US and Iranian officials are set to begin direct talks in Oman, as fears of a military confrontation between the two countries continue to escalate, according to BBC World. The discussions follow a US military build-up in the Middle East, prompted by Iran's violent repression of anti-government protests last month.
The US delegation will be led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, while the Iranian team is headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, BBC World reported. The location and scope of the talks were initially uncertain, threatening to derail the diplomatic efforts. The talks come amid a crisis that has raised concerns of a military confrontation.
In other news, U.S. alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn's teammates expressed confidence in her ability to compete in the Winter Olympics despite rupturing her left ACL during a downhill run last week, CBS News reported. Vonn, who crashed on January 30 during a World Cup race in the Swiss Alps, has stated her intention to compete in the Olympics, with her first event, the women's downhill, scheduled for later. "If anyone can come back from this, if anyone could do it, it's Lindsey," Isabella Wright told CBS News.
Meanwhile, in the realm of sports, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif admitted to having the SRY gene, which is found in biological males, and undergoing hormone treatments to lower testosterone levels ahead of the 2024 Olympics, Fox News reported. Khelif has denied being transgender. "We all have different genetics, different hormone levels. I'm not transgender. My difference is natural. This is who I am. I haven't done anything to change the way," Khelif said, according to Fox News.
In other sports news, Philadelphia Eagles stars Cooper DeJean and Reed Blankenship defended their head coach, Nick Sirianni, amid criticism over the team's performance, Fox News reported. The Eagles head coach's job appeared in jeopardy last year after a disappointing finish to the 2023 season, until he won the Super Bowl. This season, the Eagles did not look like the same team, resulting in the firing of offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo after one season.
Finally, the sister of Army Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis, who will be awarded the Medal of Honor 13 years after sacrificing himself to save others from a suicide bombing in Afghanistan, said the decision brought long-awaited validation, Fox News reported. Kimberly Ollis-Loschiavo described her reaction to the news, which was delivered by President Donald Trump.
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