Former Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunga

Demands an investigation into the World Cup final defeat by India amid allegations of match fixing

2011 World Cup Final: India vs Sri Lanka match was fixed, says Ranatunga

Press Trust of India

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said today he cannot confirm whether or not Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead, after reports from Syria that the jihadist leader had been killed.
	"If we knew, we would tell you -- right now, I can't confirm or deny it," Mattis said.
	"Our approach is we assume he's alive until it's proven otherwise, and right now I can't prove it otherwise."
	The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a longtime conflict monitor, said earlier this week it had heard from senior IS leaders in Syria's Deir Ezzor province that Baghdadi was dead.
	There was no official confirmation or denial of the news on IS-run social media outlets.

US has no proof IS leader Baghdadi is dead: Mattis

PTI Automatic

An assailant wounded six tourists in Egypt after attacking them with a knife on a beach in the Red Sea resort town of Hurghada today, the interior ministry said.
	The assailant has been arrested and is being questioned to determine his motives, the ministry said in a statement.

Six tourists wounded in Egypt beach resort stabbing: ministry

US has no proof IS leader Baghdadi is dead: Mattis (AFP)

At least eight Afghan civilians including women and children were wounded in an air strike in a restive southern province, doctors said today, as ordinary people continue to pay a disproportionate price in the ongoing conflict.
	The strike occurred late yesterday in volatile Sajawal Kala near Tarin Kot, the capital of Uruzgan, a poppy-growing province where the Taliban have a heavy presence.
	"At least eight people, all civilians, were wounded" in the strike and brought to a government hospital in Tarin Kot, said Zia-ul-Rahman, a doctor in the hospital.
	"Among the victims were five women, two children and a young man," he told AFP.
	A doctor in the village where the incident took place, Ehsanullah Ehsan, confirmed the incident to AFP, saying it happened late yesterday.
	Rahman blamed the strike on "foreign forces". There was no immediate statement from either the US or NATO on the incident.
	Civilian casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues in the 

Eight Afghan civilians wounded in airstrike: doctors

Gambian President Adama Barrow has set up a commission to probe the assets of former leader Yahya Jammeh, accused of stealing at least USD 50 million from the tiny west African state.
	In May, The Gambia's justice minister announced that Jammeh had plundered the meagre state coffers before leaving for exile in Equatorial Guinea in January after 22 years in power. He promised a commission would trace the cash.
	At a ceremony yesterday naming the commission's members, Barrow said it was "mandated to look into the management of some public enterprises as well as assets and financial transactions of the former president Yahya Jammeh and some of his associates."
	It will be chaired by high-profile lawyer Surahata Semega Janneh, who will work alongside an accountant and former banker.
	Head of the commission Janneh made it clear the commission had no jurisdiction to hold a criminal trial.
	But it was "empowered by law to make orders, adverse findings and recommendations that may infringe an 

Gambian president sets up commission into Jammeh's assets

Israeli security forces detained Jerusalem's top Islamic cleric as crowds gathered in the Old City following an attack today near a highly sensitive holy site that killed two police officers, the cleric's son said.
	The grand mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, the city's highest Islamic authority, had earlier gathered in the Old City with others and condemned the closure of the Al-Aqsa mosque for prayers after the attack.
	Israeli police said they had no comment.
	Hussein's son Jihad Hussein told AFP his father had been taken to a police station near the Old City.
	"Until now, we don't know what is going on with my father," he said.
	One of the mufti's bodyguards, Khaled Hamo, said police "entered the crowd and took the mufti."
	The incident came after three Arab Israelis opened fire on Israeli police, killing two before fleeing to the ultra- sensitive holy site where they were also shot dead in one of the most serious incidents in the city in recent years.
	Security forces ...

Israeli forces detain Jerusalem's top Muslim cleric after

Craig Ervine hit an unbeaten 151 to pull Zimbabwe out of trouble on the opening day of their one-off Test against Sri Lanka today.
     Ervine's career-best effort lifted Zimbabwe from a precarious 70-4 to 344-8 at stumps. Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath took four wickets.
     The left-handed batsman held on with Donald Tiripano (24 not out) at the end of play, putting on a frustrating 62-run stand for the ninth wicket.
     Ervine, who surpassed his previous Test best of 146, built crucial partnerships including a 84-run fifth-wicket stand with Sikandar Raza (36).
     It was the 31-year-old's second Test ton in the 12th match of his seven-year-old international career.
     Herath, 39, who returned figures of 4-106, provided early delight for Sri Lanka's new Test captain Dinesh Chandimal after he lost the toss.
     Herath sent back openers Regis Chakabva for 12 and Hamilton Masakadza for 19 to rattle the Zimbabwe top-order at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
     Paceman ...

Ervine ton lifts Zimbabwe out of Test trouble

Scoreboard at stumps on the
opening day of the one-off Test between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Colombo today:
     Zimbabwe 1st innings:
     H. Masakadza c Mendis B Herath           19
     R. Chakabva b Herath                     12
     T. Musakanda c Dickwella b Kumara         6
     C. Ervine not out                       151
     S. Williams c Gunaratne b Perera         22
     S. Raza lbw b Herath                     36
     P. Moor c Kumara b Gunaratne             19
     M. Waller b Herath                       36
     G. Cremer b Gunaratne                    13
     D. Tiripano not out                      24
     Extras (W-1, NB-5)                        6
     Total (For 8 wickets in 90 overs)       344
     Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-38, 3-38, 4-70, 5-154, 6-195, 7 -260, 8-282.
     Bowling: Lakmal 14-1-58-0, Kumara 15-2-66-1, Herath 30-4 -106-4; Perera 24-0-86-1; Gunaratne 7-0-28-2.

Colombo, July 14 (AFP) Scoreboard at stumps on the

Scoreboard at lunch on the
first day of the second Test between England and South Africa at Trent Bridge today:
     South Africa 1st Innings
     D. Elgar c Dawson b Anderson                   6
     H. Kuhn not out                               34
     H. Amla not out                               16
     Extras                                         0
     Total (1 wkt, 23 overs, 101 mins)             56
     Fall of wickets: 1-42.
     Bowling: Anderson 7-2-16-1; Broad 5-1-9-0; Wood 6-2-17-0; Stokes 5-2-14-0.

Nottingham, July 14 (AFP) Scoreboard at lunch on the

Heino Kuhn held firm as South Africa made a sound start to be 56 for one after a rain- interrupted session at lunch on the first day of the second Test against England at Trent Bridge today.
     Kuhn was 34 not out and Hashim Amla 16 not out, having become the fourth South African following Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers to score 8,000 Test runs.
     The Proteas, 1-0 down in the four-match series after a 211-run defeat inside four days at Lord's last week, saw their top order go some way to repaying the faith of returning captain Faf du Plessis, who opted to bat first after winning the toss.
     Trent Bridge has a reputation for aiding swing bowling and Du Plessis, who did not play at Lord's following the birth of his first child, admitted it had been a "tricky decision" to bat under cloudy skies.
     But the 33-year-old Kuhn, out for just one and nine on Test debut at Lord's, seized upon anything over-pitched or loose on a ground where England have not lost a ...

Kuhn anchors South Africa against England in 2nd Test

The Malian army said today it had killed a top jihadist commander operating in the country's troubled central region, following heavy fighting in the north against jihadists and among armed groups this week.
	Bekaye Sangare, a senior figure in the Macina Brigades, a group that joined a powerful jihadist alliance formed in March, was killed in the town of Mougna by Mali's National Guard, a military source told AFP.
	Sangare was behind "several attacks in the area against police and customs checkpoints," the same source said, specifically along the porous border with Burkina Faso on July 8 and 9.
	Sangare's death follows the killing of a dozen jihadists this week by joint Malian-French forces in the troubled north, while an attack by Islamists on Malian soldiers dead left three troops dead and five more still missing.
	The French army said in a statement yesterday that fighting "took out several terrorists in the Gao-Ansongo region," between July 10 and July 12, requiring helicopter and 

Top Malian jihadist killed as unrest intensifies

A Palestinian was killed today during clashes with Israeli forces at a refugee camp near the city of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.
	The ministry identified the man killed as Bara Hamamdah, 18, and said he had been shot in the chest during the clashes in Dheisheh.
	Israel's military confirmed the clashes but not the death, saying soldiers were there as part of an operation to arrest suspects.
	"Earlier today, during (Israeli military) activity to arrest suspects in the village of Dheisheh, south of Jerusalem, Palestinians hurled explosive devices and blocks at forces," the military said in a statement.
	"In response to the immediate threat forces fired towards the suspects."
	The clashes came on the same day that three Arab Israelis opened fire on Israeli police in Jerusalem, killing two before fleeing to an ultra-sensitive holy site where they were also shot dead.
	It was one of the most serious incidents in Jerusalem in recent ...

Palestinian killed in clashes with Israeli forces near

Three prominent members of Catalonia's government have quit after cracks emerged in the Spanish region's separatist executive just months before a planned independence referendum opposed by Madrid.
	Catalonia leader Carles Puigdemont told the press today that ministers in charge of interior matters and education, as well as government spokeswoman Neus Munte had stepped aside.
	He did not give a reason for their departure, but Catalonia's executive has recently been embroiled in heated debate over the vote planned for October 1 as Madrid piles pressure on members of the northeastern regional government.
	The first major sign of tensions came earlier this month when Jordi Baiget, in charge of business, expressed doubts over whether the referendum could ever take place, given the power of Madrid.
	Puigdemont promptly announced Baiget's departure -- a decision that was criticised by some of the most fervent supporters of independence.
	Madrid is fiercely opposed to a referendum, deeming ..

Catalonia govt hit by resignations in pre-referendum crisis

Legislators and human rights advocates angrily denounced the Philippine government today for reinstating 19 policemen linked to the killing of a jailed town mayor.
	The critics said it would further heighten the "culture of impunity" in the country where law-enforcers have long been accused of killing people without fear of punishment.
	But President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Ernesto Abella on Friday defended the reinstatement of Superintendent Marvin Marcos and 18 of his men, saying they were only following the rule of law.
	"He (Marcos) was simply suspended. Basically that was the process: he was suspended, he served his suspension and he is back on active duty," Abella told reporters.
	Justice Department investigators said the men under Marcos shot dead town mayor Rolando Espinosa and cellmate Raul Yap during a night-time raid on the jail in November last year.
	Marcos and his men are facing charges of homicide but were allowed out on bail. After serving a mandatory suspension ...

Outrage after Philippine police linked to killing reinstated

The United Nations today urged Venezuela to not interfere with a major opposition protest planned this weekend against the government's divisive plan to rewrite the constitution.
	"We urge authorities to respect the wishes of those who want to participate in this consultation and to guarantee people's rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly," the UN human rights office said in a statement.
	The opposition-led National Assembly is organising a symbolic vote on embattled President Nicolas Maduro's bid to hold a July 30 election for a new assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution.
	The opposition has staged waves of protests against Maduro, including a demonstration on Monday in Caracas during which dozens of protesters and some security force personnel confronting them were injured.
	Opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara has said Sunday's event "will be the biggest act of civil disobedience in Venezuela's history".
	"It is vital that the government takes ..

Venezuela must respect opposition rights at protest: UN

Three Arabs opened fire on Israeli police in Jerusalem today, killing two before fleeing to an ultra-sensitive holy site where they were also shot dead in one of the most serious incidents in the city in recent years.
	Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone later in the day as tensions rose over the attack and its aftermath.
	The three attackers, Arab Israelis aged between 19 and 29, were shot dead by police, and a body could later be seen lying on the ground near the Al-Aqsa mosque at the holy site in Jerusalem's Old City.
	They had been armed with guns and knives, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.
	Videos circulating on social media showed a hail of gunfire ring out in what seemed to be an exchange of bullets between Israeli security forces and the assailants.
	Security forces locked down the area and the Al-Aqsa mosque was closed to Friday prayers after the attack in a highly unusual move.
	The attackers were from the ...

2 police killed near Jerusalem holy site, attackers shot dead

At least 10 people, including a foreigner and a child, died when a bus hit the back of truck today as it travelled from the resort island of Bali, police said.
	The bus, carrying 34 people, was heading to the town of Malang in East Java in the early morning when it hit the back of a fertilizer truck, killing several of the sleeping passengers.
	"Ten people died on impact and nine others were injured," local police chief Arman Asmara Syarifuddin told AFP.
	Among the victims were a 29-year-old Austrian man whose name has not yet been released and a 12-year-old Indonesian girl.
	A German tourist was also injured in the accident and has been released from hospital after receiving treatment, Syarifuddin said.
	Police have detained and questioned the drivers of the truck and the bus to determine the cause of the accident.
	Transport accidents are common in Indonesia, where buses and trains are often old and badly maintained.
	At least 11 people were killed and 50 others were injured in ...

Bus accident kills 10 in Indonesia

Thailand's Buddhist monks could soon be issued "smart ID cards" flagging any drug or criminal records, in the latest move by the junta to restore the tarnished image of the men in orange robes.
	The kingdom has around 300,000 monks, who are held in high regard as keepers of the national religion.
	But in recent months the clergy has been plagued by a series of high-profile scandals ranging from sex and drugs to murders taking place at temples.
	The junta, which took power in 2014, wants to reorganise Thai Buddhism with misbehaving monks first in their crosshairs.
	"Monks across the country already hold the paper-based cards but the information is out-of-date, which makes it hard to verify their background," Ormsin Chivapruck, an official at the Office of the Prime Minister, told reporters today.
	Digitalised smart cards would enable up-to-date tracking with the monk's monastic history recorded alongside any criminal offence or report of drug use, he added.
	The move is "to prevent ...

Thailand to check monks' bad habits with 'smart ID cards'

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone following today's attack near an ultra-sensitive holy site that killed two Israeli police, with three Arab assailants also shot dead.
	"The president (Abbas) expressed his strong rejection and condemnation of the incident at the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque and his rejection of any act of violence from any side, especially in places of worship," official Palestinian news agency WAFA said.
	"Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ... Called for calm on all sides."
	Abbas has repeatedly called for non-violent resistance to Israel's occupation without specifically condemning Palestinian attacks. His statement regarding today's incident was stronger than previous such responses.

Netanyahu, Abbas speak by phone after attack

Activists accused Beijing of crippling Hong Kong's parliament today after four pro- democracy lawmakers were disqualified.
	The High Court judgement means the balance of power in the partially elected legislature swings further to the pro- China camp as opponents do not have enough seats to veto bills.
	Former Umbrella Movement protest leader Nathan Law was among those barred in a case brought by the semi-autonomous city's Beijing-friendly government after the four changed their oaths of office to reflect frustrations with Chinese authorities.
	Beijing issued a special interpretation of Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, in November to insist that oaths be taken in a "sincere and solemn" manner.
	The unprecedented intervention was prompted by a string of protests during the swearing in of lawmakers following citywide elections in October.
	The High Court said Beijing's ruling was "binding" and that the court's decision to bar the four retrospectively was not politically ...

AFP

AFP

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