Floods in Brazil's southern state of Parana have killed 11 people and forced hundreds to flee their homes in a World Cup host city, authorities said.
	Nearly 500 people were evacuated in Curitiba, the state's capital that also serves as the base camp for defending cup champions Spain, who arrived on Sunday.
	Nigeria and Iran will play in Curitiba's 43,000-capacity Baixada Arena on June 16 followed by Spain-Australia on June 23.
	Authorities had reported nine deaths over the weekend. Most of the victims are in the interior of the state.
	The flooding has affected the homes of half a million people to various degrees, civil defence officials said.
	More than 33,000 people evacuated their homes, taking refuge with relatives or in shelters.

Brazil floods kill 11 people

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US authorities authorised BNP Paribas to operate in Iran earlier in the year, even as they considered penalties against the French bank for earlier breaking an embargo imposed on the country, a Treasury official said.
	The US Treasury Department granted the bank two licenses in February and March for transactions in Iran as sanctions were being reduced against the country.
	The reductions were the result of November negotiations in Geneva in which Iran and the P5+1 permanent UN Security Council members met over the country's nuclear activities.
	News of the licenses was first made public by The Wall Street Journal. A Treasury spokeswoman told AFP that the information was obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request.
	According to the Journal, the Treasury granted the licenses while US prosecutors were seeking to impose a huge fine on the bank.
	The US is reportedly preparing to slap a fine that could top USD 10 billion on BNP Paribas, one of France's biggest banks, for breaking ..

US Treasury approved BNP Iran licenses: official

Iraqi officials have privately asked US President Barack Obama's administration to weigh potential air strikes targeting militants, a Western official has said.
	The Obama administration is weighing several possibilities to offer military assistance to Baghdad, including drone strikes, the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
	But Baghdad has not yet formulated an official request, a US defense official said.
	Faced with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's spectacular assault on Mosul and seizure of a large swathe of northern and north-central Iraq, Washington is committed to "working with the Iraqi government and leaders across Iraq to support a unified approach against ISIL's continued aggression," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
	The Obama administration had long warned of the dangers posed by the militants now sweeping toward Baghdad, according to Psaki.
	A US official said the Obama administration was considering sending "more weaponry" to Iraq after ..

Iraq open to US air strikes: Western official

Mark Craig's dream debut culminated in a 186-run victory for New Zealand in the first cricket Test against the West Indies at Sabina Park here today.
     The off-spinner claimed four second innings wickets to finish with eight in the match as the home side crumbled to 216 all out after being set the daunting target of 403.
     There was an unexpected late flourish by the West Indies last-wicket pair as last man Shane Shillingford belted the fastest-ever half-century by a Caribbean cricketer in Tests and dominated a record tenth-wicket partnership against New Zealand of 82.
     Yet it only delayed the inevitable with New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum summoning Kane Williamson for the last over of the day.
     He duly obliged by having Benn caught at the wicket to trigger celebrations among the Black Caps at only their second victory in 16 Test matches in the West Indies going back to their first tour here in 1972.
     Craig's haul of four for 97 complimented the very important .

Craig inspires New Zealand's historic win over WI

Mercurial Mexico host a troubled Cameroon in the sides' World Cup Group A opener in Natal tomorrow looking to take the first step towards an eventual first appearance in the quarter-finals in nearly 30 years.
     Now coached by colourful Miguel Herrera, who missed out on playing for Mexico at USA '94 after being dropped for punching a photographer, Mexico have in recent editions failed to live up to expectations.
     In the past five tournaments the Aztecs have failed to get to the 'fifth game' and make the quarter-finals they last reached as hosts in 1986 when they bowed out 4-1 on penalties to West Germany.
     Critics would argue Mexico should feel lucky to be in Brazil at all.
     After a tortuous qualifying campaign, Herrera was parachuted in for a two-legged play-off against New Zealand, which the central Americans won 9-3 on aggregate.
     But despite that result, Mexico have hardly lit up the world footballing stage of late, losing their last two friendlies 1-0 to Bosnia .

Cameroon clash key for mercurial Mexico

World Cup outsiders Australia are aiming to punch above their weight and give a Chile side choc-a-bloc with talent a bloody nose here tomorrow.
     The two Group B protagonists are worlds apart in FIFA's rankings -- Chile are 14 with Australia down at 62 -- so the South Americans are heavy favourites to sweep aside the Socceroos and get their campaign off to the perfect start.
     The odds may be stacked against them, but Australia, unshackled by any smidgen of pressure, are not short of self-belief ahead of this clash against a team they held to a goalless draw on their World Cup debut in 1974.
     "We don't care who we're up against," said Swiss-based attacking midfielder Dario Vidosic.
     "There can be 11 Ronaldos or Messis out there. We want to make everybody proud back home. We've worked very hard to get to this stage.
     "We've got three guaranteed games and we're just going to give it everything that we can to get out of the group stage."
     Coach Ange Postecoglou's ...

Australia undaunted by classy Chile

Holders Spain open their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands tomorrow in a repeat of the 2010 final with the Dutch out for revenge.
     Andres Iniesta's strike four minutes from the end of extra-time in the Johannesburg final crowned Spain as world champions for the first time and now, four years later, the European giants clash again at Salvador's Arena Fonte Nova in the mouth-watering opening match of Group B.
     With South American dark horses Chile and Australia still to come, a win for either side would set the group's agenda.
     Captain Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Nigel De Jong and Dirk Kuyt are the five survivors from the 2010 final in the current squad and the Dutch have made no secret of their desire for revenge.
     "It was a big chance for us to win the World Cup and we were really close," said Aston Villa defender Ron Vlaar.
     "It should always burn inside to make something right. To play against them now in the first game is a great ...

Dutch hunt World Cup revenge against Spain

Goalline technology will be used at a World Cup for the first time in Brazil with its backers insisting it is 100 percent accurate and cannot be hacked.
     It will come as welcome news to the likes of Frank Lampard who famously had a goal ruled out in England's second round match against Germany in South Africa in 2010 despite the ball clearly crossing the line.
     GoalControl, the official provider of the system, re-tested the technology at Rio's Maracana stadium -- the venue of the World Cup final -- in April ahead of the tournament which starts today.
     "It is 100 percent accurate. The system will work," Dirk Broichhausen, managing director of GoalControl, said at a presentation at the Maracana.
     World governing body FIFA awarded the contract to the German company 16 months ago and there will be 14 high-speed cameras at each of the 12 World Cup stadiums to determine if an attempt on goal has crossed the line or not.
     There are seven cameras trained on each goal and ..

World Cup debut for 'unhackable' goal technology

Sepp Blatter is ready to seek a new term as FIFA's president, he had announced, ignoring calls from top European officials to stand down as controversy engulfs football's governing body.
     "I'm ready to accompany you in the future," the 78-year-old Blatter told the FIFA congress in Sao Paulo yesterday on the eve of the start of the World Cup.
     The FIFA leader was helped by a congress vote not to consider age-limits on top officials.
     Isolated boos could be heard among the applause as Blatter said that conditions were good for him to seek a fifth term next year. But he has a strong chance of victory in the election to be held at the FIFA congress in Zurich in May next year.
     "My mandate will finish next year... But my mission is not finished," he said in his closing address. "Together we will build the new FIFA, together we have the foundations to do things."
     Blatter added: "Congress, you will decide who will take this proud institution forward. It's your decision ..

Blatter ready for new term as FIFA boss

FIFA investigator Michael Garcia has said he had prior access to the "vast majority" of documents revealed recently which allege millions of dollars in bribes helped Qatar secure the 2022 World Cup.
     Garcia told the FIFA congress in Sao Paulo yesterday that he was prepared to use the documents printed by Britain's Sunday Times in his probe, shooting down media "assertions" that he may ignore them.
     The explosive documents have cast new doubt on Qatar's World Cup, with major sponsors urging a thorough investigation and some FIFA delegates calling for a re-vote if corruption is proved.
     "The vast majority of that material has been available to us for some time, since well before the recent wave of newspaper reports," Garcia said.
     "That material has been and will continue to be examined and reviewed to the extent relevant to the investigation into the World Cup bidding process or any other investigation or inquiry."
     The British newspaper has published a series of ...

FIFA investigator has explosive Qatar documents

Carlos Tevez has admitted he is still suffering after being overlooked by Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella for the World Cup and intends to ignore the four-week long tournament.
     The 30-year-old was discarded from the Argentine set-up after missing a penalty in his country's quarter-final Copa America exit at the hands of eventual winners Uruguay three years ago.
     And he said he won't even be watching when the World Cup kicks-off with hosts Brazil playing Croatia today.
     "I'm not watching anything, I don't know how the (Argentina) squad is doing, I've not heard from the group, I don't know anything about anything," said Tevez at a press conference at the Boca Juniors stadium, where he began his football career.
     "I'm with my family, I'm playing golf, getting some sun. I'm isolated because I'm a footballer and it hurts.
     "I'm not watching what's happening, nor what's going on around (the team), nor anything to do with the World Cup."
     Tevez was in fine form ...

Snubbed Tevez switches off World Cup

Italy's Andrea Pirlo has confirmed that he will end his international career after the World Cup.
     Pirlo helped steer Italy to the World Cup title in 2006 but has come to Brazil as part of a squad looking to erase the memory of a first-round exit from South Africa in 2010.
     While announcing he had also extended his current deal with Serie A champions Juventus by two years, the 35-year-old said it was time to wind down his international career.
     "I think I will stop after the World Cup," Pirlo told reporters yesterday, three days before Italy's opening Group D game against England in the Amazonian city of Manaus.
     "I'm not getting any younger and you have to allow younger players to come through. It would be useless to keep on going."
     Pirlo, considered one of the world's best in his deep-lying playmaking role, said he would "always be available" if called on by Italy, whose current coach is Cesare Prandelli.
     But he added: "It could be problematic because I'd ..

Pirlo to end Italy career after Brazil

Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will be fit to face Portugal in their World Cup opener having fully recovered from a shoulder injury, the team's goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke has confirmed.
     Germany kick-off their Group G campaign in Salvador on Monday, but the 28-year-old Neuer had been a concern after receiving intense treatment since injuring his shoulder for Bayern Munich in the German Cup final four weeks ago.
     "He's doing really well and he's completely ready to play," said Koepke yesterday.
     Germany's goalkeeping coach said they had not been taking any risks with Neuer's injury, but "Manuel has confidence in the shoulder and things are good for the first World Cup match".
     Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller deputised for Neuer in Germany's warm-up matches against Poland, Cameroon and Armenia, but Neuer is now ready to regain his place.
     "We wouldn't take a risk on him, when he plays he will be 100 percent ready to play," said Koepke.
     ...

Germany goalkeeper Neuer fit to face Portugal

Defending champions Spain look set to win the World Cup thanks to the interlocking qualities of their squad, which will allow them to outgun Brazil, statisticians said.
     The Swiss-based CIES Football Observatory said yesterday it had taken an in-depth look at the career trajectory of all 32 squads due to lock horns in Brazil from today.
     "This approach has allowed us to predict a hypothetical scenario for the outcome of the competition, suggesting that Spain will beat Brazil in the final, with Argentina in third place and France in fourth position," it said.
     CIES Football Observatory's experts, who apply econometric methods to all aspects of the game, number-crunched a vast haul of data.
     They took into account league matches and goals during each player's career to date, as well as in the last two years, plus national team caps since 2012 and the total number of World Cup games ever played.
     Based on that recipe for success, they combed through all eight World ...

Spain to win World Cup, study shows

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned an attack that killed four peacekeepers in Mali, but warned it would not diminish the United Nations' resolve to work toward peace in the country.
	A suicide bomber killed four UN peacekeepers from Chad and wounded 10 other people, including six more peacekeepers and four members of the Malian armed forces in the rebel-infested northeast yesterday.
	Ban condemned the attack "in the strongest terms" and extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to Chad and Mali, his spokesman said in a statement.
	"This attack will not diminish the resolve of the United Nations to support the Malian people in their efforts to achieve peace and stability for all of Mali," the spokesman said.
	"The secretary-general calls on all parties not to be deterred by spoilers who, through their criminal acts, seek to prevent the establishment of a sustainable peace in Mali."
	It was the first major attack in the Kidal region since ...

Mali attack will not dim UN resolve: Ban

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for the immediate, unconditional and safe release of 49 Turkish citizens kidnapped from a consulate in Iraq's northern city of Mosul.
	His spokesman said Ban strongly condemned the seizure of the Turkish consulate in Mosul by extremist groups, and the abduction of the consul general, several staff and other Turkish citizens yesterday.
	Ban "recalls the fundamental principle of the inviolability of consular premises and calls for the immediate, unconditional and safe release of those abducted," the spokesman added.
	"The secretary-general calls on the international community to send a clear message that terrorist acts are unacceptable and those responsible must be held to account."
	Turkey has pledged to retaliate if the hostages are harmed, saying the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant kidnapped 49 of its citizens at the consulate and took them to another part of Mosul.

UN chief demands release of Turkish hostages in Iraq

A suicide car bomb exploded at a police station in Libya's second city Benghazi, leaving the bomber dead and at least one officer wounded, a security spokesman said.
	"A suicide attack took place Wednesday evening at the Berses post and, according to preliminary information, there are a number of victims of the explosion," local security service spokesman Ibrahim Al-Sharaa said.
	Police officer Khaled Al-Agouri said one of his colleagues was injured in the attack, which happened when the suicide bomber "drove a refrigerated lorry which he exploded upon arrival at the post."
	"We have not yet identified the victims. There are human remains at  the site. But it is unclear whether they all belong to the bomber or if there are other victims," he added.
	This was the second suicide attack against the police station in the western Libyan city. An attack there last December left 13 people dead.
	Benghazi was the cradle of the 2011 uprising that ended Moamer Kadhafi's four-decade rule, and ...

Suicide bombing at police station in Benghazi: Libya official

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the international community to unite behind Iraq as a lightening offensive by heavily armed jihadists swept closer to Baghdad.
	"The secretary-general urges the international community to unite in showing solidarity with Iraq as it confronts this serious security challenge," his spokesman said in a statement yesterday.
	The UN chief demanded "full respect for international humanitarian law and human rights law in efforts to counter terrorism and violence in Iraq," spokesman Stephane Dujarric added.
	Ban strongly condemned the surge in violence and warned that "terrorism must not be allowed to succeed in undoing the path toward democracy in Iraq."
	Since the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant began its spectacular assault in Mosul late Monday, militants have captured a large swathe of northern and north-central Iraq, prompting as many as half a million people to flee their homes.
	The speed with which ISIL and its allies have advanced after .

UN chief calls for international solidarity with Iraq

Five Congolese soldiers were killed in clashes with Rwandan troops today, military and government officials said, as both sides traded blame for sparking the worst violence in months.
	Machine gunfire broke out at dawn along the border after what the Congolese army said was the abduction of one of their soldiers by Rwandan troops who had crossed the border into the restive province of North Kivu.
	The skirmishes later escalated, with Congolese military officials saying the sides had traded heavy weapons fire while locals reported "mortars and even rockets" being used through the afternoon.
	A DR Congo government spokesman confirmed the abducted corporal had been killed and blamed Rwandan troops.
	But Kigali hit back, accusing Democratic Republic of Congo soldiers of crossing the border into its territory and opening fire on Rwandan soldiers in bloody battles that left four more dead.
	"On Wednesday ... A section of the DRC army crossed the border to Rwanda where they opened fired on a 

Five killed in Rwandan and DR Congo border clashes

Turkey today pledged to retaliate if dozens of its citizens seized in an attack by Islamist militants in northern Iraq are harmed.
	Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement today that jihadist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) had kidnapped 49 of its citizens at the Mosul consulate and taken them to another part of the city.
	"All those involved should know that if our citizens are harmed in any way, they will be the subject of harsh reprisals," Turkish media quoted Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as saying at the United Nations in New York.
	Turkish officials told AFP earlier that militants storming the consulate had kidnapped 48 Turks, including the consul, staff members, guards and three children.
	The ministry also said 31 Turkish truck drivers kidnapped by ISIL fighters yesterday were being held at a power station in Mosul.
	Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan held an emergency meeting with President Abdullah Gul, spy chief Hakan Fidan and the Turkish ...

Ankara 'will retaliate' if Turkish hostages harmed in Iraq

Militants seized the Iraqi city of Tikrit today but security forces thwarted an assault on Samarra as a lightning jihadist offensive launched in second city Mosul swept closer to Baghdad.
	Since the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant began its spectacular assault in Mosul late Monday, militants have captured a large swathe of northern and north-central Iraq, prompting as many as half a million people to flee their homes.
	The speed with which ISIL and its allies have advanced after their seizure yesterday of Mosul -- a city of two million people -- has sent alarm bells ringing in Western capitals.
	It has also triggered a hostage crisis for Ankara, which threatened harsh reprisals if 49 Turks seized by the jihadists at its consulate in the main northern city were harmed in any way.
	Tehran and Washington, which despite their many differences have a shared interest in preventing Iraq following neighbouring Syria into all-out civil war, both pledged more aid to Baghdad.
	ISIL vowed on 

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