Three writers -- including bestselling "Wild Swans" author Jung Chang -- will no longer attend the Macau Literary Festival after authorities there said they were likely to be barred, the latest sign of Beijing's hardening line across its territories.
Macau is a semi-autonomous part of China and the move to scupper the writers comes as Beijing ramps up warnings against any challenges to its authority and sovereignty.
London-based Chang has been highly critical of China's political system. Her works, which include an explosive biography of Mao Zedong, have been banned on the mainland.
The two other authors targeted by officials have both written in-depth about North Korea, which counts China as its main ally and diplomatic defender.
"We were informed informally, unofficially, that it was not considered timely that these guests would come to Macau at this moment and that there was a high probability that they would not be allowed to enter Macau," the festival's co-founder and programme ..

Jung Chang among leading authors blocked from Macau literature festival

PTI Automatic

Senior British ministers will hold an urgent meeting today to discuss the suspected poisoning of a former Russian spy, as tensions rise with Moscow over his collapse outside a shopping centre.
Interior minister Amber Rudd will chair a meeting of Cobra, which is called to deal with national emergencies, to assess the situation of Sergei Skripal, who moved to Britain in a 2010 spy swap.
He and his daughter Yulia are in critical condition in hospital after being exposed to an unknown substance, which led them to collapse on a bench in the southwestern English city of Salisbury on Sunday.
Police say they are keeping an open mind about what happened, but Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson yesterday pointed the finger at Russia.
He noted the "echoes" with the 2006 poisoning in London of former Russian spy and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko, which Britain has blamed on Moscow.
Authorities have yet to publicly identify the source of the Salisbury poisoning, but experts said it was unlikely .

UK govt holds urgent meeting on poisoning of ex-Russian spy

A senior Bangladesh cabinet minister has accused Myanmar of obstructing efforts to repatriate roughly 750,000 Rohingya refugees, saying it was unlikely the displaced Muslims would ever return to their homeland.
Finance minister A M A Muhith said the repatriation deal signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh in November would likely fail despite his government's official stance that the refugees must eventually go back.
"I do not believe the Rohingya can be sent back," Muhith, an outspoken minister from the ruling party, told reporters late Tuesday in Dhaka after meeting with a British charity.
"You can speculate that very few will return to Burma. The first reason is that Burma will only take a few and secondly is that the refugees will never return if they fear persecution," he added, using another name for Myanmar.
Bangladesh insists the repatriation process will go ahead, last month submitting to Myanmar the names of 8,000 refugees expected to return to Rakhine state where the Muslim .

Bangladesh minister says Rohingya repatriation unlikely to succeed

Pope Paul VI, who oversaw the sweeping "Vatican II" reforms of the Catholic Church in the 1960s, will soon be made a saint, the Vatican announced today.
Oscar Romero, the archbishop of San Salvador who was assassinated in 1980 after speaking out against repression and social injustice in his country, will also be canonised, the Holy See said in a statement.

Reformist pope Paul VI to be made a saint: Vatican

A Rakhine Buddhist leader facing treason charges linked to deadly riots appeared in a Myanmar court today, a case that has aggravated ethnic tensions in a region also roiled by the crackdown on Rohingya Muslims.
Rakhine state has seethed with ethnic hatreds for years, with persecution of the Rohingya minority culminating in a ruthless army campaign against them that started last August and sparked a mass exodus.
Yet the Buddhist Rakhine community, some of whom are accused of aiding soldiers in the crackdown, has also frequently clashed with the central government and tensions have soared since riots rocked a Rakhine town in January.
Aye Maung, once the chairman of an ethnic Rakhine political party, was arrested after the unrest for allegedly making an inflammatory speech against the central government.
State-backed media said he railed against the government for treating Rakhine people as "slaves" and said it was the "right time" for the community to launch an armed struggle.
The ...

Rakhine leader faces Myanmar court after deadly riots

Scoreboard in the fourth one-day international between New Zealand and England in Dunedin on Wednesday:
England
J. Roy c Santner b Sodhi
42
J. Bairstow c Southee b Munro 138
J. Root c Latham b Southee
102
J. Buttler c and b Sodhi
0
E. Morgan c Munro b Boult
5
B. Stokes c Nicholls b Sodhi
1
M. Ali c Southee b Sodhi
3
C. Woakes c Boult b Munro
3
A. Rashid b Boult
11
T. Curran not out
22
M. Wood not out
3
Extras: (lb1, w4)
5
Total: (9 wickets; 50 overs)  335
Fall of wickets: 1-77 (Roy), 2-267 (Bairstow), 3-267  (Buttler), 4-274 (Morgan), 5-276 (Stokes), 6-280 (Ali), 7-288 (Woakes), 8-305 (Root), 9-313 (Rashid)
Bowling: Southee 10-0-87-1 (1w), Boult 10-0-56-2 (1w), de Grandhomme 2-0-23-0 (1w), Santner 10-0-57-0, Sodhi 10-1-58-4 (1w), Munro 8-0-53-2
New Zealand:
M. Guptill c Stokes b Woakes
0
C. Munro
lbw b Wood
0
K. Williamson c Buttler b Stokes
45
R. Taylor not out
181
T. Latham c Ali b Curran
71
C. de Grandhomme c Woakes b Curran  23
H. Nicholls not out
13
Extras: (lb4, w2)
6
Total: (5 .

SCOREBARD OF NEW ZEALAND-ENGLAND ODI IN DUNEDIN

The joint Canada-Mexico-US bid for the 2026 World Cup announced a reshuffle of its leadership, emphasising diversity as they seek to woo voters at a key FIFA vote in just over three months' time.
A statement on the "United 2026" bid website said the leaders of the US, Canada and Mexico federations would now serve as co-chairs of the bid, replacing former United States Soccer Federation chief Sunil Gulati, who steps down.
United 2026 said the changes reflect the "unity" at the highest levels of the joint bid, which faces only one other rival -- Morocco -- for the right to host the tournament.
The co-chairmen are newly elected USSF president Carlos Cordeiro, Canada Soccer Association president Steve Reed and Mexican Football Federation chief Decio de Maria.
As the three co-chairs of our United Bid, we are proud to represent the shared commitment of the people of Canada, Mexico, and the United States to hosting the first ever 48-team FIFA World Cup with unity and unparalleled stability ..

CONCACAF 2026 World Cup bid reshuffles leadership

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said today it was "too early to be optimistic" about the North's offer to discuss denuclearisation with the United States.
"We are only at the starting line," Moon told political party leaders after his envoys revealed Kim Jong Un's offer following their return from a historic trip to Pyongyang.
He denied allegations of a behind-the-scenes agreement with Pyongyang in return for it coming to the negotiating table.
"There has been no backroom deal whatsoever with the North," Moon was quoted as saying by a spokesman of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party.
"There will be no such a thing as a gift to the North," Moon added.
The South's leader stressed the importance of maintaining close co-operation with the US, its security guarantor, adding: "I think denuclearisation talks will become feasible only when South Korea and the US take common positions" on the issue.
There would be no let-up in sanctions or pressure purely as a result of inter-Korean ...

S Korea's Moon: 'too early to be optimistic' on North

Injury-hit Ross Taylor played through the pain to score a remarkable unbeaten 181 and seal a series-levelling win for New Zealand in the fourth one-day international against England today.
Taylor limped through much of his innings in Dunedin after aggravating a thigh injury, but batted on to compile a career-best innings and make it 2-2 in the series with one to play.
New Zealand ended on 339 for five in reply to England's 335 for nine, winning by five wickets and taking the five-match series to a crunch decider in Christchurch on Saturday.
Taylor scored 17 fours and six sixes as New Zealand reached the target with three balls to spare, wincing with pain after every shot in the latter half of his innings.
"It's still sinking in," he said after tearfully leaving the field to a standing ovation, revealing team medics gave him the option of retiring hurt due to the pain.
"I was glad I made the decision to stay out there and swing."
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson rated Taylor's ...

Injured Taylor hammers career-best 181 as New Zealand beat England

A South Korean actress has accused award-winning film director Kim Ki-duk and a top actor of rape, as the country's nascent #MeToo movement begins to spiral.
The fresh allegations against Kim come after his presence at this year's Berlin Film Festival caused controversy following a fine for physically assaulting a different actress.
In the latest case an actress, who refused to be named, said that Kim repeatedly tried to enter her hotel room when they were shooting a movie in a remote village several years ago.
"It was a living hell... so many nights, he came to my room and slammed the door or phoned me at the room repeatedly until I responded," she told Seoul's MBC television station.
Kim eventually summoned her to his room to "discuss a script", she went on. "Then he raped me."
The film's male star Cho Jae-hyun also raped her, she said.
The two men "shared stories of raping actresses and there was a sense of competition between them", she said in an investigation aired late ...

Top S Korea director Kim Ki-duk accused of rape

A message in a bottle written 132 years ago and found on an Australian beach by a group of walkers including the parents of Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo has been verified as the world's oldest known missive of its kind.
The rectangular bottle was discovered half-buried in sand dunes near Wedge Island, some 160 kilometres (99 miles) north of Perth, in January.
It took weeks of sleuthing using Google Translate, online research and archival digging before the unusual find was confirmed as an authentic bottle thrown from a German ship into the Indian Ocean.
The group of six had been driving through the remote west-coast dunes when Grace Ricciardo suggested they stop to take a walk, Kym Illman told AFP today.
His wife Tonya accompanied her and spotted the object, thinking it was rubbish.
"She thought, 'That looks nice, that'll look good on my bookshelf'," he said.
The group thought they might have picked up something special when they shook the bottle and a damp, rolled-up parchment ..

Oldest message in a bottle found at remote Australian beach

Philanthropist Michael Bloomberg announced today that he will spend USD 20 million (16.13 million euros) to launch a watchdog to detect and expose deceptive practices by the tobacco industry.
The monitor, to be called Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products (STOP), will seek to counter the industry's influence by publishing reports detailing pro-smoking activities and tactics.
It will also support non-profit organisations and government to resist interference from the tobacco industry.
"Over the last decade tobacco control measures have saved nearly 35 million lives, but as more cities and countries take action, the tobacco industry is pushing to find new users, particularly among young people," said Bloomberg, an ambassador for the World Health Organization (WHO) on noncommunicable diseases.
"We cannot stand by as the industry misleads the public in an effort to get more people hooked on its products -- and this global watchdog will help us hold the industry ...

Michael Bloomberg to launch $20mn anti-tobacco watchdog

The Bernie Sanders political dynasty has returned to the drawing board. Son Levi may be running for Congress, but stepdaughter Carina was defeated in her bid to win his old job as mayor of Burlington.
Vermont's largest city of 42,000 went to the polls to elect a mayor in a three-way race won by Democratic incumbent Miro Weinberger.
Independent Carina Driscoll ran on a progressive platform similar that of her stepfather, but her 35 per cent haul of the vote failed to stop Weinberger from winning a third term on 48 per cent of ballots cast, early results showed.
Her mother is Jane O'Meara, who had three children from a previous relationship when she married the now independent senator from Vermont in 1988.
Driscoll grew up in Burlington, graduated from the University of Montana and moved back to Burlington, where she and her husband set up the Vermont Woodworking School, which now has 40 full-time students.
She served previously in the Vermont state legislature, the Burlington city ...

Bernie Sanders' stepdaughter thwarted in US mayor race

South Korean newspapers today cautiously welcomed Pyongyang's offer to discuss denuclearisation, but warned that major questions remained over its sincerity.
Leader Kim Jong Un told visiting South Korean presidential envoy Chung Eui-yong there was "no reason" for Pyongyang to hold on to its nuclear weapons "if military threats towards the North are cleared and the security of its regime is guaranteed".
Kim was willing to discuss denuclearisation with the US and said Pyongyang would stop nuclear and missile tests while talks are under way, Chung told a briefing, and the North and South agreed to hold a summit next month.
Pyongyang has long said its nuclear arsenal is firmly off the negotiating table.
"There are positive points in this agreement," the South's conservative Chosun Ilbo daily said in an editorial.
"However, a question mark still hangs over the key issue -- whether the North is genuinely willing to negotiate away its nuclear arsenal," it said.
It noted the North promised ...

Seoul press cautiously welcome N. Korea talks offer

Eight members of a German far-right group face verdicts today after a year-long terrorism trial over a series of explosives attacks targeting refugees and anti-fascist activists.
Based in Germany's ex-communist east, the so-called "Freital group" had sought to create "a climate of fear" at the height of Germany's refugee and migrant influx in 2015, prosecutors say.
The seven men and one woman, now aged between 20 and 40, modified pyrotechnics they had bought in the neighbouring Czech Republic for five explosives attacks.
One Syrian refugee was injured in a blast, and prosecutors charge that the group had casually accepted the risk of more victims and possible deaths in their attacks.
If they are found guilty of forming a terrorist group, attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm, prosecutors have demanded prison sentences of five to 11 years.
Chief justice Thomas Fresemann was due to announce the verdicts and sentences at 1200 GMT.
Defence lawyers have not disputed the attacks 

German far-right 'terror' group faces verdicts for attacks

Sierra Leone holds a general election today to pick a new president in a climate of voter frustration with the two parties that have ruled since independence.
More than 3.1 million voters are registered for the polls, which open at 7am (local time) and close at 6pm (local time) across the small West African nation.
The economy is in a dire state following the 2014-16 Ebola crisis and a commodity price slump that drove away foreign investors, and living conditions are among the poorest in the world.
"We are prepared; we are committed to conduct credible elections," said Mohamed Conteh, chief commissioner of the National Election Commission (NEC), adding all electoral materials had now been distributed to polling stations.
Partial tallies are expected within 48 hours and complete results within two weeks.
President Ernest Bai Koroma cannot run again after consecutive five-year terms and has anointed a successor for the ruling All Peoples Party (APC), Samura Kamara, who has campaigned on 

Sierra Leone picks president in shifting political climate

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner will visit Mexico today, the Mexican government said, against a backdrop of strained ties between the two neighbours.
The foreign ministry said Kushner would visit as Trump's "special envoy" and meet with President Enrique Pena Nieto, who reportedly cancelled plans for a visit to Washington after a testy phone call last month with Trump - the second time he has scrapped a visit over Trump's insistence that Mexico pay for his planned border wall.
US-Mexican relations have also been strained over trade issues, including Trump's insistence on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to get a "better deal" for the US and his vow to include Mexico and Canada in steep tariffs on steel and aluminium.
Kushner will also meet with Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, the ministry said in a statement.
"During these meetings, the two sides will review various issues on the bilateral agenda," it ...

Jared Kushner to visit Mexico amid strained US ties

Former Australia Test opener Ed Cowan announced his retirement from professional cricket today, leaving the game with more than 10,000 runs and 25 centuries to his name.
The 35-year-old made his Test debut in the Boxing Day clash with India in 2011, but hasn't added to his 18 appearances since his last outing in 2013. He averaged 31.28.
He pulled the pin after a poor 2017/18 season with New South Wales.
"I have loved the game from my earliest days and feel incredibly lucky to still do so," he said.
"At this stage I will continue to play Premier Cricket with Sydney University for the remainder of this season and beyond as we aim for successive titles.

Former Australia Test opener Cowan retires

Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro got the goals for Real Madrid as the holders won 2-1 away to a Paris Saint-Germain side missing Neymar to secure their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Ronaldo had scored twice -- including his 100th goal for Real in the competition -- as they won 3-1 in the first leg in Spain last month, and his header early in the second half at the Parc des Princes effectively ended the French club's hopes of progressing.
Edinson Cavani equalised on the night for PSG, but only after they had Marco Verratti sent off, and Casemiro's late goal secured an ultimately comprehensive 5-2 aggregate victory for Zinedine Zidane's side.
"We played well right from the beginning, pressing them high up the field. It was a perfect match. This is not an easy place to come and play well," said Zidane.
PSG never looked like turning the tie around in the absence of the injured Neymar, and it was a horribly flat way for them to exit the competition.
"It was in the first leg ..

Ronaldo does it again as Real Madrid dump PSG out of Europe

Centuries by Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root helped England set New Zealand a challenging total of 336 in the fourth one-day international in Dunedin today.
England finished on 335 for nine after losing the toss and being put into bat as Bairstow blazed his way to 138 off 106 balls and Root grafted out a hard-fought 102.
The tourists' total should have been even bigger, but a dramatic late collapse put the brakes on their scoring as spinner Ish Sodhi led a stirring New Zealand fightback.
England were 267 for 1 in the 38th over when Bairstow's dismissal sparked the loss of six wickets for 21 runs.
At one point England appeared unlikely to see out their 50 overs before a late cameo of 22 off 10 balls from Tom Curran.
Sodhi finished with four for 58, while Colin Munro and Trent Boult took two wickets apiece.
Bairstow and fellow opener Jason Roy laid the foundation for England with a 77-run partnership before Roy departed on 41.
He then combined with Root for a 190-run partnership as New ...

Tons for Bairstow, Root as England set big target

Critical relief supplies are finally flowing into areas of Papua New Guinea devastated by a strong earthquake, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said, as another 6.7-magnitude tremor rocked the region today.
At least 67 people were killed by the initial quake in the Pacific nation's mountainous interior on February 26, according to the Red Cross, with 500 injured and 17,000 displaced.
Aid has yet to reach isolated parts of the Southern Highlands, Western, Enga and Hela provinces, with landslides, ruined roads and dozens of aftershocks hampering efforts.
But O'Neill told reporters food, water and medicine was starting to get through, with aircraft ferrying supplies to Moro and Mendi airports in the Southern Highlands.
"We are now in the process of delivering emergency supplies," he said late yesterday.
"Over the last few days, we've been working with the Australian government, with Exxon(Mobil), with Oil Search and Ok Tedi in particular, in making sure that immediate assistance required by .

AFP

AFP

Page 983 - Afp