Friday 26 May 2017

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Egypt hits jihadists after attack on Christians kills 28

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MINYA (AFP) - Egypt launched six air strikes on jihadist camps in Libya Friday after masked gunmen attacked a bus of Coptic Christians south of the Egyptian capital, killing at least 28 people.Assailants in three pick-up trucks attacked the bus as it was heading for the Saint Samuel monastery in Minya province, more than 200 kilometres (120 miles) from Cairo, before fleeing, the interior ministry said.It was the latest attack on Copts after Islamic State (IS) group jihadists bombed three churches in December and April, killing dozens of Christians.President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in a televised address, said Egyptian forces had hit a jihadist training camp in retaliation.State television reported six air strikes against terror camps in Libya, specifying that jihadist training camps were hit in the eastern Libyan city of Derna. Witnesses there reported four strikes by a single aircraft.Egypt will not hesitate in striking terror camps anywhere, either inside (the country) or outside it, Sisi said.A spokesman for the pro-Al-Qaeda Majlis Mujahedeen Derna, which controls the city, said the Egyptian air force carried out eight raids on the city without causing casualties.Addressing US President Donald Trump, Sisi said: You have said that your priority is to confront terrorism, and I trust you are capable of doing that.In a statement released in Washington, Trump said: The bloodletting of Christians must end, and all who aid their killers must be punished.Terrorists are engaged in a war against civilisation, and it is up to all who value life to confront and defeat this evil.No group has yet claimed responsibility for attacking the bus.Footage on state television showed the bus riddled with bullet holes, while cellphone footage and pictures on media sites showed victims lying in the desert sand.State television quoted a health ministry official as saying a large number of the victims were children.They used automatic weapons, Minya governor Essam el-Bedawi told state television of the attackers.State television cited the health minister as saying the attack, which prompted widespread international condemnation, killed 28 people.It came after jihadists had threatened more strikes against the Copts, who make up about 10 percent of Egypts 90-million population.The north Minya town of Maghagha saw scenes of anger and despair on Friday.A group of around 50 men gathered near a church where the funeral of two victims was held, calling for the interior minister to quit.Nearby, a dozen women in dusty black robes cried and moaned.In a statement on its spokesmans Facebook page, the Coptic Church called for measures to be taken to prevent the dangers of those incidents that tarnish Egypts image.IS suicide bombers struck a Cairo church on December 11, killing 29 people.On April 11, bombers attacked two churches north of Cairo on Palm Sunday, killing 45 in the deadliest strike in living memory against the Copts.The bombings prompted Sisi to declare a three-month state of emergency.The Egyptian affiliate of IS has also killed several Copts in North Sinai, forcing dozens of families to flee in January.Fridays shooting came after a historic visit to Egypt by Roman Catholic Pope Francis to show solidarity.In late April, Francis visited one of the bombed Coptic churches and condemned violence carried out in the name of God.After Fridays attack, he sent a message to Sisi saying he was deeply saddened to learn of the barbaric attack, calling it a senseless act of hatred.Al-Azhar, Egypts top religious authority, condemned the shooting on the eve of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramazan.The Minya incident is unacceptable to Muslims and Christians and it targets Egypts stability, Al-Azhars Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb said in a statement.Condemnation also poured in from Israel, the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Russia and France.Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said the Eiffel Tower lights would go dark after midnight in solidarity, as also happened on Tuesday after the Manchester Arena attack.A statement from Benjamin Netanyahus office said the Israeli premier sends the condolences of the Israeli people to President al-Sisi and the Egyptian people.Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the barbarism and cruelty of terrorism, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian tweeted that no one should fear for their life by practising their faith.Copts have suffered sectarian attacks for years.A suicide bomber attacked a church in 2011, and there have been deadly clashes with Muslims, especially in the rural south, following disputes over church construction.Egypt says it has identified those behind the April church bombings, saying they were part of an extremist cell based in southern provinces, offering a reward for their capture.Sisi has defended the performance of his security forces and accused jihadists of trying to divide Egyptian society by attacking vulnerable minorities.

At least 28 dead as militias clash in Libya capital

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TRIPOLI (AFP) - At least 28 people were killed and nearly 130 wounded in fierce clashes in the Libyan capital Friday between forces loyal to the UN-backed unity government and rival militiamen, the health ministry said.Tripoli has been gripped by a power struggle between dozens of militias since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.Health ministry spokesman Anwar Frajallah gave a provisional toll of 28 dead and 128 wounded but could not say if they included any civilians.Hashem Bishr, a security official for the Government of National Accord (GNA), separately gave a toll of 23 loyalist forces killed and more than 29 wounded.Medical sources were not immediately available to confirm the figures.In the south of Tripoli, an armed group loyal to the GNA seized a prison holding senior officials of the Kadhafi regime, a judicial source said.Guards at Al-Hadhba jail were forced to withdraw after the attack, said the source who requested anonymity, adding that two guards were killed.By late Friday the GNA interior and justice ministries said in a joint statement that all the prisoners had been handed over to them and were in good health.More than 30 senior figures of the toppled regime were held in the prison, including Kadhafis last prime minister Baghdadi al-Mahmudi and his former intelligence chief, Abdullah Senussi. Both were condemned to death in 2015.Fridays fighting broke out in residential neighbourhoods. AFP journalists heard explosions and artillery fire rock the Abu Slim, Al-Hadhba and Salaheddin districts in the south of the city.UN Libya envoy Martin Kobler appealed for a halt to the fighting.Voices of reason should prevail for the benefit of the country, he said. Political aims must not be pursued through violence. Civilians must be protected.Witnesses said tanks had been deployed in the fighting.British ambassador Peter Millett tweeted that he could hear explosions and artillery in south Tripoli.He condemned action by these militias who threaten security ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramazan, which begins on Saturday in Libya.Groups hostile to the GNA said they had attacked loyalist forces.By late afternoon the fighting had subsided, but intermittent gunfire could still be heard in several areas of the capital.The fighting started around a complex of luxury villas that until March had served as the headquarters of militias loyal to former prime minister Khalifa Ghweil.Ghweil was ousted from power when the GNA took office in March 2016, and has refused to recognise the new administration.Loyalist forces seized the villas in four days of intense fighting in March that saw them expand their control over the capital.Tripoli had been relatively calm since, but dozens of armed groups still operate there -- including several that support Ghweil.The GNA has won the support of various militias since it took office in March last year, but several parts of Tripoli remain beyond its control.Relying on militia support and pitted against a rival administration in the east, the GNA has struggled to assert its authority.In a statement on Friday, the GNA blamed Ghweil and Salah Badi, both leaders of the Fajr Libya coalition of militias which took power in Tripoli in 2014, and vowed to retaliate mercilessly.They have exceeded all limits... Nothing stops them, not faith, not law, not custom and not morals, it said.This is their gift to the people for the month of Ramazan, the statement said.

Floods, landslides kill at least 91 in Sri Lanka

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COLOMBO (AFP) - Flooding and landslides killed at least 91 people and left another 110 missing in Sri Lanka as the monsoon set in Friday, dumping record rainfalls in many parts of the island, authorities said.About 20,000 people were also driven out of their homes in the south and western parts of the country, the Disaster Management Centre said.The Southwest monsoon began with very intense rain, deputy minister for disaster management Dunesh Gankanda told reporters in Colombo. There are some areas where we are unable to reach, but relief operations are under way.The DMC said the toll rose to 91 dead and another 110 missing as reports came in from areas which had been inaccessible earlier in the day.Sri Lanka appealed to the international community including the United Nations and neighbouring countries for help as the numbers of dead and missing climbed.Heavy rains in the southern and western parts of the country have destroyed hundreds of homes and cut off several roads.The (foreign) ministry will continue to monitor the flood situation and seek assistance as required in consultation with the Ministry of Disaster Management, the government said in a statement.It said Colombo had already sounded out the UN and its South Asian neighbours.The latest flooding was the worst since May 2003 when 250 people were killed and 10,000 homes destroyed after a similarly powerful Southwest monsoon, officials said.On Friday the military deployed thousands of troops to reach marooned villagers and the airforce carried out several rescue operations to pluck people from rooftops of flooded homes.In the early hours of the day a mountainside collapsed on a womens hostel at a tea plantation at Neluwa in the islands south, killing at least seven women, police said.Evacuation notices were issued to residents along the Kelani river, which flows to the Indian Ocean through the capital Colombo, amid fears that it was about to burst its banks.The residents who are living along the Kelani should evacuate to high ground within six hours, the DMC said.DMC officials said the monsoon had been expected on Thursday night and ended a prolonged drought that had threatened agriculture as well as hydro power generation.The rains filled the reservoirs used for hydro power, which had hit rock bottom, raising concerns of power shortage in June.But officials said most reservoirs were now so full they were in danger of spilling over and causing dangers of flooding to people living downstream.

Trump uses Ramazan message to urge end to violence

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Donald Trump wished Muslims a joyful Ramazan, on Friday, urging them to use the holy month to reject violence by Islamist extremists.On behalf of the American people, I would like to wish all Muslims a joyful Ramazan, said Trump, who is winding up a first overseas trip as president that included a stop in Saudi Arabia.This year, the holiday begins as the world mourns the innocent victims of barbaric terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom and Egypt, acts of depravity that are directly contrary to the spirit of Ramazan, said the US leader, who campaigned last year on a pledge to ban Muslims from entering the United States.Such acts only steel our resolve to defeat the terrorists and their perverted ideology, he said in his message to the worlds estimated 1.6 billion Muslims.Trump said that when he met dozens of leaders of Muslim countries in the Saudi capital Riyadh, he had vowed to stand with them to counter terrorism and the ideology that fuels it.During this month of Ramazan, let us be resolved to spare no measure so that we may ensure that future generations will be free of this scourge and able to worship and commune in peace, said Trump, whose revised travel ban on half a dozen Muslim-majority countries was once again rejected by a US court this week on grounds of religious discrimination.At its core, the spirit of Ramazan strengthens awareness of our shared obligation to reject violence, to pursue peace, and to give to those in need who are suffering from poverty or conflict, he said.During Ramazan, Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from dawn to dusk. The month is sacred to Muslims because tradition says it marks the period when the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.The presidential statement concluded by saying, I extend my best wishes to Muslims everywhere for a blessed month as you observe the Ramazan traditions of charity, fasting, and prayer. May God bless you and your families.

Dera Bugti: Major terror bid foiled, explosives, arms recovered

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DERA BUGTI (Dunya News) - Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan on Friday foiled major terror bid and recovered huge cache of explosives and arms during two separate operations near Dera Bugti, Dunya News reported.The FC personnel conducted first operation in Sui area near Dera Bugti in Balochistan on intelligence reports and recovered 15 kilograms of explosive material, 250 grams of high explosives, one detonator, three-foot cable and a pressure button.Separately, FC conducted an operation in Dringin Nullah area near Dera Bugti and seized 129 pressure buttons, one remote control bomb, two remote antennas and a hand grenade.The security forces launched a search operation in the area to arrest the culprits after the recovery of arms and explosives.

Riaz Pirzada calls on PM Nawaz, likey to take back his resignation

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) Riaz Pirzada, who resigned from his post of Federal Minister of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) last month, called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad on Friday.During his meeting with the Prime Minister he complained about bureaucracy’s undue interference in his ministry. Riaz Pirzada also informed PM Nawaz that he was not allowed to meet him after that he had no other option but to resign.Prime Minister has assured Riaz Pirzada that his reservations will be addressed very soon. Sources said that Riaz Pirzada is likely to take back his resignation during the next few days.

Section 144 imposed, pillion riding banned in Quetta for a month

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QUETTA (Dunya News) - The Balochistan government on Friday has imposed Section 144 and ban on pillion riding for a month in Quetta, Dunya News reported.The decision to impose Section 144 and ban on pillion riding has been taken in view of the recent surge in terrorism and target killing incidents in Quetta. The restrictions will not be applicable on the armed forces personnel.According to the notification issued by the Balochistan Home Ministry, pillion riding, congregation of more than five people, rallies and exhibition of weapons has banned in Quetta for a month.

Sarfraz says Pakistan have 'nothing to lose' in Champions Trophy

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BIRMINGHAM (AFP) - Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed believes his side will have nothing to lose when the Champions Trophy one-day international tournament in England and Wales gets underway next week.Despite completing series wins in all formats during their recent tour of the West Indies, Pakistan have not been spoken of as one of the favourites to win the tournament, which features the worlds top eight ODI teams.Pakistan begin their campaign against arch-rivals India at Edgbaston on June 4 in arguably the match of the tournament, with South Africa and Sri Lanka their other two opponents in the group stage.But an undaunted Sarfraz told reporters at Edgbaston on Friday: We have nothing to lose, we just want to play our natural game. We are very hopeful of playing well in this tournament and we want to win it.The wicket-keeper/batsman added: Against the West Indies, we had a big fielding improvement.We dont see us as having a surprise element, we want to come here and play free cricket, starting against India.This is my first major tournament as captain, Im definitely very hopeful and excited about the competition.My aim is to play my own game, to not play under pressure and to just play as I do in domestic cricket.

Du Plessis hopes Proteas have 'blown away England cobwebs'

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SOUTHAMPTON (AFP) - South Africa hope to live up to their reputation as the worlds top-ranked one-day international side at Southampton on Saturday after blowing away cobwebs in their series-opening defeat by England.Victory put England 1-0 up with two to play and was a shot in the arm for Eoin Morgans men ahead of next weeks start of the Champions Trophy on home soil.But South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis said the tourists were determined to avoid a repeat of the silly mistakes that had cost them dear in a 72-run reverse at Headingley on Wednesday.We were disappointed with the way we played at Leeds -- thats probably the most mistakes weve made in a game for a while, du Plessis told reporters on Friday.But England put you under a lot of pressure, and you have got to make sure you are on top of your game and transfer the pressure back on to them.Du Plessis and opener Hashim Amla gave South Africa a shot at chasing down Englands total of 339 for six at Headingley. But they both fell in quick succession and a promising position of 145 for one became a score of 267 all out in 45 overs for AB de Villierss side.Weve played some really good cricket over the last while, so that last game was a bit of cobwebs, added du Plessis. We made some silly mistakes tactically, so hope we can do better this time.But for South Africa, as is the case with England, a series win now is nothing compared to a Champions Trophy triumph in a few weeks time, with the tournament featuring the worlds top eight ODI teams.Its about making sure you are gearing up to play your best cricket when the tournament is at its peak, explained du Plessis.At Leeds we got ourselves in a position where we could have possibly won the game with the bat... and with our strong middle order we should have done better.From a bowling point of view we made a lot of silly mistakes and gave the English batsmen too many free runs, he added.

England's Stokes passed fit for 2nd South Africa ODI

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SOUTHAMPTON (AFP) - Englands Ben Stokes has been passed fit to play in the second one-day international against South Africa, a team spokesman said Friday.The star all-rounder had scans on his left knee after briefly leaving the field during Englands 72-run win over the Proteas at Headingley on Wednesday, a result that put England 1-0 up in the three-match series.Although the scans were inconclusive, Stokes still took a limited part in Englands practice session on Friday at the Ageas Bowl, the headquarters of south coast club Hampshire and the venue for Saturdays second ODI.However, an England and Wales Cricket Board spokesman said paceman Stokes was fit to play and is available to bowl as England seek to wrap up the series against the Proteas, the worlds top-ranked ODI side, with a match to spare ahead of Mondays encounter at Lords.Stokes bowled just two overs before suffering pain in his left knee as the hosts enjoyed a confidence-boosting 72-run win in Leeds just a week out from the Champions Trophy tournament in England and Wales featuring crickets leading eight ODI nations.It was a concerning sight given he had surgery on the same knee last year.Stokes, in his first England match since his most valuable player-winning stint in the lucrative Indian Premier League competition, came back on later Wednesday but did not bowl again.During Fridays training session, Stokes had two long net sessions as a batsman but then, either side of adjusting the strapping on his knee, bowled just 12 deliveries in the edge of the square.But as Wednesdays match demonstrated, England can win well without a major contribution from Stokes, a point emphasised by fast bowler Liam Plunkett.If it was up to him, he just wants to play every game, Plunkett told Sky Sports News on Friday.If you didnt have him in any team, youd be disappointed, the Yorkshire quick added. Hes a massive player who can win games with bat, ball and in the field.But weve also got other players who can come in and win games -- as weve shown.Weve got people to cover all bases. If Jonny (Bairstow) comes in as the batter, Im sure hell perform; if not the other bowlers will perform too.This series is taking place amid increased security following Mondays suicide bomb attack in Manchester that killed 22 people.Plunkett said cricketers, in common with everyone else, had a duty to carry on and, in their case, entertain the paying public.Its everywhere now, all around the world, so youve just got to crack on with what you do, he said.We want to perform, get people in to watch the game and have a fun day.

Jayawardene named coach of Bangladesh league team

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DHAKA (AFP) - Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was Friday named as the head coach of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) side Khulna Titans for the next two seasons of the Twenty20 tournament.Jayawardene, who has plied his trade across the globe after taking international retirement in 2015, played for BPL franchise Dhaka Dynamites last season.This will be the second stint for the Sri Lankan great as a head coach of a team, following his success with current Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians.Jayawardene, who succeeded former Australian captain Ricky Ponting as coach of Mumbai, helped the Indian side to a landmark third IPL title in the 10th edition of the cash-rich league.We are excited to have Mahela Jayawardene join the Titans as head coach for the next two editions of BPL, Khulna Titans Managing Director Kazi Inam Ahmed said in a statement.We were thrilled to see him win the IPL recently as the coach of the Mumbai Indians. I am sure all of us Titans will learn a lot from him and the tournament will be enriched by his presence Ahmed added.Jayawardene, 39, will replace former Australia batsman Stuart Law, who has become the head coach of the West Indies national team.I enjoyed playing in the BPL last year and that has given me a great insight into what will be required to be successful in the 2017 tournament, said Jayawardene.The fifth edition of the BPL is set to begin November 4 with the organisers announcing the inclusion of an eighth team for the lucrative meet.The tournament will allow five overseas players in a teams XI against the current system of maximum four foreigners in the line-up, BPL secretary Ismail Haider told reporters on Thursday.Since BPL is telecast in different parts of the world, we have to think about the spectators and they want to see number of quality overseas players in the league, said Haider.The BPL, modelled on Indias glitzy IPL, resumed in November last year after its 2013 edition was blighted by a match-fixing scandal involving players and team owners.

Take a bow-wow: Naughty poodle scoops Cannes prize

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CANNES, France, May 26, 2017 (AFP) - A misbehaving giant poodle scooped top prize for a canine performance at the Cannes film festival Friday, despite what organisers lamented as a pawcity of dog roles this year.Bruno the white standard poodle, who does serious injury to Dustin Hoffmans character in the new Netflix movie The Meyerowitz Stories, was awarded the Palm Dog prize -- the spoof answer to Cannes most coveted award for humans, the Palme dOr.Bruno was not present for the ceremony in the glitzy French resort. His prize was collected by Cosmo, a fellow standard poodle and Cannes resident, who wagged his tail enthusiastically but declined to comment.Organiser Toby Rose noted it had been a strong year for other species at the worlds biggest film festival, notably the giant genetically-modified pig that plays a central role in Okja, the other Netflix movie in the competition which stars Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal.Doggy roles were thinner on the ground, however.But as ever, mans best friend came through and the dog star-turns abounded, the British writer told the audience at a pun-laden ceremony in Cannes.British film critic Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian newspaper praised the independent spirit that poodles like Bruno can display despite the breeds reputation for being overly obedient.Dogs biting performanceDogs were capable this year of going over to the dark side, said Bradshaw, who noted that along with the ill consequences of Brunos antics in The Meyerowitz Stories, Alsatians also provide a dark and brooding presence in Michael Hanekes Happy End, having taken a bite out of someones leg.Runner-up prize went to Lupo, a large black dog who features in French film Ava, in which he enjoys a scene riding happily on the back of a motorbike between two humans.Police dogs protecting the festival, which attracts tens of thousands of people including the worlds A-listers, also got a special mention at the ceremony. This years festival is taking place under unprecedented tight security, 10 months after a truck attack in nearby Nice that killed 86 people.Three sniffer dogs were brought out for a round of applause and a box of treats after their comrades helped search a theatre at the main Palais des Festivals venue over the weekend during a security alert.The Palm Dog awards have been running for 17 years -- or 119 years in dog terms.

'Rs34bil tax relief in Budget 2017, new taxes worth Rs120bil'

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Finance Minister Ishaq Dar presented Budget 2017-18 in National Assembly session Friday in which tax relief worth Rs. 34 billion while Rs. 120 billion of new taxes were announced.Government has increased taxes on talc, imported shoes, garments, perfumes and juices. Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Doctor Arshad told media about Rs. 34 billion tax relief and new taxes worth Rs. 120 billion in Budget 2017. The new tax revenue will include Rs. 40 billion income tax, Rs. 19 billion custom duty, Rs. 44 billion sales tax.5% tax has been raised on imported shoes, clothes, watches, makeup supplies, perfumes, tin food, juices, mineral water, vitamin water and other 565 objects.Also, one percent duty has been imposed on all electronics products, including non filers, retailers, and distributers. Non filer petrol pump owners will have to pay one pc additional tax. Filers will pay 0.5% tax on their products.Tax revenue worth Rs. 8 billion will be collected by increasing 0.25 rupees worth duty on cement. Related:Highlights of the budget for fiscal year 2017-18

'Large part' of Manchester attack network held in Berlin

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MANCHESTER (AFP) - Britain has arrested a large part of the network behind Manchesters suicide bomb attack, police said Friday, while the government came under fire for cutting police budgets as election campaigning resumed.Eight suspects are currently in detention on UK soil in connection with the blast, for which the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility. Police in Libya have detained the father and brother of 22-year-old bomber Salman Abedi.Mark Rowley, head of Britains counter-terrorism police, said police had got hold of a large part of the network linked to the atrocity in which seven children aged under 18 were among the 22 dead.We are very happy weve got our hands around some of the key players that we are concerned about but theres still a little bit more to do, he said.Police said the eight men in British custody ranged in age from 18 to 38, including a 30-year-old arrested in the Moss Side area of south Manchester early Friday.I woke up because I heard the police shouting, they were shouting Get down, its the police, hands on the ground, get on the ground, said local resident Anita Santonelli, who said she saw around 10 armed police officers.Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was the responsibility of governments to minimise the risk of terror by giving police the funding they need after cuts made while Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May served as interior minister.Following Mondays attack in which 116 people were also injured, May and Corbyn suspended campaigning for a snap June 8 election.US full responsibilityThe United States top diplomat Rex Tillerson also visited London on Friday in an expression of solidarity after Britain reacted furiously to leaks of sensitive details about the investigation emanating from Washington.We take full responsibility for that and obviously regret that that happened, the secretary of state told reporters.Britain briefly suspended intelligence-sharing with the United States on Thursday over the leaks, but Tillerson said the special relationship between the two countries would withstand this particular unfortunate event.US President Donald Trump has threatened to prosecute those responsible for the deeply troubling security breach.Critical threatMondays bombing at a concert by pop idol Ariana Grande was the latest in a series of IS-claimed attacks in Europe that have coincided with an offensive on the jihadist group in Syria and Iraq by US, British and other Western forces.Dozens of IS fighters were killed in US strikes on Syria on Friday, while masked gunmen killed at leat 28 people in an attack on Coptic Christians in Egypt.Britains terror threat assessment has been hiked to critical, the highest level, meaning an attack is considered imminent.The issue of security, which was not widely discussed in the general election campaign before the attack, is now expected to feature highly.A YouGov poll in The Times newspaper put the Conservatives on 43 percent compared to Labour on 38 percent, far better for Labour than the double-digit margin that had previously separated it from the governing party.However, the poll also suggested that 41 percent of respondents believe the Conservatives would handle defence and security best, compared to 18 percent who said the same of Labour.YouGov polled 2,052 people on Wednesday and Thursday.Hunting accomplicesMay was at the G7 summit in Sicily on Friday where she got the group to demand action from internet providers and social media firms against extremist content online.The fight is moving from the battlefield to the internet, she told the G7.She faced questions from British journalists over police funding cuts during her six years as the interior minister.The number of police officers fell by 14 percent, or almost 20,000, between 2009 and 2016, according to the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank.We have protected counter-terrorism police funding, weve increased the funding for our security and intelligence agencies and we continue to provide them with the support they need, she insisted.Manchester-born Abedi, a university dropout, grew up in a Libyan family in the northwestern English city.Libyan officials said he and his brother Hashem belonged to IS, while their father Ramadan once belonged to a now-disbanded militant group with alleged ties to Al-Qaeda.A British official said that Abedi had been on the periphery of the intelligence radar before the massacre.Manchester defiantOn Friday evening, a defiant Manchester is set to go ahead with hosting an athletics contest, the Great City Games, in which the likes of former world 100 metres champion Kim Collins are due to compete amid robust security.Some 56 hate crimes were recorded in the city on Wednesday, up from 28 on Monday, police said, but said they could not directly link the rise to the concert attack.Liam Gallagher, frontman of the Manchester band Oasis, announced he would be performing his first ever solo gig in Manchester on Tuesday, with all the profits to be donated to families of the victims.Tattoo artists in Manchester have reported a rush of people seeking inkings of worker bees, a longstanding symbol of the industrious city.Some 66 people are still being treated in hospital, including 23 in critical condition, medical officials said.Twelve of those injured were under 16, and the youngest killed was an eight-year-old girl.The decision of IS to target a concert full of children shows their intentions are not authored by God, Tillerson told British media during his visit.He said the jihadist group worships death.

Attack on Coptic Christians in Egypt leaves 28 killed

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MAGHAGHA (AFP) - Masked gunmen attacked a bus carrying Coptic Christians on a visit to a monastery south of the Egyptian capital on Friday, killing at least 28 people including children, officials said.The assailants in three pick-up trucks attacked the bus as it was heading for the Saint Samuel monastery in Minya province, more than 200 kilometres (120 miles) from Cairo, before fleeing, the interior ministry said.It was the latest attack on Copts after Islamic State (IS) group terrorists bombed three churches in December and April, killing dozens of Christians.Footage of the bus on state television showed the vehicle riddled with machinegun fire, its windows shot out.Cellphone footage and pictures on Egyptian media sites showed several victims who had apparently been shot dead lying in the desert sand around the bus.State television quoted a health ministry official as saying a large number of the victims were children.They used automatic weapons, Minya governor Essam el-Bedawi told state television of the attackers.Bedawi said police were fanning out along the road where the attack took place and had set up checkpoints.State television cited the health minister as saying the attack killed 28 people.The latest attack came after terrorists had threatened more strikes against the Copts, who make up about 10 percent of Egypts 90-million population.The north Minya town of Maghagha saw scenes of anger and despair and Friday.A group of around 50 men gathered near a church where the funeral of two victims was held, calling for the interior minister to beat it and for his ouster.Nearby, a dozen women dressed in dusty black robes cried and moaned.Measures neededIn a statement on its spokesmans Facebook page, the Coptic Church called for measures to be taken to prevent the dangers of those incidents that tarnish Egypts image.Suicide bombers with the terror group struck a Cairo church on December 11, killing 29 people.On April 11, bombers attacked two churches north of Cairo on Palm Sunday, killing 45 in the deadliest strike in living memory against the Copts.The Copts Pope Tawadros II had been leading a service in one of the two churches attacked that day.The bombings prompted President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to declare a three-month state of emergency.The Egyptian affiliate of IS has also killed several Copts in North Sinai, forcing dozens of families to flee the province in January.Fridays shooting came after a historic visit to Egypt by Roman Catholic Pope Francis to show solidarity with the countrys Christians.In his late April trip, Francis visited one of the bombed Coptic churches and condemned violence carried out in the name of God.Unacceptable to MuslimsAl-Azhar, Egypts top religious authority, condemned Fridays shooting on the eve of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.The Minya incident is unacceptable to Muslims and Christians and it targets Egypts stability, Al-Azhars Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb said in a statement.Condemnation also poured in from Israel, the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Russia and France, with Paris mayor Anne Hildalgo saying the Eiffel Towers lights would be turned off on Friday.Israel strongly condemns the severe terrorist attack in Egypt and sends the condolences of the Israeli people to President al-Sisi and the Egyptian people, a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said.Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the barbarism and cruelty of terrorism, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian tweeted that no one should fear for their life by practising their faith.Hidalgo said the Eiffel Tower would go dark after midnight in solidarity with the victims, as also happened on Tuesday after the Manchester Arena attack.Copts have suffered sectarian attacks for years.A suicide bomber attacked a church in 2011, and there have been deadly clashes with Muslims, especially in the rural south, following disputes over church construction.Egypt says it has identified those behind the church bombings in April, saying they were part of an extremist cell based in southern provinces, offering a reward for their capture.Sisi has defended the performance of his security forces and accused terrorists of trying to divide Egyptian society by attacking vulnerable minorities.
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