Republic of Congo's newly-reelected President Denis Sassou Nguesso has named former opposition leader and one-time finance minister Clement Mouamba as his prime minister.
	"Mr Clement Mouamba is named prime minister and head of government," said a presidential decree read on state television yesterday, a week after Sassou Nguesso, who has been in power for 32 of the past 37 years, was sworn in for another five-year term.
	Mouamba served as finance minister between 1992 and 1993 under the country's first elected president Pascal Lissouba, who was ousted from power by Sassou Nguesso in 1997.
	He was a senior member of the opposition Pan-African Union for Social Democracy before being expelled in 2015 for taking part in the talks that paved the way for a constitutional referendum allowing Sassou Nguesso to extend his rule.
	The referendum scrapped a two-term limit on presidential mandates, allowing Sassou Nguesso to bid to stay in office in March elections, which he won with more than 60 

Former opposition leader named Congolese premier

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Some 600 disease experts from 43 nations will gather in Paris tomorrow to pour over scant but increasingly worrisome data emerging about the Zika virus sweeping Latin America and threatening the world.
	Scientists and public health specialists will discuss the virus' links to microcephaly, a disorder that causes severe brain damage in babies, and to adult-onset neurological problems such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which can cause paralysis and death.
	They will also review progress in the development of Zika diagnostics and vaccines, according to the Institut Pasteur, which will host the science meeting over the next two days.
	"It is now clear that the Zika virus can cause serious complications, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the current outbreak a public health emergency of international concern," Institut Pasteur president Christian Brechot told AFP.
	"It is therefore urgent to bring together key global players in research and health."
	Despite a flurry of ...

Disease experts to compare Zika notes in Paris

An Australian politician has set fire to a river to draw attention to methane gas he says is seeping into the water due to fracking, with the dramatic video attracting more than two millions views.
	Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham used a kitchen lighter to ignite bubbles of methane in the Condamine River in Queensland, about 220 kilometres west of Brisbane.
	The video shows him jumping back in surprise, using an expletive as flames shoot up around the dinghy.
	"Unbelievable. A river on fire. Don't let it burn the boat," Buckingham, from New South Wales, said in the footage posted on Facebook on Friday evening, which has been viewed more than two million times.
	"Unbelievable, the most incredible thing I've seen. A tragedy in the Murray-Darling Basin (river system)," he said, blaming it on nearby coal-seam gas mining, or fracking.
	Australia is a major gas exporter, but the controversial fracking industry has faced a public backlash in some parts of the country over fears about the ...

Australian politician sets river on fire to protest fracking

The body of pop icon Prince was cremated in a private ceremony, with a future public event in the works to remember him, a publicist said.
	"A few hours ago, Prince was celebrated by a small group of his most beloved: family, friends and his musicians, in a private, beautiful ceremony to say a loving goodbye," spokeswoman Anna Meacham said in a statement.
	"Prince's remains have been cremated and their final storage will remain private."
	But she added: "An announcement will be made at a future date for a musical celebration."
	In line with statements from authorities, she said that at least four weeks would be needed for the results of an autopsy on Prince's cause of death.
	The pop legend, renowned for his stamina and prolific musical output, died suddenly Thursday at his Paisley Park estate outside Minneapolis.

Prince cremated in private ceremony: spokeswoman

New aftershocks rattled Ecuador and hopes of finding survivors in the rubble all but evaporated, nearly a week after a huge earthquake that killed more than 600 people and injured thousands.
	A 6.0-magnitude quake struck just off the coast of northwest Ecuador around 10:00 pm (local time) on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said.
	It was followed by smaller aftershocks yesterday morning, ranging in magnitude from 4.0 to 5.2, said Ecuador's Geophysics Institute.
	The shaking could be felt in Manabi province, most affected by last week's 7.8-magnitude quake, as well as in the provinces of Esmeraldas and Los Rios, and in the cities of Santo Domingo, Guayaquil and the capital Quito.
	But there were no immediate reports of new casualties or damage.
	A carpenter who declined to give his name was among the legions trying to fetch a few belongings from their ruined homes, despite the heavily damaged roads.
	"Why stay?" he asked, his eyes filled with tears. "My wife died. I have nothing left 

New aftershocks jolt Ecuador still reeling from quake

President Dilma Rousseff voiced confidence that Brazil's people will "be able to prevent any setbacks" to democracy as she battles a bid to impeach her.
	"Brazil is a great country endowed with a society that was able to overcome authoritarianism in the past," Rousseff said at the United Nations during a ceremony for the signing of the Paris climate deal.
	"Ours is a hard-working people. We have great esteem for freedom. I have no doubt that our people will be able to prevent any setbacks," she said.
	Rousseff is fighting for her political survival at home following allegations that she used illegal accounting maneuvers to mask budget deficits during the 2014 election year.
	The leader has denied the charges and spoke of a "grave, serious moment" in Brazil at the end of her remarks devoted mostly to climate change.
	The president thanked "all the leaders who have expressed their solidarity to me."
	After leaving the UN, Rousseff raised the tone when speaking with Brazilian media, ...

Brazil's people will 'prevent setbacks' to democracy: Rousseff

Thousands of opponents of a proposed transatlantic trade deal poured onto German streets today on the eve of a visit by US President Barack Obama.
	Obama's trip -- to open an industrial technology fair in the northern city of Hanover and hold talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European leaders -- was intended to lend momentum to flagging efforts to see the world's biggest trade pact finalised this year.
	In an interview with German newspaper Bild ahead of the visit, Obama underscored his belief that the deal will strengthen trade and create jobs.
	But the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) has run into major opposition, not least in Europe's top economy Germany, where its foes have raised the spectre of eroding ecological and labour market standards and condemned secrecy shrouding the talks.
	A loose coalition of trade unions, environmentalists and consumer protection groups gathered a crowd of about 16,000 in front of Hanover's opera house ahead of a ...

Thousands rally in Germany against trade deal

Bombings targeting security forces in the Baghdad area killed at least eight people and wounded more than 30, security and medical officials have said.
	A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-rigged vehicle at a checkpoint on the northeastern edge of the city yesterday, killing at least seven people and wounding at least 24.
	Another car bomb exploded near an army patrol in the Dura area of southern Baghdad, killing at least one person and wounding at least eight.
	There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, but suicide bombings are a hallmark of the Islamic State jihadist group, which also employs car and roadside bombs.
	IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes have since regained significant ground.
	The jihadists still control a large part of western Iraq, and are able to carry out frequent bombings in government-held areas.

Baghdad area bombings kill at least eight: officials

A third day of UN-brokered peace negotiations in Kuwait between the Yemeni government and rebels wound up today without progress, sources close to the talks said.
	The sources told AFP the two sides remained far apart, especially on the need to firm up a fragile ceasefire that went into effect on April 11.
	There was no official comment from UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, who told reporters today that the delegations had held "constructive" talks and were committed to strengthening the truce.
	The truce was still only being 70-80 percent respected, he acknowledged, adding there were violations by both sides.
	The negotiations in Kuwait opened late Thursday after the delayed arrival of representatives of the Huthi rebels and allied forces loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
	The Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels are insisting on a halt to air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition which is supporting the government, ahead of other issues, the sources said.
	President Abedrabbo .

Day 3 of Yemen peace talks winds up without progress

Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu pressured German Chancellor Angela Merkel and top EU officials today to deliver on a promise of visa-free travel for Turkish citizens key to the success of a  migrant deal.
	"The issue of the visa waiver is vital for Turkey," he said at a joint news conference with Merkel, European Council head Donald Tusk and European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans.
	Merkel is on a high-stakes visit to Turkey aimed at boosting a six-billion-euro ($6.7 billion) deal plagued by moral and legal concerns to return migrants arriving on Greek shores to Turkey.
	Ties between Germany and Turkey are strained following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's warning that the deal would fall through if the EU did not keep up its end of the bargain by allowing visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.
	The bloc promised to present a visa recommendation on May 4 if Ankara complies with its side of the accord, but there has been growing unease in Europe over fears that ...

Turkey PM pressures Merkel on visa-free travel in migrant deal

US officials have ordered Boeing to fix engines on some of its 787 Dreamliner airplanes to avoid sudden failure in icy conditions, calling the problem an "urgent safety issue."
	The Federal Aviation Administration directive concerns a potential problem in General Electric engines that could affect more than 150 of the planes worldwide, following a January incident that caused an engine on a 787, Boeing's newest passenger plane, to fail mid-flight.
	Pilots on the Japan Airlines flight from Vancouver to Tokyo shut down the engine and the incident was not deemed serious because the plane's other engine was not susceptible to the problem.
	The Dreamliner is constructed largely of advanced lightweight carbon-fiber reinforced composite materials that reduce fuel use and it is Boeing's most sophisticated passenger plane.
	However, it has been dogged by a series of problems during development and production as well as since its first commercial flight in late 2011.
	The FAA said it was ...

US orders 'urgent' engine fix for Boeing 787 Dreamliners

Nearly 650 people are now known to have died in the strong earthquake that hit Ecuador one week ago, President Rafael Correa said today, as the toll jumped yet higher.
	Last Saturday's 7.8-magnitude quake was the worst to strike the South American country in decades, causing buildings to collapse and damaging roads and other infrastructure in tourist areas along Ecuador's coast.
	Strong aftershocks have rattled the country daily since and the number of dead is expected to rise further with another 130 people still missing.
	"We have 646 dead, 12,492 wounded and 26,091 people in shelters," Correa said, adding that more than 100 people had been plucked alive from deep rubble and rescue work is ongoing, even though hopes of finding more survivors are fast evaporating.
	The previous death toll stood at 602.
	Correa announced a series of drastic economic measures in an address to the nation Wednesday aimed at paying for what he estimates will be the USD 3 billion cost of rebuilding the ...

Ecuador quake death toll jumps to 646, one week on

An Egyptian court today postponed its verdict and sentence in the trial of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, who is charged with spying for Qatar.
	The head judge of the criminal court said the verdict was postponed to "May 7 to continue consultations," in brief remarks aired on television.
	If he is convicted it would be Morsi's fourth sentence. He has already been sentenced in three separate trials to death, a life term and 20 years in prison.
	Qatar was one of Morsi's main backers and Cairo accuses Doha of supporting the Islamist's outlawed Muslim Brotherhood movement.
	Morsi -- the country's first freely elected president -- had barely finished his first year in office when the military overthrew and detained him in July 2013.
	At the time it announced he would eventually be tried on vague charges of espionage and for a mass prison break during the 18-day revolt that overthrew his predecessor Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
	The prosecution charges that Morsi and 10 co-defendants ...

Egypt court postpones Morsi espionage verdict

North Korea's test today of what appeared to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile was "a clear violation" of UN Security Council resolutions, the United States said, warning it was watching intently.
	The missile flew 30 kilometres (18 miles) but the launch in the Sea of Japan was believed to have failed, the South Korean defense ministry said.
	"We closely monitor North Korean activities and the situation on the Korean peninsula, especially North Korean military activities," US State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
	"Launches using ballistic missile technology are a clear violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.
	"We call on North Korea to refrain from actions that further destabilize the region and focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its commitments and international obligations."
	North Korea has been pushing to acquire submarine- launched ballistic missile (SLBM) capability that would take its nuclear strike threat to a .

US warns North Korea over latest missile test

Syrian firefighters today worked to contain a fire that engulfed dozens of shops in the Asruniyeh market of Old Damascus, a UNESCO world heritage site.
	The market is adjacent to the famed Al-Hamidiyeh souk in one of the world's oldest cities.
	"It began at 06:00 am in one shop in the centre of the neighbourhood and then spread to other shops," a senior civil defence member in the market told AFP.
	Speaking to the official SANA news agency, the capital's civil defence chief General Jihad Mousa blamed an electrical fault.
	An AFP correspondent said at least 50 store fronts and warehouses were damaged.
	Syria's economy has already been devastated by the five-year war, with its foreign reserves depleted and inflation soaring.
	"Our livelihood has gone," said one shopkeeper after today's blaze, his head in his hands. "This shop used to feed ten people who worked for me."	An AFP correspondent said the owner of the shop where the fire started was taken to hospital with severe burns to his ..

Blaze engulfs shops in Syria's historic Old Damascus

German Chancellor Angela Merkel touched down in Turkey today for a visit along with top EU officials aimed at boosting a crucial deal Europe hopes will ease the worst migrant crisis since the Second World War.
	She was joined by European Council head Donald Tusk and European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans, who were greeted at the airport in south-east Turkey by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
	The delegation was set to travel immediately to a refugee camp in Nizip, near the Syrian border, where they were expected to speak to some of the 5,000 or so people forced to flee their conflict-wracked country.
	The trip comes a month after a March 20 deal between the EU and Ankara allowing for the deportation from Greece back to Turkey of migrants who do not qualify for asylum.
	In exchange, the EU has promised Turkey some six billion euros (USD6.8 billion) over the next four years aimed at helping Turkey better conditions for the 2.7 million refugees it is hosting, as well as a ...

Merkel, EU officials arrive for Turkey visit on migrant deal

Pope Francis today heard confessions from 16 teenagers after a surprise appearance in St Peter's square to greet thousands of young people attending his holy year youth day.
	The 16 boys and girls were among tens of thousands of 13 to 16-year-olds visiting the Vatican this weekend as part of Francis's Jubilee year dedicated to the theme of mercy.
	Thousands of them confessed to a total of 150 priests on duty at St Peter's before passing through a door of the basilica that is only open for the duration of the Jubilee, which started in December and runs to November.
	Under Catholic tradition, passing through a so-called holy door entitles believers to special indulgences during jubilees.
	For this one, the first since 2000, Francis has authorised priests to absolve women who have had abortions.
	The Holy Year is also a time when the faithful are encouraged to reflect on their faith and renew their relationship with God.
	There were no special arrangements for the 79-year-old pope to ...

Pope Francis hears teenagers' sins

North Korea today tested what appeared to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean defence ministry said.
	"North Korea launched a projectile which was believed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) around 6:30 pm (0930 GMT) in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) near the northeastern port of Sinpo", a defence ministry spokesman said.
	"We are keeping close tabs on the North Korean military and maintaining a full defence posture", he said.
	The missile flew 30 kilometres (18 miles) but the launch "appeared to have failed," he added.
	North Korea has been pushing to acquire SLBM capability that would take its nuclear strike threat to a new level, allowing deployment far beyond the Korean peninsula and the potential to retaliate in the event of a nuclear attack.
	It has conducted a number of what it says were successful SLBM tests, but experts question the claim, suggesting Pyongyang had gone little further than a "pop-up" test from a ...

N Korea tests submarine-launched missile: South

Eight members of one family, including a teenager, were shot dead in rural Ohio, just before gunmen killed six people in Georgia.
	In Ohio, seven bodies were found at three houses close to each other and an eighth was later found at a separate site, Sheriff Charles Reader told reporters.
	The victims were "all adults except for a male juvenile" who was 16 years old, he said, and all members of a single family.
	Two babies - one aged four days, the other six months - and a three-year-old child survived the shootings, he added. The authorities gave no possible motive. And, with at least one suspected gunman still on the loose, no arrests have been made.
	"Each one of the victims appears to have been executed, each one of the victims appears to have been shot in the head," Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said.
	"The preliminary determination has been made that none of the individuals committed suicide," he added, saying the shooter or shooters "are still at large. We do not know their .

Separate US shootings in two states leave 14 dead

US President Barack Obama has hailed German Chancellor Angela Merkel's "courageous" leadership in opening doors to migrants fleeing the Syrian conflict.
	"I believe that Chancellor Merkel's approach to the refugee crisis - and that of many Germans - has been courageous. She's demonstrated real political and moral leadership," Obama said in an interview published today with German daily Bild.
	"Angela has spoken of our moral obligation to people, including families and children, fleeing horrific conditions, including the barbarity of the Assad regime in Syria and ISIL (Islamic State)," Obama said.
	"We simply cannot shut our doors to our fellow human beings when they are in such desperate need."
	Merkel, who was going to Turkey on Saturday to discuss a deal on migration, has come under fire after Germany took in more than a million asylum seekers in 2015.
	Opponents, including from within her conservative camp, have argued vocally that Europe's top economy is ill-equipped to integrate .

Obama hails Turkey-bound Merkel's "courage" on migrants

Six foreigners suspected of links to the Islamic State group and accused of planning an attack against "state dignitaries" have been arrested in Turkey ahead of a visit by top EU officials, local authorities said today.
	The arrests took place overnight in Konya, in the centre of the country, as Turkey prepared for a visit by European Council head Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Gaziantep, which borders Syria and territories controlled by IS.
	The suspects "wanted to attack dignitaries of the state and strategic targets," according to a statement from officials in Konya, a conservative city where police have carried out several raids on suspected jihadist circles.
	"The operation has helped to thwart a possible attack," it added.
	Tusk, Merkel and the vice president of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, are expected to visit a refugee camp during their trip to the country's southeast, and hold a press conference with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet ...

AFP

AFP

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