Oil prices firmed today but held near recent multi-year lows as dealers weighed Saudi Arabia's budget in a market dogged by stubborn oversupply and tepid data.
	At 1830 IST in London, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in February was up 12 cents at USD 36.74 a barrel.
	US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained 11 cents to USD 36.92 compared with yesterday's close.
	The market struggled today, one day after major crude exporter and OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia cut subsidies on fuel, power and water to counter the impact of plunging oil prices on its finances.
	Riyadh posted a deficit of USD 98 billion (89 billion euros) in 2015 after a sharp decline in oil revenues.
	And with crude prices expected to remain low, Saudi authorities also projected a shortfall of USD 87 billion in the 2016 budget, the third year in a row with a shortfall.
	"The Saudi budget ... Reinforced the 'lower for longer' sentiment in that market," said analyst Augustin Eden at traders Accendo Markets, in ...

Oil holds near multi-year lows

PTI Automatic

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi today visited Ramadi, a day after federal forces announced the liberation of the city from the Islamic State group, clinching a landmark victory.
	Abadi arrived by helicopter in the battle-scarred city, which lies around 100 kilometres west of Baghdad and is the capital of the province of Anbar, an AFP correspondent reported.
	The premier vowed yesterday, after counter-terrorism forces raised the flag above the key government complex in Ramadi, to rid the whole country of IS by the end of 2016.
	It is customary for the premier to visit newly reconquered cities but he was likely to feel particularly vindicated by the victory in Ramadi, which government forces had lost in May.
	Abadi was criticised at home for not resorting to the powerful Tehran-backed Shiite militia groups that played a key role in retaking other cities such as Tikrit and Baiji and instead coordinating with the US-led coalition.

Iraq PM visits newly reconquered Ramadi

Scores at tea on the fourth day of
the first Test between South Africa and England at Kingsmead on Tuesday.
     England, first innings, 303
     South Africa, first innings, 214
     England, second innings, 326
     South Africa, second innings
     D. Elgar not out 26
     S. Van Zyl b Stokes 33
     H. Amla not out 4
     Extras (lb2) 2
     Total (1 wkt, 13 overs) 65
     Fall of wicket: 1-53 (Van Zyl)
     Bowling: Broad 4-1-12-0, Woakes 2-0-15-0, Finn 2-0-12-0, Stokes 3-0-15-1, Ali 2-0-9-0.

Durban, Dec 29 (AFP) Scores at tea on the fourth day of

Ben Stokes struck for England after South Africa made a confident start to their second innings on the fourth day of the first Test at Kingsmead on Tuesday.
     Set to make 416 in a possible 140 overs, South Africa were 65 for one at tea.
     First innings centurion Dean Elgar and Stiaan van Zyl put on 53 for South Africa's first wicket before Stokes bowled Van Zyl for 33.
     The left-handed Van Zyl played some handsome strokes before he fell in similar fashion to his first innings duck against Stuart Broad, misjudging a ball bowled from around the wicket which hit his off stump.
     England were bowled out for 326 in their second innings just under an hour after lunch.
     Jonny Bairstow hit an aggressive 79 off 76 balls to provide impetus to the England innings as they sought to score quickly to give themselves time to bowl out South Africa.
     Bairstow hit nine fours and three sixes before he was last an out as he provided a rare example of a batsman scoring freely on a ...

Stokes strikes after South Africa start well

Long accustomed to cheap utilities and some of the lowest petrol prices in the world, Saudis woke to a shock today as authorities made massive subsidy cuts after falling oil prices caused a record deficit.
	In a clear departure from its decades-old generous welfare system, Riyadh announced prices would rise on fuel, electricity, water and even plane tickets and cigarettes.
	Residents of the oil-rich Gulf kingdom have long enjoyed cheap prices on basic goods and services, but officials made clear that was no longer sustainable after the stunning drop in crude prices over the last 18 months.
	"We have to rationalise unnecessary spending... This requires changes to focus on essential expenditures," Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf was quoted as saying Tuesday by the Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper.
	After years of high spending, authorities moved swiftly to impose unprecedented cuts after announcing yesterday a 2015 budget deficit of USD 98 billion -- the largest in Saudi history and a whopping 

Stung by low oil prices, Saudi makes unprecedented cuts

Scores on the fourth day of the
first Test between South Africa and England at Kingsmead on Tuesday:
     England, first innings, 303
     South Africa, first innings, 214
     England, second innings      (overnight 172-3)
     A. Cook lbw b Piedt 7
     A. Hales c Abbott b Piedt 26
     N. Compton c De Villiers b Morkel 49
     J. Root c Van Zyl b Abbott 73
     J. Taylor st De Villiers b Piedt 42
     B. Stokes c Elgar b Piedt 5
     J. Bairstow c Duminy b Van Zyl 79
     M. Ali lbw b Piedt 16
     C. Woakes c Duminy b Van Zyl 23
     S. Broad c De Villiers b Van Zyl 0
     S. Finn not out 0
     Extras (b3, lb3) 6
     Total (102.1 overs) 326
     Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Cook), 2-48 (Hales), 3-119 (Compton), 4-192 (Root), 5-197 (Stokes), 6-224 (Taylor), 7-272 (Ali), 8-315 (Woakes), 9-315 (Broad)
     Bowling: Steyn 3.5-0-10-0, Morkel 20.3-5-38-1, Abbott 21.4-3-62-1, Piedt 36-4-153-5, Elgar 9-0-32-0, Van Zyl 10.1-3-20-3, Duminy 1-0-5-0.

Durban, Dec 29 (AFP) Scores on the fourth day of the

Authorities called off the search today for a dozen people still missing after a ferry sank in central Indonesia with the loss of 78 lives, the latest maritime accident in the archipelago.
	Sixty-six bodies have been recovered and 12 people are missing and presumed dead after the vessel went down in rough seas on December 19 in a gulf off Sulawesi island after being pummelled by massive waves.
	Forty survivors were rescued soon after it sank.
	"We have not found anyone today and there has been no sign we will find anyone else, so the operation has been officially called off," search and rescue agency head Bambang Soelistyo told AFP.
	Soelistyo said the agency has asked local fishermen and sailors to notify authorities if they found any more people.
	Boats and aircraft had scoured the gulf for 10 days but not found any bodies since the weekend.
	A total of 118 passengers and crew were on board the boat when it ran into trouble, with survivors describing massive waves smashing into the .

Indonesia calls off search for ferry wreck victims

Radical Islamist gunmen shut down three faculties at Yemen's University of Aden today in an attempt to force students to observe segregation of the sexes on campus, witnesses said.
	The incident was the second of its kind in recent weeks in Aden, Yemen's second city, where the presence of jihadist groups is growing as the embattled government struggles to spread control.
	The gunmen, some of whom were masked, forced the students out of the faculties of administrative sciences, law, and engineering, before locking down the gates, students said.
	"They dragged us out of the exam halls," said one of the students. "They detained two students who were filming the incident."
	Students said the gunmen shouted: "No mixing. We have warned you before," and added that the authorities did not intervene to stop the extremists.
	It was not immediately clear what group the gunmen belonged to but witnesses and local residents said they were loyalists of Ayman Askar, a local militia leader known for ..

Gunmen shut Yemen faculties for mixing of sexes

Turkish authorities have arrested three suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in Istanbul, including two Pakistanis and a Briton, state media said today.
	The state-run Anatolia news agency said the Pakistani suspects had been detained last week in a raid on their homes in Istanbul's central Mecidiyekoy district.
	Police then expanded the operation based on intelligence the suspects provided and detained the British suspect, identified as Hasan H, at a bus stop in the conservative Fatih district, it added.
	All have now been remanded in custody by a court.
	Anatolia said that Hasan H was believed to be linked to Aine Lesley Davis, a close associate of the notorious British IS militant known as "Jihadi John" who Washington believes was likely killed in a recent drone strike in Syria.
	Davis, a London-born British Muslim who turned to Islamist militancy, was among IS suspects detained in November in Istanbul the same day as the Paris attacks, for allegedly planning .

Turkey arrests 3 IS suspects, including Briton: report

Nigeria's information minister today insisted that Boko Haram was "largely defeated" despite two days of bombings blamed on the jihadist group that left dozens dead in the volatile northeast.
	Lai Mohammed maintained the Nigerian government had greatly reduced the group's capacity to attack and was on its last week.
	"Boko Haram has been largely defeated. They (Boko Haram) know they are on their way out," Mohammed told journalists in Lagos.
	"They lack the capacity to launch horrendous attacks they used to do in the past. We have succeeded in dislodging them," he said.
	"Our problem now is how to resettle the internally displaced people."
	In the final days before his self-imposed deadline to stamp out the group on December 31 expires, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said that Boko Haram was "technically" defeated.
	In an expected show of defiance, Boko Haram attacked a series of towns in the north of Africa's most populous nation and biggest oil producer, calling into question ...

Nigerian minister claims Boko Haram 'largely' defeated

A Pakistani court today rejected a petition against the inclusion of convicted spot-fixer Mohammad Amir in the national cricket team, clearing the last hurdle to his predicted comeback after a five-year ban.
     Amir, 23, was one of three Pakistan players banned for arranging deliberate no-balls as part of a betting scam during a Test match in England 2010.
     The two other were the then-Test captain Salman Butt and bowler Mohammad Asif. All three were also sentenced to six months in prison in Britain.
     The prospect of the trio returning to national colours after serving their bans has polarised opinions, with one lawyer petitioning the Lahore High Court to issue a stay order against a recall for Amir.
     Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan rejected the petition, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board's legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi.
     "I pleaded the case on behalf of the PCB and our opinion is that Amir completed his ban and as per country's constitution he has every right to play 

Court clears Amir's path to return to Pakistan team

Kuwait has decided to send ground forces to take part in the war on Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, a local newspaper reported today.
	Al-Qabas daily cited an informed source saying Kuwait's cabinet has approved sending the troops to Saudi Arabia, which is leading a coalition against the rebels, as soon as early next week.
	Kuwait's participation in the Yemen war has so far been limited to the airforce.
	No details were provided about the size of the force.
	Since March, Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes against the Huthis and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh after they overran large parts of Yemen.

Kuwait to send troops to Saudi for Yemen war: report

Hundreds of workers at a Hong Kong-owned garment factory in Vietnam which makes lingerie for labels like Victoria's Secret and Wacoal have been hospitalised with food-poisoning, state media reported today.
	More than two-thirds of the 650 victims, mostly female workers at Regina Miracle International Vietnam Co Ltd, were rushed yesterday to hospitals and clinics in Hai Phong City, 100 kilometres from Hanoi, Thanh Nien newspaper said.
	Most of them suffered from dizziness, stomach pain and headaches after eating a lunch of rice, fish, meat, vegetables and yoghurt in the factory canteen.
	"By Tuesday noon, 223 workers remained in hospital, but with minor symptoms (of food poisoning)," Pham Thu Xanh, director of Hai Phong's health care department said in an interview with state-run Vietnam Television.
	The Thanh Nien report said authorities were investigating what had made the workers sick while the food company has been temporarily suspended from operations until the results are ...

Hundreds hospitalised in mass Vietnam food poisoning

Taiwan called on Japan today to apologise and compensate the island's wartime sex slaves after Tokyo and Seoul reached an agreement on the emotive issue.
	Japan offered a "heartfelt apology" and a one-billion yen (USD 8.3 million) payment to the South Koreans, euphemistically known as "comfort women", who were forced into Japanese military brothels during World War II.
	The agreement announced on Monday was hailed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as a "new era" for relations, which had been soured by the unresolved issue.
	Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou urged Japan, which ruled the island from 1895-1945, to take the same measures over Taiwanese comfort women.
	"The government's stance is to demand the Japanese government apologise to the comfort women from our country during World War II, to compensate them, and to return justice and dignity to them," Ma told reporters on Tuesday.
	"We hope the Japanese government can do better and take better care of the comfort women's welfare 

Taiwan urges Japan apology on 'comfort women' after Korea deal

Some 200 Japanese nationalists lashed out today at an agreement to settle a dispute with South Korea about wartime sex slaves, with some calling on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to kill himself in shame.
	Japan yesterday offered a "heartfelt apology" and a one-billion yen (USD 8.3 million) payment to surviving South Korean "comfort women" forced into Japanese military brothels during World War II.
	Abe, himself a nationalist who came to power three years ago vowing to revitalise Japan's economy and revise its war-renouncing constitution, has praised the agreement as heralding a "new era" for relations.
	Ties between Tokyo and Seoul have long been soured by the sex slave issue, a legacy of Japan's colonial rule over the Korean peninsula and of World War II.
	Some on Japan's conservative far right have long said the country has nothing to apologise for and have questioned the accounts of the surviving comfort women, suggesting they were prostitutes and not coerced.
	Demonstrators, mostly in 

Japan nationalists protest landmark sex slave deal with SKorea

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today blasted a call by a leading Kurdish politician for autonomy for the country's Kurdish minority as "treason."
	"What the co-leader has done is treason, provocation," Erdogan told reporters at Istanbul airport before leaving for Saudi Arabia.
	Selahattin Demirtas, co-leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) said at the weekend that Kurds in Turkey had to decide whether to live in autonomy or "under one man's tyranny".
	Erdogan condemned the comment as unconstitutional.
	"How dare you talk about establishing a state in the southeast and in the east within Turkey's existing unitary structure," Erdogan said, referring to Demirtas.
	"You cannot take such a step. Neither the national will, nor our security forces, armed forces, police, village guards allow such a thing," he warned.
	Demirtas has emerged as Erdogan's key rival over the last year, with many commentators saying he is the only politician to rival the rhetorical skills 

Erdogan blasts autonomy call by Kurdish party as 'treason'

At least 13 people drowned in Uganda's Lake Victoria, when sudden waves swamped them as they celebrated the Christmas holiday, Ugandan police said today.
	"The victims were mainly youths who were swimming in the water before a strong wave engulfed them," police spokesman for the capital Kampala, Patrick Onyango, said.
	"So far 13 bodies of people, who had gone to various beaches along Lake Victoria who had been merry making during Christmas, have been recovered."
	Drownings are not uncommon in the vast inland waters of Lake Victoria, which lies just to the south of the capital, but police said they were shocked at the large number of victims in a single incident.
	"This is the first time we are getting such big numbers  - before it was isolated cases of one or two people," Onyango said.

13 Ugandans drown in Lake Victoria during Christmas revelry

Australia beat the West Indies by 177 runs in the second Test to win the series and retain the Frank Worrell Trophy in Melbourne on Tuesday.
     The Australians, who won the first Test in Hobart by an innings and 212 runs, dismissed the Caribbean tourists for 282 late on the fourth day after declaring their second innings on 179 for three with a 459-run lead.
     The tourists were 146 for four at tea and despite a spirited 100-run stand for the sixth wicket between skipper Jason Holder and former captain Denesh Ramdin they quickly lost their remaining four wickets to crash to defeat 1.3 overs before the scheduled close.
     Holder was out for 68 off 86 balls, while Ramdin chipped in with 59 off 90 balls in his best Test score for two years.
     Spinner Nathan Lyon was named man of the match with seven match wickets while all-rounder Mitchell Marsh finished with four for 61 in the second innings.
     "I thought our energy, intent and all that in the field was probably as good as ..

Aussies thump Windies by 177 runs to claim series

Scores after the fourth and final
day of the second Test between Australia and the West Indies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday:
     Australia 1st innings 551-3 declared
     West Indies 1st innings 271
     Australia 2nd innings
     J. Burns  c K. Brathwaite b Holder       5
     D. Warner c Holding b C. Brathwaite     17
     U. Khawaja   c Ramdin b Holder          56
     S. Smith    not out                     70
     M. Marsh    not out                     18
     Extras (lb6, w2, nb5)                   13
     Total (3 wickets declared; 32 overs)   179
     Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Burns), 2-46 (Warner), 3-123 (Khawaja)
     Bowling: Taylor 3-0-25-0, Holder 11-1-49-2 (1nb), C. Brathwaite 6-1-30-1 (1w), Roach 4-0-22-0 (1w), Warrican 8-0-47-0
     West Indies 2nd innings
     K. Brathwaite  c Smith b Lyon           31
     R. Chandrika   lbw b Pattinson          37
     D. Bravo       c Nevill b Siddle        21
     M. Samuels     c Nevill b Marsh         19
     J. ...

Melbourne, Dec 29 (AFP) Scores after the fourth and final

The West Indies were hanging on with Australia six wickets away from a series-clinching victory at tea on the fourth day of the second Test in Melbourne today.
     The Australians, big winners in the first Test in Hobart, grabbed three wickets in the middle session with a fifth day still open.
     At tea, the tourists were 146 for four and trailing Australia by 313 runs with Jermaine Blackwood on 16 and Denesh Ramdin not out 19.
     Australia dismissed Darren Bravo, Rajendra Chandrika and Marlon Samuels after lunch to take a firmer grip on proceedings.
     Bravo, the first-innings top-scorer with 81, was caught behind off Peter Siddle for 21 and Chandrika's 130-ball vigil ended when he was trapped leg before wicket to James Pattinson for 37.
     Senior batsman Samuels continued his dismal tour when he prodded at Mitchell Marsh and was snapped up by wicketkeeper Peter Nevill for 19.
     Blackwood has attempted to play his shots, while wicketkeeper Ramdin is searching for form ...

Windies hang in as Aussies seek series victory

Scoreboard at tea on the fourth
day of the second Test between Australia and the West Indies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground today:
 Australia 1st innings 551-3 declared
 West Indies 1st innings 271
 Australia 2nd innings 179
 West Indies 2nd innings
 K. Brathwaite  c Smith b Lyon           31
 R. Chandrika   lbw b Pattinson          37
 D. Bravo       c Nevill b Siddle        21
 M. Samuels     c Nevill b Marsh         19
 J. Blackwood    not out                 16
 D. Ramdin       not out                 19
 Extras (lb1, nb2)                        3
 Total (4 wickets; 56 overs)            146
 Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-83, 3-91, 4-118.
 Bowling: Hazlewood 12-2-27-0, Pattinson 11-3-22-1, Lyon 15-6-38-1, Siddle 6-2-22-1, Marsh 11-2-36-1, Smith 1-1-0-0.

AFP

AFP

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