The head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said today agents were "highly confident" that Orlando shooter Omar Mateen was "radicalized," at least in part through information he found online.
	James Comey said it was still not clear if Mateen was part of an established extremist network or which group may have inspired him, but he told reporters: "We'll leave no stones unturned and we'll work all day and all night to understand the path to that terrible night."
	Forty-nine people were killed and 53 others wounded in the shooting rampage at a gay nightclub in Orlando in the early hours of Sunday. Mateen, who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group during the attack, was killed in a shootout with police.

'FBI highly confident that Orlando shooter was radicalised'

PTI Automatic

FBI 'highly confident' that Orlando shooter was

Arch-rivals Ethiopia and Eritrea traded blame today for a border battle in which "significant" casualties were reported, one of the worst clashes since the end of a 1998-2000 border war.
	"There were significant casualties on both sides, but more on the Eritrean side," Ethiopian government spokesman Getachew Reda told AFP.
	He said the battle that began Sunday was one of the most serious in recent years, noting that while the two sides had exchanged gun fire in the past, this clash was on a far larger scale. The fighting had reportedly calmed on Monday.
	"We used to take precautionary measures against this regime, but this time was much more important in terms of magnitude than the measures that were taken so far," Getachew added.
	Both sides blamed the other.
	Ethiopia yesterday "unleashed an attack against Eritrea on the Tsorona Central Front," Eritrea's ministry of information said in a statement.
	Getachew instead claimed the fighting started when Eritrean artillery fired shells ..

Significant casualities in Eritrea and Ethiopia border battle

A French court today jailed two British men for their role in the Marseille fan battles before the England-Russia Euro 2016 match.
     Ian Hepworth, a 41-year-old psychiatric nurse was sentenced to three months in prison. Alexander Booth, a 20-year-old chef, received a two-month term. Both were banned from France for two years.
     They were the first of 10 men to be tried for their part in the mass fighting in the southern French city at the weekend, the worst violence to hit a major football tournament since the 1998 World Cup which was also held in France.
	Hepworth admitted throwing a beer bottle at police at 1.00 am on Sunday, following England's match with Russia on Saturday.
	"My job is helping people. I did something stupid," he said through a court translator.
	Hepworth, wearing a blue shirt and with a shaven head, said he had had no intention of hitting police with the bottle.
	"I wanted to impress my new French friends," he told the court.
	Before the incident, he had ...

British fans get prison for Euro 2016 violence

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique headed a late winner as defending champions Spain overcame a resolute and determined Czech Republic 1-0 in their Group D opener here today.
     Spain's build-up to the tournament was rocked last week when reports claimed goalkeeper De Gea had been involved in a sex scandal.
    	But coach Vicente del Bosque showed his faith in the Manchester United shot-stopper by handing him the gloves ahead of legendary Iker Casillas.
	Czech coach Pavel Vrba had suggested his men could produce a trick or two to counter the "genius" of Del Bosque's side, who are desperate to make amends for their first-round exit, as defending champions, at the 2014 World Cup.
	But after a nervous opening period on a rain-soaked pitch, Vrba's men had Arsenal 'keeper Petr Cech to thank for saving them during a Spanish masterclass.
	Spain were frustrated throughout by the Czechs' stubborn defensive game, which finally fell apart when Pique got his head to Iniesta's cross towards the ...

Pique header beats resolute Czechs

A group campaigning for Britain to leave the EU briefly posted a tweet today warning that EU membership could lead to an "Orlando-style atrocity", prompting outrage from "Remain" supporters.
	"Islamist extremism is a real threat to our way of life. Act now before we see an Orlando-style atrocity here before too long," read the slogan on a picture featuring what appeared to be Islamic State fighters.
	The tweet on the @LeaveEUOfficial account said: "The free movement of Kalashnikovs in Europe helps terrorists. Vote for greater security on June 23. Vote Leave".
	The tweet was taken down around an hour later.
	Forty-nine people were killed yesterday when gunman Omar Mateen burst into a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida and opened fire. Mateen later died in a shootout with police.
	In the wake of the recent Paris and Brussels attacks, anti-EU campaigners in Britain also issued warnings about the free movement of arms and fighters in the bloc.
	Their opponents say that Britain is not part .

Brexit campaigners seize on Orlando massacre

A buying spree in the Asia-Pacific region propelled double-digit growth in the global arms market last year to a record USD 65 billion, defence analysts IHS Jane's said today.
	Defence imports by Asia-Pacific nations soared 71 per cent in a "spend surge" between 2009 and 2016, the analysts said, helping the global arms market jump 11.3 per cent or USD 6.6 billion last year.
	"The global defence trade market has never seen an increase as large as the one we saw between 2014 and 2015," said Ben Moores, a senior analyst at IHS Jane's.
	"2015 was a record-breaking year," he added.
	It said there had been an acceleration in particular in "states bordering the South China Sea".
	Beijing has stirred regional opposition by rapidly building artificial islands capable of hosting military hardware, despite partial counter-claims by several Southeast Asian states.
	An IHS Jane's report said three of the top 10 countries with the fastest growing opportunities were in Asia-Pacific: Vietnam, ...

Double-digit Asia growth drives record arms sales: study

NATO will deploy four international battalions to Poland and the three Baltic states as part of the wider pushback against Russia's intervention in Ukraine, alliance head Jens Stoltenberg said today.
	"We will agree to deploy by rotation four robust multi-national battalions in the Baltic states and Poland," Stoltenberg told a news conference ahead of a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels tomorrow.
	"This will send a clear signal that NATO stands ready to defend any ally," he said, referring to a whole series of measures the US-led alliance has taken since the Ukraine crisis to counter a more assertive Russia.
	NATO leaders are due to sign off on the programme at a July 8-9 summit in Poland, which has pushed for a much harder line, including having permanent bases in the east to counter Russia.
	Stoltenberg did not say how many troops would be deployed in the four battalions but officials previously have said they will number 2,500-3,000, acting as a tripwire to deter Russia 

NATO to deploy 4 'robust' battalions in Baltics, Poland

European Council President Donald Tusk warned today that if Britain votes to leaves the EU in next week's referendum, it could spell the "destruction" of Western political civilisation.
	Beyond negative economic implications, a Brexit would trigger "first and foremost geopolitical" consequences, Tusk told German mass circulation daily Bild in an interview.
	"Do you know why these consequences are so dangerous? Because in the long-term they are completely unpredictable," he said.
	"As a historian, I am afraid this could in fact be the start of the process of the destruction of not only the EU but also of Western political civilisation," Tusk said.
	In excerpts of the interview released yesterday, Tusk had said the process of negotiating a new relationship between Britain and the EU in case of Brexit could take up to seven years.
	The process of dissolving all contractual ties between the bloc and Britain would itself already take two years, he said.
	And more time would have to be ...

Brexit could bring collapse of Western civilisation: Tusk

Oil prices fell today even as OPEC forecast a further tightening of supplies, as traders focused instead on turbulence across financial markets.
	The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, whose 13 members together pump out about one-third of the world's crude, said Monday that a global supply glut was likely to shrink further, leading to greater balance between supplies and demand of oil.
	Around 1145 GMT, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in August was down 44 cents at USD 50.10 a barrel.
	US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for July delivery fell 50 cents to USD 48.57 a barrel compared with Friday's close.
	Crude prices had tumbled on Friday at the end of a volatile week, during which WTI struck an 11-month high, as a weaker dollar made the commodity cheaper for holders of non-US currencies.
	"Oil prices have fallen because of various reasons, chief among them being a rallying US dollar and a sharp rise in risk aversion," Fawad Razaqzada, analyst at traders City ...

Oil prices drop despite OPEC forecast

The Canadian government has "compelling reason to believe" that one of its citizens kidnapped by Islamic militants in the southern Philippines nearly nine months ago has been killed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today.
	"It is with deep sadness that I have reason to believe that a Canadian citizen, Robert Hall, held hostage in the Philippines since September 21, 2015, has been killed by his captors," Trudeau said in a statement.
	Members of the notorious kidnap-for-ransom Abu Sayyaf gang had said they would murder Hall if they did not receive 300 million pesos (USD 6.5 million) ransom by today.
	"While Canadian officials are working closely with authorities in the Philippines to formally confirm Hall's death, we have compelling reason to believe that reports to this effect are, unfortunately, true," Trudeau said.
	"The vicious and brutal actions of the hostage-takers have led to a needless death. Canada holds the terrorist group who took him hostage fully responsible for this ...

Trudeau says Canadian hostage in Philippines likely killed

Tributes poured in from across the world today for the victims of the Orlando massacre, with global landmarks swathed in rainbow colours as people rallied behind the stricken gay community.
	In the outpouring of solidarity similar to that seen after the Paris and Brussels attacks, political and religious leaders lined up to condemn the worst mass shooting in US history and to reject homophobia.
	US President Barack Obama condemned the shootings in the Florida city as "an act of terror and an act of hate" and ordered flags at half-staff.
	Pope Francis voiced shock at the "homicidal folly and senseless hatred" of slain gunman Omar Mateen, who gunned down 49 people at a gay nightclub in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.
	Joining the chorus of tributes, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said that the Eiffel Tower would be lit up Monday night in the colours of the rainbow in memory of the victims.
	"Paris is with Orlando," the mayor of the French capital, which is still recovering from .

Rainbow colours in global outpour for Orlando

Thailand's health authorities have urged football fans to avoid getting overly excited while watching Euro 2016 lest those heart-stopping moments literally prove fatal.
     The Public Health Ministry published advice calling on fans to ward off heart attacks by making sure they get enough rest and avoid long binges of football-fuelled excitement.
     "The ministry would like to advise all sport lovers -- teenagers, students, working people and the elderly -- to watch sensibly," Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, a ministry official, told reporters.
     "Allocate appropriate time for watching and resting," he added.
     The ministry urged those with diabetes and heart problems to make sure they continue to take medication. It said those who work hard, even the young, should also take care.
     "If your bodies are weak, fans should only watch the matches they are interested in or watch replays instead. Do enough rest, exercise, eat healthy foods and avoid alcohol," Suwanchai said.
  

Thailand warns fans of Euro 2016 heart attack threat

US anti-terror strategy came under fresh scrutiny after a gunman previously cleared of jihadist ties launched a hate-fueled rampage in a Florida gay club that left 50 people dead, including the shooter.
	The Islamic State (IS) group has claimed it was behind Sunday's carnage at the Pulse nightclub, the worst mass shooting in modern US history.
	It said in a radio bulletin today that the attack on the "crusader gathering" was carried out by "one of the soldiers of the caliphate".
	World leaders joined in condemning the  murderous assault, which triggered grief and shock but also defiance in the gay and lesbian community as monuments from New York to Paris were being lit up in memory of the victims.
	Terrified survivors described how the gunman raked clubgoers with bullets, prompting a police SWAT team to storm the venue and shoot dead the attacker, identified as 29-year-old Omar Mateen.
	The FBI admitted that Mateen had previously been investigated - but cleared - for ties to a US ...

Terror returns to US with gay club massacre

Oscar Pistorius is a "broken" man who should be hospitalised rather than jailed, a South African court heard today, as the Paralympic athlete awaits sentencing for the murder of his girlfriend three years ago.
	The double-amputee killed Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013, saying he mistook her for an intruder when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet.
	Looking tired and sometimes resting his head in his hands, the 29-year-old "Blade Runner" attended the first day of the sentencing hearing at the High Court in Pretoria along with members of his family.
	"He has developed a serious psychiatric condition which has become worse in the past two years," psychologist Jonathan Scholtz, called by the defence, told the court.
	"Further imprisonment would have a detrimental effect on him as a person, considering his current clinical condition."
	Scholtz said that during recent interviews Pistorius had displayed signs of .

'Broken' Pistorius should not be jailed, court hears

A Cambodian court today sentenced three more opposition activists to seven years each in prison over their alleged roles in post election protests that turned violent two years ago.
	The jailings come as political tensions in Cambodia soar with the opposition party embroiled in a sex scandal and strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen accused of carrying out a fresh crackdown against critics.
	Three youth members of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) were found guilty of insurrection by the Phnom Penh Municipal court today
	The three men were arrested last year after another 11 opposition officials and activists were jailed on the same charges-including three who received 20-year sentences.
	The convictions, condemned as politically motivated by rights groups, stem from clashes between protesters and authorities in July 2014 during a demonstration against the closure of Freedom Park, a key site for public rallies in Phnom Penh.
	Dozens of security officers and several protesters were 

Cambodia opposition activists jailed for 'insurrection'

Rain meant there was no play before lunch on the fifth and final day of the third Test between England and Sri Lanka at Lord's on Monday.
	   Sri Lanka were 32 without loss, needing a further 330 runs to reach their victory target of 362, with England 2-0 up in the three-match series.
	   Dimuth Karunaratne was 19 not out and Kaushal Silva 12 not out.
	   As Sri Lanka players surveyed the scene, there was no sign of the national flag that had been draped across their dressing room balcony on Sunday in protest at a wrongly called no-ball that denied them a key wicket.
	   England opener Alex Hales who eventually made 94, was on 58 he was bowled by Sri Lanka paceman Nuwan Pradeep.
	   But Australian umpire Rod Tucker had already called a no-ball.
	   Replays indicated part of Pradeep's front foot had landed just behind the crease but fielding teams are unable to challenge a no-ball call by an umpire and Hales survived.
	   Under International Cricket Council regulations, incorrect ...

No play before lunch as Sri Lanka flag row flutters on

Law enforcement authorities today lowered the death toll from the weekend massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando to 49, the deadliest mass shooting in American history, explaining that the shooter had been counted in the original tally.
	"We don't include the shooter as a victim," FBI special agent Paul Wysopal told an early morning press conference, revising the toll.
	In the early hours yesterday, Omar Seddique Mateen, a 29-year-old New York native and son of Afghan immigrants, burst into the Pulse nightclub and opened fire. Beyond the dead, more than 50 people were wounded in the carnage.
	The situation evolved into a hostage situation before he was killed in a shootout with police.
	Wysopal said the families of about half of the victims have been notified.

Orlando death toll revised down to 49 plus shooter:authorities

Israel has extended the detention without trial of Palestinian circus performer Mohammad Abu Sakha for another six months, his circus school said today.
	Abu Sakha, 24, was arrested on December 14 in the occupied West Bank, and held since January in administrative detention, the controversial measure under which Israel can hold suspects without trial for periods of six months, renewable indefinitely.
	"Administrative detention order extended (for) another six months. Our hearts are heavy," a statement from the Palestinian Circus School said.
	The Israeli army did not immediately confirm or deny the extension.
	Amnesty International has called for Abu Sakha's release, saying Israel believes he is a member of the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is considered a terrorist group by Israel due to its armed wing.
	Israel has not publicly confirmed the reason for detaining him.
	The Palestinian Performing Arts Network, representing artists and cultural ...

Israel extends detention without trial for Palestinian clown

Ten militants and a police officer have been killed in separate armed clashes in Iran, local media reported today.
	Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards killed five Kurdish rebels near the country's northwestern border with Iraq, an official statement said.
	"A team of five from the PJAK terrorist splinter group... has been identified and destroyed in the Sardasht region" on the Iraqi border, a Guards statement said on its official website.
	It said the group was responsible for the death of three members of Iran's Basij militia more than a month ago.
	No further details were provided about the operation.
	The last reported clashes between Kurdish rebels and the Revolutionary Guards were in September, when two rebels and two Iranian soldiers were killed.
	State television later today reported six more deaths in armed clashes in the southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan province.
	One police officer and five militants were killed in the fighting, which pitted Iranian forces against the Sunni ...

Armed clashes in Iran kill 10 militants, policeman

Shares in British private security giant G4S plunged on the London stock market today after it emerged that Omar Mateen, the gunman behind the massacre in a Florida gay nightclub, was one of its employees.
	The share price was down 5.71 per cent at 176.70 pence at around 0330 IST and the company published a statement on the London Stock Exchange website reiterating details about Mateen's employment.
	"Mateen was subject to detailed company screening when he was recruited in 2007," the group said in a statement to the London Stock Exchange.
	Mateen was "re-screened in 2013 with no adverse findings. He was also subject to checks by a US law enforcement agency with no findings reported to G4S," the statement said.
	That followed an FBI statement yesterday saying it had interviewed Mateen three times in 2013 and 2014.
	"G4S is deeply shocked by the tragic events in Orlando this weekend and the thoughts of everyone at G4S are with the victims and their families," the statement said, adding 

AFP

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