Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was on course today to claim a sweeping victory in an election held amid raging conflict that Washington called a "disgrace".
	Results are not expected to be announced before tomorrow but a landslide win for Assad over two little-known challengers is not in doubt.
	There was no election yesterday in the roughly 60 per cent of the country outside government control, including large areas of second city Aleppo.
	And in government-held areas, voters had to brave a rebel bombardment that killed 24 people nationwide on polling day, a monitoring group said.
	But state media trumpeted a big turnout which they said prompted polls to be kept open until midnight - five hours later than scheduled.
	Pro-government newspaper Al-Watan said "millions" had voted, "defying terrorism and its mortars, rockets, car bombs and suicide attackers, to prove the legitimacy of President Bashar al-Assad for a new term that will last until 2021."
	It put turnout at 70 per cent in .

Assad set for victory in wartime vote slammed by West

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The United States said today it will work with Egyptian president-elect Abdel Fattah al-Sisi but urged him to carry out human rights reforms.
	President Barack Obama will speak with the former army chief in the coming days, the White House said in a statement.
	Washington looked forward to working with Sisi "to advance our strategic partnership and the many interests shared by the United States and Egypt," it said.
	The statement added: "We urge the President-elect and the government to adopt the reforms that are needed to govern with accountability and transparency, ensure justice for every individual, and demonstrate a commitment to the protection of the universal rights of all Egyptians."
	Sisi took a sweeping 96.9 per cent of the vote in elections last week held nearly a year after he toppled president Mohamed Morsi, whose Islamist allies boycotted the polls.
	With an economy hammered by years of unrest, Sisi today urged Egyptians to "work to return security to this nation," in a .

US to work with Egypt's Sisi but urges reforms

A rogue Libyan general, who has led repeated deadly assaults on jihadists in second city Benghazi, escaped a suicide attack today, one of his commanders said.
	But three loyalists of former general and longtime US exile Khalifa Haftar were killed in the attack on a villa outside the eastern city, the commander told AFP.
	"A suicide bomber in a vehicle packed with explosives attacked a villa where we had gathered," said General Sagr al-Jerushi, who heads the air wing Haftar has deployed in his attacks.
	"Three of our soldiers were killed," Jerushi said, adding that he himself had been "lightly wounded" in the attack.
	It is the first attack against Haftar since he launched his offensive, dubbed "Operation Dignity," aimed at eradicating "terrorists" in Benghazi on May 16.
	The former general claims his forces represent the legitimate Libyan army and has won the support of regular army units in the city including the special forces.
	But even though he denies any political ambitions, the 

Rogue Libya general escapes suicide attack at base

The US Republican establishment has suffered an embarrassing political setback courtesy of a Tea Party challenger, who battled a long-time Senate incumbent to a draw in a Mississippi race with national implications.
	Seven other states also held primaries in one of the biggest vote nights of the 2014 campaign season ahead of November's congressional mid-term elections in which Republicans are aiming to take back the Senate from President Barack Obama's Democrats.
	But all eyes were on Mississippi, where the Tea Party movement poured outside funding into its best chance to oust an establishment Republican Senate incumbent.
	The conservative movement that promotes small government and lower taxes has had a rough 2014 campaign season, mostly failing to oust mainstream Republicans including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
	It pinned its hopes on constitutional conservative and spending-slasher Chris McDaniel, a 42-year-old Mississippi state senator pitting himself against the old .

In blow to GOP establishment, Tea Party forces run-off

Former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga today said Sri Lanka was right to run out England's Jos Buttler, but felt he should have been recalled in the spirit of the game.
     "We should have got him out and then (Sri Lankan captain) Angelo (Mathews) called him back to play," Ranatunga told AFP. "I am not blaming Angelo or (bowler) Sachithra (Senanayake), but that is what I would have done."
     "Our (on field) warning to Buttler a couple of times may not go down in the record books, but if we recalled him, then it would be recorded and showed that we had properly warned him."
     Senanayake ran out Buttler as the non-striker backed up during Sri Lanka's 3-2 series-clinching victory in the fifth and final one-day international at Edgbaston on Tuesday.
    	Sri Lanka captain Mathews, asked by the umpires if he wanted to uphold what was a legitimate appeal, did not call Buttler back and the wicketkeeper, whose blistering 121 had so nearly taken the hosts to victory in their narrow ODI defeat ..

Buttler should have been recalled says Ranatunga

Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke today said he had no problem with a controversial run out rule that marred the fifth and final one-day international between England and Sri Lanka.
     His England counterpart Alastair Cook insisted a "line had been crossed" after Sachithra Senanayake ran out England's Jos Buttler as the non-striker backed up at Edgbaston on Tuesday.
     But Clarke said the dismissal was in the rules.
	"At the end of the day I think as long as the player's warned it's obviously in the rules so you can make whatever decision you want," he said.
	"Will an Australian player do it? I think I'd be silly to stand here and say, 'No, it will never happen under my captaincy'.
	"If something like that does happen under my captaincy I look forward to dealing with it at the time," he added.
	"At the end of the day it's in the rules."
    	Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews, asked by the umpires if he wanted to uphold what was a legitimate appeal, did not call Buttler back 

Clarke backs controversial 'Mankad' run-out rule

Australian captain Michael Clarke today said he expects to have a full-strength squad, apart from David Warner, for the upcoming tri-series with South Africa and Zimbabwe.
     Australia are due to play four one-dayers in Harare in August and September, two against each African nation, as well as a potential final.
     Clarke said the tour was a crucial step in the team's preparations for next year's World Cup and he wants as strong a team as possible alongside him.
     "It's an important series," he told reporters.
     "Any one-day game now leading up to the World Cup is crucial to us as a team.
     "The more success we can have leading into that tournament the better, so hopefully (it's) a full-strength team that's ready to play against two very good teams in tough conditions."
     One player who will not be on tour is opener Warner, who has pulled out citing a draining playing schedule and the upcoming birth of his first child.
     Australia get their tour underway against ...

Clarke expects full-strength squad for Africa

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has defended her government's preparations to host the World Cup, the target of criticism over chronic delays and soaring costs.
	As Brazil rushes to finish stadiums and deal with a wave of protests ahead of the June 12 kick-off, Rousseff partly blamed FIFA for the spiralling World Cup bill but said the money spent would leave a positive legacy.
	The leftist leader, who is seeking reelection in October, said FIFA had assured Brazil that host stadiums would be built with private money.
	But the government eventually realised private-sector investment would not even cover "half a stadium," and provided most of the financing itself, Rousseff told journalists at a dinner yesterday at the presidential residence in Brasilia.
	She said she would advise future host countries to "be very careful about the 'responsibility matrix'" they sign with FIFA.
	But she insisted that the vast majority of public spending related to the tournament was "for Brazil" over ...

Brazil's president defends World Cup preparations

The Taliban today released dramatic footage of their handover of army sergeant Bowe Bergdahl to US forces after five years in captivity.
	"Don't come to Afghanistan again. Next time, nobody will release you," one of the gun-toting militants is heard telling Bergdahl in the 17-minute video.
	It shows a US military helicopter landing in a valley, kicking up small clouds of dust as a jittery-looking Bergdahl waits just a few feet away flanked by militants clutching a white flag.
	After a brief exchange of handshakes between insurgents and US soldiers, Bergdahl moves unsteadily towards the helicopter.
	Bergdahl - the only US soldier held by the Taliban after being captured in Afghanistan - was freed on Saturday in exchange for five senior Taliban militants detained at Guantanamo Bay in a deal brokered by Qatar.
	His release has evoked sharp criticism from some US politicians, who fear they could return to the battlefield and pose a threat to Americans abroad.
	The Taliban video, entitled .

Taliban release video of US soldier's handover

FIFA is on an ambitious mission to make sure that for the first time every player who takes part in the World Cup has a drug test and carries a 'biological passport'.
     Football's governing body wants to impose the passport -- already used in cycling and athletics -- that will follow a player throughout his career, giving details of blood and urine tests.
     Since March, a team of FIFA doctors and nurses have been carrying out random blood and urine tests at internationals and team training camps.
     Lionel Messi's Argentina and France were visited last week at their camps to prepare for the tournament, according to media reports.
     Brazilian star Neymar, Italian captain Gianluigi Buffon and Spain's Andres Iniesta were among those who gave samples at last year's Confederations Cup.
     Chelsea, Barcelona, Santos and Monterrey stars were tested during international club competitions over the past 18 months.
     Players can expect a tap on the shoulder right from the first ..

Every World Cup player to have drug test

Sri Lanka proved too strong with both ball and bat as they beat England by six wickets in the fifth and final one-day international at Edgbaston to clinch a 3-2 series victory.
     First paceman Lasith Malinga took three for 50 as Sri Lanka restricted England to 219 all out yesterday.
     Then, after Sri Lanka had wobbled at 62 for three, fifties from Mahela Jayawardene (53) and Lahiru Thirimanne (60 not out), together with captain Angelo Mathews's 42 not out off 34 balls, saw the tourists home with 10 balls to spare.
     But there was a controversial moment during England's innings when Sachithra Senanayake ran out Jos Buttler as the non-striker backed up.
     Mathews upheld the appeal for a perfectly legitimate dismissal and Buttler, whose blistering 121 had so nearly taken England to victory in the fourth ODI at Lord's, was out for 21.
     "You would have to ask Angelo Mathews," said Cook when asked for his view of the run out during the presentation ceremony.
     "We were ...

Sri Lanka win series amid Senanayake row

Portugal were gearing up for the World Cup in New Jersey, fretting over the fitness of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
     With the World Cup looming, the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner as best footballer of last year, had some bad news about his recent aches and pains.
     Ronaldo has a "muscle injury on the back of his left thigh as well as left-leg patellar tendinitis," the Portuguese Football Association said yesterday in a report on his medical issues and those of stars Raul Meireles, Pepe and Beto.
     Amid some heavy downpours, the four spent their time at the New York Jets' training center grinding it out on different exercises meant to get them in the best possible shape in the final sprint before the World Cup starts June 12.
     While Portugal have previously discussed superstar Ronaldo's thigh injury -- sustained late in the season -- it was the first time they reported patellar tendinitis.
     The Portuguese have been drawn in Group G at the World Cup and will face Germany on .

Portugal fret over Ronaldo fitness

World Cup hosts Brazil strolled to a 4-0 win over Panama in their penultimate warm-up, with goals from Neymar, Daniel Alves, Hulk and Willian securing the win which barely satisfied their coach.
     After a tentative opening, the Selecao easily saw off limited opponents as Neymar, with his 31st international goal, set the ball rolling, rifling in a free-kick for the opener on the half hour.
     Alves drove in the second five minutes before the interval and a cheeky Neymar backheel was enough to pave the way for Hulk to dispatch the third early in the second period before Willian put the icing on the cake 17 minutes from time.
     With only Friday's friendly against Serbia to come before the Brazilians meet Croatia in their June 12 World Cup opener in Sao Paulo, 2002 title-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari seized the chance to use several second string players.
     Afterwards, he indicated he saw room for further improvement.
     "I am still concerned. We are getting better -- but 

Four-star Brazil stroll against Panama

The two worlds of Latvian wildman Ernests Gulbis and Serb joker Novak Djokovic collide at Roland Garros on Friday with a place in the French Open final at stake.
     Gulbis has stormed into his first major semi-final like a hurricane with Roger Federer a high-profile casualty.
     The outspoken 25-year-old has always had the talent just not the dedication, admitting that back in the bad old days -- as recently as 2012 -- he would often skip practice for five days.
     But having described his late blossoming as riding "the last train", Gulbis, the son of one of Latvia's richest men, has realised that he could no longer go through life without being challenged.
     "I just thought everything is gonna come too easy for me because everything in life was just coming. I wasn't really thinking about it and not putting enough effort into it," he said.
     "I never had problems in school. Tennis, everything was coming easy. I thought I'm just gonna grind in life like this, easy without ..

Wildman Gulbis, jokerman Djokovic collide in Paris

England captain Alastair Cook said he expected the controversial run out of Jos Buttler during the fifth one-day international against Sri Lanka to "spice up" the forthcoming Test series between the teams.
     Cook insisted a "line had been crossed" after Sachithra Senanayake ran out England's Jos Buttler as the non-striker backed up during Sri Lanka's 3-2 series-clinching six-wicket win in the fifth and final one-day international at Edgbaston on Tuesday.
     Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews, asked by the umpires if he wanted to uphold what was a legitimate appeal, didn't call Buttler back and the wicketkeeper, whose blistering 121 had so nearly taken the hosts to victory in their seven run fourth ODI defeat at Lord's on Saturday, was out for 21.
     "I've never seen it before in a game," Cook told a post-match press conference.
     "I was pretty disappointed with it to be honest with you. You don't know what you'd do if you were put in that situation, the heat of the moment, ...

Cook says run-out row will 'spice' up England-Sri Lanka Tests

Brazil's government has played down problems with its ageing airports, many of which are being renovated even as the World Cup looms from next week.
	Brazil has been racing to transform creaking infrastructure ahead of the June 12-July 13 event.
	But with many projects -- including several stadiums -- running behind schedule, the government stressed the transport overhaul is being done with an eye to the long-term future, not the next month.
	"The new objective is to have new airports for the country," said Aviation Minister Wellington Moreira Franco yesterday.
	 "I can assure you we are prepared" for the World Cup, he said in a radio broadcast while admitting, "it is clear we have problems."
	But the minister insisted that Brazil could cope with the expected influx of soccer tourists -- more than three million from across Brazil and another 600,000 from across the globe -- in the weeks ahead.
	"In Salvador (in the northeast), for example, we received some three million passengers for 

Brazil plays down airport problems as Cup looms

Authorities have found the beaten body of a Mexican journalist behind a cemetery outside the Pacific resort of Acapulco, four days after he was kidnapped.
	The reporter, Jorge Torres Palacios, was found on Monday in a rural area on the outskirts of Acapulco, the Guerrero state prosecutor's office said.
	Torres, who had worked as a journalist for 20 years, blogged for the news website Dictamen de Guerrero and was also a spokesman for the Acapulco health department.
	The website published his last blog in which he lamented the "the lack of security in the state."
	Torres was abducted near his home last Thursday. Journalists held daily protests in Guerrero following the kidnapping.
	Camille Soulier, head of the Americas desk at press rights group Reporters Without Borders, called for a probe by the special prosecutor's office for crimes against freedom of expression.
	Mexico has become one of the most dangerous countries for journalists amid a relentless drug war, with most crimes ...

Mexican reporter's body found after kidnapping

Movie star Brad Pitt is visiting China with his partner, actress Angelina Jolie, effectively ending an unspoken ban after he angered communist authorities by appearing in the 1997 film 'Seven Years in Tibet'.
	Jolie was in Shanghai today to promote her latest film 'Maleficent', a modern retelling of the life of Sleeping Beauty's arch-nemesis, along with three of their children, but Pitt seemed intent on keeping a low profile.
	"Right at this moment, they (the children) are in dim sum classes with their dad," Jolie said, referring to the popular southern Chinese cuisine.
	The family visited a contemporary art museum and took walks in the commercial Chinese city, she said, but made no mention of the earlier controversy.
	"It's been a wonderful experience for our family," she told journalists at Shanghai's luxury Peninsula Hotel, where the family is staying. Pitt did not appear at the news conference.
	Pitt previously played Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountain climber who became ...

Brad Pitt breaks the ice with China visit after Tibet row

Confident and casual, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad voted today along with his British-born wife, Asma, for his own re-election, displaying an image that contrasts sharply with the war he is waging.
	Portrayed as a criminal by the opposition, Assad is keen to show himself as a man of the people. And he posed for a selfie along with a group of youths at the polling station where he voted.
	The photograph then made the rounds on Twitter and Facebook.
	State television broadcast footage showing the presidential couple smiling as they arrive at a polling station in Maliki, a residential neighbourhood in downtown Damascus.
	As they walk in, they are greeted and embrace supporters before going into a voting booth. They emerge and are met by applause as they drop their ballots into the box and dip their finger in election ink.
	Assad is wearing a dark blue suit, his blonde wife a business-like black skirt, white jacket and black stiletto shoes.
	Today's was one of the couple's rare public 

Syria's Assad poses for a 'selfie' as he, first lady vote

The Obama administration apologized for keeping lawmakers in the dark regarding the swap of an American POW for five Taliban fighters, senior senators said today ahead of a classified briefing on the growing controversy.
	Asked whether the White House was correct when stating it kept key lawmakers in the loop on the exchange that saw captured soldier Bowe Bergdahl released to US special forces last weekend, Senator Saxby Chambliss, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee said that "the White House is wrong about that.
	He said it has been 18 months since the White House discussed the Bergdahl case with him.
	"If that's keeping us in the loop, then this administration is more arrogant than I thought they were," Saxby said.
	Amid growing concern by Republicans and Democrats over the swap, Chambliss said a "high-level" White House official called him yesterday "apologizing for not giving us advance warning."
	Senate Intelligence Committee's chair Diane Feinstein expressed ...

White House apologizes to lawmakers over secret POW swap

The United States today denounced Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad's attempt to shore up his authority by staging presidential elections in the middle of a brutal civil war.
	"Today's presidential election in Syria is a disgrace. Assad has no more credibility today than he did yesterday," State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said.
	Voters turned out in government-controlled areas of Syria to vote in an election seen as certain to return long-standing leader Assad to office with a mandate to continue his battle against rebel forces.
	At least 162,000 people have been killed in Syria since an uprising against Assad's rule erupted in March 2011, triggering a savage crackdown. More than half the population have fled their homes.
	Washington blames the chaos on Assad's rule and has demanded he give way to a transitional government.
	Harf said the decision to hold elections was "detached from reality" and part of "a 40-year legacy of violent repression.

AFP

AFP

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