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DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Sierra Leone: Temporary ban on run-off election lifted The countryʼs run-off election is set to take place as scheduled after the High Court lifted an interim injunction. But there are concerns that events of the past few days may impact voter turnout. The Sierra Leone High Court has lifted an order delaying the presidential election run-off, two days after it temporarily halted the vote, which is scheduled for Tuesday. Lawyers for the National Electoral Commission (NEC) said the injunction order had already thrown the countryʼs election into "chaos". The NEC requested moving the run-off to the alternative date of March 3. The upcoming vote will see ruling party candidate Samura Kamara face off opposition candidate and leader of the Sierra Leone Peopleʼs Party (SLPP), Julius Maada Bio.

IsraeliPalestinian peace process: ʼDonʼt tear down bridges,ʼ Heiko Maas warns German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has reiterated Germanyʼs commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. During a visit to the region, he urged the Palestinians "not to tear down bridges." Germanyʼs new foreign minister,Heiko Maas, made the comments Monday after meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian foreign minister in the West Bank city of Ramallah. He urged the Palestinians to consider including the United States in future peace negotiations, stressing that peace efforts without the US "would be difficult." Abbas dismissed Washington as a credible Mideast mediatorafter President Donald Trumpunilaterally recognized Jerusalem as Israelʼs capital in December.

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NATO cuts Russia diplomatic mission amidst spy poisoning row The Kremlin has said it is the target of western blackmail over the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skrip

Cape Town water crisis: adapting to a water-scarce future Cape Town might have dodged Day Zero, but a new hyper-consciousness of water use looks set to be the new normal — and not just for the drought-hit African city. The water crisis is clear before youʼre even out of Cape Town International Airport.

The bathroom faucets are dry, with soap replaced by hand sanitizer. After a historic three-year drought, Cape Town faced the prospect of "Day Zero" — the moment when the water supply runs too low to supply homes, and all the cityʼs faucets go the way of those at the airport. To avert the collapse of municipal plumbing, the city imposed a limit of 50 liters (13 gallons) of water per person per day, with sharp financial penalties for overuse. Day Zero wasinitially expected in April, but pushed back to June, July, and then August. Earlier this month, the city announced that water-saving limits had worked.

Siberian shopping mall fire kills NATO has announced the explusion of seven Russian employees from Moscowʼs observer mission to the organization.

The head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg announced on Tuesday that the intergovernmental military alliance would be expelling seven observers from the Russian mission over the poisoning of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the UK. Stoltenbergʼs statement followed the earlierdismissal of more than 140 Russian diplomats from 24 different countries. "I have today withdrawn the accreditation of seven staff of the Russian mission to NATO. I will also deny the pending accreditation request for three others," Stoltenberg told a press conference in Brussels. "This will send a clear message to Russia that there are costs and consequences for their unacceptable pattern of behavior." Stoltenberg said that Russia had exhibited a pattern of disregarding the sovereignty of other nations, going back to the illegal annexation of Ukraineʼs region of the Crimea in 2014. On Monday, the US, Germany, Canada and a number of other nations expelled a scores of Moscow diplomats, a move Russian Foreign Minister

Sergey Lavrov described as "blackmail." "We know for certain that this is a result of colossal pressure and colossal blackmail, which is Washingtonʼs chief instrument in the international scene," said Lavrov. The UK became the first western country toexpel Russian diplomats last weekover the March 4 poisoning in Salisbury in the west of England. Many of the countries to follow suit on Monday said they did so out of solidarity with the British government. Skripal, who was freed from Russian custody in 2010 in a "spy swap" with the US, was found nearly comatose on a bench, as was his daughter Yulia.

More than 130 people are suspected of having been exposed to the nerve agent used in the attack, a militarygrade chemical weaponknown as Novichok, which was developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970s. Despite this, the Kremlin has consistently denied having a hand in the attack, claiming not to have received any evidence of the incident from London.

Moscow has promised retaliation for the diplomatic expulsions.

dozens of people in Kemerovo Dozens of people are dead and at least 11 people are missing after a blaze at a shopping center in the Siberian town of Kemerovo. Russian authorities say the death toll was so high as "serious violations were committed." A fire tore through Winter Cherry mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo on Sunday, killing at least 64 people. The fire broke out an hour before midnight local time and was brought under control on Monday morning.

"There were 64 people killed in the Kemerovo mall fire," said the head of Russiaʼs emergency ministry Vladimir Puchkov, adding that six were still missing.

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Sweden and North Korea end talks ahead of possible Trump-Kim summit The Swedish and North Korean foreign ministers have wrapped up three days of talks on the security situation on the Korean peninsula.

Have they cleared the way for a historic meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un? Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom and her North Korean counterpart Ri Yong Ho discussed the "opportunities and challenges for continued diplomatic efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict," Swedenʼs Foreign Ministry said Saturday. The ministry did not comment on whether thethree days of talksin Stockholm hadlaid any groundwork for a possible meetingbetween US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "The main focus for the talks was the security situation on the Korean Peninsula," Wallstrom told reporters, adding that UN sanctions, nuclear weapons, and humanitarian concerns in North Korea were also on the agenda. Ri did not address the media during his visit.

Publisher slammed as Hitler appears in ʼgreat leadersʼ book The book "would bring tears of joy to neo-Nazis," a Jewish human rights organization has said. Adolf Hitler carries a certain fascination in some parts of the world that is largely untouched by his atrocities.

Indian publisher Pegasus landed itself in hot water this week when it emerged that itʼs "Great Leaders" book for children included Adolf Hitler. Pictured alongside freedom fighters Mathama Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, the book chose Hitler as one of the "powerful world leaders who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of their countries and the people living in them." Also included in the book are current Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, controversial Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi and former US President Barack Obama. "Dedicated to the betterment of countries and people?

Adolf Hitler? This description would bring tears of joy to the Nazis and their racist neo-Nazi heirs," said Abraham Cooper of the Jewish human rights organization the Wiesenthal Center. "Placing Hitler alongside truly great political and humanitarian leaders is an abomination that is made worse as it targets young people with little or no knowledge of world history and ethics," Cooper said.

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German court extends Carles Puigdemont detention The case likely hinges on the similarity between Spanish and German law

Canada to deploy troops, helicopters to Mali Canada will send troops and helicopters to Mali to join a UN peacekeeping mission there, Canadian media have reported. The helicopters are expected to replace a German contingent. Canada will soon take part in its first peacekeeping mission to Africa since Rwanda in 1994, sending peacekeepers, backed by helicopters, to join UN Blue Helmets in Mali before autumn, Canadian media reported late on Friday. The commitment comes amid pressure on Canada from Germany and the Netherlands to send peacekeepers, with the Canadian helicopters expected to replace a German contingent, CBC News said, citing a senior government official. The deployment would be for a planned 12 months, according to the report.

A decision on whether Germany will extradite ex-Catalonian leader Carles Puigdemont wonʼt be made before Easter.

A court in Neumünster in Schleswig-Holstein on Monday extended the remand of Carles Puigdemont.The Catalan leader was detained by police in the northern German state the day before. Itʼs the first legal step in a possible extradition to Spain. On Friday, Madrid reactivated a European arrest warrant for Puigdemont for the crime of re‐ belion, which denotes rebellion against the state. Theformer regional president of Catalonia faces up to 25 years in prison on sedition charges in Spain in connection with

Donald Trump signs Taiwan Travel Act, drawing Chinaʼs ire US President Donald Trump has signed a law promoting official exchanges between the US and Taiwan. The move could further strain US-China ties. US President Donald Trump on Friday signed legislation promoting contacts between Washington officials and their Taiwanese counterparts, angering China, which considers Taiwan as part of its territory. The Taiwan Travel Act will allow unrestricted two-way travel for officials from the United States and Taiwan, thus restoring direct official US contacts with the self-ruled is-

Cataloniaʼs independence movement. If the court decides that German authorities can keep Puigdemont, his case will be remanded to a higher regional court in the city of Schleswig, where he could face formal extradition proceedings. Germany must then decide whether to hand over the Catalan leader within 60 days — or 10 days if he himself agrees to his extradition. A court spokeswoman said it was unlikely that a decision could be reached on extradition proceedings before Easter. land, which were cut in 1979 when Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.

The White House said the bill, which was passed unanimously by Congress, would go into effect on Saturday morning even without the presidentʼs signature.

The United States still does not have formal ties with Taiwan, but is required by lawto help it with selfdefense.

Syria: Al-Qaida and IS increasingly lose territory to Assad With the exception of Idlib, Syriaʼs government has recovered control of most major cities from rebels and ter-

ror organizations. Are the "Islamic State" and al-Qaida being beaten out of Syria? With Syriaʼs civil war now in its eighth year, the "Islamic State" (IS) and al-Qaida — two of the most prominent terror organizations active in the fighting — are on the decline.

DW takes a closer look at their roles in the conflict. IS drew international attention when it swept across Iraq and Syria in 2014, making Raqqa, Syria, its capital and taking control of Iraqʼs second-largest city, Mosul. In Syria, IS now only really controls some area near Iraqʼs border, as well as some parts of the countryside. The organization does not currently have a central headquarters. In October, the US military estimated that the group still had about 6,500 members. AlQaida operates most prominently as Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham, a Salafist group that is concentrated near and in the major Syrian city of Idlib.

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Putin visits memorial to victims of shopping mall fire At least 64 people including many children were killed in Sundayʼs blaze in the town of Kemerovo in central Russia. Thousands of people have been separately demonstrating against local authorities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday announced a nationwide day of morning as he visited a memorial to the 64 victims of a shopping center fire in the Siberian town of Kemerovo.

Thousands of people separately protested for senior officials to resign in response to their alleged handling of the fire, according to local media.

Putin placed flowers at a spontaneous memorial set up by local residents at the Winter Cherry Mall where the fire took place.According to local media, he said: "People, children came here to relax. We talk about demographics and yet we lose so many people — and

Facebook bans Trump campaign data firm Cambridge Analytica

why? Due to criminal negligence and sloppiness."Thousands of people separately gathered in front of a regional government building in the city center, where they reportedly called for local officials to resign.

Some protesters also disputed the official death toll, accusing the government of hiding the true scale of the incident.The only top regional official who attended the gathering, Deputy Governor Vladimir Chernov, rejected allegations of a cover up and said he would resign if people wanted him to.

The crowds shouted "resign, resign!" back at him.

North Koreaʼs Kim Jong Un visits China in first foreign trip

The social media giant has accused the data analysis company of illegally obtaining user data. At the same time, a whistleblower has said that Cambridge Analytica illegally harvested data from 50 million users.

Facebook announced on Saturday that it had suspended the data research firm Cambridge Analytica for holding onto dubiously obtained user data after assuring the social media firm that the information had been deleted.

Cambridge Analytica has become well-known in political circles for its work on the election campaign of US President Donald Trump and for the pro-Brexit group Leave.eu. Facebook said it was also suspending the firmʼs parent company, Strategic Communications Laboratories (SCL). The incident revolves around an app put on the site in 2015 by Aleksandr Kogan, a professor at the University of Cambridge, that purported to be a personality test and psychological research tool. About 270,000 users downloaded it and shared their information with it, according to Facebook.

European markets plunge at opening bell as stock market dip deepens Global markets continue to wobble precariously. European markets took a big hit as Tuesdayʼs trading began, following major losses across Asia and particularly in Japan. Wall Street fared no better on Monday. European markets opened on Tuesday awash with red, with the main benchmark indices all down around 3 percent followingWall Streetʼs Monday rout. Minutes after the bell to signal the start of trading, Germanyʼs DAX index dropped 3 percent to 12,308 points. It was a similar story in France and the UK, whose indices opened 3 and 2.5 percent lower respectively.

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Chinese migration brings social change to Italyʼs Alps Home to the largest concentration of Chinese residents in Europe, two mountain villages have become the unlikely setting of an integration experiment. Giulia Saudelli and Matteo Civillini report from northern Italy.

At midday, the fog is so thick one can barely see the mountainside. From the vast space that opens out below, all one can hear are the Chinese workers busily hitting large slabs of stone with their chisels. The quarryʼs owner paces around them, making sure the precious material is handled with care. A few meters away a truck is ready to load the rough-cut stones, which, after a journey down a steep mountain road, will be delivered to the workshops in the tiny villages of Bagnolo Piemonte and Barge. This is the daily routine in the Infernotto Valley, in northern Italy, home to the largest Chinese community in terms of concentration in Europe. Since the early 1990s more than 1,300 of them have settled in this remote area, making up around 10 percent of the total population. The Chinese presence is so strong that Hu has now become the most common surname in Barge. Their arrival initiated what can be described as a 20-yearlong migration experiment, unintentionally providing a testing ground for integration policies in Italy and beyond. What brought them to this unlikely place is the Luserna stone. A pillar of the local economy, the ʼgrey goldʼ — as it is known locally — is a foliated rock featuring sheet-like layers of varying shades of color.

German metalworkers finally secure wage agreement Following weeks of bitter fighting, a wage agreement for the German metal and electrical industries has finally been struck. Employees were able to secure higher wages and more flexible working hours.

A wage agreement was reached in the early hours on Tuesday in Germanyʼs metal and electrical industries. The powerful IG Metall union announced the deal initially covering workers in the southern German state of BadenWürttemberg, but expected to be eventually implemented for a total of 3.9 million workers in the sector nationwide. According to the deal, employeesare to receive a pay hike of 4.3 percent from April this year. Additionally, monthly one-off payments of €100 ($124) were agreed for January through March. Employers and trade union representatives also agreed on the possibility of workers reducing their hours from 35 to 28 hours per week for two years, should they need to look after children or care for older relatives.

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EU, US lawmakers scold Facebook, Trump-linked Cambridge Analytica Lawmakers in the EU and the US demand answers following reports that a firm harvested data from 50 million Facebook users to influence the US election. Cambridge Analytica reportedly retained illegally obtained data.

Politicians in the European Union and the United States have expressed concern about digital privacy after media reported that a consultancy that worked on Donald Trumpʼs 2016 presidential election campaign gained inappropriate access to the personal data of 50 million Facebook users. On Monday, EU Justice Secretary Vera Jourova called the revelations "horrifying," saying that she will "seek further clarification from Facebook" when she travels to the US next week.

EU Parliament President Antonio Tajani tweeted that the "European Parliament will investigate fully, calling dig-

United Kingdom waits to see how the post-Brexit winds will blow The UK is the current world leader in offshore wind capacity. But with the country heading for the EU exit door, can the renewable energy boom last?

Lying unpainted on its side, the greenish curve of a 75-meter (246 feet) long wind turbine blade bears a passing resemblance to a whale. Itʼs twice the length of a blue whale but at 25 tons, is much lighter than the earthʼs largest creature. For employees at the state-of-the-art Siemens Gamesa factory in the port city of Hull in northern England, another comparison is more apt. "Four bull elephants, thatʼs how we equate it," said Alison Maxwell, the head of communications at the facility.

Siemensʼ £160 million ($223 million/182 million euros) plant has manufactured these great fiberglass beasts for wind farms in Britain since it opened at the end of 2016 in the economically deprived city. And itʼs a good time to be in business.

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Nissan, Dongfeng to invest heavily in e-cars in China Together with its joint venture on the ground, Japanese automaker Nissan is to make a multi-billiondollar investment in the production of e-cars in China. Beijingʼs e-car quota system goes into effect next year. Japanese carmaker Nissan and its Chinese joint venture partner Dongfeng Motor Company announced Monday they would invest $9.5 billion (€7.6 billion) in China to increase annual sales by 1 million vehicles andboost the production of electric cars. The move came as China was rolling out new regulations to limit gas vehicles in a bid to reduce air pollution across the Asian nation. Authorities in Beijing will implement a complex quota system as of 2019, requiring carmakers to produce a minimum number of electric vehicles. They are also looking at plans to completely ban fossil fuel cars at a date that has yet to be decided.

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ital platforms to account." In the US, Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota and a member of the chamberʼs Judiciary Committee, said on Sunday that "itʼs clear these platforms canʼt police themselves." In Britain, Conservative legislator Damian Collins, the head of the parliamentary media committee, said he wanted the social networkʼs chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, or another Facebook executive to appear before the body. Collins said the company had "consistently understated" the risk of data leaks and given misleading answers to the committee.

Macron reform boost as public deficit falls under EU limit

For the first time since 2007, Franceʼs public deficit is finally within the set EU limit. While boosting the presidentʼs aim of convincing Berlin to support eurozone reform, some now want to spend rather than save.

France posted a 2.6 percent public debt to GDP ratio in 2017, the first time since 2007 it has been within the threepercent limit set by the European Union, the French national statistics office (INSEE) said on Monday. "We have honored our engagements," Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told France Info radio. "It is proof that the strategy laid out by the president of the Republic on reducing public spending, realigning our public accounts and growth is the right one," he said. The 2.6 percent figure is lower than the governmentʼs 2.9 percent target and was driven in large measure by higher tax receipts, boosted by stronger growth. In 2016, the deficit stood at 3.4 percent of GDP. The economy grew by 0.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017, with 2017 growth at 2 percent, still below the 2.5 percent rate that the 19-member eurozone set in 2017.

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Chinese hackers spying on Indians using WhatsApp, warns army India:

The Indian Army has put out a video warning Indians about Chinese hackers extracting personal information using the social media application. Cybersecurity experts say hacking WhatsApp groups is no "rocket science."

The Indian Army has alleged that Chinese hackers were usingWhatsAppgroups to mine personal data from Indians. In a video posted on Twitter, the Additional Directorate General of Public Interface (ADGPI), the Indian Armyʼs official handle, warned that WhatsApp was the latest platform being used

by Chinese hackers to spy on Indians. "Chinese numbers starting with +86 (Chinaʼs country code) barge into your groups and start extracting all the data," the Indian Army said and urged people to regularly "au-

dit" their WhatsApp groups for any unknown numbers. "Destroy the SIM card if you change your number, and delete your WhatsApp on that number," the army said in the video, which was retweeted by Indiaʼs Defense Ministry. The video did not specify whether the hackers are backed by the Chinese state. Last year, the Indian Army also warned its soldiers stationed along the Chinese border against using a host of applications, including WhatsApp, that were deemed vulnerable to Chinese hackers.

Russian accused of running spam network extradited to US Suspected Russian hacker Pyotr Levashov pleaded not guilty before a US judge after being extradited from Spain. Prosecutors claim he ran a massive computer network that sent out spam and installed malicious software.

Spanish authorities have extradited to the US a Russian man suspected of carrying out cybercrimes using bulk spam emails and malicious software, US officials announced Friday. Pyotr Levashov, a 37-year-old from St. Petersburg, pleaded not guilty to the charges of wire and email fraud, hacking, identity theft and conspiracy after appearing before a federal judge in the US state of Connecticut. He re-

mains in detention. Levashov was arrested in Aprilwhile vacationing with his family in Barcelona. In October, Spainʼs National Court granted the US extradition request, rejecting a counter-extradition request from Russia. US prosecutors say Levashov ran the sprawling Kelihos botnet — a network involving up to 100,000 infected computers that sent spam emails, harvested usersʼ logins and installed malicious software that intercepted bank account passwords. According to the indictment, the network generated and distributed more than 2,500 spam emails a day and allegedly victimized thousands of people in the US.

German university hospital defends auto firmsʼ nitrogen dioxide test ethics No experiments on animals or humans can take place in Germany without a go from an authorized ethics committee. Dr. Thomas Kraus from Aachen University Hospital says this was the case in the most recent NO2 scandal.

The European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector (EUGT) "did not impinge in any way on the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) research it commissioned Aachen University Hospital to do," Professor Thomas Kraus from the hospital told the German press agency DPA on Monday. The EUGT is a now defunct organization that was funded by German carmakers Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW plus partsmaker Bosch, thus raising questions of possible conflicts of interest. In 2013, 25 healthy volunteers were exposed to NO2 pollution for three hours, Kraus said.

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Culture

Budapest’s Széchenyi Baths extend opening hours When the weather is so moody, it is so nice to plunge into a hot pool filled with mineral-rich thermal waters and soak away in the soothing atmosphere.

While the outdoor pools at Budapest’s splendid Széchenyi Baths are always open until 10pm, from March 1st, the indoor thermal area will also stay open until the same time, welcoming those who would rather enjoy the sight of snow from inside, savouring spa delights after dark.

Housed in a stunning NeoBaroque building, the Széchenyi is probably the most popular spa in Budapest, and certainly the largest of its kind in Europe.

While the open-air plunging area is most popular, the Széchenyi altogether holds 11 pools within, each filled with mineral-rich healing waters, as well as steam cabins, saunas and showers.

From March 1st, bathers can enjoy these convivial facilities until as late as 10pm, while the outdoor area stays open until the same time as usual.

Three pools inside are only available to guests with a medical referral, but this still leaves enough room for tranquil relaxation for everyone.

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Germany coach Joachim Löw gives Marco Reus some time off

Germany coach Joachim Löw has left the oft-injured Marco Reus out of his squad for the Spain and Brazil matches. These are Germanyʼs last two friendlies before he has to name his provisional World Cup squad. Perhaps the most notable feature of the squad that Germany coach Joachim Löw announced on Friday was the absence of Borussia Dortmundʼs Marco Reus (pictured above), who is hoping to take part in his first major international tournament after missing the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 European championship through injury.

Bundesliga: Mario Gomez at the double as Stuttgart go seven unbeaten

A return to the international fold was celebrated in style as Stuttgart grabbed another three points on the road. The win lifts them to eighth in the table and an outside shot at European qualification. Never mind a return to the national squad, on this evidence, Gomez will have given Germany coach Jogi Löw plenty to chew as he considers his starting XI to face Spain next Friday night. The veteran striker staked his claim with a brace that gave Stuttgart a sixth win in their last seven league games, lifting the club into European contention. It also showed why he remains one of the best around when it comes to giving himself that crucial yard of space in the penalty area.

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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.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic signs for LA Galaxy The news comes after he came to an agreement to sever ties with Manchester United

Former Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimovic has confirmed that he is moving to the United States to finish his career.

A full-page ad published in Fridayʼs edition of the Los Angeles Times read simply: "Dear Los Angeles, Youʼre welcome," and was signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic. "After being in Europe, winning 33 trophies, playing in the best teams in the world, playing with the best players in the world, I wanted to come to the U.S. and play my game there," Ibrahimovic said in an interview in the same newspaper. "I wanted people to enjoy my game there and to win.

And I chose the Galaxy to do that."

There was no official confirmation of the signing from the Major League Soccer team, however Dan Beckerman, the president of entertainment giant AEG, which operates the Galaxy, told the paper that he expected a lot of the former Swedish international. "Heʼs made it clear heʼs coming here to win championships. Itʼs not about the money," Beckerman said. "L.A. is a place for stars, and heʼs going to be one of the brightest stars thatʼs ever played in this market. In any sport."

Roger Federer to skip French Open after losing No.1 ranking Roger Federer will be replaced as world number one by Rafael Nadal after a shock loss at the Miami Open. The 20-time Grand Slam winner confirmed that he will skip the clay court season again, including the French Open.

Roger Federer will be replaced as world number one by Rafael Nadal after a shock 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 defeat by Australian outsider Thanasi Kokkinakis at the Miami Open. It was the second loss in six days for the Swiss champion, who was beaten by Juan Martin del Potro in the

Indian Wells final. Kokkinakis, ranked 175th in the world, used a vicious topspin forehand to wear down the defending champion and claim an upset victory in front of a stunned near-capacity crowd. He only got into the Miami qualifiers on a wildcard, but he displayed the talent that has long had him earmarked as one to watch. Federer, who became the oldest ever world number one when hetopped the rankings in February at the age of 36, will skip the French Open, which starts on May 27, for the second straight season.