Japanese coastguards said today they  had discovered five bodies inside a Chinese fishing boat that  capsized after a collision with a Hong Kong oil tanker off the  western coast of Japan the previous day.
"We found five bodies inside the ship... we're still  continuing our search-and-rescue operation for the remaining  seven," a Japanese coastguard official told AFP.
Yesterday's collision occurred 400 kilometres (250 miles)  north of the Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan, also known as  the East Sea.
The Chinese vessel, the 290-ton "Lurong Yuanyu 378", had  16 crew members in total. Four have already been rescued.
The Hong Kong-flagged ship was identified as "Brightoil  Lucky", a 63,294-ton tanker carrying 21 crew members.
The tanker's crew were believed to be safe.
Japan has deployed three patrol boats to search for the  missing crew, after responding to a plea for help from their  Chinese counterparts.

Five dead, seven missing after Chinese boat, HK tanker collide

Press Trust of India

A Brazilian nursery school  guard burned four toddlers and their teacher to death after  spraying them with alcohol and setting them alight in an  attack which horrified the nation.
Dozens of people were also hurt in the blaze while the  guard, who was reported to be mentally ill, died after  succumbing to his own burn injuries.
The tragedy occurred yesterday in a modest quarter of  Janauba, a city of 70,000 about 600 kilometers (370 miles)  north of Belo Horizonte city.
Janauba's mayor decreed seven days of mourning.
"This morning, four children and a teacher burned to  death when a guard at the nursery school sprayed alcohol on  the victims and his own body before setting them alight," the  prosecutor of Minas Gerais state, in the country's southeast,  said in a statement.
About 50 people were hospitalized with injuries, said  Bruno Ataide Santos, director of the local hospital.
Their condition was not known.
The guard, aged about 50, died in hospital several hours  after the ...

Guard burns four toddlers to death in Brazil horror

FIFA has promised to deliver a  "transparent" bidding process for the 2026 World Cup after the  controversy surrounding the awarding of the 2018 and 2022  tournaments to Russia and Qatar.
In a column to appear today in the FIFA magazine,  president Gianni Infantino insists that world football's  governing body has "radically enhanced the mechanisms for  selecting the location of our showpiece event".
"The process is as objective and transparent as it can  get," he adds, with aspects such as the bid book content,  candidature evaluation reports, votes by each member of the  FIFA council, and the final decision of the FIFA congress to  be closely monitored.
"Every step of the bidding process will be open to public  examination - and, for the first time, the process will be  scrutinised by an independent audit company," says Infantino.
The successful bid will have to "formally commit to  conducting their activities based on sustainable event  management principles and to respecting ...

FIFA pledges 'transparent' 2026 World Cup bid

North Korea has started operating some  Seoul-invested factories in its Kaesong industrial complex  after South Korea pulled out of the joint venture, Pyongyang's  online media said today.
The South suspended operations at the industrial complex  in February last year, saying that money Pyongyang made from  the venture was going towards its nuclear weapons programme.
An association representing the 120 South Korean firms  operating factories in Kaesong, which lies just across the  North Korean border, estimated the value of the assets left  behind at 820 billion won ($663 million).
Today, North Korean media outlets confirmed joint-run  factories were still running and that plants left by the South  could no longer be considered their assets.
"No one can interfere with whatever we are doing in the  industrial zone that lies within our sovereign territory,"  Uriminzokkiri, one of Pyongyang's propaganda outlets, wrote.
The article added that Pyongyang would freeze all  facilities, ...

N Korea says it is operating some factories left by Seoul

PTI Automatic

The Japanese publisher of Nagasaki-  born Kazuo Ishiguro said today it would republish eight of the  British author's books in translation, reporting "a huge  number of orders" after he won the Nobel Literature Prize.
Ishiguro left Japan when he was five and moved to  Britain, only returning to visit his native land as an adult  three decades later.
Japan had been pinning its hopes on its best-known  novelist Haruki Murakami to win the Nobel Prize but eagerly  claimed a link to the British winner with Japanese roots.
"Since last night, we have received a huge number of  orders. We're very happy," a spokeswoman for Ishiguro's  Japanese publishers Hayakawa told AFP.
"We have decided to reprint the eight works that we have  already published in Japanese," she said.
Ishiguro's best-known novel, "The Remains of the Day," is  among the works that have been translated into Japanese.
Japanese media showed images of late-night bookshops  frantically digging out their sparse stocks of Ishiguro .

Demand surges for Nobel winner's works in Japan: publisher

Brazilian police arrested the  chairman of the country's Olympic Committee as part of a probe  into alleged vote buying to secure Rio's hosting of the 2016  Games.
Twenty federal police agents swept into Rio de Janeiro's  upscale Leblon neighborhood in an early morning operation to  arrest 75-year-old Carlos Nuzman.
The Rio 2016 committee's chief operating officer Leonardo  Gryner was arrested in a separate raid.
A grim-faced Nuzman left his home wearing a dark business  suit in the Rio heat as he was escorted by police.
The agents, who were operating on orders from a federal  judge, also seized documents.
Nuzman and Gryner "will be charged with the crimes of  corruption, money laundering and criminal association," police  said in a statement.
Nuzman appeared relaxed and chatted with the agents as he  entered the police station.
The men were sent to the Benefica prison in northern Rio,  a police source told AFP.
With their detention, the vice president of Brazil's  Olympic Committee, .

Brazil arrests Rio Olympic committee chairman on corruption

Lionel Messi and Argentina's  hopes of reaching the 2018 World Cup were left hanging in the  balance after another stalemate on a nail-biting day of South  American qualifying action.
Argentina were held to a 0-0 draw in Buenos Aires by  Peru, leaving the two-time world champions outside the  automatic qualification places as they head into the final  round of fixtures next Tuesday.
It was another desperately disappointing display by  Argentina, who once again struggled to turn a wealth of  possession into goals.
Barcelona star Messi hit the post in the second half but  could only watch in frustration after serving up a stream of  chances for team-mates who failed to convert.
The result left Argentina in sixth place in the  standings. The first four teams qualify automatically, with  the fifth-placed team advancing to a playoff against New  Zealand in November.
But with only two points separating third-placed Chile  and seventh-placed Paraguay, the final standings could change  ...

Argentina in peril as World Cup race goes to wire

Australian players and  media slammed the referee after Syria's controversial late  penalty dented their hopes of reaching next year's World Cup  following a 1-1 play-off draw in Malacca.
The Socceroos remain in the box seat ahead of Tuesday's  second leg in Sydney, where the eventual winner will go into a  final play-off with the CONCACAF federation's fourth-placed  team.
But Omar al-Soma's 85th-minute equaliser raised harrowing  memories of the 1997 play-offs, when Australia drew 1-1 with  Iran in Tehran but were held 2-2 at home to go out on away  goals.
Forward Robbie Kruse even claimed Iranian referee Alireza  Faghani -- who farcically gave him a yellow card when he went  down with a serious injury in the 2015 Asian Cup final -- was  itching to give the penalty.
Australia were 1-0 up after Kruse's first-half goal but  the crucial moment came when Mathew Leckie made contact with  al-Soma in the box as they both went up for a header.
"It was evident to everyone it wasn't a ...

Aussies slam ref after World Cup penalty blow

Defending champions Germany clinched a  place at next year's World Cup in Russia with a 3-1 win in  Northern Ireland, while England beat Slovenia 1-0 to secure  their berth.
Sebastian Rudy and Sandro Wagner struck brilliant first-  half goals in Belfast before Joshua Kimmich added a late third  as Joachim Loew's team made it nine wins out of nine in  European qualifying Group C yesterday.
The four-time world champions also maintained their proud  unbeaten away record in World Cup qualifiers -- a run spanning  an incredible 47 matches dating back to 1934.
"We're off to Russia, to tear it up! We want to  successfully defend the World Cup title," said Bayern Munich  midfielder Rudy following his first international goal.
Northern Ireland, who grabbed a consolation through Josh  Magennis, remain on track to claim a spot in next month's  play-offs as they attempt to reach the World Cup for the first  time since 1986.
Harry Kane continued his stunning goalscoring form with a  94th-minute ...

Germany, England seal 2018 World Cup berths

Barcelona Football Club and their  captain Andres Iniesta urged dialogue to resolve a volatile  political crisis over Catalonia's drive for independence.
"I have never before publicly commented on situations  that are so complex and involve such diverse emotions, but  this situation we are experiencing is exceptional," the 33-  year-old midfielder wrote in a Facebook message yesterday.
"One thing I know for sure: before we do any more harm,  those who are responsible for all this must hold dialogue. Do  it for all of us. We deserve to live in peace."
Iniesta was the hero of Spain's 2010 World Cup final  victory over the Netherlands, scoring his side's dramatic late  goal in a 1-0 win after extra time.
He was born in the central Spanish region of Castilla-La  Mancha but joined FC Barcelona when he was 12 years old.
Tensions mounted between Catalonia and Madrid this week  after Catalans went ahead with a banned independence  referendum last Sunday that was marred by police violence.
The 

FC Barcelona, Iniesta urge dialogue in Catalonia crisis

US lawmakers bolstered efforts  today to ban devices used by the Las Vegas shooter to make his  guns fire faster, while the National Rifle Association  unexpectedly urged federal officials to review the legality of  such modifications.
The influential pro-gun lobby group broke from its  traditional outright opposition to any gun control efforts by  calling on the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and  Explosives (ATF) to consider changing the laws surrounding  so-called "bump stocks."
"The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-  automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles  should be subject to additional regulations," the NRA said.
The statement is a notable concession by the group, which  has vehemently opposed any efforts to tighten gun laws or  limit gun owners' options to modify their weapons, and it  could open the door to a broader debate about bump stocks.
But should the ATF modify federal statute to make such  devices illegal, the move would ...

After Vegas massacre, US gun lobby backs calls for new curbs

Five children and a woman died in  Japan today in a fire that was apparently started deliberately  by the father of the family.
Police discovered five bodies at an apartment in Hitachi  City some 100 kilometres north of Tokyo after the blaze was  extinguished in the early hours today, Jiji Press reported.
A child found in critical condition later died in  hospital.
Local media said the children were aged between three and  11.
A man in his 30s told authorities he had started the  fire, according to Jiji, citing unnamed police sources. He is  believed to be the father of the five children.
A police spokesman was not immediately available for  comment.

Five children, woman dead in Japan 'arson attack': reports

US President Donald Trump today  insisted Iran has not acted in keeping with a deal to curb its  nuclear program, days before he must decide on the future of  the accord.
"They have not lived up to the spirit of the agreement,"  said Trump, who appeared poised to withhold certification of  Iran's compliance, leaving Congress to weigh sanctions that  could scupper the deal.
"The Iranian regime supports terrorism and exports  violence and chaos across the Middle East," Trump said as he  met military leaders to discuss the issue.
"That is why we must put an end to Iran's continued  aggression and nuclear ambitions" he said. "You will be  hearing about Iran very shortly."
Ahead of the October 15 deadline, several officials  familiar with White House deliberations told AFP Trump has  made it clear he does not want to certify Iran's compliance  with the accord, flying in the face of advice from some of his  closest advisors.

Trump says Iran has not lived up to 'spirit' of nuclear deal

Vatican finance chief Cardinal  George Pell will face a hearing next March to decide if there  is enough evidence for him to stand trial on sex abuse  charges, a court said today.
Up to 50 witnesses could be called to give evidence, the  Melbourne Magistrates Court heard in a case involving  allegations of multiple historical sexual offences.
Australian Pell, a top adviser to Pope Francis, strongly  denies the allegations.

Cardinal Pell to face next hearing in sex abuse case in March

The Saudi Arabia-led  coalition fighting in Yemen was today placed on a UN blacklist  for killing and maiming children, drawing fresh calls from  rights groups to step up pressure on Riyadh over the conflict.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres decided to add the  coalition to the annual list of shame while noting that it had  taken some measures to improve the protection of children.
"In Yemen, the actions of the coalition to restore  legitimacy in Yemen objectively led to that party being listed  for the killing and maiming of children," said a report  released along with the list as an annex.
In 2016, the coalition was responsible for 683 child  casualties and for 38 verified attacks on schools and  hospitals, it said.
Yemen's government forces, pro-government militias, the  Huthi rebels and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) were  also cited, but in a separate section of the list that said  they had failed to protect children.
In a statement released along with the report, 

UN blacklists Saudi-led coalition for killing children in

International Monetary Fund chief  Christine Lagarde today said a worldwide economic recovery was  taking hold, opening a window for countries to enact reforms  aimed at attaining broader, lasting prosperity.
"The long-awaited global recovery is taking root," she  said in an address at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.
Countries around the globe are seeing renewed or  sustained economic expansion, coinciding with greater  stability in banks and market confidence, she said.
"Can the world seize the opportunity of the upswing to  secure the recovery and create a more inclusive economy that  works for all?" she asked.
Her remarks came the week before the IMF and World Bank  are due to begin annual meetings at which the Fund will unveil  updated forecasts for global growth.

World must 'seize the opportunity' of global recovery: IMF's

Nearly 800 Yazidi women and girls and  others who fled persecution by the Islamic State group in  northern Iraq have been resettled in Canada, the immigration  minister said today.
Canada's parliament last year, with Iraqi activist Nadia  Murad on hand, declared the persecution of Yazidis a genocide  and said this country would take in up to 1,200.
"Today, I am proud (to say that) almost 800 Yazidi women  and girls, and other survivors of Daesh have already arrived,  and have begun the process of rebuilding their lives with the  assistance of private sponsors and community groups all across  Canada," Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen told the House of  Commons.
"Daesh" is the Arabic acronym for the militant group.
"I continue to be amazed by the generosity and compassion  extended to this highly vulnerable group by all Canadians," he  added.
Thousands of women and girls, especially from the Yazidi  minority, suffered horrific abuse in IS-controlled areas,  including rape, abduction, ..

800 Yazidis refugees resettled in Canada: minister

Republican Tim Murphy, the anti-  abortion lawmaker who was caught urging his mistress to  terminate a pregnancy, said today he is resigning from the US  Congress.
The move came one day after he announced he would not  seek re-election in November 2018.
"This afternoon I received a letter of resignation from  Congressman Tim Murphy, effective October 21," House Speaker  Paul Ryan said in a statement.
"It was Dr. Murphy's decision to move on to the next  chapter of his life, and I support it."
Murphy, an eight-term congressman from Pennsylvania, has  been popular with members of the pro-life movement, and  recently sponsored legislation that criminalizes most  abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy.
The measure passed the House on Tuesday largely along  party lines, and a companion bill was introduced to the Senate  yesterday.
The bill is unlikely to pass the Senate, where Democratic  blocking tactics could derail it.
Criticism of Murphy surged when the Pittsburgh Post-  Gazette ...

Anti-abortion US lawmaker resigns after abortion scandal

The number of illegal migrants  leaving Libya for Europe has fallen by 20 per cent so far in  2017, the European naval force charged with stopping people  trafficking in the Mediterranean said today.
"We have seen a drop in the number of people leaving  Libya for Europe this year, around 20 per cent," Enrico  Credendino, commander of the force, told a news conference  aboard the Cantabria ship at the port of La Goulette, near  Tunis.
Summer saw a drop of 75 per cent compared with the same  period in 2016, with the number dying at sea falling by 60 per  cent, said the head of the EU's anti-trafficking operation  dubbed Sophia.
The decrease was explained in particular by the support  given to the Libyan coastguard, which received four Italian  patrol boats and training.
"With the training we have done, they are now able to  more effectively patrol territorial waters, fight all types of  crime and also save lives," the commander said.
The EU ambassador to Tunis, Patrice Bergamini, called 

20% fall in migrants from Libya: EU naval force

A US drone killed a "commander"  of Al-Qaeda militants in Yemen in a strike on the central  province of Baida, security sources said today.
Shroum al-Sanaani, a leading figure with Al-Qaeda in the  Arabian Peninsula group, was travelling on a motorbike along  with an unidentified man when the strike killed them both, the  sources said.
The attack was carried out on the Yakala area, a  stronghold for the jihadist group where US drones have  repeatedly targeted Al-Qaeda members in the past few months.
The United States considers the Yemen-based AQAP to be  the group's most dangerous branch.
A long-running drone war against AQAP has intensified  since US President Donald Trump took office in January.
An air raid he ordered that month killed a US Navy SEAL  and several Yemeni civilians in Baida province, south of  Marib.
AQAP has taken advantage of a war between the Saudi-  backed government and Shiite rebels to expand its presence in  several areas of eastern and southern Yemen.
More ...

US drone strike kills Qaeda 'commander' in Yemen

Wall Street stocks surged to fresh  records again today amid growing confidence in the US  corporate earnings outlook and the prospects of President  Donald Trump's tax cut plan.
All three major indices finished at new all-time peaks  for the fourth straight session, with the Dow Jones Industrial  Average gaining 0.5 per cent to 22,769.86.
At the closing bell the broad-based S&P 500 gained 0.6  per cent to 2,551.63, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite  Index jumped 0.8 per cent to 6,584.21.

AFP

AFP

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