The US considers Catalonia an  "integral part of Spain" and supports Madrid's measures to  keep Spain "strong and united," the State Department said  today after Catalan lawmakers voted to declare independence.
"The United States enjoys a great friendship and an  enduring partnership with our NATO ally Spain," State  Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.
"Catalonia is an integral part of Spain, and the US  supports the Spanish government's constitutional measures to  keep Spain strong and united."
Nauert added that the US and Spain "cooperate closely to  advance our shared security and economic priorities."
Catalan lawmakers voted earlier to declare independence,  as Madrid vowed in turn to "restore legality" and quash the  region's secessionist bid.
The Catalan regional parliament in Barcelona passed a  resolution to "declare Catalonia an independent state in the  form of a republic.

US considers Catalonia 'integral part of Spain': State Dept

PTI Automatic

A South African judge today  handed down jail terms of 19 and 16 years to two white farmers  who filmed themselves forcing a black man into a coffin and  threatening to burn him alive.
Willem Oosthuizen and Theo Martins Jackson, who both  shifted nervously in the dock, laid their heads on the bench  after their sentencing while female family members wept in the  public gallery.
"The conduct of the accused was most dehumanising and  disgusting," said judge Segopotje Mphahlele, handing down  sentence in the High Court sitting in Middelburg, 165  kilometres east of Johannesburg.
They had pleaded not guilty over the incident last year  in the eastern province of Mpumalanga, saying they only  intended to scare Victor Mlotshwa whom they accused of  stealing copper cables from their farm.
They were convicted on August 25 of attempted murder as  well as kidnap, intimidation and assault with intent to do  grievous bodily harm.
Oosthuizen, 29, was sentenced to a 16-year term with five  years ...

S African pair jailed for forcing black man into coffin

Tens of thousands of independence  supporters massed near the Catalan parliament cheered with joy  today after majority separatist lawmakers voted to declare  independence from Spain and proclaim a republic.
Watching proceedings in parliament on two large screens,  they clapped and shouted "independence" in Catalan before  singing the regional hymn, many raising their fists.
Some celebrated by drinking Cava, a sparkling wine  produced in Catalonia, and hugged each other.
"It has cost us so much to get here," 38-year-old social  worker Judith Rodriguez told AFP in the crowd, with tears in  her eyes.
"I am very emotional about finally moving forward, to be  able to build a republic, a new country, from scratch," added  Rodriguez, who wore a t-shirt with the slogan "fem pais" or  "let's build a country".
The independence declaration is not recognised by Madrid,  which soon after the parliamentary vote was given the go-ahead  by Spain's Senate to impose direct rule on Catalonia to stop  ..

Thousands of independence supporters in Barcelona celebrate

Belgian authorities have asked  their French counterparts to temporarily transfer Paris terror  suspect Salah Abdeslam to Belgium for trial over a shootout  with police in Brussels last year, prosecutors said today.
Abdeslam, the only surviving alleged member of the  Islamist gang that murdered 130 people in the French capital  in November 2015, is in custody in France awaiting trial for  the Paris attacks.
Belgian judges have ordered the 28-year-old, who was  arrested in Belgium in March last year after a gun battle with  police, to stand trial in Brussels along with his alleged  accomplice Sofiane Ayari, with the case due to start on  December 18.
The Belgian federal prosecutor's office said today it  filed a petition with a Brussels court on October 9 asking for  "an arrest warrant against Salah Abdeslam" so that he can  stand trial in Belgium.
"On 19 October 2017 the court issued a European arrest  warrant. It was handed over to the competent French  authorities on 23 October ...

Belgium asks France to transfer Paris terror suspect Abdeslam

EU President Donald Tusk said  today that Madrid "remains our only interlocutor" after  Catalan lawmakers voted to declare independence from Spain in  the country's worst political crisis in decades.
"For EU nothing changes. Spain remains our only  interlocutor. I hope the Spanish government favours force of  argument, not argument of force," Tusk tweeted after the  Catalan vote.

Spain 'remains our only interlocutor' after Catalan

Catalan lawmakers today voted to  declare independence from Spain, as Madrid vowed in turn to  "restore legality" and quash the region's secessionist bid.
With thousands of pro-independence activists gathered  outside, the regional parliament in Barcelona passed a  resolution to "declare Catalonia an independent state in the  form of a republic".
Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy responded  immediately, urging "all Spaniards to remain calm".
"The rule of law will restore legality in Catalonia," he  tweeted immediately after controversial vote.
Under the eyes of a nervous nation, Catalonia's regional  parliament held a secret ballot, despite an opposition  walkout, on a resolution the regions authorities have no  legal power to execute.
The motion was approved with 70 votes in favour, 10  against and two abstentions, a result that immediately saw  Spanish shares fall sharply.
Catalan opposition MPs, refusing to even consider the  resolution, walked out en masse on what one described 

Catalan parliament votes to split from Spain

Catalonia's parliament today  voted to declare independence from Spain and proclaim a  republic, just as Madrid is poised to impose direct rule on  the semi-autonomous region to stop it in its tracks.
A motion declaring independence was approved with 70  votes in favour, 10 against and two abstentions, with Catalan  opposition MPs walking out of the 135-seat chamber before the  vote in protest at a declaration unlikely to be given official  recognition by Madrid and abroad.

Catalan parliament declares independence from Spain

US economist Richard Thaler won  the Nobel Economics prize today for showing that economic and  financial decision-makers are not always rational, but mostly  deeply human.
Bridging the gap between economics and psychology,  Thaler's research focuses on behavioural economics which  explores the impact of psychological and social factors on  decisions by individuals or groups in the economy and  financial markets.
"He's made economics more human," the Nobel jury said,  calling Thaler "a pioneer" on integrating economics and  psychology.
"By exploring the consequences of limited rationality,  social preferences, and lack of self-control, he has shown how  these human traits systematically affect individual decisions  as well as market outcomes," the jury's statement said.
"His empirical findings and theoretical insights have  been instrumental in creating the new and rapidly expanding  field of behavioural economics, which has had a profound  impact on many areas of economic research ...

Richard Thaler wins Nobel for 'making economics more human'

Rebels from a Ugandan-dominated  group today attacked a UN military base in DR Congo's unstable  east, killing one peacekeeper and injuring 12 others, the UN  mission said.
The attack took place in Beni where UN soldiers have been  battling the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which is  dominated by hardline Ugandan Muslims, a spokesman for the UN  mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo said.
Congolese troops had clashed with the rebels in the area  on Sunday. The day before, the ADF attacked around 10  motorbike taxis in the locality.
"The Mamundioma base was attacked at 5:30 am," the UN  mission known by its French acronym MONUSCO said, adding that  UN ground and air forces had been deployed in the area.
The UN did not specify the nationality of the dead  soldier or the injured.
Rich in precious minerals, the east of DRC has been  unstable for 20 years.
Several dozen local and foreign armed groups stand  accused of serious rights abuses against civilians, such as  rape, killings

UN says peacekeeper killed in attack on DR Congo base

Press Trust of India

Born and raised as a boy  in rural Nepal, Monika Shahi Nath never dreamed that one day  she would be a bride, adored and accepted as a wife and  daughter-in-law.
But the 40-year-old has made history, becoming Nepal's  first transgender person to be issued with a marriage  certificate by district officials, even though the country has  no formal laws for such unions.
Nath, who married 22-year-old Ramesh Nath Yogi in May,  initially feared that her in-laws would not welcome her - a  transgender woman - into their family but the couple have  found rare acceptance in Nepal.
Many transgender people in the country still struggle to  be open about their identity despite progressive laws that  include a third gender option on identity cards and passports.
"We are happy and feel accepted as husband and wife,"  said Nath, who was the first Nepali to get a passport with the  'O' for 'other' gender designation in 2015.
"I never dreamed that one day I would be someone's wife,  that I would be ...

Couple in Nepal's first transgender marriage finds acceptance

A poodle's dash for freedom briefly  shut down one runway at a major Japanese airport today,  forcing its owner to come out and catch the canine, police  said.
The fully-grown dog escaped at Tokyo's Haneda airport  while cargo crews were loading its cage onto a Japan Airlines  flight bound for Naha in Okinawa around 8:50 am, airport  police said.
It appeared to enjoy its brief taste of freedom, dashing  across a runway and sniffing around in grassy areas.
But officials had to close one of four runways for a  total of six minutes, causing delays for 14 flights, said a  police spokesman.
In the end the poodle's owner had to come out to catch  the pet about 40 minutes later.

Japanese airport dogged by runaway poodle

US-backed fighters say they  are nearing the "final week" of their assault to drive the  Islamic State group from their one-time Syrian bastion Raqa,  as the jihadists' self-described caliphate crumbles.
Losing Raqa would be only the latest in a series of  crushing defeats for the extremist group, which once  controlled large swathes of territory spanning the border  between Syria and Iraq.
Captured by IS in 2014, the northern city was the de  facto Syrian capital of the jihadists' self-styled "caliphate"  until the US-backed assault by the Syrian Democratic Forces,  an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters.
The militia has captured around 90 per cent of Raqa since  entering the city in June, after months of fighting to  encircle it.
They are now advancing on IS-held districts from two  fronts in the city's north and east, said commander Rojda  Felat, who heads the "Wrath of the Euphrates" campaign.
"If the two fronts meet, we can say we have entered the  final week of our campaign to 

Fight to drive IS from Syria bastion Raqa nears end

US economist Richard Thaler today  won the Nobel Economics Prize for his pioneering work to  bridge the gap between economics and psychology, the jury  said.
"By exploring the consequences of limited rationality,  social preferences, and lack of self-control, he has shown how  these human traits systematically affect individual decisions  as well as market outcomes," the Nobel jury said in a  statement.

Richard Thaler of US wins Nobel Economics Prize

A top Republican lawmaker has  warned that US President Donald Trump's impulsive threats  against other countries could set America "on the path to  World War III," in comments capping an unusually hostile and  public feud between the pair on social media.
Bob Corker, who chairs the powerful Senate Foreign  Relations Committee, yesterday slammed the president for  running his office like a "reality show" in a stinging rebuke  against a sitting president of his own party that was  remarkable even by the volatile standards of the Trump  administration.
The public spat between the former allies could also  undermine Trump's legislative agenda, with Corker's vote vital  to the fate of the Iran nuclear deal and passing tax reform.
"He concerns me," Corker told The New York Times, adding:  "He would have to concern anyone who cares about our nation."
The drama erupted in the morning, when Trump tweeted that  Corker had decided against running for re-election because he  lacked the "guts," ..

Top Republican lawmaker says US on course for WWIII with Trump

The International Committee of the Red  Cross will "drastically" reduce operations in war-torn  Afghanistan after seven of its employees were killed in  attacks this year, the aid organisation said today.
The decision by the charity, which has been working in  Afghanistan for over three decades, underlines the growing  dangers for aid workers, who have increasingly become  casualties of a surge in militant violence in recent years.
"We have no choice but to drastically reduce our presence  and activities in Afghanistan," Monica Zanarelli, the ICRC  head in Afghanistan, told reporters.
"Exposure to risk has become our greater challenge in  Afghanistan, and we know that zero risk doesn't exist and we  are not aiming at that, but our security has to be guaranteed  by every party," she said.
The humanitarian group will close its facilities in the  northern city of Maimana, the capital of Faryab province, and  in Kunduz province, also in the north and a hotbed of Taliban  ...

Red Cross to reduce Afghanistan presence after deadly attacks

A leading publisher said today it  would appeal Australia's largest defamation payout awarded to  Hollywood actor Rebel Wilson as the "unprecedented" amount had  major implications for the media industry.
The "Pitch Perfect" star was awarded Aus dollar 4.5  million (USD 3.5 million) in damages against Bauer Media by an  Australian court last month over magazine articles claiming  she lied about her age and background to further her career.
"It's important for us to revisit this unprecedented  decision on the quantum of damages, which also has broad  implications for the media industry," Bauer Media's General  Counsel Adrian Goss said in a brief statement.
In his ruling, Supreme Court of Victoria Justice John  Dixon said Bauer - which owns magazines Woman's Day,  Australian Women's Weekly and Cosmopolitan - had "acted in its  own corporate interests to secure improved circulation, or  increased views/hits".
Bauer argued the allegations made in Woman's Day,  Australian Women's Weekly ...

Australian publisher to challenge record Rebel Wilson payout

The Philippines apologised to China  today, days after embarrassingly using the logo of rival  Taiwan at an official defence ministry ceremony to accept a  Chinese donation of rifles and ammunition.
A banner with the logos of the Philippine and Taiwanese  defence ministries hung above the stage Thursday as Philippine  Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Chinese ambassador Zhao  Jianhua sat together to witness the weapons turnover.
"Military assistance gratis from the Ministry of National  Defense of the People's Republic of China," read the banner,  with the wrong logo apparently not attracting attention at the  time.
"The Department of National Defence committed a grievous  but purely unintentional mistake of using a different logo on  a banner to represent the Ministry of Defence of the People's  Republic of China," said a Philippine defence ministry  statement.
"We have issued an official apology to the government and  the people of the People's Republic of China," it said, ...

Philippines says sorry to China for Taiwan logo gaffe

Personal care brand Dove has  apologised for an advert that showed a black woman removing a  top to reveal a white woman underneath, following accusations  of racism.
The three-second video clip appeared in the United States  on the social networking site Facebook.
Dove said on Twitter that it had "missed the mark in  representing women of colour thoughtfully" and deeply  regretted any offence caused.
The body wash ad showed a black woman removing her top,  revealing a white woman underneath. She then took off her t-  shirt, showing a third woman underneath.
"Ready for a Dove shower? Sulfate free with 100 percent  gentle cleansers, our body wash gets top marks from  dermatologists," the advert said.
The Dove brand, owned by Rotterdam-based food and  consumer products giant Unilever, which is listed on the  London and Amsterdam stock exchanges, apologised after several  people on social media deemed the advert racist.
"As a part of a campaign for Dove body wash, a three-  second video .

Dove sorry for advert branded 'racist'

The UN's aviation agency has removed  a safety "red flag" against Thai carriers, the kingdom's junta  leader said today, in a major boost to the country's  stuttering airlines.
A 2015 audit by the International Civil Aviation  Organisation (ICAO) of Thai airlines found "significant safety  concerns" prompting the downgrade.
That triggered restrictions on Thai carriers launching  new international routes, cramping expansion plans for a  sector that has in recent years laboured under debts and  management woes.
The removal of the red flag "shows the trust of ICAO and  international community in Thai aviation," Prime Minister  Prayut Chan-O-Cha told reporters on Monday.
"It allows Thai airlines to fly anywhere in the world."
Thailand received the all clear following a trip by ICAO  officials to the kingdom in September, the Civil Aviation  Authority of Thailand said in a statement.
"The lifting of 'red flag' status indicates that Thailand  has dealt with the problems of under-standard of 

Thai airlines get safety boost as UN agency lifts 'red flag'

Major Japanese steelmaker Kobe Steel  said it has systematically fabricated inspection data for  aluminium and copper products that may have gone to around 200  clients, reportedly including Toyota.
The admission is the latest in a string of quality  control and governance scandals that have hit major Japanese  businesses in recent years undermining the country's  reputation for quality.
After conducting an in-house probe Kobe Steel admitted  Sunday that it had shipped products that did not meet client  specifications, including strength data.
The company said the fabrications, which might have  started a decade ago, could affect products sent to as many as  200 companies.
It did not name any of the companies.
But the Nikkei newspaper said Toyota and Mitsubishi Heavy  Industries, producer of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet passenger  plane, are among notable clients affected.
When asked whether Kobe Steel "systematically" lied about  product data, the firm's Vice President Naoto Umehara ..

Kobe Steel fabricated data for aluminum, copper products

An Israeli tank has shelled a post  of the Islamist Hamas movement in Gaza after Palestinians  attempted to fire a rocket into Israel, its army said.
The rocket, initially believed to have hit southern  Israel late Sunday, fell inside the Gaza Strip but had been  intended for the Jewish state, it said in a statement.
"As the rocket fire endangered Israeli citizens and  violated Israeli sovereignty, a tank targeted and destroyed a  Hamas observation point in the southern Gaza Strip," the  English-language statement said.
There was no word on Monday morning of any casualties.
Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.
A fragile ceasefire has been observed along the largely  closed border since the most recent conflict in 2014.
Missiles and rockets are periodically fired into Israel,  generally by hardline Salafist Islamist groups opposed to  Hamas.
But Israel holds Hamas responsible for all rocket fire  from Gaza, regardless of who carried it out, and usually  retaliates within 

AFP

AFP

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