A week before France's presidential election, the four top candidates began a final push today to woo undecided voters who will determine the outcome of a tight race between the hard left, centre, right and far right.
	On April 23, the French will vote in the first round of the country's most unpredictable election in decades. Two of the 11 candidates will go through to a decisive run-off on May 7.
	The election is being closely watched in Brussels and around the world, with a duel between far-right leader Marine Le Pen and surging leftist radical Jean-Luc Melenchon, both eurosceptics, one of the possible outcomes.
	Opinion polls show record numbers of voters -- one in three -- still undecided about who to back after a campaign that has been big on scandals but short on policy debate.
	An ebullient Melenchon, leader of La France Insoumise (Unbowed France), drew tens of thousands of supporters at an open-air rally in Toulouse where he bashed his rivals, US President Donald Trump and ...

French presidential hopefuls battle for votes with a week left

PTI Automatic

The Islamic State group used chemical weapons against Iraqi forces taking part in the operation to recapture Mosul, injuring some security personnel, the military said today.
	IS has periodically carried out attacks using chemical weapons, but both the toll and the impact on military operations has been minimal and the jihadists' bombs and bullets are far deadlier.
	"The Daesh terrorist gangs tried to block the advance of our forces by using shells filled with toxic chemical material, but the effect was limited," Iraq's Joint Operations Command said in a statement, using an Arabic acronym for IS.
	The attack on Saturday did not result in any deaths but did cause "limited injuries" among security personnel, the military command said.
	The statement said that the forces attacked were part of the massive operation aimed at recapturing the city of Mosul from IS, but did not specify if the attack took place in or outside the city.
	Iraqi forces are fighting to recapture west Mosul from IS .

IS attacked Iraq forces with chemical weapons: military

The remains of five archbishops of Canterbury have been accidentally discovered by builders in a hidden tomb beneath a London church, site developers said today.
	Some 20 lead coffins were discovered in a crypt underneath St Mary's-at-Lambeth, which sits outside Lambeth Palace, the central London residence of the archbishop of Canterbury -- the highest cleric in England.
	Two have been identified from name plates, while records show that five were buried in the crypt.
	Of the two identified archbishops, one is Richard Bancroft, who was in office from 1604 to 1610 and who oversaw the production of the King James Bible, considered a definitive work of the English language.
	Several hundred coffins were cleared out of the church for extensive renovation works in 1850s, during which the vaults were filled in with earth.
	But builders accidentally discovered one crypt had been left untouched.
	"This was the discovery of a recorded vault below the chancel for high status burials, including .

Builders find lost archbishops in London crypt

Turkey's 'No' camp, which opposes expanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers, today slammed the election commission for a last-minute change to the rules for voting in a tightly-contested referendum, saying it opened the way for fraud.
	The 'Yes' camp was narrowly ahead of its opponents in a tightly contested poll whose outcome is considerably closer than expected by the government.
	The Supreme Election Board (YSK) today said that voting papers not stamped by the board will be counted valid unless proven to be brought from outside, in a controversial announcement.
	In a statement posted on its website, the board said it received many complaints over the fact voters were given envelopes without stamps from officials.
	The board, which convened on Sunday, "decided that ballot papers without stamps and envelopes will be counted valid unless proven they were brought from outside."
	The election board's announcement was slammed by the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), as .

Turkey opposition slams poll board over last minute changes

- The 'Yes' campaign to give Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expanded powers was just ahead of its rival Sunday in a bitterly-contested referendum that will determine Turkey's future destiny, initial results said.
	The 'Yes' campaign had won 52.1 percent of the vote while the 'No' campaign had mustered 47.9 percent, the election commission said in figures quoted by state news agency Anadolu, in an initial count based on 92 percent of the ballot boxes.
	In a nail-biting end to a frenetic campaign, the 'No' share of the vote was climbing as more ballots were counted, after lagging well behind in the early count.
	For the changes to be implemented, the 'Yes' camp needs to win 50 percent plus one vote.
	More than 55.3 million Turks were eligible to cast ballots on sweeping changes to the president's role which, if approved, would grant Erdogan more power than any leader since modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his successor Ismet Inonu.
	Voting in Istanbul with his ..

'Yes' camp edging tight Turkey poll on Erdogan powers

US President Donald Trump attended an Easter Sunday church service near his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, a culmination to his latest weekend away from Washington.
	Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, waved to well-wishers as he entered the Episcopal Church of Bethesda- by-the-Sea.
	He took a seat near the front of the sanctuary with his wife and her parents, along with his daughter Tiffany and young son Barron as a choir sang hymns and the rector and other clergy made introductions and quoted gospel.
	Afterward Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago where, according to a White House aide, he was to join sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric for brunch and an Easter celebration, which includes an Easter egg hunt for children.
	Earlier Trump sent out a celebratory message on Twitter: "Happy Easter to everyone!"
	As Trump's motorcade wound through the tony seaside neighborhood where his resort is located, hundreds of people stood on the sidewalks and waved or snapped photographs. But one ...

Trump attends Easter church service

Turkey voted today to decide whether to expand President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers in a bitterly-contested referendum set to determine the future course of the key NATO member and EU hopeful.
	More than 55.3 million Turks were eligible to cast ballots on sweeping changes to the president's role which, if approved, would grant Erdogan more power than any leader since modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his successor Ismet Inonu.
	Polling closed at 1400 GMT and a vote count immediately began that should yield a clear result later today.
	For the changes to be implemented the 'Yes' camp needs to win 50 per cent plus one vote.
	Opinion polls, always treated with caution in Turkey, predicted wildly divergent scenarios with analysts saying the outcome remains too close to call despite the clear advantage in resources and airtime enjoyed by the 'Yes' campaign.
	Voting in Istanbul along with his family, Erdogan predicted that "our people would walk to the future" by making ..

Tense Turkey decides its 'destiny' in vote on Erdogan powers

Private radio operators in Mali today denounced a state crackdown on pirate broadcasters, with 47 stations threatened with closure for failing to obtain licences.
	High levels of illiteracy in the largely desert west African nation make radio a lifeline for isolated communities with few other means of getting local news and information.
	"You have to give these stations time to conform to the law," said Bandiougou Dante, president of the Union of Free Radio and Television of Mali (UFRTM).
	"The problem is that these stations in the interior of the country only have provisional licences and are useful to the local population," Dante said.
	On Thursday Mali's communications regulator announced the stations affected had been sent notices to shut down "for not respecting the rules".

Private radio stations protest Mali crackdown

Nearly 70 children were among 126 people killed when a suicide car bombing tore through buses carrying evacuees from besieged government-held towns in Syria, a monitor said today.
	Yesterday's blast hit a convoy carrying residents from the northern towns of Fuaa and Kafraya as they waited at a transit point in rebel-held Rashidin, west of Aleppo.
	At least 68 children were among those killed in the attack, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, updating a previous toll of 112 dead.
	At least 109 of the dead were evacuees, the Britain-based monitoring group said, while the rest were aid workers and rebels guarding the convoy.
	The evacuations were taking place under a deal between Syria's regime and rebels that is also seeing residents and rebels transported out of Madaya and Zabadani, towns near Damascus which are surrounded by pro-government forces.
	The agreement is the latest in a string of evacuation deals, which the government of President Bashar al-Assad says are the best 

Dozens of children dead in Syria evacuees bombing

At least a dozen Vietnamese police have been held hostage over a land dispute with residents near Hanoi, activists and state media said today, in a rare show of defiance of communist authorities.
	The incident began on Saturday in the suburban My Duc district when authorities clashed with villagers who alleged their land was illegally seized for sale by a military-owned telecoms firm.
	The exact number of policemen and officials being held by residents could not immediately be confirmed, but images on social media showed at least 12 uniformed men under guard.
	"Local residents said they have no intention of releasing the hostages unless the central government intervenes," said La Viet Dung, a social activist who visited the site Sunday morning.
	"People have closed off their villages. No one can come in or out. The police are surrounding the area also, preventing media access. The situation is tense," Dung told AFP.
	A My Duc resident told AFP today police had fired in the air during .

Vietnamese police 'held hostage' by residents in land dispute

Thousands of Christians marked Jesus's resurrection on Easter Sunday at the Jerusalem site where they believe the miracle occurred, with some prostrating themselves over his tomb and leaving in tears.
	Visitors and worshippers filed through the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site where tradition says Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.
	It was the first Easter since the unveiling in March of renovations to the ornate, 19th-century shrine covering Jesus's tomb following a USD 3.7-million project that restored its stones to their original reddish-yellow and reinforced the heavily visited site.
	This year's holiday also fell on the same date for both Western and Eastern Christians, an irregular occurrence since they follow different calendars.
	Masses were staggered throughout the day for the various denominations that co-exist, often uneasily, in the church in Jerusalem's Old City.
	As mass was underway, visits continued, with pilgrims rubbing clothing, veils and ...

Christians mark Easter at site of Jesus's resurrection

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated five new phases of the South Pars gas field today, the result of some USD 20 billion in investment, local media reported.
	The ribbon-cutting of phases 17-21 pave the way for Iran to surpass the production levels of neighbouring Qatar, which shares half the offshore gas field, Iranian officials said.
	"Our production has reached 575 million cubic metres per day," said Rouhani.
	Iran's total gas production is 885 million cubic metres per day.
	"At the height of sanctions, with the help of Iranian engineers and workers, we succeeded in developing 11 phases of South Pars," added Oil Minister Bijan Namadar Zanganeh.
	South Pars is the largest known gas reservoir in the world.
	Iran has the second-largest gas reserves in the world after Russia, and the fourth-largest oil reserves.
	In November, French firm Total signed a preliminary accord worth an estimated USD 4.8 billion (4.5 billion euros) to help develop phase 11 of South Pars, but has since 

Iran opens new South Pars gas field phases worth USD 20 bn

Qatar and the Philippines have signed trade agreements worth USD 200 million during the final leg of President Rodrigo Duterte's Gulf tour, Manila's trade and industry secretary told reporters in Doha today.
	Ramon Lopez said 6,000 jobs would be created in the Philippines as a result of the 13 agreements signed between private companies at the weekend, which covered areas such as health, defence and tourism.
	"The private firms in Qatar have shown great interest in various projects (in the) Philippines," Lopez told the Qatar Tribune newspaper.
	"There are many more opportunities where they can invest."
	His comments came as Duterte prepared to meet senior government officials in Doha on Sunday, and less than 24 hours after the controversial former mayor addressed an adoring crowd of almost 7,000 supporters in Qatar.
	Duterte thrilled a sell-out audience by reiterating his uncompromising policy pledges on drugs -- which has gained him popularity at home and notoriety in the West -- and 

Qatar and Philippines sign 'USD 200m contracts': minister

Health workers in Mali called off a month-long strike today that paralysed hospitals after reaching an agreement with the government.
	The stoppage was called by the country's two main health unions, demanding raises for staff and jobs for contract workers, though a skeleton emergency service was maintained.
	"The demand for strike action is lifted because we are satisfied," said Yossouf Maiga, a senior official with one the unions, adding that eight of nine demands had been met.
	Government spokesman and commerce minister Abdel Karim Konate confirmed to AFP the strike was over.
	"The strikers and the government have reached agreement," he said.
	The strike was the longest ever to hit hospitals in Mali's history and badly affected the majority of patients who could not afford private care, pushing them to seek help from traditional healers.

Health workers end month-long strike in Mali

At least 68 children were among those killed in the car bomb attack on a convoy carrying evacuees from besieged government-held towns in Syria, a monitor said today.
	Yestersay's attack in Rashidin west of Aleppo killed at least 126 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, updating a previous toll of 112 dead.
	At least 109 of those killed were evacuees from the towns of Fuaa and Kafraya, it said, while the rest were aid workers and rebels guarding the convoy.

68 children among dead in bomb attack on Syria evacuees

68 children among dead in bomb attack on Syria evacuees:

Pope Francis, Easter Mass, St. Peter's Square, Vatican

He prayed for peace for the entire Middle East beginning with Holy Land, as well as in Iraq, Yemen

Pope urges end to Syria 'horror' in Easter address

Press Trust of India

The Philippine military said today it would hold annual exercises with US troops next month, reaffirming its commitment to the alliance despite cooling relations under President Rodrigo Duterte.
	   The 10-day exercises will be the first held under Duterte, who has suggested cancelling the drills and called for the withdrawal of American troops, putting into question Manila's 70-year-old alliance with Washington as he looks instead to court China.
	   The outspoken Filipino leader, who has earned international censure for a war on drugs that has seen thousands killed, has since softened his stance on working with the US military.
	   The annual military exercises, known as Balikatan (Shoulder-to-Shoulder), will now go ahead in May, focusing on counter-terrorism and disaster response as the Philippines battles Islamic militants in their lawless southern strongholds.
	   "It will be scenario-based like (preparing for) a big storm hitting the Philippines or the possibility of terrorism," 

Philippines, US to hold military drills

US National Security Advisor Gen. H.R McMaster arrived in Kabul today days after the American military dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb on Islamic State group hideouts in eastern Afghanistan, killing nearly a hundred militants.
	On his first visit to the country as President Donald Trump's envoy, McMaster said on Twitter he was set to hold "very important talks on mutual cooperation".
	"Welcome Lt. Gen. HR #McMaster to Kabul and thank you for your continuous support," Afghanistan's presidential palace tweeted.
	On Thursday the US military in Afghanistan dropped its GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, dubbed the "Mother of All Bombs", in combat for the first time on IS hideouts in the Achin district of Nangarhar province.
	Afghanistan's defence ministry on Sunday put the death toll at 95 militants and no civilians.
	The attack triggered global shock waves, with some condemning the use of Afghanistan as what they called a testing ground for the weapon, and against a militant group .

Top US official visits Afghanistan after huge bomb attack

An Egyptian court today acquitted a US-Egyptian charity worker accused of human trafficking and sexually abusing children, in a case that drew alarm from Washington and international rights groups.
	The court found Aya Hejazi, her husband and six others not guilty, an AFP correspondent said.
	Hejazi, who co-founded a charity which helps Cairo street children, was arrested in May 2014.
	Human Rights Watch last month alleged that Hejazi and her co-defendants had been denied private meetings with lawyers and were being held in "arbitrary detention".
	The trial "has been nothing less than a travesty of justice," HRW deputy Middle East and North Africa Joe Stork said at the time.
	A senior White House official told reporters ahead of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's Washington visit last month that administration officials would raise Hejazi's case during the trip.
	The prosecution alleged that children were sexually abused at the offices of the Belady Foundation, which Hejazi ...

Court acquits US-Egyptian in charity abuse case

Pope Francis began his traditional Easter mass in Rome today with thousands of the faithful being subjected to heightened security measures.
	The Easter mass, the highlight of the Christian calendar, started at 0800 GMT under a cloudy sky where worshippers had gathered since the early hours to gain access. Heavy rain lashed down for several minutes around one hour later.
	The mass followed Francis's Good Friday prayer in which he deplored the suffering of migrants, victims of racism and the persecution of Christians around the world.
	A week of Easter events had a bloody beginning last Sunday when attacks claimed by the Islamic State group on two Coptic churches in Egypt left 45 people dead.
	The entire area around St Peter's Basilica was blocked, with only several access points for those admitted after their bags had been inspected.
	Access to St Peter's Square itself was only possible after security checks similar to those at airports. Hundreds of police and security forces stood ...

AFP

AFP

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