An Algerian jihadist sympathiser arrested in connection with a thwarted attack on a church in France was charged with terror-related murder today after five days of police questioning.
	Sid Ahmed Ghlam, 24, was taken into custody Sunday after he accidentally shot himself in the leg, a fluke occurrence that led to police uncovering an alleged plot to attack at least one church in the town of Villejuif, just south of Paris.
	Ghlam, who remains in a Paris hospital recovering from the gunshot wound, was charged with "murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise" and criminal conspiracy, a source close to the case told AFP, adding that he was due to go before a judge on a prosecution request he be remanded into custody.
	Police say they found an arsenal of weapons, tactical gear and cellphones in Ghlam's car and student flat, but one of the suspect's lawyers said today he denies "vigorously all the accusations against him."
	Investigator say they uncovered detailed 

Thwarted French jihadist brought up on terror charges

PTI Automatic

The Apple Watch made its global debut today in a launch aimed at making the California giant the overnight leader in wearable technology.
	The event was noticeably low key compared with the fanfare of other Apple product launches: None of the smartwatches were available in Apple stores in New York or around the world, meaning no long queues.
	Walk-up sales of the wristwear were limited to specialized and luxury boutiques in the nine launch countries.
	Some customers were expected to get delivery of the Apple Watch if they were among the first to pre-order when Apple opened online sales on April 10.
	At the Apple flagship store on New York's Fifth Avenue, it was just another day.
	"Is it launching today? Really?" said Swiss national Francesco Maisano at the New York store, adding that he would have liked to take one home to his country, where no sales data has been announced.
	Also in New York, Elizabeth Stone said she didn't mind the delay -- understanding that Apple will not be ...

Apple Watch begins global launch -- quietly

United Nations Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon said today recent attacks on the UN mission in Mali highlighted the urgent need for a political settlement with rebels in the country's north.
	Seven UN peacekeepers were wounded yesterday in the most recent attack about 60 miles (100 kilometers) southwest of the northern city of Kidal.
	In all, five civilians have been killed since last week in attacks that also left 13 civilians and 16 peacekeepers wounded.
	"Attacks against civilians and UN peacekeepers constitute a serious violation of international law," Ban said through his spokesman, adding that those responsible should be brought to justice.
	"This series of attacks highlights the urgency of finding a political settlement and re-establishing security in the north of Mali."
	The UN mission's chief expressed hope that Tuareg rebels would sign a peace accord with the Malian government before a May 15 deadline.

UN chief concerned about attacks on peacekeepers in Mali

Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh today urged his rebel allies to implement UN Security Council decisions in return for a halt in Saudi-led coalition air strikes.
	"I call on Ansarullah (the Shiite Huthi rebels) to accept all UN Security Council decisions and to implement them in return for a halt in the coalition forces' aggression," Saleh said in a statement read out on his behalf on his private television channel Yemen Today.
	"I urge them and everyone -- militias and Al-Qaeda as well as militias loyal to (President Abedrabbo Mansour) Hadi, to withdraw from all provinces, especially Aden," the main southern city where fighting has raged between rival forces.
	A UN Security Council resolution this month imposed an arms embargo on the rebel leaders, including Saleh's own son Ahmed, and demanded that the Huthis withdraw from government institutions they had seized since they overran Sanaa in September.
	Saleh, who still holds sway over army units allied with the Huthis, had .

Yemen ex-president asks rebel allies to implement UN decisions

If there is one photo to take home from Switzerland, it is probably a selfie featuring iconic Saint Bernard dogs against the snow-covered backdrop of the Matterhorn peak.
	But such photo-ops are now over. The popular ski resort of Zermatt has banned tourists from posing for photos with the famed search and rescue dog, following complaints that some of the Saint Bernards were kept in miserable conditions.
	Swiss animal protection group PSA had called for the ban, saying that some dogs used in Zermatt were not taken for walks and were left "for long periods without food or water".
	"They are made to wait long hours in the cold outdoors for photographs," said PSA in a report.
	Five of the Saint Bernards were also kept in a decrepit house "in miserable conditions and against animal protection laws," added PSA, which filed a formal complaint against the owners of one such business offering photo-ops with the emblematic animals.
	The head of Zermatt commune Christoph Burgin, told AFP that ..

Swiss ski resort bans selfies with iconic Saint Bernards

Southern Chile dug itself out from under a thick layer of gray ash today while keeping a wary eye on the Calbuco volcano after it spectacularly erupted for the first time in half a century.
	The volcano, which unexpectedly burst into life with two eruptions Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, forcing 4,500 people to evacuate, caused alarm again early Friday when it emitted a large puff of smoke.
	The head of the National Geology and Mines Service said the volcano was still in "crisis phase," though initial warnings of a possible third eruption have not materialized so far.
	The ash cloud meanwhile continued to drift, disrupting flights across a large swath of South America, including one plane from Sydney to Santiago that was forced to turn back after five hours.
	In Buenos Aires, on the other side of the continent, American Airlines, United, Delta and Air France all cancelled flights to and from Europe and the United States.
	Chilean authorities have declared a state of ...

Southern Chile covered in ash after volcano erupts

Brent oil prices jumped this week to the highest level so far this year, as the latest Saudi-led air strikes on Yemen stoked supply tensions in the crude-rich Middle East.
	Elsewhere, precious metal gold sank on sliding safe-haven demand as a result of easing tensions over Greece.
	Brent prices today hit a four-month peak of $65.80 per barrel, the highest level since December 10, as Saudi-led coalition warplanes again hit Yemen.
	"Saudi Arabia's renewed bombing campaign in Yemen sent crude oil higher, with Brent rising to new 2015 highs," said CMC Markets analyst Jasper Lawler.
	The Saudi-led coalition launched more deadly strikes in Yemen Thursday despite a demand by Iran-backed rebels for a complete halt to the raids as a condition for UN-sponsored peace talks.
	The new wave of strikes killed at least 23 rebels as the World Health Organisation said the overall death toll from fighting since late March topped 1,000.
	"Crude oil prices rebounded to reach four-month highs following ...

Oil hits 2015 peak as Saudis resume strikes on Yemen

The Statue of Liberty, one of the most visited monuments in the United States, and the island it sits on were evacuated today because of a suspicious package, police said.
	Several photographs posted on Twitter showed a long line of tourists waiting to board a return ferry to Manhattan.
	"There was an evacuation of the island, following a report of a suspect package," a spokesman for the park police said.
	New York police said the island was cleared of visitors by 2:00 pm local time and a special team of explosives experts was sent to the island.
	Authorities ordered the evacuation of the island in New York harbor after receiving a telephone call warning of a bomb, according to NBC television.
	It said a police dog then picked up a suspicious scent in a locker area where visitors can leave their things.
	"Please cooperate ladies and gentlemen and step quickly through the gap (in the barricades) to the rear of the vessel," visitors were told over the loudspeakers in a video recorded by 

Statue of Liberty evacuated over suspicious package

Iraq's health ministry does not have DNA test results from a close relative of Izzat al-Duri that could determine whether Saddam Hussein's long-fugitive deputy has been killed, a spokesman said today.
	"The ministry does not have any DNA test (results) for any relative of Duri at the present time," ministry spokesman Dr Ziyad Tareq told AFP.
	Tareq said such results are necessary if DNA testing is to be able to positively identify a man killed a week ago by pro-government forces as Duri.
	For years, Duri has been the most senior member of Saddam's regime still at large.
	Killing him would be a major victory for Baghdad, but Duri has previously been reported dead or captured only to resurface in subsequent audio or video messages.
	Ketaeb Hezbollah -- one of the most powerful pro-government militias in Iraq -- transferred the body of the man, who bears some resemblance to Duri, to the government amid tight security on Monday.
	The group's spokesman, Jaafar Husseini, told AFP that two ..

Iraq lacks DNA results to test body of 'Saddam deputy'

The Statue of Liberty, one of the most visited monuments in the United States, was evacuated today because of a suspicious package, local media reported.
	Several photographs posted on Tweeter showed a long line of tourists waiting to board a return ferry to Manhattan.
	The National Park Service did not immediately confirm the cause of the evacuation.

Statue of Liberty evacuated over suspicious package: reports

Poland today said it had denied entry to a Russian biker gang backed by the Kremlin, which is planning to ride through Europe to celebrate the Soviet Union's role in the World War II victory over Nazi Germany.
	The planned two-week, 6,000-kilometre (3,728-mile) rally by Russian bikers including the Night Wolves -- a fiercely nationalistic motorcycle club backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin -- had sparked anger in Poland.
	The bikers planned to pass through Belarus, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria before ending in Berlin on May 9 for the 70th anniversary of the war's end.
	Poland's foreign ministry said in a statement on its website that it had informed the Russian embassy in Warsaw of its "refusal to grant entry into Poland to an organised biker group that included members of the Night Wolves club".
	"The entry was refused due to the lack of required precise information about the schedule of the group's stay in Poland, its exact routes through the country, and .

Poland denies entry to pro-Putin bikers planning victory ride

Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate and other Islamist fighters made gains today in a joint offensive on the last major regime bastion in the northwest province of Idlib, a monitor said.
	The assault, which began yesterday, has seen Al-Nusra Front and allied groups seize three checkpoints around the large town of Jisr al-Shughur, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
	The town is strategically located near the border with Turkey and along a key route leading west to the regime's stronghold of Latakia province.
	"There are very fierce clashes ongoing since the early morning, and intense aerial bombing. The regime has conducted 34 air strikes in the area since Friday morning," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.
	He said Al-Nusra Front had launched a wave of suicide attacks on the town's outskirts and sent 15 fighters wearing suicide belts into Jisr al-Shughur itself.
	Since the fighting erupted yesterday, 30 regime troops and 43 rebels -- including 13 Chechen fighters -- have .

Qaeda, allies advance on Syrian regime bastion: monitor

Pakistan's miserable tour of Bangladesh continued as the hosts recorded their first-ever Twenty20 win over the rivals with a seven-wicket romp in Dhaka on Friday.
     Debutant seamer Mustafizur Rahman took two for 20 in four overs as Pakistan, electing to bat after winning the toss, were restricted to 141 for five at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
     Shakib Al Hasan and Sabbir Rahman then plundered unbeaten half-centuries as Bangladesh, cheered from the stands by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, surpassed the target in the 17th over.
     Shakib hit an unbeaten 57 off 41 balls and Sabbir made 51 not out to build on their team's 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan in the preceding one-day series.
     The pair put on 105 runs for the fourth wicket after Bangladesh appeared to be in a spot of bother at 38 for three in the sixth over.
     Bangladesh, who had lost both their previous Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan, turned the tables with a dominant performance.
     Mustafizur, the ...

Bangladesh trounce Pakistan in T20 tie

Russia today charged Ukrainian airforce officer Nadia Savchenko over the deaths of two Russian journalists in a politically charged case that has become emblematic of tensions between Kiev and Moscow.
	The 33-year-old helicopter navigator is charged with acting as an accessory in the murder of two Russian journalists "with motives of political hatred."
	She is also charged with illegally crossing the border into Russia prior to her detention in a Moscow jail nine months ago.
	Russia portrays the case as a legal matter involving freedom of the press covering the war between Ukraine's government and pro-Russian insurgents in eastern Ukraine.
	However, Ukrainians say Savchenko had nothing to do with the journalists' deaths in crossfire, and was framed after being kidnapped and taken to Moscow.
	Considered a symbol of resistance against what most Ukrainians call a Russian-created insurgency, she was even elected to parliament in absentia.
	Savchenko has also garnered international ...

Russia charges Ukrainian aviator over 'murder' of journalists

Tunisian fishermen rescued a group of around 80 migrants today after their boat got into difficulties while trying to sail from Libya to Europe, the Red Crescent said.
	"The flow (of illegal immigrants) does not seem to be stopping," said Mongi Slim, head of the Red Crescent in the southeastern port of Zarzis near the North African country's border with violence-plagued Libya.
	"We expect to receive approximately 80 people this afternoon" at Zarzis, he said.
	Slim and a Tunisian coastguard official said three fishing boats went to the aid of the migrants when their boat was in danger of sinking.
	The group had set off from the Libyan port of Zwara some 60 kilometres from the frontier with Tunisia.
	They were the latest to be rescued by the Tunisians. Last week, 178 people were saved off the coast, as were another 169 last month.
	People smugglers are exploiting the chaos in Libya to take advantage of people seeking a better life in Europe, cramming them aboard dilapidated and ...

Tunisian fishermen save 80 migrants from sinking boat

A Canadian court today granted bail to former Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr, who was 15 when he was captured on an Afghan battlefield in 2002 and sent to the US jail in Cuba.
	Khadr's lawyer Nathan Whitling told AFP the conditions of his release -- granted pending the outcome of his appeal of his US conviction over the killing of a US soldier in Afghanistan -- are to be determined at a hearing on May 5, when Khadr is expected to be freed.
	"Even though the applicant has pled guilty to serious offenses, he should be granted judicial interim release because he has a strong basis for an appeal," the court ruled.
	The court also found that "the risk to public safety is not such that it is in the public's best interest that he remain in pre-appeal detention in a manner that could render his appeal irrelevant."
	Now 28, Khadr was sentenced to eight years in 2010 following a military hearing in which he agreed to plead guilty to murder in violation of the laws of war, attempted murder, ...

Guantanamo ex-inmate granted bail in Canada

Cases of HIV have skyrocketed in a rural community in the midwestern state of Indiana where 142 people have been diagnosed since the beginning of the year, officials said today.
	Pregnant women, grandparents, their adult children and grandchildren are among the new cases of HIV linked to illicit injections of oxymorphone, a potent prescription painkiller.
	Scott County, a community with a population of 4,200 people and just one doctor in southeastern Indiana, previously saw no more than five cases of the virus diagnosed in one year, health authorities said.
	From 2009-2013, the county recorded just three new cases of HIV, said Indiana State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams, describing the current outbreak as "unprecedented."
	"We literally have new cases being reported every day, literally on an hourly basis," Adams told reporters.
	A public health emergency was declared in Scott County on March 26 by the state governor.
	The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today issued .

HIV cases skyrocket among US painkiller drug abusers

Poland today said it has demanded that US toy producer Mattel recall the party game "Apples to Apples" for using the erroneous term "Nazi Poland," as Warsaw had never collaborated with Hitler.
	Poland was attacked and occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II and was among the hardest hit by the conflict, losing six million of its citizens between 1939 and 1945, including three million Jews in the Holocaust.
	"We demanded the game be withdrawn and corrected," Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna told reporters.
	"We're also organising a Twitter protest by Poles from around the world, including in the United States, to have the game pulled from the market."
	The game requires players to match cards bearing nouns -- "my bank account," for example -- with ones bearing adjectives, such as "frightening".
	The noun card that spurred Poland's protest is "Schindler's List," featuring a description of the 1993 Steven Spielberg film that says the story took place in "Nazi ...

Warsaw urges Mattel to recall game over 'Nazi Poland' term

The leaders of France and Russia today joined ceremonies marking the centenary of the massacre of some 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman forces, a hugely emotional event that remains a diplomatic minefield.
	During a commemoration at a hilltop memorial in the Armenian capital Yerevan, French President Francois Hollande urged modern day Turkey to end its refusal to recognise the massacre as genocide, saying he bowed in memory of the victims.
	"Important words have already been said in Turkey, but others are still expected, so that shared grief can become shared destiny," Hollande told an audience that also included the leaders of Cyprus and Serbia and delegates from some 60 countries.
	President Vladimir Putin for his part said Russia was standing shoulder to shoulder with ex-Soviet Armenia, still a close ally for Moscow in the region.
	"There is no and cannot be justification for mass murder of people," said Putin.
	The Russian leader also used the commemorations to call on France to ..

Armenia marks emotional centenary of Ottoman massacres

Saudi Arabia said today it has foiled a bomb plot by the Islamic State group and blamed the jihadists for shooting dead two policemen in the capital earlier this month.
	The authorities said three bomb-laden cars had been seized during investigations into the killings.
	A Saudi man arrested on suspicion of carrying out the shooting has confessed that he was following orders received from IS in Syria, the interior ministry said.
	He was identified as 23-year-old Yazid bin Mohammed Abdulrahman Abu Niyan.
	The authorities offered a one-million-riyal ($267,000, 246,220-euro) bounty for a second suspect, another Saudi identified as Nawaf bin Sharif Samir al-Anzi.
	During their investigation the authorities seized seven cars, "three of them booby-trapped", as well as suspected bomb-making materials and tools, said the statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
	They also discovered machineguns, ammunition, money and several mobile telephones which revealed an exchange between the 

Saudis seize bombs, accuse IS of killing police

President Vladimir Putin today called on French leader Francois Hollande to restore ties after a year of tensions over Ukraine as the two leaders met on the sidelines of genocide commemorations in Armenia.
	   "Unfortunately, our ties are not in the best shape, trade turnover is falling including with France which only causes regret," Putin told Hollande in the Armenian capital Yerevan.
	   "I believe that we have to look for ways to restore our ties and I believe that it's in everyone's interest," he said, signalling Kremlin's desire to break out of international isolation.
	   Hollande for his part called on Putin to "move forward" with implementing the Ukraine peace accords struck in February.
	   "The best way to overcome what has hindered us would be to move forward with the application of the Minsk agreement."
	   In February, Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel travelled to Moscow to help broker a peace deal for war-torn Ukraine in a last-ditch effort to stop months of 

AFP

AFP

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