S Korea media warn of 'Trump risk' to alliance

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Real Madrid depth keeps rare double alive

Mourinho blasts 'not human' United schedule

Whistleblowers reluctant to betray friends, says report

After four evenly-contested opening 'flyaway' contests, Formula One returns to its European homeland with Ferrari revived and a fiercely-competitive season in prospect as champions Mercedes battle to retain their crown.
     This much became clear after a roller-coaster weekend at the Sochi Autodrom where the popular Valtteri Bottas secured his maiden victory for Mercedes to lay down a personal marker while his puzzled team-mate Lewis Hamilton struggled to fourth.
     The Mercedes pairing were separated by the two Ferraris of championship leader Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen on a day of little overtaking, but much tension.
     "It's going to be extremely close," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. "More than very close.
     "Ferrari has a good car. They have come back from the winter with a very good car and it seems to suit Sebastian very well - so we just need to stretch ourselves to perform as good as we can."
     Finn Bottas' win rescued Mercedes after Ferrari dominated .

Fierce contests ahead as Europe beckons

France's rivals for the presidency, centrist frontrunner Emmanuel Macron and far-right rival Marine Le Pen, braced for major shows of opposition to their programmes today on a fractious May 1 holiday.
	Both candidates will hold rallies just six days before the decisive second round.
	France's powerful unions will also stage traditional May Day marches but the demonstrations will underscore the conspicuous absence of the united front they showed in 2002 when Le Pen's father Jean-Marie shocked the country by reaching the run-off.
	On this day 15 years ago, some 1.3 million people took to the streets of France in union-led demonstrations to protest against the founder of the National Front (FN), including 400,000 in Paris.
	That show of force, coupled with a political closing of ranks, helped centre-right Jacques Chirac inflict a crushing defeat on Le Pen senior.
	This time, unions are divided over the choice between his 48-year-old daughter and 39-year-old Macron.
	Two, the CFDT and ...

France's Le Pen, Macron face opposition on fractious May 1

Three German nationals died when the small plane they were travelling in crashed in southern Spain at the weekend, authorities said today.
	They were flying from the southeastern town of Muchamiel to Granada in southern Andalucia on Saturday afternoon, and crashed in a mountainous area some 80 kilometres (50 miles) from their final destination.
	"Initial identification via their ID indicates they were German, but authorities are in contact with the consulate," said a spokeswoman for the central government's representative office in Malaga province, where the accident happened.
	She did not know whether they were tourists or residents in Spain, adding that authorities were investigating the accident, including whether the plane was forced to deviate its course due to high winds.

Three Germans die in Spain plane crash

At least 27 passengers were injured on an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Thailand when the plane suddenly hit a patch of severe turbulence on approach to Bangkok, officials said today.
	The aircraft encountered a severe pocket of "clean air" turbulence -- so-called because there is no cloud warning -- before landing just after midnight, the Russian national carrier said in a statement.
	Denis Antonyuk, an official at Russia's embassy in Bangkok said 24 Russian nationals and three Thais were injured.
	"Fifteen Russians and two Thais are still in hospital," he told AFP, adding the rest had been discharged.
	The head of the Russian embassy's consular department Vladimir Sosnov told RIA Novosti news agency that some of the injured were undergoing operations but he could not give exact numbers.
	He added that none of the injuries were life-threatening.
	Russia state television Channel 1 said some passengers suffered multiple injuries.
	Thai police at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport did not .

Turbulence injures 27 on Aeroflot flight to Bangkok

US-led strikes aimed against the Islamic State group have "unintentionally" killed 352 civilians since the offensive began in 2014, according to the US military.
	The tally from the Combined Joint Task Force did not include findings from an investigation the coalition said it had launched into one allegedly particularly deadly strike on March 17 in west Mosul.
	US General Stephen Townsend had said coalition forces "probably had a role in those casualties."
	The statement released Sunday by Operation Inherent Resolve -- the coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria -- said 42 reports of civilian fatalities were still under review.
	From November 2016 to March 9, 2017, coalition strikes killed 45 civilians, the statement said.
	Three separate strikes near Mosul in early March of this year left 26 civilians dead.
	The statement said the coalition had in February and March finished an audit of its civilian casualty report tracking.
	The Pentagon said 80 civilian ...

US-led strikes against IS have killed 352 civilians: Pentagon

US-backed fighters cornered the Islamic State group in a last part of Tabqa today, after tearing down a huge jihadist flag that had fluttered over the northern Syrian city.
	The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, were in control of all but a fifth of Tabqa as of early today, a monitor said.
	The city sits on a strategic supply route about 55 kilometres (35 miles) west of IS's main Syrian stronghold Raqa and served as a key IS command base.
	The SDF broke into Tabqa from the south a week ago and have steadily advanced north, squeezing IS in three contiguous neighbourhoods on the bank of the Euphrates River.
	At dawn today, IS fighters withdrew from the western-most district towards the other two neighbourhoods, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.
	"The SDF now controls more than 80 percent of Tabqa," Abdel Rahman said, with IS only holding the two northern neighbourhoods of Hurriyah and ...

US-backed fighters corner IS in Syria's Tabqa

Turkish police today used tear gas to disperse a group of protesters as they sought to defy a ban and march to Istanbul's Taksim square to celebrate May Day.
	Police tried to stop around 200 protesters in the Gayrettepe district on the European side of Istanbul who wanted to walk to the famous square in spite of the ban by city authorities, an AFP journalist reported.

Police use tear gas to disperse May Day protests in Istanbul

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte today visited Chinese warships docked in his home town, highlighting fast-warming relations despite competing claims in the South China Sea.
	The visit came a day after Duterte issued a chairman's statement on behalf of the 10-nation ASEAN bloc that took a soft stance towards Chinese expansionism and island-building in the Sea.
	Duterte boarded the missile destroyer Chang Chun which arrived with two other vessels in Davao City on Mindanao island yesterday for a three-day goodwill visit.
	"Goodwill games" of basketball and tug-of-war are being staged between the Chinese sailors and their Filipino counterparts in Davao, the Philippine navy said in a statement.
	Duterte, elected last year, has changed foreign policy by playing down his country's territorial dispute with China over large parts of the South China Sea in favour of seeking greater economic aid and investment.
	In the chairman's statement, issued Sunday after he hosted the Association of ..

Philippines' Duterte visits Chinese warships in home town

Greek trade unions marked May Day today with a 24-hour nationwide strike and protests against looming new cuts demanded by the country's creditors in return for bailout cash.
	Under pressure from its creditors -- the European Union, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund -- the government agreed to adopt another 3.6 billion euros (USD 3.8 billion) in cuts in 2019 and 2020.
	Athens conceded fresh pension and tax break cuts in return for permission to spend an equivalent sum on poverty relief measures.
	The measures are to be approved by parliament by mid-May, with the government hoping to reach an overall deal at a May 22 meeting of eurozone finance ministers.
	"Bailout government and the creditors have been squeezing the people and workers for seven years," civil servants' union Adedy said ahead of demonstrations planned in Athens and other major cities.
	A general strike will be held against the cuts on May 17.
	A government source early today said Athens and the ..

Greeks mark May Day with strike, demos against fresh cuts

US-backed fighters have captured 80 per cent of Syria's Tabqa from the Islamic State group, a monitor said today, a week after they first entered the town.
	The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) broke into Tabqa from the south last week and have steadily advanced north, cornering IS in three contiguous neighbourhoods on the bank of the Euphrates River.
	The strategic town of Tabqa sits on a supply route about 55 kilometres (35 miles) west of Raqa city, the de facto capital of IS territory in Syria.
	At dawn, IS fighters withdrew from the western-most district towards the other two quarters, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
	"The SDF now controls more than 80 percent of Tabqa," Abdel Rahman said.
	"In the whole town, IS only holds those two neighbourhoods, known locally as the first and second quarters," he told AFP.
	Clashes and bombing raids by the US-led coalition were rocking the town on Monday morning, the Observatory reported.
	The assault on .

US-backed forces seize 80% of Syria's Tabqa from IS: monitor

Thailand's junta chief has accepted an invitation to visit the White House from President Donald Trump, his spokesman said today, the latest autocrat to be embraced by the US leader.
	The offer came during a phone conversation yesterday night, part of a flurry of calls Trump made to Southeast Asian leaders over the weekend trying to shore up regional support over the troubled Korean peninsula.
	Yesterday he extended a White House invitation to Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte, whose brutal anti-drugs campaign has claimed thousands of lives and led to warnings from rights groups about possible crimes against humanity.
	"The Prime Minister thanked and accepted President Trump's invitation to visit the United States," junta spokesman Major General Werachon Sukhonhapatipak said in a statement, adding that the offer to visit had been reciprocated by Bangkok.
	Thailand's former army chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha seized power three years ago, anointing himself prime minister and ushering in ..

Thai junta chief accepts Trump invite

The Cuban government's traditional May Day parade today is the last to be overseen by President Raul Castro -- and the first without his late brother and revolutionary predecessor Fidel.
	The May 1 rally draws hundreds of thousands of Cubans into Havana's Revolution Square in a sea of red, white and blue national flags and portraits of Fidel Castro.
	But he died in November and Raul Castro, after just over a decade in power, has said he will step aside in February 2018.
	Raul Castro has been cautiously opening up Cuba's state- run economy and strengthening its foreign relations -- notably by re-establishing diplomatic ties with the United States.
	But today's parade has the feel of the end of an era. It is not clear who will take Castro's place next year.
	Most rumors suggest it will be Miguel Diaz-Canel, 56, vice-president of the State Council. Despite ministerial experience and party credentials, he is seen as lacking a support base in the military.
	"There is very high uncertainty .

Cuba faces last May Day parade under Castro

Indonesian police have arrested eight men for allegedly holding a "gay party" in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, police said today.
	Officers busted 14 men holding the party in two hotel rooms in Surabaya, the second biggest city in Indonesia, around midnight yesterday.
	Police named eight men as suspects and filed preliminary charges against them under Indonesia's tough anti-pornography law. Two of the eight could face up to 15 years in jail for initiating and facilitating the event.
	Six others were released.
	"This is the first time we enforce the law and arrest gay people in the city," Silitonga told AFP.
	Except for Aceh province, which upholds sharia law, gay sex is not illegal in Indonesia, which mainly follows a criminal code inherited from former colonial ruler the Netherlands.
	However, there was a backlash against the country's LGBT community last year with government ministers publicly making anti-gay statements.

Eight men face jail over gay party in Indonesia

Roston Chase's second Test hundred and fine support from captain Jason Holder in a record unbroken partnership lifted the West Indies to 286 for six at stumps on the opening day of the second Test against Pakistan at Kensington Oval in on Sunday.
     Called upon to repair yet another debacle at the top of the order after Holder chose to bat first, Chase's unbeaten 131 was characterised by calm assurance and elegant strokeplay after he came to the crease at 37 for three.
     Even if he lived a bit dangerously, the skipper also played positively and will resume on the second day alongside Chase on 58, their partnership so far worth 132 runs and establishing a new record for the seventh wicket in Tests for the West Indies against Pakistan.
     Chase has so far faced 207 deliveries in five hours at the crease, stroking 17 fours while Holder's innings has occupied 125 deliveries over three-and-a-half hours with eight fours decorating his knock.
     On a surface offering very little ...

Ton-up Chase, Holder give West Indies edge

CIA director Mike Pompeo was in South Korea today for an "internal meeting", the US embassy in Seoul confirmed, following reports of an unannounced visit as tensions mount over growing nuclear threats from the North.
	South Korea's largest daily Chosun Ilbo reported today that Pompeo arrived in Seoul at the weekend and held back-to- back closed-door meetings with the head of the South's spy agency and senior presidential officials.
	Citing multiple intelligence sources, it said the CIA chief provided a detailed briefing on the Trump administration's policy on Pyongyang and assessed the internal situation of the North Korean leadership.
	The report added that Pompeo also exchanged views on the outlook for Seoul-Washington ties after South Korea's May 9 presidential elections.
	An official at the US embassy confirmed that the CIA chief was in South Korea, but said he had a limited itinerary.
	"The CIA director and his wife are in Seoul for an internal meeting with the United States ...

CIA chief in S Korea for 'internal meeting': US embassy

President Nicolas Maduro has welcomed an offer by Pope Francis for Vatican mediation in crisis-torn Venezuela but opposition leaders rebuffed the overture.
	The pope's call for a "negotiated solution" came in response to waves of protests by Venezuelans demanding new elections to pull the country out of a downward spiral.
	At least 28 people have died in protests since they began April, and hundreds have been arrested.
	"Dramatic news on the worsening of the situation in Venezuela keeps coming in with numerous deaths, injuries and prisoners," the pontiff said before a crowd of 70,000 attending weekly prayers in Saint Peter's Square.
	"United in sorrow with the families of the victims... I issue a sincere appeal to the government and all sectors of Venezuelan society to avoid all forms of violence henceforward," said the pontiff.
	Urging respect for human rights, Francis said the Vatican was willing to act as a mediator under "clear conditions".
	Maduro responded on his weekly program .

Maduro welcomes papal interest in Venezuela mediation

US congressional leaders have reached a deal on a federal spending bill which if passed by lawmakers this week will avert a government shutdown, a top lawmaker and congressional aides said.
	The agreement would keep federal operations running through September 30, the end of the fiscal year.
	Congress is expected to vote in the coming days on the package, which aides said includes some USD 1.5 billion in funding for increased border security measures, but no funding for an actual wall.
	They also said it adds USD 2 billion in new funding for the National Institutes of Health, and is expected to increase military spending.
	Comprehensive details were not available Sunday as the measure had yet to be officially finalised and released. Lawmakers have until Friday to get new spending legislation to President Donald Trump's desk.
	"This agreement is a good agreement for the American people, and takes the threat of a government shutdown off the table," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ..

AFP

AFP

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