brexit, UK, Britain, EU

Her message comes amid intense argument in parliament about how to proceed on Brexit or whether to leave the EU at all

With Britian in limbo over Brexit, Queen tells MPs to find 'common ground'

Press Trust of India

The cloud of the Russia investigation has hung over US President Donald Trump since before he took office, though he has denied any illicit connection to Moscow (Photo: Reuters)

Donald Trump

Trump made no firm announcement regarding his demand for $5.7 bn to fund the border wall

Trump, Democrats reach deal to temporarily end US government shutdown

Imam-ul-Haq hit a century -- and delivered a message to his critics -- but could not prevent South Africa from winning a rain-hit third one-day international at SuperSport Park on Friday.
Imam's 101 spurred Pakistan to an imposing 317 for six but South Africa won by 13 runs according to the Duckworth Lewis method after rain twice stopped play during their reply.
When the second interruption brought the match to an end, South Africa were 187 for two after 33 overs, ahead of the DLS par of 174, with Reeza Hendricks and captain Faf du Plessis unbeaten on 83 and 40 respectively.
Imam had strong words for what he said were his critics after making his fifth century in his 19th one-day international. As he took the single which took him to his hundred he pointed to his mouth as his lips moved vigorously, then put a finger to his lips. He was out two balls later, caught in the deep.
Asked about his gesture in an interview with SuperSport television at the end of the innings, he laughed and ..

Imam hundred in vain as South Africa win rain-hit 3rd one-dayer

PTI Automatic

Around 200 people are missing after a dam collapsed Friday in southeast Brazil near the city of Belo Horizonte, the fire service said in a statement.
There are fears the disaster, which unleashed a torrent of mud towards the town of Brumadinho, caused a number of deaths, with a fire services officer telling AFP accounts of "several" fatalities have been received.
In the statement, the fire service said it was confirming "the disappearance of approximately 200 people" after the collapse.
Brumadinho and its surrounding area was difficult for rescuers to access. The river of mud cut a swath across roads and through vegetation and farmland, damaging and destroying houses.
Helicopters were used to rescue "numerous" people trapped by the mud at various spots, the statement said. In a separate statement, the environment minister said a crisis cell had been set up.
"The initial preoccupation of the federal government is the rescue of victims, giving support to the region, and protecting ...

Around 200 missing after Brazil dam collapse: fire service

US President Donald Trump will deliver a statement Friday on the government shutdown which has seen hundreds of thousands of federal workers go unpaid for five weeks, the White House announced.
"The President will make remarks regarding the shutdown in the Rose Garden today at 1:30 pm (1830 GMT)," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders tweeted.

Trump to speak on govt shutdown at 1830 GMT: WH

Five people were killed when a helicopter collided with a light aircraft in the Alps in northern Italy, mountain rescue officials said.
Italy's mountain rescue service reported on Twitter "a crash between a helicopter and a light aircraft" above Rutor glacier, in the Aosta Valley near France, and sent two helicopters to help.
"Five dead ascertained," mountain rescue tweeted, having earlier said that two injured people had been evacuated by helicopter to hospital.

Five killed in plane-helicopter crash on Italy glacier

Four people were killed and two injured when a helicopter collided with a light aircraft in the Alps in northern Italy, mountain rescue officials said.
Italy's mountain rescue service reported on Twitter "a crash between a helicopter and a light aircraft" above Rutor glacier, in the Aosta Valley near France, and sent two helicopters to help.
"Four dead recovered by mountain rescue and two injured evacuated by helicopter to hospital," the mountain rescue service tweeted.

Four killed in plane-helicopter crash on Italy glacier

New York's La Guardia airport faced flight delays Friday as air traffic control struggled with staff shortages linked to the partial federal government shutdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration's website said that arriving flights were being delayed an average of nearly 1.5 hours, and that departures were also affected.
An FAA spokesperson told AFP that the delays were caused by a "slight increase in sick leave."
"We've mitigated the impact by augmenting staffing, rerouting traffic and increasing spacing between aircraft when needed," the spokesperson added.
"The results have been minimal impacts to efficiency while maintaining consistent levels of safety in the national airspace system."
The New York region's third-largest airport, LaGuardia primarily serves domestic flights.
A source close to a major airline said traffic had not ground to a halt, contrary to some media reports.
Around 137 outbound flights and 131 inbound flights were facing delays -- nearly a quarter of each ...

Delays at New York airport due to shutdown staff shortages

Jason Holder and Shane Dowrich turned the screws on a flagging England side as the West Indies' seventh-wicket pairing reached lunch at 237 for six in their second innings on the third day of the first Test at Kensington Oval on Friday.
Resuming from the overnight position of 127 for six, and with a first innings lead of 212 after demolishing the tourists on the second afternoon for just 77, the pair batted through the two hours of play to extend the home side's overall advantage to what already looks an insurmountable 449 runs.
Holder, the West Indies captain, was the dominant partner in reaching 80 at the break with wicketkeeper-batsman Dowrich on 61.
Their partnership has blossomed to the tune of 117 runs and while England already have been played completely out of the match, the amount of time still available in the scheduled five-day fixture suggest both will have more than enough time to complete what would be third Test centuries for each before considering a declaration or ...

Holder and Dowrich pile on misery for England

A dam in southeast Brazil collapsed Friday, unleashing a torrent of mud that killed "several" people living in an area close to the city of Belo Horizonte, an official with the local fire service told AFP.
Emergency services were still responding to the situation in the village of Brumadinho and did not yet have a precise toll, the official said.
"According to accounts that we are receiving, there were several deaths," he said.

Brazil dam collapses, killing 'several'

Qatar stunned South Korea 1-0 to reach the Asian Cup semi-finals for the first time on Friday -- and earned permission from coach Felix Sanchez to celebrate with some fast food.
The Koreans were looking to end 59 years of hurt in the tournament but paid for missing a string of second-half chances in Abu Dhabi before Abdelaziz Hatim's late hammer blow for the 2022 World Cup hosts.
Told his players had secretly visited the local Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant after beating Iraq in the last 16, Sanchez was momentarily lost for words.
"I had no idea," blushed the Spaniard. "Today they can go to Kentucky if they want -- for an hour. What the players did is amazing for the country, I'm very proud of them.
"There are some big emotions today, but it's no miracle," insisted Sanchez, whose side face either hosts United Arab Emirates or holders Australia in the last four.
"We deserve to be in the semis. I feel like the happiest coach in the world -- it's a big step forward." South Korea took .

Qatar ambush Koreans to reach Asian Cup quarters

Imam-ul-Haq hit a measured century -- and delivered a message to his critics -- as Pakistan piled up 317 for six in the third one-day international against South Africa on Friday.
As Imam completed the single that took him to his fifth century in his 19th one-day international he pointed to his mouth as his lips moved vigorously.
He was out almost immediately afterwards for 101, made off 116 balls with eight fours.
Asked about his gesture in an interview with SuperSport television after his innings, he laughed and said: "Everybody knows I am the nephew of the chief selector (Inzamam-ul-Haq) and that was a message to all the Pakistan media and all the Pakistan people who criticise me."
The left-handed Imam shared partnerships of 132 for the second wicket with Babar Azam (69) and 84 for the third wicket with Mohammad Hafeez (52).
Imad Wasim finished the innings with a flourish with an unbeaten 43 off 23 balls, putting on 52 off 31 balls with Shoaib Malik (31) for the fifth wicket.
With .

Imam hits hundred for Pakistan - and answers critics

Bangladesh must not "rush to relocate refugees" from the Rohingya Muslim minority, a top UN rights official said Friday, amid plans to move the community to an island vulnerable to extreme monsoon weather.
Some 750,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar escaped a bloody military crackdown in northern Rakhine state since August 2017 and joined some 300,000 refugees living in the already overcrowded Bangladesh camps.
Dhaka has spent some USD 280 million transforming Bhashan Char, a muddy silt islet that only emerged from the Bay of Bengal nearly two decades ago, into a camp for some of the refugees.
But the island, in a coastal region where extreme weather has killed hundreds of thousands of people in recent decades, is one hour by boat from the nearest land and over a stretch of sea prone to violent storms.
Yanghee Lee, a UN Special Rapporteur of human rights, visited the island on Thursday and urged Bangladesh to observe "caution and patience" before proceeding with any relocation ...

UN expert urges caution on Bangladesh's Rohingya island 'relocation' plan

Two UN peacekeepers from Sri Lanka died and several were wounded on Friday in central Mali when their vehicle hit a mine, UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA) sources announced.
"This morning at around 0600, a vehicle in a MINUSMA logistics convoy hit a mine near Douentza, Mopti region," a UN statement said.
It added that some of the wounded were badly injured.
The men who died were Sri Lankan members of the 14,000-strong UN military and police mission, the source told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that the injured had been evacuated.
The UN force deployed in Mali since 2013 to help counter jihadist activity "sent reinforcements to the scene not far from Douentza to secure it" after the attack, the source said.
The casualties come after jihadist gunmen killed 10 Chadian peacekeepers and injured at least 25 others in an attack on a UN camp in Aguelhok, northern Mali on Sunday.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack -- one of the deadliest ...

Two UN peacekeepers killed by mine in central Mali: sources

EU countries are drafting an appeal for Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro to convene quick elections, with some demanding recognition of Juan Guaido as interim president if he does not, diplomats said.
"We want an immediate call for elections in the near future," one diplomat told AFP following a meeting of European Union ambassadors who discussed wording for a new and tougher declaration.
Another EU diplomat said France proposed organising elections in a week that would be monitored by international observers.
Both diplomats said several EU countries were proposing recognising Venezuela's parliament president Guaido as interim president if Maduro failed to convene elections.
Guaido, the opposition leader, has already self-declared himself president.
"The idea to condition the recognition has had many supporters," the diplomat said, naming supporters as France, Germany, Britain and Denmark in addition to Spain.
Spain's foreign minister Josep Borrell earlier Friday publicly pushed the .

EU drafting appeal for Venezuela's Maduro to call elections: Diplomats

Lucas Pouille admitted that world number one Novak Djokovic played so well in their Australian Open semi-final Friday that he was powerless to resist.
Top seed Djokovic destroyed the Frenchman, seeded 28, in just 83 minutes 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 to sprint into a final against Rafael Nadal.
"I was trying to find a solution, but couldn't find any," said a shattered Pouille after witnessing a near-perfect display from the Serbian 14-time Grand Slam winner "I think (his) first mistake came after maybe one set, I don't know," he said of Djokovic who made only five unforced errors in the entire match and hit 24 winners.
"I think he just played amazing. He was too good today." Pouille is coached by 2006 women's Australian Open champion Amelie Mauresmo.
The Frenchman conceded that Djokovic was out of the blocks so fast that he never had a chance to put any of their carefully hatched plans into action.
"I didn't have time to put a strategy in the match," the world number 31 lamented.
"The strategy was 

Pouille powerless to 'find any solution' to dominant Djokovic

Greek lawmakers on Friday ratified a landmark name change deal with neighbouring Macedonia, handing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras a diplomatic triumph and bucking street protests to end one of the world's most stubborn diplomatic disputes.
A narrow majority of 153 MPs in the 300-seat chamber approved the deal, with several independent lawmakers supporting Tsipras' leftist Syriza party.
"With this agreement, Greece regains... its history, its symbols, its tradition," Tsipras told the chamber ahead of the vote during the two-day debate, calling an end to "thirty years of hypocrisy".
He stressed that Macedonia will henceforth "become a friend, an ally, a supporter for cooperation, peace and security in the area." Macedonia's parliament on January 11 backed a constitutional revision to change the name to the Republic of North Macedonia, but for the deal to go through, it had to be approved by Greek MPs.
Since 1991, Athens has objected to its neighbour being called Macedonia because Greece 

Greek MPs ratify Macedonia name change in historic vote

Sudan's main opposition leader Sadiq al-Mahdi on Friday called for President Omar al-Bashir to step down, throwing his support behind anti-government demonstrators after weeks of deadly protest.
"This regime has to go immediately," Mahdi told hundreds of worshippers at a mosque in Omdurman, the twin city of the capital Khartoum, which has seen near daily anti-government protests.
Mahdi said that since the protests erupted on December 19, "more than 50 people have been killed" in violence during the demonstrations.
Officials say 30 people have died in the protests, while rights groups have put the death toll at more than 40.
"A period of transition will come soon... we are supporting this (protest) movement," said Mahdi, leader of the opposition Umma Party whose government was toppled by Bashir in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989.
After nearly a year in exile, he returned to Sudan last month on the same day protests began.
Mahdi said Friday his party has signed a document with the ...

Sudan opposition head backs protesters' call for Bashir to go

The Australian embassy in Beijing was on Friday granted consular access to Australian national Yang Jun, who is detained in China on national security grounds.
Embassy staff made a consular visit to Yang in the afternoon, according to a brief statement released by the Australian department of foreign affairs.
"Access to Mr Yang was provided in accordance with our bilateral consular agreement with China," the statement said.
"Due to Privacy Act obligations, we will not provide further details about Mr Yang or the contents of our consular discussions with Mr Yang."
The Chinese-Australian author and democracy advocate, whose pen name is Yang Hengjun, was detained shortly after he made a rare return to China from the United States last week.
Beijing state security took "compulsory measures" against Yang, who is suspected of "engaging in criminal activities that endanger China's national security", China's foreign ministry said Thursday.
His detention comes amid heightened tensions between 

Australian detained in China receives consular visit: official

Voters have decisively approved a new Muslim-led region in the Philippines' south, which is hoped will bring a measure of peace after decades of fighting killed thousands and mired the area in poverty.
The results, announced Friday, will begin the process of the Catholic-majority nation's largest rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, laying down its weapons and assuming political power.
About 150,000 people were killed in the rebellion that began in 1970s and aimed to push the government to grant independence to a Muslim minority concentrated on the island of Mindanao.
"We are very happy about the overwhelming support of the people," MILF leader Murad Ebrahim told AFP.
"It was a landslide. There's been nothing like this." Voters, who were expected to back the so-called Bangsamoro region, delivered a convincing result of about 1.7 million in favour and some 254,600 against, according to official results from the Philippines elections commission.
A handful of smaller areas, ...

Muslim self-rule backed in Philippines' troubled south

A hunger striking pro-Kurdish lawmaker was released under supervision from prison by a Turkish court and sent home on Friday, after an 11-week fast that has left her gravely ill.
Crowds of supporters gathered at a jail in the Kurdish majority southeastern city of Diyarbakir to cheer Leyla Guven, 55, who launched her hunger strike on November 8 to protest the prison conditions for outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Guven, from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), was freed a few hours after the Diyarbakir court ordered her release under judicial supervision, which includes an overseas travel ban.
She was taken from the prison by an ambulance.
Guven, whose party says she has a "life-threatening" medical condition, did not attend the hearing.
The MP was arrested in January 2018 for her criticism of Turkey's military operation against a Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara considers an offshoot of the PKK.
She started the hunger strike in prison and .

AFP

AFP

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