Iran's new parliament will have more women than clerics when its members are sworn in this month, a first in the Islamic republic and a sign of the country's evolving politics.
	Official results yesterday showed that reformist and moderate politicians allied with President Hassan Rouhani won a big victory in second round parliamentary elections.
	The outcome saw them outnumber their conservative rivals many hardliners lost seats for the first time since 2004 and capped a remarkable comeback for reformists after years of isolation.
	After the second round of elections a record 17 women will become lawmakers in the 290-seat parliament one more than the number of clerics, which has hit an all time low.
	In the first parliament that followed the Islamic revolution in 1979 there were 164 clerics elected.
	Some of the country's most prominent politicians are clerics and have previously been lawmakers including Rouhani who was an MP between 1980 and 2000.
	Two earlier presidents, Ayatollah ..

Iran's new parliament has more women than clerics

PTI Automatic

Gunmen riding camels shot and wounded six people in an attack on a camp housing thousands of people displaced by the brutal conflict in Sudan's Darfur, residents said today.
	The attack came late yesterday at the Kalma camp in South Darfur, one of the largest settlements of people displaced by the violence.
	"Militiamen on camels attacked the camp and began shooting... Six people have been wounded," Abdelrazi Mohamed, a resident of Kalma told AFP by telephone, adding the incident occurred at around 9:00 pm yesterday.
	Sources in the UN confirmed the incident but had no immediate details.
	Kalma, often described as the size of a small city, houses
about 100,000 people displaced by the conflict in Darfur.
	The highly charged camp is awash with weapons and is a stronghold for representatives of multiple rebel groups.
	The camp has seen several deadly incidents over the years,
including attacks that have caused multiple fatalities.
	The UN's independent expert on human rights in Sudan, ...

Gunmen on camels wound 6 in Darfur camp attack

Tens of thousands of South Koreans took part in today's May Day protests to criticise labour reforms pushed by the government and to call for a higher minimum wage.
	Labour activists say the labour reform bill -- pushed by President Park Geun-Hye and her conservative Saenuri Party -- will make it easier for companies to lay off workers.
	"Let's fight together against the evil bill!" labour activists and unionised workers chanted in unison during a protest held in Seoul Plaza in front of the city hall.
	About 30,000 unionised workers at local companies took part, according to the Federation of Korean Trade Unions.
	Elections last month saw Park's party lose its parliamentary majority for the first time in 16 years, as voters registered their dissatisfaction with the president's economic record and soaring youth unemployment.
	The crushing defeat left Park, who has less than two years left of her single, five-year term, a lame duck leader who will increasingly struggle to push through ..

Tens of thousands join May Day rally in S Korea

Hundreds of people gathered today in the Vietnamese capital to protest against a Taiwanese company suspected of involvement in a toxic leak that has hit the fishing industry along the central coast.
	Tonnes of dead clams were found last week in Ha Tinh province where fish began washing up on beaches earlier in April, sparking a public outcry.
	The area is home to a large steel mill run by a Taiwanese conglomerate, Formosa.
	Demonstrators who marched around Hoan Kiem lake in central  Hanoi carried banners reading "Formosa out of Vietnam", "The sea dies, we die" and "Save our sea".
	Reports on social media said hundreds of demonstrators also massed in Ho Chi Minh City in the south.
	Although an official inquiry is continuing, state-run media has pointed the finger at a 1.5 kilometre waste water pipeline from Formosa's multi-billion dollar steel plant to the ocean.
	The company has a long history of environmental scandals spanning the globe, although the probe has yet to directly link ...

Vietnamese rally against Taiwan firm over mass fish deaths

Ten Indonesian sailors abducted by Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants were freed in the southern Philippines today after five weeks in captivity, Philippine police said.
	Unknown men dropped off the 10 tugboat crewmen at the home of provincial governor Abdusakur Tan Jnr on the remote island of Jolo during a heavy midday downpour, Jolo police chief Junpikar Sitin told AFP by telephone.
	"The report (of their release) is confirmed. They were there. I saw them," Superintendent Sitin added.
	The condition of the former captives was not immediately known, though Sitin said the group ate lunch at the governor's home.
	They were abducted on March 26 by gunmen described by Philippine authorities as members of the Abu Sayyaf, a small group of militants based on Jolo and nearby Basilan island which is accused of kidnappings and deadly bombings.
	The militants are reported to have sought a ransom, but Sitin said he was unaware that any had been paid. Abu Sayyaf does not normally free hostages unless a 

10 Indonesian hostages freed in Philippines: police

Three Turkish soldiers were killed and 14 others wounded in an attack today in the Kurdish-dominated southeast blamed on militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the army said.
	The attack took place in the Nusaybin district of Mardin province, where the army has been conducting a military operation backed by a curfew against the PKK, it said. The Dogan news agency said the PKK opened fire with rockets on an army bomb disposal team.

Three Turkish soldiers killed, 14 wounded in PKK attack: army

Taiwan today sent two patrol ships to waters surrounding a Japanese atoll amid a dispute over the seizure of one of the island's fishing boats there.
	The detention of the "Tung Sheng Chi 16" near Okinotori-shima last week angered Taiwanese officials, who say Tokyo has no authority over the area.
	A Taiwanese coast guard ship and another from the Council of Agriculture departed from the southern port of Kaoshiung today.
	"Japan has no right to ban our fishing boats from the area," Taiwan's coast guard adminstration said in a statement.
	"The government will resolutely defend the rights and freedom of our fisherman in international waters."
	The mission will last for one to three months.
	Between 100-200 Taiwanese boats fish in the waters around Okinotori-shima each year.
	Japan say it has exclusive rights in the 200 nautical mile area surrounding the uninhabited atoll in the Philippine Sea.
	But in addition to Taiwan, China and South Korea also reject the Japanese claim.
	Taiwan's ...

Taiwan sends patrol ships after boat seized by Japan

The orginal artwork for the last two pages of the Tintin comic book "King Ottokar's Sceptre" sold for a total of 1.046 million euros (USD 1.2 million) at auction in Paris.
	"This is only the second time a Tintin plate has exceeded a million euros," Eric Leroy, comic book expert at French auction house Artcurial, told AFP yesterday.
	A double page plate also from "King Ottokar's Sceptre" sold for more than 1.5 million euros at Sotheby's in Paris in October.
	Artcurial had estimated yesterday's lot would fetch between 600,000 and 800,000 euros, before fees.
	"Over a million euros, this is an excellent result," said Leroy.
	"Herge's universe still conquers," added Leroy, referring to the cartoonist behind the famous comic.
	The work in blue watercolor, gouache and ink was bought on the phone "by a European collector, a long-time fan", said Leroy.
	Published in 1939, "King Ottokar's Sceptre" is the eighth instalment of the adventures of the intrepid boy reporter by the Belgian artist ...

Original Tintin King Ottokar's Sceptre art sells for USD1.2 mn

Barcelona remain on top of La Liga with two games remaining as goals from Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez earned a 2-0 win over 10-man Real Betis.
     On a day of high tension when all three title contenders were at one point top of the table, Antoine Griezmann came off the bench to score the winner in Atletico Madrid's 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano to remain behind Barca solely due to their inferior head-to-head record.
     Gareth Bale's thunderous header 10 minutes from time kept an under-strength Real Madrid just a point behind the leaders in third in a 1-0 victory at Real Sociedad.
     Barca need to win their two remaining games at home to Espanyol and away to Granada to be assured of retaining their title and were given a huge helping hand by Betis despite an unconvincing performance.
     "I don't think either of the other two are going to drop points so we have to win our games," said Barca boss Luis Enrique.
     "We need to concentrate on ourselves, be the best in attack and ...

Barca beat Betis to remain top, Atletico,Real keep up pressure

Crews have rescued a 72-year-old survivor of Ecuador's deadly earthquake almost two weeks after it struck the South American country, Venezuela has announced.
	A visiting Venezuelan search team located Manuel Vasquez, who had been trapped under rubble since the 7.8-magnitude quake that killed 660 people, the Venezuelan embassy in Quito yesterday said on its website.
	They found Vasquez "making sounds in a partially collapsed building" on Friday in Manabi province while doing inspections for structural problems, it said.
	The April 16 quake was the worst to strike Ecuador in decades, causing buildings to collapse and damaging roads and other infrastructure in tourist areas along the coast.
	Vasquez was admitted to hospital with kidney trouble and lost toes. He was also dehydrated and disoriented.
	Ecuador welcomed hundreds of rescue teams, doctors, nurses, firefighters and other support staff after the quake from a slew of countries.
	President Rafael Correa has announced a series of ..

Survivor rescued 13 days after deadly Ecuador quake

France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls will make a surprise visit to Australia for talks with Malcolm Turnbull after a French shipbuilder won a huge submarine contract, officials said today.
	Contractor DCNS beat off competition from Japan and Germany to seal the Aus USD 50 billion (USD 39 billion) deal to design and construct 12 new conventionally-powered subs.
	They will be a smaller version of France's 4,700-tonne Barracuda, replacing Australia's ageing diesel and electric-powered Collins Class submarines.
	Valls is in the French Pacific territory New Caledonia before travelling to New Zealand today with officials in his delegation confirming that he will detour to Australia tomorrow.
	As well as seeing Turnbull, he is expected to meet members of the DCNS team that put together the successful bid, the officials said.
	French President Francois Hollande hailed the decision as historic last week.
	"It marks a decisive advance in the strategic partnership between the two countries who ..

French PM heading to Australia after mega subs contract

The United States demanded that Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's forces halt their bombardment of the city of Aleppo and help restore a nationwide ceasefire.
	In calls to the UN peace envoy for Syria and to the lead opposition negotiator, US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday said the priority was "a durable, nationwide cessation."
	A truce was called in February between Assad's forces and a coalition of rebels but has since begun to break down, particularly in the divided and besieged city of Aleppo.
	This week, Russia and the United States agreed to pressure the parties to hold their fire in the Latakia and Eastern Ghouta regions -- but Aleppo was left out of the deal.
	Fierce bombing has continued in the city, with heavy civilian casualties, and Russia has made it clear it has no intention of reining in its ally Assad's forces.
	With the peace process hanging by a thread, Kerry is scheduled to fly to Geneva today for talks with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura and the Saudi and ...

US demands halt to Syrian regime's Aleppo bombing

US Secretary of State John Kerry is urging a return to a nationwide ceasefire in Syria, deeming it a top priority, his spokesman has said.
	"The Secretary made clear that ending the violence in Aleppo and returning ultimately to a durable, nationwide cessation is a top priority," spokesman John Kirby yesterday said in outlining phone calls between the top US diplomat and the UN's Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, as well as the general coordinator of Syria's main opposition High Negotiations Committee.

Return to nationwide Syria ceasefire is top priority: Kerry

The European Union said it was giving an additional 38 million euros in cash aid to Haiti, which is combating drought and a migration crisis with neighbouring Dominican Republic.
	The funding included 12.2 million euros for food and drinking water to more than 400,000 Haitians, an EU news release said.
	The El Nino weather phenomenon has devastated crops, with losses of up to 70 per cent in some areas. About 3.6 million Haitians are facing food insecurity, with 1.3 million among them severely food insecure, according to the World Food Program.
	The EU was also allocating 400,000 euros to assist people in Haiti who had been deported from the Dominican Republic.
	The neighbouring country began enforcing an immigration policy in summer 2015 primarily targeting people of Haitian origin.
	Since then, some 87,000 people have been forced across the border into Haiti, where some have never lived. Among them are more than 1,200 unaccompanied minors, according to the International Organisation .

EU announces additional 38 million euros in aid for Haiti

Reformist and moderate politicians allied with President Hassan Rouhani won second round parliamentary elections in Iran, unofficial results said today, opening the door to them controlling the legislature.
	The outcome, if confirmed officially, would represent a dramatic political realignment in the Islamic republic, with conservative MPs likely being outnumbered by their rivals for the first time since 2004.
	It would also be a huge public vote of confidence for Rouhani, who won a landslide election victory in 2013 and went on to clinch a historic deal with world powers over Tehran's nuclear programme that lifted sanctions.
	Voting was extended yesterday in the second round elections for almost a quarter of parliament's seats in what was a crucial showdown between reformists and conservatives seeking to influence the country's future.
	The result could open a delicate path to limited social and cultural change after an era of diplomatic clashes over the nuclear programme that, ...

Rouhani allies set for Iran parliament second round win

Thousands of protesters broke into Baghdad's heavily fortified "Green Zone" today and ransacked parliament after lawmakers again failed to approve new cabinet ministers.
	An AFP reporter said thousands of angry protesters moved into the restricted area, which houses the country's key government institutions, and some began ransacking the parliament building.

Thousands of protesters break into Baghdad 'Green Zone'

Reformist and moderate politicians allied with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani won most seats in second round parliamentary elections, local media reported today.
	Unofficial and incomplete results said that of the 68 seats being contested at least 33 had gone to the pro-Rouhani List of Hope, with conservatives gaining 21 more MPs.
	The second ballot to complete a new 290-seat parliament took place Friday because initial polls on February 26 did not produce clear winners in the 68 seats.
	According to Fars news agency, close to the conservatives, 33 seats went to the Rouhani allies -- 31 reformists and two moderates-- while only 21 seats were taken by the conservative coalition.
	The remaining 14 seats went to independents, the report said.
	Another conservative news agency, Tasnim, said pro-Rouhani allies of moderates and reformists had gained 35 seats so far.
	Official results are expected later Saturday.
	Rouhani's allies made huge gains in the first round of elections, on February 

Rouhani allies win Iran parliament elections second round

Visiting British foreign minister Philip Hammond reached an agreement on restructuring Cuban debt payments in a meeting today with President Raul Castro, officials in Havana said.
	The agreement deals with Cuba's mid and long-term debt with Britain, according to a Cuban government statement.
	The agreement "should contribute to the development of economic, commercial and financial relations between the two nations," the statement reads.
	At the meeting, Castro and Hammond "verified the advances" in bilateral relations and "the potentials" in areas of mutual interest.
	Neither the British embassy in Havana nor Cuban officials gave a figure for the debt, nor any further details on the agreement.
	In December, Cuba reached an agreement with its creditors in the Paris Club -- which include Britain, France, and Spain -- to pay $2.6 billion in debt unpaid to foreign creditors for the last 25 years.
	In exchange, the Paris Club is writing off the interest accumulated of USD 8.5 ...

Britain's Hammond, Cuba's Castro agree on debt restructuring

Nissan has said it will recall more than 3.8 million vehicles, mostly in North America, because the passenger-side airbag may not deploy in a crash due to a defect in the seat sensor.
	The Japanese automaker said the global recall would cover 2013-2017 including some Nissan Altima, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, Pathfinder, Sentra and Rogue models.
	"This recall will affect approximately 3.5 million Nissan vehicles and approximately 381,000 Infiniti vehicles globally," the company said in a statement, adding that more than 80 per cent of them were sold in North America.
	It said a fault in the sensor not properly registering when the passenger seat was occupied could lead to failure to deploy the airbag in the event of a collision.
	The firm said it was developing a fix and would notify dealers in late May.
	It was not immediately clear if the recall involves auto parts giant Takata, which was hammered by an exploding air bag defect blamed for at least 11 deaths.

Nissan recalls 3.8 million cars over faulty airbags

Russia will not ask the Syrian regime to halt air raids on the war-ravaged city of Aleppo, as it believes they are helping to combat jihadist groups, Moscow's foreign ministry said today.
	"No, we are not going to put pressure on (Damascus) because one must understand that the situation in Aleppo is part of this fight against the terrorist threat," Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told the Interfax news agency.
	Aleppo, capital of the northern province of the same name, is a key battleground and of vital strategic significance to both sides in the Syrian civil war.
	Despite a truce which came into force on February 27, what was once Syria's economic powerhouse has become the scene of some of the worst fighting in a conflict which has killed more than 270,000 people in the past five years.
	The past week has seen a spike in fighting which has left more than 200 dead, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
	Dozens of civilians on the rebel-held side of Syria's ...

Russia will not ask Syrian regime to halt Aleppo raids: Moscow

Yemen's warring parties held "productive" face-to-face peace talks today on "key issues" in a bid to end the conflict in the impoverished Arab country, the UN envoy said.
	"The talks today were positive and productive... It is an encouraging beginning," Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed told a news conference after  the first direct talks since the delayed negotiations began on April 21.
	"Today, we heard the parties pledge total commitment to (UN Security Council) Resolution 2216 and related decisions, the Gulf initiative and results of Yemeni national dialogue as the basis for a peaceful solution," he said.
	Saturday's talks came after the government and rebel delegations each submitted a framework for a political and security solution to end the 13-month war.
	Ould Cheikh Ahmed said that despite the progress made "we still have obstacles and ideas are still far a part."
	Most of the meetings in talks have so far been confined to encounters between rival delegations and Ould Cheikh ...

AFP

AFP

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