Ousted WeWork CEO Adam Neumann and the company he co-founded are being sued for pregnancy discrimination, US media reported.
Former chief executive Maria Bardhi alleges management at the office leasing start-up "transparently and systematically marginalized and discriminated against" her after and during two pregnancies, Bloomberg reported her lawyer saying Thursday.
The lawsuit, filed in New York with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, claims Nuemann referred to Bardi's maternity leave as a "vacation" and "retirement."
Bardhi -- who worked at the company for five years -- also alleges her maternity leave replacement was a man making twice her salary, and when she returned to work she was sidelined, the New York Times reported.
She was fired six months after giving birth to her second child, Bardhi said in the lawsuit, and after she had raised concerns about WeWork's attitude to its female employees.
The complaint notes Bardhi had initially been hesitant to mention ..

Former WeWork employee sues for pregnancy discrimination

PTI Automatic

Kusal Perera hit 57 as Sri Lanka finally found some form Friday in the third and final Twenty20, setting Australia 143 to clean-sweep the series.
The home team have been dominant in the opening two games, winning by 134 runs in Adelaide and by nine wickets with seven overs to spare in Brisbane, completely outplaying the visitors.
Sri Lanka's batting had been insipid until now -- their top score before Friday in two games was 27 -- and they made four changes as Aaron Finch won the toss and put them into bat.
It didn't start well with Niroshan Dickwella, elevated to opener after Danushka Gunathilaka was dropped, out first ball in the opening over, ballooning a Mitchell Starc delivery to Ben McDermott.
Perera and Kusal Mendis began showing some aggression, slapping a handful of boundaries, before Kane Richardson tempted Mendis into another big shot and he was caught at deep square for 13.
But Perera dug in and along with Avishka Fernando pushed the score to 65 for two at the halfway ...

Sri Lanka set Australia 143 to win third T20

Turkish troops on Friday began joint patrols with Russian forces in northern Syria as part of a deal to ensure the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters from the border.
The patrols began at around midday (local time) in a village in the Al-Darbasiyah region, an AFP journalist reported from the Turkish side of the border where government officials had invited reporters to witness the event.
The soldiers headed to the east of Al-Darbasiyah in a convoy of Turkish and Russian military vehicles to patrol a strip of territory several dozen kilometres long, according to Turkish military sources.
The Russian army said in a statement that the convoy consisted of nine vehicles, protected by an armoured personnel carrier, and that it would cover more than 110 kilometres (68 miles).
The Turkish defence ministry confirmed in a tweet that the patrols "with ground and air units are underway".
The ministry said in a separate tweet that a meeting with a Russian military delegation was planned in Ankara to ..

Turkey starts patrols with Russia in northern Syria: AFP

Shopkeepers in Iraq's Kurdish region have been responding to activists' calls to boycott Turkish goods in protest at Ankara's assault on Kurdish forces in neighbouring Syria.
From pomegranates to plastic buckets, yoghurt and beauty products, Iraq imports more than USD 8 billion worth of Turkish goods a year through its autonomous Kurdish north.
But activists have set their sights on those imports in response to Turkey's controversial two-week offensive against the Kurdish-run administration in northern Syria.
The assault has left dozens dead and displaced hundreds of thousands, including more than 12,000 who fled into the neighbouring Kurdish-run part of northern Iraq.
"We can't reach the front lines to fight the Turkish government with arms, so our weapon is a boycott of Turkish goods," said Hamid Banyee, an Iraqi Kurdish singer and one of the boycott organisers.
"We're looking to expand the campaign to include all parts of society, which will be a fatal blow to the Turkish economy," 

Iraqi Kurds boycott Turkish goods after Syria assault

Southeast Asian leaders will race to get a sprawling China-backed trade pact over the line at a regional meeting in Thailand this weekend, as Beijing's bruising trade war with Washington rumbles on.
If signed, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be the world's largest trade pact and is seen as a way for Beijing to cement trade ties in Asia as Washington retreats from the region.
Leaders are hoping for a breakthrough at RCEP talks at this weekend's meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) after seven years of negotiations over the deal, which would comprise 30 per cent of global commerce and half the world's population if signed.
"They will try to get enough together so they can sign something," even if it is not a final deal, said Juan Sebastian Cortes-Sanchez, a Singapore-based policy analyst at the Asian Trade Centre.
But members risk losing steam after dozens of rounds of negotiations and several missed deadlines to sign the ...

Southeast Asian leaders to push for progress on China-backed trade pact

Outside the dilapidated Michigan home where civil rights icon Malcolm X once lived, Aaron Sims hesitated before confiding that he voted for Donald Trump.
In majority-black Detroit and across the nation, African Americans overwhelmingly support Democrats.
But in 2016, their voter participation dropped -- and with next year's presidential election looming, their enthusiasm has yet to return.
"I know I'll probably get a lot of backlash from it, but I did vote Trump," the 42-year-old activist, an example of black disenchantment with former president Barack Obama's party, told AFP.
"I think the Democratic Party just took the African American vote for granted."
As troubles simmered within his community, "nobody was really addressing the issues, the problems that we were having," Sims added.
His message to Democrats for why he switched allegiances and picked Trump -- who has fueled the country's racial tensions with his divisive rhetoric -- after years of supporting more progressive ...

In Detroit, elusive black voters could upend 2020 Democrats

Filipinos poured into cemeteries by the millions on Friday for a rite to remember their dead, blending expressions of grief and faith in Catholic-majority Philippines with a party-like ambiance.
Vendors hawked cartoon-themed balloons and police seized karaoke machines at graveyard checkpoints, while inside families swept tombs clean and prayed before candles as part of All Saints' day.
The ritual, celebrated on November 1, stretches back centuries to ancient Rome and honours saints. But in the Philippines it is also a day to pray for -- and most importantly remember -- the deceased.
Among the mass of people at a Manila cemetery was 17-year-old Clarissa Limbing, who had come to visit the mother she lost to cancer six years ago.
"When we don't visit them, someone from the family gets sick and we know it's her making her presence felt," Limbing told AFP.
"It's important." Carlito Ortiz, 50, paid his respects to parents who had died when he was still a teenager.
"I feel that my parents ...

Filipinos pack cemeteries to remember the dead

Four journalists and their driver are still being held in Burundi after being arrested for undermining national security while covering a rebel attack from neighbouring DR Congo, the attorney general said.
The Burundian reporters were detained on Tuesday last week while reporting in Bubanza, in the country's northwest, prompting calls from free press groups for their immediate release.
The journalists, from the Iwacu newspaper, one of the last independent publications in Burundi, were detained along with their driver while trying to speak to residents fleeing fighting between rebels and national forces.
"The attorney general of the Republic wants to reaffirm here that these people were not arrested because they are journalists but for the things they are accused of," Sylvestre Nyandwi said in a statement released late Thursday.
He said they were "apprehended on a hill where clashes were taking place and facts at the disposition of the prosecutors indicate that they could have had this 

4 Burundian journalists held for undermining state security

Californian firefighters tackled fresh and fast-moving wildfires overnight Thursday, making headway against a number of major blazes that have forced mass evacuations and power cuts.
Three rapidly moving infernos broke out Thursday in the southern part of the state, burning several homes and forcing people to flee.
One -- the Hillside Fire -- was in San Bernardino, some 60 miles (100 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, while the other -- the 46 Fire -- was in neighboring Riverside County.
The third -- dubbed the Maria Fire -- broke out late Thursday in Ventura County, threatening two small agricultural towns nearby, and forcing the evacuation of more than 7,000 people as it raged across 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares), according to Ventura County fire department.
Hundreds of firefighters backed by water-dropping helicopters were attacking blazes driven by record so-called Santa Ana winds that have prompted unprecedented warnings of "extremely critical" fire risk -- the most severe ...

More fires and evacuations in weary California

A Malaysian financier wanted for his role in the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB financial scandal has been offered asylum abroad, his spokesman said Friday, as reports surfaced he was in the Middle East.
The news came a day after US officials announced that Low Taek Jho had struck a settlement to forfeit assets worth $700 million, including a Beverly Hills hotel and a private jet, as part of efforts to recover stolen cash.
The jet-setting former unofficial adviser to 1Malaysia Development Berhad allegedly played a key role in plundering the sovereign wealth fund, in a fraud that also purportedly involved former premier Najib Razak.
The whereabouts of Low, who has been charged over the scandal in the US and Malaysia, are a mystery but his representatives now say he has been offered asylum, without naming a country.
"We understand that Mr. Low was offered asylum in August 2019 by a country that acts in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights 

Fugitive Malaysian 1MDB financier offered asylum: spokesperson

Distraught relatives gathered Friday for the first funerals of some of the 74 people killed when fire ripped through a crowded train in Pakistan, with many of the victims residents of a single town.
Sobbing family members crowded a government building in Mirpurkhas overnight as the first bodies covered in white cloth began arriving by ambulance from the scene of the disaster.
After morning prayers, with women watching from nearby rooftops, more than a hundred men attended the first funeral -- of a car mechanic named Mohammad Saleem, who was in his late 40s.
It was held at the Bismillah Mosque, from which at least 42 pilgrims had left to board the train one day earlier, bound for a religious festival near Lahore.
Officials say as some of the train's passengers cooked breakfast around dawn Thursday, two of their gas cylinders exploded, sending flames racing through three carriages as the train passed near Rahim Yar Khan, in Punjab province.
At least 74 people died, some after jumping ...

Funerals begin as town mourns victims of Pakistan train fire

Using Russia-based servers and promoted by powerful groups linked to China's ruling Communist Party, a sophisticated anonymous website is targeting Hong Kong pro-democracy figures -- and there is almost no way to stop it.
From high-profile activists to journalists and lawmakers, about 200 people seen as supporting Hong Kong's protest movement have been "doxxed" -- had their personal details posted online -- by the site, HK Leaks, since it emerged in August.
"I received hundreds of threatening calls," a female reporter at Apple Daily, a pro-democracy newspaper, told AFP.
"They would call me a bitch, and a prostitute, and tell me to watch out or they would kill me." Disclosing certain personal details, including phone numbers, without consent is illegal in Hong Kong.
Privacy Commissioner Stephen Wong said on September 17 he had ordered HK Leaks to take down all posts.
But the site remains online: on its front page, a photo of black-clad protesters with a Chinese-language banner saying: .

'Bulletproof' China-backed site attacks HK democracy activists

China warned Friday it would not tolerate any challenge to Hong Kong's governing system, as it laid out plans to boost patriotism in the city and change how its leader is chosen or removed after months of pro-democracy protests.
Beijing also said it would brook no foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs as it discussed the unrest in the semi-autonomous city at a major, four-day meeting of the Communist Party chaired by President Xi Jinping, according to a senior party cadre.
The central government in Beijing has so far voiced its confidence in Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam and the city police to put a lid on the increasingly violent protests.
But all eyes have been on whether the party leadership will assert more control over the situation if the demonstrations spin out of control.
The former British colony has been rocked by months of protests with citizens lampooning the city's pro-Beijing leaders and erosion of basic rights.
Shen Chunyao, director of the Hong Kong, Macau ..

China warns it won't tolerate dissent in Hong Kong

Marcello Lippi was accused Friday of neglect and delivering "a slap in the face" amid grumblings that China's coach is not doing enough to justify one of the highest salaries in football management.
Former Everton midfielder Li Tie will temporarily take charge of China's national team at an East Asian championships next month in South Korea instead of the 71-year-old Italian World Cup winner.
Thursday's announcement by the Chinese Football Association was greeted with anger by sections of local media, which said that it had nevertheless been long known that Lippi had opted to remain home in Italy for the tournament.
"But this doesn't mean that this is not a problem," said a scathing commentary in the influential Oriental Sports Daily.
"However, shouldn't training the team be his job? Since he holds the salary of the position of the national football coach, he should do the work that the national football coach should do."
The former Juventus and Italy boss Lippi, who quit as China's ..

Lippi accused of 'slap in the face' as China critics circle

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office has defended his Brexit deal with the EU, after US President Donald Trump warned it would make it impossible for the two nations to strike a future trade agreement.
The president, whose impeachment in the US has moved a stage closer following a key vote in Congress, waded into the British election campaign on Thursday to criticise Johnson's divorce terms with the European bloc.
"This deal... you can't do it, you can't trade. We can't make a trade deal with the UK," he said.
But a Downing Street spokesman later said the deal would allow the UK to strike "our own free trade deals around the world from which every part of the UK will benefit".
Trump's comments appear at odds with his previous pledge in September that he was working closely with Johnson to strike a "magnificent trade deal" once Britain left the EU.
The US president also launched a stinging attack on the country's main opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn and urged Johnson to unite .

UK defends Brexit deal after Trump trade warning

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's government cancelled its subscriptions to one of the country's main newspapers in the latest episode of his openly hostile relationship with his country's major media outlets.
"Today I decided that the Folha subscription is canceled under my executive power. Whoever wants to read Folha can stop by the Brasilia bus station and buy it," he said in Thursday's weekly Facebook live broadcast.
US President Donald Trump -- an ally of Bolsonaro -- similarly cancelled subscriptions to two of America's biggest newspapers, The New York Times and Washington Post, last week.
Bolsonaro frequently lambasted Brazil's media outlets -- including Folha, TV Globo, and Veja magazine -- both during his presidential campaign and since taking office in January.
"We are not going to spend more money on a newspaper like that. And whoever advertises with Folha, pay attention," he added.
In a statement Folha denounced Bolsonaro's "openly discriminatory attitude" and promised .

Bolsonaro cancels government subscription to Brazil's main newspaper

Chile's government met with opposition leaders on Thursday in a fresh bid to end deadly protests that forced the country to abandon hosting two major economic and climate summits, but leftist parties poured scorn on the efforts.
The unrest started with protests against a rise in transport tickets and other austerity measures and descended into vandalism, looting, and clashes between demonstrators and police.
Protesters are angry about low salaries and pensions, poor public healthcare and education, and a yawning gap between rich and poor.
Pinera has reshuffled his government and announced a series of measures aimed at placating protesters.
But they have continued demanding that the right-wing billionaire president step down.
Protests erupted again on Thursday as thousands of Chileans wearing Halloween masks and alien costumes swarmed the Plaza Italia -- the epicenter of the demonstrations -- in response to a leaked recording of First Lady Cecilia Morel complaining the situation in the 

Chile launches fresh talks to calm deadly unrest

China said Friday it would "improve" the way Hong Kong's chief executive and other officials, are selected after months of pro-democracy protests in the semi-autonomous city.
Shen Chunyao, director of the Hong Kong, Macau and Basic Law Commission, also said Chinese Communist Party officials decided at a conclave this week that the legal system of the city would be improved to "safeguard national security".

China says will 'improve' way Hong Kong chief executive selected

A maiden half century from James Vince powered England to a convincing seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the opening Twenty20 international in Christchurch on Friday.
Vince top-scored for the tourists with 59 as England chased down New Zealand's 154-run target in 18.3 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
While Vince's man-of-the-match performance caught the eye, captain Eoin Morgan was also full of praise for his bowlers, who laid the platform for victory by restricting the Black Caps to 153 for five.
"The game was won and lost in the first innings... James Vince played outstanding well but all credit to the bowlers today," he said.
A three-wicket haul from spinner Mitchell Santner was not enough to rescue the Black Caps, whose batting line-up failed to fire after Morgan won the toss and sent them in.
England's win came despite the absence of several senior players, who have been rested for the series after a gruelling period that saw them win the World Cup and ...

England claim first blood in New Zealand T20 series

Final scoreboard in the opening Twenty20 international between New Zealand and England in Christchurch on Friday.
New Zealand:
M. Guptill b S.Curran
2
C. Munro c Morgan b Jordan
21
T. Siefert c Bairstow b Jordan
32
C. de Grandhomme c Vince b Rashid  19
R. Taylor c Bairstow b Brown
44
D. Mitchell not out
30
M.Santner not out
1
Extras (lb3, w1)
4
Total (5 wickets, 20 overs)
153
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-39, 3-72, 4-93, 5-149
Bowling: S.Curran 4-0-33-1, T.Curran 4-1-25-0, Jordan 4-0-28-2, Rashid
4-0-31-1, Brown 4-0-33-1
England:
J. Bairstow c Guptill b Santner
35
D. Malan c Sodhi b Santner
11
J. Vince c Guptill b Santner
59
E. Morgan not out
34
S. Billings not out
14
Extras (w1)
1
Total (3 wickets, 18.3 overs)
154
Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-68, 3-122
Bowling: Southee 3.3-0-30-0, Ferguson 4-0-28-8, Kuggeleijn 3-0-35-0, Santner 4-0-23-3, Sodhi 4-0-38-0.

New Zealand v England 1st T20 scoreboard

Manchester City host struggling Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday with Pep Guardiola hoping that Bernardo Silva maintains his recent return to something approaching the peak of his powers.
Portuguese playmaker Silva was among the most feared players in the Premier League last season as City won all three domestic trophies.
The 25-year-old helped City supporters forget a long-term injury to Kevin De Bruyne, scoring 13 goals and adding 14 assists as his side re-wrote the English football record books.
The opening months of the new season have painted a very different picture for Silva and City, however, not least after he found himself embroiled in a racism controversy.
Silva has been charged with misconduct by the FA after posting a picture of team mate Benjamin Mendy next to a mascot for a Spanish snack brand which invited accusations that he was guilty of racial stereotyping.
The issue became even more complex when Guardiola and City star Raheem Sterling made impassioned .

AFP

AFP

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