Nineteen people, including 12 Pakistani nationals, have been arrested in Saudi Arabia following suicide attacks on Monday, including one near Islam's second-holiest site in the city of Medina, the kingdom's Interior Ministry said today.
	Seven people are believed to have been killed and two wounded in three separate attacks -- in Medina, at a Shiite mosque in Qatif, and in western Jeddah, the economic capital, not far from the US consulate.
	A 26-year-old Saudi man, Naer Moslem Hammad al-Balawi, who had a "history of drug use" had been identified as the perpetrator of the Medina attack, the ministry said in a statement published by the official SPA news agency.
	The Qatif attack, it added, was carried out by three "terrorists," including one man named as Abderrahman Saleh Mohammed al-Amr, 23, who it said was known to the security services for taking part in protests.
	The Jeddah attacker was a Pakistani man identified as Abdullah Qalzar Khan, a driver who had been living in the city ..

'19 people arrested over Saudi attacks including Medina'

PTI Automatic

Dallas suspect claims to have planted bombs: police chief.

Oil prices rebounded in Asia today after tanking nearly five per cent the day before on fresh worries about an oversupply, while traders await the release of key US jobs data.
	The commodity plunged yesterday in response to official figures showing US commercial inventories fell less than expected last week, indicating softer demand in the world's top oil consumer as the country's crucial driving season kicks in.
	The data added to an already downbeat mood on markets as investors worry about the longer-term fallout from Britain's vote to leave the European Union.
	At around 0335 GMT the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate rose 50 cents, or 1.11 per cent, to USD 45.64 and Brent gained 60 cents, or 1.29 per cent, to USD 47.00.
	WTI plunged 4.8 per cent and Brent sank 4.9 per cent yesterday after the US Department of Energy (DoE) reported stockpiles fell 2.2 million barrels in the week ending July 1. The market was expecting a 2.5 million barrel drop, according to Bloomberg News.
	Both .

Oil prices rise in Asia on bargain-buying after plunge

Antoine Griezmann took up the mantle as challenger-in-chief to Cristiano Ronaldo with two goals that crushed world champions Germany and saw France into Sunday's Euro 2016 final against Portugal.
     A penalty awarded seconds before half-time caused turmoil in the German camp. Griezmann took his chance and added a second strike to extend his lead as the tournament's leading scorer and become France's new football hero.
     "He's our little Mr Extra," said fellow striker Olivier Giroud after the dramatic win before 65,000 spectators on a hot Thursday night in Marseille.
     France's first victory over their rivals in a major tournament since 1958 came out of a controversial penalty decision at the end of the first half.
     Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli saw that German captain Bastian Schweinsteiger handled the ball in an aerial challenge with Patrice Evra. German players were furious but Griezmann sent goalkeeper Manuel Neuer the wrong way with his spot kick.
     The 2014 World .

Griezmann double sends determined France to Euro final

Fourth police officer killed in Dallas shooting:

10 officers shot, 3 dead in US protest: Dallas police chief.

For Ericka Cullars-Golden, one of hundreds of people protesting the fatal police shooting of a black man in Minnesota, the incident provoked a sadly familiar feeling of shock.
	Cullars-Golden said she lost her son Marcus Golden at the hands of Saint Paul police last year -- shot in the head.
	"I am so traumatized," she said of her son's death.
	Like Philando Castile, the man fatally shot on Wednesday, Golden was black.
	"I wanted to come out today to show my support because many of you have been supportive of my family," Cullars-Golden said, joining a lineup of activist speakers at the protest.
	Hundreds of emotional protesters rallied outside the Minnesota governor's mansion, demanding justice for Castile, who was fatally shot by police during a traffic stop.
	Some in the crowd were angry, while others wiped away tears. The protesters of all ages and backgrounds stood shoulder-to-shoulder, chanting their demands for justice.
	"Stop executing black people," read one sign. T-shirts ...

Protesters demand justice after latest US police shooting

The US State Department has said that it would reopen its internal investigation of whether Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton's use of a private email account and server compromised her handling of classified material.
	"We will aim to be as expeditious as possible, but we will not put artificial deadlines on the process," department spokesman John Kirby said yesterday, noting that the internal review could proceed now that the Justice Department investigation wrapped up with no charges filed against the former secretary of state.

US State Dept says it will reopen Clinton emails probe

Riot police fired tear gas in clashes with youths on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris early today after France's qualification for the Euro 2016 final.
	Police staged several charges at youths who hurled fireworks, bottles, stones and other objects at them. Dustbins were also set on fire.
	"We're at home, we're at home," the crowds shouted at officers, who used police vans to block access to the avenue, a popular tourist destination and shopping street leading to the landmark Arc de Triomphe in the French capital.
	Crowds booed at police as they moved along the avenue.
	Fans who had gathered on the major thoroughfare after hosts France booked their place in the Euro 2016 finals with a 2-0 win over Germany mostly dispersed after the incidents, but some groups were still gathered, especially around the Arc de Triomphe.

Police use tear gas on Champs Elysees after France win

The latest UN peacekeepers accused of sexually abusing minors in the Central African Republic are from a Burundian contingent, a spokesman has said.
	The alleged abuse, which dates back to May and took place in the central region of Kemo, reportedly involved a 12-year-old and another minor under 18.
	The United Nations announced today that it was opening an investigation into the matter.
	"The troops-contributing country in question is Burundi," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said yersterday, refusing to rule out that the contingent would be sent home.
	"We have to let the investigation go through on this particular case," he said. "All options remain on the table, including repatriation."
	The UN has already withdrawn entire contingents of peacekeepers in similar cases. However, it falls to the countries of origin to investigate and punish offenders.
	Some 12,000 people serve in the UN's Central Africa peacekeeping mission, known as MINUSCA.
	The latest annual report by UN ...

Suspects in peacekeeper sexual abuse case are Burundian: UN

Zika virus is spreading fast in Puerto Rico, infecting as many as 50 pregnant women per day and raising the risk of birth defects, US health officials have said.
	Meanwhile, lawmakers continued to disagree about funding the effort to combat the mosquito-borne disease despite expert warnings that the virus -- which can cause microcephaly and other brain malformations -- will probably spread to other parts of the United States this summer.
	"This is a great concern," Tom Frieden, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters during a conference call yesterday.
	"What we are seeing in Puerto Rico today is a very rapid increase in the level of infection," he added. "Such that we think each day dozens -- and potentially as many as 50 more pregnant women -- in Puerto Rico are becoming infected with Zika virus."
	The US territories -- which include Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands -- have diagnosed and recorded 2,526 cases of Zika so far, .

Puerto Rico sees 'rapid increase' in Zika: US health chief

A black motorist was shot at close range by a Minnesota cop and seen bleeding to death in a graphic video shot by his girlfriend that went viral today, the second fatal police shooting to rock America in as many days.
	The governor of the northern US state asked the White House to order a federal probe last night's shooting in Falcon Heights, near Minneapolis, as calls mounted for justice for the 32-year-old victim Philando Castile.
	A four-year-old girl witnessed the shooting from the back seat of the car, as her mother -- Castile's girlfriend -- livestreamed the bloody aftermath while an officer pointed his gun through the window.
	Speaking to reporters outside the governor's mansion in St. Paul, after a night in police custody, Diamond Reynolds repeated what she asserted in the shock footage: that Castile was shot "for no reason."
	"Not one shot. Not two shots. Not three shots. Not four shots. But five shots," she said in a forceful appeal for justice to be served.
	Pulled over for 

Man fatally shot by police in Minnesota; video investigated

Protestors opposed to Donald Trump in New York today called on retail giant Walmart to follow other major companies and stay away from the Republican Party convention this month.
	"Stop hate, dump Trump!" dozens of protesters shouted outside the gold-colored Trump Tower building on Fifth Avenue, alluding to Trump's history of controversial comments that critics view as racist, xenophobic and sexist.
	"Are Walmart's values the same as Donald Trump's values?" they said.
	Protesters urged the retailer to follow the example of other major companies that have decided to refrain from sponsoring activities and events at the Republican Convention in Cleveland, Ohio on July 18-21, at which Trump is expected to be nominated for US president.
	Companies reportedly avoiding the event include Apple, Wells Fargo, UPS and Ford.
	"Others have pulled out of the convention to contest the Trump agenda," said Audrey Sasson of the group Walmart-Free NYC.
	"We are asking why Walmart is not doing the same ..

anti-Trump protesters ask Walmart to skip Republican meet

The fatal police shootings this week of two US black men reveal fault lines in relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve, and Americans must work together to heal the divisions, President Barack Obama said today.
	"What's clear is that these fatal shootings are not isolated incidents," Obama said in a statement on Facebook.
	"They are symptomatic of the broader challenges within our criminal justice system, the racial disparities that appear across the system year after year, and the resulting lack of trust that exists between law enforcement and too many of the communities they serve."
	"To admit we've got a serious problem in no way contradicts our respect and appreciation for the vast majority of police officers who put their lives on the line to protect us every single day," he added.

Fatal police shootings reflect 'serious problem' in US: Obama

Mexico City's zoo is in shock today after its beloved male gorilla died as veterinarians prepared to transport him to another city to mate with two females.
	Bantu, who was 24, died of cardiorespiratory arrest late yesterday after he was sedated and efforts to reanimate him failed, the city's environment department said in a statement, citing a preliminary autopsy.
	The gorilla, who would have turned 25 on September 20, was one of the main attractions of the capital's vast Chapultepec zoo.
	"This incident has caused great consternation among zoo personnel who cared for him for nearly 25 years," the statement said, adding that international veterinary protocols had been followed.
	Bantu was supposed to be taken to the zoo of the western city of Guadalajara, where he would have been presented to two females in the hope that they would reproduce.
	Some 20 doctors and experts from the two zoos were involved in the effort to transport him. Tests are being conducted to confirm the cause of .

Mexican zoo shocked after beloved gorilla dies

Dutch investigators probing who is to blame for the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 two years ago have pressed Russian authorities to hand over outstanding evidence, officials said today.
	Initial results from the criminal inquiry into who shot down the ill-fated flight over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014 killing all 298 passengers and crew on board are expected to be revealed after the summer.
	"The Russian authorities have supplied information before, but have not answered all the questions," the Dutch Public Prosecutor's office said in a statement after a two-day visit to Moscow on Tuesday and yesterday.
	"The outstanding requests have now been discussed," the statement said.
	Fred Westerbeke, chief investigator in the criminal probe told the respected NRC daily in an interview that Dutch investigators made a "pressing request" to the Russians to hand over outstanding information.
	"We told them that time was of the essence," Westerbeke told the newspaper.
	Moscow has ...

Dutch press Moscow for MH17 radar evidence

A German court today sentenced to jail five men for having joined the Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab Islamist militant group in Somalia.
	A sixth man who was jailed and tortured for months by the Shabaab on suspicion of being a Western spy received a suspended sentence.
	The five main accused, all German citizens, received prison terms of between three-and-a-half and five years for membership of a foreign terrorist group, by the Frankfurt higher regional court.
	They were identified only as Somali-origin brothers Abdullah, Abdulsalam and Abdiwahid W, the brother-in-law of one of them, Steven N, and a German-Tunisian friend, Mounir T.
	The men, from the former German capital of Bonn, had travelled to Kenya in 2012 and then on to Somalia the following year, some taking their wives and children along.
	After several months of combat training, the men most aged in their 20s, served for between 13 and 18 months on various Shabaab bases and combat positions, the court said in a ...

Germany jails five men for fighting with Somali Shabaab

The World Health Organization (WHO) said today it would help Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo launch a mass vaccination campaign against a yellow fever outbreak ravaging the two countries.
	The campaign will aim to immunise 15.5 million people in the two countries by the end of August, Bruce Aylward, the WHO's chief on outbreaks and health emergencies, told reporters.
	He described it as "an unprecedented push."
	Yellow fever has been raging in Angola since December, especially in the capital Luanda, where there have been 3,552 suspected cases, 875 confirmed cases and 355 deaths.
	Cases have been imported to Kinshasa in DR Congo, where the virus has begun spreading locally and is believed to have killed 75 people.
	The country has recorded 1,300 suspected cases, and 68 confirmed cases -- 59 of which are direct importations from Angola.
	But seven were spread locally on the ground, "and that is what we are trying to stop very, very quickly," Aylward said.
	WHO has for months 

WHO launches yellow fever vaccine campaign in Angola, DRCongo

The daughter of L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt was charged today with witness nobbling in a case involving exploiting the frail billionaire, her lawyer said.
	Francoise Bettencourt Meyers was questioned over a 300,000 euro (USD 330,000) loan she made in November 2012 to her mother's former accountant, Claire Thibout, the lawyer said.
	"We will challenge it," said Jean Veil. "This does not hold water. This charge is totally groundless."
	Bettencourt-Meyers initially triggered the probe into the alleged exploitation of Europe's richest woman, who is now 93.
	She had accused photographer Francois-Marie Banier of deliberately "shattering" her relationship with her mother for allegedly taking advantage of the billionaire's increasing mental frailty.
	Eight members of Bettencourt's entourage were convicted in May 2015 of fleecing her, including Banier, who was sentenced to three years in prison with six months suspended.
	Banier was also ordered to pay 158 million euros in damages as ..

L'Oreal heiress's daughter charged with witness tampering

Two investigative journalists at the heart of a controversial leaks trial at the Vatican were acquitted today after judges ruled they did not have the authority to examine their cases.
	Italians Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi, who had published books based on the documents at the heart of the trial, were not considered to have committed a crime on Vatican territory and therefore were outside the judges' territorial authority.
	Spanish prelate Lucio Vallejo Balda, who had admitted to leaking secret papers, was handed a 18-month prison sentence while his assistant, who prosecutors admitted had had little to do with the scandal, was acquitted.
	Italian PR expert Francesca Chaouqui, described as having inspired the leaks, was given a 10-month suspended sentence.
	"Today is a historic day. This is the base of democracy, freedom of the press," Nuzzi told journalists outside the court house in the tiny city state.
	Fittipaldi said the Vatican had been "courageous", adding that he ...

Journalists acquitted in Vatileaks trial

Tony Blair pleaded with his critics to stop questioning his intentions over Britain's disastrous war in Iraq, after a blistering verdict by the Chilcot inquiry -- but commentators today showed scant sympathy.
	"For his own sanity he still has to tell himself the world is 'better and safer' for him joining George Bush's assault on Iraq. It is a monumental delusion," said an editorial in The Sun, Britain's top-selling paper.
	It added: "Blair does admit the post-war planning was a calamity. That is his only concession. He sees no reason to apologise for his decision to go to war and insists he'd do the same again.
	"He still believes he had no choice. You could have said no, Tony."
	After the publication of the long-awaited inquiry report yesterday, Blair gave an emotional two-hour press conference in which he acknowledged mistakes but defended his intentions -- and said he would do it again.
	Newspaper coverage today was scathing of the former Labour prime minister, who won three ...

AFP

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