Norway and China announced today the resumption of diplomatic relations, six years after Beijing froze ties with Oslo over the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to a Chinese dissident.
	The Nobel Peace Prize in October 2010 to human rights activist Liu Xiaobo -- imprisoned in his own country by authorities who consider him a "criminal" -- had angered the Chinese regime so much that it suspended its ties with Norway.
	During a surprise visit to Beijing by Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende on Monday, the two nations issued a joint declaration announcing the thaw in their ties.
	"The Norwegian government reiterates its commitment to the one-China policy, fully respects China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, attaches high importance to China's core interests and major concerns, will not support actions that undermine them, and will do its best to avoid any future damage to the bilateral relations," the statement said.
	Human rights issues were not mentioned in the two-page ..

China ends diplomatic freeze with Norway after Nobel row

PTI Automatic

An estimated 3,000 people were evacuated from the last rebel-held pocket of Syria's Aleppo early on Monday after hours of delay, a medical official said.
	"About 20 buses carrying people from Aleppo have arrived" at the staging ground west of the city, said Dr Ahmad Dbis, who heads a team of doctors and volunteers coordinating evacuations.
	Another 25 vehicles arrived less than two hours later, he said, bringing the total evacuated this morning to around 3,000 people.
	Dbis said he saw families wrapped in several layers of coats getting off the buses and receiving packs of bottled water and food.
	One thin young boy was biting into an apple while his family sat on the cold earth behind him.
	More than 30 buses packed with people had waited overnight in freezing temperatures to leave Aleppo under a complex evacuation deal.
	Just 350 people were able to leave after Russia and Turkey urged the government to allow five buses to pass its final checkpoint, the Syrian Observatory for Human ..

3,000 leave rebel Aleppo in new evacuations: medic

Days of unseasonably torrential rains have killed at least 24 people in central Vietnam, authorities said today, inundating swathes of the region including the tourist draw town of Hoi An.
	Vietnam regularly experiences tropical storms and heavy downpours but it is unusual for the country to see so much rain in December, during the cooler dry season that is popular with tourists.
	Coastal Binh Dinh province reported the biggest death toll with 16 people killed since heavy rains began on December 12, according to an official online report from the national flood and storm control committee.
	At least two more are missing in the province with hundreds of houses in remote areas currently under water.
	The report said damage totalled $32 million with more than 32,000 hectares of crops destroyed.
	Parts of the central town of Hoi An, a World Heritage site that boasts picturesque pre-colonial trading houses, were submerged under water.
	"It is strange for our town to be hit with flooding in 

Floods kill 24 in Vietnam, more rains expected

Two soldiers were killed Sunday in an attack the Colombian army has blamed on guerrillas with the National Liberation Army (ELN).
	The soldiers, who were on a motorcycle patrol in Arauca, in eastern Colombia on the border with Venezuela, were gunned down by "terrorists of the ELN" traveling in a vehicle, the army said in a statement.
	Reinforcements were rushed to the area to search for the culprits, the statement added.
	The ELN is Colombia's second-largest rebel group after the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
	President Juan Manuel Santos and the FARC signed a peace accord on November 24 to end five decades of warfare, after a first agreement was unexpectedly rejected by Colombians an October 2 referendum.
	The ELN and the government began secret talks in January 2014 to pave the way for official peace talks, but the process has stumbled over the issue of hostages and prisoners.
	The Colombian government has suspended the preparatory talks until January 10, insisting .

Two Colombian soldiers killed in alleged ELN rebel attack

At least 25 people have died in the Russian city of Irkutsk after drinking bath essence containing toxic alcohol, authorities said today.
	Russia's Investigative Committee said in a statement that 42 people had sought medical attention over the weekend after having drunk the liquid labelled as hawthorn-scented bath essence, 25 of whom died.
	Authorities said the product bore a label warning it is unsuitable for consumption, but the lotion was nonetheless "consumed like alcohol."
	The product contained methanol, a toxic substance used in antifreeze, investigators said.
	Cheap perfumes and facial toners containing alcohol are sold without the trading restrictions on alcoholic drinks, while those who buy them to drink are the most socially disadvantaged.
	Two people have been detained over the deaths, investigators said, and searches are being conducted at the markets where the deadly product was being sold.
	Homemade spirits and household products containing alcohol are popular ...

At least 25 dead in Siberia after drinking bath essence

The fate of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority took centre stage today as regional ministers held crisis talks over a security crackdown that has drawn rare criticism from neighbouring nations.
	More than 27,000 Rohingya have fled northwestern Myanmar for Bangladesh since the start of November to escape a heavy- handed counter-insurgency campaign.
	The army says it is hunting militants behind deadly raids on police posts in October. But Rohingya survivors have described rape, murder and arson at the hands of security forces - accounts that have raised global alarm and galvanised protests in capitals around Southeast Asia.
	The exodus has caused an unusual open spat within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the regional 10-member block that usually prides itself on consensus diplomacy and non-interference.
	Today, foreign ministers from the bloc met in Yangon for emergency talks, a gathering Malaysia said was the result of pressure building on Myanmar to resolve the ...

Pressure on Myanmar as region holds Rohingya talks

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has tapped a China-backed multilateral lender to help fund his government's "unprecedented infrastructure buildup", the finance minister said today, as he seeks closer relations with Beijing.
	The Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has been viewed by some as a rival to the World Bank and the Philippines-based Asian Development Bank (ADB).
	Duterte has vowed to boost spending to address crumbling infrastructure, saying he would seek funds from China as he pivots his nation's foreign policy away from traditional ally the US.
	Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said he met with AIIB president Jin Liqun in Manila last week, who confirmed the lender would fund two projects.
	"The Philippines' membership to the AIIB would provide the government another source of long-term funding ... For the Duterte administration's unprecedented infrastructure buildup," Dominguez said in a statement today.
	Duterte, 71, increasingly turned to ...

Philippines taps China-backed AIIB to fix infrastructure

Japan has scrapped plans to generate electricity at a multi-billion dollar experimental nuclear reactor, the government said today, giving up on the decades-old project due to spiralling costs.
	Once touted as a "dream reactor," the Monju facility was designed to generate more fuel than it consumes via nuclear chain reaction, an attractive alternative in a country with few natural resources.
	But its complex fast breeder reactor technology has been plagued with problems that have left it idle for more than a decade. It has also been a financial black hole since construction began in 1986, given its initial 1 trillion yen (USD 8.5 billion) construction cost and daily operating costs of 50 million yen, even while shut down.
	The government "will not restart (Monju) as a nuclear reactor and will take steps to decommission it," science minister Hirokazu Matsuno told the governor of western Japan's Fukui prefecture where it is located.
	Fukui governor Issei Nishikawa, who was informed by ..

Japan pulls plug on troubled fast breeder reactor

More than 1,000 people were evacuated from the last rebel-held pocket of Syria's Aleppo early today after hours of delay, a medical official said.
	"About 20 buses carrying people from Aleppo have arrived" at the staging ground west of the city, said Dr Ahmad Dbis, who heads a team of doctors and volunteers coordinating evacuations.
	"There are about 1,200 to 1,300 people here," he said.
	More than 30 buses packed with people had waited overnight in freezing temperatures to leave Aleppo under a complex evacuation deal.
	Just 350 people were able to leave after Russia and Turkey urged the Syrian regime to allow five buses to pass its final control point, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
	The departure of the remaining buses had reportedly been delayed until hundreds of people could be evacuated from two villages in northwestern Syria under siege by the rebels.
	The Britain-based Observatory said an estimated 500 people were bussed out of Fuaa and Kafraya early today.
	"Ten 

1,000 leave rebel Aleppo in new evacuation: medic

A plane carrying Russian soldiers crashed early today, seriously injuring 16, the defence ministry said, quoted by Russian news agencies.
	The Ilyushin-18 plane carrying 32 passengers and seven crew made an emergency landing around 4:45 am Moscow time in the eastern Siberian region of Sakha.
	Everyone survived but 16 received serious injuries, RIA Novosti agency reported, citing the defence ministry, adding at least 20 of those on board required hospitalisation.
	It was not immediately clear whether the plane was owned by the military.
	A source in the defence ministry told Interfax that the plane had not given a distress signal and that the flight took place in harsh weather conditions that could have led to icing of the plane.

16 Russian soldiers injured in plane crash: defence ministry

Australia prevented a world-record, 490-run chase by Pakistan to win a gripping first Test by just 39 runs and preserve their 28-year unbeaten streak at Brisbane's Gabba ground.
     Relieved skipper Steve Smith ran out Yasir Shah for 33 to take the last wicket and end Pakistan's brave attempt to reel in the mammoth target on the last day of the day-night Test.
     "I think I lost all my fingernails. Some game of cricket, wasn't it?" said Smith.
     "A lot of credit has got to go to the way they played. But I thought our bowlers stuck at it all day, we bowled a lot of overs, our quicks just kept coming back."
     The highest ever successful Test run chase of 418 for seven was set by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003.
     And Pakistan looked on course to beat that on the back of Asad Shafiq's knock of 137, but he was caught shortly before Yasir's run out.
     His magnificent innings came to end when a Mitchell Starc lifter came off the shoulder of his bat and ...

Australia deny Pakistan in gripping Test finale

Scoreboard after the final day
of the day-night first Test between Australia and Pakistan at the Gabba today:
	   Australia first innings 429 (S. Smith 130, P. Handscomb 105; W. Riaz 4-89, M. Amir 4-97)
	   Pakistan first innings 142 (S. Ahmed 59 not out; J. Hazlewood 3-22, J. Bird 3-23, M. Starc 3-63)
	   Australia second innings 202 for 5 declared (U. Khawaja 74, S. Smith 63; Rahat Ali 2-40)
	   Pakistan second innings (382 for 8 overnight)
	   S Aslam   c Renshaw b Starc             15
	   A Ali     c Wade b Starc                71
	   B Azam    c Smith b Lyon                14
	   Y Khan    c Smith b Lyon                65
	   M ul-Haq  c Wade b Bird                  5
	   A Shafiq  c Warner b Starc             137
	   S Ahmed   b Starc                       24
	   M Amir    c Wade b Bird                 48
	   W Riaz    c Smith b Bird                30
	   Y Shah    run out (Smith)               33
	   R Ali     not out                        1
	   Extras (LB-5, W-2)              

Brisbane, Dec 19 (AFP) Scoreboard after the final day

Luis Suarez celebrated his bumper new five-year Barcelona deal in style with a double as the champions defeated Espanyol 4-1 in the Catalan derby to move to within three points of La Liga leaders Real Madrid.
     However, it was Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi's skills that stole the show as Barca took advantage of Real's duties in winning the Club World Cup earlier on Sunday to cut the gap at the top ahead of La Liga's three-week winter break.
     Iniesta teed up Suarez for an early opener before both Iniesta and Messi showed sublime touches for the second eventually finished off by Suarez.
     Messi created Barca's third as well for Jordi Alba before David Lopez pulled a goal back for Espanyol as their 10-game unbeaten run came to an end.
     The five-time World Player of the Year wasn't to be denied, though, as Messi got the goal his performance deserved a minute from time.
     Barca's upturn in form in recent weeks has coincided with the return of veteran playmaker Iniesta ...

Suarez double, Messi magic hands Barca derby delight

International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde will today learn the verdict in her trial for approving a massive state payout to a tycoon when she was French finance minister.
	At the heart of the case is Lagarde's decision to allow a dispute with Bernard Tapie to be resolved by arbitration in 2007 and her later failure to contest the huge award linked to the flamboyant businessman's sale of the Adidas sports brand to the state-owned Credit Lyonnais bank.
	Lagarde argued in court on Friday she had acted in good faith in approving the 404-million-euro (USD 422 million) payment to Tapie to settle the row.
	"In this case, as in all other cases, I acted according to trust and with the knowledge of the facts and my sole aim was to defend the general interest," the 60-year-old former corporate lawyer said.
	The verdict is expected at 1930 IST.
	If convicted, Lagarde could face a year in prison and a 15,000 euro fine.
	The IMF has so far given Lagarde its full backing in the case, but ...

IMF chief Lagarde to hear French trial verdict

Stephanie del Valle of Puerto Rico has been crowned Miss World 2016, edging out runners-up from the Dominican Republic and Indonesia, and beauties from around the globe.
	Del Valle, 19, is a brown-eyed brunette student who speaks Spanish, English and French, and hopes to get into the entertainment industry.
	Crowned by Miss World 2015 Mireia Lalaguna of Spain, del Valle yesterday called it an "honor and a great responsibility" to represent her Caribbean homeland.
	First runner-up was Yaritza Miguelina Reyes Ramirez of the Dominican Republic, followed by Miss World Indonesia Natasha Mannuela.
	Contestants from Kenya and Catriona Gray of the Philippines also were in the final five.
	Canada's Miss World representative, Chinese-born Anastasia Lin was embroiled in a controversy when pageant officials reportedly warned her against speaking to the press for three weeks about human rights abuses in China. She was given the green light again on Wednesday.
	Last year, China blocked Lin from ...

Miss Puerto Rico lands Miss World 2016 crown

Authorities across Cuba have cracked down on dissidents, arresting dozens, keeping others from marching in Havana, and detaining an American human rights lawyer, activists have said.
	In the first such anti-dissident operation since Fidel Castro's death last month, President Raul Castro seemed to indicate the Americas' only one-party communist state was in no mood for dissent.
	A roundup in the country's east snared dozens and derailed street protests planned to demand that political prisoners be freed.
	"There was a joint operation at 6:00 am in Santiago and Palma Soriano. They searched four homes, and so far we have 42 reported arrests -- 20 in Santiago, 12 in Palma and 10 in Havana," Jose Daniel Ferrer yesterday told AFP by phone.
	The 46-year-old, who heads the Patriotic Union of Cuba (Unpacu), had called the demonstrations to demand that political prisoners be set free. Castro insists there are no political prisoners, just lawbreakers.
	Ferrer said he was detained in Santiago, ...

Cuba cracks down on dissidents after Castro death

Zsa Zsa Gabor, the Hungarian-born Hollywood siren perhaps better known for her prodigious love life than her movie credits, has died after suffering a heart attack, her husband said. She was 99.
	An emotional Frederic von Anhalt yesterday told AFP that Gabor had passed away at home surrounded by friends and family.
	"Everybody was there. She didn't die alone," he told AFP by telephone, choking back sobs.
	The pair married in 1986, making it her longest marriage.
	Gabor, who in her heyday embodied the film industry's platinum blonde ideal, was a voluptuous former beauty queen with a penchant for lame gowns that accentuated her hourglass curves.
	Her resume includes a long list of film roles in such hit movies as "Moulin Rouge," "Lili" and "Arriverderci Baby."
	Gabor was well known along with her sisters, fellow stars Eva and Magda.
	But the actress was at least as famous for her conquests between the sheets as her triumphs on the silver screen.
	Like her famous great-granddaughter by ..

Hollywood legend Zsa Zsa Gabor dead at 99: husband

Ukraine has nationalised the country's biggest bank in a bid to avert a financial meltdown in the war-scarred former Soviet state.
	The government moved to take over PrivatBank after months of rumours that the lender was heavily burdened by bad debts.
	PrivatBank controls one-third of the east European country's bank deposits and even has branches in the Baltic states.
	The Ukrainian government yesterday said in a statement that it was now the "100 per cent owner of PrivatBank and guaranteed the uninterrupted functioning of this institution and the safety of its clients' money."
	Kiev's decision falls in line with International monetary Fund's demands for Ukraine to clean up and stabilise its murky financial sector in order to achieve sustainable growth.
	It was owned by Igor Kolomoyskiy -- a politically powerful billionaire who became an early target of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's uphill fight against corruption.
	The bank has also been the subject of local media reports ..

Ukraine nationalises country's largest bank

Lebanon acquired a new 30-minister government today led by Saad Hariri, bringing together the entire political spectrum except for the Christian Phalangist party that rejected the portfolio it was offered.
	"This is a government of entente," Hariri said of the new line-up formed six weeks after the election of President Michel Aoun.
	New portfolios include an anti-corruption post and, for the first time, a minister of state for women.

Lebanon gets new government led by Saad Hariri: statement

Gunmen killed 10 people including a Canadian tourist and police officers today in southern Jordan where security forces were hunting down the unidentified attackers.
	The shootings took place in Karak, a tourist destination known for one of the biggest Crusader castles in the region, around 120 kilometres south of the capital Amman.
	Jordan's general security department said seven policemen, a female Canadian tourist and two Jordanian civilians were killed in a series of shootings.
	It said that 27 others, including policemen and civilians, were wounded.
	A separate police statement said that "a number of outlaws who committed ugly crimes this afternoon" had been killed and that security forces were combing the Crusader castle for more gunmen.
	The first attack took place when a police patrol went to check on a fire that had broken out in a house in Karak, the general security department said.
	"As soon as they reached the area, unknown gunmen who were inside the house opened fire on .

Canadian tourist among 10 dead in Jordan attacks

US Secretary of State John Kerry expressed the hope in Saudi Arabia today that a new ceasefire in the Yemen conflict could be agreed within two weeks.
	On his last visit to the kingdom as secretary, Kerry said the US will work with Britain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to achieve a new pause in the fighting, which would be the eighth ceasefire attempt since hostilities escalated early last year.
	The group of four nations, formed previously to focus on Yemen, "hopes that within two weeks it might be possible to achieve" a pause in fighting, Kerry told reporters at a joint press conference with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir.
	"The failure to achieve a lasting cessation of hostilities is disturbing to all of us," Kerry said.
	Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia has led an Arab coalition conducting air strikes against Huthi rebels and providing other assistance to local forces in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.
	The coalition intervened after the Huthi rebels .

AFP

AFP

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