Juppe called Sarkozy to go beyond the left-right divide

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PARIS (Reuters) - Alain Juppe called on Sunday in Le Journal du Dimanche to rise above the left-right divides and warns against the risk Nicolas Sarkozy to pursue a policy inspired by the ideas of the National Front to try too hard to to be elected by his constituents.

The issue of participation in the primary of the right and center sharpens the rivalry between the two favorites of the poll, the former head of state accusing her main rival of preparing a "soft alternation" for invited " hollandisme disappointed "and centrists to vote in November.

"In seeking to be elected with the votes of the left, we must prepare to give a policy that will give pledges to the left to make little arrangements," again insisted Saturday Nicolas Sarkozy.

"When we seek to be elected by the votes of the National Front, we may conduct a policy inspired by the National Front theses," retorted Alain Juppé in the JDD.

"This kind of argument is very Gaullist politician I am. I France, this is not right, not the left, it's all French If, in 2017, it is not. able to rise a little above these divisions, it will not happen to straighten this country, "he added.

A "TEN GOOD" FIRST potential ministers

The mayor of Bordeaux, in the polls for the primary to the right, repeat it intends decline precisely his project within 100 days before the presidential election, with the publication of five or six orders that would implement s' elected. In saying so "the whole truth", it believes it can avoid "bottlenecks".

Asked about potential prime minister, Alain Juppé refuses to name. "I choose based on two criteria: competence and loyalty," is he merely states.

He added that "for Matignon, there is a very wide range of possible candidates." Among the "dozen" of "first potential ministers," he recalls, the only one he mentions is Bruno Le Maire, also candidate to primary the right.

Aside however the name of the former Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron, who left the government of Manuel Valls to concentrate on his movement "in March!" in view of the presidential election in 2017.

"I said that my criteria for my choice for prime minister would be the competence and loyalty. His skill, he has not demonstrated yet (...) As for loyalty, the French have seen that it was not his first quality ", he said.

(China Labbé)

According to Valls, the Alstom site in Belfort will be rescued Tuesday

ding to Valls, the Alstom site in Belfort will be rescued Tuesday

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PARIS (Reuters) - Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Sunday that the railway business would be maintained on the Belfort site, which will be "saved" Tuesday.

The Secretary of State for Industry, Christophe Sirugue, to meet Tuesday morning to Belfort unions and the management of Alstom to present its proposals for the rescue site during a working meeting.

"Tuesday will save the Alstom site in Belfort," said Sunday the head of government during the "Grand Jury" RTL-LCI-Le Figaro, adding that "the railway business in Belfort [would] be maintained."

"The secretary of state for Industry will propose a number of concrete ways," continued Manuel Valls, referring to both the role of public procurement and the investments made by the company.

A group works council at European level, to be held the same day to discuss the project management and the government, has been postponed to a later date.

The management of Alstom announced 7 September its intention to transfer its plant in Alsace Belfort, specializing in the production of drive, lack of sufficient controls.

(Myriam Rivet, edited by Pierre Serisier)

Three police cars set ablaze in Dresden ahead of German Unity Day

Unknown perpetrators set fire to three police cars on Saturday night in the eastern city of Dresden, where security has been tightened for three days of events to mark 26 years since German reunification, police said on Sunday.

Two improvised bombs exploded in the city last week, one at a mosque and one at an international conference center, and around 2,600 police officers are on duty to safeguard events.

No-one was hurt in Saturday night's blaze, which investigators believe was a politically-motivated act linked to the police operation for the anniversary celebrations.

Dresden was the cradle of the anti-Islam PEGIDA grassroots movement, whose weekly rallies attracted around 20,000 supporters at their height at the start of 2015.

The influx of almost a million migrants last year, mainly Muslims from the Middle East, Africa and Asia, has increased social tensions.

Far-right violence and attacks on migrants have risen dramatically, with riots and arson attacks on refugee shelters in the towns of Heidenau and Freital in the state of Saxony, of which Dresden is the capital.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who grew up in Communist East Germany criticized the "shamefully high number" of xenophobic attacks in eastern Germany in an interview published on Saturday.

In her weekly podcast, Merkel also condemned misuse by far-right extremists of the phrase "Wir sind das Volk" (We are the people), a slogan originally used by East Germans in protests leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

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Merkel is due to visit Dresden on Monday along with German President Joachim Gauck, a former pastor in East Germany.

(Reporting by Caroline Copley and Thomas Seythal; Editing by Andrew Bolton)

Philippine president says he would order review of defense pact with U.S.

MANILA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Sunday that he would order a review of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), a defense pact that Washington and Manila signed in 2014.

UAE to ensure timely payment of workers' salaries

DUBAI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced Sunday that a decree to guarantee workers being paid on time will come into force on Monday, UAE daily Gulf news reported.

The decree, launched by UAE Minister for Human Resources and Emiratisation Saqr Ghobash, "ensures employees' full payment of their salaries on time," the report said.

Maher Al-Obed, Assistant Undersecretary for the Inspections Sector, said "salaries paid on time is a major contribution towards labor rights protection which is highly recognized by the UAE."

Official statistics showed over one million blue-collar foreign workers, mostly from South Asia, work in the UAE's construction and service sectors, as some 3,700 construction projects worth 400 billion U.S. dollars are underway in the state.

The decree regulates the companies with over 100 employees shall pay salaries within a period not exceeding 10 days from the registered payday.

The ministry will halt granting additional work permits for any non-compliant company starting from the 16th day of delay.

Fines are set from 5,000 dirham (about 1,362 dollars) to 50,000 dirham, depending on how many days delayed.

If a company delays salaries for four weeks from the due date, the ministry must inform the UAE's judicial authorities "to take all necessary punitive measures against the violating company," said the report, adding the ministry "will halt other companies owned by the same employer, and forbid any upcoming projects by the same owner."

Regarding the firms with less than 100 employees, current regulations such as work permits ban or fines apply only if the company fails to pay salaries within 60 days.

Conservatives seek Brexit plan at annual conference

Britain's Conservatives meet for their annual conference today. The ruling party is facing questions over how and when it will take the country out of the European Union, following the Brexit vote. Prime Minister Theresa May has been under pressure to offer more detail on her Brexit plan. She's set to address her party today. She's told the Sunday Times newspaper that Britain will trigger Article 50 to begin the formal process before September next year, when German elections are due for. The process could take up to two years. May also pledged to overturn the European Communities Act next April or May. The 1972 law allowed the accession of Britain to the European Economic Community, predecessor of the EU. (Source: CNTV.cn)

At least 4 killed in Egypt's Sinai blast

CAIRO, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed and two others wounded on Sunday during a blast in western Arish city of Egypt's restive North Sinai province bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip, official MENA news agency reported.

The report said the blast targeted an electricity company's vehicle which was on its way to do power maintenance.

"Three were killed on the scene, one with abdominal bleeding died upon arrival at Arish public hospital, and the two wounded had leg amputation," a security source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

On Saturday, also in Arish city, five police conscripts were shot dead by unknown gunmen, according to the Egyptian Interior Ministry.

The ministry's statement said the five recruits were on their way back from vacation to their police central security department when the assailants stopped their vehicle and gunned them down.

Egypt has been battling a growing wave of terrorism since the military removed former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 and launched a massive crackdown on his loyalists, leaving about 1,000 of them killed and thousands more arrested.

Anti-government terror activities have killed hundreds of police and military men in the Sinai Peninsula and other provinces over the past three years, with a Sinai-based militant group loyal to the Islamic State (IS) claiming responsibility for most of the attacks.

S.Korea posts trade surplus for 55 months

SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- South Korean economy posted trade surplus for 55 straight months through August due to the first rebound in exports for 20 months, customs data showed on Tuesday.

Revised figure for trade surplus reached 5.1 billion U.S. dollars in August, staying in the black for the 55th consecutive month, according to the Korea Customs Service.

Exports, which account for about half of the export-driven economy, grew 2.6 percent from a year earlier to 40.1 billion dollars, ending the 19th consecutive month of reduction through July.

Imports edged up 0.7 percent over the year to 35 billion dollars last month.

By item, ship exports surged 93.8 percent on the back of high value-added vessel orders won by local companies.

Shipments of semiconductors, steel products and auto parts increased 2.4 percent, 6.2 percent and 3.1 percent each, but those for cars, oil products and display panels posted a double-digit decline.

Exports to Japan expanded 7.2 percent in August from a year ago, but those to China and the United States, South Korea's top two trading partners, slumped 5.3 percent and 4.7 percent respectively.

Raw material imports slipped 5.2 percent amid lower commodity prices, but those for consumer and capital goods increase 7.8 percent and 5.9 percent each.

Pakistan impregnable, military insists after Kashmir 'raid'

Mandhole (Pakistan), Oct 2 (AFP) Pakistani military officials point to an Indian army post high on a forested ridge along the Line of Control dividing Kashmir, insisting any incursions are impossible, after skirmishes ignited dangerous tensions between the two countries.

The army took the rare step of flying international media to the de facto border to make its case in a battle of competing narratives, after India said its elite commandos penetrated up to three kilometres into Pakistan on anti-militant raids.

The presence of Indian forces so far across the Line of Control (LoC) would be a stinging blow to Pakistan, particularly after the 2011 US raid that killed Osama bin Laden which took place on its territory without its consent.

The media visit came yesterday as India's army chief Dalbir Singh congratulated commandos involved in what New Delhi has described as "surgical strikes" to take out terrorist launchpads after a deadly attack on an Indian army base by Pakistan-backed militants last month that killed 19 soldiers.

Pakistan has flatly denied the claim, saying two of its soldiers were killed but only in cross-border fire of the kind that commonly violates a 2003 ceasefire on the LoC.

The helicopter tour took journalists to sectors just two kilometres from the dividing line, and near the locations India said it targeted in assaults on four militant camps.

On hand were senior local commanders as well as army spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa - an omnipresent media personality who has taken centre stage on Pakistani television since the tensions erupted.

In villages like Mandhole, daily life was going on largely as normal despite the tensions, with shops and businesses open and children in pressed white uniforms walking to school.

"You have seen the lay of the land," said Bajwa, speaking from a command post overlooking the lush green Bandala Valley, with Pakistani and Indian fortifications visible on the opposite hill.

"You can see the way the fortifications are built and the way Pakistan has layers of defence and they have layers of defence... the LoC cannot be violated," he said.

"If they've caused that damage to us, we don't know any has been caused to us! You can go and meet the civilian population. Our side is open: to the UN mission, to the media, to the general public," he said.

It was not possible to verify the general's claims, though villagers who spoke with a second AFP reporter in the area independent of the military-guided trip were also incredulous.

Sardar Javed, a 37-year-old journalist for Kashmiri newspapers and a resident of Tatta Pani sector, which lies just west of India-controlled Poonch sector where one of the strikes was said to have been carried out, said he had seen no evidence of a raid.

"I'm not saying it's not true because that's the army line. It's because I'm from the LoC and I'm a local journalist. News spreads fast around here and people get to know whatever happens," he said.

Tensions have been simmering for months over unrest on the Indian side, where more than 80 civilians have been killed during protests linked to the killing of a young separatist in July.

भारत किसी की जमीन के लिए भूखा नहीं: मोदी

नयी दिल्ली, दो अक्तूबर : भाषा : प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने आज कहा कि भारत ने किसी देश पर हमला नहीं किया है और ना ही वह किसी की जमीन हड़पना चाहता है बल्कि उसके जवानों ने राष्ट्र हित तथा दूसरों के लिए लड़ते हुए बलिदान दिया है।

मोदी ने यह टिप्पणी ऐसे समय की जब पाकिस्तान अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर कश्मीर मुद्दे को लेकर निरंतर आवाज उठा रहा है।

प्रधानमंत्री ने प्रवासी भारतीय केन्द्र के उद्घाटन समारोह में कहा, ‘‘भारत ने किसी पर हमला नहीं किया। वह ना ही जमीन के लिए भूखा है। बल्कि दो विश्व युद्धों में :जिसमें भारत का सीधे तौर पर कुछ दांव पर नहीं था: डेढ लाख भारतीय सैनिकों ने अपने प्राणों का बलिदान दिया।’’ मोदी ने कहा कि विदेश में मौजूद भारतीय समुदाय राजनीति में शामिल होने या विदेशी धरती पर सत्ता हथियाने में विश्वास नहीं रखता। बल्कि वे सामाजिक सदभाव के सिद्धांत का पालन करके अन्य समुदायों के साथ मिल जाते हैं।

उन्होंने कहा कि भारी कीमत चुकाने के बावजूद देश विश्व को अपने बलिदान के महत्व का एहसास नहीं करा सका। उन्होंने कहा कि जब वह विदेश में जहां भी जाते हैं, वह भारतीय सैनिकों के स्मारकों पर यात्रा जरूर करते हैं।

प्रधानमंत्री ने कहा कि भारतीय समुदाय इस तरफ योगदान दे सकता है।

उन्होंने विदेश में बसे भारतीयों के बारे में कहा, ‘‘वे पानी की तरह हैं। वे जरूरत के अनुसार ढल जाते हैं।

भारत को अपने बाजार और खोलने चाहिए, व्यापार माहौल में सुधार लाना चाहिए: पनगढ़िया

न्यूयार्क, दो अक्तूबर :भाषा: नीति आयोग के उपाध्यक्ष अरविंद पनगढ़िया ने कहा कि भारत को अपने बाजार और खोलने चाहिए तथा व्यापार माहौल को बेहतर बनाना चाहिए। उन्होंने कहा कि वैश्विक कंपनियों को अगले दशक में चीन में कार्यबल में कमी तथा वेतन में वृद्धि से चुनौतियों का सामना करना पड़ेगा, ऐसे में उनके लिये भारत एक ‘स्वभाविक स्थान’ हो सकता है।

यहां कोलंबिया विश्वविद्यालय में विश्व व्यापार पर एक सम्मेलन में भाग लेते हुए पनगढ़िया ने कहा कि आबादी के लिहाज से चीन में श्रम आपूर्ति अब घटने जा रही है और वहां से पहले से पगार अधिक है और इसमें और तेजी से वृद्धि होगी। ‘‘इससे वहां काम कर रही वैश्विक कंपनियां अगले दशक में हटेंगी और बेहतर बाजारों पर उनकी नजर होगी।’’ प्रख्यात अर्थशास्त्री ने कहा कि इस प्रकार का परिदृश्य भारत के लिये एक ‘अवसर’ है।’’ भारत की आर्थिक नीतियों पर कोलंबिया स्कूल आफ इंटरनेशनल एंड पब्लिक अफेयर्स ने राज सेंटर के साथ मिलकर आयोजित कार्यक्रम में उन्होंने कहा, ‘‘ये कंपनियां चीन से बाहर निकलेंगी। भारत उनके लिये एक स्वभाविक स्थल हो सकता हैं इसीलिए प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी से मेरा अनुरोध होगा कि वे इस बड़े अवसर का लाभ उठायें, निवेशकों के लिये बाजार को और खोले तथा व्यापार माहौल को और बेहतर बनायें। इससे अंतत: भारत में अगले दो दशक से अधिक समय तक वृद्धि टिकाउ बनी रहेगी।’’ उन्होंने कहा कि भारत में सुधार की गति 2004 के बाद धीमी पड़ी। इसके कारण भारत ने 10 साल समय जाया किया। हालांकि 1990 के दशक तथा 2000 की शुरूआत में जो सुधार हुए थे, उसके दम पर अच्छी वृद्धि दर हासिल करने में कामयाब रहा।

पनगढ़िया ने कहा कि भारत सुधारों के रास्ते पर फिर से वापस आ गया है।

दक्षेस के सदस्य देशों से सम्मेलन के आयोजन पर नेपाल करेगा बातचीत

काठमांडो, दो अक्तूबर :भाषा: दक्षेस के अध्यक्ष नेपाल ने कहा है कि वह सदस्य देशों से बात करेगा और अगला सम्मेलन आयोजित कराने के लिए ‘जरूरी’ कदम उठाएगा। यह सम्मेलन बीते दिनों स्थगित कर दिया गया था क्योंकि भारत समेत पांच देशों ने इस बैठक की सफलता के लिए माहौल के अनुकूल न होने की बात कहते हुए अपने हाथ खींच लिए थे।

नेपाल के विदेश मंत्री प्रकाश शरण माहत ने कहा कि नेपाल 19वें दक्षेस सम्मेलन के आयोजन के लिए सदस्य देशों को राजी करने के लिए जरूरी कदम उठाएगा और इन देशों के साथ बातचीत करेगा।

19वां दक्षेस सम्मेलन पाकिस्तान की राजधानी इस्लामाबाद में नौ और दस नवंबर को आयोजित होना था। लेकिन शुक्रवार को भारत, बांग्लादेश, भूटान और अफगानिस्तान द्वारा अपने हाथ खींच लेने के बाद इस सम्मेलन को स्थगित कर दिया गया था। इन देशों ने अप्रत्यक्ष तौर पर पाकिस्तान पर ऐसा माहौल बनाने का आरोप लगाया था, जो इस बैठक की सफलता के लिए सही नहीं है।

बाद में श्रीलंका ने भी इस सम्मेलन से हाथ खींच लिए।

पाकिस्तान द्वारा सीमा पार से लगातार आतंकवाद फैलाए जाने की बात कहते हुए भारत ने पिछले सप्ताह कहा था कि ‘‘मौजूदा परिस्थितियों में, भारत सरकार इस्लामाबाद में प्रस्तावित सम्मेलन में शिरकत करने में असमर्थ है।’’ माहत ने कहा कि दक्षेस के सदस्य देशों को सभी सदस्यों की भागीदारी सुनिश्चित करते हुए सम्मेलन के आयोजन के प्रति संवेदनशील होना चाहिए।

मंत्री ने 71वीं संयुक्त राष्ट्र महासभा से लौटने के बाद कल कहा, ‘‘क्षेत्रीय सहयोग और विकास को आगे बढ़ाने के लिए दक्षेस एक महत्वपूर्ण मंच है।’’ उन्होंने कहा कि सदस्य देशों के बीच सदभावनापूर्ण संबंधों से संगठन का सदुपयोग बढ़ेगा और क्षेत्रीय विकास को बढ़ावा मिलेगा।

दक्षेस के सदस्य देशों में अफगानिस्तान, बांग्लादेश, भूटान, भारत, नेपाल, मालदीव, पाकिस्तान और श्रीलंका शामिल हैं।

US military intervention has created complicated security issues: official

US military intervention has created complicated security issues: official 
Iran Special Advisor to parliament speaker for international affairs Hussein Amir-Abdollahian said on Friday that the US military intervention in the region has created serious and complicated security problems.

Abdollahian said formation of Daesh terrorist group is now attributed to such US intervention.

Denouncing the recent allegation, leveled by US secretary of state John Kerry, that Iran had a role in the region, he said the US and Zionist regime are behind Saudi invasion on Yemen.

Without information and logistic supports of the US, the Saudis were not able to target Yemen and now Saudis have been trapped due to strong resistance of people in Yemen, he was quoted by IRNA as saying.

No doubt the US intervention prevents settlement of the ongoing crisis in Syria and Yemen through political means, he said.

Tehran has always adopted a firm stand in fight with terrorism and spares no effort to help restore security and stability in the region and only pursues the most constructive approach to this end, he said.

Iran proudly supports Lebanese Hezbollah as the party is fighting against two camps of Zionism and terrorism and plays significant role in maintaining security both in the region and the globe, he said.

The Islamic Republic of Iran with a loud voice backs the resistance of Palestinian people in fight against Zionist regime, he said.

Iran regards among its humanitarian and religious duties to help governments and people in Iraq and Syria in their struggles against terrorism and is to continue the approach until restoration of stability and security through rendering military consultation and humanitarian aid to those regions, he said.

UK PM says will begin Brexit process before German election: Sunday Times

Britain will not wait for German elections due in September 2017 before triggering Article 50 to begin the formal process of leaving the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May told the Sunday Times newspaper.

May, who will give a speech to members of the ruling Conservative Party on Sunday, ruled out an early general election, saying it would cause "instability", but said she would repeal the 1972 European Communities Act which took Britain into what is now the EU.

"We will introduce, in the next Queen's speech, a Great Repeal Bill that will remove the European Communities Act from the statute book," she told the newspaper.

Overturning the act will take legal effect once Britain formally leaves the European Union, the newspaper reported.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas, editing by Elizabeth Piper)

World's deepest underwater cave found in Czech Republic

A team of explorers say they have found the world’s deepest underwater cave, in the Czech Republic.

The Polish cave diver Krzysztof Starnawski, who led the expedition, said he felt like a “Columbus of the 21st century” to have made the discovery of the cave, which is at least 404 metres (1,325ft) deep, near the eastern town of Hranice.

On Tuesday, Starnawski dived to 200 metres down the flooded limestone Hranice abyss , then used a remotely operated underwater robot to reach a further 204 metres, the total length of its cord. However, he said, the robot did not seem to have hit the bottom of the abyss.

In 2015, Starnawski dived to 265 metres at Hranice, which required him to spend more than six hours in a decompression chamber.

Speaking on the phone from his home in Kraków, Starnawski said Hranice abyss, which divers have explored for decades, was 12 metres deeper than the previous record holder, a flooded sinkhole in Italy called Pozzo del Merro.

The Czech Speleological Society said it believed the cave was deeper than 404 metres. “It [the robot] was as deep as its rope could go, but the bottom was still nowhere in sight,” the society said in a statement.

Mud and a water temperature of 15C (59F) make diving in the cave difficult. The water’s mineral composition damaged both equipment and exposed skin, Starnawski said, “but that is the only price to be paid for this discovery and it was worth paying”.

On Saturday, he planned to dive to 200 metres again to bring the robot back through the narrow passage leading to the bottom of the abyss. The device was made for the expedition and operated by the Polish company GRALmarine.

Starnawski said National Geographic, which first reported the discovery, covered some of the cost of the operation.

Telecoms airwaves auction on Saturday, receiving 535.31 billion rs

India started its biggest ever telecoms airwaves auction on Saturday, receiving 535.31 billion rupees ($8.04 billion) worth of bids on the first day of the sale, a senior government official said.

Market leaders Bharti Airtel Ltd, Vodafone's local unit and Idea Cellular Ltd are pitted against new entrant Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd in the battle for airwaves to boost their high-speed data services in what is the world's second-biggest market by mobile phone subscriptions.

The total value of the airwaves put on the block is estimated to be worth $84 billion based on the auction reserve price set by the government, although industry executives and analysts expect only part of it to be sold.

Data released by the government's Department of Telecom (DoT) at the end of five rounds of bidding on Saturday showed carriers stayed away from the most-efficient yet pricey 700 megahertz (MHz) band of airwaves.

The 1800 MHz band of airwaves that can also do 4G and are available at less than a quarter of the price of the 700 MHz band saw higher bidding. bit.ly/2dwoXy3

The DoT will not release carrier-specific bidding data until the end of the auction. Bidding resumes on Monday.

(Reporting by Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by Helen Popper)

Four killed in eastern India during coal mine protest

Four people died in eastern India when police opened fire during clashes with villagers who allege state-run NTPC Ltd violate forestry rights and does not offer enough compensation when acquiring land for a coal mining site.

Senior police officer M.S. Bhatia said the deaths occurred after "hundreds" of villagers attacked policemen in Hazaribag district of India's eastern Jharkhand state.

At first police used tear gas and rubber bullets, but were forced to open fire when protests intensified, Bhatia added.

Police said five villagers and seven policemen had also been injured during the clashes.

Villagers have been protesting for several days against a mining site run by NTPC. They have been demanding better compensation and jobs in return for land that was acquired.

NTPC could not immediately be reached for comment.

Conflicts over land rights often erupt in India as the country seeks more land for industrial and development projects.

(Reporting by Jatindra Dash; Writing by Aditya Kalra; Editing by Alexander Smith)

Technical hold on Azhar's UN terror listing 'already extended'

Beijing, Oct 1 (PTI) Refusing to yield on its all-weather ally, China today announced the extension of its "technical hold" on India's bid to get Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the UN, days before it was to expire.

The Chinese technical hold was set to lapse on Monday, and had China not raised further objection, the resolution designating Azhar as a terrorist would have been passed automatically. The hold has now been extended for another six months.

"The technical hold on India's listing application submitted to the 1267 committee in March, 2016 has already been extended," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told PTI here.

"There are still different views on India's listing application. The extended technical hold on it will allow more time for the Committee to deliberate on the matter and for relevant parties to have further consultations," Geng said.

On March 31 this year, China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, had blocked India's move to put a ban on the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leader and Pathankot terror attack mastermind under the Sanctions Committee of the Council.

China was the only member in the 15-nation UN organ to put a hold on India's application with all other 14 members of the Council supporting New Delhi's bid to place Azhar on the 1267 sanctions list that would subject him to an assets freeze and travel ban.

Geng said the 1267 Committee of the UNSC "organises its work as mandated by relevant resolutions of the Security Council."

"China always maintains that on the listing matter, the 1267 Committee should stick to the main principles of objectivity, impartiality and professionalism, base its judgments on solid evidence and decide upon consensus among the members of the Security Council," he said in a written reply to a question.

Following the decision, the hold now has been extended in the midst of Indo-Pak tensions over the Uri terrorist attack, which was blamed on the JeM group..

China's technical hold coupled with its move to block India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) cast a shadow on the Sino-India ties. Both the countries have held several rounds of talks on the issues in recent months.

China's move to extend the technical hold comes ahead of the expected meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Goa during the BRICS Summit on October 15-16.

In June last year, China had blocked India's demand for taking action under the Council's anti-terrorism resolutions against Pakistan for releasing Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zaki-ur-Lakhvi -- the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

India had raised the issue of blocking by China of Azhar's designation as a terrorist at various levels with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also taking up the matter with the Chinese leadership at different fora.

Bombs strike largest remaining hospital in Aleppo

The largest remaining hospital in the rebel-held Syrian city of Aleppo was struck by a pair of barrel bombs during an ongoing series of airstrikes. No casualties were reported in the attack but patients were forced to be evacuated from the facility, which had already been put out of service after sustained an attack from Russian-made cluster bombs earlier in the week.Screen capture/NBC News/Inform Inc.

ALEPPO, Syria, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- One of Aleppo's largest remaining hospitals was severely damaged amid an ongoing series of airstrikes in the rebel-held Syrian city.

At least two barrel bombs struck the hospital identified as M10, making it the third hospital struck by airstrikes this week according to Today FM.

One barrel bomb struck the front of the hospital while another struck the rear, as a cluster bomb also struck the facility within two hours, NBC News reported.

No casualties were reported in the attack on the hospital, but all the patients were forced to evacuate the area.

The M10 had already been put out of service after sustained an attack from Russian-made cluster bombs earlier in the week.

Only six functioning hospitals remain in the region after M10 and the areas second largest hospital were shut down, the Syrian American Medical Society told The Guardian.

In addition, only about 30 doctors remained in the area to treat the hundreds of wounded among the 250,000 people still in the area.

Secretary of State John F. Kerry was heard expressing his frustrations about the lack of progress toward peace in Syria in audio recordings published by the New York Times.

Turkey opens first African military base in Somalia

map of mogadishu. Image by Suprun Vitaly/Shutterstock

MOGADISHU, Somalia, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Turkey will open its first-ever African military base in Somalia which will train Somali soldiers in the fight against terrorist group Al-Shabaab, officials said.

Nearly 200 Turkish military officers will train 10,500 soldiers at the base, which is expected to be operational soon.

The base has been approved by the United Nations and will serve as Turkey's second overseas base, the first opened in Qatar in April.

Turkey, which has been aiding Somalia with military support for five years, also donated $400 million to help end hunger in the country.

why a dog - man's best friend

Scientists have discovered why a dog - man's best friend

2016 © AFP / Johannes Eisele

MOSCOW, September 30 -. RIA News Swedish researchers have identified five genes in dogs responsible for the ability to communicate with the person, says the magazineScientific Reports .

© Photo: Enikő Kubinyi

Scientists: dogs understand the meaning of some words and their intonation

To such conclusions scientists came as a result of the experiment, during which 437 beagle dogs were to open the container with refreshments. The researchers wanted to know whether the animals to seek assistance from a stranger, who was also in the room.

According to the results of the experiment were selected 95 dogs, most prone to interaction with the person, and 95 individuals who have shown independence and did not ask for help.The researchers took DNA samples from the animals for analysis and comparison of individual genetic sequences specific to each of the two groups of dogs.

© RIA Novosti. Eugene Biyatov

Go to the photo bank

Under Kaliningrad avenged unknown woman, brought down the machine dog

As a result, the researchers were able to identify five genes that may be responsible for the dog and human relations. In this case four of them are related to human - in particular, mutations in these genes to increase the risk of development of social disorders.

Scientists emphasize that the contribution of genetics to the friendly behavior of dogs is about 30%, but the animal is influenced by other factors, including education.