UN chief Antonio Guterres started a three-day tour of the Democratic Republic of Congo Saturday, expressing "solidarity" with a region ravaged by violence and an Ebola epidemic.
The secretary general first visited Goma, the capital of North Kivu province which is trying to roll back an epidemic of Ebola that has claimed more than 2,000 lives in a year.
Guterres was received by Leila Zerrougui, his special representative in the DR Congo.
The two did not shake hands, in line with protocols aimed at curbing the spread of the highly infectious and potentially fatal disease.
Guterres said he had come to express his support "with the armed forces of DRC in the fight against terrorism" which represents "a threat not only for the Congo but the whole of Africa."
The UN peacekeeping mission in the country known by its French acronym MONUSCO comprises some 16,000 troops and has an annual budget of over USD 1 billion.
A total of 130 militias and armed groups roam the North and South Kivu ...

UN chief expresses solidarity with Ebola-hit DR Congo

PTI Automatic

Washington is moving ahead Sunday with new tariffs on Chinese imports as it steps up a high-pressure campaign aimed at coercing Beijing to sign a new trade deal even amid fears of a further slowing of US and world growth.
The additional 15 per cent tariffs, affecting a portion of the USD 300 billion in goods from the Asian giant that so far has been spared, will take effect at 04H01 GMT, according to the US Trade Representative's office.
President Donald Trump on Friday ruled out any further postponement. "They're on," he told reporters.
The new tariffs will target a range of products, from foodstuffs (ketchup, butchered meat, pork sausage, fruits, vegetables, milk, cheese) to sports equipment (golf clubs, surf boards, bicycles), to musical instruments, sportswear and furniture, according to an official list.
Economists at the Washington-based Peterson Institute for International Economics estimate USD 112 billion in goods will be affected.
The trade war touched off by Trump more than 

Trump moving ahead with new tariffs on Chinese products

At least 40 jihadist leaders were killed Saturday in Syria after a missile attack targeted their meeting in the northwestern province of Idlib, a war monitor said.
"A missile attack targeted a meeting held by the leaders of Hurras al-Deen, Ansar al-Tawhid and other allied groups inside a training camp" near Idlib city, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The attack killed "at least 40" jihadist leaders, the Britain-based monitor said.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, or if the missiles were launched from war planes or positions on the ground, the Observatory said.
An AFP correspondent saw clouds of black smoke rising over the area after blasts rocked the jihadist stronghold.
Ambulances rushed to the site of the attack, which was closed off to journalists, he said.
The Al-Qaeda-linked Hurras al-Deen and their allies Ansar al-Tawhid both operate in the Idlib region, where bombardment by Damascus and Moscow came to a halt ...

Syria missile attack kills at least 40 jihadist leaders: monitor

Italian bodybuilder, boxer and actor Franco Columbu, one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's closest friends, has died aged 78.
Columbu died in a hospital in his native Sardinia on Friday afternoon after being taken ill while he was swimming in the sea.
His longtime friend Schwarzenegger tweeted: "I love you Franco. I will always remember the joy you brought to my life, the advices you gave me, and the twinkle in your eye that never disappeared."
After starting his career as a boxer, Columbu progressed into Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and later bodybuilding, winning the prestigious title of Mr Olympia in 1976 and 1981.
Besides his athletic career, Columbu also acted in popular TV series and movies. He appeared in Schwarzenegger's films "The Terminator," ''The Running Man" and "Conan the Barbarian." Columbu was Schwarzenegger's best man at his marriage to Maria Schriver in 1986.

Italian bodybuilder, actor Franco Columbu dies aged 78

Ravindra Jadeja's improved batting and more control on a flat deck has prompted his selection ahead of a champion bowler like Ravichandran Ashwin in the playing XI against the West Indies, India's head coach Ravi Shastri said on Saturday.
Jadeja's selection in the playing XI ahead of Ashwin, who had a proven record against the West Indies, "astonished" none other than Sunil Gavaskar but the all-rounder silenced everyone with an under-pressure half-century and a couple of wickets in the first Test.
"Look at Jaddu, his record is fabulous. You have to see what he brings to the table. He is probably best fielder in the world now and he has improved his batting like hell," Shastri told former England spinner Graeme Swann during an interview for hosts bradcaster "Sony".
Ashwin has always been found wanting on flat tracks outside the sub-continent. While Shastri didn't speak about the Tamil Nadu off-spinner's weakness but did speak about what stood out for Jadeja as a spinner.
"And if you ...

Shastri explains why Jadeja over Ashwin: Better control on flat track, much improved batting

India's Aman Raj and Shiv Kapur slipped on the leaderboard on the third day of the Bank BRI Indonesia Open on Saturday.
Aman Raj (73) dropped from tied-fourth to 15th and he was joined by Shiv Kapur (71), who dropped down from overnight ninth place.
Indonesian amateur Naraajie Emerald Ramadhan Putra stands on the verge of becoming the first Indonesian in almost 30 years to win their National Open.
Naraajie fired a third round nine-under-par 63 to take a six-shot lead into the final round of the Bank BRI Indonesia Open on Saturday.
Among other Indians, Rashid Khan (70), Om Prakash Chouhan (71) and S Chikkarangappa (72) are tied 25th at six-under, while Khalin Joshi (69) is tied 33rd.
First round leader, Viraj Madappa (73) and Chiragh Kumar (70) are Tied-43rd and Kshitiji Naved Kaul (72) and Ajeetesh Sandhu (75) are Tied-48 and Aadil Bedi (73) is tied-71.
Argentina's Miguel Carballoshot 66 to move to 12-under to take second place. Overnight leader Itthipat Buranatanyarat of Thailand ...

Indians slip on the third day in Indonesia Open

Chanting "This is our city", Russian opposition supporters marched in central Moscow Saturday in defiance of a protest ban, just a week before controversial elections in the capital.
Under the watchful eye of police, hundreds participated in the so-called "March against political repressions", shouting out demands including: "Freedom to political prisoners!".
Moscow police said turnout was about 750, while Russian media gave a figure of several thousand people.
Demonstrations have been held almost weekly since July after authorities barred most opposition candidates from registering for elections next Sunday for the city parliament.
Moscow prosecutors warned the latest rally, called by Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, was not authorised and participants would "bear responsibility." Saturday's gathering was noticeably calmer than previous ones where police had made thousands of sometimes violent arrests.
None were reported this time round, with police merely advising people to leave the .

Opposition supporters defy ban, march on Moscow

One soldier was wounded and another five are missing after gunmen attacked a military base in northern Burkina Faso, security sources said Saturday, in a region prone to jihadist violence.
A former French colony that ranks among the world's poorest countries, Burkina Faso has been struggling with an Islamist militant revolt since 2015.
The attack happened at a military base in Tongomael early Friday morning, a security source told AFP. Details of the wounded and the missing were only provisional, the source said.
Tongomael is near Djibo, the regional capital of Soum province, which borders Mali to the north.
Earlier this week, security officials reported a deadly attack on Kongoussi village Tuesday in the neighbouring province of Bam, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) to the south. Suspected jihadist insurgents killed three civilians.
Bam province has suffered a string of deadly assaults this year.
The country's army has been increasingly targetted by jihadists. Earlier this month, an ..

Gunmen attack military base in northern Burkina region

Afghan security forces "repelled" a coordinated Taliban assault on the northern city of Kunduz on Saturday, President Ashraf Ghani said, amid competing claims from the insurgents.
The multi-pronged offensive on Kunduz, which has come under frequent attack since 2015, occurred as the US and the Taliban continue to seek an agreement in Doha that would see thousands of American troops leave Afghanistan in return for various security guarantees.
Officials said the fighting started around 1:00 am (2030 GMT Friday), when Taliban militants advanced on the city from several directions.
Gunfire could be heard across Kunduz, the capital of Kunduz province near the Tajik border, and as the day wore on, both sides claimed units from the other's forces were surrendering.
But by Saturday evening, the Afghan government said it had gained the upper hand.
"The Taliban attacked Kunduz today and caused damages to civilians and their houses. They wanted to create an atmosphere of fear in the city," Ghani 

Afghan forces claim upper hand after Taliban attack Kunduz city

A missile attack on a gathering of jihadists in Syria's Idlib province on Saturday killed at least 40 militants, a war monitor said, hours after a Russian-backed ceasefire took hold.
"A missile attack targeted a meeting held by the leaders of Hurras al-Deen, Ansar al-Tawhid and other allied groups inside a training camp" near Idlib city, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, or if the missiles were launched from war planes or positions on the ground, the Britain-based monitor added.

Syria missile attack kills at least 40 jihadists: Monitor

Striker Sridarth Nongmeikapam scored a hat-trick as a dominant India thrashed Nepal 7-0 to lift the SAFF U-15 Championships title here on Saturday.
While Sridarth (51st, 76th, 80th) scored thrice, Maheson Singh (15th), Amandeep (42nd), Sibajit Singh (45th) and Himanshu Jangra (65th) scored one apiece at the Kalyani Stadium.
The victory also meant that India are now the most successful team in the tournament's history -- winning the title for a record third time after previous wins in 2013 and 2017, both of which came in Nepal.
The Bibiano Fernandes coached side completely dominated the tournament, scoring 28 goals without conceding any in the five matches.
"We are happy to be champions. We came here with an aim, and we have achieved it. This was a preparation for the AFC Qualifiers and it makes us confident about what we can achieve," said Bibiano.
"I am extremely happy the manner boys responded. They kept up the momentum and the intensity since the first match. I am extremely proud ..

India lift SAFF U-15 title with a 7-0 win over Nepal

The teenage Sikh girl, who was allegedly abducted and converted to Islam before being married to a Muslim man in Pakistan's Punjab province, on Saturday refused to go home despite the provincial governor's plea, fearing threat to her life, an official said.
Punjab Governor Chaudhary Muhammad Sarwar met the girl at a shelter home in Lahore and requested her to go back to her family but she refused, citing a threat to her life, he said.
The girl, who is the daughter of a Sikh priest, was on Friday sent to Darul Aman (shelter home) on a court order after she told the judge that she married Mohammad Hassan of her locality with her own free will.
Kaur's family alleged that she was converted to Islam at gunpoint and forced to marry a Muslim boy. Her family says she is 18 years of age.
On Saturday, Governor Sarwar met with the Sikh girl at Lahore's Darul Aman and tried his best to persuade her to return her parents' home but she declined, an official of the Punjab government told PTI.
He ...

Abducted and converted Pakistani Sikh teenage girl refuses to go home: official

Pakistan's former cricket captain turned commentator Ramiz Raja has advocated for captains to have a greater say in team matters and warned changing this situation would lead to disaster in cricket management.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former skipper made it clear that captains should have a greater say in how things are run as compared to the coaching staff.
He said trying to adapt football's model of management in cricket would be a disaster.
Under the new football style management, managers enjoy more powers more than the captain and Cricket South Africa (CSA) has started experimenting with this style of management on their coming tour to India.
"It's fruitless to have such a massive coaching staff associated with the team because I think, just like cricket back in the day, the role of captain is more important than the coaches," Ramiz said.
"We should not dilute a captain's authority by giving more power to coaches. Running cricket like football will be a disaster ...

Captains need to have more say in team selection: Ramiz Raza

Crowds are gathering in London and other major British cities to protest Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of Parliament for part of the period before the Brexit deadline in two months.
Several thousand protesters gathered near Johnson's residence at 10 Downing Street in central London, while others protested in in Belfast, York and others cities to show determination to block a "no deal" Brexit.
The crowds were galvanized by Johnson's decision to shutter Parliament for several weeks when a debate about Brexit plans had been expected.
In London, they chanted: "Boris Johnson, shame on you." Some carried signs saying: "Stop the Coup" in reference to what they say is a move that threatens democracy.
The protests have been organized by the anti-Brexit group Another Europe Is Possible and by Momentum, which is allied with the opposition Labour Party. The group is urging its membership to "occupy bridges and blockade roads."
Organizers say protests are planned in more than 30 ...

Crowds gather in UK cities to protest Johnson's Brexit plans

Hurricane Dorian has gained fearsome new muscle as an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm, bearing down on the northwestern Bahamas early Saturday en route to the US Southeast coast.
Millions of people in Florida, along with the state's Walt Disney World and President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, are in the potential crosshairs of the hurricane.
Forecasters say Dorian, which had top sustained winds of 145 mph (230 kph) Saturday morning, will hover along Florida's east coast Tuesday and Wednesday.
But the National Hurricane Center in Miami cautioned that its meteorologists remain uncertain whether Dorian would make a devastating direct strike on the state's east coast or inflict a glancing blow.
Some of the more reliable computer models predicted a late turn northward that would have Dorian skirt the Florida coast.
"There is hope," Weather Underground meteorology director Jeff Masters said.
Forecasters now expect ever-strengthening Dorian to dance up the Southeast coastline, ...

Fierce Category 4 Dorian strengthens en route to Bahamas

Boko Haram jihadists have executed four people and abducted two others in a raid on a village in northeast Nigeria, residents said Saturday.
Fighters stormed into Balumri village, 15 kilometres (10 miles) from the Borno state capital Maiduguri on Friday evening, slaughtering four male residents and abducting two others, inhabitants said.
"They (Boko Haram) slit the throats of four people and took away two others," Balumri resident Bura Abdiye said.
"They sneaked into the village on foot after leaving their vehicles at some distance," he said.
The jihadists looted food supplies before withdrawing an hour later, Abdiye said.
Umara Kyari gave the same account, saying Balumri residents were leaving the village for fear of renewed attack.
"After burying the four slain victims of the attack, residents of Balumri are fleeing," Kyari said.
In an earlier incident on Thursday, Boko Haram fighters also shot dead two Balumri residents as they worked on their farms outside the village, according ..

Boko Haram kill 4 in Nigeria village raid: residents

Spain's former monarch Juan Carlos I says he's feeling "phenomenal" with "new plumbing" after a successful triple bypass heart surgery.
"It feels like a truck ran me over, but now it's about getting rid of the truck and looking ahead," the 81-year-old king emeritus said Sunday as he was driven out of a hospital in the outskirts of Madrid.
"New pipes, new plumbing, (it feels) phenomenal," he added.
Quirn Salud Hospitals Managing Director Luca Alonso said the former king was discharged one week after the operation because he is "clinically stable."
The operation was Juan Carlos' 17th surgical procedure and had been scheduled two months ago.
The king emeritus abdicated in 2014 in favour of his son, Felipe, ending a near 39-year reign. He retired from public duties last May.

Spain: ex-king says feeling "phenomenal" after heart surgery

Mitchell Starc pressed his case for a Ashes berth with a four-wicket haul as Australia completed their preparations for next week's fourth Test at Old Trafford with a comfortable innings and 54-run win over Derbyshire on Saturday.
Starc, yet to feature in the Ashes, ended the match 15 minutes before lunch on the third day in Derby with two wickets in two balls. He had  Hamidullah Qadri caught in the slips by Matthew Wade before clean bowling Dustin Melton.
With Derbyshire paceman Tony Palladino unable to bat because of an ankle injury, the match ended with Derbyshire 112 all out.
Left-arm fast bowler Starc finished with figures of 4-39 in 10.4 overs.
Australia came into this three-day game after a stunning one-wicket loss in the third Test at Headingley where England all-rounder Ben Stokes's superb 135 not out saw the hosts level the five-match series at 1-1.
Derbyshire resumed Saturday on 53-3, 113 runs behind Australia's first innings 338.
Australia opener Marcus Harris was off the .

Starc strikes as Australia thrash Derbyshire

Czech giant Lukas Krpalek beat Japan's Hisayoshi Harasawa to capture judo's world heavyweight title on Saturday and fire a warning for next year's Tokyo Olympics.
The hulking 28-year-old won half-heavyweight gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and looked ominously strong after stepping up to the +100-kilogram class.
Entering with a roar at Tokyo's iconic Budokan, venue for the 1964 Tokyo Games and next year's Olympics, Krpalek was awarded victory after Harasawa picked up his third penalty deep into the golden score.
Harasawa, the 2016 Rio Olympic silver medallist, had stunned Georgian giant Guram Tushishvili in the semi-finals, robbing him of his world title.
In the absence of France's Olympic champion Teddy Riner, the 27-year-old ran out of steam in the final, although still secured an upgrade on the bronze medal he won at last year's world championships in Baku.
Earlier, Japanese teenager Akira Sone bagged gold on her world championship debut, upsetting Cuba's former Olympic champion ...

Harasawa bounced by Czech Krpalek at world judo

Russia's opposition held a new protest march in central Moscow on Saturday, despite a ban by authorities, a week before controversial regional elections in the capital.
Demonstrations have been held on an almost weekly basis since July after authorities denied most opposition candidates registration in the elections for city parliament next Sunday.
Moscow prosecutors warned that the latest rally, called by Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny for 2 pm (local time) on part of the city's Boulevard Ring, was not authorised and participants would "bear responsibility."
Hundreds gathered at the start site of the announced "March against political repressions" and began a slow walk along the route, occasionally chanting "This is our city" and "Freedom to political prisoners!".
The gathering was noticeably calmer than previous similar protests, when police blocked the crowd and made thousands of sometimes violent arrests.
Police on Saturday merely told people to leave the street and walk along the .

Russian opposition holds new protest march

Models Kendall Jenner and Emily Ratajkowski are among the prominent celebrities who have landed in trouble as a result of their association with the infamous Fyre Festival.
According to The Wall Street Journal, lawsuits have been filed against the two models as well as musicians Migos, Pusha T, Blink-182 and Lil Yachty for promoting the festival.
Gregory Messer, the organiser's bankruptcy trustee, is trying to claim back money for defrauded investors and attendees.
He alleges that Jenner, 23, received USD 275,000 for promoting the festival on her social media pages. It includes the additional USD 25,000 which she was paid days after sharing a post, which has been since deleted.
Messer is also seeking the return of USD 500,000 that was paid to Blink-182, who was supposed to headline the event.
In the suit against Ratajkowski, the trustee alleges that the 28-year-old model-actor was paid USD 300,000 for promoting the festival on Instagram.
The lawsuits accuse Ratajkowski and Jenner of ..

Page 2050 - PTI Stories National