Donald Trump, Xi Jinping

"President Xi of China has stated that he is upping the sanctions against (North Korea)," Trump tweeted from Hanoi -- the latest leg on an Asian tour.

Trump's Asian tour: China to up sanctions against North Korea, says US Prez

Press Trust of India

Chinese President Xi Jinping  File Photo: Twitter (@PDChina)

The "One Belt, One Road" initiative, unveiled by Xi in 2013 faces problem, according to some estimates, $1 trillion has been pledged to it, with projects proposed in some 65 countries.

Local resistance, graft, insurgency in partner nations hinder China's OBOR

US President Donald Trump told his  Vietnamese counterpart today he is ready to help resolve the  dispute in the resource-rich South China Sea which Beijing  claims most of.
"If I can help mediate or arbitrate, please let me  know... I am a very good mediator," the dealmaking American  leader told Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang during an  official state visit today.
Vietnam has long courted support from Washington in its  dispute with China over the precious waterway, where Beijing  has built military installations and artificial islands.
Beijing's sweeping claims also overlap with those of the  Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
Trump's comments come ahead of a state visit on Sunday  afternoon by Chinese President Xi Jinping who will meet with  top communist leaders.
Tensions over the sea spiked earlier this year when  Vietnam suspended an oil exploration project in an area of the  waterway also claimed by Beijing, reportedly over pressure  from its powerhouse communist ..

Trump in Vietnam offers to mediate on South China Sea dispute

PTI Automatic

Vietnam and the United States signed  a raft of energy and aviation deals today during a visit to  Hanoi by US president Donald Trump who railed against  Washington's yawning trade deficit with the fast-growing  nation.
Trump was in the communist capital at the tail end of his  swing through Asia where he has promoted his "America First"  mantra on global trade, prioritising "fair" bilateral deals  over sprawling multilateral pacts.
Several agreements were signed during his state visit  Sunday, including in the natural gas sector, transport and  aviation.
National carrier Vietnam Airlines signed a deal worth USD  1.5 billion for engines and support services from US firm  Pratt & Whitney, which the airline said would boost US-Vietnam  ties.
"(The agreement) will further reinforce the important  economic, trade and investment partnership between Vietnam and  the United States," Vietnam Airlines CEO Duong Tri Thanh said  in a statement.
Trump is seeking to boost exports of American ...

Trump rails at Vietnam trade imbalance as deals signed in

Donald Trump said today he backed US  intelligence agencies who concluded that Russia meddled in the  2016 US presidential election, but repeated his trust in the  sincerity of Vladimir Putin's denials and slammed critics of  his relationship with the Russian leader.
Key former Trump aides are under US investigation for  possible collaboration with the Kremlin and the issue of  whether Moscow interfered with last year's vote has  overshadowed the tail end of the president's ongoing Asia  tour.
Trump returned to the subject in an early morning Twitter  storm, which also saw him take a sarcastic dig at North  Korea's "short and fat" leader Kim Jong-Un.
Addressing a press conference in Hanoi, Trump was asked  to clarify comments he had made on Air Force One the day  before about Putin's insistence that Moscow had never tried to  affect the outcome of the US vote.
"I believe he feels he and Russia did not meddle in the  election," Trump said.
"As to whether or not I believe it or not, I'm 

Trump backs US spy agencies on poll meddling but slams Putin

Islamic State File Photo: Reuters

Syrian regime forces and allied militia overran Albu Kamal on Thursday but lost the town again just two days later after a string of IS counter-attacks

Islamic State recaptures Albu Kamal from Syrian army in fierce fightback

Celebrations turned violent in  central Brussels, minutes after the qualification of the  Moroccan national football team for the next World Cup in  Russia, police told Belga news agency.
Riot police yesterday were sent out to control a crowd of  about 300 people, at one point firing water canon at revelers.  At least one car was burned during the incidents, police said.
Videos posted on social media showed tense scenes as riot  police tried to block off streets to the fans as other fans  chanted joyfully from the steps of the Bourse stock exchange  building, a usual spot sports celebration.
An AFP reporter on the scene said that calm had mostly  returned by 2030 GMT, about two hours after the end of the  match, though with a heavy police presence remaining.
Morocco defeated Ivory Coast 2-0 last night in Abidjan to  qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, the country's first  appearance at the finals since 1998.
Brussels has a big Moroccan population, many living in  the nearby Molenbeek ..

Moroccan World Cup celebrations turn violent in Brussels

North African nations Morocco  and Tunisia took contrasting routes as they qualified for the  2018 World Cup in Russia.
Morocco scored twice within five minutes through Nabil  Dirar and Medhi Benatia during the opening half to triumph 2-0  in the Ivory Coast and win Group C.
The "Atlas Lions" are going back to the tournament for  the first time since 1998 after finishing with 12 points,  having not conceded a goal during the six-match group  campaign.
Ivory Coast, who never looked like recovering from the  first-half blows, came second with eight points followed by  Gabon with six and Mali with four.
Tunisia could not break down neighbours Libya in Rades on  the outskirts of Tunis and had to settle for a 0-0 draw that  was just enough to see them first over the finishing line.
With second-place Democratic Republic of Congo netting  twice in stoppage time to defeat Guinea 3-1 in Kinshasa, only  one point separated the top two.
Unbeaten Tunisia collected 14 points to book a first  World 

Morocco, Tunisia take different paths to World Cup

The Republic of Ireland and  Denmark played out a drab 0-0 draw in the first leg of their  World Cup play-off here.
The closest either side came to a goal was when Pione  Sisto fired wide in the first half for the hosts, while Yussuf  Poulsen saw a 90th-minute header saved by Darren Randolph.
Both sides will be satisfied with the result, as Martin  O'Neill's Irish now know victory in Dublin on Tuesday would  secure a first World Cup appearance since 2002, but an away  goal for the Danes could prove decisive after this clean  sheet.
"A draw has always got to be seen as a positive result.  Although we could have done with scoring an away goal,"  Ireland midfielder Harry Arter told Sky Sports.
"It (the World Cup) feels a bit closer than it did before  the game. If before the campaign, we'd have been offered a  one-off game against Denmark to qualify for the World Cup,  we'd have bitten off your hands for it."
Denmark coach Age Hareide left striker Nicklas Bendtner  on the bench in favour 

Ireland hold Denmark to first-leg stalemate

Spain's stunning form under  coach Julen Lopetegui continued as David Silva scored twice in  a 5-0 friendly thrashing of Costa Rica here.
Andres Iniesta, Jordi Alba and Alvaro Morata also netted  in a one-sided display from the 2010 world champions.
The only negative for Spain was the sight of local hero  Isco being asked to be substituted after being hit with a  tough tackle from Costa Rica defender Kendall Waston, who was  immediately hauled off after being booked for the challenge.
The Real Madrid midfielder, who is from Malaga and spent  two impressive seasons playing at La Rosaleda before moving to  Madrid, was given a standing ovation as he left the pitch.
Lopetegui opted to rest Manchester United goalkeeper  David de Gea, instead handing a first team debut to Athletic  Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, but otherwise played a  familiar-looking team to the side that swept to the top of  their World Cup qualifying group.
Silva, Isco and Iniesta combined to stunning effect  ...

Five-star Spain thrash Costa Rica

Lewis Hamilton said members of  his Mercedes team had guns held to their heads as they were  robbed as they left the Interlagos circuit on Friday.
"Some of my team were held up at gun point last night  leaving the circuit here in Brazil. Gun shots fired, gun held  at ones head. This is so upsetting to hear," world champion  Hamilton tweeted.
"Please say a prayer for my guys who are here as  professionals today even if shaken."
A Mercedes spokesman said: "We can confirm that a team  minibus was robbed at gunpoint last night leaving the circuit.  Valuables were stolen, but most importantly everybody is safe  and uninjured."
Members of the Williams team and officials of the FIA,  motor sports' governing body, were also targeted by robbers,  the BBC's chief Formula One writer Andrew Benson tweeted  yesterday.
"Some Mercedes personnel were robbed at gunpoint leaving  the track last night. No-one harmed. Close escapes for FIA and  Williams people, too." Benson wrote.
Hold-ups are a known ...

Mercedes staff robbed at gunpoint at Brazil tracks

Craig Overton improved his chances  of an England Test debut in this month's Ashes series with an  impressive bowling performance in the emphatic tour win over  the Cricket Australia XI in Adelaide.
England needed just half an hour to wrap up a  comprehensive 192-run victory early on the final day of the  four-day tour match at Adelaide Oval.
The Somerset paceman took one of the three remaining  wickets to fall to finish with three for 15 off 11 overs to  share the wickets among the pace battery.
Overton is now firmly in line to make his Test debut at  the Gabba for the opening Test of the series on November 23  and insists he is ready for the task.
"I'd like to think so but I've still got a bit of work to  do," Overton told reporters.
"It's still a work in progress. It's just finding that  rhythm over here and I'd prefer to be over-cooked than under-  cooked going to Brisbane."
On his chances of cracking a spot in the England Test XI,  Overton said: "You're never quite sure, you just 

Overton presses Test claims in England's big tour win

US President Donald Trump today  slammed "haters and fools" playing politics with Russia a day  after saying he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin was  sincere about not meddling in the US election.
"When will all the haters and fools out there realize  that having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing,  not a bad thing. There (sic) always playing politics - bad for  our country. I want to solve North Korea, Syria, Ukraine,  terrorism, and Russia can greatly help!" Trump wrote on  Twitter.

Trump slams 'haters and fools' playing politics with Russia

US President Donald Trump has said he  would never call Kim Jong-Un "short and fat", after months of  trading personal insults and threats of war with the North  Korean leader.
"Why would Kim Jong-Un insult me by calling me 'old,'  when I would NEVER call him 'short and fat?' Oh well, I try so  hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!"  Trump tweeted from Hanoi, the latest leg on his marathon tour  of Asia.

Trump says he would never call N Korea leader 'short and fat'

Spanish authorities said they  rescued over 250 migrants, including children, today who were  making the perilous Mediterranean crossing to Europe.
"We saved 251 people from five improvised vessels all in  the Alboran Sea," Spain's maritime safety authorities said on  Twitter, referring to the westernmost portion of the  Mediterranean Sea.
The number of migrants arriving by sea on Spanish shores  has soared over last year, with the figure nearly tripling to  15,585 in 2017 by November 8, according to the International  Organization for Migration (IOM).
Many Africans undertaking the long route to Europe are  choosing to avoid crossing danger-ridden Libya to get to Italy  along the so-called central Mediterranean route, and choosing  instead to get there via Morocco and Spain.
However, Spain is still well behind Italy, which has  recorded some 114,400 arrivals by sea since since the start of  the year.
Since January nearly 15,600 migrants have made it to  Spain by sea, with 156 dying ...

Spain rescues 250 migrants in Mediterranean

Iran's nuclear deal is "not  negotiable", Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bassam  Ghassemi said today in response to remarks by the French  president.
Emmanuel Macron called for vigilance towards Tehran over  its ballistic missile programme and regional activities, in an  interview published Wednesday by the Emirati daily Al-Ittihad.
"We have told French leaders on several occasions that  the Iran nuclear deal is not negotiable and that no other  issues can be included in the text" of the 2015 agreement,  state news agency IRNA quoted Ghassemi as saying.
France, the foreign ministry speaker said, is "fully  aware of our country's intangible position concerning the  issue of Iran's defensive affairs which are not negotiable".
In the interview with Al-Ittihad, published during  Macron's 24-hour visit to Abu Dhabi, the French president  said: "It is important to remain firm with Iran over its  regional activities and its ballistic programme."
Macron also said there was no immediate ...

Iran tells France nuclear deal 'not negotiable'

President Donald Trump  said Saturday he believes Vladimir Putin is being sincere when  he denies meddling in the US election that propelled Trump to  power, adding that the Russian leader felt "very insulted" by  the allegations.
But in Washington the director of the CIA said he stood  by the US intelligence community's assessment that Russia did  try to meddle in the election.
Trump, whose key former aides are under US investigation  for possible collaboration with the Kremlin, said he  repeatedly asked Putin about the claims during their chats at  the APEC summit in the Vietnamese resort of Danang.
"He (Putin) said he didn't meddle. I asked him again,"  Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he flew to Hanoi for  a state visit.
"You can only ask so many times... He said he absolutely  did not meddle in our election," Trump said, adding he felt  Putin seemed "very insulted" by the persistent accusations,  which was "not a good thing for our country."
"I really believe that when he 

Trump says Putin 'means it' with election meddling denials

An outbreak of cholera in Tanzania  has left 18 dead in two months, the health ministry said  today, warning the situation could worsen as the rainy season  continues.
The ministry said the outbreak had left "18 dead out of  570 cases recorded" between September 1 and October 30, and  urged local authorities to take measures to avoid the disease  from spreading.
In 2015 Tanzania was struck by a major outbreak of  cholera which infected some 10,000 people and left 150 dead.
Cholera is transmitted through contaminated drinking  water and causes acute diarrhoea.

Tanzanian cholera outbreak kills 18: ministry

The United States will fail to meet  its commitments for reducing greenhouse gas emissions under  the Paris climate treaty, according to a report released today  at UN negotiations in Bonn.
A crescendo of efforts at the sub-national level to  shrink the country's carbon footprint will not fully  counterract US President Donald Trump's decision to scrap his  predecessor's climate policies and promote the use of fossil  fuels, it found.
"Given the stated policies of the present US  administration, currently committed non-federal efforts are  not sufficient to meet the US commitments under the Paris  Agreement," concluded the 120-page analysis, entitled  "America's Pledge."
California Governor Jerry Brown and former New York Mayor  Michael Bloomberg unveiled the report in Bonn, flanked by UN  climate chief Patricia Espinosa and Fijian Prime Minister  Frank Bainimarama, who is presiding over the 12-day talks.
Under the 196-nation treaty, agreed outside the French  capital 2015, the United 

Under Trump, US to miss Paris climate targets: report

At least 26 civilians have died in  artillery fire and Russian air strikes on two displacement  camps and surrounding villages in eastern Syria, a monitor  said Saturday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said nine  children were among those killed. The villages and  displacement camps were full of people who had fled fighting  in the town of Albu Kamal.
Syrian regime forces and allied militia took Albu Kamal  from the Islamic State group two days ago, but jihadists  mounted a fierce fightback and recaptured it on Saturday.
Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the Britain-based  Observatory, said artillery fire by pro-regime forces and air  strikes by Russian warplanes were pummelling remaining IS-  controlled areas in eastern Syria.
"Fifteen civilians including seven children died in a  displacement camp near Al-Sukkariyah, west of Albu Kamal, in  bombing since Friday night," said Abdel Rahman.
Another 11 civilians, including two children, had died in  bombardment on a string of ...

26 dead in artillery fire, Russia raids in Syria: monitor

Tens of thousands of Catalans  gathered Saturday to demand the release of regional officials  who were jailed for their push for independence from Spain,  which has left the country mired in a political crisis.
The march kicked off in Barcelona, the Catalan capital,  at 1600 GMT and come a day after the region's parliament  speaker -- one of dozens of lawmakers sacked by Madrid last  month -- was released from jail after posting 150,000 euros  bail.
Thousands gathered on an avenue next to the region's  parliament building waving Catalan independence flags and  chanting "Freedom!" while some held up banners announcing:  "SOS Democracy".
Children in riding helmets climbed castells -- the  region's traditional human towers -- as others held placards  bearing caricatures of some jailed lawmakers.
The Catalonia crisis has caused concern in the European  Union as the bloc deals with Brexit and uncertainty over the  fate of the region of 7.5 million people. More than 2,400  businesses have ..

AFP

AFP

Page 1061 - Afp