Missile that downed Flight MH17 supplied by Russia:

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Bulgaria switched today its support from UNESCO chief Irina Bokova to European Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva as its candidate for UN secretary-general, potentially shaking up the race.
	"We think it will be a more successful candidacy," Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said ahead of a government meeting.
	Bokova failed to make a strong showing in an informal vote by the 15-member council this week, placing only sixth in the fifth straw poll.
	Georgieva is seen as potentially having better chances to succeed South Korea's Ban Ki-moon when he steps down on December 31 as the world's top diplomat.
	"Bokova has deployed a lot of efforts. We gave her a final chance for the latest vote... She fell even further and was overtaken by several other countries and other female candidates," said Borisov.
	The announcement came after rumours had been swirling for days that Bulgaria would drop its support for Bokova.
	On Tuesday evening, Bokova had still insisted she would not quit her .

Bulgaria changes candidate for UN secretary-general: PM

German police shot dead a knife-wielding Iraqi in a refugee shelter who was attacking a Pakistani he suspected of having sexually abused his young daughter, police said today.
	The 29-year-old Iraqi died after being hit by several police bullets late Tuesday in the asylum seekers' shelter in the central Berlin district of Moabit.
	Police were called to the shelter after the 27-year-old Pakistani man allegedly sexually abused an eight-year-old girl in a nearby park, BZ daily reported.
	When police detained the suspect and led him away in handcuffs, the girl's father lunged at him with a knife, yelling "you won't survive this," according to witnesses.
	He was cut down by several police bullets and died hours later in hospital. The alleged sexual attacker remained uninjured. The girl and her mother were undergoing counselling.
	Police did not immediately release the personal details of those involved.
	An internal police enquiry was launched, a routine step after deadly shots have been ..

German police shoot dead knife-wielding refugee

Relations between China and the Philippines are improving "beautifully" under President Rodrigo Duterte, Beijing's envoy has said as Duterte warms to China and Russia following US criticism of his bloody war on crime.
	Ambassador Zhao Jianhua offered effusive praise for Duterte in a speech at an embassy reception late yesterday, saying China "firmly supports" his anti-drugs campaign that has prompted Western condemnation of alleged extrajudicial killings.
	Duterte has rejected the criticism, including by long-time security ally the United States, and said he would seek closer economic ties with China and Russia.
	"The clouds are fading away. The sun is rising over the horizon and will shine beautifully on the new chapter of bilateral relations," Zhao said according to a copy of the speech released by the mission today.
	Zhao said the two neighbours had been engaging in "friendly interactions" since Duterte took office nearly three months ago.
	This was in stark contrast to fraught ...

Sun rises 'beautifully' on Philippines ties: China envoy

Air raids hit the two largest hospitals in rebel-held parts of Syria's Aleppo early today, putting them temporarily out of service, the medical organisation that supports them said.
	"The attack happened at 4:00 AM. One warplane targeted both of them directly," said Adham Sahloul of the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS).
	"There are only six hospitals currently operational now that the M2 and M10 have been temporarily taken out of service," he said.
	Both hospitals had intensive care units and trauma capacities and had been targeted in previous aerial attacks, according to Sahloul, who described the bombings as "deliberate".
	It was unclear if the strikes were executed by Syrian forces or their Russian ally, both of which are carrying out bombing raids in Aleppo city.
	At M10, the bigger of the two hospitals, the bombardment completely destroyed the facility's generator.
	Three employees were injured at the second hospital, among them an ambulance driver, a nurse and an ...

Raids hit two largest hospitals in rebel-held Aleppo: NGO

A top Malaysian opposition MP was sentenced today to three months in jail after being found guilty of sedition over statements urging protests against Prime Minister Najib Razak's government, lawyers said.
	Najib has come under fire for using repressive laws against critics and stifling scrutiny of a massive corruption scandal involving state investment fund 1MDB that he is allegedly embroiled in.
	Chua Tian Chang, better known as Tian Chua, was found guilty of sedition for inciting Malaysians to take to the streets to rally against corruption in 2013.
	Chua, who is the vice-president of the opposition People's Justice Party, said the court decision reflected the "growing intolerance" of Najib's regime.
	"There is growing intolerance against critics. The government aims to stop people from voicing out," Chua, who is freed on bail, said.
	The sessions court also hit the vocal MP with a fine of 1,800 ringgit ($435) in a decision slammed by rights groups.
	Chua's lawyer N. Surendran said 

Malaysian opposition MP gets three months for sedition

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif today visited Ankara for his third set of talks with top Turkish officials in less than one-and-a-half-months despite standing on opposite sides of the Syria conflict, sources said.
	Zarif met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in an unscheduled trip to Ankara on his way back to Tehran from a visit to New York for the UN General Assembly, a Turkish diplomatic source told AFP.
	They discussed bilateral and regional issues, including the Syrian conflict, the source added.
	Zarif was later due to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, the premier's office said.
	Iran and Turkey stand on two opposing sides of the conflict in neighbouring Syria, with Tehran one of the few allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Ankara backing rebels fighting for his ouster.
	Turkey has launched an unprecedented operation inside Syria, with the aim of cleansing its frontier of terror groups including Islamic State (IS) ...

Iranian FM holds talks in Turkey on Syria: source

Four Pakistani minors have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 16-year-old boy in a Greek migrant camp, police have said.
	"The four minors, aged 16 to 17, will appear before a prosecutor today," a police source told AFP on yesterday. The victim is also Pakistani.
	The incident occurred on Sunday in the camp of Moria on the island of Lesbos.
	Greece is accommodating over 60,000 refugees and migrants stuck in the country after a succession of Balkan and EU states shut their borders earlier this year.
	Many of the camps are grossly overpopulated, and rights groups have repeatedly warned that minors must be accommodated separately for their safety.
	There are also regular fights amongst refugees and migrants, who are forced to wait for months for their asylum applications to be processed.
	Some 5,000 people had to be evacuated from the Moria camp last week after a fire broke out after another brawl.

Pakistani boy gang-raped in Greek migrant camp: police

Turkish courts have placed 32,000 suspects under arrest ahead of trial on charges of links to a group run by US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen who is blamed for the July 15 coup, the justice minister said.
	Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag yesterday told NTV television that 70,000 people had been investigated after the coup and of them 32,000 remanded in custody.
	"This process is continuing," he said. The numbers of those arrested marks an increase of more than 10,000 from those previously given by the government.
	Bozdag said that there could be new arrests, while some of those currently arrested could still be freed under judicial control or freed entirely.
	Some two-and-a-half months after the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan led to a crackdown unprecedented in Turkey's modern history, there is still no indication as to when trials might start.
	The trials of tens of thousands will be the biggest legal process in Turkey's history and are set to put the ...

Some 32,000 suspects arrested in Turkey coup probe: minister

An unauthorised drone forced Dubai airport to halt air traffic for about half an hour in the second such incident in four months, the airport authority has said.
	Airspace around the world's busiest airport for international flights was yesterday closed between 0408 and 0435 GMT "due to unauthorised drone activity," Dubai Airports said on its Twitter account.
	"We are working to minimise inconvenience," it added.
	"Safety is our top priority and we remind all UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) operators that activities are not permitted within five kilometres of any airport or landing area."
	Those found guilty of flying drones within that limit are liable to heavy fines in the United Arab Emirates.
	But since the earlier incident on June 12, which forced Dubai airport to close for 69 minutes, the UAE authorities have announced their intention to tighten the rules on the purchase and use of drones and the penalties for violating them.
	Around 100 airlines fly to more than 260 destinations .

Drone halts traffic at Dubai airport

Green jersey soaked with sweat, midfielder Luosang Sanzhu practises his passing on the manicured pitch of Lhasa FC, Tibet's first football club -- the latest gambit to soothe lingering tensions between Tibetans and Han Chinese.
	Officials hope the highest club in China, which was established last year, can break down barriers in the mountainous region, where relations with Beijing have sometimes been strained since its "peaceful liberation" in 1951.
	"In the club today, there's no discrimination. The atmosphere is great," said Tibetan player Luosang, a former gym teacher who has emerged as one of the team's leading lights.
	One problem: at 3,700 metres above sea-level, altitude sickness is a constant hazard for non-Tibetans -- and is deterring Han Chinese players.
	"Recruiting them is difficult," admitted club president Cidan Duoji, an ethnic Tibetan. "They think that it's dangerous to play football here because of altitude sickness."
	Native Tibetans have adapted over generations to .

Tibet's 1st football club aims at unity

The US Senate has rejected stopgap legislation to fund government operations, sending lawmakers scrambling to stave off a shutdown at week's end in the heat of the presidential campaign.
	The temporary spending bill fell 45-55, well short of the 60 votes needed to advance in the chamber yesterday.
	The fiscal year ends on September 30. Should Congress fail to pass a bill approving federal spending - or in this case, extending existing spending levels until December 9 - by midnight Friday, some government offices and operations could shutter.
	The budget debate revolves around disputes over how to fund the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan, where thousands of residents are grappling with lead-contaminated water.
	Several Democrats voted against the government funding bill apparently because they objected to its provision of money for Louisiana emergency flood relief without providing any infrastructure funding for Flint.
	Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, ...

US government shutdown looms as Senate rejects funding bill

Royal Bank of Scotland today said it had agreed a fine of USD 1.1 billion (982 million euros) with US authorities over the alleged mis-selling of mortgage securities ahead of the 2008 financial crisis.
	It comes a week after US authorities said they would seek USD 14 billion from Deutsche Bank over similar allegations.
	"The Royal Bank of Scotland Group has reached a final settlement with the National Credit Union Administration Board to resolve two outstanding civil lawsuits for USD 1.1 billion (846 million pounds)," the British bank said in a statement.
	RBS said the "settlement amount is substantially covered by existing provisions", although the bank noted it may need to set aside additional funds awaiting the outcome of other similar claims faced by the bank.
	US authorities have accused major banks of misleading investors about the values and quality of complex mortgage-backed securities sold before the 2008 global financial crisis.
	Much of the underlying lending was worthless .

US fines RBS bank USD 1.1 bn over pre-crisis mortgages

A Chicago hacker who stole nude photos from the accounts of at least 30 celebrities pleaded has guilty in US federal court.
	Under a plea agreement with prosecutors, Edward Majerczyk admitted to one count of "unauthorised access to a protected computer to obtain information."
	Prosecutors agreed to ask for a reduced sentence of nine months in prison. The charge carried a maximum sentence of five years.
	In 2013 and 2014, Majerczyk hacked into the Apple iCloud and Gmail accounts of celebrities, including actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Brie Larson, and model Kate Upton, and stole photographs of the women in various states of undress.
	The photographs were later leaked online, causing a scandal.
	Majerczyk's lawyer Thomas Needham told US District Judge Charles Kocoras in Chicago that the 29-year-old hacker made no effort to "sell or disseminate" the photos, according to the Chicago Tribune.
	When asked by the judge if the photos were for Majerczyk's own "satisfaction and enjoyment," the 

US hacker pleads guilty to stealing nude celebrity photos

A tough new anti-graft law came into force in South Korea today with many hailing it as a milestone to help root out widespread low-level corruption.
	Dubbed the Kim Young-Ran law after the former supreme court judge who drafted it, the sweeping legislation covers some four million public servants and employees of education institutions in the country of 50 million.
	The law targets teachers bribed by parents to give better grades, journalists paid to give favourable publicity and officials bought off by businessmen to speed up bureaucratic processes.
	They are now banned from accepting gifts worth 50,000 won (USD 45) or more, or meals of 30,000 won or more, with offenders facing hefty fines or even a prison term.
	The law even prohibits the common practice among doctors and other workers at university hospitals of offering favourable treatment to personal acquaintances, including expedited scheduling of surgery.
	In the past, many people charged with receiving bribes got away with a .

Tough anti-corruption law takes effect in S. Korea

Rescuers in Indonesia were dispatched Wednesday to evacuate nearly 400 tourists, most of them foreigners, after a volcano erupted at one of the country's most popular hiking destinations, an official said.
	Mount Barujani began erupting yesterday, sending columns of ash and smoke shooting 2 kilometres into the sky over Lombok island, a tourist hotspot to the immediate east of Bali.
	Nearly 400 people were recorded as hiking near Barujani -- a smaller cone within the crater of Mount Rinjani -- when it began erupting, prompting plans for their immediate evacuation, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
	"A rescue team has been sent to Mount Rinjani to evacuate the tourists. They set off on Wednesday morning," he said.
	Hikers have been told to keep at least 3 kilometres from the smouldering volcano, a key attraction on the multi-day trek to the summit of Mount Rinjani made by thousands of tourists every year.
	Nugroho said 389 hikers were recorded as having ...

Tourists evacuated as Indonesian volcano erupts: official

Pakistan downed world champions West Indies in the third and final Twenty20 international by eight wickets in Abu Dhabi, achieving their first-ever clean sweep in the shortest format on Tuesday.
     Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim chipped in with 3-21 -- nine wickets in the series -- as West Indies crawled to 103-5 in their 20 overs after Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first.
     Marlon Samuels scored 42 not out while Kieron Pollard made an unbeaten 16.
     Pakistan wiped off the target in 15.1 overs, with Shoaib Malik (43 not out) and Babar Azam scoring an unbeaten 27.
     Pakistan won the first two matches by nine wickets and 16 runs respectively -- both in Dubai.
     The two teams will now play a three-match one-day series starting in Sharjah on Friday.

Pakistan whitewash West Indies in Twenty20

Scoreboard of the third and final Twenty20 international between Pakistan and West Indies played at Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Tuesday:
     West Indies
     J. Charles b Wasim                     5
     A. Fletcher run out                    9
     C. Walton b Wasim                      0
     M. Samuels not out                    42
     D. Bravo b Wasim                      11
     N. Pooran c Malik b Nawaz             16
     K. Pollard not out                    16
     Extras: (lb 3, w 1)                    4
     Total: (for five wkts; 20 overs)     103
     Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Charles), 2-12 (Walton), 3-17 (Fletcher), 4-31 (Bravo), 5-66 (Pooran)
     Bowling: Wasim 4-1-21-3, Tanvir 4-0-22-0, Nawaz 3-0-16-1 (1w), Amir 4-0-20-0, Malik 2-0-11-0, Raees 3-0-10-0
     Pakistan
     Sharjeel Khan c Fletcher b Williams 11
     Khalid Latif b Williams             21
     Babar Azam not out                  27
     Shoaib Malik not out                43
     Extras: (lb 4, w 2)          

Abu Dhabi, Sep 28 (AFP) Scoreboard of the third and final Twenty20 international between Pakistan and West Indies played at Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Tuesday:

Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy fired up European passions Tuesday at the Ryder Cup, taking exception to US captain Davis Love's contention that his Americans might be the best team ever.
     "At the end of the day, you don't win Ryder Cups with your mouth," Garcia said. "You win them out there on the golf course and that's where we'll see which team is the best."
     European teams have won three consecutive Ryder Cups, seeking an unprecedented fourth in a row this week at Hazeltine, while the Americans have lost six of the past seven and eight of 10.
     But Love felt confident enough in his roster last Friday to tell a golf radio interviewer, "We're a great team. This is maybe the best golf team ever assembled."
     Love said his words were "misconstrued," that he only said that was what he would say to motivate his team, but then wouldn't say what he would tell his team Friday.
     His earlier words added inspiration for a Europe side not lacking for it already.
     "They are 

Garcia warns USA 'you don't win Ryder Cups with your mouth'

Olympic swim star Michael Phelps delivered a message on competing for America to the US Ryder Cup team while Irish rugby union legend Paul O'Connell is supporting Europe's "shoulder-to-shoulder" theme.
     Retired celebrity athletes from other sports making speeches to teams, a Ryder Cup tradition, brought early support to their sides at Hazeltine ahead of this week's 41st edition of the biennial men's golf matches.
     Phelps, who spoke to the American squad Monday night, won a record 23 gold medals plus three silvers and two bronzes over five Olympic trips, including five gold medals at last month's Rio de Janeiro Games. The 31-year-old won a record eight golds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
     "We had a very exciting talk from Michael Phelps," US captain Davis Love said. "Michael talked to us a lot about the Olympic experience and Team USA and how much fun it was for him to have the four American golfers down there because he's such a big golf fan."
     O'Connell, a 36-year-old 

Phelps boosts USA as rugby's O'Connell answers Europe's call

Former Australia medium-pace bowler and colourful television commentator Max Walker has died aged 68 after a long battle with skin cancer.
     Cricket Australia said Walker played 34 Tests between 1972-73 and 1977. He took 138 wickets at 27.47 and played 17 one-day internationals.
     Sporting a handlebar moustache, the Tasmanian was a fan favourite nicknamed "Tangles" for his unusual bowling action.
     A key figure into the launch of World Series Cricket in the late 1970s, Walker backed up quick legends Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson.
     Former Test opener and coach Dean Jones tweeted: "So sad to hear of the passing of Max Walker.
     "What a great cricketer, author and story teller. Ripper bloke whose smile lit up a room!"
     Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland paid tribute to "an outstanding cricketer who played an important role in the emergence of successful Australian cricket teams in the 1970s.
     "With ball or bat in hand, Max was always fiercely ...

AFP

AFP

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