Berlin from Friday eased rules allowing the descendants of people who fled Nazi Germany to reclaim citizenship.
Germany must "live up to its historical responsibility with regards to those affected," said Interior Minister Horst Seehofer.
While Germany already has rules allowing descendants of persecuted Jews to reclaim citizenship, the two decrees that came into force on Friday closed several loopholes that had previously shut others out.
The offspring of people who left Nazi Germany before their nationality was evoked by the regime can now reclaim it under the new decree.
People who previously would not have been accorded German nationality, because their father was a foreigner and whose mother lost her German citizenship under the Nazis, for example, can now also benefit from the new rules.
The ministry stressed that no one should be shut out because the Nazi-era injustice was too far back in time.
Second, third, fourth "and in some cases fifth generation" descendants can apply, ...

Berlin eases citizenship rules for Nazi victims' offspring

PTI Automatic

A Scottish judge was to decide Friday whether to issue an interim ruling on stopping the British parliament being suspended in the final weeks before Brexit.
Judge Raymond Doherty on Thursday heard a bid for an interim interdict - the Scottish legal equivalent of an injunction - that would halt Prime Minister Boris Johnson's move to suspend parliament between mid-September and October 14.
Queen Elizabeth II, the head of state who must follow the advice of her ministers, has already given the go-ahead.
A group of 75 parliamentarians are seeking a temporary injunction from Doherty pending a full hearing on September 6.
The judge will start giving his decision at 10:00am (local time) at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Scotland's highest civil court.
England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own separate legal systems within the United Kingdom.
Legal bids to halt Johnson's move have also been launched in London and Belfast.
Johnson announced the surprise decision ...

Judge to decide on British parliament suspension

Renewed hopes for trade talks boosted most Asian equities Friday after China said it would not retaliate against the latest US tariffs, setting up a positive end to a volatile week.
However, the arrest of activists in Hong Kong fuelled fresh worries about violent protests in the city and wiped out an early rally.
With huge levies on goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars due to kick in over the weekend, the long-running trade war between the world's top two economies steps up a gear, and observers are fretting the row could drag on.
But Beijing on Thursday appeared to want to dial down the tensions, saying it would hold off on responding in kind, as it has previously warned it would do.
"The escalation of the trade war is not beneficial to China, and it is not beneficial to the United States," commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng said.
Later, President Donald Trump said talks between the two were planned for later Thursday, though there was no indication any had taken place by ...

Asian markets boosted by fresh trade hopes after troubled week

Prominent democracy activists were arrested Friday in a dragnet across Hong Kong - a move described by rights groups as a well-worn tactic deployed by China to suffocate dissent ahead of key political events.
The sweep comes after a major rally planned by a civil rights group on Saturday was banned by police on security grounds.
Hong Kong has been locked in three months of political crisis, with increasingly violent clashes between police and protesters that have prompted an escalating public relations campaign from China.
Protesters had planned yet another mass rally on Saturday -- the fifth anniversary of Beijing's rejection of a call for universal suffrage in the semi-autonomous city.
It was a pivotal moment, sparking the 79-day Umbrella Movement in 2014, which seeded the ground for today's protests.
But organisers on Friday afternoon said they would not march, complying with the police banning order.
Earlier, two of the Umbrella Movement's leaders, Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow -- ...

Hong Kong police round up activists as mass rally called-off

Britain has come up with "nothing credible" to replace the controversial Irish backstop in its deal to leave the EU, Ireland's foreign minister said Friday.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants the backstop -- the fallback provisions for the border between EU member Ireland and UK-ruled Northern Ireland -- to be scrapped completely.
With the clock ticking down to the October 31 departure date and Johnson insisting he will not postpone, the EU is pressing Britain to come up with workable alternatives.
"We all want to get a deal but at the moment nothing credible has come from the British government in the context of an alternative to the backstop," Coveney said as he arrived for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Helsinki.
"If that changes, great. We'll look at it in Dublin but more importantly it can be the basis of a discussion in Brussels but it's got to be credible."
Fears among Brexit-supporters that the backstop could leave Britain tied indefinitely to EU rules were a major ...

Britain has 'nothing credible' to replace Brexit backstop: Ireland

Cathay Pacific has warned staff they risk being sacked if they join a planned Hong Kong strike, as the airline intensifies its crackdown on employee support for the rolling pro-democracy protests.
Hong Kong's flagship carrier, which has 27,000 staff in the city, has been accused of bowing to political pressure from China, whose aviation regulator has banned airline staff who have supported the demonstrations from working on flights through its airspace.
In an internal memo to staff, a Cathay director, Tom Owen, said participating in a strike planned for Monday and Tuesday could constitute a breach of contract.
"We expect all of our employees to report for work as normal and over this period and will be monitoring attendance levels closely," he said in the memo, a copy of which was sent to AFP by Cathay.
"Any breach of policy or regulatory requirements will be investigated and may lead to termination of contract." The memo caps a sharp U-turn by the airline which publicly supported the 

Cathay warns staff face sack if they join Hong Kong strike

Donald Trump's personal assistant Madeleine Westerhout resigned on Thursday after she shared information about the president's family with journalists, US media reported.
Westerhout's unexpected departure came after Trump learned that she had talked about his family and White House matters with reporters at an off-the-record session during the president's recent working vacation in New Jersey, The New York Times reported citing unnamed sources.
Later, other outlets -- including CNN and Politico -- also reported her departure citing unnamed sources.
CNN said Westerhout had failed to make clear during the interaction with journalists that her comments were off the record, and one reporter disclosed the conversation to the White House.
Westerhout's office was in front of the Oval Office and she had been described as Trump's "gatekeeper" in US media. She had been his personal assistant from the beginning of his presidency.
The Trump administration has been particularly sensitive about ...

Trump's personal assistant steps down over info breach: reports

Sebastian Coe admits that athletics' world governing body was "crumbling" when he took over four years ago, but insists progress has been made on Russian doping and levelling the female playing field by forcing athletes such as Caster Semenya to regulate their testosterone levels.
"We've covered a lot of ground, there's no question about that," IAAF President Coe told AFP in an interview in Zurich, host of the opening Diamond League final.
"Some of it because I wanted to make changes... and some of it, I openly admit, was forced upon us.
"We've made a mountain of changes such as a proper constitution to meet modern demands. The centrepiece of that was the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), really the first of its kind in international sport, and that's working very well."
Coe, who won 1500m Olympic golds for Britain in 1980 and 1984, beat legendary former Ukrainian pole vaulter Sergey Bubka to take over as head of the International Association of Athletics Federations from the ...

IAAF was 'crumbling' - Coe hails progress

The long-term outlook for Australia's Great Barrier Reef was downgraded to "very poor" for the first time Friday by the official agency charged with managing the world heritage site.
In its latest five-yearly report on the health of the world's largest coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority singled out rising sea temperatures due to climate change as the biggest threat to the giant organism.
"The significant and large-scale impacts from record-breaking sea surface temperatures have resulted in coral reef habitat transitioning from poor to very poor condition," the government agency said.
It said "strong and effective management actions are urgent at global, regional and local scales" to rescue the 2,300-kilometre (1,400-mile) reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
"The Reef is core to Australia's identity and improving its outlook is critical," it said, adding that in addition to countering climate change, further action was needed to halt the run-off of agricultural ...

Australia downgrades outlook for Great Barrier Reef to 'very poor'

A dramatic late-night call from an Australian judge to a plane bound for Sri Lanka has temporarily spared a family of four -- including two Aussie-born toddlers -- from deportation and fuelled a political firestorm Down Under.
Australia's conservative government had ordered the Tamil family to be taken from immigration detention in Melbourne, put on a plane and deported to Sri Lanka late on Thursday.
But an injunction made by a phone call from Federal Judge Heather Riley after the plane took off forced pilots to land the aircraft and deposit the family in the far north city of Darwin.
The case has become a new flashpoint over the Australian government's hardline immigration policies, which include turning away refugees arriving by boat and de facto offshore detention, both measures condemned by the United Nations.
The parents arrived in Australia by boat separately in 2012 and 2013 seeking asylum.
Their daughters Kopika, aged four, and Tharunicca, aged two were born in Australia and ..

Court blocks Australia from deporting Tamil toddlers

North Korea has elevated leader Kim Jong Un to a status approaching his grandfather, the country's founder Kim Il Sung, analysts said Friday after Pyongyang revised its constitution to reinforce his authority.
Kim was under 30 when he inherited power in late 2011 on the death of his father Kim Jong Il, but has since firmly established his authority, ruling the country with an iron fist, overseeing four of its six nuclear tests and executing his uncle for treason.
Kim is officially chairman of the ruling Workers' Party and chairman of the State Affairs Commission (SAC), the top government body, although his late grandfather remains the country's Eternal President despite dying in 1994.
The Supreme People's Assembly, the North's rubber-stamp parliament, approved a series of constitutional changes on Thursday to ensure what the legislature's head Choe Ryong Hae called Kim's "monolithic guidance".
The new clause declares the SAC chairman the "supreme leader of the Party, state, and armed .

N Korea solidifies Kim Jong Un's 'monolithic' power

Alexis Sanchez joined Italian giants Inter Milan on a season-long loan deal from Manchester United, both clubs announced on Thursday.
Sanchez, 30, has endured a miserable time in Manchester since joining the Red Devils in January 2018 as reportedly the highest paid player in the Premier League.
The Chilean scored just five goals in 45 appearances for United and has not featured so far this season.
"Alexis Sanchez is officially an Inter player. The Chilean has joined the Nerazzurri from Manchester United on a loan deal that will last until 30 June 2020," Inter said in a statement.
Sanchez will join forces with a former United teammate Romelu Lukaku, who moved to Italy in a 65-million-euro ($73 million) move earlier this month, as Inter hope to end Juventus' eight-year domination of Italian football in Antonio Conte's first season in charge.
Lukaku scored as Conte's reign as Inter coach got off to a perfect start with a 4-0 win over promoted Lecce on Monday.
However, reviving Sanchez's .

Sanchez joins Inter on season-long loan from Man Utd

World number one Naomi Osaka is ready to join Kei Nishikori for mixed doubles at the Tokyo Olympics, but first she needs to practice doubles for the first time ever.
Defending champion Osaka advanced to the third round of the US Open on Thursday by defeating Poland's Magda Linette 6-2, 6-4.
The 21-year-old Japanese star was asked after the match about Nishikori, a former US Open runner-up, saying he would see if she was interested in joining forces for mixed doubles at next year's Olympics.
Osaka, the reigning Australian Open champion also, is excited by the prospect, but also more than a bit intimidated.
"The thing is anyone that knows my doubles track record knows that I'm down," Osaka said.
"I would play. I would definitely play with him. I just, I would actually need to practice doubles for the first time in my life."
The pride Osaka would feel in playing for her homeland is tempered by the massive responsibility such a "Dream Team" would carry.
"Because you cannot play mixed ...

Osaka needs work but would team with Nishikori at Olympics

Hurricane Dorian strengthened to a Category 2 storm on Thursday as it barreled toward the US state of Florida, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm's maximum sustained winds have reached 105 miles per hour (165 kilometers per hour), putting it in the second category of a five-level scale, according to an advisory from the NHC.

Hurricane Dorian strengthens to Category 2 storm

Australian wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis vented his frustration Thursday at being forced to withdraw from a second-round US Open clash with three-time champion Rafael Nadal due to injury.
Kokkinakis, the world number 203, won his first Grand Slam match since the 2015 French Open against Ilya Ivashka in the first round at Flushing Meadows but a right shoulder problem prevented him from facing Nadal.
"Cannot describe how angry and frustrated I am right now," Kokkinakis tweeted.
"Having to pull out tonight after working so hard to get back to this point I'm going to figure it out at some point and it will all be worth it... Thank you to everyone who still supports me through the shit."
Kokkinakis, 23, reached a career high of 69th in 2015 but his progress has stalled due to a series of injuries in recent years.
Despite that, he famously defeated Roger Federer in the second round of the Miami Masters in 2018.
He was making his third appearance in the main draw at the US Open, having lost in 

Kokkinakis 'angry and frustrated' as injury scuppers Nadal clash

Former Spain coach Luis Enrique announced the death of his nine-year-old daughter from bone cancer on Thursday.
"Our daughter Xana passed away this afternoon at nine years old, after fighting for five intense months against osteosarcoma," Luis Enrique tweeted.
"We will miss you enormously but we will remember you every day of our lives," he added.
Luis Enrique resigned as national coach in June "due to the reasons which had prevented me from fulfilling my duties as normal since last March" he said at the time.
His personal issue was never made public, until now.
Assistant Robert Moreno has been in charge for Spain's last three matches and will now lead the team through Euro 2020 qualifying and the final tournament, in what is his first job as a professional coach.
In his poignant Twitter post, Luis Enrique thanked all the messages of support "received during these months".
Prominent figures in football were quick to send Enrique their condolences, with his former Spain captain Sergio .

Ex-Spain coach Luis Enrique's nine-year-old daughter dies of cancer

Zinedine Zidane has said he will breathe a sigh of relief when the transfer window closes but Barcelona might need every minute until midnight on Monday to get a deal for Neymar finally done.
"I can't wait for September 2 so I don't have to answer these questions anymore," said Zidane last week.
"There's still no agreement (with Paris Saint-Germain)," Barcelona director Jordi Bordas said on Tuesday.
"We are negotiating and we are closer, but I can't say more than that."
At the start of the summer, it was Real Madrid rubbing their hands at the prospect of wholesale changes while Barca could justifiably believe the majority of their business was complete.
Frenkie de Jong arrived after his 75-million euro switch from Ajax was announced in January while Antoine Griezmann soon followed, with Atletico Madrid claiming that transfer had been agreed in March.
All that seemingly remained for Ernesto Valverde was some tinkering around the edges.
Madrid, though, were just getting started as 300 ..

Doubts remain for Barca and Madrid as chaotic window draws to a close

Arsenal and Tottenham battle for North London supremacy on Sunday in an early indicator as to who will be Manchester City and Liverpool's closest challengers for the Premier League title.
City and Liverpool have already moved clear of the chasing pack with Jurgen Klopp's men boasting the only 100 percent record after three games to open a two-point lead over the champions.
Both will expect to add another three points before the international break as City host Brighton, while Liverpool travel to Burnley.
But below them the rest have plenty of room for improvement with Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea having already tasted defeat.
Arsenal were given a lesson in how far they still have to go to challenge for the title in losing 3-1 at Anfield last weekend, but the Gunners can quickly erase the memory of that defeat should they get the better of Spurs at the Emirates.
A thrilling 4-2 win over the Champions League finalists in this fixture last season was the highlight of 

Arsenal, Spurs battle for bragging rights, Man Utd aim to bounce back at Southampton

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's son and hopeful ambassador to the United States is set to travel to Washington Friday to thank Donald Trump for his support during the crisis surrounding the fires in the Amazon rainforest.
"Our minister Ernesto Araujo and Deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro will be received this Friday by President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington," the Brazilian leader tweeted late Thursday.
"Brazil and the United States have never been so aligned," he added. "Coordination with the US president was essential for defending Brazil's sovereignty during the G7 summit."
At the end of a recent meeting between the leaders of the world's seven most powerful economies, French President Emmanuel Macron floated the possibility of sending aid to help control the proliferation of fires burning in the Amazon.
The rainforest, which is the world's largest and crucial to a stable global climate, is mostly located in Brazil.
Bolsonaro and Macron have locked horns several times ..

Bolsonaro's son heads to Washington to thank Trump for Amazon support

Andy Murray suffered a setback in his return from injury as he slipped to a surprise last-16 loss to world number 240 Matteo Viola at the second-tier Challenger event in Mallorca on Thursday.
The three-time Grand Slam champion, returning after hip surgery, was beaten 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) by his Italian opponent.
Murray was competing in a Challenger tournament for the first time since 2005 and had cruised through his opening two matches at the Rafa Nadal Open in straight sets.
A third consecutive such victory looked on the cards when he took the opening set with two breaks of the Viola serve, but he dropped the second despite twice fighting back from a break down.
The former world number one again recovered an early break in the decider, but lost a tie-break on Viola's second match point.
The 32-year-old, currently ranked 328th in the world, had a metal hip implanted in January and pulled out of the doubles at the ongoing US Open in order to concentrate on his singles comeback.
Murray ..

Murray suffers defeat in Mallorca Challenger

French football is in the midst of a culture war over homophobic chanting as Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain prepare for a trip to Metz on Friday shorn of their superstar frontline amid rumours of Neymar's imminent departure for Barcelona.
Prosecutors in Nice revealed on Thursday they had opened an investigation after Nice fans caused the suspension of Wednesday's 2-1 home defeat by Marseille by unleashing a volley of homophobic chants and banners that forced referee Clement Turpin to lead the players off the field, where they remained for over 10 minutes.
Turpin was praised by coaches Andre Villas-Boas and Patrick Vieira and France's equalities minister Marlene Schiappa, but Nice midfielder Wylan Cyprien bemoaned the decision, brought on by new instructions ordering referees to stop matches in the event of anti-gay chants.
On Thursday, France coach Didier Deschamps also questioned the stoppage despite insisting that authorities should be "uncompromising" in their attitude ...

AFP

AFP

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