The wreckage of an Argentine navy submarine that exploded and disappeared one year ago was located in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, said the navy, crushing the last hopes for relatives of the 44 crew.

There has been “positive identification of the ARA San Juan,” at a depth of 800 metres, a statement on Twitter from the navy said.

The Seabed Constructor, a vessel owned by US search firm Ocean Infinity, which set out in September on the latest attempt to find the San Juan, made the discovery.

The navy lost contact with the submarine on November 15, 2017, about 450km from the Argentine coast. It was on its way back to base from Ushuaia at the southern tip of Argentina.

“I still had hopes that they could be alive,” Luis Niz, the father of one of the missing sailors, told reporters, even though the government of President Mauricio Macri had earlier declared that there were no survivors from the San Juan.

“We are with the other relatives. They are going to show us the photos. They say that our youngsters are inside,” said Yolanda Mendiola, the mother of crewman Leandro Cisneros, 28.

“We are all destroyed here.”

The navy has been fiercely criticised for its handling of the operation since first reporting the submarine overdue at Mar del Plata on November 16, 2017.

It was only several days into the tragedy that navy officials acknowledged the old, German-built submarine had reported a problem with its batteries in its final communication of November 15.

Nearly 10 days later, the navy confirmed there had been an explosion on board, which experts said was likely linked to the battery problem.

Several senior officers were dismissed, including navy chief Marcelo Srur.

Finder’s fee

An air and sea search involved units from 13 countries but the majority withdrew before the end of 2017.

The Seabed Constructor is equipped with cameras that can be submerged to a depth of 6,000m. It was to receive a reward of $7.5m if it found the missing sub.

Before it departed for its mission, Luis Tagliapietra, whose son Alejandro was a lieutenant on the San Juan, described it as “the last opportunity to find them”.

Ocean Infinity was also assigned the task of searching for the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which vanished without trace in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the San Juan’s disappearance. The judge heading the case has so far heard testimony from 70 people but says she is no closer to knowing what happened.

Families of the missing crew had kept up pressure on the government not to give up on the search.

Several grieving mothers of the missing have turned up every morning in protest at the submarine’s home base in Mar del Plata.

The submarine disappeared on the edge of the Argentine shelf where depths plummet from 200m to more than 3,000m.

Experts say the sub would have been crushed by water pressure once it dropped below about 600 metres.

Watch and listen Wales v Tonga autumn international live – BBC Sport

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This is One Good Thing, a weekly column where we tell you about one of the few nice things that happened this week.

If you don’t live on the East Coast, then you avoided a pretty powerful snowstorm on Thursday that caused major headaches for commuters on Thursday and Friday. While some of us humans might not be feeling the frost, there are other creatures out there who were absolutely thriving.

Take for example Bei Bei, the three-year-old giant panda who lives at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC. Bei Bei was pretty happy to see snow flying all around, and even got to play in it.

Lucky for us, the zookeepers recorded a video of Bei Bei enjoying the fresh poweder.

Bei Bei’s tumbling in the snow got plenty of recognition on social media. People took to Twitter to express the deep admiration and happiness they felt when they saw his excitement for this season’s first snowfall. 

Bei Bei will be very happy to know that there’s going to be plenty of more snow coming his way. 

Keep on tumbling buddy.

Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has taken the oath of office before thousands of people and hundreds of foreign dignitaries, vowing to end systematic corruption and investigate alleged human rights abuses under his predecessor, Abdulla Yameen.

Solih received a 21-gun salute after being sworn in on Saturday as the Indian Ocean island nation’s seventh president at a special parliamentary assembly at the national football stadium in the capital, Male.

Addressing the crowd of 12,000 people, the 54-year-old pledged to see through his promises to establish justice and equality, as well as “eradicate corruption and theft”.

“We need to focus on moving ahead, to take back the rights we have been denied, and save our nation from its dismal condition,” he said.

Solih is expected to appoint a 19-member cabinet and name the attorney general later on Saturday.

‘Justice for those abused’

Solih won a contentious election in September promising to restore democracy after a wide-ranging crackdown on dissent during Yameen’s five-year term.

The former president had jailed or forced into exile nearly all opposition leaders, banned protests, detained Supreme Court judges and suspended parliament for long periods of time.

“We need to help seek justice for those subject to abuse and unfair treatment. The treasury needs to be strengthened. Unaccountable deaths and disappearances need to be investigated and findings disclosed,” Solih said.

“For us to move ahead as one nation, such grave matters need to be addressed immediately.”

India‘s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the more than 300 foreign dignitaries at the ceremony in Male.

The visit is Modi’s first to the Maldives after years of tense relations between the two countries because of Yameen’s embrace of China during his tenure.

The former president, who lost a court challenge to overturn his September 23 poll defeat, did not attend the ceremony, nor did several legislators from his party. On Thursday, Yameen said justice had not been served in his dismissed complaint over alleged election fraud.

Reporting by Zaheena Rasheed

Roger Federer says thinking about winning his 100th singles title would only add extra pressure before his ATP Finals semi-final against young German Alexander Zverev at the O2 in London.

Federer is aiming to become only the second man – after American Jimmy Connors – to reach the landmark.

“I won’t let that get in my head,” said the 37-year-old Swiss.

The second seed faces Zverev at 14:00 GMT on Saturday before Novak Djokovic and Kevin Anderson meet at 20:00.

The winners meet in the final of the season-ending tournament at 18:00 on Sunday.

Federer lost his opening match with a below-par performance against Kei Nishikori, before returning to form in straight-set wins over Dominic Thiem and Kevin Anderson.

“I’m happy that this is another week like this,” said Federer, who is looking to claim a record-extending seventh ATP Finals title.

“It didn’t look like it, but I was able to come back and play good tennis.

“Personally I’m still not thinking of the number 100.

“I won’t let it make me go crazy because it should be something I’m excited about and not something I should feel extra pressure.

“As long as I think Novak is in the draw anyhow, he’s playing so good again, it’s never going to be easy.”

Djokovic ‘knows what to expect’ in rematch of Wimbledon final

Djokovic is seen as the man to beat at the O2 after a remarkable run which has seen him win 34 of his past 36 matches.

The Serb was outside of the world’s top 20 in June, but rediscovered his form to win the Wimbledon and US Open titles and going on to reclaim the world number one ranking.

Djokovic, 31, earned his first Grand Slam title in more than two years by beating Anderson at Wimbledon and will be the favourite to win the rematch at the O2.

“Kevin is playing some great tennis, it’s definitely his best season and he’s continued doing that throughout this tournament,” said Djokovic.

“He’s playing well, serving well, very aggressive, so I know what to expect.”

Murray and Soares eye first final

Britain’s Jamie Murray and Brazilian partner Bruno Soares bid for their first appearance in the ATP Finals showpiece when they open semi-finals day against American pair Mike Bryan and Jack Sock at 12:00 GMT.

Murray and Soares, who have lost in the last four in each of the past two years, won their group with a 100% record of three victories.

“We’re happy to be in the semi-finals, the first goal at the start of the week is getting out of the group, no matter how you do it,” said the 32-year-old Scot.

Brazilian Soares also lost in the 2013 semi-finals alongside Austrian Alexander Peya.

“It’s about time I went one step further,” said the 36-year-old Brazilian. “I guess this is the year to go a couple more.”

The UN envoy for Yemen has said the country’s warring parties have agreed to attend negotiations in Sweden aimed at ending more than three years of brutal war.

Martin Griffiths told the UN Security Council on Friday that the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels had shown a “renewed commitment” to work on a political solution to end a war that has driven millions to the brink of famine.

“I have received firm assurances from the leadership of the Yemeni parties – the government of Yemen, of course, first, and the Houthis – that they are committed to attending these consultations,” he said.

“I expect them to appear for those consultations and indeed, so do the Yemeni people, who are desperate for a political solution to a war in which they are the main victims.”

Griffiths said he planned to travel to the rebel-held capital Sanaa next week to finalise arrangements and even offered to travel with the Houthi delegation to Sweden “if that’s what is needed.”

No date for the talks was announced.

One little child – I remember his little feet were sticking out of the blanket, and it was kind of cute, and I went and tickled the little feet thinking I’d get a little smile, and it was like tickling a ghost. Nothing there.

David Beasley, head of the UN World Food Programme

The new round of peace talks to end the war, which has killed more than 56,000 people according to a recent estimate, was initially scheduled to take place in November but had been pushed back to late December.

Griffiths said the Saudi-UAE military alliance had agreed to “logistical arrangements” to pave the way for talks including medical evacuations out of Sanaa.

He added that he was close to reaching a deal on an exchange of prisoners and detainees, in a further confidence-building measure in advance of planned talks.

“This is a crucial moment for Yemen,” he said, warning that a flare-up of fighting on the ground could derail the peace effort. 

‘We are tired of the blood and the killing’

A number of countries have recently called for a cessation of hostilities between the Saudi-UAE military alliance and Houthi rebels, among them the US, Britain and France.

On Monday, the UK is expected to present a draft resolution to the Security Council to address the conflict, Ambassador Karen Pierce said.

The UK and the US have sold more than $12bn-worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia since Riyadh intervened in the war in 2015.

Earlier this week, pro-government forces suspended an offensive on the rebel-held port of Hodeidah, a major entry point for humanitarian aid and vital goods to Yemen.

The UN envoy said he would also travel to Hodeidah next week to discuss plans for the UN to take over control of the port and oversee the arrival of aid deliveries and supplies.

This would address concerns from the Saudi-UAE alliance that weapons were being smuggled into Yemen for the Houthis through the port.

In the capital Sanaa, Yemenis pleaded with the international community to help broker a settlement.

“We are tired of the war, the blood and the killing,” Hassan Abdel Kareem, a father of seven, told the AFP news agency.

“We’ve had enough. It is time to start rebuilding Yemen, and Yemen will need every person in it to be rebuilt.”

Back from a recent visit to Yemen, the head of the UN World Food Programme warned that the country faced a full-blown famine in around six months.

“What I have seen in Yemen this week is the stuff of nightmares, of horror, of deprivation, of misery,” David Beasley told the council. “Children are already dying.”

Eight million people are affected by severe food shortages, according to UN officials, who warn that up to 14 million – or half of Yemen’s population – are at risk of famine.

“One little child, I remember his little feet were sticking out of the blanket, and it was kind of cute, and I went and tickled the little feet thinking I’d get a little smile, and it was like tickling a ghost. Nothing there,” he added.

Years of war

The conflict in Yemen, the Arab world’s poorest country, began when the Yemeni government slashed fuel subsidies in the summer of 2014, prompting massive protests in Sanaa.

The Houthis seized the opportunity and marched south from their stronghold of Saada province to the capital, where they toppled Hadi’s government.

Concerned by the rise of the Houthis, a Saudi-led military coalition, backed by the United States, intervened in 2015 with a massive air campaign aimed at reinstalling Hadi’s government.

Since then, data collected by Al Jazeera and the Yemen Data Project has found that more than 18,000 air raids have been carried out in Yemen, with almost one-third of all bombing missions striking non-military sites.

Weddings, funerals, schools and hospitals, as well as water and electricity plants, have been hit, killing and wounding thousands.

Listen: Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares v Mike Bryan & Jack Sock in ATP Finals – BBC Sport

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Image: MASHABLE COMPOSITE: CROWN PUBLISHING GROUP/ ATRIA BOOKS/LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY

If you keep up with Oprah’s Book Club — or at the very least, have been online recently — then you know Michelle Obama finally released her memoir, Becoming, on Nov. 13. 

In it, the former first lady opens up in ways she never has before, revealing intimate details about marriage counseling, her miscarriage, and the reason why she’ll “never forgive” Donald Trump. Obama will undoubtedly continue these candid conversations in the coming weeks, as she travels across the country for her book tour. 

She’s not the only woman trailblazer to share her story. In 2018 alone, we’ve heard from the cofounder of Black Lives Matter, Patrisse Cullors; journalist Asha Bandele; Sarah McBride, the national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign; and Ibtihaj Muhammad, the first U.S. Olympian to wear a hijab while competing.

Whether you’re looking for life lessons, life inspiration, or an inside look into the lives of your favorite icons, consider reading these books by and about badass women: 

Iraqi President Barham Salih has announced that his country has agreed to establish a “free-trade zone” along its border with Iran, following a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani in Tehran. 

In a joint press conference in the Iranian capital on Friday, Salih declared that the relationship between the two neighbouring countries is a “fixed principle” that is “rooted in shared history, faith and geography”. 

“We care about our relationship with Iran,” Salih declared.

Salih did not give full details about the free-trade zone.

But Rouhani was quoted on Friday by state television as saying that he wants to raise bilateral trade between the two countries from the current $12bn to $20bn in the coming year.

Rouhani also said that the two leaders also talked about electricity and gas swap, as well as cooperation on petroleum products and oil exploration.

According to reports, the two leaders have also discussed building a 35km railway linking the two countries.

Salih’s two-day visit in Iran comes less than two weeks after the United States reimposed oil sanctions that had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iraq has obtained an exemption from the US to continue buying its energy needs from Iran.

The US and Iran are Iraq’s two biggest allies and the sanctions put Baghdad in a difficult economic and political position.

Iran, which has had major influence over Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, is hoping to maintain exports to its neighbour despite the renewed US sanctions.

Iraq is Iran’s second-largest market after China, buying everything from food and machinery to electricity and natural gas.

Washington has vowed that the renewed sanctions would put financial pressure on Tehran to halt its alleged support for international armed groups, its military activities in the Middle East and its ballistic missile programmes.

SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies

England put themselves on the brink of victory in the second Test and the series against Sri Lanka before rain brought an early end to day four.

Set 301 to win in Pallekele, the hosts recovered from 26-3 to reach 221-5 thanks to Angelo Mathews.

But the tourists struck twice in quick succession after tea to remove Mathews for 88 and Dilruwan Perera for two, leaving Sri Lanka 226-7 and needing a further 75 for victory.

England lead the three-Test series 1-0.

Sri Lanka fought back admirably after Jack Leach took three early wickets as England’s spinners struggled to apply consistent pressure.

But Moeen Ali’s lbw dismissal of Mathews should mean England wrap up victory on Sunday to claim their first series win in Sri Lanka since 2001 and their first away from home under captain Joe Root.

No further play was possible once heavy rain set in shortly after 10:00 GMT. The final day will start 15 minutes earlier than scheduled at 04:15.

Mature Mathews falls short of century

Arriving at the crease Sri Lanka in the mire, Mathews played an innings of remarkable application and maturity, not least when you consider his recent torrid spell in international cricket and tumultuous relationship with the Sri Lankan board.

He stepped down as captain in all three formats after defeat by Zimbabwe in a one-day series last year, returned as skipper in January, and was sacked in September.

Day later, he was dropped from the ODI squad to face England, with selectors critical of his fitness and running between the wickets.

Here he patiently worked the ball into the gaps, accumulating calmly as he hit only three fours in reaching his third half-century of the series off 75 balls.

He added 77 with Dimuth Karunaratne (57) and 73 with Roshen Silva (27) before playing more expansively once joined by the attacking Niroshan Dickwella to put England under serious pressure.

But, just as in both innings in the first Test at Galle, the tea interval proved to be Mathews’ undoing. He missed a ball that Moeen got to straighten from around the wicket, with the lbw decision confirmed on review.

More to follow.