European Union leaders will meet in Malta in February to help prepare for a summit the following month in Rome aimed at revitalising a bloc without Britain, an EU source said today.
	"I can confirm that the Malta Summit at EU 27 will take place on the 3rd of February," an EU source who asked not to be named told AFP.
	The 27 leaders met without British Prime Minister Theresa May earlier this month in Bratislava, promising to forge a new vision for a bloc rocked by Brexit, the worst migrant crisis since World War II, terrorist attacks and a stuttering economy.
	Valletta will play host as it assumes the rotating six-month presidency of the EU in January after Slovakia.
	The EU source said the agenda of the Malta meeting is still to be determined but it will be "basically a follow-up to Bratislava and preparation for the Rome Summit in March," which marks the 60th anniversary of the bloc's founding treaty signed in the Italian capital.
	May has said Britain will not trigger Article 50, ..

New post-Brexit EU summit Feb 3 in Malta: source

PTI Automatic

A Shanghai restaurant has closed down just a day after being awarded a coveted star in the Michelin guide's first mainland Chinese edition.
	Taian Table - one of 26 restaurants in the city to receive Michelin stars - "suspended" business yesterday "due to internal reorganisation", a notice on its front door said.
	The starred establishment, on the ground floor of a five-storey residential building in downtown Shanghai, serves Western dishes ranging from grilled endives to smoked beets by chef Stefan Stiller, according to the restaurant's website.
	The "graceful restaurant" has a menu that "changes monthly and makes good use of excellent ingredients and clever recipes," according to the Michelin description.
	It opened for business in April.
	The diner was previously ordered to shut down by local officials due to lack of proper licences, the Xinmin Evening News reported today, adding authorities stepped in after neighbours complained.
	Residents who live above the restaurant told AFP ..

Shanghai diner closes day after getting Michelin star

A Montenegrin went on trial in southern Germany today accused of helping to prepare a terror attack after he was found driving to Paris last November with Kalashnikovs and explosives hidden in his car.
	The 51-year-old was arrested during a routine check on a Bavaria motorway on November 5, just over a week before 130 people were killed in coordinated suicide bomb and gun attacks in the French capital.
	Police discovered a cache of weapons in his car, including eight Kalashnikovs, handguns, two hand grenades and 200 grammes of TNT explosives.
	The accused, named as Vucelic V., told a Munich courtroom at the start of his trial that he was aware the weapons were in the car but he denied any knowledge of an attack being planned.
	The destination entered in the VW Golf's sat-nav system showed an address in Paris, according to the indictment. The same address was found on a handwritten note in the car, along with a phone number for a contact person in France.
	While no direct link has been 

Man caught smuggling arms to Paris goes on trial in Germany

Syrian and Russian aircraft pounded rebel-held areas of Aleppo today, a monitor said, after the army announced a new offensive aimed at retaking all of the divided second city.
	An AFP correspondent in the opposition-held east of the city reported intense bombardment both from the air and by ground artillery.
	It came after the Syrian army announced late yesterday that it was launching a new offensive to retake rebel-held parts of the city.
	A military source said the bombardment was in preparation for a ground operation.
	"We have begun reconnaissance, aerial and artillery bombardment," he told AFP.
	"This could go on for hours or days before the ground operation starts. The timing of the ground operation will depend on the results of the strikes and the situation on the ground."
	An army officer in Aleppo confirmed that the ground assault had yet to begin.
	The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at least 30 strikes on rebel-held districts during the night and early ...

Air raids pound rebel-held Aleppo as Syria army begins assault

Kyrgyzstan's President Almazbek Atambayev has been transferred to Russia for treatment after suffering suspected heart trouble, his office said today, several days after he was reported hospitalised in Turkey.
	Atambayev arrived in Moscow and was admitted to the city's presidential hospital "on the recommendation of specialists", the statement from the presidential administration noted.
	Atambayev, 60, was stopping off in Istanbul en route to the United Nations General Assembly in New York when he was hospitalised following complaints of "chest pains", officials said Monday.
	Turkish news agencies showed dramatic footage of the Central Asian country's leader lying prone on a stretcher but his office later said his health was "satisfactory" in a statement.
	Atambayev has taken time off since the health scare but released a statement Wednesday calling on MPs to pass a law to allow a referendum on controversial constitutional changes to take place in the near future.
	Impoverished ...

Kyrgyz Prez moved to Moscow for treatment after heart trouble

The logo of Wanda Plaza is seen in Shanghai. Photo: Reuters

Dalian Wanda Group (Photo: Wikipedia)

Company founder Wang Jianlin has his eyes set on Hollywood with his next step being working "hand-in-hand with the Big Six"

Wanda to market and co-finance Sony productions in China

Press Trust of India

Three police officers were killed today by a bomb buried beneath a road in Thailand's far south, authorities said, as peace talks appear to falter in the insurgency-plagued region.
	The kingdom's Muslim-majority "deep south", an area bordering Malaysia, has seen near daily bombings and shootings since the most recent wave of rebellion erupted in 2004.
	More than 6,600 people -- mostly civilians -- have died in an underreported conflict that pits ethnic Malay militants against security forces from Thailand's Buddhist-majority state.
	Today three police officers in their late 20s were killed after a bomb struck their car in Yala province.
	"They were on a trip to gather intelligence," a police officer in Krongpinang district told AFP, without giving his name.
	After detonating the bomb, which was buried underneath the road, the assailants fired on the police from the surrounding jungle, the officer added.
	Staff at a provincial hospital confirmed the deaths and said one police officer ..

Bomb kills three police in restive Thai south

The New York authorities seized USD 4.5 million worth of illegal elephant ivory items in what they described as the biggest bust in the state's history, officials said.
	Ivory items put on display for reporters included scores of statuettes, a carved column, two pairs of tusks and a chess set.
	Two pairs of tusks -- an adult elephant's and another from a young adult -- were valued at USD 200,000 and USD 150,000, respectively.
	The ivory came from at least 12 slain animals, officials said.
	"We are going to dry up... A market that only fuels the slaughter of elephants," Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance said. "It is inexcusable, it is immoral."
	New York City is a hub of illegal elephant ivory trade, ahead of California and Hawaii, said Basil Seggos, head of the state's Department of Environmental Conservation. His office participated in the probe.
	"This type of behavior will no longer be tolerated," he said.
	New York was one of the first states in 2014 to adopt strict laws ...

New York seizes USD 4.5 mn worth of elephant ivory items

South Korea today ruled out giving aid to flood-hit North Korea, saying leader Kim Jong-Un would claim credit for any assistance following what Pyongyang calls the "worst disaster" since World War II.
	The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) appealed Wednesday for USD 15.5 million in emergency funding to help North Koreans.
	It warned of a "secondary disaster" in the impoverished country unless urgent assistance is provided.
	At least 138 people are known to have died and nearly 400 are missing after torrential rain triggered major floods, devastating villages in the country's northeast, the UN said last week.
	According to the UN, 140,000 people need assistance. The IFRC said about 70,000 remain homeless after tens of thousands of houses were damaged or destroyed.
	UNICEF said Tuesday disease and malnutrition were rising, with health clinics reporting that twice as many children were seeking help compared to before the disaster.
	If Seoul gave any .

S Korea rules out flood aid to N Korea

A Taiwanese court has sentenced a former intelligence officer to 18 years in prison for reportedly working as a double agent and spying for China as relations worsen with Beijing.
	Major Wang Tsung-wu was sentenced yesterday by Taiwan's High Court on convictions of engaging in espionage as well as violating national intelligence and security laws.
	The court provided no further details, citing national security restrictions.
	Local media reported how Wang was allegedly turned by China when he was sent there as an undercover agent for Taiwan's Military Intelligence Bureau around 20 years ago.
	He spied for Beijing for more than a decade, reports said.
	Wang was recruited by China in 1995 and leaked confidential information before he retired in 2005. He also recruited retired colonel Lin Han in 2013 to help collect intelligence, according to Hong Kong-based Apple Daily.
	Lin had travelled to Singapore and Malaysia to meet with Chinese intelligence and passed on information about the ...

Taiwan 'double agent' gets 18 years for spying for China

Eight Russian firefighters were killed as they battled a blaze at a warehouse in eastern Moscow, authorities said today, in the latest deadly fire to hit the city.
	The bodies of the firemen were discovered after they lost contact as they fought to extinguish the huge blaze that started last evening at a plastics depot on the edge of the Russian capital, the emergency services ministry said in a statement.
	"The corpses of eight colleagues have been found in the main area where the search was located," the statement said.
	"Until the end there was hope that they would be alive. But due to the intense fire, the high temperatures and the thick smoke the firefighters were unable to get out."
	The emergency workers who were killed were among the first to arrive on the scene and helped evacuate 100 workers from the warehouse, officials said.
	They were battling flames on the roof of the building when it collapsed, the emergency services said.
	Officials said the blaze -- which tore across .

8 Russian firefighters killed in Moscow blaze

Eight Russian firefighters killed in Moscow blaze:

A Jetstar pilot shut down an engine and diverted to Brisbane as smoked filled the cabin on a passenger flight from Sydney to Cairns in an incident passengers said was "terrifying".
	The Airbus A320 was en route to the northern Queensland city yesterday when the pilot took action to deal with what the carrier said was "a technical issue with one of its engines".
	"The captain decided to shut down one of the engines as a precaution and divert the aircraft to Brisbane," a spokesman for the Australian budget airline said. "Engineers are looking into the cause.
	"While it's rare for something like this to happen, our crew are trained to deal with these type of situations and they handled the situation very professionally."
	Video taken on board the plane, shot by a passenger and broadcast by the ABC, showed smoke in the cabin.
	"The most terrifying moment of my life," passenger Aundra Thompson wrote on Facebook.
	"I was just on the flight that caught fire and filled the cabin with ...

Engine shut down as smoke fills cabin of Jetstar flight

Protesters took to the streets for a third night in the US city of Charlotte amid heavy security aimed at preventing more clashes over the fatal police shooting of a black man.
	Hundreds marched to the city police station carrying signs saying "Stop killing us" and "Resistance is beautiful," but the atmosphere was far calmer than the previous two nights.
	Pressure was growing on police to release video of the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, a 43-year-old African American, whose killing on Tuesday sparked the unrest.
	Scott's death was the latest in a string of police- involved killings of black men that have fueled outrage across the United States.
	North Carolina's governor has declared a state of emergency in Charlotte, and several hundred National Guard troops and highway police officers were deployed to reinforce local police protecting city infrastructure and businesses.
	An overnight curfew was also in place.
	"We are going to be a lot more proactive," Charlotte police chief ...

Third night of protests in US city amid heavy security

Oil prices eased in Asian trade today on profit-taking following two days of solid gains as traders turned their attention to next week's planned meeting of key producers.
	At around 0850 IST, the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was down 50 cents at USD 45.82 and Brent dropped 37 cents to USD 47.28.
	Both contracts booked solid gains over the previous two days -- WTI surged 6.6 per cent and Brent gained 3.9 per cent -- on data showing US commercial crude inventories fell more than six million barrels last week, indicating strong strong demand in the world's top oil consumer.
	Russia and members of the OPEC oil cartel led by Saudi Arabia will gather in Algeria for three days from Monday and are expected to discuss a stubborn supply glut that has depressed prices since 2014.
	Traders are uncertain that a deal can be reached on freezing or cutting output, but reports that Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar met at the OPEC headquarters in Vienna has fuelled optimism.
	An earlier ...

Oil prices ease as focus shifts to producers' meeting

Arsene Wenger memorably announced his arrival as a revolutionary force in England by banning his players from eating sweets, but the Arsenal manager's reign has turned increasingly sour as he marks the 20th anniversary of his appointment.
     Arguably the most significant agent of change in the Premier League era, the 66-year-old's achievements in revitalising both Arsenal and English football will rightly be celebrated in this milestone week for the urbane Frenchman.
     Yet when Wenger makes the drive from his home in the exclusive north London suburb of Totteridge to the Emirates Stadium for Saturday's clash with Chelsea it would be understandable if he pondered how he finds himself in danger of being viewed with the same disdain that greeted his hiring two decades ago.
     In an era when even the most unglamourous Premier League club can use the riches from lucrative television contracts to lure high-profile foreign coaches and players, it's hard to recall just how insular the .

Wenger anniversary underlines slipping standards

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has arrived in Cuba for the first visit to the country by a Japanese premier, saying he wants to "open a new page" in relations.
	Abe met with Cuban President Raul Castro during a visit that comes after Tokyo's close ally Washington restored ties with the communist island last year.
	"I sincerely hope my stay here becomes an opportunity to open a new page in the relationship of friendship between both nations," Abe said in an interview published in the Cuban Communist Party's official newspaper, Granma.
	The head of the world's third-largest economy called for "open dialogue" to stimulate trade and investment, development cooperation and tourism.
	Abe was received with military honors at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana, where he had a private meeting with Castro. Later, he placed a floral tribute at the monument to the Cuban hero Jose Marti.
	The Japanese premier is scheduled to hold a news conference today before departing the Caribbean island.
	Japan 

Japanese PM in Cuba to 'open new page' in ties

Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza launched a stinging attack on Barcelona on Thursday after losing star forward Lionel Messi for vital World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Paraguay next month.
     Messi will be sidelined for the next three weeks due to a groin strain suffered in Barca's 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night. And that brought a furious rebuke of the Catalans from Bauza.
     "They send us messages to look after Messi but they don't protect him. He plays every match," Bauza, who said his team would nevertheless cope, told Fox Sports.
     "We've already played without Messi. Having him is an advantage for the problems he creates (for opponents). But for me as coach and for the team it's a challenge if we have to play without him."
     Argentina are third in the South American World Cup qualifying group, one point behind leaders Uruguay. They play Peru in Lima on October 6 before hosting Paraguay on October 11 in Cordoba.
     Only the top four teams in ...

Argentina boss blasts Barca over Messi injury

A defiant Syrian regime launched a new assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo as the United States and Russia failed to revive a floundering peace plan.
	US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gathered two dozen international envoys at talks in New York to address the crisis.
	But the meeting of the International Syria Support Group broke up after Russia refused US demands that it promise to immediately ground the Syrian regime's air force.
	Kerry said he was ready to meet the Russians again to see if there are any means to revive the truce that failed this week, but diplomats were pessimistic.
	"The only way to achieve that is if the ones that have the air power in that part of the conflict simply stop using it," Kerry told reporters after the talks yesterday.
	"Not for one day or two, but for as long as possible so that everyone sees that they are serious."
	UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura called it a "long, painful and disappointing meeting" ...

Syria launches Aleppo push as truce plan flounders

Around 2,000 people protested in Romanian capital Bucharest over the Senate's refusal to lift the immunity from prosecution of a former interior minister for "involuntary homicide".
	The protesters briefly blocked traffic late yesterday in front of the upper house of parliament, waving placards bearing slogans such as "Corruption kills" and "Shame on You".
	Romania's powerful anti-corruption agency opened an enquiry in October last year into the death of a police motorcyclist who was escorting the former interior minister, Gabriel Oprea.
	Prosecutors allege that Oprea had abused the police outrider service and illegally purchased a luxury car from the account of his ministry's in-house secret service, the DIPI.
	At the time of the police motorcyclist's death the ministerial cortege was said to be travelling at an excessive speed.
	"Those elected cannot act however they please, they have to respect the mandate the voters give them. They can't just defend each other," one young ...

2,000 protest in Romania over minister's immunity

Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood has made a return to parliament after winning 16 seats in the 130-member house, according to results announced by the country's electoral commission.
	The Brotherhood's Islamic Action Front (IAF) contested Tuesday's polls after having boycotted two previous parliamentary elections in the kingdom, in 2010 and 2013, in protest at the electoral system and alleged voting fraud.
	As in past elections, most seats went to businessmen and tribal figures close to the monarchy, the preliminary results showed.
	The election came as Jordan, a key ally of Western countries, wrestles with the spillover of wars in neighbouring Syria and Iraq and the burden of hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees.
	As well as the performance of the IAF, attention was focused on the low turnout, with just 1.5 million voters out of a 4.1-million strong electorate casting ballots.
	Experts say the figure reflected a lack of enthusiasm among voters for a parliament with limited power to ..

AFP

AFP

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