North Korea lashed today at a new South Korea-Japan intelligence-sharing accord, accusing Seoul of a gross act of betrayal with the "sworn enemy" of the Korean people.
	The deal to share defence intelligence - largely driven by the growing threat of the North's nuclear and missile programmes - was reached and provisionally signed in Tokyo on Monday.
	It was a controversial move in South Korea, where the legacy of Japan's harsh 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean peninsula is a deep well of anti-Japanese sentiment and a belief that Tokyo has never properly atoned for the abuses of that era.
	Tensions between South Korea and Japan are welcomed and even encouraged by North Korea, which seizes any opportunity to drive a wedge between the two key US military allies in the region.
	A spokesman for the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee in Pyongyang called the intelligence agreement a "hideous act of treachery aimed to stifle fellow countrymen in the north in league with the sworn enemy of ..

N Korea slams South's deal with 'sworn enemy' Japan

PTI Automatic

The UN Security Council has unanimously decided to extend for another year the mandate of a panel tasked with investigating chemical attacks in Syria and identifying those responsible.
	Backed by Russia, the council adopted a US-drafted resolution to prolong the joint investigation by the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) until November 2017.
	US Ambassador Samantha Power said the work of the panel, known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), was "far from finished" and pointed to reports of alleged chlorine gas attacks in east Aleppo.
	The JIM has already established during its year-long investigation that Syrian government forces carried out three chlorine gas attacks on villages in 2014 and 2015.
	It was the first time that an international probe pointed the finger of blame at President Bashar al-Assad's forces, after years of denial from Damascus.
	Despite the findings, Russia has dismissed the conclusions as unconvincing and .

UN extends Syria gas attacks probe

Scoreboard at tea on the
opening day of the first cricket Test between New Zealand and Pakistan at Hagley Oval here today:
     Pakistan first innings:
	Sami Aslam c Raval b Southee             19
	Azhar Ali b de Grandhomme                15
	Babar Azam c Taylor b de Grandhomme       7
	Younis Khan c Raval b de Grandhomme       2
	Misbah-ul-Haq c Williamson b Boult       31
	Asad Shafiq c Raval b de Grandhhomme     16
	Sarfraz Ahmed c Astle b Southee           7
	Mohammad Amir b Boult                     3
	Sohail Khan c Latham b de Grandhomme      9
	Yasir Shah not out                        4
	Rahat Ali c Watling b de Grandhomme       0
	Extras: (B-8, LB-12)                     20
	Total: (all out in 55.5)                133
	Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-53, 3-53, 4-56, 5-88, 6-101, 7-114, 8-129, 9-129, 10-133
     Bowling: Southee 19-11-20-2, Boult 16-5-39-2, de Grandhomme 15.5-5-41-6, Wagner 5-0-13-0.

Christchurch, Nov 18 (AFP) Scoreboard at tea on the

Colin de Grandhomme became New Zealand's most successful debutant bowler today, taking six for 41 as Pakistan folded for 133 in their first innings of the first cricket Test.
	The 30-year-old late bloomer was a surprise inclusion in the New Zealand side, but fully justified his selection, swinging and seaming medium pace deliveries which the Pakistan batsmen found difficult to handle.
	Only seven other New Zealand bowlers have taken five or more wickets on debut with the previous best figures belonging to Tim Southee at five for 55.
	The previous record bowling figures on debut were Alex Moir's six for 155 against England 65 years ago.
	After a wash-out yesterday at Hagley Oval here, the arrival of the sun and the promise of a full day's cricket today signalled the late arrival of Harare-born de Grandhomme on the international scene.
	He broke through the Pakistan top order before lunch and, in the first over after play resumed, dismissed Asad Shafiq, who had been rebuilding the ...

Record debut as de Grandhomme skittles Pakistan

Scoreboard at lunch on the opening day of the first cricket Test between New Zealand and Pakistan at Hagley Oval here today:
     Pakistan first innings
	Sami Aslam c Raval b Southee             19
	Azhar Ali b de Grandhomme                15
	Babar Azam c Taylor b de Grandhomme       7
	Younis Khan c Raval b de Grandhomme       2
	Misbah-ul-Haq not out                    15
	Asad Shafiq not out                      16
	Extras: (B-4, LB-10)                     14
	Total: (for four wkts in 34 overs)       88
	Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-53, 3-53, 4-56
	Bowling: Southee 10-7-8-1, Boult 11-3-30-0, de Grandhomme 8-2-23-3, Wagner 5-0-13-0.

Christchurch, Nov 18 (AFP) Scoreboard at lunch on the opening day of the first cricket Test between New Zealand and Pakistan at Hagley Oval here today:

Novak Djokovic crushed David Goffin 6-1 6-2 at the ATP Tour Finals as the world number two kept his foot on the gas in the race to finish the year atop the world rankings.
	Djokovic had already qualified for the semi-finals as group winner, but the Serb was keen to keep the momentum going in his bid to overhaul world number one Andy Murray and he took just 69 minutes to demolish Goffin at London's O2 Arena yesterday.
	Joining Djokovic in the last four is Milos Raonic, who defeated Dominic Thiem 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 to become the first Canadian to reach the semi-finals of the Tour Finals.
    Djokovic has been in a prolonged slump since winning the French Open for the first time in June, sparking rumours about his private life and questions about his recent involvement with a 'spiritual guru' as he lost the top ranking to Murray.
	But the decline is all relative as the 29-year-old has now won 21 of his last 22 matches at the Tour Finals, keeping him on course to win the tournament for a fifth 

Ruthless Djokovic routs Goffin in Tour Finals

Debutant Colin de Grandhomme stung Pakistan with three quick wickets as New Zealand cashed in on winning a crucial toss on day one of the shortened first cricket Test here today.
     At lunch, Pakistan were 88-4 with Misbah-ul-Haq, captaining his side for the 50th time, on 15 and mounting a rescue mission with Asad Shafiq who is not out on 16.
     With a green-tinged wicket and damp outfield -- after the first day was lost through rain -- both captains said they wanted to bowl first and it was New Zealand's Kane Williamson who had the good fortune to win the toss.
	Despite expectations, however, the pitch did not hold many demons and with strike bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult struggling to maintain consistent lines there was little to unnerve the batsmen in the early overs.
	But when Williamson called up all-rounder de Grandhomme as a surprise choice first-change bowler it produced a substantial breakthrough.
	After 12 fruitless overs from the New Zealand bowlers, the ...

De Grandhomme triple gives New Zealand early honours

Dutch police have arrested a "confused" homeless man suspected of triggering a security sweep at Rotterdam's airport after an anonymous tip- off about a possible terror threat.
	"Rotterdam police have detained an illegal immigrant with an outstanding sentence in connection with their investigation into a possible terror threat," the Royal Dutch Military Police announced on their Facebook page.
	"The suspect is a 45-year-old man without a fixed address and in a confused state, who has previously made similar false statements to the police," the military police said yesterday.
	"The man is believed to be involved in the tip-off and is being questioned as police think he may have some valuable information."
	The military police added that they had reviewed security measures in and around the airport, but gave no further details.
	Armed military police beefed up security at the small international airport yesterday after they received the anonymous phonecall, according to Dutch media, ...

Dutch police arrest man after airport terror tip-off

The Canadian army's recruiting website was hacked and briefly redirected to a Chinese central government portal, a spokesman said.
	Spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier told AFP yesterday the website www.Forces.Ca contained no sensitive information.
	It was taken down by the military after the hack was discovered.
	Users had been redirected to China's State Council website, www.Gov.Cn. It showed photos of Premier Li Keqiang and contained links to information about jobs, tourism and investment in China, as well as government news.
	Ottawa is investigating, Le Bouthillier said.

Canada army recruiting site hacked, redirected to China

At least 73 people were killed and scores more injured when an oil tank truck burst into flames in a village in western Mozambique, the nation's public radio announced.
	"The death toll of the incident is now 73," state-run Radio Mocambique announced, citing authorities in Tete.
	"The incident occurred when citizens tried to take petrol from a truck" in the village of Caphiridzange in Tete province, near Malawi, the government said in a statement yesterday.
	The government added that 110 people were injured, some of them critically. Children were among the wounded, it said.
	The precise circumstances of the explosion remained unclear.
	Authorities were trying to determine whether the oil tank truck was selling petrol when it exploded, or whether it had been ambushed by residents, information ministry director Joao Manasses told AFP.
	A local journalist told AFP the truck had crashed on Wednesday and exploded on yesterday afternoon, as scores of people tried to siphon off fuel.
	The ...

Dozens killed in Mozambique truck blast

The United States has launched a bid at the Security Council to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan following UN warnings that the war-torn country could descend into genocide.
	US Ambassador Samantha Power said on yesterday a draft resolution will be presented in the coming days to ban weapons sales to the country, setting the stage for a clash with Russia and other opponents of an arms embargo.
	"South Sudan is a nation at the precipice," Power told the council.
	"In the coming days, the United States will put forward a proposal to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan and targeted sanctions on the individuals who have been the biggest spoilers to achieve lasting peace," Power told the council.
	The move came after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned in a report that South Sudan faced a "very real risk of mass atrocities" and that peacekeepers would not be able to stop such a bloodbath.
	Returning from a visit to South Sudan, the UN's adviser on genocide prevention told the ...

US to seek UN arms embargo against South Sudan

Four Turkish miners were killed after a copper mine collapsed in the southeastern province of Siirt, local media reported.
	Another 12 men remained trapped in the mine, CNN Turk broadcaster said, as rescuers and ambulances were sent to the scene late yesterday.
	There appeared to be confusion over the numbers stuck in the mine after Besime Konca, a pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker for Siirt, said on Twitter that 14 people were trapped.
	She added that one injured individual was rescued, according to initial information.
	The mine in Sirvan district is owned by a private company, the official news agency Anadolu said, without naming the firm.
	It comes more than two years after the country's worst modern industrial disaster in May 2014 which left 301 miners dead following a fire at the Soma mine in western Turkey.

Four Turkish miners killed after copper mine collapse: report

Nearly 200 nations made an appeal today for the "highest political commitment" to combat climate change, at a UN gathering overshadowed by Donald Trump's threats to withdraw the US from a global pact to turn back global warming.
	"We call for the highest political commitment to combat climate change, as a matter of urgent priority," 197 parties to the UN's climate convention stated in the "Marrakesh Action Proclamation" issued at the annual UN climate conference.
	The parties -- 196 nations and the EU bloc -- also called for action to reduce increased finance for projects to prevent worst-case-scenario global warming, and cope with the effects of unavoidable climate change.
	"Our climate is warming at an alarming and unprecedented rate and we have an urgent duty to respond," they warned.
	The call came on the penultimate day of a conference tasked with drafting a blueprint for enacting the so-called Paris Agreement adopted last December, and since ratified by 111 countries -- most ...

UN meeting urges highest political commitment on climate

Mozambique oil tank truck blast toll soars to 73:

President Barack Obama will use his final meeting with China's President Xi Jinping Saturday to press for an increase in the pace and severity of sanctions against North Korea.
	With Pyongyang launching test after provocative test to develop a miniaturized nuclear warhead and a missile capable of delivering that deadly payload to the United States, Obama's White House wants to ratchet up the pressure before he leaves office in January.
	Contributing to the tensions as the United States undergoes a transfer of power to President-elect Donald Trump, is the possibility that North Korea will see it as a prime opportunity to test an inexperienced new US commander in chief.
	In an interview ahead of Obama's last foreign trip, his National Security Advisor Susan Rice told AFP that the United States would work with allies and at the UN to "put increased and maximum pressure on North Korea."
	"We don't view their progressive development of their capabilities as being anything other than a ...

North Korea to top US agenda at final Obama-Xi meeting

At least 43 people were killed and 110 others injured today when a truck carrying petrol blew up in western Mozambique, the government said in a statement.
	"The incident occurred when citizens tried to take petrol from a truck" in a small village in Tete province, the statement said.
	"Because of the heat, the truck burst into flames, leading to the deaths of 43 people and causing burns in 110 others, according to investigators' initial findings," it added.

43 dead in Mozambique truck blast: government

43 dead in Mozambique accidental truck blast: official.

A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at a wedding gathering in a town west of the Iraqi capital today, killing at least 16 people, officials said.
	The attack, which took place in Amriyat al-Fallujah, a town in Anbar province 40 kilometres from the capital, also left more than 30 people wounded.
	There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the Islamic State jihadist group frequently carries out suicide bombings targeting civilians in Iraq.
	The attack came three days after twin suicide bombings claimed by IS struck Fallujah, a city northwest of Amriyat al-Fallujah, killing at least 15 people.
	IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces have since regained much of the territory they lost, and they are now battling to oust the jihadists from Mosul, the last city they hold in the country.
	While IS has been pushed back from areas it once held in eastern and central Anbar, the jihadist group still controls several ...

Suicide attack kills at least 16 at Iraq wedding: officials

Syrian air strikes and shelling killed 25 civilians in eastern districts of Aleppo today, a monitor said, on the third day of a wide-ranging regime assault on rebel-held areas.
	The bombardment hit at least six rebel-held neighbourhoods, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
	At least 65 civilians have been killed in east Aleppo since the start of a regime offensive on Tuesday, said the monitoring group.
	The renewed bombardment has shattered a month of relative calm in the devastated east of the divided northern city.
	An AFP correspondent in the eastern districts said explosions from barrel bombs dropped by aircraft had been heard since 10:00 AM (0800 GMT).
	One of the air strikes targeted a civil defence centre in the Bab al-Nayrab neighbourhood with no reported casualties, the correspondent said.
	The Observatory said rebels responded with shelling of the city's government-controlled western neighbourhoods.
	Once Syria's economic powerhouse, Aleppo has been roughly divided 

Regime bombardment kills 25 civilians in east Aleppo: monitor

A trio of astronauts were due to blast off overnight, delivering to the International Space Station some fancy French culinary fare, a saxophone and its future female commander.
	The team includes French space rookie Thomas Pesquet, 38, NASA's former chief astronaut Peggy Whitson, and Russia's Oleg Novitsky.
	In the hours leading up to the 2:20 AM Friday launch (2020 GMT today) from the Baikonur cosmodrome on the arid steppes of western Kazakhstan, the astronauts huddled with family who they will see next after touching down in six months' time.
	Pesquet, a former Air France pilot who has spent seven years training for a shot at Space, posted a "LastSelfieOnEarth" photo on the European Space Agency's Facebook page.
	Novitsky, 45, who was born in Belarus, will carry a Belarus flag with him on his second ISS trip, according to official media there.
	Social media was abuzz about the records that the trailblazing Whitson is due to break on her third ISS mission.
	The 56-year-old already ..

AFP

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