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DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Iran unrest divides UN Security Council meeting Iran has told the UN it has "hard evidence" that protests there were being "directed from abroad," while Russia has urged the chamber to "let Iran deal with its own problems." The US said it had put Iran "on notice." The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting at the request of the US on Friday to discuss the antigovernmentprotests that rocked Iranlast week. The meeting began as a closed-door session but the US was able to ensure a second, open phase of talks thereafter, despite resistance from Russia, France, Bolivia and other members. The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, argued that the Iranian protests — first against andlater for authorities in Tehran— could escalate into a full-blown conflict, drawing parallels with Syria.

"Freedom and human dignity cannot be separated from peace and security," Haley said. "The Iranian regime is now on notice: the world will be watching what you do."

ʼWorldʼs most expensiveʼ vodka bottle found following bar theft A high-end bottle of vodka that was stolen from a Copenhagen bar has been found at a construction site. The gold and diamondencrusted bottle was found intact, save for one thing — all of the vodka was missing. A bottle of vodka, claimed to be the "worldʼs most expensive," was found intact in Copenhagen after it wasstolen from a bar earlier this week, Danish police said. Made from three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of white and yellow gold, three kilograms of silver and crowned with a diamond-encrusted replica of the Russian Imperial Eagle on its cap, it is believed to be worth $1.3 million (€1.07 million). Police in Copenhagen said the rare bottle was found at a construction site and thanked "a member of the public" for reporting the missing bottle, which is now being analyzed.

6/2018 • 8, JANUARY 2018

Donald Trump claims to be a ʼstable geniusʼ on Twitter The comments come as a response to the ʼFire and Furyʼ book, which portrayed him as intellectually limited

US President Donald Trump has praised his own mental state and described himself as a "very stable genius."

US President Donald Trump said he was "like, really smart" in a series of tweets on Saturday morning, commenting on the rumors of his mental health and intellectual capacity bolstered bythe new "Fire and Fury" book on his presidency.

Trump also drew a parallel between himself and the popular former president Ronald Reagan, who was diagnosed with Alzheimerʼs disease in 1994, six years after leaving power. In a Twitter post, Trump said the "Fake News Mainstream Media" were using the same playbook by "screaming mental stability and intelligence."

"Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart," he wrote. "I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star […] to President of the United States (on my first try)," said Trump, who followed in his father footsteps as a real estate developer before starting a career in reality television. "I think that would qual-

ify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!" he wrote.

While Trump claims that the 2016 campaign was his "first try" at running for president, he briefly pursued the nomination for a minor Reform party in 2000 before dropping out. Trumpʼs tweets come a day after Michael Wolffʼs book "Fire and Fury," an account on the first year of the Trump presidency, went on sale. According to the book, many of Trumpʼs closest allies described him as an "idiot," childlike, and unfit for office. Several months ago, US media reported that State Secretary Rex Tillerson referred to Trump as a "moron." Tillersonrefused to outright deny the reports, although a State Department spokeswoman rejected the rumors as untrue. Trump also said it never took place, although he added that if Tillerson "did that, I guess weʼll have to compare IQ tests. I can tell you whoʼs going to win." In an unrelated 2013 tweet, Trump also described his IQ as "one of the highest."

Saudi Arabian princes arrested over palace protest Saudi authorities have reportedly detained a group of 11 Saudi princes who staged a protest over a decree that suspended payment of their utility bills.

They were put in a maximum security prison, local media claims. The princes gathered in a historic royal palace in Qasr al-Hokm to demand compensation for a death sentence issued against one of their relatives, Saudi media reported on Saturday. The group of 11 princes also decried the recent royal decree that introduced various austerity measures, including cutting state payment of water and electricity bills for the royals. Saudi Arabiaʼs royal family has many thousands of members, thanks to polygamy practiced in the kingdom. Some observers estimate that around 15,000 princes and princesses live in the oil-rich state.

They have seen many of their perks cut as part of an economy drive pushed by the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Avalanche kills two German skiers in Austria The bodies of two German nationals caught in an avalanche in Austria on Friday have have been recovered.

The men, 25 and 26 respectively, were skiing off piste when they were killed by a sliding wall of snow.

Rescuers recovered the body of a second skier on Saturday, a day after the avalanche buried him and his ski partner. The two men were from the state of Bavaria, and were skiing near the village of Kals in Austriaʼs western Tyrol region on Friday when they were buried by a tumbling wall of snow.

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6/2018 • 8, January 2018

Westjet, Sunwing planes collide on the ground at Toronto airport A Westjet plane arriving from Cancun was hit by a Sunwing aircraft at Toronto airport, prompting the Westjet passengers to evacuate via emergency slides. The other plane was reportedly empty. Two planes collided after landing at Toronto Pearson Airport, starting a small fire and forcing all 168 passengers on one of the planes to leave via the emergency slides. No passengers or crew members were injured, but one member of the emergency services was treated in hospital, officials said late on Friday. The Boeing 737, operated

by Westjet, had landed from Cancun, Mexico, and was waiting to approach the gate, when it was "struck" by a Sunwing plane, Westjet said. No crew or passengers were aboard the Sunwing aircraft, as it was hauled away from the terminal by ground crew.

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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France marks three years since Charlie Hebdo attack The killing spree in Paris was the first in a series of deadly Islamist assaults in France

French President Emmanuel Macron has paid tribute to the victims of a massacre at the offices of Charlie Hebdo three years ago.

Emmanuel Macron laid a wreath outside the former premises of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo on Sunday during a low-key ceremony to mark the attackʼs third anniversary. On January 7, 2015, two jihadi gunmenstormed the building and opened fireon the magazineʼs staff, killing 11 people, including several prominent cartoonists and writers.

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

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, members of her government and journalists from the magazine were in attendance as the names of the victims were read out. Mourners also led tributes at a nearby site where a policeman was shot dead at pointblank range, as well as at a kosher supermarket where four other people were killed.

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.

6/2018 • 8, January 2018

Israelʼs Netanyahu urges end to UN Palestinian refugee agency Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuʼs move comes a few days after President Trump threatened to cut off US aid to Palestinians. Experts warn that closing the agency could increase poverty and fuel violence.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called for the closure of a United Nations agency that aids Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and Gaza — a move that critics say would lead to a humanitarian crisis.

Netanyahuʼs push on Sunday comes just days after US President DonaldTrump threatened to cut off aid to the Palestinians. The Israeli government has long looked at the agency, known as UNRWA, with a jaundiced eye, seeing the agency as biased against Israel. Israel also objects to the agencyʼs method of classifying refugees, with descendants also eligible to register. "UNRWA is an organi-

zation that perpetuates the Palestinian refugee problem," Netanyahu said at the start of the governmentʼs weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday. "It also perpetuates the right of return narrative in order to eliminate the state of Israel," he added. "Therefore UNRWA must become a thing of the past." The prime minister said millions of refugees around the world are aided by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), but Netanyahu slammed UNRWA as an exclusive aid agency for the Palestinians that also treats "greatgrandchildren of refugees — who arenʼt refugees." Netanyahu added, "This absurd situation must be ended."

How #MeToo affects the Golden Globes

UK Prime Minister Theresa May expected to reshuffle Cabinet

With sexual harassment cases in the backdrop, the Golden Globes are set to launch Hollywoodʼs annual awards season. A black-dress protest will be held — but "men in black" are accused of slacktivism.

Hollywoodʼs biggest pre-Oscars prize-giving ceremony takes place on January 7. It is the first major award ceremony since the start of the #MeToo movement and showcases an industry which, after operating for decades under the motto "sex sells," is having to reinvent itself. Organized by the 90-member Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), a total of 25 prizes are up for grabs on Sunday — 14 in film and 11 in television — at the Golden Globes awards ceremony. But the mood in Los Angeles in the wake of widespread sexual harassment claims is rather heavy.

As was the case two years ago with the #Oscarssowhite campaign, social media was a driving force in this new reality check for Hollywood. Even before the launch of Hollywoodʼs annual awards season, the fallout of the scandal has already managed to change the face of the industry in various ways — and appears to be set to do so for the foreseeable future.

Prime Minister May is set to make alterations to her Cabinet in an effort to reassert her authority, according to reports. The move follows several major resignations in Mayʼs government over separate scandals. The government of British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to undergo a reshuffle on Monday after a series of high-profile departures. According to government sources, several highprofile ministers should expect to be axed. While May did not comment on the reshuffle directly, she told the BBC

on Sunday that "some changes do have to be made," and a Labour Party MP, citing information from colleagues in Mayʼs Conservative Party, told French news agency AFP that she would make the changes Monday. The news comes after Mayʼs confidante andDeputy Prime Minister Damian Greenwas forced to resign last month over a pornography scandal. Shortly before, Defense Minister Michael Fallon and International Development Minister Priti Patel stepped down in separate controversies.

Authorities take precautions as rivers across Germany continue to flood Snowmelt in the Alps and volatile weather patterns have caused rivers across Germany to burst their banks. Europeʼs most important shipping routes have been closed off to traffic, with some areas facing evacuation. Days of heavy rain and melting snow have caused water levels of the Rhine, Moselle and Danube rivers in Germany to rise, with authorities warning flooding is likely to continue through the weekend. The Rhine in the countryʼs southwest has witnessed a particular surge in recent days after the Eleanor weather pattern brought rainstorms to the entire continent.

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6/2018 • 8, January 2018

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 Berlinbased 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 secondhand 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.

US December job creation disappoints The US has added fewer jobs lately than expected by labor market experts, fresh government figures have shown. The overall unemployment rate held steady at a 17-year low in the worldʼs largest economy.

The US economyʼs job creation ability decreased in December 2017 despite solid hiring in the manufacturing and construction sectors, government data showed Friday. While theunemployment rate remained unchanged at a 17-year low of 4.1 percent, employers across the nation added just 148,000 jobs in the final month of last year. The figure was far below expectations of 200,000 new positions and even below the sluggish 155,000 jobs reported in December 2016. Economists had been more optimistic especially after payroll services firm ADP said Thursday that private hiring experienced a boost in the final four weeks of December 2017.

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Easyjet takes off from Berlin Tegel as it joins crowded German market The low-cost airline has launched its first domestic flights in Germany from its new base at Berlinʼs Tegel Airport. The British carrier has added 19 new routes and joins an already crowded domestic market in Germany.

Low-cost carrier Easyjet commenced its new domestic German service shortly after 10.30 CET on Friday morning from Berlinʼs Tegel airport, as it seeks to capitalize on Air Berlinʼs demise. Easyjet will add 19 destinations to its schedules from Tegel, with four of those within Germany — Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich and Düsseldorf — and said it aims to fly 40 times a week between Tegel and Düsseldorf. The airlineʼs increased focus on the German market comes after theAir Berlin dealand puts Easyjet in

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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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.

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direct competition with Lufthansa and its subsidiary Eurowings, which have been criticized in recent months for inflating its fares amid claims of antitrust. During the period of Air Berlinʼs insolvency, the price of some domestic fares have risen by 30 percent. Easyjet currently has 12 planes stationed at Tegel but plans to increase that figure to 25 within the next six months with aircraft purchased from Air Berlin, making it Easyjetʼs second largest base after London Gatwick, where the company has 37 aircraft.

Intel CEO sold shares before disclosure of chip security flaw

As Intel is rushing out patches to fix its chip security flaws, it has become known that CEO Brian Krzanich had sold off a large chunk of his stake in Intel before the problem was disclosed to the general public.

According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing, Intel chief executive (CEO) Brian Krzanich sold about $39 million (€32.3 million) in stocks and options in late November — several months after Google informed the chipmaker ofa serious security problem affecting its products, but before the vulnerability became known this week. News media reported that Krzanich apparently netted about $25 million on the transaction of 644,135 shares. A spokeswoman for the Intel CEO said that Krzanichʼs decision to sell the shares was unrelated to the chip security problem disclosed on Wednesday. The SEC filing also showed that the sale was part of an Intel plan created on October 30, just a month before its CEO disposed of his shares. It allows company executives to sell stocks they own at a pre-determined time so that they are not accused of insider trading.

The sale has allowed Krzanich to whittle his holdings down to about 250,000 shares, which is the minimum he is required to own under Intelʼs rules.

6/2018 • 8, January 2018

Mark Zuckerberg makes ʼfixingʼ Facebook a personal goal for 2018 Zuckerberg wrote on Thursday that he wants to focus on protecting Facebook users from abuse

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has set his New Year resolution as fixing the company he co-founded. Last year was not the best for the social network company, with technical, political and moral issues raised.

Zuckerberg wrote on Thursday that he wants to focus on protecting Facebook users from abuse, defend against interference by nation-states and "making sure that time spent on Facebook is time well spent." "The world feels anxious and divided, and Facebook has a lot of work to do," Zuckerbergwrote in the post.

He wrote that his "personal challenge for 2018 is to focus on fixing these important issues," adding that the pledge "may not seem like a personal challenge on its face." He did not elaborate on how he would im-

prove the social network, which has recently come under fire for allowing the rampant spread of false information. "We wonʼt prevent all mistakes or abuse, but we currently make too many errors enforcing our policies and preventing misuse of our tools," Zuckerberg wrote.

Zuckerberg, 33, said Facebook was standing at a crossroads that required his attention, citing the spread of hate speech on social media and criticism that the platform can be an addictive and a waste of time.

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 selfimage 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.

Worldʼs coolest coffee event is back!

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

Location: Ottakringer Brauerei, Ottakringer Platz 1, 1160 / Wien / Austria, Date: 12-14, January, 2018 The festival will feature the best coffee specialities, gourmet food, tastings and demonstrations from world class baristas, interactive coffee workshops, the SCAE Austria Barista Championship, craftmanship, coffee based cocktails, live music, DJs and much more! http://www.viennacoffeefestival.cc/

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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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6/2018 • 8, January 2018

Dakar Rally: Toyotaʼs AlAttiyah takes first stage

Qatarʼs Nasser Al-Attiyah has won the first stage of the Dakar Rally in the Peruvian town of Pisco. Nine-time rally world champion Sebastian Loeb of France endured a torrid opening day, finishing in 29th place. The opening round of the Dakar Rally saw defending champions Peugeot left stunned, as two-time winner Nasser Al-Attiyah of Toyota swept across the short 31-kilometer (19-mile) stretch of desert between Lima and Pisco in just 21 minutes and 51 seconds. The Qatari finished 25 seconds more quickly than his Toyota teammate, Bernhard ten Brinke of the Netherlands, and with 34 seconds in hand over Peruʼs Nicolas Fuchs, driving for Borgward.

North Korea could take part in Winter Olympics, says Kim

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has given a first indication that Pyongyang could send a delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics, which will take place in the South. Kim said authorities "should meet in the near future." Despitemounting tensions in the Korean peninsulaover the Northʼs nuclear weapons program, the North Korean leader conveyed a rather peaceful message in his New Yearʼs speech to the nation. "I sincerely hope the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics will be staged successfully,” said Kim, adding that his country was "willing to take necessary measures, including to dispatch our delegation.”

Kim also suggested that both countries should set up a meeting to discuss the prospect of the North Korean teamʼs participation in the Games.

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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.

Lukas Podolski opens doner kebab restaurant in home city of Cologne German World Cup winner Lukas Podolski has opened a kebab shop in Cologne

The former Arsenal and Bayern Munich star already owns a clothing store and ice cream parlor in the city he still calls home.

Hundreds of fans queued outside German footballer Lukas Podolskiʼs new kebab restaurant in Cologneʼs trendy Chlodwigplatz on Saturday for the grand opening and a chance to see the cityʼs favorite son. The restaurant, Mangal Döner, is theformer Germany, Arsenal and Bayern Munich starʼslatest business venture in the city he still calls home. Fans got the chance to meet their proclaimed "Prinz Poldi" at his new restaurant, where he posed for photos next to the

rotating spit of meat and signed autographs. Asked how he came up with the idea to open a kebab restaurant, Podolski said he wasnʼt entirely sure: "Ideas just come — I donʼt even really have a business plan right now."

Nevertheless, the footballerʼs spokesman, Sebastian Lange, said "the euphoria is very, very great, contrary to expectations, and Podolski is very happy with the launch." The soccer star plans to run the restaurant with two co-owners.

Angelique Kerber inspires Germany in Hopman Cup Angelique Kerber showed glimpses of her best form in the mixed doubles as Germany beat hosts Australia to reach Saturday’s final.

Kerber and Alexander Zverev will face Swiss pair Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic.

Angelique Kerberʼs early season renaissance continued on Friday as she led Germany into their first Hopman Cup final since 1995 at the mixed teams tournament in Perth. The left-hander wound the clock back to 2016 with her menacing forehand as she thrashed Australiaʼs Daria Gavrilova in straight sets in the singles and then lifted the Germans to victory in the deciding

mixed doubles as they notched a dramatic 2-1 win in their final Group A tie.

Kerber and Alexander Zverev only had to beat the Australians to reach Saturdayʼs final against Switzerlandʼs Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic. But it came down to a tense mixed doubles clash after world number four Zverev suffered a shock loss to Thanasi Kokkinakis in the menʼs singles. With Zverevʼs form faltering noticeably, the Germans dropped the first set in the Fast4 doubles. Although they levelled the match, their fate looked grim when Australia led 3-1 in the first-to-five third set tie-breaker, with the in-form Kokkinakis having two serves to come.