North Korea has completed preparations for a fifth nuclear test, South Korean President Park Geun-Hye said today, amid reports that Pyongyang has also readied a powerful, new mid-range missile for an imminent flight test.
     Concern has been growing for weeks that the North is building up to a fifth nuclear test ahead of a rare, ruling party congress to be held early next month.
     "We assess that they have completed preparations for a fifth nuclear test and can conduct it whenever they decide to," Park said during a meeting with editors of domestic media organisations.
     If North Korea does go ahead, it would constitute a dramatic act of defiance in the face of tough UN sanctions imposed after its most recent nuclear test in January.
     Some analysts have suggested that, by carrying out a fifth test so soon after the fourth, the North might hope to avoid a heavy package of additional sanctions -- but Park insisted that the international community's response would be swift ...

S Korea's Park says North ready for nuclear test

PTI Automatic

A Thai court today granted a foreign same-sex couple full custody of their surrogate baby following a high-profile legal battle with the mother who refused to hand her over after giving birth.
	Manuel Valero, from Spain, and his American husband Gordon Lake were blocked from leaving Thailand with their daughter Carmen after the surrogate declined to sign necessary paperwork following the birth in January 2015.
	They accused the mother, Patidta Kusonsrang, of reneging on the surrogacy once she discovered the couple were gay.
	Rachapol Sirikulchit, the couple's lawyer, told reporters the court had granted "sole custody to Gordon Allan Lake" after the court ruling in Bangkok.
	Reporters were not allowed inside to hear the ruling. The court is expected to release a written statement later today.
	"We are really happy that this nightmare is going to end soon," a tearful Valero told reporters outside court.
	"After 15 months Carmen will fly to Spain. We don't know when but it will be soon," 

Thai court sides with foreign gay couple in surrogacy row

France said today it was ready to help Libya's new unity government with maritime security as the fledgling administration seeks to assert its authority over the chaos-wracked country.
	"We must wait until the prime minister (designate Fayez al-Sarraj) tells us what security measures he is planning on taking and what he is hoping to get from the international community to ensure Libya's maritime security. We are ready" to help, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France's Europe 1 radio.
	His remarks came a week after the European Union offered "concrete" support to Libya's unity government to boost the economy and security, including training for the Libyan coastguard to stem the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean.
	The EU is concerned by the Islamic State group's expansion in Libya, and also by a new increase in migrant arrivals in Italy from Libya since the start of spring.
	European leaders are seeking to expand the mandate of a maritime mission in the Mediterranean ...

France ready to help Libya govt with naval security: minister

Junior doctors in England started their first ever all-out strike today in a bitter, deadlocked row with Prime Minister David Cameron's government over pay and conditions.
	The strike will have a major impact on the National Health  Service (NHS), which employs thousands of junior doctors-graduates with years of experience who have not yet completed their professional qualifications.
	While there have been several recent stoppages, this one will affect hospital emergency care units such as accident and emergency and maternity units for the first time, although senior doctors and nurses will still be on duty.
	Nearly 13,000 operations and 1,13,000 appointments have been postponed around the period of the strike, which runs from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM today and tomorrow.
	"Anything unprecedented like this places a significant pressure on the NHS," Anne Rainsberry, national incident director for NHS England, told BBC Radio 4.
	"The NHS has done everything it possibly can to mitigate that, ...

English junior doctors strike in furious government row

Two ethnic Armenian soldiers have been killed in a new upsurge in fighting between Azerbaijani forces and separatists from the breakaway region of Nagorny Karabakh, the separatist statelet said today.
	   "On the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Karabakh forces, the enemy violated a ceasefire 80 times using all types of artillery and armoured vehicles," said the defence ministry of the breakaway region, claiming it had also inflicted casualties on Azerbaijani forces.
	   Azerbaijan and Armenia have for decades been at loggerheads over the breakaway region of Nagorny Karabakh and have not signed a peace deal despite a 1994 ceasefire, with Armenian-backed separatists seizing the territory from Azerbaijan.
	   Earlier this month, more than 100 people died in the worst violence to hit Nagorny Karabakh since the inconclusive ceasefire deal in 1994 halted a war that left some 30,000 people dead.
	   A Moscow-mediated truce went into effect earlier this month but clashes have ...

Two Armenian soldiers killed in Karabakh despite truce

Thousands of supporters of powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr answered his call to demonstrate in Baghdad today to pressure the Iraqi government to carry out stalled reforms.
	   Iraq has been hit by weeks of political turmoil surrounding Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's efforts to replace the cabinet of party-affiliated ministers with a government of technocrats.
	   The proposed changes have been opposed by powerful political parties that rely on control of ministries for patronage and funds, and parliament has repeatedly failed to vote on a new cabinet list.
	   The demonstrators, many of them carrying Iraqi flags, marched from Tahrir Square in central Baghdad to an entrance to the heavily-fortified Green Zone, where the government is headquartered, chanting that politicians "are all thieves."
	   "Our participation in the demonstration aims to reject this government for being sectarian," protester Abu Ali al-Zaidi said.
	   Key government posts have for years been shared out ..

Thousands of Iraqis answer Sadr's call to protest

The financial services affiliate of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has raised USD 4.5 billion in funding, it said today, calling it the largest single private placement by an Internet company.
	The move values Ant Financial Services Group at roughly USD 60 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported, quoting people familiar with the situation. Previous media reports had said the company aimed to raise USD 3.5 billion.
	Investors included a unit of China's sovereign wealth fund and a subsidiary of China Construction Bank, one of the country's Big Four lenders, according to a statement.
	Ant Financial, which is reportedly planning to go public, said it would use the funds for global expansion and boosting its services to China's rural areas.
	"The capital raised in series B will allow us to invest in the infrastructure, such as cloud computing and risk control, that will underpin our long-term growth in rural and international markets," Eric Jing, president of Ant Financial, said in the 

Alibaba financial affiliate Ant raises $4.5 bn

A 16-year-old charged with preparing a terror attack linked to Anzac Day commemorations in Australia pleaded not guilty today, reports said, as it emerged he had been in an intensive deradicalisation programme.
	The boy, who cannot be named, did not appear in Parramatta Children's Court in Sydney and the plea was made through his lawyer Zemarai Khatiz, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said.
	The teen has been charged with one count of acting in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act by allegedly attempting to buy a gun. The offence carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
	He was picked up near his home in western Sydney on Sunday, and police said they feared he had plans to attack an Anzac Day service honouring Australian soldiers the following day.
	Australia has for months been concerned about home-grown extremism and raised the terror threat alert level to high in September 2014.
	The Australian newspaper said the teenager had been part of a deradicalisation ...

Teen pleads not guilty to Australia terror plan

Currency swings and declining China sales took a toll on Hyundai Motor as the South Korean carmaker today reported a drop in net profit for the ninth consecutive quarter.
	Hyundai -- along with its smaller affiliate Kia -- forms the world's fifth largest automaking group.
	Net profit for January to March amounted to 1.76 trillion won (USD 1.52 billion), down 11.6 per cent from a year ago, while operating profit also fell 15.5 per cent to 1.34 trillion won.
	A prolonged slump in global oil prices hurt growth by dampening demand in some emerging markets, the company said in a statement.
	A weakening of local currencies in countries such as Russia and Brazil also blunted Hyundai's price competitiveness, it said.
	Global car sales were down 6.4 per cent from a year before at 1.1 million units.
	Hyundai warned that uncertainties would persist for the rest of the year, with emerging and advanced economies both showing few signs of recovery.
	To counter slowing sales, the firm said it would .

Hyundai Motor Q1 profit falls on poor China sales

Hong Kong's Beijing-friendly leader warned today the city will lose investment and job opportunities if residents continue to seek independence, painting a bleak economic picture of the former British colony without Chinese support.
	Unpopular leader Leung Chun-ying's remarks come as political divisions in the semi-autonomous city widen, with young campaigners pushing for self-determination or outright independence from China.
	Hong Kong is self-governing and retains many freedoms not seen on the mainland, but Beijing sees the concept of eventual independence as unthinkable.
	"The city's seven million residents would bear the political and economic consequences with those pushing for independence or self-determination," Leung told reporters at the government's headquarters.
	"Investors would lose confidence in Hong Kong. People would lose opportunities to develop and to obtain employment," he said.
	"Hong Kong would lose the trust and the support of Chinese authorities," Leung, ...

Hong Kong leader warns independence calls threaten economy

The organiser of a party which saw a fireball rip through a crowd in a Taiwan waterpark leaving 15 dead was found guilty of negligence today and jailed for four years and 10 months.
	Lu Chung-chi, owner of Colour Play Asia, was behind the event at Formosa Fun Coast where coloured corn starch being sprayed on partygoers ignited under the heat of stage lights last June, sending them running for their lives and leaving hundreds injured.
	He was found guilty of negligence causing death at Taipei's Shihlin district court as relatives of the victims gathered outside waving banners calling for justice.
	Judge Kuo Hui-ling read the verdict with no further comment - Lu was not in court.
	A press statement from the court released after the verdict paid tribute to the young victims of the tragedy.
	"Most of the victims were very young and their wonderful lives were about to start. They had beautiful dreams to be realised," it said.
	"Because of the explosion, 15 of them lost their lives and most 

Taiwan party organiser guilty over fireball that killed 15

French naval contractor DCNS today was picked ahead of Germany and Japan for a 50 billion dollars (USD39 billion) contract to design and build Australia's next generation of submarines in the country's biggest ever defence procurement programme.
	The announcement by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull culminates years of planning to replace Australia's ageing diesel and electric-powered Collins Class submarines, which are due to leave service from around 2026.
	Turnbull said the 12 new subs "will be the most sophisticated naval vessels being built in the world".
	"The recommendation of our competitive evaluation process... Was unequivocal, that the French offer represented the capabilities best able to meet Australia's unique needs," he added at an Adelaide shipyard, where the submarines will be constructed.
	"This is a momentous national endeavour. This is securing together with our commitment to surface vessel construction, this is securing the future of Australia's navy, over decades ..

France wins 'momentous' Australia sub contract

Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane said that he expects both Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to face Manchester City in Champions League semi-final first leg.
     Ronaldo did not feature in Saturday's 3-2 win at Rayo Vallecano after sustaining a thigh muscle strain in Madrid's previous game, while Benzema was forced off by a knee problem in the 42nd minute.
     But both forwards made the journey to Manchester with the rest of the Madrid squad and while Zidane said they would both be assessed in training, he is confident that they will be able to play.
     "The idea is that we want them to play tomorrow, of course," he told his pre-match press conference at City's Etihad Stadium.
     "We have the last training session now, so we'll see. They're absolutely fine at the moment. I think they'll be fine.
     "They're 100 percent, but we'll test everything. The idea is that they'll play."
     Ronaldo and Benzema were present for the part of the pre-match training session open ..

Ronaldo, Benzema fit for Man City - Zidane

Defending champions Juventus secured a record-equalling fifth consecutive Serie A title after Roma struck late to beat second-placed Napoli 1-0.
     Juventus, emulating their feat of 1935 when the Turin giants won a fifth straight title for the first time, had gone 12 points clear of Napoli with a 2-1 win at Fiorentina on Sunday when goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon made a last-gasp penalty save from Nikola Kalinic.
     Napoli had to beat Roma to have any chance of maintaining their bid for a first title in 26 years, but Maurizio Sarri's men were stunned when Radja Nainggolan hit an 89th-minute winner for the hosts at the Stadio Olimpico.
     It left Juve 12 points clear of Napoli with only three games remaining this season. Napoli remain second but are now just two points ahead of Roma as the pair battle for the league's second automatic Champions League qualifying place.
     While Roma celebrated their victory, the big party was going on in Turin, where thousands of fans watched the .

Roma beat Napoli to hand title to Juventus

Brazil promises a roaring Rio Olympics party, but with 100 days to go before the sporting mega bash, the hosts are battling nightmarish political and economic gate crashers.
     Stunning scenery and traditional Brazilian warmth mean the 10,500 athletes from 206 countries and 450,000 tourists should have a spectacular time.
     Officials say the stadiums are 98 percent ready and International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach has promised "an excellent Games."
     But the first Olympics ever staged in South America is threatened by an almighty hangover before it even gets under way.
     The revelation by officials Monday that 11 people have died on Olympic construction sites -- compared to eight across all Brazil for the 2014 World Cup -- cast a grim shadow.
     Then there is the major turmoil on the political stage where President Dilma Rousseff faces impeachment.
     Usually, Rousseff would be the one in Rio's Maracana stadium announcing the Games open on August 5. However, ..

Brazil wrestles chaos 100 days before Olympics

Chile paid homage to Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda as it prepared to rebury him today after examining his body to determine whether he was assassinated by the country's former dictatorship.
	A court in February ordered that Neruda's remains be returned to his tomb after they were examined by specialists who are expected to release their findings in May.
	His coffin, covered with a red, white and blue Chilean flag, lay in state in the Congress in Santiago yesterday after being transferred from the forensic medical service where it was examined.
	It was due to be returned today to the Isla Negra, a coastal area in central Chile where Neruda was previously buried according to his will, facing the Pacific Ocean.
	Neruda died in 1973, just days after General Augusto Pinochet seized power in a coup.
	Doubts have surrounded the cause of his death since his former driver claimed the poet was given an injection in his chest at the Santiago clinic where he was being treated for prostate 

Chile honours poet Neruda before reburying body

Bolivian President Evo Morales is willing to undergo a paternity test to settle a dispute with an ex-girlfriend whose child he denies fathering, news reports have said, quoting his lawyer.
	In a case that has plunged the 56-year-old leader into scandal, Morales had claimed he fathered a child with her which later died, before changing his story to say the child never existed.
	A court ordered the leftist president to undergo a test to answer claims by his ex-partner Gabriela Zapata that he is indeed the father of her child.
	"Evo Morales is a citizen who respects the law. If the authorities summon him, he will attend," his lawyer Gaston Velasquez was quoted as saying by the newspaper Pagina Siete.
	Morales took Zapata to court in March to make her prove the boy is alive.
	Compounding the scandal, Zapata has also been implicated in an alleged corruption case.
	Zapata is currently in jail pending trial on charges of money laundering, embezzlement and influence-peddling.
	A former ...

Bolivia president agrees to paternity test in scandal: media

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the assassination of a Tutsi general who was killed along with his wife in Burundi's capital today.
	General Athanase Kararuza, a security advisor to one of Burundi's vice presidents, and his wife died in a rocket and grenade attack as they were dropping off their daughter at school in Bujumbura.
	The daughter survived the attack, according to a family member.
	"The assassination of Brigadier General Kararuza comes in the wake of several instances of politically-motivated assassination attempts in Burundi over recent weeks," Ban said.
	Yesterday, Burundi's minister of human rights, social affairs and gender Martin Nivyabandi, survived a grenade attack.
	"All such acts of violence serve no purpose other than to worsen the already volatile situation in Burundi," said Ban.
	The UN chief called on "all political leaders, including those in exile, to firmly renounce the use of violence in pursuit of political agendas and commit to an inclusive and 

UN's Ban condemns Burundi general's assassination

A French cardinal accused of covering up for a paedophile priest, in a scandal that has rocked the local Catholic Church, admitted today to "errors in the management and nomination of certain priests".
	Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon, made the admission in a statement after a meeting at the bishop's residence in Lyon to discuss accusations the church failed to report several child sexual abuse cases in the area.
	The meeting, which was held behind closed doors and attended by some 220 priests, heard from a victim of Bernard Preynat, a priest who has admitted sexually abusing scouts under his supervision over 25 years ago.
	Several complaints have been brought against Barbarin for failing to inform the authorities about Preynat and other priests targeted by abuse allegations in his diocese.
	The media-friendly cardinal, one of the top figures in the Church in France, has vehemently denied any cover-up.
	"The cardinal recognised that the diocese committed errors in the ..

French archbishop admits errors in handling child abuse cases

A top Tutsi general was gunned down in Burundi today, the latest bloodshed in a year of violent political turmoil that has now prompted a preliminary probe by international prosecutors into a litany of atrocities.
	A wave of unrest, targeted assassinations and alleged torture has left some 500 people dead and forced more than 270,000 from their homes since April last year, with some analysts warning the central African nation may now be on the brink of a new civil war.
	General Athanase Kararuza, a security advisor to one of Burundi's vice presidents, was shot dead in the capital Bujumbura as he was dropping his daughter off at school.
	Kararuza, also a former commander of the African Union-led peacekeeping force in the Central African Republic, his wife and daughter were killed in the attack by unidentified heavily-armed men.
	"Those who killed my colleague General Kararuza and (perpetrated) other similar attacks are trying to sow divisions in the army and the police," presidential ..

Burundi general killed as ICC opens probe into atrocities

A Canadian held hostage by Islamic militants in the Philippines has been executed, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today, after Filipino authorities said they had found the head of a foreign man on a remote island.
	"I'm outraged by the news that a Canadian citizen, John Ridsdel, held hostage in the Philippines since September 21, 2015, has been killed at the hands of his captors," Trudeau said.
	"This was an act of cold blooded murder and responsibility rests with the terrorist group who took him hostage."
	Ridsdel, fellow Canadian tourist Robert Hall, Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina Marites Flor were kidnapped seven months ago from yachts at a marina near the major city of Davao, more than 500 kilometers from Jolo.
	Six weeks after the abduction, Abu Sayyaf gunmen released a video on social media of their hostages held in a jungle setting demanding USD 21 million each for the safe release of the three foreigners.
	The men were forced to beg 

AFP

AFP

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