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 ...

Indonesia thwarts IS-linked bomb plots: police

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Singapore has outlawed "revenge porn" and "cyber-flashing" -- sending unsolicited images of one's private parts  -- the latest country to clamp down on sexual offences committed online.
"Revenge porn", when ex-partners share intimate photos or videos without permission, has become a problem globally because of improvements in technology and the popularity of social media, with many governments legislating against it.
Singapore's parliament passed a bill Monday that made distributing or threatening to distribute intimate images a crime, punishable by up to five years in jail, in addition to a fine and caning.
"Intimate images could become widely shared and on platforms, and may be impossible to completely remove. They have the potential to cause great harm to the victim," said K. Shanmugam, law and home affairs minister.
"Cyber-flashing" will be punishable by up to a year in prison or a fine. If the recipient is younger than 14, it is punishable by up to two years in jail, a fine or ...

Singapore oulaws 'revenge porn', 'cyber-flashing'

Pope Francis called on the Western Balkans to embrace its patchwork of faiths and ethnicities during a visit to North Macedonia on Tuesday, saying "respect for diversity" is key to the region's efforts to integrate with Europe.
The pontiff was welcomed with yellow billboards and buses bearing his smiling face after he touched down in the tiny Balkan state, which is mainly Orthodox Christian but was delighted to welcome him.
Catholics make up only a small sliver -- less than one percent -- of the country of 2.1 million, which is also home to a large ethnic Albanian Muslim minority.
In an address before President Gjorge Ivanov and Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Francis praised the "crucible of cultures and ethnic and religious identities" in "your land, a bridge between East and West".
North Macedonia's diversity, which reflects the broader Western Balkan region, forms a "mosaic in which every piece is essential for the uniqueness and beauty of the whole."
A "peaceful and enduring ...

In North Macedonia, Pope urges Balkans to embrace diversity

The South Korean star leading Tottenham Hotspur's charge for a place in the Champions League final had a unique football upbringing. But that was only one component of his success, his brother told AFP.
Striker Son Heung-min, 26, has been instrumental in Spurs' run to the semi-finals of Europe's top club competition, scoring three times over two legs against Manchester City to reach the last four.
But he was suspended for the first leg of the semi, a 1-0 home defeat to Ajax, and will be crucial to their efforts in the Netherlands on Wednesday, despite picking up a petulant Premier League red card at the weekend.
Around 8,500 kilometres (5,300 miles) away, his elder brother and fellow striker Son Heung-yun -- three years his senior -- will be watching closely.
For years, the two boys were trained by their father, Son Woong-jung, a former professional footballer who aimed to take his sons to the top with a strict and disciplined regimen.
"Everything we did revolved around football," ...

Favourite Son: Spurs star's brother details tough path to the top

Amateur boxing's crisis-hit governing body Tuesday said it had done everything asked to clean up its act and warned of legal action if stripped of the right to organise the event at the Tokyo Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has frozen the sport's preparations for next year's showpiece competition as it seeks proof that the International Boxing Federation (AIBA) has done enough to address allegations of bout-fixing at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
A decision on whether it will run the boxing programme in Tokyo is set to be made on May 22. If barred, the IOC has said it will step in to ensure the sport still appears in the Japanese capital.
AIBA said in a statement to AFP that it will "defend its legitimate right" to organise boxing in Tokyo and "will review all of its options, including legal, given that the IOC has breached the Olympic Charter".
The AIBA executive committee will meet on May 18 in Lausanne to fine tune its position.
The governing body's chief executive Tom 

Boxing chiefs hit out at IOC over Tokyo threat

Liverpool must turn to unlikely heroes to overturn a 3-0 Champions League semi-final, first leg deficit against Barcelona on Tuesday, according to defender Trent Alexander-Arnold after Mohamed Salah was ruled out with concussion.
Roberto Firmino will also be absent against the Spanish champions at Anfield, leaving Jurgen Klopp without two of his most potent attacking weapons for what is already a massive challenge.
"Obviously we've got two of our main goalscorers out, but it also presents an opportunity for some of the other lads to come in, make a name for themselves and make themselves heroes," said Alexander-Arnold.
"If we do overturn the deficit tomorrow then whoever scores, their name will always be remembered because I am sure it will be one of those really special nights."
Salah was stretchered off during Liverpool's tense 3-2 win at Newcastle on Saturday that kept alive their chances of a first Premier League title in 29 years after colliding with Magpies' goalkeeper Martin ...

Liverpool seek new 'heroes' with Salah absent against Barcelona

The trial of an American "self-help" guru who for years presided over a secretive society of women sex slaves begins Tuesday in New York, where his former female supporters may be called to testify against him.
Six people had been due to appear in the dock, but 58-year-old Keith Raniere will now be the only one to stand trial.
The other five -- all women who held management positions in various organisations headed by Raniere, including US actress Allison Mack -- have pleaded guilty one by one and avoided going on trial.
"Vanguard", as Raniere was also known, was the leader of Nxivm, a purported executive coaching organisation which according to prosecutors served to extort money from followers and enable him to exploit women sexually.
More than 16,000 people over two decades passed through Raniere's self-help workshops, which promised to develop their "human potential", charging $5,000 for a 5-day course.
Many who signed up quickly became indebted and ended up having to work for ...

US 'sex slave' guru goes on trial in New York

The head of the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday that fresh trade tensions between the United States and China were the main threat to the world economy.
"Clearly the tensions between the United States and China are the threat for the world economy," Christine Lagarde told journalists at a conference in Paris, adding that recent "rumours and tweets" made an agreement between the countries less likely.

IMF chief says US-China tensions 'threat' to world economy

Japan said Tuesday it had recovered some debris from a stealth fighter jet that crashed in April, but was still looking for the "all-important" memory that could offer clues into the accident.
Nearly a month after the high-tech F-35A plummeted into the sea off the coast of northeastern Japan, neither the pilot's body, nor the plane's fuselage have been found, said Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya.
Experts say Japan and the US are keen to prevent debris from the plane being recovered by Russia or China, with Iwaya admitting last month there were "a significant amount of secrets that need to be protected" on board.
Some debris, including a part of the flight data recorder, were recovered "on or after May 3", Iwaya said, adding: "The Defence Ministry is studying (the parts), but at this point, the all-important memory (of the flight data recorder) has not been recovered."
The fighter jet went missing on April 9 while flying 135 kilometres east of Misawa, northeastern Japan, on a training ..

Japan finds parts of crashed F35 fighter jet

Qatar said Tuesday it has allocated USD 480 million in aid to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority to support education and health services and provide urgent humanitarian relief.
The authority led by president Mahmud Abbas has been hit by the cutting of two of its leading sources of revenues.
Washington has ended all bilateral US aid in response to the Palestinians' severing of contacts after it recognised the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017.
A row with Israel has meanwhile led to a halt to transfers of customs duties it levies on goods destined for Palestinian markets.
"The state of Qatar has allocated USD 300 million in the form of grants and loans to support the health and education sectors' budgets with the Palestinian Authority," the official Qatar News Agency reported.
It said that Doha has also allocated another USD 180 million in "urgent relief and humanitarian aid and in support of UN programmes in Palestine." Aid will also go to the power sector to 

Qatar allocates USD 480 mn in aid to Palestinians

German high-end carmaker BMW on Tuesday reported a plunge in profits in the first quarter as it booked a 1.4-billion-euro ($1.6 billion) charge related to an EU cartel probe.
Net profits at the group nosedived 74.2 per cent year-on-year, to 588 million euros, the group said in a statement.
Brussels' allegation that BMW colluded with Daimler and Volkswagen to avoid competing on emission control technology means "it is probable that the EU Commission will issue a significant fine," the Munich-based manufacturer said.
BMW already warned investors when details of the probe were published last month that it would have to set aside at least a billion euros.
But the firm said competition authorities are trying "to equate the permissible coordination of industry positions regarding the regulatory framework with unlawful cartel agreements".
"If necessary (BMW) will contest the EU Commission's allegations with all the legal means at its disposal," it added.
On top of the provision, the group ...

Monster cartel charge puts brakes on BMW earnings

China confirmed Tuesday that top trade negotiator Liu He will visit the United States for a new round of talks this week despite a US pledge to go ahead with a tariff hike.
The commerce ministry said in a statement that Liu will be in the US on Thursday and Friday for the 11th round of high-level negotiations.
The talks had originally been expected to begin on Wednesday and China had not confirmed whether Liu would still travel to Washington after President Donald Trump said he would hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods on Friday.

China confirms top trade negotiator Liu He to lead US trade talks Thursday

Australia will play back-to-back pink-ball Tests against Pakistan and New Zealand in a marathon international cricket season spanning almost five months and wrapping up next March, the latest finish since the 1970s.
Brisbane's Gabba hosts the first of two Tests against Pakistan from November 21, followed by a day-nighter at Adelaide Oval, the schedule released Tuesday showed.
Australia then face New Zealand at Perth Stadium for the second day-night match before the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne and finally Sydney. With only five Tests, Canberra and Hobart miss out.
The games will be the first on Australian soil that count towards the inaugural ICC Test Championship, where points are awarded to the nine countries taking part.
Ordinarily, one-day internationals are played at home in January, but Australia will instead be in India to fulfil an obligation under the Future Tours Program.
Cricket Australia wanted to find an alternative date for the series, but India reportedly refused to ...

Marathon season as Australia host Pakistan, NZealand, Sri Lanka

There are few clubs with a history to match that of Ajax, but they are in the process of writing a new chapter in Amsterdam with Erik ten Hag taking them to within sight of a first treble since the days of Johan Cruyff.
On Sunday, Ten Hag's spellbinding team secured the first leg as they beat Willem II 4-0 to win the Dutch Cup.
The battle with PSV Eindhoven for the Eredivisie title resumes this weekend, and by then Ajax could be through to their first Champions League final since 1996.
They take a 1-0 lead into their semi-final second leg against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, with young stars like Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong and Donny van de Beek mesmerising Europe on a run that has already seen them defeat Real Madrid and Juventus.
Those players have dominated the headlines, but the work done by the 49-year-old Ten Hag has been remarkable, and entirely in keeping with his progress up until now.
His career as a player was unremarkable by comparison, with the 2001 Dutch Cup the 

Pep disciple Ten Hag takes Ajax to brink of historic final

Two Reuters journalists who had been jailed for their reporting on the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar walked out of prison Tuesday, freed in a presidential amnesty after a global campaign for their release.
Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were mobbed by media as they stepped out of Yangon's notorious Insein prison after their lengthy detention.
Their December 2017 arrests made them an international cause celebre and a sign of Myanmar's deteriorating press freedoms under Nobel laureate and civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Wa Lone, 33, thanked people from "around the world" for advocating for their release and vowed he would return to work.
"I can't wait to go to my newsroom," he said. "I am a journalist and I am going to continue." Reuters editor-in-chief Stephen Adler said: "We are enormously pleased that Myanmar has released our courageous reporters".
"Since their arrests 511 days ago, they have become symbols of the importance of press freedom around the world. We welcome their return."
The ...

Myanmar frees two Reuters journalists in amnesty

Mauricio Pochettino has challenged Tottenham to seize their unexpected chance to make history as they try to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Ajax in the Champions League semi-final second leg on Wednesday.
Pochettino is convinced Tottenham can still reach the club's maiden Champions League final despite losing the first leg in north London last week.
Many pundits and fans claim Tottenham have blown their opportunity after Donny van de Beek's strike gave Ajax a priceless lead to defend in Amsterdam.
Tottenham go into their biggest game for decades on a low note after losing 1-0 at Bournemouth on Saturday, a defeat that stopped them wrapping up a place in next season's Champions League via a top-four finish in the Premier League.
It was a third successive loss in all competitions for Tottenham, who finished with nine men after red cards for Son Heung-min and Juan Foyth.
Fortunately for Tottenham, they are still all but certain to finish at least fourth after Arsenal and Manchester United 

Pochettino urges Spurs to make history

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola led the tributes tro Vincent Kompany after the Belgian's thunderous strike earned a nervy 1-0 win over Leicester City on Monday to move the English champions to within one win of retaining the Premier League.
City moved back one point clear of Liverpool despite not being at their fluent best as centre-back Kompany unleashed a long-range shot into the top corner 20 minutes from time.
Guardiola's men will become the first side in a decade to retain the title at Brighton on Sunday as long as they match or better the Reds' result at home to Wolves.
Kompany, who has endured terrible luck with injuries over recent years, was in tears as he led a lap of honour with his children to mark City's final home game of the season and may have played for the last time at the Etihad with his contract expiring at the end of the campaign.
"There are players that help us to be where we are right now," said Guardiola.
"Vincent is one of them.
"When is fit he is an ...

Captain Kompany keeps Man City on course for Premier League title

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany said he had lived up to a vow to "one day" score a long-range goal after his wonder strike secured a 1-0 win at home to Leicester that left the champions in charge of the destiny of the Premier League title with a match to play.
City were heading for a frustrating evening at the Etihad Stadium on Monday until Kompany let fly with a 25-yard shot into the top corner 20 minutes from time -- the centre-back's first City goal from outside the box.
Victory saw City go top by a point from Liverpool heading into Sunday's last round of league matches.
"I hadn't scored this season but I always feel in big moments that I'm going to do something," Kompany told Sky Sports.
"Today was a little bit of frustration, everyone was saying 'don't shoot, don't shoot' and I could really hear it; I thought hold on a second, I've not come this far in my career for young players to tell me if I can take a shot, and I just had a go!"
The Belgian last hit the target from ..

Goal hero Kompany makes good on promise as Man City go top again

AC Milan revived their Champions League hopes with a 2-1 win over Bologna on Monday as tempers flared with three players sent off and a bust-up between French midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko and coach Gennaro Gattuso on the sidelines.
Gattuso's side move back into fifth place -- three points behind Atalanta who occupy the final Champions League berth -- with three games left to play this season.
Milan had dropped out of the European places after a draw against Parma and loss to Torino but now move level on points with Roma who are sixth.
Champions Juventus and second-placed Napoli are already assured of Champions League football next season but the battle for the final two berths remains tight with Inter Milan on 63 points, followed by Atalanta (62), AC Milan (59), Roma (59) and Torino (57).
"These are important points, we're right there now for the Champions League," said Gattuso whose side are targeting a return to elite European football for the first time since the 2013-2014 ...

Milan back in Champions League race after fiery Bologna win

Holder Petra Kvitova blunted a late attack from France's Kristina Mladenovic to advance 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) into the third round of the Madrid Open on Monday.
The Czech second seed, chasing a fourth title on the Caja Magica clay, has now won her last five matches over qualifier Mladenovic in straight sets.
"It was a pretty difficult match. I fought hard in the end and that's what counts," the winner said, "The clay conditions here are a bit different compared to other venues, so I needed time to fight it out."
Kvitova took the opening set on a break and started the second set with another, But Mladenovic broke back for 3-all and eventually forced the contest to a tiebreaker, which Kvitova captured.
"I had to fight, but I'm glad that I had this (kind of) match. Hopefully, it's given me a bit more freedom for the next round," last month's Stuttgart clay winner said.
Sloane Stephens beat former world number one Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to equal her best showing at the event, defeating .

Reigning champion Kvitova brushes past Mladenovic

Myanmar freed two Reuters journalists who had been jailed for their reporting on the Rohingya crisis from prison Tuesday following a presidential amnesty, according to video from the agency.
The two, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, were mobbed by media as they stepped out of Yangon's notorious prison after spending more than 500 days in detention.

AFP

AFP

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