A United Nations peacekeeper was killed and four others were injured today when their vehicle struck an explosive device in northeast Mali, the UN said.
	The incident occurred 11 kilometres (six miles) south of Aguelhoc-Anefis in Kidal region, the UN force in Mali, MINUSMA, said in a statement.
	The vehicle was part of a supply convoy, MINUSMA said. It did not give the nationalities of the casualties.
	Less than three hours later, a MINUSMA vehicle was damaged by a roadside bomb near the town of Kidal while on patrol about two kilometres from the mission's base, but no-one was hurt, the statement said.
	There was no immediate claim of responsibility for either attack.
	An Islamist takeover of northern Mali in 2012 triggered a French military intervention to pull the country back from the brink of collapse.
	The UN deployed peacekeepers in July 2013, but the mission has been a relentless target for attacks.
	Twenty-eight have been killed so far this year, according to a toll compiled ..

UN soldier killed, four injured in mine blast in NE Mali

PTI Automatic

A suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into a large group of army reinforcements in south Yemen today, killing five soldiers, military officials said.
	Another seven soldiers were wounded in the attack targeting troops who had been sent from the main southern city of Aden to Lahj province to fight jihadists, the sources said.
	A military official said it was unclear whether the attack had been carried out by Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group, both of which have gained ground in the south and claimed deadly anti-government assaults in the past.
	The bombing came hours after clashes between troops and jihadists in Lahj, the military officials told AFP, adding that Saudi-led coalition jets also took part in the fighting.
	Also today, suspected members of Al-Qaeda shot dead an army colonel in nearby Abyan province, a military source said.
	The gunmen on a motorbike opened fire at Colonel Abdullah Shamba, killing him immediately before driving off, the official said.
	Shamba headed a local .

Suicide bomber kills 5 soldiers in south Yemen

Completed scoreboard on the fifth
day of the third Test between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston today:
 England 1st Innings 297
 Pakistan 1st Innings 400
 England 2nd Innings (overnight: 414-5)
 A. Cook c Yasir Shah b Sohail Khan           66
 A. Hales c Younis Khan b Mohammad Amir       54
 J. Root c Mohammad Hafeez b Yasir Shah       62
 J. Vince c Younis Khan b Mohammad Amir       42
 G. Ballance c Asad Shafiq b Yasir Shah       28
 J. Bairstow lbw b Sohail Khan                83
 M. Ali not out                               86
 C. Woakes not out                             3
 Extras (B-4, LB-7, W-2, NB-8)                21
 Total (6 wkts dec, 129 overs, 567 mins)     445
 Fall of wickets: 1-126, 2-126, 3-221, 4-257, 5-282, 6-434
 Bowling: Amir 31-8-75-2; Sohail 29-3-111-2; Rahat 21-8-54-0; Shah 43-4-172-2; Azhar 5-0-22-0.

Birmingham, Aug 7 (AFP) Completed scoreboard on the fifth

A bullet that penetrated the roof of the media center at the Rio Olympics equestrian venue may have been a stray fired by a gunman aiming at police aircraft, Brazil's defense minister said today.
	"At that precise moment we had drones flying over the favela and we also had a balloon flying over," Defense Minister Raul Jungmann told journalists.
	"A possible hypothesis is that someone felt he was being followed, filmed, observed, and it's possible -- although nothing is certain yet -- that the shot was fired from there," he said.
	Police, which fall under military control in Brazil, are engaged in often brutal operations against drug traffickers who control swaths of Rio's favelas, as poor, often largely unregulated neighborhoods are called. Shootings are an everyday occurrence.
	No one was hurt when the bullet hit the media tent, but the incident embarrassed Brazilian authorities who have deployed an unprecedented 85,000 soldiers and police to protect the Olympics.
	A TVNZ report said 

Bullet hitting Rio media center possibly a stray: minister

Suspected members of Al-Qaeda shot dead an army colonel in Yemen's southern province of Abyan today, a military official said.
	The gunmen on a motorbike opened fire at Colonel Abdullah Shamba, killing him immediately before driving off, the official said.
	Shamba headed a local anti-Al-Qaeda militia in Abyan, the source added.
	Late yesterday, Saudi-led coalition jets attacked Al-Qaeda positions in Abyan's provincial capital of Zinjibar and in the nearby town of Jaar, military sources said.
	Government forces backed by the Arab coalition began an all-out offensive in March against jihadists in south Yemen, recapturing main cities they had held.
	But they later retreated from Zinjibar after Al-Qaeda militants struck back.
	Jihadists have exploited the power vacuum created by the conflict between the government and Huthi rebels and their allies to expand their presence in south and southeast Yemen.
	They are often accused by the authorities of carrying out deadly attacks targeting ...

Qaeda suspects kill Yemen army colonel

Scoreboard at the close of play on
the second day of the second Test between Zimbabwe and New Zealand today:
     New Zealand first innings
     M Guptill lbw b Tiripano              87
     T Latham c and b Williams            136
     K Williamson c Ervine b Chinouya     113
     R Taylor not out                     124
     H Nicholls lbw b Cremer               15
     BJ Watling not out                    83
     Extras (B-12, LB-3, W-1, NB-8)        24
     Total (For 4 wkts dec in 150 overs)   582
     Fall of wickets: 1-169, 2-329, 3-369, 4-389.
     Bowling: Tiripano 25-4-102-1, Chinouya 22-6-64-1, Chibhabha 12-2-45-0, Cremer 36-2-147-1, Nyumbu 34-3-107-0, Williams 13-0-62-1, Sikandar Raza 4-0-17-0, Masvaure 4-0-23-0.
     Zimbabwe first innings
     T Mawoyo not out                  20
     C Chibhabha not out               31
     Extras (B-4)                       4
     Total (for 0 wkts, 30 overs)      55
     Bowling: Southee 9-8-4-0, Boult 5-3-6-0, Santner 7-1-28-0, ...

Bulawayo, Aug 7 (AFP) Scoreboard at the close of play on

Chris Woakes struck twice in quick succession on his Warwickshire home ground as Pakistan's dramatic middle-order collapse left England on the brink of victory in the third Test at Edgbaston today.
     At tea on the final day, Pakistan were 148 for seven after losing four wickets for just one run in 23 balls.
     With all their specialist batsmen now dismissed, the question of scoring the further 195 runs they needed to reach a victory target of 343 was no longer a live issue.
     Pakistan's priority now was to try to bat out the day's remaining 28 overs and prevent England going 2-1 up in the series ahead of next week's fourth and final Test at The Oval.
     Yasir Shah was seven not out and Mohammad Amir 15 not out.
     Pakistan were 124 for three when their collapse started, with captain Misbah-ul-Haq (10) caught behind off Steven Finn to give the persevering fast bowler his first wicket of the series.
     Asad Shafiq then completed a pair when he was plumb lbw to all-rounder .

Woakes at the double as England eye third Test win

John Kasich confirmed today he had been sounded out as a possible running mate of Donald Trump in a call the Republican candidate's son made to an aide of the Ohio governor.
	The New York Times reported last month that Donald Trump Jr broached the possibility in a call to a senior Kasich adviser in May, telling him Trump's vice president would be responsible for domestic and foreign policy.
	Kasich said in a CNN interview that he was never contacted directly but that one of his aides received the call from Donald Trump Jr and that the Times' account of the conversation was accurate.
	A former Trump rival in the primaries who has yet to endorse the Republican candidate, Kasich said he "never considered" the running mate option.
	"I'd be the worst vice president," he said. "I have too many opinions."
	The Trump campaign ultimately chose Indiana Governor Mike Pence.
	Kasich declined to attend the Republican National Convention -- which was held in his own battleground state Ohio -- ...

Trump Jr called Kasich aid to float VP post

Zimbabwe's top order finally showed some backbone today but the hosts were nevertheless facing an uphill battle in the second Test after New Zealand posted an enormous total on day two at Queens Sports Club.
     After spending the better part of two days in the field as New Zealand racked up 582 for four declared, Zimbabwe responded with a dogged stand between openers Tino Mawoyo and Chamu Chibhabha to go to stumps on 55 without loss.
     It was a much improved start for the hosts, who slumped to 36 for four and 17 for four during an innings defeat in the first Test, and gave them some confidence after their bowlers had proved ineffective on a docile pitch.
     Zimbabwe endured a tough first day in the field as New Zealand put on 329 for two, and their fortunes with the ball on the second day were little better.
     Although they dismissed both Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls in the opening session, Williamson had already reached three figures to become the first New Zealand ...

Zimbabwe dig in after Kiwis post huge total

Scoreboard at tea on the fifth
day of the third Test between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston today.
	   England 1st Innings 297
	   Pakistan 1st Innings 400
	   England 2nd Innings (overnight: 414-5)
	   A Cook c Yasir Shah b Sohail Khan           66
	   A Hales c Younis Khan b Mohammad Amir       54
	   J Root c Mohammad Hafeez b Yasir Shah       62
	   J Vince c Younis Khan b Mohammad Amir       42
	   G Ballance c Asad Shafiq b Yasir Shah       28
	   J Bairstow lbw b Sohail Khan                83
	   M Ali not out                               86
	   C Woakes not out                             3
	   Extras (B-4, LB-7, W-2, NB-8)               21
	   Total (For 6 wkts dec in 129 overs)        445
	   Fall of wickets: 1-126, 2-126, 3-221, 4-257, 5-282, 6-434.
	   Bowling: Amir 31-8-75-2; Sohail 29-3-111-2; Rahat 21-8-54-0; Shah 43-4-172-2; Azhar 5-0-22-0;
	   Pakistan 2nd Innings (target: 343)
	   Mohammad Hafeez c Woakes b Broad              2
	   Sami Aslam b Finn               

Birmingham, Aug 7 (AFP) Scoreboard at tea on the fifth

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump slammed Hillary Clinton as mentally unstable at a campaign rally, seizing on her admission that she "short- circuited" in comments about her private email use at the State Department.
	"The people of this country don't want somebody who's going to short circuit up here," Trump told supporters in New Hampshire.
	"She's a dangerous liar," the real estate mogul said of the Democratic former secretary of state. "She is a totally unhinged person. She's unbalanced."
	Trump's supporters chanted "Lock her up!" during the event in the town of Windham, which was broadcast online.
	On Friday, Clinton acknowledged she "may have short-circuited" when she tried to clarify statements about her use of a private email server.
	The Democrat had told Fox News Sunday that FBI director James Comey said her "answers were truthful" about whether she sent or received classified material via private email. That comment was branded false by Washington-based ...

Trump mocks Clinton over 'short-circuit' comment

Two men were cut down by automatic rifles in broad daylight in Marseille today, in what investigators said was the probably latest round in a bloody gangland war.
	The two men were travelling in separate cars through central Marseille mid-morning when their way was blocked by a third vehicle, deputy prosecutor Andre Ribes said.
	Four men armed with Kalashnikovs got out of the vehicle and opened fire, killing one man as he tried to run off and the other at the wheel of his car, Ribes said.
	The two fatalities were young men in their 20s who have yet to be identified.
	"Given the operational method, the likelihood is that this is a settling of scores" between criminal groups, said Ribes. "Terrorism is being ruled out."
	France's third largest city, the Mediterranean port has a long-running reputation for violence linked to the drugs trade.
	Eighteen people have been shot dead in the Bouches-du-Rhone region, which includes Marseille, since the start of the year, according to police. The .

Two killed in Marseille 'gangland' Kalashnikov attack

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility today for an attack that wounded two policewomen in the Belgian city of Charleroi, saying the machete-wielding assailant was a "soldier" of the group.
	Quoting an unidentified source, the IS-linked Amaq Agency said yesterday's attack came "in response to calls to target citizens" belonging to countries in a US-led coalition bombing IS in Syria and Iraq.
	The assailant died yesterday after being shot by officers. Police said today he was a 33-year-old Algerian with the initials K B.
	Belgium today opened a terrorism probe into the attack, the latest in a string of jihadist assaults in Europe.
	"We have been informed by federal prosecutors that an investigation has started for attempted terrorist murder... given certain elements (in the case)," Prime Minister Charles Michel told reporters.
	Michel, who saluted the courage of the police victims, was referring to the attacker's cry of "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) during the assault in ...

IS group claims Belgium machete attack: Amaq agency

Belgium today opened a terrorism probe into a machete assault that wounded two policewomen, in what appeared to be the latest in a string of jihadist attacks in Europe.
	"We have been informed by federal prosecutors that an investigation has started for attempted terrorist murder... given certain elements (in the case)," Prime Minister Charles Michel told reporters.
	Michel, who saluted the courage of the police victims, was referring to the attacker's cry of "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) during the assault in front of a police station.
	No information was given about the identity of the attacker, who had been shot and killed by police, at the press conference in Brussels which followed a meeting of Belgium's security services.
	Yesterday afternoon's attack outside the main police station in the city of Charleroi, around 60 kilometres south of Brussels, left one of the policewomen with "deep wounds to the face" while the other was slightly injured, Belga news agency ...

Terror probe opened over attack on Belgian police

Scoreboard at lunch on the fifth day of the third Test between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston today:
     England 1st Innings 297
     Pakistan 1st Innings 400
     England 2nd Innings (overnight: 414-5)
     A. Cook c Yasir Shah b Sohail Khan           66
     A. Hales c Younis Khan b Mohammad Amir       54
     J. Root c Mohammad Hafeez b Yasir Shah       62
     J. Vince c Younis Khan b Mohammad Amir       42
     G. Ballance c Asad Shafiq b Yasir Shah       28
     J. Bairstow lbw b Sohail Khan                83
     M. Ali not out                               86
     C. Woakes not out                             3
     Extras (B-4, LB-7, W-2, NB-8)                21
     Total (For 6 wkts dec in 129 overs)         445
     Fall of wickets: 1-126, 2-126, 3-221, 4-257, 5-282, 6-434.
     Bowling: Amir 31-8-75-2; Sohail 29-3-111-2; Rahat 21-8-54-0; Shah 43-4-172-2; Azhar 5-0-22-0;
     Pakistan 2nd Innings (target: 343)
     Mohammad Hafeez c Woakes b Broad              2
     ..

Birmingham, Aug 7 (AFP) Scoreboard at lunch on the fifth day of the third Test between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston today:

A relative of one of the jihadist killers of journalists at French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has been arrested in Turkey on his way to Syria, a judicial source said today.
	Mourad Hamyd, brother-in-law of Cherif Kouachi who was behind the January 2015 attack in Paris that killed 12, was detained in Turkey last month on suspicion of seeking to enter Syria, the source said.
	Hamyd, wrongly identified on social media in the aftermath of the attack as being one of three Charlie Hebdo killers, was denied entry to Turkey and sent to a detention centre in Bulgaria on July 28, the source added in confirming a French media report.
	The source said French anti-terrorist investigators are preparing a European arrest warrant for Hamyd, whose sister was Cherif Kouachi's wife.
	Kouachi carried out the Charlie Hebdo killings with his brother Said.
	Hamyd came under initial suspicion of acting as the brothers' getaway driver and he was briefly detained before being released without charge.
	He 

Syria-bound relative of Charlie Hebdo killer arrested

Sami Aslam and Azhar Ali again frustrated England after the early loss of Mohammad Hafeez as Pakistan battled to save the third Test at Edgbaston today.
     At lunch on the fifth and final day, Pakistan were 69 for one, needing 343 to win, after England had declared just four overs into Sunday's play on 445 for six.
     Aslam was 36 not out and Azhar 30 not out.
     Pakistan now required a further 274 runs in a minimum of 62 overs to go 2-1 up in the four-match series.
     More realistically, they had to bat out two sessions for a draw that would keep the campaign all square ahead of next week's finale at The Oval.
     Hafeez, who made nought in the first innings, fell for just two on Sunday when he hooked fast-medium bowler Stuart Broad straight to long leg, where Chris Woakes made no mistake with the routine catch on his Warwickshire home ground.
     His exit completed a miserable 50th Test for Hafeez, who also dropped an important slip catch to reprieve Joe Root on Saturday.
 

Aslam and Ali hold firm against England

Fierce storms packing strong winds and torrential rains killed at least 15 people overnight in Macedonia's capital of Skopje, police said today.
	"As of 11.00 this morning (IST), we have discovered 15 victims (of the storms). Our teams are still searching for other possible victims," police spokeswoman Liza Bendevska told AFP.
	Six people were missing, according to the police, while media reported that about one hundred others suffered injuries, most of them minor.
	Among the dead was an eight-year-old girl, a hospital source told AFP.
	"This is a disaster, we have never experienced such a thing," said Skopje's Mayor Koce Trajanovski.
	Rain began falling at 21.00 IST yesterday and stopped only at 12.00 IST today, with the peak of the storm in the middle of the night, around 6.00 IST.
	The freak weather included winds blowing at more than 70 kilometres (43 miles) an hour and resulted in flash floods and landslides, local media reported.
	Cars were seen swept away by the torrents, ...

At least 15 killed in Macedonia storms: police

Israel has detained a 13-year-old Palestinian over possession of a gun and two cartridge clips at a boarding school in occupied east Jerusalem, police said today.
	"The police carried out a search in the room of a Palestinian minor aged 13 and a half years old living at a boarding school," the police said in a statement.
	A court has extended the period of his detention, it said, without providing further details.
	Violence in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel since October has killed at least 219 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese, according to an AFP count.
	Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities.
	Many of the assailants were young people, including teenagers. Other youths have been shot dead during protests and clashes with security forces.
	Israeli lawmakers last week approved a bill allowing authorities to jail children as young as 12 if convicted of ...

Israel detains 13-yr-old Palestinian over gun possession

A family of five, including three children, were found shot dead in what appears to be a murder-suicide in the US state of Pennsylvania, local media reported.
	Police in the town of Sinking Spring - some 80 kilometers northwest of Philadelphia - were searching the suburban home where the bodies were found, the local Reading Eagle newspaper said.
	District Attorney John Adams identified the dead as Mark Short, his wife, Megan, and their children Liana, Mark and Willow, the Eagle reported.
	All died of gunshot wounds, Adams told the paper.
	Although the ages were not released, the youngest child was apparently under the age of three. The family was profiled in an October 2014 article in the Reading Eagle because Willow, then five months old, had undergone a heart transplant when she was just one-week-old.
	The shooting apparently took place around 3.30 pm (local time) yesterday, NBC 10 Philadelphia affiliate reported.
	It added that distraught family members hugged each other as they ...

Five killed in apparent US murder-suicide: reports

Convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius has returned to his prison cell in South Africa's capital after being treated at hospital for injuries sustained in a fall, prison officials said today.
	"He had to be detained Saturday afternoon at the hospital after falling off his bed," prison services spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo told AFP.
	"He's back in our care now," Nxumalo said.
	He added that the double-amputee Paralympian was again in the medical wing of the Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria where he has been serving out his six-year sentence due to his handicap.
	According to the South African weekly City Press, citing another inmate at the prison, Pistorius had to go to hospital after intentionally slitting his wrists.
	When asked about the report, Nxumalo said: "We can't confirm that, it's only speculation."
	Pistorius was convicted of shooting to death Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013, saying he mistook her for a burglar when he .

AFP

AFP

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