India began countdown early Thursday for launching 31 satellites in a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from its spaceport here, said the space agency.

“The 28-hour countdown began at 5.29 a.m. in the mission control here for the rocket launch at 9.28 a.m. on Friday,” said the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on its website.

The spaceport Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR) is located about 80 km northeast of Chennai off the Bay of Bengal coast.

“The propellant filling operation of fourth stage of PSLV-C40 is under progress,” said an update on ISRO’s website on Thursday morning.

The 31 satellites with a combined weight of 1,323 kg have been integrated with the PSLV-C40 for deploying them in the earth’s lower orbit after lift off.

Of the 31 satellites, three are Indian and 28 are from six countries: Canada, Finland, France, South Korea, UK and the US.

The Indian satellites are 710 kg Cartosat-2 series for Earth observation, a 100 kg micro satellite and a five kg nano satellite.

“The micro satellite will be India’s 100th satellite in space,” ISRO Satellite Centre Director M. Annadurai had told IANS on Tuesday.

The first space mission in 2018 onboard the PSLV-C40 comes four months after a similar rocket failed to deliver the country’s eighth navigation satellite in the earth’s lower orbit on August 31, 2017.

US President Donald Trump has said that he saw “a lot of good energy” from the inter-Korean talks that happened for the first time ever on Tuesday after a gap of two years.

“A lot of good talks are going on right now, a lot of good energy. I see a lot of good energy. I like it very much what I am seeing,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

He was addressing a joint press conference with visiting Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg when he was asked about the “historic” Korean talks, Xinhua news agency reported.

“Hopefully a lot of good things are going to work out,” he added.

Trump’s remarks have shelved his often-bellicose rhetoric on Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s top leader.

Since Trump took office in January 2017, his administration has resorted to hawkish and threatening rhetoric against Kim’s regime, sent warships and conducted joint military drills with South Korea.

Such moves, plus North Korea’s several missiles and nuclear tests, have sent the situation on the Korean Peninsula to a simmering extent.

Trump softened his stance over the peninsula security situation on Saturday, saying he was willing to talk with Kim and support the talks between the two Koreas.

However, he added that any talks will come with prerequisites.

According to a White House statement, Trump, in a phone call on Wednesday with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in, said he would be open to talks “at the appropriate time and under the right circumstances”.

The North and South Korea started high-level talks on Tuesday at the truce village of Panmunjom that straddles the heavily guarded border between the two neighbours.

A joint press release issued after the dialogue said the North had agreed to send a delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics to kick off in February in South Korea’s Pyeongchang, and the 2018 Paralympics in March.

Seoul and Pyongyang have also agreed to hold a separate dialogue between their military authorities to ease tensions and create a peaceful environment on the Korean Peninsula.

Pyongyang on Thursday asked Seoul to abandon its military manoeuvers with the US, saying that the exercises were fuelling tension on the peninsula and increasing the risk of war.

Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki spearhead the charge to succeed Serena Williams at an Australian Open left wide open by the withdrawal of the defending champion and new mum.

A pregnant Williams sealed her 23rd Grand Slam singles title and seventh Melbourne Park crown a year ago, but last week announced she wouldn’t defend her title, saying she was “super close” but not quite ready to compete after giving birth in September.

With the 36-year-old having to wait to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, the tournament is there for the taking by a host of players, led by world number one Halep, second-ranked Wozniacki and fourth-ranked Elina Svitolina.

Last year there were two first-time major-winners while Serena was on maternity leave — Jelena Ostapenko at the French Open and Sloane Stephens at the US Open.

But their chances in Melbourne look slim: Stephens hasn’t won a match on tour since her Flushing Meadows triumph, and Ostapenko was far from her attacking best in her first-round defeats in Shenzhen and Sydney in the past week.

– Halep’s chance –

==================

Wimbledon champion and world number three Garbine Muguruza raising retired with severe cramps in Brisbane last week, in what could be a further boost to Halep’s hopes of a maiden Grand Slam.

The 26-year-old Romanian is full of confidence after lifting the title at Shenzhen in dominant fashion, but will need to overcome her sorry record at Melbourne Park where she has lost in the first round in both of the past two years when seeded in the top four.

Wozniacki is riding high after her resurgence in 2017 when she reached eight finals, with victories in Tokyo in September and at the season-ending Tour Championship.

The Danish former world number one lost in the Auckland Classic final on Sunday to Germany’s Julia Goerges, but said she felt great heading to Melbourne as she too looks to make her Slam breakthrough.

“I’ve got a lot of matches under my belt this week, it was the preparation I hoped for,” said Wozniacki, who is back up to second in the world and, if results go her way, can return to the top spot after a gap of six years.

In-form Svitolina last week won the Brisbane International after picking up five WTA Tour titles last year, more than any other woman.

The Ukrainian believes hard work in the off-season is paying dividends. “I’ve started to play more consistently,” she said. “I’m stronger physically. I have a different look to my game.”

World number six Karolina Pliskova lost to Svitolina in the Brisbane semi-final but also will be a contender for a maiden Slam behind one of the biggest serves on tour.

– Evergreen Venus –

===================

Britain’s world number nine Johanna Konta could figure despite a slow start to the season. She reached the last eight in both of her Australian Open appearances to date, but slumped out of the Sydney International in the first round this week.

But the most dangerous floater is 2008 champion Maria Sharapova, who on Monday moved back into the world’s top 50 for the first time since returning from a 15-month doping ban.

The controversial Russian, ranked 47, lost in the Shenzhen semi-final to Katerina Siniakova and admitted she had “a lot of things to improve on”.

If it is not to be a new name on the trophy, it could well be the oldest player in the field — evergreen 37-year- old Venus Williams.

Venus last won a Slam in 2008 but she enjoyed a renaissance last year, when she reached two Grand Slam finals and returned to the world top five.

Only sister Serena prevented Venus from winning an 11th Grand Slam singles title in last year’s all-Williams Melbourne final. Victory would see her eclipse Ken Rosewall as the oldest player ever to win a major.

The world’s largest solar-thermal power plant has been given development approval by the South Australian government, the media reported.

Construction on the 150-megawatt Aurora plant, to be built by utility-scale solar power company SolarReserve, will begin in 2018 at an estimated cost of $509 million, Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday.

Chris Picton, South Australia’s acting energy minister, said the plant would create 650 construction jobs and 50 ongoing positions when completed.

“It’s fantastic that SolarReserve has received development approval to move forward with this world-leading project that will deliver clean, dispatchable renewable energy to supply our electrified rail, hospitals and schools,” Picton told reporters in Adelaide on Wednesday.

“South Australia is fast becoming a global centre for the development of renewable energy with storage, with a range of other projects set to come online over the next few years.”

The plant will work by using a series of mirrors to concentrate sunlight on a receiver at the top of a 220-meter tower.

The sunlight will then heat molten salt to 565 degrees centigrade, generating steam to drive a turbine that will produce 150 megawatts of electricity making it the largest single-tower solar thermal plant in the world.

It will have the capacity to power 90,000 homes with eight hours of full load storage.

It will join the largest lithium-ion battery, built by Tesla to complement the state’s power grid during the high-demand summer, as another major renewable energy project in South Australia.

Kevin Smith, CEO of SolarReserve, described the plant as “a preview of the future of power generation around the world.”

“It is a significant step in the development of the Aurora solar thermal power station, which will bring clean power generation technology to South Australia,” he said.

The US on Wednesday issued a new travel advisory for countries including India, which its officials said is “user friendly” as it is based on ready-to-understand level of advice ranging from one to four. India has been ranked Level 2 (exercise increased caution) while Pakistan has been placed in Level 3 (reconsider travel). Level 1 advises travllers to exercise normal precaution, while Level 4, which has countries like Afghanistan, recommends “Do Not Travel”.

Now every country has a travel advisory based on this system, which has replaced all the previous such advisories. “These improvements will provide US citizens with clear, timely, and reliable safety and security information worldwide,” the State Department said.

Placing India on Level 2, the State Department identified “crime and terrorism” for Americans to exercise increased caution. However, it asks Americans not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir, except for eastern Ladakh and Leh and not to venture within 10 miles of the India-Pakistan border due to the “potential for armed conflict”.

The State Department explained that while it will issue an overall travel advisory level for every country, levels of advice may vary for specific locations or areas within a country. “Indian authorities report rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India. Violent crime, such as sexual assault, has occurred at tourist sites and in other locations,” the new India travel advisory said.

Terrorists or armed groups are active in east-central India, primarily in rural areas, it added. “Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities,” it said.

Ranking Pakistan on Level 3, the State Department asked Americans to reconsider travel to this country due to terrorism. It advises Americans not to travel to travel to Balochistan province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) due to terrorism.

Americans are also advised not to travel to Pak-Occupied Kashmir due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict. “Over the past six months, there have been at least 40 significant terrorist attacks across Pakistan, resulting in over 225 deaths and 475 wounded, most of which occurred in Balochistan, KPK, and the FATA. In the past, there have been large-scale terrorist attacks resulting in hundreds of casualties,” it said.

Allrounder Ben Stokes was included in England’s 16-man cricket squad for their Test tour of New Zealand Thursday, while Lancashire batsman Liam Livingstone got his first call up.

Seamer Mark Wood returns after struggling with injury, and Ashes underperformers Mooen Ali, James Vince and Mark Stoneman were all retained.

But Gary Ballance, Jake Ball and Tom Curran, who were all part of the Australia Test squad, miss out.

England play two Tests in New Zealand starting in Auckland on March 22 after being thrashed 4-0 by Australia in the Ashes series that ended in Sydney this week.

In the chastening campaign, Australia record four comprehensive wins — including two innings victories and a 10-wicket triumph.

Stokes missed the entire series in Australia after being banned from international duties while police investigate his alleged role in a fight outside a nightclub in Bristol three months ago.

He kept his hand in by playing for Canterbury, his New Zealand birth province, for a month, but has since returned home to be with his wife and young family.

England selectors said he was in the frame “though his involvement remains subject to any relevant legal or disciplinary developments in relation to the incident in Bristol in September”.

“Should the ECB Board receive formal confirmation that Stokes has either been charged or that he will face no charges, they would convene within 48 hours to make a decision on his availability for the team at that stage,” they said.

Livingstone was rewarded for his form with Lancashire, with National Selector James Whitaker saying they had been watching him for some time.

“Liam has been a player that we have been impressed with for quite some time, having performed well in the county system with Lancashire and over the past couple of years with the England Lions,” he said.

“He is a very talented and tough cricketer who has the ideal qualities and character to be successful in the Test arena.”

Selectors also recalled Durham seamer Wood, who is back in the Test squad for the first time since last year.

“After a frustrating period with injuries, Mark is now back to full fitness and is looking forward to being part of our Test plans,” said Whitaker.

“He will play a significant part in our forthcoming ODI tour of Australia and we will be paying close attention to his efforts over the next few weeks.”

England play five one-dayers against Australia, starting in Melbourne on Sunday.

From the Ashes Test squad, Yorkshire batsman Ballance, Nottinghamshire seamer Ball and Surrey all-rounder Curran all miss out and will return to county cricket.

“They are talented players and I am sure their time will come again,” said Whitaker.

England – Joe Root (capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Alaister Cook, Mason Crane, Ben Foakes, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his 52nd death anniversary saying he will be remembered for his courageous leadership.

“We pay homage to Shastriji on his punya tithi (death anniversary). His impeccable service and courageous leadership will be remembered for generations to come,” Modi said in a tweet.

We pay homage to Shastri Ji on his Punya Tithi. His impeccable service and courageous leadership will be remembered for generations to come.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 11, 2018

Shastri was born in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Sharada Prasad and Ramdulari Devi on October 2, 1904.

On January 11, 1966, he breathed his last in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, a day after signing the Tashkent Declaration, reportedly due to cardiac arrest.

Shastri was the first person to be posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award in 1966.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes the introduction of a Video Assistant Referee system in English football is a welcome move after the technology was used in his side’s League Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

Wenger’s side faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the second match in England to have access to the VAR technology.

It was in effect on Monday for the first time in an English club match, when Brighton beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup third round, but it wasn’t called on then.

Must read: Chelsea, Arsenal cancel each other out in 1st leg

On Wednesday, referee Martin Atkinson consulted with video ref Neil Swarbrick, who sat in the Premier League’s control room in west London, on two penalty appeals — one for each team — but no decisions were overturned.

“There was only two opportunities for them to intervene.

The second was a bit strange, the ball went out for the corner and then they went back to the penalty,” Wenger said.

“If the referee is not sure we could stop the game straight away.”

Don’t miss: Liverpool players, former and present, react to Philippe Coutinho’s departure

Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck was involved in the second incident when his second half challenge on Cesc Fabregas was ruled not a penalty after VAR consultation.

Welbeck said: “I didn’t know the VAR was actually looking at that incident. I knew I cleanly got the ball so I wasn’t worried at all.

“I could see him (Atkinson) talking to somebody in his ear but I got the ball clearly so I wasn’t worried.”

Arsenal teammate Calum Chambers added: “You’re aware. You can see them talking in their ear but it’s one of those things, we’ll get used to it.”

Also read: Arsene Wenger admits one Arsenal midfielder could depart in January

Blues boss Antonio Conte added: “I think it was a good solution, when there is a doubt during the game the referee can check and see the situation again and make the best decision.

“It is right, in this way for sure the mistakes are less.”

Oddly, the VAR was not used in Tuesday’s first semi-final between Manchester City and Bristol City. Second-tier Bristol do not have the necessary set-up to install the VAR for the second leg of the tie in two weeks’ time.

As a consequence, it was not utilised in the first leg in Manchester which the Premier League team won 2-1.

Novak Djokovic made a resounding return on Wednesday after six months out with an elbow injury, declaring he felt “great” after beating world number five Dominic Thiem 6-1, 6-4 at the Kooyong Classic.

The Serbian 12-time Grand Slam winner was in good form, and full of optimism, after his first competitive outing since losing a Wimbledon quarter-final to Tomas Berdych last July.

“I feel great, I was eager to get onto the court,” he said after playing with a flesh-coloured sleeve on his right arm.

“I had a great opponent, it was a test for me to see where I am, how the work we did pays off on court. It worked pretty well.”

The former world number one, who will be chasing a record seventh Australian Open crown next week, had pulled out of a warm-up tournament in Abu Dhabi, raising concerns over whether he would be fit enough to play at Melbourne Park.

“There was a doubt, especially after I pulled out of the first week of the year,” he admitted.

“I personally didn’t know what’s going to happen. We did some treatment and obviously gave it a lot of thought,” Djokovic said.

“Luckily… I’m here and so I’m hoping in the next four, five days everything will go well and I’ll be ready for the Open.”

While pleased with his progress, Djokovic — who has dropped to 14 in the world rankings — admitted he still had work to do ahead of the opening Grand Slam of the year.

“I don’t want to be over-confident, but I’m very, very happy with how it went today,” added the 30-year-old.

“I don’t say I’m at 100 percent, I can only say that when I get the feel of a tournament. Ideally I would have had another tournament before the start of the Open, but it was not meant to be.

“I’ll take whatever I can — one or two matches here will be good preparation.”

Thiem, who only arrived in Melbourne on Monday night from Doha after four days in bed with a virus, presented only a minimal challenge to the recharged Serb.

“I’m free of fever and healthy again,” the Austrian said.

“I’m still jet-lagged and was slow at the beginning of the match. I’ll sleep, eat and train and not do too much. I’ll be fine for the Open.”

Australian Matthew Ebden, back on court after an injury- marred 2017, defeated Marin Cilic 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 7-5 in another match at the exhibition tournament.

World number six Cilic won the opener but found his game not quite up to competitive level as Ebden sneaked out the second set and then won a tight third.

Cilic, last year’s losing Wimbledon finalist against Roger Federer, heads into his final practice days for the Australian Open content with his form.

“The most important thing is to feel the conditions, to get comfortable,” he said. “It’s important to find a good rhythm.

“Overall, I’m quite happy with my level. I was feeling the ball well and hitting cleanly from both sides.”

Former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus beat US Open runner-up Kevin Anderson 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

In a women’s tuneup, Hopman Cup winner Belinda Bencic beat 16-year-old Wang Xinyu of China 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

“It was tough… with the wind,” the Swiss said.

“She’s a big hitter and there were not many rallies. You had to play the court and try to hit hard.”

Getting older isn’t easy. As you age, there are many invisible bodily changes like the weakening of memory and many changes are visible in appearance. One of the most prominent signs that tout getting old is greying or whitening of natural color of hair. It is a great concern for younger adults nowadays.

There are many reasons behind whitening of hair at an early age including high level of stress and tension, hereditary problem, improper diet – a deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals, unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking alcohol, emotional disturbances or shock, reaction through some medication, excess use of chemical-based cosmetics in hair, allergy due to dust or pollution and many more.

Besides with aging, the formation of melanin (the pigment that gives hair its natural colour) slows down and causes grey hair. Though there is a massive variety of hair colouring top brand cosmetic products in the market to turn back the clocks in the original colour of hair again, but these solutions are temporary and contain harmful chemicals that adversely affect your hair and scalp texture in long run.

Don’t worry! Grey hair is no longer a cause of scare, depression or concern if you embrace the benefits of healthier eating and usage of natural products in your hair. It’s simple to reverse the ageing process now with few easy tips:

Eat a healthy diet. There are certain nutrients you must be getting in your daily foods including antioxidants, healthy fats, minerals, vitamins especially vitamin B12 and phytonutrients. Antioxidant-rich teas, green leafy vegetables, berries, herbs like basil leaves and fenugreek, dairy products, tofu, meat, soy milk, egg, tuna, and sardines are powerful foods that help fight signs of greying. Avoid consuming junk food, processed food, carbonated drinks, refined sugar, artificial sugar and artificial ingredients, trans-fats and hydrogenated oils, alcohol, and tobacco. All these food products contribute towards ageing.

Indian gooseberry contains vitamin C and anti-oxidants in abundance. These nutrients have anti-ageing properties including preventing your hair from greying. Eat it every day. You may also add few drops of lemon juice to the pulp of gooseberry and apply to your scalp. Leave for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with water. It is an effective way to retard the process of greying of hair. Repeat twice or thrice a week for fast result.

Boil a teaspoon of black tea leaves in half cup of water. Let it cool. Strain and apply on your scalp. Leave it for an hour and rinse with water without using shampoo.

Massage your scalp with warm mustard oil every time before you shampoo your hair. Leave the oil for an hour or overnight to prevent premature greying.

Mix almond oil with few drops of lemon juice. Mix well and apply on your scalp thrice a week before shampooing.

Incorporate curry leaves in your daily diet and say bye to early greying of hair. You may also boil a handful of curry leaves with one-third cup of coconut oil for five minutes. Cool down and strain. Massage your scalp thrice a week with this oil before going to bed. Shampoo the next morning.

Mix a half cup of sesame oil and a half cup of carrot juice. Add one-fourth cup of fenugreek powder. Mix all ingredients well. Leave the mixture in sun for three weeks. After this apply it on your scalp and see the miraculous results.

Mix gooseberry pulp with little hibiscus juice. Use it on your scalp and leave for

few minutes. Rinse with water. Regular usage of this remedy may prevent black hair to turn grey.

Aim to sleep for at least eight hours daily in dark and cool room. A good night sleep is one of the best things you can do to keep stress at bay and thus prevent early greying of hair.

Drink plenty of water – at least eight to twelve glasses a day. It will flush out toxins from the body that can trigger hair whitening.

Staying active keep you young by supporting detoxification. So exercise regularly.

Start planning so that you can enjoy youth for longer with strong and shiny dark hair. If you’re really searching for some magical fountain to delay greying of hair, think about the future today and act accordingly considering how you would like to see yourself after few years. These tips can be the most productive anti-greying prescription in regard to your hair colour. You may naturally look younger than you actually are. The choice is completely yours.

Neymar scored a second-half penalty as four-time defending champions Paris Saint-Germain toiled before overcoming 10-man Amiens 2-0 to reach the semi-finals of the French League Cup.

PSG were again without leading scorer Edinson Cavani on Wednesday, who also missed Sunday’s French Cup rout of Rennes after returning late from his Christmas and New Year break in Uruguay.

Amiens’ hopes of springing an upset were heavily undermined by the dismissal of goalkeeper Regis Gurtner on 34 minutes for a foul on Kylian Mbappe after charging out of his area.

And Neymar eventually made the visitors’ numerical advantage count by winning and converting a spot-kick eight minutes into the second half at the Stade de la Licorne.

Mbappe, earlier denied by a fingertip save from Jean-Christophe Bouet, was then thwarted by a combination of the substitute keeper and the crossbar before firing another effort narrowly wide.

Marquinhos also struck the woodwork after connecting with a cross from Giovani Lo Celso, but Adrien Rabiot wrapped up a remarkable 35th consecutive win in domestic cup ties for PSG with a glancing header from an Angel Di Maria corner on 78 minutes.

The goal was given following consultation with the video assistant referee (VAR) — being used for the rest of the competition as a test ahead of its expected arrival in Ligue 1 next season — after goal-line technology failed to award it.

“Our team worked hard but we didn’t shine like on Sunday, but we also didn’t concede chances. It was easier to win because we played with an extra man,” said PSG coach Unai Emery.

PSG will travel to Rennes, who they thrashed 6-1 in the last 64 of the French Cup, in the semi-finals at the end of the month, with Monaco set to host Montpellier in the other last-four tie.

“All teams prefer to play at home. But we will make another trip to Rennes full of desire to reach the final and win the title,” Emery added.

Isaac Mbenza scored with four minutes left as Montpellier snatched a 1-0 win at Angers, while Adrien Hunou struck twice late on as Rennes defeated Toulouse 4-2.

Monaco became the first side to reach the last four of the competition on Tuesday as goals from Thomas Lemar and Adama Diakhaby saw Leonardo Jardim’s team overcome Cote d’Azur rivals Nice 2-1 at the Allianz Riviera.

The rupee weakened 14 paise to trade at 63.74 against the US dollar in morning session on Thursday at the Interbank Foreign Exchange on increased demand for the American currency from banks and importers.

Foreign fund outflows and rising crude oil prices also weighed on the rupee sentiment.

Crude oil prices were ruling at around three-year high levels, putting pressure on the rupee as India is a major oil importer.

A higher opening in domestic equity markets and the dollar’s weakness against other currencies overseas kept the losses limited.

On Wednesday, the rupee had bounced back to end higher by 11 paise at 63.60 against the US currency on bouts of dollar selling by exporters and corporates.

Meanwhile, the benchmark BSE Sensex edged higher by 51.78 points or 0.15 per cent to 34,484.85 in opening trade.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Wednesday confirmed that he has signed a contract extension which will keep him at the European champions until 2020.

“It’s signed,” said the French star after his side drew 2-2 with Numancia to progress to the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey 5-2 on aggregate.

After a dream start at Real, with eight trophies out of a possible 10, Zidane has endured a tough season with his side 16 points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race.

And the 45-year-old cautioned: “I’m enjoying what I do every day, because that’s the way it is. I can’t imagine myself as a coach in two, three years, because things are not like that. I know how it goes, nothing more, even with this contract it does not change anything.”

Don’t miss: Chelsea, Arsenal cancel each other out in 1st leg

On Wednesday, Real fielded an almost unrecognisable team and struggled into the Copa del Rey last-eight.

Zidane could afford to rest his superstars with one eye on La Liga and the Champions League last 16 with a clash against Paris Saint-Germain in February.

However, they were far from convincing at the Bernabeu.

Lucas Vazquez scored both of Real’s goals after the 11th and 59th minutes.

Must read: Liverpool players, former and present, react to Philippe Coutinho’s departure

But on both occasions, their modest visitors fought back thanks to a brace from Guillermo on the stroke of half-time and then after 82 minutes.

Numancia ended the game with 10 men after captain Dani Calvo was red-carded in the dying moments.

Leganes, a modest club from the Madrid suburbs, reached the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey for the first time in their 89-year existence.

Despite losing 2-1 at Villarreal, who are currently sixth in La Liga, Leganes progressed on away goals having won the first leg 1-0. Moroccan international Nabil El Zhar scored the crucial away goal for mid-table Leganes on the half-hour mark.

Also read: Arsene Wenger admits one Arsenal midfielder could depart in January

In the night’s other early second leg tie, last season’s runners-up Alaves downed third division Formentera 2-0 for a 5-1 aggregate win.

On Thursday, three-time defending champions Barcelona host Celta Vigo with the two sides locked at 1-1.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde insisted that despite the high-profile capture of Philippe Coutinho, who can’t play for around three weeks due to a thigh injury, his team’s character will not change with the Brazilian’s arrival.

“The Barca model will stay the same,” he said Wednesday.

“The club always has the chance to go into the market to buy the great players. But at the same time, Barca will continue to nurture young players at the training centre to maintain the style and identity.

“That’s still the case today.”

Bayer Leverkusen forward Leon Bailey plans to prove against Bayern Munich on Friday that the Jamaican winger is even quicker with the ball at his feet than close friend Usain Bolt as the Bundesliga returns from its winter break this weekend.

Fourth-placed Leverkusen reopen proceedings on Friday with a mouth-watering clash at home to run-away league leaders Bayern, who have an 11-point lead over nearest rival Schalke.

Pacy Kingston-born winger Bailey is friends with Jamaica sprint legend Bolt, who last weekend revealed that he wants to launch his football career with a trial at Borussia Dortmund in March.

Bolt, 31, bowed out of athletics last year as the 100m and 200m world record holder over 100m and 200m, but Bailey jokes that he is faster of the pair on the pitch.

“I’ve been friends with Usain for four years now, we play football and hang out sometimes, he’s a good person,” 20-year-old Bailey told Bundesliga.com after posting a picture of himself alongside Bolt in December.

“Obviously, I am much faster on the football pitch with the ball, but on the track, he’s the fastest for sure.”

Bailey, 20, has reportedly attracted the attention of Premier League sides Arsenal and Chelsea after eye-catching displays in Germany’s top flight.

“Basically, England was and still is my dream,” Bailey told Germany daily Bild.

“I have a dream club, but I won’t say who and if I keep working hard, I’m sure it will work someday.”

A 14-match unbeaten run has allowed Leverkusen to climb the league table, and with Bailey in red-hot form they are bidding to become only the third club after Hoffenheim and Borussia Moenchengladbach to beat Bayern in the German league this season.

Bailey has scored six goals in 14 Bundesliga appearances and has played a big part in Leverkusen’s rise this season.

His clash at Leverkusen’s BayArena with Bayern right-back Joshua Kimmich is set to be an interesting sideshow on Friday providing Germany defender Kimmich shakes off a cold.

With his pace, Bailey is a menace down the wing, providing four assists to add to those six league goals, which include two strikes in the thrilling 4-4 draw at Hanover 96 just before the winter break.

He proved his temperament on the big stage with goals against Schalke, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Cologne in the space of four league games last September and October.

Bailey struggled to cope with the occasion when Leverkusen lost 3-1 at Munich’s Allianz Arena in August, but learnt from the experience.

“I never look back, because you can’t change the past,” Bailey said.

“That was certainly not my best game, I made mistakes, but I have learnt from that. We already have a few expectations (for Friday’s game), Bayern are one of the best teams in the world, but we are in great shape.”

Bailey seized his chance to impress when Leverkusen lured him from Belgian side KRC Genk in January 2017 on a five-year deal. His international career is still open.

He scored with a free-kick on his only appearance for Jamaica’s Under-23s and has no plans to commit to his Caribbean home country, but reportedly has links to England.

“It’s been like that for years, but my opinion hasn’t changed and people have to accept that,” Bailey told Bild.

“Which country I play for is still open.”

Nevertheless, Leverkusen hope Bailey can help them claim a top four finish in May to qualify for the Champions League next season.

“We bought him with an eye on this season,” said Leverkusen’s sports director Rudi Voeller.

“He’s an unusually quick, very tricky player who will give our attack an additional boost. We’re sure Leon Bailey will be a big hit for us.”

The benchmark Sensex rebounded by 51 points in opening trade on Thursday after IT, realty and teck stocks rose on optimistic buying by investors ahead of announcement of quarterly results.

The 30-share index rose by 51.78 points, or 0.15 per cent, at 34,484.85, in opening trade with IT, realty, teck, power and auto leading the recovery by rising up to 0.80 per cent. The gauge had shed 10.12 points in the previous session following profit-booking at record levels.

Also, the NSE Nifty traded higher by 9.05 points, or 0.08 per cent, at 10,641.25 in the opening trade.

Traders said widening of bets by investors ahead of Q3 numbers from IndusInd Bank and TCS, to be released later in the day amid buying by domestic institutional investors (DIIs) influenced sentiment.

DIIs bought shares to the tune of Rs 600.24 crore, while Foreign institutiional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 572.26 crore on Wednesday, as per the provisional data.

Support came from key stocks such as Infosys, ONGC, Tata Motors, Kotak Bank, ITC Ltd, Dr Reddy’s, Maruti Suzuki, HDFC Ltd, Adani Ports, Power Grid, Hindustan Unilever and M&M, rising by up to 1.04 per cent.

On the other hand, trend at other Asan markets was weak in line with overnight losses at the Wall Street. Japan’s Nikkei falling 0.52 per cent while Hong’s Hang Seng shed 0.24 per cent in their early trade.

China’s Shanghai Composite index too was down 0.30 per cent

Wall Street fell for the first time in 2018 with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 0.07 per cent on Wednesday.

Arsene Wenger insists Alexis Sanchez remains committed to Arsenal even though the Gunners boss left out his unsettled star for the League Cup semi-final clash with Chelsea.

Wenger opted to keep Sanchez on the bench until the last 25 minutes of Wednesday’s 0-0 first leg draw at Stamford Bridge.

It was a bold gamble by Wenger given the League Cup represents one of the few chances for Arsenal to win silverware in another frustrating season.

Must read: Chelsea, Arsenal cancel each other out in 1st leg

Some Arsenal fans and pundits say Sanchez no longer gives 100 percent because his contract expires at the end of the season and he has so far refused to sign a new deal amid reports he is a divisive figure in the dressing room.

Although Premier League leaders Manchester City are keen to sign Sanchez after their move for the Chile forward fell through in August, Wenger claimed he is still completely focused on the Arsenal cause despite a series of lacklustre performances.

“The performance of Alexis Sanchez and the commitment does not depend on the duration of his contract, just depends on the fact when he’s on the football pitch he wants to play,” Wenger said.

“People don’t know Alexis Sanchez. This is a guy completely focused on playing football.

“Did you see how he came on today? How he warmed up? Like a player who wants to play football. He can make a difference between what’s going on outside and what’s going on on the football pitch.

Don’t miss: Liverpool players, former and present, react to Philippe Coutinho’s departure

“He doesn’t need to tell me he speaks to anybody else. He doesn’t need to alert the club. He can do it on his own. We live with facts, not with psychological theories. When you come on to the pitch you play football and give 100 per cent.

That’s what he does.”

Remarkably, Wenger appears to believe Sanchez could still be persuaded to remain in north London.

“I want him to stay for longer,” he added.

“I have no problem if he signs with us now or in June.”

Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi featured instead of Sanchez despite facing a fine for partying prior to Sunday’s shock FA Cup third round defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Quizzed on whether selecting Iwobi sent a mixed message on team discipline, Wenger said: “There’s one thing to punish someone individually and a second thing to punish everybody.

“If I think he can help the team to win, that’s nothing to do with the fact he can be punished separately, individually.”

Wenger, who said Jack Wilshere will miss Sunday’s game at Bournemouth after suffering an ankle injury, watched from the press box while serving the second game of his three-match touchline ban.

Also read: Sergio Aguero pounces to give Manchester City edge into 2nd leg

He admitted the experience of being surrounding by reporters during the match had been strange.

“It was frustrating but you (the media) have the best seats. The position was quite interesting, because I was close to the bench and not too high up. That’s where I like to be.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte was left frustrated by his side’s failure to turn a dominant display into a victory.

It was Chelsea’s second successive goalless draw following Saturday’s FA Cup stalemate at Norwich and Conte warned his players to sharpen up in front of goal.

“We shot 20 times. We created chances to score, but we didn’t take them. I think in the last period we must be more clinical,” he said.

“My speech is not for the strikers. For example, today (Andreas) Christensen had two fantastic opportunities to score. I think we have to improve with all the players, not only the strikers or midfielders.

Budget passenger carrier IndiGo’s Mumbai-Bengaluru flight had to return here soon after it had taken off late on Tuesday, the airline said on Wednesday.

According to the airline, its flight 6E 565 faced a “technical issue” while it was airborne.

“Following all Standard Operating Procedures, the pilot immediately took the precautionary measure to return to Mumbai for necessary checks,” the airline said in a statement on Wednesday.

“An alternate aircraft was provided for completion of the flight. Matter has been already brought to the notice of the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and is being investigated by the IndiGo Flight Safety Department.”