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Italy’s Jannik Sinner serves under the watchful eye of coach Simone Vagnozzi (right) during a training session in Melbourne Tuesday. (AFP) Jannik Sinner returns to the Australian Open targeting a third straight title as the Italian seeks to impose a level of supremacy reminiscent of Novak Djokovic’s stranglehold on the year’s opening Grand Slam.The 24-year-old will arrive at Melbourne Park under vastly different circumstances from 12 months ago when his successful title defence was partly overshadowed by a doping controversy which saw him serve a three-month ban.With that storm firmly behind him, Sinner steps onto the blue courts unencumbered and with his focus sharpened after an outstanding 2025 in which he was only seriously challenged by world number one Carlos Alcaraz.”I feel to be a better player than last year,” Sinner said after beating Alcaraz to win the season-ending ATP Finals with his 58th match victory of a curtailed campaign.”Honestly, amazing season. Many, many wins, and not many losses. All the losses I had, I tried to see the positive things and tried to evolve as a player.”I felt like this happened in a very good way.”Sinner now sets his sights on a third straight Melbourne crown – a feat last achieved in the men’s game during the second of Djokovic’s “three-peats” from 2019 to 2021 – and few would bet against him pushing his overall major tally to five.That pursuit continues to be built on a game as relentless as it is precise, a metronomic rhythm from the baseline powered by near-robotic consistency and heavy groundstrokes that grind opponents into submission.Although anchored in consistency and control, Sinner has worked to add a dash of magic – the kind of spontaneity best embodied by Alcaraz – and his pursuit will add intrigue to a rivalry that has become the defining duel of men’s tennis.”It’s evolved in a positive way, especially the serving,” Sinner said at the ATP Finals of his game.”From the back of the court, it’s a bit more unpredictable. I still have margins where I can play better at times.”It’s also difficult because you have to give a lot of credit to your opponent. Carlos is an incredible player. You have to push yourself over the limits.”The “Sincaraz” rivalry has already lit up most of the biggest tennis tournaments but Melbourne remains the missing piece, and all signs point to that changing this year with the Australian Open set for a blockbuster title showdown. Related Story Source link
For expats living in Doha, the Maldives is one of the closest true tropical escapes, just a short flight away, yet worlds apart in colour, pace and nature. Beyond the well-known luxury resorts lies a more accessible Maldives: local islands where everyday life continues alongside turquoise lagoons, coral reefs and some of the best snorkelling and diving on the planet. This is a way to experience the country that is calmer, more personal and far more affordable. I chose to focus on Dhangethi and Dhigurah because together they capture two distinctly different, yet equally compelling, expressions of local island life in the Maldives. Both are located in South Ari Atoll, an area renowned for exceptional marine life, but they offer contrasting rhythms: one compact and social, the other long, quiet and nature-led. Seen side by side, they show the range and potential of travelling through local islands rather than retreating to a single resort. For many travellers, the Maldives is still closely associated with private villas, overwater bungalows and prices that place the destination firmly in the “once-in-a-lifetime” category. Beautiful, undoubtedly – but also distant and, for some, disconnected. What is less widely known is that since 2009, when guesthouses on inhabited islands were legalised, it has been possible to stay among local communities, eat Maldivian food and explore the same lagoons and reefs as the resorts, without the isolation or the cost. Visiting Dhangethi and Dhigurah reshaped how I see the country.Getting there from Doha could hardly be easier. Direct flights with Qatar Airways take around four hours, with return fares typically ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 QAR depending on season. What makes the journey especially appealing is that you can skip the capital entirely. After landing at Velana International Airport, it is possible to walk straight to the ferry terminal or speedboat jetty and continue directly to your island. Public ferries are inexpensive but slow, while speedboats are faster and still reasonably priced. Boarding a boat straight from the airport, leaving the city behind almost instantly, feels like the true beginning of the holiday. Whether or not you dive, the ocean defines the Maldives. Warm water year-round, excellent visibility and reefs that sit close to shore make snorkelling accessible to almost everyone. For those who are curious but inexperienced, many local dive centres offer introductory dives in calm conditions. For certified divers, the experience is world-class. Reefs, channels and drop-offs are rich with life, and encounters with larger species are common rather than exceptional. South Ari Atoll, where both Dhangethi and Dhigurah are located, is particularly famous for whale sharks. Around Dhigurah, sightings are possible much of the year, making it one of the most reliable places in the world to snorkel with the largest fish in the ocean. Manta rays are also frequently seen, especially during periods when plankton levels increase. What stands out on local islands is how personal these experiences feel — small boats, local guides and a pace that allows you to fully absorb what you are seeing. Dhangethi is compact, friendly and social. The island is easy to navigate, and daily life quickly becomes familiar. Shore snorkelling is excellent, with turtles and reef sharks often spotted close to the beach, and diving trips to manta and whale shark sites are easily arranged. Evenings are relaxed, with small cafés and restaurants becoming informal meeting points. It is an ideal island for a shorter stay or for travellers who enjoy a sense of community. Dhigurah, by contrast, feels expansive and calm. One of the longest natural islands in the Maldives, it offers kilometres of beach and a strong sense of space. Days are shaped by long walks, time in the water and a slower rhythm. The island’s proximity to whale shark areas makes it especially appealing for snorkellers and divers, but it also suits travellers who simply want quiet, nature and distance from crowds. One of the most common questions is when to go. The Maldives is genuinely a year-round destination, but different seasons suit different priorities. From December to April, the weather is generally drier and the seas calmer, making this the peak season. March to May is the warmest period, ideal for beach-focused trips. From May to October, conditions become more changeable, with occasional tropical showers and more wind. However, this period — including June, July and August — also brings advantages: fewer visitors, lower prices and excellent marine life, particularly for manta rays and whale sharks. Rain typically comes in short bursts rather than all-day downpours, and the ocean remains warm and inviting. The contrast between resort islands and local islands is striking. While resorts often cost several thousand Qatari riyals per night, local islands offer comfortable guesthouses, affordable meals and reasonably priced excursions. The water, reefs and sunsets are the same; the difference lies in how you experience them. Travelling through local islands offers a perspective on the Maldives that feels more human, more connected and more sustainable. Dhangethi and Dhigurah represent two distinct expressions of this experience, one social and compact, the other spacious and contemplative. united by extraordinary marine life and a powerful sense of place. For expats in Doha, it is one of the most rewarding short-haul escapes available. The Maldives key factsLocation: Island nation in the Indian Ocean, southwest of India and Sri LankaPopulation: Approximately 520,000Islands & atolls:Around 1,190 coral islandsGrouped into 26 natural atollsWhat is an atoll?An atoll is a ring-shaped coral formation built around a shallow lagoon. In the Maldives, atolls were formed as coral reefs grew around sinking volcanic islands over millions of years, creating protected lagoons, shallow reefs and calm waters – ideal conditions for marine life, snorkelling and diving. Island breakdown (approx.):Geography: World’s lowest-lying country– Average elevation: 1.5 metres– Highest natural point: 2.4 metres Formation: Entirely coral-based islandsHistory: Settled over 2,500 years ago; Islamic nation since the 12th century; independence in 1965Tourism: First resort opened in 1972; local island guesthouses legal since 2009Language: DhivehiCurrency: Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR); USD widely acceptedClimate: Tropical, 27–32°C year-roundMarine life highlights: Whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, reef sharksFun facts:No rivers, hills or mountainsBioluminescent plankton can sometimes glow at nightOne of the richest marine ecosystems on the planet Related Story Source link
Novak Djokovic returns to Melbourne Park looking to roll back the apparently inexorable tide of the ‘Sincaraz’ era and produce an Australian Open triumph that would establish him as the most successful Grand Slam champion of all time.The Serbian clinched his 24th major title at the U.S. Open in late 2023, but Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have since dominated the Grand Slams with a brand of fast-paced tennis that has blown their rivals off the court.Djokovic, who will be 39 in May, is not impervious to the physical toll two decades on the tour has taken on his body, but only the most foolhardy observer has ever written off one of the mentally toughest players to play the game.To move out of a tie with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam singles titles in the Australian's own back yard, though, he looks likely to need to beat one or both of the ‘New Two’ at the business end of the tournament.Last year, the last survivor of the ‘Big Three’ beat Alcaraz in the quarter-finals only to retire from his semi-final against Alex Zverev with a hamstring tear.He reached the semi-finals of all four majors in 2025, losing to Sinner in Paris and at Wimbledon, as well as Alcaraz in New York.’I lost three out of four slams in semis against these guys, so they're just too good, playing on a really high level,’ he said after his loss at Flushing Meadows. ‘Best-of-five makes it very, very difficult for me to play them. Particularly if it's like the end stages of a Grand Slam.’ 'ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION'Djokovic pulled out of the warm-up tournament in Adelaide in January but Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley moved quickly to douse any question over the 38-year-old turning up in Melbourne.’He'll be here to play 100%,’ Tiley said at the weekend.’Just out of the abundance of caution, he just wanted to make sure he's 100% ready. He's won this event 10 times. He wants to go for that record, and this is the place that he has the best chance of doing it.’Indeed, Tiley said, it was highly unlikely to be Djokovic's last Australian Open either, tallying with the player's own ambition to defend his Olympic title in Los Angeles in 2028.Djokovic's battered body might have other plans, though, and his chances of going deep will probably rely on him staying healthy into the second week at Melbourne Park.He managed ATP titles in Geneva and Athens last year to take his tally to 101 but his best efforts at the longer Masters events were a Miami final and a semi in Shanghai.It will be his 21st appearance in the main draw at the Australian Open, a run that started as a qualifier in 2005 when he was thumped by eventual champion Marat Safin.Melbourne's large community of fans with Serbian heritage will ensure he has plenty of support at a tournament where he has otherwise been more admired than loved.There is no doubting he will go down as one of the tournament's great champions, however, especially as his 10 triumphs came in the ‘Big Three’ era when Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer were also at their peak. Source link
Ai, a “genius” chimpanzee who could recognise more than 100 Chinese characters and the English alphabet, has died aged 49, Japanese researchers said. “Ai, which means love in Japanese, took part in studies on perception, learning and memory that advanced our understanding of primate intelligence,” the Centre for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behaviour at Kyoto University said in a statement. She died on Friday from multiple organ failure and ailments related to old age, the school said. Aside from mastering Chinese characters and the alphabet, Ai could also identify the Arabic numerals from zero to nine and 11 colours, primatologist Tetsuro Matsuzawa said in 2014.In one study, Ai was presented with a computer screen displaying the Chinese character for pink, along with a pink square and an alternative purple square. The chimpanzee correctly chose the pink square, Matsuzawa said. Source link
The Civil Defense in Gaza announced the deaths of four Palestinians due to partial collapses of buildings and homes already damaged by Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, coinciding with the arrival of a new weather system.The spokesman for the Civil Defense in Gaza, Mahmoud Basal, reported the deaths of three Palestinians – an elderly man, a woman, and a child – when a wall of a house damaged by previous Israeli shelling and walls of a site used as a shelter for displaced people in Gaza City collapsed. Another Palestinian woman was killed when a wall of a house damaged by previous Israeli shelling collapsed in the vicinity of Al-Thawra Street, west of Gaza City, due to the stormy weather. Strong winds and heavy rain caused the remains of several houses to collapse, while a tent belonging to displaced people fell from the roof of the Deir al-Balah municipality building in the central Gaza Strip, resulting in injuries. The winds also tore down tents belonging to displaced people in AlMawasi area of ​​Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in that region. A major storm system is hitting the Gaza Strip, with heavy rains accompanied by strong winds, which have caused the tents of displaced people in the Strip to be blown away, amid harsh humanitarian conditions, as a result of the siege and the Israeli occupationâ€s refusal to allow the entry of relief, shelter and reconstruction materials. Several residential buildings, which were inhabited by displaced people and were on the verge of collapse due to previous shelling by the occupation army, have collapsed since the beginning of winter, claiming the lives of more than 20 Palestinians, including children and women. Residents of the Gaza Strip, and the displaced people in tents in particular, have been facing a serious humanitarian disaster and tragedy since the war of genocide on Gaza, amid a lack of shelter supplies and the occupationâ€s prevention of their entry, and deteriorating living conditions, which h Source link
Soccer Football – Premier League – Arsenal v Liverpool – Emirates Stadium, London, Britain – January 8, 2026 Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus and Jurrien Timber react as…
Myanmar deliberately targeted the Rohingya minority with “horrific violence” in a bid to destroy the community, Gambia’s justice minister told the International Court of Justice yesterday at the start of a genocide hearing. “It is not about esoteric issues of international law. It is about real people, real stories and a real group of human beings. The Rohingya of Myanmar. They have been targeted for destruction,” Dawda Jallow told ICJ judges. Gambia brought the case accusing Myanmar of breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention during a crackdown in 2017.Legal experts are watching closely as it could give clues for how the court will handle similar accusations against Israel over its military campaign in Gaza, in a case brought to the ICJ by South Africa. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims fled violence by the Myanmar army and Buddhist militias, escaping to neighbouring Bangladesh and bringing harrowing accounts of mass rape, arson and murder. They were subjected to “the most horrific violence and destruction one could imagine”, said Jallow. Paul Reichler, a lawyer representing Gambia, laid out searing allegations from witnesses, including gang rapes, sexual mutilation, and infants being burned alive. Today, 1.17mn Rohingya live crammed into dilapidated camps spread over 8,000 acres in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh.From there, mother-of-two Janifa Begum, 37, said: “I want to see whether the suffering we endured is reflected during the hearing.” “We want justice and peace,” she said. A final decision could take months or even years, and while the ICJ has no means of enforcing its decisions, a ruling in favour of The Gambia would heap more political pressure on Myanmar.“We did not bring this case lightly,” said Jallow. “We brought this case after reviewing credible reports of the most brutal and vicious violations imaginable inflicted upon a vulnerable group that had been dehumanised and persecuted for many years,” added the minister. The Gambia, a country in west Africa, brought the case in 2019 to the ICJ, which rules in disputes between states.Under the Genocide Convention, any country can file a case at the ICJ against any other it believes is in breach of the treaty. Myanmar has always maintained the crackdown by its armed forces, known as the Tatmadaw, was justified to root out Rohingya insurgents after a series of attacks left a dozen security personnel dead. Myanmar’s junta spokesman could not be reached for comment yesterday.In 2020, the ICJ said Myanmar must take “all measures within its power” to halt any acts prohibited in the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. These acts included “killing members of the group” and “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part”.The US officially declared that the violence amounted to genocide in 2022, three years after a UN team said Myanmar harboured “genocidal intent” towards the Rohingya. The ICJ hearings wrap up on January 29. “When the court considers… all of the evidence taken together, the only reasonable conclusion to reach is that a genocidal intent permeated and informed Myanmar’s myriad of state-led actions against the Rohingya,” said Philippe Sands, arguing for The Gambia. The ICJ is not the only court looking into possible genocide against the Rohingya – other cases are underway at the International Criminal Court and in Argentina under the principle of universal jurisdiction.Outside the court, Tun Khin, president of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK, said: “We have been waiting for justice for many years. “What’s happening to the Rohingya is genocide, intentionally destroying our community. And we want to get justice. And when justice is done, we want to go back to our homeland with all our rights. And we want compensation,” he added. Source link
The Israeli entity continued its attacks on southern Lebanon on Monday. Field sources said that an Israeli drone was found to have crashed in Al Bayada, while a tank targeted the vicinity of a house on the outskirts of the town of Aitaroun with two shells.The Israeli entity’s artillery also fired flares into the skies of Aita Al Shaab. On Nov. 27, 2024, a ceasefire agreement in southern Lebanon came into effect, stipulating the withdrawal of Israeli forces from border villages and towns in southern Lebanon within 60 days. Subsequently, the Lebanese government agreed to extend the deadline until Feb. 18, 2020. However, Israeli forces remained in five locations and continue their violations, which have exceeded 7,000 aerial incursions and more than 2,400 military activities in the area of operations of UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon. Source link
India captain Shubman Gill and selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar interact during a practice session Saturday. (AFP) Test and ODI skipper Shubman Gill Saturday said he respected the Indian selectors’ shock decision to drop him from the squad for the T20 World Cup on home soil, calling it “destiny”.The 26-year-old will lead the one-day team in three matches against New Zealand starting today in Vadodara before many of India’s players head into a five-match T20 series.Indian selectors surprisingly axed the batsman from the T20 squad after he scored only 291 runs in his past 15 matches in the game’s shortest format at an average of 24.25.”Firstly, it is my belief that in my life, I am where I am supposed to be. Whatever is written in my destiny, I will have it,” Gill told reporters.”As a player I want to win games for my team, but having said that, I respect the selectors’ decision. I wish the T20 team the very best. I hope that they win the World Cup.”India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, are the defending champions in the T20 World Cup which takes place in India and Sri Lanka between February 7 and March 8.Before that, India will play 50-over matches against New Zealand with the spotlight on stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.Kohli and Rohit play only the ODI format since retiring from T20s, following the World Cup triumph in Barbados in 2024, and Test cricket.Gill said the presence of the two greats was invaluable for any captain.”Definitely when you have these two people in your team, it makes your life a lot easier,” said Gill.”And whenever you are in a tough situation, they have been in those kind of situations and conditions many times in their life, so you can always go to them and see how they are thinking or what they would do.”And that piece of information is very valuable for any captain.”The 37-year-old Kohli and Rohit, 38, have been in top batting form in international and domestic cricket, scoring centuries and runs to turn back the clock.Meanwhile, New Zealand’s ODI captain Michael Bracewell is keen to make the most of the Indian conditions ahead of the T20 World Cup.”It’s always fun coming over and playing here,” said Bracewell, a left-hand batter and off-spinner.”A month before the T20 World Cup, getting used to these conditions. You won’t be in the same venue but in general, getting used to the nature of the surfaces that they have.”Bracewell said he will name the playing XI at the toss but confirmed fast bowler Kristian Clarke will make his international debut in the ODI opener. Related Story Source link
United Nations monitors recorded more civilian deaths in Ukraine in 2025 than in any other year except 2022, as hostilities flared along the frontline and Russia expanded its use of long-range weapons, the UN’s top rights body said yesterday. The data comes as US-led diplomatic attempts to end the war have stalled, with Russia last week rejecting a draft plan that would see European countries deploy soldiers in Ukraine once the war ends. “The total civilian casualties in Ukraine in 2025 reached at least 2,514 killed and 12,142 injured, which is a 31% increase compared to 2024,” the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a report published yesterday. “Our monitoring shows that this rise was driven not only by intensified hostilities along the frontline, but also by the expanded use of long-range weapons, which exposed civilians across the country to heightened risk,” the head of the OHCHR’s monitoring mission in Ukraine, Danielle Bell, said in a press release attached to the report. There is no reliable figure as to the total number of civilians killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. The UN has verified almost 15,000 civilian deaths, it said in the report, but added that the “actual extent of civilian harm … is likely considerably higher” since it is impossible to verify many cases and there is no access to areas that have come under Russian occupation. Those places include the port city of Mariupol, where thousands are estimated to have been killed during a weeks-long siege by Russian forces at the start of the war.Russia’s battlefield gains in Ukraine last year were also higher than in any other year except 2022, according to an AFP analysis of data from the US-based Institute for the Study of War, as Moscow pressed its advantage against outgunned and overstretched Ukrainian troops. Source link