Cambodia has purchased "tens of thousands" of weapons from China, premier Hun Sen said Monday, providing rare details of arms deals with Beijing just days after denying a secret agreement to allow Chinese warships to use a local naval base.
The Wall Street Journal last week reported on a draft deal letting China access Ream base near Sihanoukville to dock warships and store weapons, apparently confirming months of rumours.
Cambodia tried to knock down the report on Friday by taking dozens of reporters on an unprecedented tour of the base.
Prime Minister Hun Sen repeated the denials in his latest remarks and called the news "slander", but he went into an unusual level of detail about arms sales from its powerful neighbour.
"I ordered the purchase of tens of thousands of additional weapons," he said, without explaining what the country had bought.
"Now they are being shipped."
Hun Sen said USD 40 million had been spent this year on top of a total amount of USD 290 million in previous ...

Cambodia buying 'tens of thousands' of Chinese weapons: PM

PTI Automatic

Russia's jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny might have been exposed to an unidentified "toxic agent," his personal doctor said on Monday.
"Some toxic agent may be the reason for Alexei Navalny's 'illness'," his personal physician Anastasia Vasilyeva said in a post on Facebook, adding that health officials at Moscow's hospital No 64, which treated him, have behaved strangely.

Russian opposition politician Navalny might have been exposed to 'toxic agent': doctor

World number one Kento Momota said he was lifted by the crowd and can't wait to return for the Tokyo Olympics after he sealed a home singles sweep at the Japan Open.
Momota and Akane Yamaguchi gave Japan their first ever sweep of the men's and women's singles titles on Sunday, raising Japanese hopes a year out from the 2020 Games.
Momota, last year's champion, has now won 10 matches in a row at the venue that will host the Olympic badminton tournament.
"I felt great as I heard a lot of applause and the court is great, too," Japan's Daily Sports quoted the world champion as saying.
"I want to play (next year) to entertain them at this venue so that I can return the favour," he said.
The win came after Momota made a second-round exit at the Indonesia Open in Jakarta as top seed and defending champion.
"I didn't get good results last week and I wasn't confident of a repeat," Momota said, according to Kyodo news agency.
"But so many people were rooting for me, and thanks to all of you I ..

Momota, Yamaguchi raise Olympic hopes with Japanese sweep

Saudi Arabia was gearing up Monday for the funeral of King Salman's elder brother, the royal court said, after he died at the age of 96.
"His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Abdulaziz al-Saud passed away," the royal court said Sunday in a brief statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
"A funeral prayer will be performed for his soul... on Monday... at the Grand Mosque in Mecca."
The prince was the eldest surviving son of Saudi Arabia's founding monarch, King Abdulaziz.
The royal court did not elaborate on the cause of his death, but some local media said he had been ill for several years.
He was not said to be a politically active member of the royal Al-Saud family which counts thousands of members, only a handful of whom wield direct influence over the kingdom.
His sons, however, hold key government positions.
Prince Faisal bin Bandar is the governor of Riyadh while Prince Abdullah bin Bandar is the head of the Saudi National Guard.
His death comes as King Salman's son, 

Saudi King Salman's brother dies at 96

China is holding military exercises in the East China Sea and the South China Sea near Taiwan this week, days after a defence white paper said Beijing would not rule out retaking the island by force.
The China Maritime Safety Administration issued notices on Sunday and Monday warning against entering broad swaths of airspace and waters off the coast of eastern Zhejiang and southern Guangdong provinces due to "military activity".
The announcements said drills in the East China sea were scheduled to run through Thursday and the ones in the South China Sea would end Friday.
But it did not offer details on the scale of the exercises or which military units were involved.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting unification, even though the two sides have been ruled separately since the end of a civil war in 1949.
The defence white paper published last week stressed Beijing's willingness to use force to thwart any move towards the self-ruled island's independence.
The drills ..

China holds military drills near Taiwan

Hong Kong's leaders must address the grievances fuelling nearly two months of protests, the American Chamber of Commerce said Monday, as the business community becomes increasingly alarmed by the chaos engulfing the financial hub.
The once stable city is reeling from weeks of anti-government protests that show no sign of abating.
What began as a mass display of opposition to an extradition bill two months ago has morphed into a wider pro-democracy movement that has thrown down the most significant challenge to Beijing's authority since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
And there is growing frustration over the seeming inability -- or unwillingness -- of Beijing and the city's leaders to offer compromises or a solution that might end the political crisis.
Protesters battled riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets on two consecutive days over the weekend in some of the most sustained and violent clashes since the pro-democracy movement kicked off last ...

Address protest grievances, AmCham tells Hong Kong leaders

An elephant died after being hit by a truck on a Malaysian highway, police said Monday, the latest of the endangered creatures to be killed as their habitats are destroyed.
The Southeast Asian country is home to many exotic animals, but they have increasingly found themselves forced out of their jungle homes as plantations and human settlements expand.
The elephant was killed late Sunday on a busy road just north of a national park in the northeastern state of Terengganu, senior police officer Mohamad Adli Mat Daud told AFP.
"A herd of wild elephants suddenly emerged from the forest under the cover of darkness," he said.
"A female wild elephant aged about five to six years was hit and killed by a lorry." The driver of the truck carrying iron ore to a port escaped without injury, he said.
In 2017, two elephants were killed on the same highway in northern Malaysia within two months.
The pachyderms on peninsular Malaysia are Asian elephants, a species classified as endangered by ...

Endangered Malaysian elephant killed on highway

Three people were killed and at least 15 others injured in a shooting at a major food festival in California on Sunday, police said.
Officers confronted and shot dead the suspect "in less than a minute," said Scot Smithee, police chief of the city of Gilroy, 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of San Jose.
Police said it was "still an active crime scene" at the site of the three-day Gilroy Garlic Festival, one of the largest food festivals in the country.
A search for a possible second suspect was ongoing, Smithee said.
"We believe based on witness statements that there was a second individual involved in some way, we just don't know in what way," he told journalists.
Footage showed people fleeing in terror as shots rang out.
A witness named Julissa Contreras told NBC a white man in his 30s armed with a rifle opened fire indiscriminately.
"I could see him shooting in just every direction. He wasn't aiming at anyone specifically. It was just left to right, right to left," Contreras ...

Three killed in US festival shooting, suspected gunman dead

American superstar Caeleb Dressel has invited comparisons to Olympic legend Michael Phelps after lighting up a world swimming championships plagued by doping rows, a sexual harassment arrest and a fatal nightclub accident.
Dressel came away from Gwangju with six gold medals and two silvers, winning all four of his individual events and obliterating Phelps's 10-year-old 100 metres butterfly world record for good measure.
But even the heroics of swimming's tattooed golden boy were often overshadowed by an explosive doping controversy, which was looming even before Chinese giant Sun Yang set foot in South Korea.
Following bombshell allegations in a FINA doping panel report, claiming the triple Olympic champion had allowed blood vials to be smashed with a hammer after being visited by testers, several swimmers made their feelings very clear.
Australia's Mack Horton and Briton Duncan Scott refused to shake Sun's hand after losing to the hulking Chinese swimmer, provoking a furious reaction 

Dressel emerges with Phelps aura after scandal-hit world swim

Hungarian swimmer Tamas Kenderesi has apologised for "thoughtlessly touching" a nightclub dancer after being arrested on sexual harassment charges during the world championships.
The 22-year-old Olympic bronze medallist has been banned from leaving the country while police investigate the incident at a bar in Gwangju, around 330 kilometres (200 miles) south of Seoul, at the weekend.
Kenderesi has admitted making contact with his accuser but denies charges of sexual harassment.
"After coming back from the toilets and heading towards the dance floor, I touched the backside of a Korean girl who was working as a dancer at the club," the swimmer said in a statement.
"I did not even stop behind her -- I took only a single, perhaps thoughtless move, which seriously angered this girl who filed a complaint against me.
"Realising the seriousness of the situation, I was absolutely cooperative throughout the entire process," added Kenderesi, who finished last in the men's 200 metres butterfly ...

Hungarian swimmer 'sorry' for touching nightclub dancer

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff was critical of his team's preparations and reactions after both drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas crashed out of contention in a chaotic rain-hit German Grand Prix.
Wolff, wearing braces and 'baggies' as part of champions Mercedes' decision to revert to 'retro' 1950s outfits in celebration of 125 years of motorsport, on Sunday said the team was not prepared and made the "wrong calls".
The Austrian team boss seemed frustrated and angry that the team were distracted from their jobs by a need to dress in old overalls and flat caps.
Dutchman Max Verstappen claimed his second victory of the season for Red Bull, making five pit-stops on the way, to finish ahead of Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso.
Defending five-time champion Hamilton, who had been feeling poorly with a sore throat, finished 11th after two mistakes and six pit-stops while Bottas crashed out in the closing laps.
He was later promoted to ninth after Alfa Romeo 

'It was karma': Mercedes boss rages after German GP flop

American Collin Morikawa birdied the final three holes to win his first US PGA title at the Barracuda Championship in only his sixth start as a tour professional.
The 22-year-old, who graduated from the University of California in May, on Sunday finished on 47 points, three more than US runner-up Troy Merritt in the only US tour event that uses the Modified Stableford scoring system.
The former world amateur number one made his pro debut at last month's Canadian Open, shared second three weeks ago at the 3M Open and shared fourth two weeks ago at the John Deere Classic to secure a spot on next season's tour.
"It was something really special to finally get the win," Morikawa said.
"I think the gates are open. I've been knocking on the door the past month or so. I've been playing well. I just believed in myself, was able to make some shots and come through."
Under the unique format, eight points are awarded for an albatross, five for eagle, two for birdie and zero for par, and a point ..

Morikawa wins first US PGA title in Reno on birdie run

New Zealand unveiled a spin-heavy attack on Monday for the opening round of their World Test Championship campaign against Sri Lanka next month.
Coach Gary Stead named four spinners in his 15-man squad for the two-Test series in Sri Lanka that will mark both teams' debut in the new world championship that runs through to 2021.
Stead said the Sri Lankan wickets were expected to turn and he was adopting a "horses-for-courses" strategy in selecting Ajaz Patel, Will Somerville, Mitchell Santner and Todd Astle.
"Playing three spinners is an option in Sri Lankan conditions and we believe this group provides the best variations and skill mix on offer," he said.
The reliance on spin means quicks Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson miss out, with Stead opting for Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Colin de Grandhomme.
The long-awaited Test championship will see nine nations vying for points in home and away series in a bid to reach a deciding match at Lord's in June 2021.
New Zealand will ...

Black Caps turn to spin for Sri Lanka Tests

Australia's Alex de Minaur captured his second ATP title in dominant style, dropping just 10 points on serve in a 6-3 7-6 (7/2) triumph over Taylor Fritz in a battle of rising stars in Atlanta.
Third-seeded de Minaur, 20, on Sunday became just the third player to win an ATP title without facing a break point since the tour began keeping stats in 1991.  German Tommy Haas did it in Memphis in 2007 and American John Isner managed the feat in Newport in 2017.
More importantly, de Minaur cemented his return from the groin injury that sidelined him for nearly two months after he claimed his maiden victory at Sydney in January.
"This one is really special to me," said de Minaur, who improved to 15-4 on hard courts this season with the US Open looming in August.
"I felt like I really needed this. To start the year with a bang and then be slowed down by injuries ... you expect your level to be right there once you come back, but you have to slowly grind your way back.
"I've been playing great .

De Minaur dominates Fritz to lift Atlanta ATP title

Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad shattered one of the longest standing records in women's athletics with a superb display to clinch victory in the 400m hurdles at US Championships.
The 29-year-old powered home to win in 52.20sec at rain-soaked Drake Stadium on Sunday, obliterating the 16-year-old previous world record of 52.34sec set by Russia's Yuliya Pechonkina in 2003.
"I'm just shocked," Muhammad said. "My coach kept telling me (the record) was there. I just had to trust that and go for it.
"I wanted it so bad I knew I had to go out there and prove myself."
Muhammad, the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the event at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games, later revealed she had an injury scare heading into this week's event, suffering a concussion in a training run two weeks ago.
However, she revealed she had been quietly confident that she could threaten Pechonkina's benchmark.
"I was hoping for it this weekend," Muhammad.
"I just trusted in what we'd been working for up to ...

Muhammad shatters hurdles record as Lyles shines

The coach of drug-tainted Australian swimmer Shayna Jack says he will stand by her, insisting she is a clean athlete and will be cleared of wrongdoing.
The 20-year-old, part of Australia's 4x100m freestyle team that set a world record last year, tested positive to Ligandrol, which helps build muscle mass, out of competition late last month.
But it only came to light at the weekend, in a huge embarrassment for Australian swimming after Olympic champion Mack Horton's high-profile protest against Chinese rival Sun Yang at the world championships in South Korea.
Horton refused to share a podium with Sun, who is accused of smashing vials of blood following a test last year and Jack's coach Dean Boxall, who also mentors 400m world champion Ariarne Titmus, said he knew of her test result before the championships, but anti-doping regulations prevented him speaking out earlier.
She returned home days before the event started, citing "personal reasons", and on Sunday strenuously denied ...

Coach insists 'devastated' drug-row Aussie swimmer is innocent

Seoul sent three North Koreans who crossed the maritime border in a fishing boat back home on Monday after they said they wanted to return, the Unification ministry said.
"All of the three crew members, as well as the wooden vessel, will be returned to the North," the ministry told reporters in Seoul.
The boat and three crew had set off, a ministry official told AFP.
The vessel had a white towel tied to its mast when it crossed the Northern Limit Line in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, into South Korean waters late Saturday.
Thinking the towel might be a sign the crew wanted to defect, South Korean authorities took the boat to a military port for investigation.
But when questioned the crew said they had crossed the border by mistake and wanted to go home, the ministry said.
The incident comes after a North Korean fishing boat crossed the intensely monitored border undetected in June and sailed into a South Korean port before it was identified.
Two of the four crew ...

Seoul repatriates three North Korean fishermen

It's a cuppa like no other. Every evening in Islamabad a crowd arrives at Sanaullah's street stall to taste his "tandoori chai" -- milk tea served in terracotta mugs, still hot from his traditional oven.
The old-fashioned cups are placed directly inside the tandoor, where they are baked at high temperatures.
The tea, prepared separately, is then poured in to the cups, where it starts to boil on hitting the hot clay.
In Pakistan, where the classic milk tea -- thick, strong, and generously sweet -- dominates all strata of society, the particular alchemy of tandoori chai seduces patrons intrigued by its traditional roots and distinct earthy taste.
The tandoor is ubiquitous in South Asia, most commonly used to bake bread.  But the concept of making tea this way, is  the main draw for many, explains Sanaullah, the jovial owner of a trendy shop located in an upmarket area of the Pakistani capital.
"The process of making it is really very interesting, which makes people like it," he said, ...

Smoky tea baked in clay: tandoori chai heats up Pakistan

A shooting at a major food festival in the US state of California caused multiple casualties on Sunday, police said.
"The hearts of Gilroy PD and entire community go out to the victims of today's shooting at the Garlic Festival," the local police department tweeted.
NBC News reported that there were at least five victims of the shooting, which took place at one of the largest food festivals in the country, which is held about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of San Jose.
The channel quoted a witness named Julissa Contreras as saying a white man in his 30s carried out the shooting with a rifle.
"I could see him shooting in just every direction. He wasn't aiming at anyone specifically. It was just left to right, right to left," Contreras said, according to NBC.
"Grateful to first responders who are on the scene in Gilroy and keeping those injured by such senseless violence in my thoughts," Senator Kamala Harris, who is running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, wrote on .

Multiple victims as shooter opens fire at US food festival: police

The Chinese flag was flown at half-mast at Tiananmen Square on Monday in honour of late former premier Li Peng, a hardliner in the crackdown on protesters who occupied the Beijing landmark in 1989.
Li, who died of an unspecified illness at age 90 last week, was reviled by activists as the "Butcher of Beijing" for his role in the military's brutal suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations on June 4, 1989.
But he was eulogised in state media following his death as a "tested and loyal communist soldier" who "took decisive measures to stop the turmoil" 30 years ago.
At Tiananmen on Monday, soldiers at the daily flag-raising ceremony raised the red banner to half-mast as hundreds of tourists looked on under rainy skies in the capital.
"He was a man of strong will," said a man visiting from central Shaanxi province.
The official Xinhua news agency said Li's body would be cremated in Beijing on Monday. The flag will also fly at half-mast at the imposing Great Hall of the People next to the 

China flag flies at half-mast for Tiananmen crackdown leader

Prince Harry's wife Meghan will guest edit the September issue of iconic fashion magazine British Vogue, which will see her in "candid conversation" with former US first lady Michelle Obama.
The edition, entitled "Forces for Change", will feature 15 women "united by their fearlessness in breaking barriers", including world-renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, according to a statement released by the royal family.
"These last seven months have been a rewarding process..., to take the year's most read fashion issue and steer its focus to the values, causes and people making impact in the world today," said Meghan, also known by her official title the Duchess of Sussex.
"Through this lens I hope you'll feel the strength of the collective in the diverse selection of women chosen for the cover," she added.
Other women to feature include New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and actor/campaigners Jane Fonda and Salma Hayek Pinault, along with youth climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.
The 

AFP

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