German prosecutors said today they have launched a probe after receiving a complaint alleging that top Facebook bosses including founder Mark Zuckerberg are condoning hate speech, as pressure grows on the social network to clamp down on racist content.
	The probe comes as top politicians are ratcheting up warnings against the US group, with the German justice ministry mulling possible penalties if Facebook failed to remove offensive user commentaries promptly after they have been flagged.
	Concern has been rising over the vitriolic comments made by some Facebook and Twitter users in Germany, which have gained intensity as public misgivings grow in some quarters over the almost 900,000 asylum seekers who arrived last year.
	Confirming a challenge against Facebook, the spokesman of the Munich prosecution service, Florian Weinzierl, told AFP that "a complaint has been filed by a lawyer that accuses, among others, Mr Zuckerberg" of "the offence of incitement".
	His service is examining if 

German prosecutors probe Facebook hate incitement claim

PTI Automatic

UN talks to implement the landmark Paris climate pact opened in Marrakesh today, buoyed by gathering momentum but threatened by the spectre of climate change denier Donald Trump in the White House.
	Diplomats from 196 nations will flesh out the planet-saving plan inked in the French capital last December.
	"We have made possible what everyone said was impossible," said French environment minister Segolene Royal at the opening ceremony, in which she handed over stewardship of the climate forum to Moroccan foreign minister Salaheddine Mezouar.
	Royal announced that 100 countries have ratified the Paris Agreement, which entered into force last Friday, a record time for an international treaty.
	Amid growing alarm at the gathering pace of climate change and its impacts -- rising sea, deadly storms, drought and wildfires -- the world's nations have moved quickly over the last year to tackle the still-growing problem.
	But as 15,000 negotiators, CEOs and activists settle in for the 12-day ..

UN talks to implement landmark Paris climate pact open

The Islamic State group has been eroded by international efforts to crush the jihadist group but its ability to mount devastating attacks on the West remains very real, defence and security experts say.
	As France prepares to mark the first anniversary of the Paris attacks by the group on November 13, analysts say military defeats in its strongholds in Iraq and Syria will almost certainly not make its Western targets any safer.
	"Depriving ISIS of control over population centres and sanctuary to raise funds and train fighters, and breaking it up as key organisation, matters," said Anthony Cordesman of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), using another name for the group.
	"Defeating it in any practical sense, however, will not begin to deal with the lasting threat," he added.
	It was in June 2014 that IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghadi proclaimed the creation of a caliphate in land the group had seized in Iraq and Syria and urged Muslims who shared ...

IS losing ground but still a threat: analysts

At least eight people were killed when an unknown gunmen fired on football fans in a bar in the South Sudan capital Juba at the weekend, the government said today.
	"Eight young men were killed," said deputy information minister Paul Akol Kordit adding that others were "in critical condition" after the attack on a bar where football fans were watching an English Premier League match last night.
	The shooting happened at around 9:00 pm (local time) at a bar in Gure, a poor suburb in Juba's southwest. The whereabouts of the shooter and the motive are unclear with "investigations underway," according to Kordit.
	"It's very unfortunate and we as a government condemn this in the very strongest terms possible and pledge that we will do what we can to protect our people and bringing to book such people who are killing innocent lives with no... Reason at all," said Kordit.
	Insecurity in the capital has worsened since the start of a civil war nearly three years ago, with the widespread ...

Eight football fans killed in South Sudan bar shooting

Julian Assange will be questioned next week over longstanding rape accusations, Sweden's public prosecutor's office announced today, saying an Ecuadorian prosecutor would visit the WikiLeaks founder in the embassy where he has been holed up since 2012.
	Through his lawyer Assange welcomed the news saying he was looking forward to the "chance to clear his name".
	The Swedish authorities said one of the prosecutors on the case, Ingrid Isgren, as well as a Swedish police inspector would also attend the questioning on November 14 and report the findings to Sweden.
	"A DNA sample will also be taken, provided that Julian Assange agrees to it," the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
	The 45-year-old whistleblower sought refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London in June 2012, fleeing allegations of rape and sexual assault in Sweden dating back to 2010. Assange denies the claims.
	An Australian national, he had refused to travel to Sweden for questioning due to concerns that he would then be 

Ecuador to question Assange on rape allegations

A lasting peace deal to unify Cyprus is within reach, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said today, as he opened peace talks between rival leaders from the divided island.
	Ban is hosting make-or-break negotiations between Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mustafa Akinci, with the two sides aiming to resolve one of the world's longest running political crises.
	The two leaders were set to directly discuss the thorny issue of territorial adjustments for the first time when formal negotiations begin behind closed doors at a luxury Swiss resort overlooking the Alps.
	Ban praised both men for achieving "significant progress" in the UN-backed peace process which began 18 months ago.
	"At the same time a number of sensitive and difficult issues still remain," he told reporters before talks began.
	"The two leaders have reached a critical juncture in their talks. I encourage them to make the most of the moment and the momentum," he added.
	"The prospect of a ...

Prospect of Cyprus solution 'within reach': UN chief

Iraqi forces retook a key town from the Islamic State group today, a crucial objective on the southern front of the offensive to wrest back the city of Mosul.
	Federal police, army and elite interior ministry forces established full control over Hamam al-Alil, the last town of note on the way to Mosul from the south, AFP reporters said.
	It lies on the west bank of the Tigris river, about 15 kilometres southeast of the southern edge of Mosul.

Iraq forces retake key town on Mosul southern front

Scoreboard at lunch on the second day of the second Test between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.
     Sri Lanka 1st innings:
     D Karunaratne c Williams b Masakadza  26
     K Silva lbw b Mpofu                   37
     K Perera c Mumba b Masakadza           4
     K Mendis c Moor b Tiripano            26
     U Tharanga c Masakadza b Cremer       79
     D de Silva c & b Cremer              127
     A Gunaratne not out                   64
     D Perera lbw b Cremer                 34
     R Herath not out                       7
     Extras: (LB-7, W-2, NB-1)             10
     Total: (For 7 wkts; 122 overs)       414
     Fall of wickets: 1-62, 2-66, 3-84, 4-112, 5-255, 6-342, 7-396.
     Bowling: Mumba 23-4-80-0, Tiripano 27-4-79-1, Mpofu 22-4-88-1, Masakadza 8-2-18-2, Cremer 29-0-91-3, Williams 8-1-28-0, Waller 5-0-23-0.

Harare, Nov 7 (AFP) Scoreboard at lunch on the second day of the second Test between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

Iraq forces retake key town on Mosul southern front. (AFP)

Zimbabwe legspinner Graeme Cremer dismissed centurion Dhananjaya de Silva, but Sri Lanka still made swift progress with the bat on the second morning of the second Test at Harare Sports Club today.
     Cremer had De Silva caught and bowled for 127 and also trapped Dilruwan Perera lbw for 34, but Sri Lanka still added 124 runs in the morning session to go to lunch on 414 for seven.
     Zimbabwe's attempts to get stuck into the Sri Lankan tail early on day two were hampered by further dropped catches.
     The tourists resumed on 290 for five, and De Silva saw a return catch put down by fast bowler Carl Mumba after he had added just 13 runs to his overnight score of 100.
     After Cremer had finally dismissed the centurion, Perera enjoyed some fortune when wicketkeeper Peter Moor dropped a regulation catch off the bowling of Chris Mpofu.
     Allrounder Asela Gunaratne proved the bedrock for Sri Lanka's progress, moving from 13 at the start of the day to 64 not out at lunch.

Sri Lanka advance despite Cremer brace

A burglar who tried to steal a car in Australia got more than he bargained for when he was shot in the buttocks with an arrow by the archery enthusiast owner.
	Police said the hapless thief broke into the man's Sydney house yesterday evening and took cash before grabbing the keys to his car.
	The proprietor, who was at home at the time with his wife, confronted the thief in the garage as he tried to reverse the vehicle and make a getaway.
	After the 68-year-old armed himself with his bow, the intruder opted to get out of the car and make a run for it, jumping a fence.
	"As he ran away, the male resident stood up on the fence and shot the fleeing man using the compound bow and arrow, hitting him in the buttocks or lower back area," New South Wales police said.
	Despite apparently taking a hit, the man escaped and no trace has been seen of him since.
	Police seized the bow and arrow as part of their investigation.

Burglar shot in buttocks with bow and arrow in Australia

Australian police uncovered a baby koala hidden in the bag of a woman they stopped in the street.
	The 50-year-old, who was being spoken to on unrelated matters yesterday evening, stunned Brisbane officers when she revealed she had the creature in her canvas satchell.
	"Not quite believing their ears, the officers cautiously unzipped the bag and found this gorgeous boy," Queensland police said.
	"The koala - believed to be about six months of age - seemed to be in good health, although a bit dehydrated."
	The woman claimed she found the joey, which is protected under the Nature Conservation Act, on Saturday night and had been caring for it since.
	The marsupial was handed to the RSPCA, an animal protection charity, which named him Alfred.
	"He's been on fluids but is doing well and will shortly be going out to a carer," said RSPCA spokesperson Michael Beatty.
	The woman was subsequently arrested over "outstanding matters", police said.
	The much-loved koala has been under increasing ..

Aussie police find baby koala in woman's bag

A peacekeeper from Togo and two Malian civilians were killed in an attack on a military convoy in Mali, rounding off a bloody week for foreign forces stationed there, a UN statement said.
	Seven other peacekeepers, also from Togo, were wounded in the attack in the central Mopti region yesterday, according to the statement by the UN mission, known by the acronym MINUSMA.
	After a mine or improvised explosive device was detonated, attackers opened fire on the convoy, the UN said, without identifying the assailants.
	A MINUSMA spokesman said Malian police would investigate the death of the two civilians, who were following the convoy.
	More than 11,000 UN police and military are currently serving in Mali, attempting to guarantee security in lawless swathes of the vast Sahel nation.
	UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the killings "in the strongest terms" and warned that "attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law."
	"Attacks ...

UN peacekeeper, two civilians killed in Mali attack

The United Nations is investigating claims that up to 32 civilians were killed in a US airstrike in the volatile Afghan province of Kunduz last week, calling any loss of civilian life "unacceptable".
	The strike early last Thursday triggered angry protests in Kunduz, with local officials saying at least 30 people had been killed, many of them children whose mutilated bodies were paraded through the streets by grieving relatives.
	Civilian casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues in the 15-year campaign against the insurgents, prompting strong public and government criticism.
	US forces have conceded that the strike "very likely" resulted in civilian casualties and pledged a full investigation into the incident. A State Department spokesman called it a "terrible event".
	The killings came just days before the US presidential election, in which Afghanistan has received scarcely a passing mention -- even though the situation there will be an urgent ...

UN probe claims US airstrike killed 32 Afghan civilians

Scoreboard at the end of the first
cricket Test between Australia and South Africa at the WACA Ground here today:
     South Africa first innings: 242
	Australia first innings: 244
     South Africa second innings: 540-8 (dec)
     Australia second innings:
	S Marsh c du Plessis b Rabada    15
	D Warner run out                 35
	U Khawaja lbw Duminy             97
	S Smith c de Kock b Rabada       34
	A Voges c de Kock b Rabada        1
	M Marsh lbw Rabada               26
	P Nevill not out                 60
	M Starc lbw Rabada               13
	P Siddle lbw Philander           13
	J Hazlewood c Elgar b Bavuma     29
	N Lyon lbw Maharaj                8
	Extras: (B-13, LB-11, W-4, NB-2) 30
	Total: (all out in 119.1 overs) 361
	Fall of wickets: 1-52, 2-52, 3-144, 4-146, 5-196, 6-246, 7-262, 8-280, 9-345, 10-361
	Bowling: Rabada 31-6-92-5, Philander 22-7-55-1, Duminy 17-1-51-1, Maharaj 40.1-10-94-1, Cook 2-0-16-0, Bavuma 7-1-29-1.

Perth, Nov 7 (AFP) Scoreboard at the end of the first

Emerging paceman Kagiso Rabada took five wickets as South Africa won by 177 runs here to hand Australia a rare defeat in the first home cricket Test of their season today.
	Set a huge victory target of 539, Australia were dismissed in their second innings for 361 on the final day as they succumbed to their fourth straight Test defeat.
	Australia hadn't lost the first Test of a home season since 1988, but Rabada stepped up after Dale Steyn's shoulder injury to help South Africa complete a remarkable victory.
	Debutant spinner Keshav Maharaj (1-94) delivered the final blow, trapping number 11 Nathan Lyon lbw for eight, with Peter Nevill unbeaten on 60.
	Steven Smith's Australia lost all three Tests on their tour of Sri Lanka in July and August, and they will now look for a quick recovery at this week's second Test in Hobart.
	Resuming at 169 for four, a draw was Australia's only hope and it appeared a forlorn task, with man-of-the-match Rabada ensuring that was the case with 5-92.
	With 

S Africa win by 177 runs to extend Aussies' losing streak

China effectively barred two elected pro-independence lawmakers from Hong Kong's legislature today after they deliberately misread their oaths, saying that they could not be sworn in again.
	An oath that did not conform to Hong Kong's law "should be determined to be invalid, and cannot be retaken", the Communist-controlled National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing said in a rare interpretation of the semi-autonomous city's constitution.
	Legislators had to be "sincere and solemn" when taking their oaths, and had to pledge "completely and solemnly" to uphold the Basic Law of Hong Kong as part of the People's Republic of China, the NPC declared at the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square.
	The question has become hugely sensitive in Hong Kong, the former British colony which returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a promise of "one country, two systems" for 50 years.
	There are deep concerns those liberties, enshrined in the city's constitution known as the Basic Law, are under 

China says elected Hong Kong lawmakers can't retake oaths

China today replaced finance minister Lou Jiwei, state media reported, with some analysts predicting more fiscal stimulus in the world's second-largest economy.
	Lou was relieved of his duties and replaced by 59-year-old Xiao Jie, the deputy secretary-general of the State Council, or cabinet, Xinhua news agency reported without giving more details.
	Lou, 65, had been the finance minister since March 2013, presiding over a stock market boom encouraged by authorities -- followed by a rout in the middle of last year.
	Citic Bank International chief economist Liao Qun told AFP that Lou's replacement could be routine due to his age, but that the new finance minister could raise market expectations of tax cuts to spur the economy.
	Beijing will continue its loose economic stance as it is under pressure to keep growth stable, Liao said.
	But he added, "A new head could mean fiscal policies could play bigger roles in boosting growth and China could be more aggressive in fiscal policies, given 

China replaces finance minister Lou Jiwei: Xinhua

Hong Kong's leader said today he would "fully implement" a ruling by Beijing which effectively bars two elected pro-independence lawmakers from the city's legislature after after they deliberately misread their oaths of office.
	It comes as fears grow that China is tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous city with concerns that Hong Kong's rule of law and court system are now under threat.
	Beijing's intervention pre-empts a decision by Hong Kong's High Court into whether rebel lawmakers Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-ching should be disqualified from taking up their seats. That court decision is still pending.
	An oath that did not conform to Hong Kong's law "should be determined to be invalid, and cannot be retaken", the Communist-controlled National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing said in a rare interpretation of the city's constitution.
	Hong Kong's leader Leung Chun-ying told reporters that he and the city government would "implement the interpretation fully".
	"Any words or ...

Hong Kong backs China bid to bar rebel lawmakers

The Russian army today denied any children were present in a school in Syria's Idlib province where 28 people were killed in an October airstrike blamed on Moscow.
	Russia has denied having any role in air strikes that the UN children's agency UNICEF said killed 22 students and six teachers at the school in the village of Hass in northwest Syria on October 26.
	"No proof, even indirect, that children were present in the building," army spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.
	UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at the time that the attack on the school in the rebel-held province could amount to a war crime and urged a thorough investigation.
	Yesterday, Human Rights Watch repeated the war crime accusation, provoking today's angry response from the spokesman who said the group's statement "does not hold water".
	Moscow has been conducting a bombing campaign in Syria in support of long-time ally Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad since September 2015.
	More than 300,000 people have 

Russia again denies any children killed in Syria school strike

Scoreboard at lunch on the fifth day
of the first cricket Test between Australia and South Africa at the WACA Ground here today.
	South Africa first innings: 242
	Australia first innings: 244
	South Africa second innings: 540-8 (dec)
     Australia second innings:
	S Marsh c du Plessis b Rabada    15
	D Warner run out                 35
	U Khawaja lbw Duminy             97
	S Smith c de Kock b Rabada       34
	A Voges c de Kock b Rabada        1
	M Marsh lbw Rabada               26
	P Nevill not out                 20
	M Starc lbw Rabada               13
	P Siddle not out                  0
	Extras: (B-9, LB-11, W-1, NB-1)  22
	Total: (for 7 wkts in 84 overs) 263
	Fall of wickets: 1-52, 2-52, 3-144, 4-146, 5-196, 6-246, 7-262
	Bowling: Rabada 24-4-73-5, Philander 16-4-45-0, Duminy 10-1-23-1, Maharaj 30-8-72-0, Cook 2-0-16-0, Bavuma 2-0-14-0.

AFP

AFP

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