. To be more precise, the Chinese market accounted for 34 percent of Germanyʼs overall car sales between July and September, the highest ever rate logged so far.

Back in 2010, only 23 percent of Germanyʼs quarterly car sales ended up in China.

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Siemens to cut 6,900 jobs amid union resistance Labor unions have reacted angrily to layoff plans unveiled by the management of the German conglomerate, which aims to cut costs in its energy business to adjust to the disruption sweeping through the industry.

Following closed-door talks with workers on Thursday, the Munichbased industrial group announced that it was planning to cut 6,900 jobs globally as part ofa larger restructuring of its power division. About half of the announced job cuts would be in Germany, where the company said it planned to shut down facilities in the cities of Görlitz and Leipzig. A third production site in the town of Erfurt could be sold off, it added. "The power generation industry is experiencing disruption of unprece-

Germany bans sale of childsnooping smartwatches

A German regulator has banned the sale of childrenʼs smartwatches that have one-way monitoring functions.

Officials said parents had been using the watches to listen in on teachers while their children were in class.

Certain smartwatches for children can no longer be sold in Germany as some of these models are equipped with a "wiretapping" function, a regulator said on Friday Germanyʼs Federal Network Agency, orBundesnetzagentur, announced the ban saying that these watches can be classed as "unauthorized transmitters." "According to our investigations, parents were using the watches, for example, to listen in on teachers during class," said Bundesnetzagentur President Jochen Homann. Germany Germany bans sale of child-snooping smartwatches A German regulator has banned the sale of childrenʼs smartwatches that have one-way monitoring functions.

Officials said parents had been using the watches to listen in on teachers while their children were in class.

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T.: +36 1 235 4000 reservation@hpz.hu www.hotel-palazzo-zichy.hu/

Norwegian wealth fund plans to divest of oil and gas Norwayʼs trillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund is proposing to drop oil and gas companies from its holdings, saying it already has enough exposure to the industry and wants to protect against fluctuating oil prices. Oslo is set to decide in the fall of 2018 on backing a proposal from the countryʼs sovereign wealth fund —the worldʼs biggest— to cut oil and gas companies from its benchmark index. In a letter to the government, the Norwegian central bank, which manages the fund, said on Thursday that the move would make Norway "less vulnerable to a lasting decline in oil prices." "This advice is based exclusively on financial arguments and analyses of the governmentʼs total oil and gas exposure," the bankʼs deputy governor Egil Matsen said in a statement.

"It does not reflect any particular view of future movements in oil and gas prices or the profitability or sustainability of the oil and gas sector," he added.

Published by: Mega Media Kft. 1075 Budapest, Madách I. út 13-14. +36 1 398 0344 www.hotelujsag.hu

dented scope and speed," managing board member Lisa Davis said in a statement, adding that renewable energy was putting other forms of power generation "under increasing pressure." Siemens said global demand for large gas turbines (generating more than 100 megawatts) had fallen drastically and was expected to level out at around 110 turbines a year. By contrast, the technical manufacturing capacity of all producers worldwide was estimated at around 400 turbines.

Easyjet profits fall sharply after ʼdifficult yearʼ

Aviation watchers will know it has been a challenging year in European skies. UK airline easyJet has felt the squeeze like many of its rivals. Yet itʼs bullish about the future despite a sharp fall in profits.

British budget carrier easyJet reported a fall in profits of more than 30 percent on Tuesday, with a sharp decline in the value of the pound accounting for a considerable increase in jet fuel costs. In their financial report for the year ending September 30, easyjet reported that despite an 8-percent increase in revenues past the £5billion ($6.6-billion, €5.6-billion) mark, total profits after tax fell by 30.2 percent from £437 million in 2016 to £305 million in 2017. Nonetheless, easyJet — Europeʼs second largest budget carrier after Irish airline Ryanair — sounded positive tones on release of the financial statement, hailing a "robust performance" and highlighting "positive revenue trends" for the first quarter of the new year on the back of the travails of some competitors.

274/2017 • 23, November 2017

Russian meteorological service confirms elevated radioactivity The Russian nuclear agency insists there has been no accident. Is it a cover-up?

The source of the radioactive cloud that hovered over Europe in early October is being narrowed down to the Urals.

There are further indications that the release of the radioactive isotope ruthenium-106could be traced back to the Mayak nuclear facility in the Ural region, a reprocessing site for spent nuclear fuel. Russian meteorological service Rosgidromet confirmed on Monday the release of Ru-106 in the southern Urals in late September and early October, classifying it as an "extremely high contamination." French nuclear safety

institute IRSN reported on November 9 thatradioactivity had been detected in Francebetween September 27 and October 13, and that it likely stemmed from Russia or Kazakhstan. At the Russian measuring station Argayash, the highest level measured was 986 times that of the previous month, the Russian weather service said in a statement.

At the Novogorny station, the measured levels were 440 times higher.

Teachers for AI — can robots create more jobs than they retire?

While headway in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry has many worried about potential jobs losses, others see this as a perfect opportunity to nurture an economy that is completely human-based.

Workers can spend anywhere from 5 minutes to 40 hours a week going through simple tasks on a smartphone, making AI all over the world more intelligent and efficient. By building platforms and crowd sourcing a large supply of workers, the companies that train AI were smart to realize the data needed could be processed by anyone with steady access to the internet. From this developed companies like Clickwork, Neurala,

and Alegion Inc., which utilize "human taggers" to push AI education.

With over a million "clickworkers" signed up, thereʼs an estimated 100,000 people logged on at this very moment, sifting through droves of information and lending a human touch to robot training. "Staring at security cameras or an airport scanner, remote-controlling a robot, driving trucks up and down a mine did not exist as jobs until recently," says Massimiliano Versace, CEO of Neurala, "and will probably not exist as jobs occupying a full-time human as they are today. Humans were created to do much more complicated and elevated tasks than watching videos 24/7."

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Germany must allow third gender in registry of births, court rules An intersex person has won a court case to allow them to enter a third gender into the registry of births.

The case was appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court after failing at lower levels.

Germanyʼs Federal Constitutional Court on Wednesday called for a third gender option in the registry of births.

Intersex people, who are neither male nor female, should be able to register their sexual identity as such, the Karlsruhe court ruled. The court found that the general right to the protection of personality in Germanyʼs Basic Law meant the register had to be altered to allow a third gender. The court ruled seven to one that lawmakers must create new legislation by the end of 2018 to allow for a third sex, providing the examples of "intersex," "diverse" or another "positive designation of sex." Another possibility raised was to scrap gender entries altogether. "Assignment to a gender is of paramount importance for individual identity; it typically plays a key role both in the self-image of a person and in the way in which the person concerned is perceived by others. The gender identity of those persons who are neither male nor female is protected,"the court ruled.

Advent Feast at the Basilica November 24 - January 1

One of the ‘Best European Christmas Markets’ is a must-see event in the heart of Budapest Discover Hungary’s most acclaimed Christmas market: The Advent Feast at the Basilica is blending Central European traditions and modern attractions, turning the iconic St. Stephenʼs square into 3D cinema. For more details and information about the Advent Feast’s event schedule, check out thewww.adventiunnep.hu/enwebsite. Budapest 1051, Szent István tér Opening hours: MondayFriday: 11 am – 10 pm, SaturdaySunday: 10 am – 10 pm, and 10 am – 2 pm on December 24. Skating class hours: Friday from 2-8 pm, Saturday from 10 am – 6 pm and Sunday from 10 am -6 pm.

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Culture

New Hungarian film Aurora Borealis now screens in Budapest Becoming a mother is a miraculous time in a woman’s life. However, there are certain scenarios when the arrival of a newcomer is not entirely wonderful news. The new motion picture by eminent Hungarian director Márta Mészáros, Aurora Borealis, tells a touching tale, taking viewers back in time in Hungary and leaving them reaching for the Kleenex.

The story has two timelines. One transports viewers back to a western Hungarian village in 1953, where a descendant of an aristocratic family, Ákos, falls for a village girl, Mari. They try to escape to Austria together, but unfortunately with no success, and after being harassed by soldiers, Mari has to start a new life alone and pregnant in occupied Vienna. The other storyline is in the present, unfolding the events through the recollections of old Mari, now a pensioner living in her old village.

One day she gets a letter from Russia and falls into a coma. Her daughter Olga, a lawyer living alone in Vienna, comes back to care for her. Suspecting something about her mother’s past isn’t quite right, she starts investigating. This is only a fraction of the story, as anything else would be a major spoiler. However, even the trailer foretells that Olga’s dad might not be who she thinks after all.

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274/2017 • 23, November 2017

Bradley Wiggins speaks of ʼliving hellʼ as UK doping case is closed

Bradley Wiggins has spoken of his "living hell" after the UK AntiDoping agency (UKAD) closed its case against Team Sky. The Olympic gold medallist and Tour de France winner criticized the way the case was handled. UKAD announced on Wednesday that they had insufficient evidence to bring any charges after investigating a so-called ʼmystery packageʼ delivered to the British rider at the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine. It had been alleged by British newspaper the Daily Mail that the package contained triamcinolone, a banned substance which allows riders to lose weight while maintaining power. But UKAD said its investigation had been hindered by British Cyclingʼs lack of medical records and they werenʼt able to establish whether the package contained triamcinolone or the legal substance fluimucil.

Michael Schumacherʼs Ferrari sells at auction for $7.5 million

Once the face of Formula One, Michael Schumacher drove the F2001 to victory in the 2001 Monaco Grand Prix. At auction, his iconic racing car has set a new record. Michael Schumacherʼs Monaco Grand Prixwinning racing car has sold in New York for $7.5 million (€6.35 million), auction house Sothebyʼs said, setting the world record for a modern-era Formula One car. The Ferrari F2001 racing car went under the hammer on Thursday evening, sparking a bidding war between eight competitors that was over in six minutes. The racing car is still fully functional.

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Athletics doping: IOC confident over Russia doping reform plans International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach believes Russia will resolve its doping issues and field athletes at next yearʼs Rio Games.

Russia was provisionally suspendedfrom world athletics after an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report alleged "state-sponsored doping". Bach met with his Russian Olympic Committee counterpart Alexander Zhukov to discuss the report. He said he was "confident" in the measures put forward by the ROC. Council members of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Friday voted 22-1 in favour of Russia being banned. As it stands, Russian athletes may not enter international competitions, including the World Athletic Series and Rio Olympics, which begin on 5 August next year.

Russia will also not be entitled to host the 2016 World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary and the 2016 World Junior Championships in Kazan. "We are confident that the initiatives being proposed by the ROC, with the responsible international organisations - Wada and the IAAF - will ensure compliance as soon as possible in order to provide participation of the clean Russian athletes at the Olympic Games," said IOC president Bach.

Russia still ʼnon-compliantʼ with anti-doping code WADA:

Russiaʼs hopes of competing in the Winter Olympics suffered a major blow after the World Anti-Doping Agency ruled that the country was yet to fulfill two key demands that Moscow said have a "political character."

The World Anti-Doping Agency on Thursday refused to reinstate Russiaʼs suspended anti-doping agency, RUSADA, saying the country had still not fulfilled two key requirements. WADA had asked Russia to publicly accept results of an investigation by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren that found Russia ran a state-sponsored doping program. It was also told to allow access to urine samples collected during the time of the cheating. Russian Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov said on

Thursday some of the World AntiDoping Agencyʼs (WADA) criteria for the reinstatement of RUSADA have a "political character," R-Sport news agency reported. The WADA decision is likely to jeopardize Russiaʼs chances of competing in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea in February. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is expected to decide on Russiaʼs fate at an executive board meeting next month in Lausanne in Switzerland.

Dimitrov triumphs to end season with silverware Grigor Dimitrov rounded off the year with victory over Belgiumʼs David Goffin in the season finale in London. The Bulgarian won 7-5 4-6 6-3 in front of a star-studded crowd at the O2 Arena.

Grigor Dimitrov claimed the biggest title of his career and sent out a huge statement of intent, beating David Goffin 7-5 4-6 6-3 to win the ATP Finals on Sunday. The 26-year-old recovered from losing his opening two service games to finally get the better of the Belgian, but it was fiercelyfought two-and-a-half hour duel with

Goffin saving four match points before finally succumbing. Both finalists were first-time qualifiers for the tournament and while many ticket holders might have booked them in anticipation of watching Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal, the two newcomers provided a fitting end to the ATP season.

Goffin managed only two games against Dimitrov when they met on Wednesday in group play, but the world number eight, who claimed a rare double of beating both Nadal and Federer this week, was a different proposition this time.