Five civilians were killed and seven injured in clashes in central Mali between farmers and minority ethnic Fulani cattle herders, regional officials said today.
	Mali's government said in a statement that it had deployed security forces to the region to prevent further clashes without blaming any groups for the violence, which took place yesterday.
	It called for an investigation to determine the culprits and said a government delegation was preparing to visit the site of the incident.
	Herdsmen are often armed to protect themselves from attacks by cattle rustlers, and they sometimes stage deadly reprisals against the towns where the thieves are from.
	Abdoul Aziz Diallo, president of the Tabital Pulaaku community group which represents Mali's Fulani community, told AFP the incident began after a number of animals were stolen.
	"A significant number of animals were stolen. The owners of the animals went to look for their livestock and they fell into an ambush and there were clashes. .

Five killed, seven injured in Mali community clashes

PTI Automatic

A small rodent, probably a mouse, caused the grounding of an Air France flight from Bamako to Paris, the firm said today.
	It took several hours to remove the unwanted passenger from the flight bound for the French capital in the early hours of yesterday.
	By the time the stowaway had been expelled, the cabin crew had reached the maximum time they are permitted to work to avoid fatigue, airline spokesman Christophe Paumier told AFP.
	The flight was delayed by 48 hours and is expected to operate later today.
	Mice and other rodents are a significant danger to aircraft as they have a tendency to nibble through vital cabling.
	"Air France regrets the inconvenience caused by this significant delay and recalls that the safety of its passengers and its crew is its top priority," the airline said in a statement.

Mouse' grounds Air France flight

One of the world's premier electronic music festivals is expanding to India, seeing a major new market in the billion-plus country once off the radar for Western concert promoters.
	The Electric Daisy Carnival, whose giant flagship party takes place each year in Las Vegas, announced an inaugural Indian version for November 12 and 13 in New Delhi.
	Electronic dance music has swept youth culture in the West over the past decade and has quickly made inroads in India as the advent of streaming and downloading breaks down musical borders.
	"We see India as an exciting market to build a unique and special festival. With a population of 1.2 billion people, half of whom are under 26, and connected through smartphones, the potential is incredible," said Pasquale Rotella, the founder and CEO of the festival's Los Angeles-based parent company Insomniac.
	"While there is a nice foundation of dance music fans in India, there is still room for a ton of growth," he told AFP by email.
	Rotella hoped .

Seeing new market, electronic party expands to India

Bangladesh police said today they were hunting more extremist leaders after shooting dead the suspected mastermind of a deadly cafe attack, on the eve of US Secretary of State John Kerry's first visit.
	Security forces stormed a militant hideout outside Dhaka on Saturday, killing three suspected Islamists including the Bangladesh-born Canadian accused of organising last month's attack that killed 22 people, mostly foreigners.
	Authorities say that after returning from Canada in 2013, Tamim Chowdhury led a faction of the banned militant group Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), blamed for a series of recent attacks on religious minorities.
	The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the July 1 seige of the upmarket Dhaka cafe in which gunmen held hostage mainly Western diners including one American, before killing them.
	But police say the homegrown JMB, which has pledged allegiance to the IS group, was behind the raid. They  deny the presence of international jihadist ...

Bangladesh hunts more extremists ahead of Kerry visit

Scoreboard after Sri
Lanka's innings in the third one-day international against Australia here tomorrow:
     Sri Lanka
	Gunathilaka b Starc                 5
	Dilshan c Bailey b Zampa           42
	Mendis c Warner b Hazlewood         4
	Chandimal c Zampa b Faulkner      102
	Mathews lbw b Zampa                 2
	D de Silva c Marsh b Faulkner        12
	Perera b Starc                     11
	Perera c Marsh b Hastings           9
	Prasanna c Bailey b Zampa           3
	Perera c Warner b Hastings         17
	Aponso not out                      1
	Extras: (LB-10, W-8)                18
     Total: (all out; 49.2 overs)       226
     Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-23, 3-96, 4-103, 5-133, 6-154, 7-165, 8-178, 9-217
     Bowling: Starc 10-0-42-2, Hazlewood 10-0-51-1, Hastings 10-1-41-2, Faulkner 9.2-0-44-2, Zampa 10-0-38-3.

Dambulla (Sri Lanka), Aug 28 (AFP) Scoreboard after Sri

Singapore today confirmed 41 locally transmitted cases of the Zika virus, which can cause deformities in unborn babies, and said more infections are likely.
	A day after announcing its first locally transmitted case, that of a 47-year-old Malaysian woman resident, the government reported 40 more -- mostly foreign workers at a construction site.
	All 41 are residents or workers in a particular suburban residential and industrial district, the Ministry of Health and the National Environment Agency said in a joint statement.
	"They are not known to have travelled to Zika-affected areas recently, and are thus likely to have been infected in Singapore," the statement said.
	"This confirms that local transmission of Zika virus infection has taken place."
	It said that at this point the community transmission of the virus appears to be localised within the  Aljunied Crescent and Sims Drive area, which hosts high-rise residential blocs and some industries.
	However, since Zika is spread by ...

Singapore reports 41 locally transmitted Zika cases

Uzbekistan's cabinet of ministers said today that the country's 78-year-old leader Islam Karimov has been "hospitalised", in a statement published by the country's state news agency.
	The statement, widely reported by local and Russian media, did not offer any details about strongman Karimov's condition.
	"According to experts, a full medical examination and follow-up treatment will take a certain time," the statement added.
	Authoritarian leader Karimov has long been the subject of rumours of ill health that are difficult to verify, since information in the Central Asian country is very tightly controlled.
	He has held power in Uzbekistan since before Uzbekistan's independence from Moscow in 1991.
	Karimov has no obvious successor and the country has never held an election judged free and fair by international monitors.
	Regional and Russian news websites reported last year that Karimov had fallen into a coma ahead of the March presidential election, but he subsequently appeared in ..

Uzbekistan government says ailing leader hospitalised

Nico Rosberg rekindled his bid for the drivers' world championship by steering his Mercedes to a convincing victory in Sunday's chaotic crash-hit Belgian Grand Prix, as Lewis Hamilton fought back to finish third.
	   Rosberg's delight was reduced by his Mercedes team-mate Hamilton's damage-limiting and thrilling drive to finish on the podium after starting from the back row of the grid.
	   Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished second in his Red Bull.
	   The 31-year-old Rosberg, who started from his third successive pole position, led from start to finish in a 44-laps race fractured by accidents and incidents to secure his first victory in Belgium and his sixth of the season.
	   Hamilton, who started 21st after being handed 60 grid position penalties for taking three new power-units through the weekend, remains narrowly ahead of Rosberg in the title race with 232 points to his 223.
	   German Nico Hulkenberg finished fourth ahead of his Force India team-mate Sergio Perez, as the ...

Rosberg cruises to victory at Spa

Tropical Storm Madeline picked up speed as it headed towards Hawaii today, while Hurricane Lester tore west from the Mexican mainland across the Pacific, US monitors reported.
	The center of Lester, a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour, was located 865 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported.
	The hurricane was moving towards the west and away from the Mexican mainland at a speed of nearly 14 miles per hour, the Miami-based NHC said.
	Lester's hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles.
	Despite its strength and size there was no coastal warning because the hurricane's direction.
	While the NHC said that Lester was likely to weaken in the next days, Tropical Storm Madeline is expected to strengthen and become a hurricane by tomorrow, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane ...

TS Madeline targets Hawaii as Hurricane Lester hits Pacific

Gabon's President Ali Bongo and his only serious rival have both claimed victory in this weekend's presidential election, and accused each other of cheating.
	Barely had the last ballots been cast Saturday evening before the incumbent's spokesman declared: "Bongo will win... we are already on our way to a second mandate."
	Bongo, 57, has been in power since a disputed election held in 2009 after the death of his father, Omar Bongo, who had ruled the oil-rich Central African country for 41 years.
	Today, the campaign manager of Bongo's rival Jean Ping told reporters that the former head of the African Union Commission had won 60 per cent of votes counted so far, just under half of the total, against 38 per cent for the president.
	He also accused Bongo of "trying to push his way through," with the backing of the army.
	"That's totally crazy," countered Bongo's spokesman. "It's tight, but we are ahead."
	Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya has insisted that only results from the ..

Rivals both claim victory as Gabon waits for vote results

In-form batsman Dinesh Chandimal scored a defiant century to lift Sri Lanka to 226 all out against a persistent Australian bowling attack in the third one-day international here today.
     Sri Lanka, looking to give retiring batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan a winning farewell, suffered from regular wicket-fall after electing to bat first as they were bowled out in 49.2 overs.
     Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc struck in his very first over to send opener Danushka Gunathilaka, who was clean bowled, trudging back to the pavilion for five.
	Josh Hazlewood, who shared the new ball with Starc, soon got Kusal Mendis caught at second slip for four to put the hosts in early trouble at 23 for two.
	Opener Dilshan and wicketkeeper-batsman Chandimal, who scored 102, then put together a 73-run partnership for the third wicket to steady the Sri Lankan innings.
	The duo got runs at a brisk pace on what looked like a good batting wicket at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, which was hosting ..

Chandimal ton lifts Sri Lanka to 226 in 3rd ODI

Scoreboard at tea on the second
day of the second and final Test between South Africa and New Zealand at SuperSport Park today:
     South Africa 1st innings (overnight 283 for 3)
     S Cook c Williamson b Bracewell         56
     Q de Kock c Boult b Wagner              82
     H Amla c Watling b Wagner               58
     J Duminy c Watling b Southee            88
     F du Plessis not out                    95
     T Bavuma c Bracewell b Wagner            8
     S van Zyl c Taylor b Wagner             35
     V Philander not out                      6
     Extras: (B-5, LB-4)                      9
     Total: (For 6 wkts; 142 overs)         437
     Fall of wickets: 1-133, 2-151, 3-246, 4-342, 5-342, 6-426.
     Bowling: Southee 35-4-114-1, Boult 31.4-6-93-0, Bracewell 30.2-9-98-1, Santner 12-1-47-0, Wagner 33-7-76-4.

Centurion, Aug 28 (AFP) Scoreboard at tea on the second

Pope Francis said today he wanted to visit some of the central Italian villages devastated in this week's earthquake, as survivors and rescue workers dug in for the long haul with winter approaching.
	Francis said the Catholic Church shared the "suffering" of the victims of the quake that claimed nearly 300 lives and pledged: "As soon as possible, I hope to come and see you."
	The Argentine pontiff told thousands of worshippers gathered for the Angelus prayer in Rome's Saint Peter's square he had a "spiritual closeness" to residents of the mountain villages in a remote area straddling the Umbria, Marche and Lazio regions.
	Meanwhile, as hope faded of finding anyone else alive and the search for bodies nearly complete, rescue workers and survivors turned their attention to a bleak future, with winter around the corner.
	"We're getting ready for winter. Given what's happened in other quakes, we're going to spend winter here," said Emidio Chiappini, from the devastated Sant'Angelo ...

Pope mulls Italy quake visit as survivors dig in

South African captain Faf du Plessis kept his team on course for a big total on the second day of the second Test against New Zealand at SuperSport Park today.
     South Africa were 437 for six at tea, with Du Plessis on 95 not out.
     Apart from a burst of scoring immediately after lunch, it was slow going for Du Plessis, who had faced 205 balls by tea, hitting ten fours and two sixes.
     The South African captain bemoaned the failure of his batsmen to convert good starts into big scores after the aborted first Test in Durban and seemed determined to set an example against steady bowling on a pitch still offering some help to the seam bowlers.
     South Africa's total advanced by 154 runs from their overnight total of 283 for three, for the loss of three more wickets in 54 overs.
     JP Duminy made 88 off 158 balls, with 13 fours, before he was caught behind off Tim Southee, getting a faint edge to an attempted pull against a bouncer.
     Temba Bavuma also fell to a short ...

Du Plessis leads from front for Proteas

Germany's vice chancellor and economy minister Sigmar Gabriel said today that negotiations on a massive trade between the European Union and the United States were effectively dead in the water.
	"The talks with the US have de facto failed because we Europeans of course must not succumb to American demands," he told public broadcaster ZDF. "Nothing is moving forward."
	Negotiators from the US and the EU are in talks to finalise the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) which would create the world's largest free trade area.
	But the negotiations have been bogged down over the terms of the agreement as well as Britain's shock vote to leave the EU and rising opposition to the deal in France and Germany.
	The setbacks have raised serious doubts that it will be achieved by the end of the year as hoped.
	Activists who have opposed TTIP since negotiations began in 2013 say the deal would only benefit multinationals and harm consumers.
	France's Prime Minister Manuel 

German minister says talks on EU-US trade deal have 'failed'

Two Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in fresh clashes between government forces and pro-Russian rebels in the country's war-torn east, the military said today.
	"Over the past 24 hours, as a result of fighting, we lost two of our servicemen while another four soldiers were wounded," Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko told journalists.
	He did not specify the exact location where the soldiers had perished along the 30-kilometre-wide buffer zone separating the two sides' forces.
	Lysenko again accused insurgents of violating peace agreements by shelling government-held areas with heavy weaponry including mortars and cannons.
	Tensions between Ukraine and Russia escalated this month after the Kremlin accused Kiev of plotting armed incursions into Russian-annexed Crimea.
	Kiev said last week that pro-Russian insurgents had killed three of its soldiers in the worst violence seen in the separatist east for a year. It accused rebels of launching more than 500 mortar and 300 ...

Two Ukrainian soldiers killed in separatist east

The UN today urged African nations to close a gender gap that is costing an estimated USD 95 billion a year in lost economic potential.
	"Where there are high levels of gender inequality, societies are missing out," UN Development Fund (UNDP) director Helen Clark told AFP.
	"They are not harnessing the full potential of women, and that costs economically, at the family level, community level and the national level."
	Citing agriculture as an example, Clark said that in many African nations, women are banned from owning or inheriting land, making it hard for them to borrow money.
	"They then don't have the finance to buy the best seeds, the best fertilisers. So women, despite working very, very hard, end up producing less, being less productive," she said in Nairobi, where she was attending the Tokyo International Conference on African Development.
	The UNDP said in a statement that male-female inequality in sub-Saharan Africa costs the continent some USD 95 billion each year in lost ..

Gender inequality costs Africa $95 bn a year: UN

Iraq has officially asked Saudi Arabia to recall its ambassador to Baghdad after the envoy allegedly told media outlets of a plot by Iran-backed Iraqi groups to assassinate him.
	"The Iraqi foreign ministry has sent an official request to the Saudi foreign ministry to replace its ambassador to Iraq," ministry spokesman Ahmad Jamal said in a statement.
	"Several statements and opinions voiced in the media overstepped the boundaries of diplomatic protocol and of an ambassador's duties," he said.
	Thamer al-Sabhan, whose credentials were received in January 2016, became the first Saudi ambassador to Iraq in a quarter century, after relations were cut following ex-president Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait.
	His posting got off to a rocky start however, with popular anger among Iraq's Shiite majority over the execution by Saudi Arabia a few days earlier of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
	Iraq has since been angered by the views Sabhan aired in the media and Jamal said the envoy was ...

Iraq requests Saudi ambassador be changed

Egyptian authorities today released a renowned human rights lawyer arrested after protests against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's decision to hand over two islands to Saudi Arabia.
	Malek Adly had been held in pre-trial detention since being arrested by plainclothes police on May 5.
	His defence team confirmed his release.
	"The case has not been referred to trial yet," Tarek Khater, one of Adly's lawyers, told AFP.
	Adly had supported protests in April against the decision to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, which provoked outrage in Egypt and accusations that Sisi "sold" them in return for Saudi investments.
	Police arrested dozens of activists ahead of an April 25 protest, after more than 1,000 people had chanted for "the fall of the regime" in an earlier demonstration in Cairo.
	The police dispersed the April 25 protest before raiding the Journalists' Syndicate to arrest two reporters who are part of the same case as Adly.
	The three were accused of "attempting to .

Egypt frees renowned rights lawyer

Two pilots were arrested in Scotland on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol as they prepared to fly a passenger plane to the US, police said today.
	The two men were detained at Glasgow Airport yesterday before they were due to fly to Newark in New Jersey.
	Concerns were reportedly raised over the pair ahead of the 9:00 AM (1330 IST) UA162 flight. The service, carrying 141 passengers, eventually flew with a new crew later yesterday.
	"Two men aged 35 and 45 have been arrested and are presently detained in police custody in connection with alleged offences under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, Section 93," a Police Scotland spokesman said.
	The section relates to "carrying out pilot function or activity while exceeding the prescribed limit of alcohol."
	A United Airlines spokesman said: "The two pilots have been removed from service and their flying duties.
	"We are co-operating with the authorities and will conduct our own investigation as well. The safety of 

Pilots arrested for alleged drinking before UK-US flight

Turkish shelling and air strikes killed at least 40 Syrians today, a monitor said, in the first significant civilian casualties in Turkey's intensifying campaign in northern Syria.
	Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said the army had killed 25 Kurdish "terrorists" in air strikes as part of its unprecedented operation inside Syria.
	The bombardments came after Ankara suffered its first military fatality since it launched the two-pronged offensive against the Islamic State group and Syrian Kurdish militia inside Syria on Wednesday.
	At least 20 civilians were killed and 50 wounded in Turkish artillery fire and air strikes on the village of Jeb el-Kussa early today, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.
	Another 20 were killed and 25 wounded, many seriously, in Turkish air strikes near the town of Al-Amarneh, it said.
	The monitor also said at least four Kurdish fighters had been killed and 15 injured in Turkish bombardment of the two areas.
	A spokesman for 

AFP

AFP

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