The death toll from a powerful storm which lashed Australia's east coast and left homes hanging over the edge of the sea rose to four today, with three people still missing.
	Torrential rains caused flooding across New South Wales over the weekend, with three people dying after their vehicles were swept away in rising waters.
	In Sydney, high winds and huge seas caused coastal erosion which washed away beachfront lawns and damaged homes.
	The storm then swept south to Victoria and the island state of Tasmania, where one woman died after her house was inundated and where two other people are still missing after being swept away by floodwaters.
	A third person, a swimmer who reportedly jumped into the huge swell at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Monday before getting into difficulty, is also missing.
	"It's certainly disastrous, this is an extreme weather event, the worst flooding we've experienced in this state in 40 years and it's likely to get worse," Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman ...

Death toll from Australian storm rises to four

PTI Automatic

Strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake shakes Mexico: US

Afghan lapis lazuli must be classified a "conflict mineral", an international watchdog says, warning the Taliban and other insurgents are earning some USD 20 million a year illegally mining the semi-precious stone.
	Violent competition between local strongmen for control over 6,500-year-old lapis mines in the far northeastern province of Badakhshan is a key driver of conflict in the country, London-based Global Witness said in a report yesterday.
	"With the Taliban on the outskirts of the mines themselves, as well as controlling key roads into the mining areas, there is now a real risk that the mines could fall into their hands," it said.
	The report warned that due to similar situations nationwide, mining was already "the Taliban's second biggest source of income."
	"Unless the Afghan government acts rapidly to regain control, the battle for the lapis mines is set to intensify and further destabilise the country, as well as fund extremism."
	The mines could also be a "strategic ...

Make Afghan lapis lazuli a 'conflict' mineral: watchdog

Spanish prosecutors want Brazilian star Neymar tried over fraud allegedly committed during his 2013 transfer to FC Barcelona, a judicial source said today.
     Prosecutors from Spain's top criminal court accuse the striker, his father, Barca's ex-president Sandro Rosell and the club itself of concealing the cost of the multi-million-euro transfer from Brazilian investment fund DIS.
     DIS held 40 percent of the 24-year-old's sporting rights when he played at Brazil's Santos club and has claimed it was cheated of its real share of the transfer due to parallel contracts that Barcelona and Santos allegedly used to hide the total cost.
     The case first came to light after fans and members of Barcelona launched an internal complaint, leading eventually to the resignation of Rossell.
     The transfer deal was originally valued at 57.1 million euros ($64.9 million) by Barca, 40 million of which was paid to the N&N company owned by the player's father.
     Santos -- where Neymar ...

Spain prosecutors seek Neymar corruption trial

The Saudi cabinet has approved a major plan to diversify the national economy away from oil and aiming to generate 450,000 non-government jobs by 2020.
	The National Transformation Programme (NTP) 2020, endorsed by cabinet yesterday, also seeks to cut public expenditures by 40 per cent over the next five years and boost the contribution of the private sector.
	NTP is one of several programmes designed to achieve the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030, an 84-page document released in April by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 30, who is leading the reform charge.
	At the heart of Vision 2030 is a plan to float less than five per cent of state oil firm Saudi Aramco on the stock market.
	The proceeds would become part of the world's largest state investment fund, with USD 2 trillion in assets.
	Profits from the investment fund would help economic diversification and provide an alternative to oil revenues that have fallen by about half since 2014.
	The collapse has accelerated Saudi ...

Saudi cabinet approves economic diversification plan

Residents of a border district in China's mostly Muslim region of Xinjiang must now provide DNA samples when applying for passports, according to official local media.
	As of June 1, residents of the Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in China's far northwest must give police DNA samples, fingerprints, voiceprints and a "three-dimensional image" in order to apply for certain travel documents, the official Yili Daily said, citing the local public security bureau.
	Many members of the mostly Muslim Uighur community in Xinjiang complain of discrimination -- including denials of passport applications -- as well as controls on their culture and religion.
	The new policy -- which came into effect just before the holy month of Ramadan starting yesterday -- concerns applications for and renewals of passports, entry permits to Taiwan, and two-way permits to Hong Kong and Macau, the paper said.
	Those who fail to fulfil requirements will be refused documents, it added.
	Yili prefecture borders ..

Xinjiang residents must submit DNA for passports: media

South Korea has called for car giant Nissan to face criminal charges for allegedly manipulating emissions data on a popular sports utility vehicle, weeks after Seoul slapped the firm with a fine over the issue.
	The environment ministry called on state prosecutors to probe Nissan Korea after saying tests had shown an emission defeat system on the Qashqai model that made it appear to be less polluting than it really was.
	It also banned the sale of the vehicle in the country.
	Senior environment ministry official Hong Dong-Kon, who handles transport-related regulations, told journalists: "Today, we're going to file a criminal complaint" against Nissan Korea's President Takehiko Kikuchi.
	Last month Japan's number-two carmaker was hit with 330 million won (USD 280,000) fine and Seoul said it would recall hundreds of Qashqais after the tests.
	In a statement, Nissan said: "Nissan Korea's priorities are our customers, dealers and working closely and transparently with the Korean ...

S Korea calls for Nissan to face charges over emissions

At least five people were killed and two others seriously injured in a building fire in a suburb of Paris, the fire service said.
	A further nine people had less serious injuries following the blaze in Saint-Denis, to the north of the French capital, a spokesman said yesterday.
	Firefighters at the scene were unable to identify the victims found in the rubble because of the severity of the blaze, the spokesman added.
	Two of the injured had jumped out of the four-storey building to escape the fire but they were not in a critical condition, a statement published by the Paris fire service and the Seine-Saint-Denis prefecture said.
	"The fourth floor of the building collapsed onto the third and the staircase is still weakened," the fire service spokesman added.
	The blaze was reported at around 7.30 PM local time and had been brought under control by 10.30 PM.
	"We don't know where the fire began," deputy mayor for housing Stephane Peu told AFP after visiting the scene.
	The building was 

5 dead, 2 injured in Paris suburb fire

Argentina coach Gerardo Martino expects Lionel Messi to be fit for his team's second Copa America Centenario fixture this week -- even if he is satisfied that the two-time world champions are adjusting to life without their injured superstar.
     Martino was a happy man after watching the Argentines open their Group D campaign with a convincing 2-1 win on Monday over reigning Copa America champions Chile, a result that should ease their passage into the quarter-finals.
	Goals from man-of-the-match Angel Di Maria and Ever Banega secured the points for Argentina, who left the injured Messi on the substitutes bench at Levi's Stadium as he recuperates from an injured back.
	Martino revealed the 28-year-old FIFA World Player of the Year could be fit to return for Argentina's second group game against Panama at Chicago's Soldier Field on Friday.
	"He has continued working here, he's kicking the ball better now," Martino said.
	"We expect in four days he'll be in a condition to play. So ...

Messi could return for second game - Martino

A bomb ripped through a Turkish police vehicle near Istanbul's historic centre today, killing seven officers and four civilians and adding to security concerns after a string of attacks in Turkey's biggest city.
	The bomb targeted a service shuttle bus carrying officers from Istanbul's anti-riot police as it was passing through the central Beyazit district close to many of the city's top tourist sites, Istanbul governor Vasip Sahin said in a live statement on Turkish television.
	Thirty six people were wounded, three of them seriously, he added.
	Reports said the explosion took place close to the Vezneciler metro station, which is within walking distance of some of the city's main tourist sites including the famed Suleymaniye Mosque.
	The metro station was closed as a security precaution.
	Pictures showed the bomb had turned the police vehicle into mangled wreckage and that nearby shops had their front windows smashed out by the force of the blast.
	Cars parked in the vicinity were ...

Bomb attack on police kils 11 in Istanbul

11 including 7 police killed in Istanbul bomb attack:

Oil prices edged down slightly today but held around 11-month highs thanks to a weaker dollar and forecasts for another drop in US inventories.
	The commodity has rebounded about 90 percent from near 13-year lows touched at the start of the year as worries over a global supply glut ease and output from key producers Nigeria and Canada is dented.
	Expectations for a US interest rate hike this summer were all but erased by Friday's weak jobs data, which sent the dollar tumbling -- making crude cheaper for buyers using other currencies.
	Attention is now on the release of US Energy Information Administration stockpiles data on Wednesday, which a survey by Bloomberg News forecast to show a sharp fall in the week to June 3.
	At about 1000 IST, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate eased 16 cents, or 0.32 per cent, at USD 49.53 a barrel while Brent was down 18 cents, or 0.36 per cent, at USD 50.37.
	Market momentum is still strong and prices are likely to regain their position during ...

Oil prices dip as dollar rebounds

A grieving Angel Di Maria was the inspiration as Argentina shrugged off the absence of Lionel Messi to defeat holders Chile 2-1 in their opening Copa America Centenario game here.
     Paris Saint-Germain star Di Maria -- reeling from the death of his grandmother only hours earlier -- scored one goal and set up another as the two-time world champions avenged their defeat to Chile in last year's Copa America final.
     Di Maria opened the scoring on 51 minutes and emotionally held a T-shirt up to the sky emblazoned with the message: "Grandma, I will miss you so much."
	Moments later Di Maria then set up Argentina's second for Ever Banega, to complete a man-of-the-match performance.
	"I had to play, I wanted to play, my grandmother was so proud that I played for the national team," Di Maria said during a post-match television interview before breaking down in tears.
    	Argentina coach Gerardo Martino revealed afterwards Di Maria had kept his loss a secret from him.
	"I just learned ..

Tearful Di Maria inspires Argentina at Copa

Explosion hits Istanbul, several injured: TV. (AFP)

Argentina shrugged off the injury absence of Lionel Messi to launch their Copa America Centenario campaign with a 2-1 defeat of defending champions Chile here Monday.
     Goals from Angel Di Maria and Ever Banega secured a deserved three points for Argentina, who exacted sweet revenge for their defeat to the Chileans in last year's Copa America final.
     Chile substitute Jose Fuenzalida scored an injury time consolation for the holders. The Argentines will now be firm favorites to progress to the quarter-finals as Group D winners with games against Panama and Bolivia to come.
     Injured Argentina captain Messi watched from the substitutes' bench at Levi's Stadium after failing to recover in time from a sore back suffered in a friendly win over Honduras last month.
     But the Barcelona superstar's absence was barely noticeable, with Nicolas Gaitan slotting into Argentina's attack and making an instant impression, hitting the woodwork with a header after only two minutes.
     ...

No Messi, no problem as Argentina down Chile

Cristiano Ronaldo's museum on Madeira has upsized to a larger home in anticipation of the Real Madrid star winning "future trophies", his cousin told AFP on Monday.
     The Portugal striker's self-financed shrine now occupies a prime seafront position in Funchal, the island's capital where "CR7" was born in 1985. The museum's new two-storey site "will be able to welcome Ronaldo's future trophies," his cousin and museum director Nuno Viveiros said.
     The treasure trove charting the success of Madeira's most famous son draws in 200,000 visitors a year.
     It boasts two waxworks of the former Manchester United forward whilst a 3.4-metre-high (11 feet) bronze statue he unveiled of himself in December 2014 has been moved to greet visitors at the entrance.
     In January the statue was the target of graffiti when it was tagged with the name and shirt number of arch-rival Lionel Messi, hours after the Barcelona superstar saw off Ronaldo to claim a fifth world player of the year award. 

Ronaldo museum to himself upsizes

Yeo Moriba laughed as she recalled her showdown with the fearsome Alex Ferguson, one of many confrontations with football authority over the future of her son Paul Pogba.
     Ferguson was notorious for his 'hairdryer' blasts at players in the Manchester United dressing room and the proud mother told AFP how the tough Scots manager had once left her son in tears in his office.
     And that may be why Pogba escaped the clutches of the Red Devils to join Juventus. The 23-year-old French midfielder will be one of the most watched players at the European Championship finals.
     After three years struggling for a first team place, Pogba refused to sign a new contract in 2012. Ferguson took matters into his own hands and decided to confront Moriba, who acts as her son's agent, manager and advisor as well as her two other twin sons Guinea internationals Florentin and Mathias.
     "I said: 'What? Ferguson coming to my house! He came alone'," said the mother, laughing heartily again.
     .

The day Pogba's mum turned hairdryer on Fergie

Five African Union peacekeepers in Somalia have been arrested over alleged illegal sales of military supplies, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has said.
	AMISOM said the soldiers were found in possession of fuel and sand bags and were detained Sunday in a joint operation with Somali police that followed an investigation and a period of surveillance.
	"AMISOM exercises zero tolerance to unprofessional conduct among its personnel and the culprits will be prosecuted in accordance with the law," read a statement from AMISOM yesterday, which has over 22,000 peacekeepers in Somalia.
	"All personnel serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia are bound by the AMISOM Code of Conduct and any deviation from the standards set therein will be met with the full might of the law."
	AMISOM promised "requisite steps to ensure that this practice is uprooted from within its ranks" to ensure such "selfish acts" did not derail its mission.
	The Mission did not reveal the nationality .

5 AU soldiers arrested over military equipment sale

Dozens of asylum seekers set fire to a migrants' centre on the Greek island of Chios, angry that they were being kept there, a police source said.
	Some 40 asylum seekers yesterday set fire to two large tents set up by humanitarian groups as well as dustbins at the Souda centre, the source said, in protest at the slow progress of their applications.
	Clashes have broken out several times in recent days in migrant accommodation on the Greek islands, where around 8,500 people are currently being held.
	Hundreds of thousands of people -- many of them refugees fleeing conflict in Syria and Iraq -- crossed to Greece from Turkey last year hoping to start new lives in northern Europe.
	But a controversial deal between Turkey and the EU, designed to stop the influx, has seen migrants arriving since March 20 barred from moving on from the islands.
	Under the deal they can be sent back to Turkey, but most have filed for asylum in Greece in a bid to avoid this, overwhelming island ...

Migrants set fire to Greece camp

Oil prices surged today, with the US benchmark hitting the highest level in nearly a year, as traders focused on signs of a shrinking surplus.
	After prices tumbled Friday following a terrible US jobs report that raised questions about the strength of the world's largest economy, a number of elements combined to lift the oil market higher, said Kyle Cooper of IAF Advisors.
	"Saudi Arabia raised its prices, so I think it's part of it," Cooper said.
	He also pointed to a weak dollar and attacks on oil infrastructure in Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil producer.
	US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for July delivery surged $1.07 to $49.69 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest close since July 2015.
	In London, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in August rose 91 cents to $50.55 a barrel.
	A recent spate of militant attacks on oil facilities in southern Nigeria has reduced the country's output to 1.4 million barrels per day, well below the 2.2 million barrels a day the ..

Oil prices rise, US benchmark hits 11-month peak

Saudi Arabia demanded today that a UN report blaming the military coalition it is leading in Yemen for the deaths of hundreds of children be corrected and warned it could undermine peace talks.
	The annual UN report on children and armed conflict added the Saudi-led coalition to a blacklist of children's rights violators after determining that it was responsible for 60 percent of the 785 children killed in Yemen last year.
	Saudi Ambassador Abdullah al-Mouallimi told reporters that he was "deeply disappointed" and "disturbed" by the report and said the figure of 60 percent was "wildly exaggerated."
	"We are asking that the report be corrected immediately so that it does not reflect the accusations against the coalition and Saudi Arabia in particular," he told reporters after meeting with UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson.
	The coalition launched an air campaign in support of Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour in March 2015 to push back Huthi rebels after they seized the ...

AFP

AFP

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