Dutch Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra warned Tuesday that the EU faces "the smouldering threat of implosion" as Britain and other key countries reject it.
"The bitter reality is that we have a Union in which part of the population, mainly in northwestern Europe, wants to leave," he said in a Berlin speech.
Hoekstra pointed out that Norway and Switzerland "aren't interested in joining" the bloc while Denmark and Sweden had rejected the euro common currency.
On Britain, he said that "now, in one of the most tragic chapters of the EU, the second most important economic power and single most important geopolitical power in Europe wants to leave the Union".
He warned those on the continent who look forward to "a future without the difficult British", saying that this view "shows a complete misunderstanding of who the winner is".
"This is not a victory for London, or for Berlin or Paris, let alone The Hague. This is a victory for Moscow and for Beijing."
He added that if the EU can't ...

Brexit-era EU risks 'implosion', Dutch minister warns

PTI Automatic

The death toll from a tanker truck explosion near the international airport in Niger's capital, Niamey, has risen to 60, authorities said Tuesday.
The tally is likely to rise further as the prognosis is poor for several people who sustained severe burns, security official Hamani Adamou Abdoul-Aziz told state television.
The overturned tanker exploded Sunday night as crowds gathered to collect spilt fuel.
Interior Minister Mohamed Bazoum, who inspected the site Monday, said people on foot and motorcycle had rushed to the scene to take fuel.
According to witnesses, one biker failed to switch off his engine, causing a spark that ignited the 50,000 litres of fuel.
The driver of the tanker truck has told investigators that an electrical failure caused him to lose control of the vehicle and its brakes.
The truck overturned as he tried to bring it to a stop, senior police official Boubacar Rabiou Daddy told a TV station.
Before the blast, people ignored police trying to keep them away, and ..

Toll from Niger tanker truck blast rises to 60: authorities

An Egyptian court Tuesday upheld the death sentences of 13 Islamic militants for attacks against security forces, a judicial official said.
The defendants were charged with forming a militant group, Ajnad Misr (Soldiers of Egypt), that has claimed responsibility for lethal attacks on security forces in and around the capital Cairo.
Egypt's Cassation Court rejected an appeal against initial rulings passed by a Giza criminal tribunal in December 2017.
The accused were found guilty of "making and possessing explosive materials, bombs and firearms, and of receiving training outside the country".
They were also convicted of "terrorist acts against police forces and public facilities from late 2013 to May 2015".
Apart from the 13 death sentences, 17 defendants were handed life prison terms, and nine to between five and 15 years in jail, while five were acquitted.
Ajnad Misr claimed several deadly attacks against security forces and bombings outside key buildings such as the supreme court ...

Egypt court upholds death penalty for 13 militants

Denmark's centre-right prime minister, currently governing with the support of an anti-immigration party, on Tuesday called a general election for June 5, with the left-wing opposition leading opinion polls.
"I want to use all of my strength, my capabilities and my experience to continue to lead Denmark. And I ask Danes to re-elect me in the legislative elections to be held on June 5," Lars Lokke Rasmussen said in parliament.
The latest opinion polls credit the opposition left-wing bloc, headed by the Social Democrats, with 54 per cent of voter support, compared to 46 percent for Rasmussen and his right-wing bloc.
Rasmussen was required to hold legislative elections at the latest by June 17 when his four-year term ends.
The right-wing has struggled in the polls as Danes clamour for a change and, more importantly, amid an erosion of support for the far-right Danish People's Party. Its longstanding anti-immigration line has been broadly adopted by most political parties across the board 

Danish PM calls election for June 5, immigration in focus

For the first time in over two decades, member states of the Arctic Council failed to agree on a final declaration at their bi-annual ministerial meeting on Tuesday, due to a US refusal to mention climate change.
At the start of the 11th gathering of Arctic foreign ministers, in the Lapland town of Rovaniemi, Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini announced a change to the planned agenda, saying the final joint declaration would be replaced by ministerial statements.
Several sources said it was because member states were unable to reach an agreement, with the United States alone refusing to mention climate change in the final text.
"I don't name and blame anybody," Soini, who chaired the meeting, told reporters.
"But of course it is clear that climate issues are different from the different viewpoints and the different capitals," he said.
In place of the traditional declaration, the council released a shorter "ministerial statement", which set out future goals for the organisation but ...

US climate sceptics send shivers through Arctic cooperation

Former "Baywatch" star and now animal rights campaigner Pamela Anderson spoke emotionally after meeting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in a London prison on Tuesday, warning that his life was in danger.
"It's been very difficult to see Julian here and to make our way through the prison to get to him was quite shocking," said Anderson, who visited Assange several times when he lived as a fugitive inside Ecuador's embassy.
"He's a good man, he's an incredible person. I love him. I can't imagine what he has been going through," the US actress and former Playboy model said outside Belmarsh prison, wearing a large cape with slogans calling for the defence of free speech.
"We need to save his life. That's how serious it is," she said, adding: "We just have to keep fighting because it's unfair. He's sacrificed so much to bring the truth out".  Anderson, who lives in France, starred in the hit US series "Baywatch" and is now a prominent animal rights activist.
British police arrested ...

Pamela Anderson visits Assange in prison

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plans to visit Russia for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov next week, Moscow said Tuesday, a day after the two met in Finland.
The meeting will take place in the southern Russian city of Sochi on May 14, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed to AFP.
The Kremlin said it was not ruling out a meeting between Pompeo and President Vladimir Putin, but spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not offer any further details.  Pompeo's visit follows talks on Monday between Lavrov and the Secretary of State on the sidelines of an Arctic Council meeting in northern Finland.
Pompeo at the weekend slammed Russia for "aggressive behaviour" in the Arctic and also said that "Russians must get out" of crisis-wracked Venezuela.
Lavrov, speaking after Monday's talks, refused to comment on "political statements that are made publicly to create a certain effect."
"We concentrated on real business," he said, calling the discussion "very good and 

Pompeo, Lavrov to meet in Russia next week: Moscow

French police arrested a 16-year-old in the eastern city of Strasbourg on Tuesday as part of an investigation into a suspected plot to attack security forces and possibly the presidential Elysee Palace, a judicial source told AFP.
His arrest comes after three adults and another teenager were arrested on April 26 over plans to carry out what Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said would have been an "extremely violent terror attack".
The attack was allegedly planned to coincide with the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began in France on Monday, with officials saying the suspects had scouted out areas near the Elysee and a police station in the Parisian suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois.
France's TF1 television said the fifth suspect was a high school student of Chechen origin who was arrested at his parents' home.
"Intelligence services suspect he was supposed to publish a video claiming allegiance to Daesh on the group's behalf," TF1 reported, using an Arabic acronym for .

Fifth suspect arrested in foiled French attack plot

Millions of dollars forfeited by the company behind the Leonardo DiCaprio film "Wolf of Wall Street" have been sent to a Malaysian account set up to recover money looted in a massive state fraud, officials said Tuesday.
Billions of dollars were stolen from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, allegedly by ex-prime minister Najib Razak and his cronies in a crime that stretched around the world.
The US Department of Justice is in the process of seizing assets it says are linked to the scandal.
It has now transferred funds that were handed over by Red Granite Pictures, the Hollywood production company behind the 2013 film about a massive stock market scam that netted its perpetrator millions of dollars.
Malaysia's attorney-general Tommy Thomas said the money represented "the first instalment of funds recovered from asset seizures related to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)".
The funds, totalling USD 57.04 million, were sent to an account specially set up to receive recovered 1MDB funds, he ...

US returns USD 57m in 1MDB Hollywood money to Malaysia

European airline giant Lufthansa said Tuesday it had offered to buy carrier Condor from British parent company Thomas Cook, opening a new chapter in its fast-paced growth through buyouts.
"We have made a non-binding offer for Condor, with the option of extending it to all Thomas Cook airlines," a spokesperson told AFP.
Tuesday was the deadline set by Thomas Cook for possible buyers to declare their interest in Germany-based Condor and Thomas Cook Airlines, which flies from the UK and Scandinavian countries.
The group announced a possible sale in whole or in part in February as part of a "strategic review".
Struggling with financial woes, the tourism group hopes to use income from a selloff to fund new investments in its hotels and in digitisation.
The carriers boast 103 planes and carried 20 million passengers in 2018, delivering an operating profit of 129 million pounds (USD 169 million, 151 million euros) even as the
Thomas Cook group as a whole made a loss.
Condor's fleet could be .

Lufthansa eyes Thomas Cook's Condor with buyout offer

China Tuesday hit back at US criticism of its Arctic presence, saying Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had misrepresented facts about its intentions in the resource-rich region.
Pompeo said ahead of a meeting of the eight members of the Arctic Council in Finland on Monday that the US planned to beef up its presence in the region to keep Russia and China's "aggressive behaviour" there in check.
Pompeo's remarks were "a misrepresentation of the facts that has ulterior motives", Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing.
"We have no geopolitical calculations, and seek no exclusionary blocs," he said.  Pompeo warned against scenarios whereby nations become ensnared by debt and corruption, of low-quality investments, militarisation and uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources, all of which he said were potential effects of allowing rising Chinese influence.
Geng said China has participated in Arctic affairs with "an open, cooperative and win-win ...

China says Pompeo's Arctic comments a 'misrepresentation of facts'

Papua New Guinean lawmakers have chosen a former finance minister critical of a multi-billion-dollar natural gas project to challenge Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.
Rebel lawmakers, many from O'Neill's party, announced they had selected James Marape -- who resigned from the cabinet last week -- as their alternate PM.
O'Neill had been expected to face a vote of no confidence tentatively scheduled for May 16, but he successfully adjourned parliament on Tuesday until May 28.
Opponents say they are just a few votes short of the number needed to depose the eight-year veteran prime minister after a string of ruling party defections.
Marape has been a vocal critic of a vast liquified natural gas project backed by Total and ExxonMobil and worth as much as $13 billion, raising questions about its future.
The Papua LNG project would almost double Papua New Guinea's gas exports, but local communities have complained bitterly about not benefiting from similar deals in the past.
Marape, who is from 

Papua New Guinea rebels pick PM challenger

Cyprus's new police chief issued the force's first apology on Tuesday for its handling of the killings of seven foreign women and girls, acknowledging officers had failed to protect them.
The murders -- dubbed the Mediterranean island's first serial killings -- have sparked anger against the police over its failure to act on missing person reports that allowed the killer to carry on undetected for nearly three years.
New chief Kypros Michaelides issued the apology as he was sworn in to replace Zacharias Chrysostomou.
Chrysostomou was sacked by President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday over what he called police "negligence and incompetence", a day after Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou resigned.
"The recent painful developments and the loss of defenceless innocent women and children who had come to our country in search of a better future have greatly damaged the prestige, honour and reputation of the Cyprus police, highlighting weaknesses, gaps and omissions," Michaelides said.
"That is .

Cyprus police in first apology over serial killings

The UN on Tuesday praised the release of two Reuters journalists jailed for reporting on the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, but warned that freedom of expression remains heavily restricted in the country.
The release of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo is "good news," United Nations human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.
"Of course, they should never have been arrested or convicted in the first place," she added.
Shamdasani noted that last year the rights office had issued a set of recommendations aimed at improving free speech in Myanmar.
"No positive progress has been observed," in terms of implementing those changes, she said. "The situation for freedom of expression (in Myanmar) is dire."
The journalists were arrested in December 2017, a sign of Myanmar's deteriorating press freedoms under Nobel laureate and civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
They were convicted on charges of violating the official secrets act and sentenced to seven years each.
At the time .

Freedom of expression in Myanmar still 'dire': UN

Andy Murray has been given a wildcard to play at London's Queen's Club next month even though he has yet to set a date for a potential return to the court after hip surgery.
The tournament in London, from June 17 to 23, could offer the five-time former winner a chance of some grass-court action ahead of Wimbledon, should he feel fit enough.
The British former world number one, currently ranked 217 in the world,  had the hip resurfacing operation in London in January and says he is now pain-free, although he has only been hitting balls from a stationary position so far.
The Scot has an official deadline of June 18 to apply for a wildcard for this year's Wimbledon, though tournament chiefs last week suggested there might be some wiggle room for the three-time Grand Slam champion.
The 31-year-old could also use his protected ranking to enter Wimbledon "A wildcard is being held in reserve for Murray, who will let tournament director Stephen Farrow know nearer the time of the event if he ..

Andy Murray given Queen's wildcard

Two men suspected of involvement in the murder of two UN experts investigating mass killings in the Democratic Republic of Congo escaped from prison overnight, a defence lawyer said Tuesday.
The pair, Evariste Ilunga Lumu and Tshiaba Kanowa, fled the central prison in Kananga, in central DRC, Lumu's lawyer Tresor Kabangu told AFP. He was informed of their disappearance by the military prosecutor's office.
At dawn on Tuesday, heavy gunfire could be heard from the vicinity of the prison in Kasai-Central province.
An AFP correspondent reported that by morning, the situation at the prison was tense with inmates in the yard threatening to attack anyone who ventures inside.
Military and police officials were at the scene, awaiting reinforcements to enter the prison and do a headcount to determine how many have escaped.
The experts -- Zaida Catalan, a 36-year-old Swedish-Chilean national, and American Michael Sharp, 34 -- were in Kasai on behalf of the UN Security Council to investigate mass 

UN experts' suspected killers escape DR Congo jail

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo abruptly cancelled a visit to Germany on Tuesday hours before he was due to arrive in Berlin, with his spokeswoman citing "pressing issues".
"Unfortunately, we must reschedule the Berlin meetings due to pressing issues," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said.
"We look forward to rescheduling this important set of meetings. The Secretary looks forward to being in Berlin soon.

Pompeo cancels Germany visit due to 'pressing issues': US

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday welcomed a controversial order to re-run the recent Istanbul election after complaints of corruption as the "best step" for the country.
"We see this decision as the best step that will strengthen our will to solve problems within the framework of democracy and law," Erdogan told a meeting of his party members in parliament.
Erdogan's comments come a day after the top election body cancelled the March 31 vote that handed opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoglu a narrow lead over Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
The AKP has refused to accept defeat, citing "irregularities and corruption" in the vote.
Erdogan on Tuesday talked of "organised crime" and "serious corruption" during the vote.
"The documents we have presented are quite solid and based on concrete evidence which cannot be disputed," he said.
"We sincerely believe there was organised corruption and irregularities."
He said that if his government did not bring ..

Turkey's Erdogan says Istanbul vote re-run is 'best step'

Sri Lanka's St. Anthony's church partially opened for worship Tuesday even as security forces were rebuilding a shrine inside following the Easter suicide bombing.
The faithful were allowed into a section of the church to pray before a statue of Saint Anthony, said Father Edmond Tilakaratne, spokesman for the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith.
"The church was partially opened today under very tight security," Tilakaratne told AFP. "Renovations are already under way." He said pilgrims will be allowed into the special area of the church for a 12-hour period.
Three policemen and three women frisked pilgrims lined up to enter the shrine while heavily armed navy personnel and police kept watch outside.
The 1740 church shares a boundary wall with the port of Colombo. New steel barricades were established Tuesday to prevent vehicle access to the church building.
St. Anthony's was among the three churches attacked by jihadi suicide bombers in coordinated attacks that also ...

Sri Lanka's bombed church partially opens for prayers

Malaysia's central bank Tuesday cut its key interest rate for the first time in almost three years as it looks to boost slowing growth as China-US trade tensions weigh on the economy.
The move comes as central banks around the world adopt a more dovish stance in the face of a weak global outlook.
Bank Negara Malaysia cut the rate from by 25 basis points to 3.00 percent, the first reduction since July 2016. The last change was in January 2018 when borrowing costs were increased to 3.25 per cent.
The bank said "considerable downside risks to global growth remain, stemming from unresolved trade tensions and prolonged country-specific weaknesses in the major economies".
"Heightened policy uncertainties could lead to sharp financial market adjustments," it added.
Malaysia is showing signs of being affected by the long-running trade dispute between Beijing and Washington, while the global economy at the same time shows signs of softness.
The cut comes as central banks from Japan to Europe ..

Malaysia cuts interest rate for first time since 2016

Indonesia has thwarted a bid by Islamic State-linked militants to stage a series of bombings when it announces official election results this month, authorities said.
Police in the Southeast Asian nation said Monday that they had arrested eight suspects at several locations over the past week, including in Sumatra and near the capital Jakarta.
The roundup comes after IS-inspired Easter suicide bombings killed 257 in Sri lanka, and as Indonesia marks the anniversary of its worst terror attack in years, which saw a dozen killed at churches targeted by Islamist suicide bombers last May.
Authorities said the arrested militants were members of Jemaah Anshurat Daulah (JAD), a local extremist group that has pledged allegiance to IS and was blamed for last year's church bombings.
The group planned to set off bombs at various locations when the world's biggest Muslim majority nation releases election results on May 22.
There are concerns about street demonstrations after presidential ...

AFP

AFP

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