UEFA threatened to kick Russia and England out of the European Championship finals over fan violence but admitted there were stadium security flaws.
     Meanwhile, French authorities said they had detained 63 people linked to violence since the start of Euro 2016 and gave police new powers to ban alcohol around stadiums.
     European football's governing body UEFA issued the warning as German hooligans became the latest to join street battles that have marred the tournament, following three days of clashes in Marseille between Russian and English fans.
     Tensions between supporters of the two countries came to a head inside the Stade Velodrome after Saturday's 1-1 England-Russia draw.
     Thirty-five people were injured in the worst violence at an international tournament since the 1998 World Cup in France, with three still in a serious condition.
     With more high-risk matches looming, the UEFA executive committee expressed "disgust" at the clashes.
     UEFA has laid charges 

UEFA threaten Russia, England disqualification over fan

PTI Automatic

Ecuador set up a Copa America Centenario quarter-final showdown with the United States after romping to a comfortable 4-0 win over Haiti.
     Goals from Enner Valencia, Jaime Ayovi, Christian Noboa and Antonio Valencia completed a routine win for Ecuador yesterday who are now assured of finishing in second place in Group B.
     Peru and Brazil play later Sunday with the winner of that game assured of reaching the quarter-finals as group winners.
     A draw would leave Brazil, Peru and Ecuador level on five points, but Brazil would advance as group winners with Ecuador second by virtue of their superior goal difference.
     Ecuador -- making their first appearance in the Copa America quarter-finals since 1997 -- will now travel to Seattle to face the United States at CenturyLink Field on Thursday for a place in the semi-finals.
     Haiti, mauled 7-1 by Brazil in their previous game, were given a similarly torrid time by a rampant Ecuador side who attacked at will during a ...

Ecuador set up US showdown after Haiti rout

Paraguay coach Ramon Diaz resigned following his team's first-round exit at the Copa America Centenario, the Paraguay Football Federation said.
     "Following Paraguay's elimination from the Copa America Centenario, Ramon Diaz has confirmed his resignation as national team coach with immediate effect," the federation said in a statement yesterday.
     Paraguay were dumped out of the tournament after collecting just one point from three games, a draw against Costa Rica.
     Their exit was confirmed on Saturday after they lost a must-win game to the United States, who advanced from Group A along with Colombia.
     Diaz, a former Argentina international, had taken over as Paraguay coach in 2014, successfully guiding the team to the semi-finals of the competition last year in Chile.

Paraguay coach Diaz resigns

The Copa America Centenario erupted into controversy after a refereeing blunder sent Brazil crashing to a 1-0 defeat against Peru -- and out of the tournament.
     The defeat left Brazil struggling to digest their worst performance in the Copa America since 1987, the last occasion the five-time world champions failed to make it past the group stage.
     Brazil, needing only a draw to qualify for the quarter-finals as winners of Group B, looked to be on course for a place in the last eight with 15 minutes to go against Peru.
     But a rare foray into Brazilian territory from Peru ended with Raul Ruidiaz bundling in Andy Polo's cross from the byline, appearing to use his arm to score.
     Ruidiaz wheeled away to celebrate and Uruguayan referee Andres Cunha signalled for the goal.
     Brazil's players protested furiously, swarming around Cunha in a bid to persuade the official to reverse his decision.
     The protests appeared to have swayed Cunha, who looked to be frantically ...

Brazil crash out of Copa America after Peru upset

A US drone attack in southern Yemen killed two suspected Al-Qaeda members, the second deadly strike in as many days, security sources said today.
	The drone yesterday targeted a car driving in Habban, killing "two Al-Qaeda fighters and wounding their driver," one of the sources said.
	The strike comes after an American drone attack on Saturday killed two other presumed Al-Qaeda members in their vehicle in Marib province, east of the capital Sanaa.
	Washington, which views Al-Qaeda's Yemen-based branch as its most dangerous, acknowledged on May 7 that a "very small number" of US military personnel have also been deployed in support of the operation to retake former Al-Qaeda stronghold of Mukalla.
	Al-Qaeda exploited the civil war in Yemen between Shiite Huthi rebels and government forces to expand its presence in the south and southeast.
	The United States regularly conducts air strikes against Al-Qaeda. A March strike on a training camp west of Mukalla killed more than 70 fighters.

US drone attack 'kills two Qaeda fighters'

A militant group notorious for devastating attacks on Nigeria's oil industry in the 2000s has called for dialogue to end renewed violence that has cut oil output.
	The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) yesterday said its previous attempts to cripple Nigeria's oil industry did not work and appealed to another armed group, Niger Delta Avengers, to give peace a chance.
	"Our message to the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) is simple: The Niger Delta struggle is beyond attacks on oil installations," MEND said in a statement.
	MEND urged the Avengers, who rejected on Wednesday a government truce offer, to join negotiations with authorities and to put down their weapons.
	Despite the "euphoria of each successful attack", said Jomo Gbomo, who claims to be a spokesman for MEND, the group realised "the gargantuan problems which confront our region" like corruption and pollution continued to grow.
	Most of the recent attacks on oil facilities in the oil-rich south have been ...

Nigeria militant group urges end to oil attacks

Armed man arrested in California wanted to attack gay

An extraordinary flag protest by Sri Lanka following an incorrect no-ball call overshadowed a rain-marred fourth day of the third Test at Lord's today that left the tourists struggling to avoid a series whitewash against England.
	At stumps, Sri Lanka were 32 without loss in their second innings, needing a further 330 runs on Monday's final day to reach an imposing victory target of 362.
	But come stumps the talking point wasn't whether Sri Lanka could prevent England sweeping the series 3-0 but rather a fresh controversy regarding cricket's strained relationship with technology.
	After rain prevented any play before lunch, England resumed on 109 for four, a lead of 237 runs.
	Alex Hales was 41 not out and nightwatchman Steven Finn six not out.
	Hales had moved on to 45 when Sunday's third ball saw him survive a confident lbw appeal from Sri Lanka paceman Shaminda Eranga.
	Indian umpire S Ravi ruled in Hales's favour but the Sri Lankans reviewed, only for a marginal 'umpire's call' ...

Cricket: Flag protest fires up Sri Lanka in Lord's no-ball row

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today sent his condolences to US President Barack Obama after 50 people were shot dead in a Florida nightclub for gays.
	"On behalf of the people and government of Israel I extend our deepest condolences to the American people following last night's horrific attack on the LGBT community in Orlando," he said in a statement issued in English.
	"Israel stands shoulder to shoulder with the United States at this moment of tragic loss," Netanyahu added.
	Two Palestinian gunmen shot dead four people at a popular Tel Aviv nightspot on Wednesday, triggering fresh Israeli restrictions on the West Bank and Gaza Strip at the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Israel PM condemns 'horrific attack' on Florida club

Obama says 'no act of terror or hate can change who we

Obama says Orlando killing was act of 'terror, hate'.

Gunmen have killed 12 Libyans after their release from jail for taking part in acts of repression during the 2011 revolt against Moamer Kadhafi, officials said today.
	A Tripoli court ordered the conditional release of the former regime officials on Thursday, and on Friday their bullet-riddled bodies were found in the capital, the prosecution said on its Facebook page.
	An investigation into the murders has begun, it added.
	The victims had been imprisoned on charges of committing abuses during the NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed Kadhafi.
	They were freed on condition that they report to the prosecutor every two weeks.
	The UN special envoy to Libya Martin Kobler condemned the murders and called for a prompt and "transparent" investigation.
	Kobler tweeted that he was "shocked and dismayed by the reports of murder of so many detainees released by a Tripoli court".
	The Government of National Accord also denounced what it called a "despicable crime".
	A statement on its ...

12 freed Kadhafi-era officials murdered in Libya

The Russian Football Union today told its fans to behave at Euro 2016 matches or risk seeing the country disqualified from the European Championship finals.
	The union headed by Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko expressed "regret over the disturbances with Russian fans participating both outside the stadium and at the match" against England in Marseille, France on Saturday.
	Addressing fans, the RFU told them to "show respect to the opponent and its fans. Follow the laws and rules of conduct and public order in France."
	Russia's matches are "under the intense scrutiny of international football disciplinary bodies," it warned.
	UEFA made a public warning Sunday that Russia and England face disqualification if there is further fan violence. It called on both countries to appeal to their fans to behave.
	Russian fans were specifically told not to take firecrackers, laser pointers "and other banned objects" into stadiums "to avoid the imposition of various disciplinary sanctions".

Russian warns fans over Euro violence

The French government today announced a ban on alcohol near Euro 2016 venues and fan zones, after three days of drunken violence among fans in the southern city of Marseille.
	"I have asked for all necessary measures to be taken to prohibit the sale, consumption and transport of alcoholic drinks in sensitive areas on match days and the day before, and on days when fan zones are open," Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said.

France bans alcohol near Euro 2016 venues after violence

Alex Hales again fell agonisingly short of a maiden Test hundred as England got the better of several close calls in the third Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's on Sunday.
     At tea on a rain-marred fourth day, England, 2-0 up in the three-match series, were 206 for six in their second innings.
     That gave them a commanding lead of 334, with no side having made more to win in the fourth innings of a Test at Lord's than the 344 for one posted by the West Indies against England in 1984 when opener Gordon Greenidge made a superb 214 not out.
     This series had seen Hales come close to a century with scores of 86 and 83 in the first two Tests at Leeds and Chester-le-Street respectively.
     The Nottinghamshire opener got closer still at Lord's on Sunday with 94 before he was lbw to Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews shortly before tea.
     England captain Alastair Cook was 32 not out and Moeen Ali nought not out at the interval.
     After rain meant there was no play before lunch, .

Hales misses out on hundred again as England press on

Scoreboard at tea on the fourth day
of the third Test between England and Sri Lanka at Lord's on Sunday:
     England 1st Innings 416
     Sri Lanka 1st Innings 288
     England 2nd Innings (overnight: 109-4)
     N. Compton c Chandimal b Eranga          19
     A. Hales lbw b Mathews                   94
     J. Root b Pradeep                         4
     J. Vince b Pradeep                        0
     J. Bairstow b Pradeep                    32
     S. Finn lbw b Eranga                      7
     A. Cook not out                          32
     M. Ali not out                            0
     Extras (b6, lb4, nb8)                    18
     Total (6 wkts, 65 overs, 290 mins)      206
     Fall of wickets: 1-45 (Compton), 2-50 (Root), 3-50 (Vince), 4-101 (Bairstow), 5-120 (Finn), 6-202 (Hales)
     Bowling: Lakmal 13-2-45-0; Eranga 12-1-44-2 (3nb); Pradeep 15-5-37-3 (5nb); Herath 19-2-60-0; Mathews 6-2-10-1.

London, June 12 (AFP) Scoreboard at tea on the fourth day

The father of the suspected gunman in today's Orlando mass shooting said he believed his son was motivated by hatred of gays -- not by his Muslim religion.
	"This had nothing to do with religion," Mir Seddique told NBC News. He said his son, Omar Mateen, recently lashed out in his presence after witnessing a gay couple embracing in downtown Miami, and suggested the incident may have triggered the atrocity.
	"He saw two men kissing each other in front of his wife and kid and he got very angry," Seddique told the network.

Gunman's father says attack 'nothing to do with religion'

Air strikes on a market in Syria's Al-Qaeda-held city of Idlib killed at least 21 civilians including five children on Sunday, a monitor said.
	It was not clear who carried out the raids on the northwestern provincial capital, which is controlled by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front and its allies, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
	Footage shared by Observatory showed a burnt-out car as emergency workers trained water hoses on a tall building.
	Below a haze of smoke, a red plastic container lay empty among the rubble.
	The Britain-based Observatory relies on a wide network of sources inside Syria for its information.
	It says it determines whether strikes were carried out by Syrian, Russian or US-led coalition aircraft based on the location of the raids, flight patterns and the types of planes and munitions involved.
	The Observatory said Russian air strikes killed 23 civilians in strikes on Idlib city on May 31, but Russia denied carrying out raids there that ...

Air strikes kill 21 at market in Syria's Idlib: monitor

The Islamic Action Front, the political arm of Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood, said today it will take part in September parliamentary elections which it had boycotted in 2010 and 2013.
	The Islamists are Jordan's main opposition group and have considerable grassroots support, but their relations with the authorities have been strained over the demands for political reforms.
	The IAF boycotted the previous elections in protest at the electoral system which they say weakens political parties in favour of tribal and other pro-government candidates.
	Party chief Mohamed Zyoud told a news conference that the Islamists believe it is "their national duty" to take part in legislative polls slated for September 20, even in the absence of reforms.
	Zyoud called for "transparency" during the election and "for an end to intervention by the authorities throughout the voting process and the announcement of the results".
	Jordan amended its electoral law in March to allow political parties to submit ..

Jordan's Brotherhood to take part in Sept elections

Prime Minister David Cameron warned today that Britain faces a "lost decade" if it leaves the EU, as he races to persuade undecided voters less than two weeks before a close referendum.
	With several recent opinion polls suggesting momentum is with the "Leave" camp, Cameron is making a string of television appearances to try to convince people to back "Remain" on June 23.
	A string of global institutions including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and G7 have backed Cameron's argument that Britain's economy would be damaged by Brexit.
	But "Leave" supporters argue that Britain could thrive outside the EU, where they say it would be freed of red tape.
	One of the leading pro-Brexit campaigners, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, said that voters were putting "two fingers up" to establishment figures like Cameron.
	The prime minister told the BBC on Sunday that there could be a "lost decade for Britain" after a vote to leave the EU as the political system gets gummed up with 

UK's Cameron warns of 'lost decade' after EU out vote

It was a Saturday night at the Pulse nightclub, which could mean only one thing: a raucous, high-spirited celebration that would not end until well after daybreak.
	Strobe lights were flashing and music blaring at the popular lounge, home to one of the hottest party scenes in Florida -- and where 50 people were killed and 53 injured in a mass shooting today.
	Just a few days earlier, Orlando's vibrant LGBT community had marked the annual Gay Days celebration, one of the biggest events anywhere in the US dedicated to gay pride.
	The partying was to go on at Pulse, a popular dance club and bar known for its drag shows.
	"Tonight 21 and up is FREEEEEEEE before 11pm," Kenya Michaels, a well-known Puerto Rican drag queen who was slated to perform at the club, posted on Facebook earlier yesterday.
	"Come see me show time at 12 am at Pulse Orlando Doors open at 9 pm. My sister Jasmine international is performing with me," posted Michaels -- who escaped the shooting unharmed.
	Scores of ...

AFP

AFP

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