A German man who killed one person and wounded three in an apparently random knife attack will be held in a psychiatric hospital not a jail, police said today.
	There was no evidence so far pointing to a religious motive, they added, despite the suspect reportedly yelling "Allahu akbar."
	The 27-year-old unemployed carpenter, Paul H., used a survival knife on Tuesday to stab and slash his four victims at Grafing railway station east of Munich.
	"The investigating judge of Munich district court has ordered that the accused today be temporarily placed in a psychiatric hospital," said Bavarian police in a statement.
	"According to a preliminary evaluation by a medical expert, the offender has a mental illness, and there are strong reasons to believe he committed the acts in a state of insanity or at least diminished criminal responsibility."
	The barefoot assailant shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) and threatened to kill "non-believers", sparking initial fears of a jihadist ...

German knife killer sent to psychiatric hospital: police

PTI Automatic

Three car bombs in Baghdad, including a huge blast at a market in a Shiite area, killed at least 86 people today, the bloodiest day in the Iraqi capital this year.
	The attacks, the deadliest of which was claimed by the Islamic State group, came with the government locked in a political crisis that some have warned could undermine the fight against the jihadists.
	The worst bombing struck the frequently targeted Sadr City area of northern Baghdad at around 10:00 am (local time), killing at least 64 people and wounding 82 others, officials said.
	The blast set nearby shops on fire and left debris including the charred, twisted remains of a vehicle in the street.
	Dozens of angry people gathered at the scene of the bombing, blaming the government for the carnage.
	"The state is in a conflict over (government positions) and the people are the victims," said a man named Abu Ali. "The politicians are behind the explosion."
	Abu Muntadhar echoed his anger.
	"The state is responsible for the 

Triple Baghdad car bomb attacks kill at least 86

Three young women in one family were shot dead by male relatives who suspected them of having "illicit relations" with other men, police in eastern Pakistan said today.
	The women, aged 22, 28 and 29, all lived in the same house in the city of Faisalabad.
	"The men suspected that the three women had illicit relations with other men and shot them in the chest and face and fled after the murders," police investigator Mohammad Ayub told AFP.
	Police have launched a manhunt, he said, added that it appeared to a case of "honour killings".
	Officials at the local police station confirmed the account.
	Last week a teenage girl in the country's northwest was strangled and her body set ablaze after a village council ruled she must die for helping a friend to elope, sparking anger from rights activists.
	Hundreds of women are murdered by their relatives in Pakistan each year on the pretext of defending family "honour".
	Pakistan amended its criminal code in 2005 to prevent men who kill female ..

Three women in one family murdered for 'honour' in Pakistan

Nine people were killed during a crackdown by Venezuelan security forces on crime around the capital of the crisis-hit country, the military said.
	With tensions high as the country grapples with an economic and political crisis, authorities said they deployed 3,000 troops and police in and around Caracas to go after criminal gangs.
	"We have a toll of nine people killed. They died when they confronted" security forces, said Sergio Rivero, a general in the National Guard military police, presenting a report on television late on Tuesday.
	He said those killed were members of criminal gangs. Authorities seized rifles and grenades during the raids.
	Rivero added that officers arrested 15 other suspects wanted by the courts for homicide, drug trafficking and robbery.
	They also detained 80 Colombians who were in the country illegally, he said.
	President Nicolas Maduro said in the broadcast that Colombian gangs in Venezuela had been carrying out kidnappings and drug-trafficking along ...

Nine killed in Venezuela crime crackdown: military

Police today charged Bangladesh's main opposition chief, Khaleda Zia, with masterminding arson attacks during deadly anti-government protests last year, a day after the execution of one of her key political allies.
	Police said they had brought charges against Zia, a two-time former prime minister, and 27 officials from her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for their roles in the fire-bombing of two buses in the capital Dhaka.
	"We've submitted charge sheets against 27 people including Khaleda Zia to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court," local police chief Mohammad Selimuzzaman told AFP.
	"She has been charged as a mastermind in the arson attacks."
	It came hours after the execution of Zia's main political ally, Jamaat-e-Islami party leader Motiur Rahman Nizami, for war crimes committed during the country's 1971 independence conflict with Pakistan.
	His hanging late yesterday sparked several outbreaks of violence and heightened tensions in the Muslim-majority country, already ...

Bangladesh opposition chief charged over arson attacks

The security threat level to Britain from Northern Ireland-related terrorism has been raised from moderate to substantial, Home Secretary Theresa May said in a statement to parliament today.
	"This means that a terrorist attack is a strong possibility and reflects the continuing threat from dissident republican activity," May said.
	"As a result of this change, we are working closely with the police and other relevant authorities to ensure appropriate security measures are in place," she said.
	The level was substantial when the rating was first published by the MI5 domestic intelligence service in 2010 but was lowered to moderate in 2012.
	Substantial is the third highest level out of five after critical, which means an attack is expected imminently, and severe, which means an attack is highly likely.
	The threat to Northern Ireland itself, which was riven by three decades of conflict and where there are still strong sectarian tensions despite the signing of a peace agreement in ...

Britain raises threat level from N Ireland terrorism

Two Nepali sherpa guides have died of suspected altitude sickness in the Himalayas, a tour operator said today.
	The guides were assisting an 11-member team on the 8,481-metre (27,825-feet) tall Makalu peak, the fifth-highest mountain in the world.
	Parsuram Karki of the Thamserku Expedition tour agency said the two men had complained of altitude sickness on Tuesday night at Camp II, located at 6,700 metres, but died as their team members were taking them down.
	"Their bodies have been brought to the base camp," Karki told AFP.
	Altitude sickness strikes when people ascend heights too quickly, with the decreased atmosphere pressure causing headaches, fatigue and dizziness.
	In separate incidents, two trekkers -- one Japanese and the other South Korean -- died of altitude sickness last month while on their way down from Nepal's Everest base camp.
	Every year hundreds of people from around the world travel to the Himalayas in Nepal for the brief spring climbing season, when conditions ..

Nepali sherpa guides die of Himalaya altitude sickness

Four Indonesian sailors kidnapped by suspected Islamic militants in the strife-torn southern Philippines were released today, the second group of Indonesian hostages to be freed this month.
	Gunmen abducted the sailors on the high seas off the east coast of Malaysia's Sabah state on April 15, shooting and wounding another crew member.
	Philippine Islamist group Abu Sayyaf was suspected of having carried out the kidnapping, the latest in a recent spree of abductions that saw them behead a Canadian hostage last month.
	Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced in Jakarta that the men had been released and were in good health.
	"The hostage release was successfully conducted due to good cooperation between the Indonesian government and the Philippines," he said.
	Philippine Foreign Secretary Rene Almendras thanked the Indonesian government for the "very close coordination" that helped secure the release of the hostages, and said efforts were aided by a recent deal aimed at halting the ..

Philippine militants release four Indonesian sailors

A 19-year-old French woman committed suicide by throwing herself in front of a suburban train in Paris and streamed the act live on Periscope, a judicial source said today.
	The unnamed woman "spoke of a rape and named the aggressor" during the filming, the judicial source said, adding that the claims were being treated with caution at this stage.
	The actual death, which took place at a station in Egly to the south of Paris, was removed by Periscope but some of the video leading up to the suicide was still available on YouTube.
	At one point the victim is seen on a couch, saying the video is "not designed to create a buzz... But to make people react, to open their minds, and nothing else".
	The video then cuts to a black screen, and what appear to be the voices of emergency personnel can be faintly heard. Many messages of concern from Periscope users are seen flashing up on the screen.
	Periscope is a smartphone application that allows users to stream live video via their Twitter ...

French 19-year-old commits suicide live on Periscope

Qatar, a major shareholder in Volkswagen, is to send a female representative to sit on the German carmaker's supervisory board, VW said today.
	"The board of management and supervisory board of Volkswagen AG are nominating Hessa al Jaber for election by shareholders to the supervisory board," the group said in a statement.
	Al-Jaber "is to take office on behalf of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), succeeding Akber al Baker," the statement said.
	Al-Jaber, an engineer who studied at the Kuwait University and George Washington University, has served as minister of information and communications technology in Qatar since 2013.
	"She will be the first woman to represent the State of Qatar on the supervisory board of an international group," VW said.
	VW shareholders will vote on the appointment to the 20-seat supervisory board the annual meeting on June 22.
	QIA is a shareholder in VW and other companies such as Credit Suisse, Lagardere and Vivendi, via Qatar Holding
	Qatar Holding owns a 

Qatar to send female representative to VW supervisory board

French Finance Minister Michel Sapin has admitted acting "inappropriately" towards a female journalist after twice denying any improper conduct with her, adding to a sexual harassment scandal in French politics.
	Sapin acknowledged late yesterday "making a comment" while placing his hand on the woman's back at a conference early last year - following two previous denials of a claim that he had tweaked her knicker elastic.
	Sapin's admission came on the heels of a scandal that broke on Monday when eight women accused a deputy parliamentary speaker, Denis Baupin, of sexually harassing them over a number of years.
	Prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into the claims made by colleagues of Baupin in the ecologist EELV party.
	Sapin said in a statement to AFP: "During a visit in January 2015 to Davos, in the middle of 20 people, I made a comment to a female journalist about her clothing while placing my hand on her back.
	"There was no sexist or aggressive intent in my ...

French min admits acted 'inappropriately' with female reporter

Ukrainian and foreign reporters today lashed out at pro-Kiev hackers who revealed details of thousands of journalists who were accredited with the self-declared authorities of the separatist east in order to cover the war.
	The list includes journalists from Agence France-Presse and other global media organisations as well as Ukrainian and Russian outlets.
	The hackers said on their website they were making the list public "because these reporters cooperate with the rebels of a terrorist organisation".
	Ukraine identifies the insurgents as "terrorists" who receive direct backing from the Russian armed forces -- a charge Moscow denies.
	Reporters who entered the war zone needed to receive special permits from the separatist authorities in order to work in the territory they controlled since the start of the conflict in April 2014.
	A letter co-signed by journalists from The New York Times as well as The Economist and a Ukrainian representative of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ...

Details of reporters accredited with Ukraine rebels revealed

Thai villagers today celebrated a junta move to shutter a controversial gold mine, a rare blow to big business in a kingdom where environmental concerns are often secondary to profit-making.
	The Chatree mine complex straddles three provinces in northern Thailand and has been dogged by a decade of protests from locals who say its has contaminated crops and livestock.
	Thailand's military government said yesterday it would shut down the quarry and stop handing out new gold mining licenses across the entire kingdom to "heal rifts" sparked by the industry.
	"I am so happy as I fought for over 10 years," said Tanyarat Sintontammatad, the 39-year-old leader of an anti-mine group in the northeast.
	"But this is not a ultimate victory yet," she added. "I am still concerned about people's health and environmental damage in the area."
	Thailand's industry minister said an official inquiry could not conclusively link the villagers' health complaints to the mine, but recommended it be shut for ..

Thai villagers hail mine closure in rare environmental win

A car bombing claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group killed at least 64 people today at a market in a Shiite area of Baghdad, in the single deadliest attack this year in the capital.
	The blast comes as the government is locked in a political crisis that some have warned could undermine the fight against IS.
	The bombing, which hit the frequently targeted Sadr City area of northern Baghdad at around 10:00 am, killed at least 64 people and wounded 82 others, officials said.
	The blast set nearby shops on fire and left debris including the charred, twisted remains of a vehicle in the street.
	Dozens of angry people gathered at the scene of the bombing, blaming the government for the carnage.
	"The state is in a conflict over (government positions) and the people are the victims," said a man named Abu Ali. "The politicians are behind the explosion."
	Abu Muntadhar echoed his anger.
	"The state is responsible for the bombings that hit civilians," the local resident said. The ...

Baghdad market bombing claimed by IS kills 64

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was only hours from possibly being suspended at the start of an impeachment trial today in a political crisis paralyzing Latin America's largest country.
	Her government lawyer lodged a last-ditch appeal with the Supreme Court yesterday, but it was unclear whether the court would even respond in time.
	Barring a dramatic twist in events, the Senate was to start debating impeachment at approximately 9:00 am, with voting expected either late at night or in the early hours tomorrow.
	A majority of more than half of the senators in the 81-member chamber would trigger the opening of a trial and Rousseff's automatic suspension for up to six months. In the final judgement, removing her from office would require a two-thirds majority.
	She is accused of breaking budgetary laws by taking loans to boost public spending and mask the sinking state of the economy during her tight 2014 re-election campaign.
	Rousseff says the accounting maneuvers were standard ...

Brazilian Senate set to launch Rousseff impeachment

Danish brewer Carlsberg said today that it had "a solid start to the year" as quarterly revenue edged up two per cent in local currencies, helped by gains in the troubled Russian market.
	Organic revenue in the first three months of the year rose two percent to 13.47 billion kroner (1.81 billion euros, USD 2.06 billion) but slid three percent to 13 billion kroner when taking into account negative currency effects.
	Declining volumes in China were partly offset by a 20 percent rise in revenue in Eastern Europe, where volumes as well as sales of more expensive brands were higher.
	"The Russian volume growth was mainly due to easy comparisons with last year when we took significant measures to reduce stock levels at distributors," the company said in a statement.
	Renowned for their hard-drinking habits, Russians in recent years have started cutting down on booze as the government has tightened controls to curb rampant alcoholism.
	The crackdown has hit sales at Carlsberg's Baltika ...

Thirsty Russians lift Carlsberg sales

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will visit Israel "soon", he said told an Israeli newspaper in an interview published today.
	"Yes, I will be coming soon," Trump said without giving further details in response to a question from the Israel Hayom newspaper, a freesheet considered close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
	Trump had scheduled a visit to Israel for late December but postponed it a few days before following an uproar over his proposal to bar all Muslims from entering the United States.
	"I have decided to postpone my trip to Israel and to schedule my meeting with @Netanyahu at a later date after I become president of the US," he tweeted at the time.
	In the interview published on Wednesday, Trump renewed his criticism of US President Barack Obama over a July nuclear deal with Iran that was vigorously opposed by the Israeli prime minister.
	"The current threat against Israel is more important than ever" because of "President Obama's policy ...

Trump says to visit Israel 'soon': newspaper

A car bombing claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group killed at least 52 people at a market in a Shiite area of north Baghdad today, officials said.
	The blast, the single deadliest attack in the Iraqi capital this year, comes as the government is locked in a political crisis that some have warned could undermine the fight against IS.
	The bombing, which hit the Sadr City area at around 10:00 am, also wounded at least 65 people, the officials said.
	The blast set nearby shops on fire and left debris including the charred, twisted remains of a vehicle in the street.
	Dozens of angry people gathered at the scene of the bombing, blaming the government for the carnage.
	"The state is in a conflict over (government positions) and the people are the victims," said a man named Abu Ali, adding: "The politicians are behind the explosion."
	Abu Muntadhar echoed his anger.
	"The state is responsible for the bombings that hit civilians," he said. The politicians "should all get out."
	Cleric .

Baghdad market bombing claimed by IS kills 52

Long-serving England women's captain Charlotte Edwards announced her retirement today after a sparkling and pioneering 20-year career.
     The 36-year-old led her country to glory in the Ashes, World Cup and ICC World Twenty20, winning a world-record 309 caps and scoring over 10,000 runs across the formats.
     "Everyone who knows me -- and how much I love playing for England -- will appreciate what a difficult decision it has been for me to retire from international cricket," she said in a statement.
     "It's a decision I've reached after much thought and detailed discussion with (England coach) Mark Robinson and (director of England women's cricket) Clare Connor about what is best for the team going forward.
     "I have given 20 years to playing for England and I leave very proud of the standing in which the women's game is held and of my contribution as a player and captain."
     Edwards led England on 220 occasions, with the highlights of her captaincy including three Ashes .

England women's captain Edwards retires

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke will headline Hong Kong's Twenty20 Blitz this month as he pursues a comeback in cricket's shortest form.
     Clarke, one of the top batsmen of his generation, will star at the four-team tournament from May 28-29 in a rare appearance since his retirement last year.
     "While I have never been to Hong Kong before, I have heard so much about what a great place it is for sport," he said in a statement from organisers on Wednesday.
     "I can't wait to meet my team-mates and experience the city, while also hopefully contributing to the game of cricket in Hong Kong which I know has been coming on leaps and bounds in recent years."
     Injury-plagued Clarke, 35, retired last August after playing 115 Tests for Australia, 47 as captain, and 245 one-day internationals, but only 34 T20 internationals.
     Clarke returned to action in a Sydney club game in February, and he has also held talks with the Sydney Sixers about playing in Australia's ...

Aussie ex-skipper Clarke to star in Hong Kong T20

A car bomb exploded near a market in a Shiite area of north Baghdad today, killing at least 34 people, security and medical officials said.
	The blast, which hit the Sadr City area at around 10 am, also wounded 54 people, the officials said.
	There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the Islamic State group often carries out bombings in Baghdad and elsewhere, especially targeting Shiite Muslims, whom it consider heretics.
	Iraqi forces have regained significant ground from IS, which overran swathes of territory north and west of Baghdad in 2014.
	But the jihadists still control a large part of western Iraq, and are able to carry out frequent bombings in government-held areas.

AFP

AFP

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