More than 45 people died today in twin bomb blasts, including one by a female suicide bomber, at a packed market in the Nigerian city of Maiduguri.
	The explosions in the Borno state capital targeted the same Monday Market area where at least 15 people died July 1 in blast blamed on the Boko Haram militant group.
	The attack came after the militants seized control of another town in Nigeria's restive northeast.
	Health worker Dogara Shehu said he counted more than "45 people killed, some of them completely decapitated" in the Maiduguri blasts in an account supported by another witness.
	An official with Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed that "many people have been killed" but did not have an official death toll.
	One senior police officer, who requested anonymity, described the explosion, which happened at about 11:00 am (1000 GMT), as a "powerful bomb", which was felt across the city.
	Market trader Usman Babaji told AFP the explosives were hidden in a ..

Bombing kills 45 in Nigeria, Boko Haram seizes another town

PTI Automatic

French President Francois Hollande today delayed the controversial delivery of a high-tech warship to Russia "until further notice" over the Ukraine crisis.
	"The President of the Republic considers that the current situation in eastern Ukraine still does not allow for the delivery of the first" warship, Hollande's office said in a statement.
	"He therefore decided to delay until further notice" the decision on whether to grant the export licence needed to deliver the ship to Russia, the statement added.
	Russia has reportedly warned Paris of "serious" consequences unless France delivers the first of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers on order by the end of November.
	The first of the two assault ships was supposed to be delivered earlier this month, according to the original deal signed in 2011.
	But amid the Ukraine crisis and the rapid decline in the West's relations with Russia, France has come under intense pressure from its allies, particularly the United States, and in ...

Hollande says postponing warship delivery to Russia

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha today threatened to bar ousted premier Yingluck Shinawatra from travelling abroad, a day after the publication of her first media interview since May's coup.
	Yingluck, who was booted out of office by a controversial court ruling just before the army takeover, has been banned from leaving Thailand without the junta's permission along with hundreds of other politicians, activists, academics and journalists who were briefly detained after the coup.
	The ex-premier has since been allowed to travel overseas on two occasions on the condition she adopts a low-profile, but after the publication of the interview Monday, Prayut threatened to revoke that freedom.
	"I am considering it and have asked my security staff to look into it," Prayut told reporters after a weekly cabinet meeting in response to a question on whether the junta would bar Yingluck from travelling abroad following yesterday's interview.
	"We have clear rules. If something triggers chaos .

Thai PM threatens to bar Yingluck from travelling abroad

Turkey is seeking to toughen citizenship rules and introduce "general morality" as a condition for foreigners applying to become citizens, according to a copy of a draft bill obtained by AFP today.
	The new condition is part of a controversial new homeland security reform bill set to be discussed in parliament today that tightens the requirements to gain citizenship through marriage.
	The government has already sent the bill to the 550-seat parliament, which is dominated by ruling party lawmakers who are expected to rubber stamp the legislation.
	The text of the bill has yet to specify how good "general morality" will be assessed by officials processing citizenship applications.
	In the past, citizenship has been granted to individuals who qualify to become Turks and do not pose a threat to national security or public safety. These conditions remain intact in the bill.
	Turkey's ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) has repeatedly made clear it is concerned over ...

Turkey to impose 'good morals' condition for citizenship

Three civilians were killed by shelling in the rebel-held city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine over the past 24 hours, separatist officials said today.
	One shell hit a minibus early today, killing two passengers including a man of around 25 and a woman in her forties, and injuring eight others, a hospital source told AFP.
	The incident happened close to Donetsk airport, the scene of heavy fighting between Ukrainian and rebel forces for several months.
	Four areas of the city were hit by shells overnight, the Donetsk town hall said, without giving details of the third death.
	More than 4,300 people have been killed since fighting broke out in eastern Ukraine in April.

Three civilians killed in Ukraine shelling

A Filipino woman has been reunited with her dog a year after the pet went missing in the chaos of the country's deadliest ever typhoon, she said today.
	The nine-year-old mongrel named Bunny survived giant waves wrought by Super Typhoon Haiyan, but went missing in the upheaval that followed the November 8 tragedy, owner Ailyn Metran told AFP.
	"I never lost hope. God saved Bunny from the storm surge, so why would he let her die afterwards," Metran said.
	Metran and her husband found their emaciated pet rooting through a trash bin in the central city of Tacloban last month.
	Tacloban bore the brunt of the storm, one of the worst disasters to hit the Southeast Asian nation, which left more than 7,350 people dead or missing.
	"We saw a dirty stray dog that looked like her. I called out her name and she came, asking to be cradled," Metran said.
	Metran, 34, who works at a state health insurance company, said her family had fled their Tacloban home ahead of the typhoon but left three pet ..

Woman finds pet dog lost in Philippines typhoon a year ago

Yemeni troops today freed eight hostages, including a foreigner, from a group of Al-Qaeda militants who were killed in a dawn raid, a security official said.
	All seven kidnappers died in the rescue operation at an undisclosed location, according to the official with Yemen's Supreme Security Committee who did not give the nationality of the foreigner.
	"After security services received information on the location of the terrorist Al-Qaeda elements that kidnapped eight hostages - seven Yemenis and a foreigner - anti-terrorism forces carried out a successful dawn operation which freed all the hostages," he said.
	A member of the security forces was lightly wounded in the raid, the official told the state-run Saba news agency, without saying how long the hostages had been held.
	Hundreds of people have been kidnapped in Yemen over the past two decades, mostly by tribesmen who use them as bargaining chips in disputes with the government.
	Nearly all have been freed unharmed.
	But in ...

Yemen frees 8 hostages from Qaeda, including foreigner

An Italian doctor who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone today arrived in Rome, where he will receive specialist treatment, media reported.
	The doctor, the first Italian to be infected with the disease, was flown into the military airport of Pratica di Mare, outside the capital.
	The doctor, who reports say is a 50-year-old man, was transported in a specially sealed unit on board a military plane, TV pictures showed.
	He will be hospitalised at the Lazzaro Spallanzani national institute for infectious diseases.
	The Italian health ministry said he has not yet developed feverish symptoms and his general condition is good.
	The doctor was working for the charity Emergency at a clinic for Ebola victims when he contracted the disease, which has killed nearly 5,500 people in its latest outbreak in west Africa.

Italian doctor with Ebola arrives in Rome

Vietnam's environmental police have seized a record haul of over 1,000 endangered sea turtles which were being prepared for illegal export to China, an official said today.
	"The turtles were all dead," Le Hong Thai, an official of the Ministry of Public Security's environmental police department, told AFP.
	"They were meant to be processed into handicrafts for export to China," he added.
	The raids were made on Wednesday last week in the resort town of Nha Trang on Vietnam's south-central coast.
	"The case is under investigation, so we cannot reveal the number of detainees or any other details," Thai said.
	Marine turtles are fully protected under Vietnamese law.
	Hunting and trading, including the storing, of any of the five native species is a criminal offence, according to local media reports.
	Scores of Vietnamese have been arrested in regional waters over the past years for catching or trading sea turtles.
	Nguyen Phuong Dung, the director of conservation group Education for ...

Vietnam seizes over 1,000 dead endangered sea turtles

England will look to settle scores against Sri Lanka after their bad-tempered clash earlier this year when the two sides meet in a pre-World Cup one-day series from tomorrow.
     The seven-match tour has been spiced up by comments from England captain Alastair Cook that his team will try to exact revenge for the Test and one-day defeats at home.
     Cook's status as captain came under heavy pressure after the 1-0 Test defeat, and tempers frayed in the ODIs when off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake controversially ran out Jos Buttler before delivering a ball.
     "There is a World Cup at the end of it, but we are here to try and win this series," Cook said on arrival. "I think we owe you (Sri Lanka) a little bit of revenge."
     The 'Mankaded' dismissal by Senanayake, since suspended for an illegal bowling action, is considered to be against cricket's spirit of fair play.
     But Sri Lanka insisted Buttler was earlier warned for backing up, and senior pro Mahela Jayawardene lashed out 

Revenge-seeking England take on Sri Lanka

Southampton defender Nathaniel Clyne capped a memorable fortnight with the late equaliser that rescued a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.
     Clyne won his first two England caps against Slovenia and Scotland during the recent international break and yesterday the right-back was the man of the moment for Southampton as well thanks to his crucial 81st minute strike at Villa Park.
     Ronald Koeman's second placed side looked set for only their third defeat in the Premier League this season after Gabriel Agbonlahor put struggling Villa ahead following a mistake by Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster in the first half.
     But Clyne's third goal of the campaign ensured Southampton, the season's surprise success story, survived to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to six matches and move within six points of leaders Chelsea.
     In contrast, lowly Villa are without a win in their last eight league games and Paul Lambert's team are just two points above the relegation zone.
     .

Clyne leaves it late to rescue Southampton

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton will battle with the likes of European Ryder Cup star Rory McIlroy and Real Madrid's Gareth Bale for the BBC's prestigious 2014 Sports Personality of the Year award.
     Hamilton secured his second F1 world title in Abu Dhabi at the weekend and the British driver is expected to be a leading contender for the prize.
     Wales winger Bale, who helped Madrid win the Champions League last season in his first year with the Spanish giants, and British Open and US PGA Championship winner McIlroy, a key member of the European team that retained the Ryder Cup against the United States, will be also be in the running.
     McIlroy is bidding to become the first golfer to win the award since Nick Faldo in 1989.
     Athlete Jo Pavey, dressage star Charlotte Dujardin, boxer Carl Froch, visually impaired skier Kelly Gallagher, swimmer Adam Peaty, gymnast Max Whitlock and skeleton bob racer Lizzy Yarnold complete the 10-strong list for the annual prize.
     ...

World champ Hamilton nominated for BBC award

Brazilian football legend Pele was back in hospital in Sao Paulo, days after he underwent surgery for kidney stones.
     "Patient Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Pele) has been admitted for evaluation and remains in stable condition," said a statement from Albert Einstein Hospital.
     Local media reported that Pele was being treated for a urinary infection.
     Pele, 74, underwent surgery November 13 for kidney stones.
     Close associate and aide Jose Fornos Rodrigues told AFP Pele would stay overnight at Einstein Hospital, but did not comment on any diagnosis or details.
     Pele, born in a humble home in the city of Tres Coracoes, became the man many call the greatest footballer in history.

Pele back in Brazil hospital, and 'stable'

The policeman whose killing of an unarmed black teen sparked weeks of riots in the US town of Ferguson will not face charges, the county prosecutor said, amid mounting anger in the streets.
	The tearful family of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was shot dead in August, expressed profound disappointment after St Louis County prosecutor Robert McCulloch relayed the grand jury's decision.
	A crowd of several hundred protesters gathered in front of the police station in Ferguson where Officer Darren Wilson was based chanting: "Hey, hey, ho, ho! These killer cops have got to go."
	But there were no initial reports of violence, amid tight security and lines of officers in riot gear awaiting the highly-anticipated verdict. Brown's devastated mother was hugged by supporters.
	McCulloch told reporters the evidence presented to the grand jury had suggested Wilson had shot as a legitimate act of self-defense during a tussle that broke out as he was responding to a robbery.
	He said "an ...

No charges for US policeman who shot black teen

An air raid claimed by a renegade anti-Islamist general's forces targeted the Libyan capital's sole operational airport, a day after Islamists were driven out of a key western town.
	A low-flying fighter fired two missiles at Mitiga airport yesterday, which is in an eastern suburb of Tripoli and held by Fajr Libya, an anti-government Islamist militia coalition which controls the capital, witnesses said.
	A security source said the strike caused no damage to the terminal or runway, although flights were temporarily diverted to Misrata airport, 200 km east of Tripoli.
	Libyan carriers moved civilian flights to Mitiga after Tripoli's main international airport was damaged by fierce fighting in the capital between state-backed fighters and Fajr Libya in July.
	Fighting persists between the two sides in western Libya, where pro-government militias are supported by forces loyal to retired general Khalifa Haftar, and air raids frequently target Fajr Libya positions.
	"It was our air forces ..

Raid targets Libya capital's only working airport

Apple has teamed with the (RED) campaign founded by U2 singer Bono to raise money to fight AIDS.
	The move came yesterday, as the California-based maker of iPhones, iPads, iPods and Macintosh computers shows deeper support for social and environmental causes under the leadership of chief executive Tim Cook.
	It also comes as Silicon Valley technology titans use their smarts, resources and cash to help tackle global woes including Ebola, climate change and overfishing of the seas.
	Apple launched a version of its App Store featuring exclusive (RED)-branded content, with all money from sales to be donated to the Global Fund to fight AIDS.
	The (RED) App Store will be open through December 7.
	"Apple is a proud supporter of (RED) because we believe that the gift of life is the most important gift anyone can give," Cook said in a release.
	"For eight years, our customers have been helping fight AIDS in Africa by funding life-saving treatments which are having a profoundly positive ...

Apple teams with (RED) to fight AIDS

One in three victims of human trafficking worldwide is a child, many of them subject to sexual exploitation or forced labour, a UN report said today.
	Overall, child trafficking has increased five per cent since 2010, with girls and women accounting for 70 per cent of the overall number of victims worldwide, according to the report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
	"There is no place in the world where children, women and men are safe from human trafficking," said UNODC executive director Yury Fedotov.
	The report said the global figures represented only "the tip of the iceberg", and that impunity remained a serious problem.
	"It is very clear that the scale of modern-day slavery is far worse," said Fedotov.
	Women and girls are often trafficked for sexual exploitation and forced labour, while children are also forced into combat or to take part in petty crime, the report said.
	In 2003-2006, about 20 per cent of human trafficking victims were children, the report said, indicating 

Child trafficking on the rise: UN

UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged Israel and the Palestinians today to step back from the brink and return to peace talks before time runs out.
	"The Israeli and Palestinian people face a shared fate on shared land.  There is no erasing the other," Ban told a UN committee on Palestinian rights.
	He called "on the parties to step back from the brink and find the path of peace before hope and time run out."
	His comments reflected international alarm over the spate of violent attacks in east Jerusalem and the deadlock over peace talks that are fueling fear of another flareup after the 50-day war in Gaza.
	The lack of peace prospects coupled with Israel's ongoing campaign to build settlements on occupied territory are chipping away at the stated UN goal of a two-state solution in which Israel and a new state of Palestine would co-exist.
	Ban said Israelis and Palestinians appeared to be "losing any sense of connection" and that "when that goes, it is not far over the precipice."
	With no ...

Israel, Palestinians must step back from the brink: UN chief

A 15-year-old boy who befriended the suspect in the first jihadist attack on Canadian soil was arrested days prior to the killing, local media said today.
	The daily newspaper La Presse, citing unnamed sources, said the teenager had contacted suspected jihadist Martin Couture-Rouleau on Facebook.
	The boy had become radicalised and stole Can USD 2,200 at knife-point from a grocer to pay for travel to a majority Muslim country to live under Sharia law.
	His father alerted police and the boy was arrested on October 17 before he could leave the country.
	His computer allegedly containing jihadist propaganda was seized. According to La Presse, the boy refused to tell police exactly where he was headed but his family has ties to North Africa.
	Three days later, Muslim convert Couture-Rouleau mowed down Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent in a parking lot in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, southeast of Montreal.
	Another Canadian soldier was shot and killed in Ottawa in a separate attack two days ...

Teenager linked to Canadian soldier's killer arrested

Israeli rabbi Yehuda Glick, who survived a murder attempt after calling for Jewish prayer rights at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, defended his stance on his release from hospital today.
	Glick was shot four times by a masked gunman in Jerusalem on October 29.
	A day later police shot and killed his suspected attacker, Muataz Hijazi, a Palestinian from annexed east Jerusalem.
	The nationalist rabbi, 48, is loathed by Palestinians who see any Jewish presence on the plateau in the Old City, which houses Islam's third-holiest shrine, as provocation.
	"I am a man who acts in the public interest, in respect for the law and who was shot just because of my beliefs, simply because of my faith," said Glick, who has been accused of stoking tensions by organising visits by Jewish activists to the compound.
	The site, which is holy to Jews and Muslims alike, has been the focus of months of unrest in east Jerusalem.
	Glick told reporters as he was discharged from hospital that it .

Shot Israeli nationalist rabbi defends Al-Aqsa stand

Mexico and Uruguay declared today an end to a brief diplomatic spat over the Uruguayan president's description of Mexico as a "kind of failed state."
	Mexico's government protested the remarks by Uruguayan President Jose Mujica over the weekend and said it would summon the South American country's ambassador for an explanation.
	But Mujica himself issued a statement late yesterday to take back his words, which he had made to Foreign Affairs magazine in reference to the disappearance, and presumed massacre, of 43 college students by a police-backed drug gang in southern Mexico.
	The foreign ministers of both countries said today the matter was resolved.
	"It's absolutely settled," Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade said during a trip to Chile, noting that Mujica had clarified his remarks. "The dialogue with Uruguay is a brotherly dialogue."
	Uruguayan Foreign Minister Luis Almagro told AFP that the "episode has been overcome.

AFP

AFP

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