President Donald Trump said Thursday he "couldn't care less" whether a US Navy destroyer bears the name of his late rival John McCain, but insisted he would not have ordered hiding the vessel from view during his Japan trip.
US media reported that efforts were made to obscure the USS John S. McCain's name during Trump's visit to an American military facility in Japan on Tuesday, accusations also denied by the Pentagon.
"I don't know what happened, I wasn't involved. I would not have done that," Trump told reporters at the White House when asked about the incident.
"I wasn't a fan of John McCain and never will be," Trump added, acknowledging he was "very angry" with the senator, a fellow Republican, for blocking Trump's 2017 effort to dismantle the existing health care law.
"But I certainly couldn't care less whether or not there's a boat named after his father." Crew serving aboard the 154-meter (505-foot) vessel, whose uniforms bear the ship's name, were prevented from attending a ...

Trump says 'would not have' ordered hiding of USS John McCain

PTI Automatic

A US court Thursday will weigh the fate of the last abortion provider in the state of Missouri amid a national offensive by conservatives seeking to topple women's constitutional right to the procedure.
Planned Parenthood, a non-profit that provides reproductive health care in the United States, filed suit this week seeking a restraining order against the state's refusal to renew its license to perform abortions at its St. Louis health centre.
If the order is denied, Missouri would become the first US state in more than 45 years where abortions can no longer be obtained.
"We hope that the court will see exactly what is happening, which is that over the last 10 years, the state of Missouri has imposed regulation upon regulation that has no basis in medicine," Dr Leanna Wen, president of Planned Parenthood, said on CBS.
The hearing before Judge Michael Steltzer was scheduled for 10:30 am (1530 GMT).
The case comes as more than a dozen US states have passed laws restricting abortion as ..

US court weighs fate of sole abortion provider in Missouri

Britain and Canada raised concerns Thursday that expatriates living and working in Hong Kong could face extradition to mainland China under a controversial proposed extradition law, risking a chill on commerce.
Hong Kong's pro-Beijing authorities are pushing a bill through the legislature that would allow extraditions to any jurisdiction with which it doesn't already have a treaty -- including mainland China.
Historically, the semi-autonomous city has balked at mainland extraditions because of the opacity of China's criminal justice system and its liberal use of the death penalty.
"We are concerned about the potential effect of these proposals on the large number of Canadian and UK citizens in Hong Kong, on business confidence and on Hong Kong's international reputation," Britain and Canada said in a joint statement.
"Furthermore, we believe that there is a risk that the proposals could impact negatively on the rights and freedoms set down in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
"It is 

Britain, Canada worry over Hong Kong extradition 'risk'

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen appointed the head of the country's constitutional court as Austria's first female chancellor Thursday to lead an interim government until elections later in the year.
Brigitte Bierlein will now be tasked with forming a cabinet after the previous government collapsed spectacularly over the so-called "Ibiza-gate" corruption scandal.
"I will seek to win Austrians' trust," Bierlein said alongside Van der Bellen in a televised statement Thursday, saying she would hold talks with political parties and civil society organisations in the coming days.
She said that Clemens Jablons, a previous president of the Supreme Administrative Court, was "ready to take up the posts of vice-chancellor and justice minister".
She added that she would put forward diplomat Alexander Schallenberg for the post of foreign minister.
"If this is surprising for you, it is for me as well," Bierlein told journalists gathered for the statement.
Van der Bellen called Bierlein 

Austria gets first female chancellor

Top seed and world number one Novak Djokovic cruised into the French Open third round on Thursday and admitted it had been an emotional day playing for the first time in front of his four-year-old son.
Djokovic, bidding to become just the second man to hold all four Slams at the same time twice, cruised to a 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 win over Swiss lucky loser Henri Laaksonen.
Watching from the player's box on Court Suzanne Lenglen was Djokovic's son Stefan.
"It's a very special day for me as it's the first time in my life that I have played in front of my son," said the 32-year-old Serb.
"He showed incredible patience to sit there for an hour and a half.
"Usually, he's not that patient with tennis." Last July, Stefan joined in with the celebrations on Centre Court as Djokovic claimed a fourth Wimbledon title.
However, he was not allowed to watch the final against Kevin Anderson as the All England Club bans all children under the age of five from attending during a match.
Djokovic goes on to face 

Father's day as Djokovic wins in front of his son

Serena Williams put her nervy start to the French Open behind her by thrashing Japanese qualifier Kurumi Nara on Thursday to step up her bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.
The 37-year-old cruised into the third round with a 6-3, 6-2 victory on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Williams will face Sofia Kenin for a last-16 spot, after her fellow American received a walkover following Canadian Bianca Andreescu's withdrawal through injury.
"I'm very serious when I play, but I'm happy," she said.
The three-time Roland Garros title winner had racked up her 800th career main draw win in a first-round match against Vitalia Diatchenko, which saw her unveil her 'mother, champion, queen, goddess' logo on her playing gear, despite dropping the opening set.
A mouthwatering quarter-final clash with Naomi Osaka, who famously beat Williams in a dramatic 2018 US Open final, remains a possibility after the world number one's thrilling three-set win over Victoria Azarenka.
Williams was back at her 

Serena crushes Nara to reach French Open third round

Pakistan spearhead Mohammad Amir says playing in the World Cup will be a dream come true after he missed the previous two tournaments following a ban for spot-fixing.
The 27-year-old nearly missed out this time as he was left out of the preliminary World Cup squad, having taken just five wickets in the 14 matches before the recent one-day international series against England.
He did not get to bowl in the first match against England at the Oval, which was ruined by the weather, and missed the last four games with a bout of chicken pox. The home side won the series 4-0.
But selectors decided to include him in the final 15 for the World Cup in England and Wales.
"It's a dream come true," Amir told AFP ahead of Pakistan's first match against West Indies at Trent Bridge on Friday.
"Every cricketer dreams of representing his country in a World Cup so this is my chance.
"My target is to take wickets and be a third-time lucky in England after winning the World Twenty20 and Champions Trophy," 

World Cup a dream come true for Pakistan's Mohammad Amir

A Pakistani parliamentarian and civil rights leader linked to a violent weekend clash between Pashtun activists and security forces was taken into custody Thursday, officials said.
Moshin Dawar -- an MP and leading member of the Pashtun Protection Movement (PTM) -- had been in hiding for days following the fatal incident Sunday in a restive tribal region along the Afghan border where he was leading a protest against alleged abuses by the military.
"He has been charged with murder, attempted murder, attacking law enforcement personnel, disturbing law and order, and terrorism," an official in Bannu told AFP on the condition of anonymity.
Provincial information minister Shaukat Yousafzai confirmed the arrest.
A video released by PTM on Twitter Thursday afternoon showed Dawar saying he planned to turn himself into officials.
"I do not want to put my people in difficulty to escape their arrest," said Dawar.
"I am requesting the nation to be resilient and strong. This is a long struggle," ..

Pakistan arrests Pashtun MP linked to clash with military

A much-hyped war of words between anchors from Fox Business and China's state broadcaster CGTN left Chinese viewers disappointed as the trade debate Thursday ended without the anticipated fireworks following a social media feud.
With the US-China trade talks on hold, thousands of Chinese viewers, media and even economists tuned in to watch CGTN host Liu Xin take on Fox Business Network presenter Trish Regan in the rare debate.
China's state media had drummed up interest in the showdown in recent days with articles and social media posts, and even the foreign ministry chipped in to encourage viewing.
The verbal spat erupted when Liu, host of "The Point", took offence to a description of China on the Trish Regan Primetime show, but while the anchors went after each other on Twitter, the on-air face-off was more diplomatic.
"I appreciate you being here," Regan told Liu at the end of the show.
Later, Liu told AFP in an interview that getting into a heated debate would not have been good ..

US-China anchors' face-off lets down fans

Ukraine's parliament Thursday rejected the prime minister's resignation, despite new president Volodymyr Zelensky urging the government to quit their posts ahead of a snap election.
Volodymyr Groysman, considered close to ex-president Petro Poroshenko, presented his resignation to newly inaugurated Zelensky last week, pending parliamentary approval.
"I thank you," the 41-year-old told parliament after they voted to keep him in.  Groysman, who has been in office for three years, said before the vote he was ready to accept any decision lawmakers made.
Zelensky does not command majority support in the current parliament and has called an election for July 21.
His new party is leading in the polls but it is not yet clear whether it will win a majority in the vote. It is not yet clear whether his new party will have a majority following the vote.
Groysman has said he will stand in the election.
Zelensky, a 41-year-old comedian, was sworn in as Ukraine's sixth president and used his ...

Ukrainian parliament rejects PM's resignation

President Donald Trump said he is planning to make a major statement on US immigration policy on Thursday or Friday, amid continuing frustration over thousands of migrants pouring over the border with Mexico.
"I'm going to be making a statement, probably tomorrow but maybe today," Trump told reporters.
"This is a big-league statement. We are going to do something very dramatic on the border," he said.
He said he was not planning to close the frontier with Mexico, but wants to address the issue of tens of thousands of mostly Central Americans crossing the border each month and asking for asylum, which prevents US authorities from forcibly repatriating them.
"It will be a statement having to do with the border and having to do with people illegally coming over the border," Trump said, calling it a "national emergency".
Trump accused Democrats in Congress of not supporting legislation to end what he called "ridiculous" US policy on asylum seekers.
The Democrats "want to have open ...

Trump planning 'dramatic' policy statement on border

Taliban officials and Afghan opposition figures claimed Thursday to have made "tremendous progress" at Moscow talks, but the announcement rang hollow as discussions yet again excluded the Afghan government and no ceasefire was announced.
The ultra-conservative Islamist insurgents spent more than two days at a plush hotel in central Moscow, where they met several leading Afghan politicians -- including past president Hamid Karzai and former warlord Atta Muhammad Nur.
In a joint statement, the parties said they'd had "productive and constructive" discussions focusing on issues including a possible ceasefire, the "strengthening of the Islamic system" and "women's rights".
"Both sides have had tremendous progress, but some issues require further discussions," the statement read.
But with the Kabul administration -- viewed by the Taliban as a US-backed puppet regime -- once more sidelined from the conversation, it was difficult to see what tangible results could come from the talks.
Afghan 

Taliban, Afghan opposition officials claim 'progress' at talks

Democratic Republic of Congo awaited Thursday the delayed return of the remains of former opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, an emotion-laden moment for the country after his son Felix became president this year.
A revered opponent of authoritarianism in DRC, Tshiskedi died in Belgium in February 2017 at the age of 84 and was unable to witness his son's victory in bitterly contested presidential election.
Felix Tshisekedi has vowed to repatriate his father's remains and bury them in his home country -- a goal that faced multiple obstacles under his predecessor Joseph Kabila.
After a last-minute delay to a scheduled Wednesday departure, the aircraft carrying the body left Belgium on Thursday at 1025 GMT, DR Congo presidential communications director Lydie Omanga said on Twitter.
The aircraft was scheduled to arrive at N'djili international airport in Kinshasa on Thursday around 1600-1700 GMT, Didier Mpambia, a funeral committee organiser, told AFP.
The funeral is scheduled for ...

DR Congo awaits repatriation of former opposition leader's body

British mobile phone operator EE on Thursday became the first in the country to launch a high-speed 5G network, but without smartphones from controversial Chinese technology giant Huawei.
EE, which is a division of British telecoms giant BT, has launched 5G in six major cities comprising Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London and Manchester -- and more hubs will follow, it said in a statement.
Next-generation 5G mobile networks offer almost instantaneous data transfer that will become the nervous system of Europe's economy in strategic sectors like energy, transport, banking and health care.
EE announced last week that it would make its 5G network available to the public -- but would not sell Huawei's first 5G phone, the Mate 20 X 5G.
However, the Chinese company still provides 5G wireless network infrastructure equipment to EE.
Rival British mobile phone giant Vodafone will launch its own 5G services on July 3 in seven UK cities -- but it has also paused the sale of the ...

Telecoms giant EE launches Britain's first 5G services

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Thursday as part of a Middle East tour before Washington unveils its long-awaited plan for Israel-Palestinian peace.
Kushner, accompanied by Trump envoy Jason Greenblatt and Brian Hook, the US special representative for Iran, arrived in Jerusalem after earlier stops in Morocco and Jordan.
He is a key architect of the peace plan the White House says it intends to present in the coming weeks.
But the plan, previously delayed for an Israeli general election on April 9, could face further postponements due to Israeli politics.
Israel is set to hold another general election in September after Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government, and the plan is widely seen as too sensitive an issue to introduce during a political campaign.
Netanyahu, who has formed a close bond with Trump, made reference to parliament's vote just after midnight to schedule new elections 

White House's Kushner meets Netanyahu in Jerusalem visit

Hong Kong's government on Thursday made more concessions to a controversial proposed extradition law for mainland China, saying only those wanted for crimes facing at least a seven-year jail sentence would be handed over.
The city's pro-Beijing authorities are pushing a bill through the legislature which would allow case-by-case extraditions to any jurisdiction it doesn't already have a treaty with -- including mainland China.
Historically the city has baulked at mainland extraditions because of the opacity of China's criminal justice system and its liberal use of the death penalty.
The extradition plan has sparked huge protests and mounting alarm within Hong Kong's business and legal communities -- as well as foreign governments -- who fear it will hurt the semi-autonomous financial hub's international appeal.
Faced with a growing criticism both domestically and abroad -- and angry debates in the city's parliament -- the city's security chief has unveiled a series of tweaks to the ...

Hong Kong raises jail threshold for proposed extradition law

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he was sorry to see Israel forced into an election rerun, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition.
"It's too bad what happened in Israel," Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House.
"It looked like a total win for Netanyahu," he said, praising the Israeli leader as a "great guy."
"They're back in the election stage. That is too bad."
Israel will head to the polls again on September 17, just over five months after an April election in which Netanyahu and his right-wing and religious allies won a majority.
Netanyahu was unable to convince ex-defense minister Avigdor Lieberman to abandon a key demand and join the government before a midnight Wednesday deadline.
Trump said another election is the last thing Israel needs.
"I mean they have got enough turmoil over there. It's a tough place. I feel very badly about that," he said.

Trump says 'too bad' Israel headed for election rerun

Britain's review of a US request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on espionage charges has been moved to June, with his lawyer telling court on Thursday the whistleblower is in poor health.
The United States has slapped 18 charges against the 47-year-old Australian, who had been hiding in London's Ecuadorian embassy for seven years until his arrest on April 12.
Sweden has since reopened a 2010 rape investigation against Assange and could file its own extradition request.
The Westminster Magistrates Court in London held a brief hearing on Thursday at which it moved the US case to June 12.
Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot referred to Assange as "not very well", with the next hearing possibly taking place at the Belmarsh prison where he is serving a separate 50-week sentence for skipping bail.
"It may be more convenient for everyone if it's there," Arbuthnot said.
WikiLeaks expressed "grave concerns" Wednesday over Assange's condition.
The websites, which published a trove of 

Assange 'not well', US extradition hearing moved to June

Top seed Naomi Osaka staged a second successive Roland Garros great escape on Thursday to reach the third round while 2018 runner-up Dominic Thiem needed four sets and overcoming the surprise of an underarm serve heading his way to progress.
World number one Osaka, bidding to add the French Open to her US and Australian Open titles, came back from a set and 2-4 down to defeat former world number one Victoria Azarenka 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Her win came on the back of being just two points from defeat in her tournament opener against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.
The 21-year-old held her nerve, despite squandering two match points late in the deciding set, to secure her place in the third round and a clash against Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.
"I was lucky to have played Victoria twice before. I knew she had been playing well coming into the tournament," said Osaka.
"It was an unfortunate second round draw for me so I am happy to win." Osaka finished the two-hour 50-minute encounter ..

Osaka, Thiem battle through at Roland Garros

Pace spearhead Mohammad Amir is fit and available for selection for Pakistan's opening World Cup match against the West Indies on Friday, captain Sarfaraz Ahmed said.
There was speculation that the 27-year-old, who missed the last four matches of the one-day international series against England earlier this month, might not be able to make his World Cup debut at Trent Bridge.
"Amir is fully fit and available for selection for tomorrow's game," Sarfaraz said in his pre-match press conference.
Amir, who missed the 2011 and 2015 World Cups due to a five-year ban for spot-fixing, was seen bowling using his full run-up in the team's practice session.  Sarfaraz said he hoped the team could put behind them a streak of 10 straight ODI defeats.
"Yes, we have lost 10 matches but we have to forget that and start the World Cup journey," he said.
Asked if he was worried about the short boundaries and a flat pitch at Trent Bridge, Sarfaraz said: "When we came here on the first day and asked the ...

Mohammad Amir fit for World Cup debut, says Pakistan captain

South Africa restricted England to 311 for eight in the World Cup opener at the Oval on Thursday as the tournament hosts and favourites made a stuttering start in their quest to win the trophy for the first time.
Ben Stokes top-scored with 89, while England captain Eoin Morgan (57), Jason Roy (54) and Joe Root (51) all made fifties.
But England, who last year set a world record for the highest one-day international total of 481-6 and have often blown teams away with the bat, were repeatedly pegged back by a Proteas side who deployed the slower ball to good effect.
England, after Britain's Prince Harry officially opened the tournament, lost a wicket second ball before Roy and Root shared a stand of 106 that was equalled by Morgan and Stokes.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, despite being without injured spearhead Dale Steyn, saw his decision to field rewarded in dramatic style when Imran Tahir struck with just the second ball of the match to dismiss Jonny Bairstow for a golden ...

AFP

AFP

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