THE NEWS: Erdogan backs ally Maduro after 'assassination bid'

Erdogan backs ally Maduro after 'assassination bid'
source: AFP

TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE/AFP / KAYHAN OZER Turkish President Erdogan (r) with Venezuela president Maduro, in Istanbul last Demcember for an Islamic Cooperation summit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday spoke by phone with Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro, passing on his best wishes after what Caracas said was a drone "assassination" bid backed by Colombia.

Erdogan, a close ally of Maduro, also wished well the soldiers wounded in the weekend incident, Turkish presidential sources said, without giving further details.

Maduro and Erdogan have cultivated an increasingly close relationship as Turkey's ties with the West have frayed in recent months and Venezuela remains a foe of the United States.

The Venezuelan leader last month attended Erdogan's inauguration in Ankara for a new presidential term, hailing him as a "friend of Venezuela and leader of the new multi-polar world."

Maduro was also a surprise non-Muslim guest at a summit of Islamic leaders organised by Erdogan in December 2017 to denounce the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

A live broadcast of the weekend incident on Venezuelan state television showed Maduro interrupted in mid-speech by an explosion and looking up in confusion.

Dozens of soldiers on parade are then seen breaking ranks and running away in panic.

Maduro and his government said the president had been targeted by two flying drones carrying explosives. But details of the incident remain unclear, with conflicting information coming from various sources.

The Turkish foreign ministry had already said it was "deeply saddened" by the incident and said it was the "greatest consolation" that Maduro was unharmed.

"In this difficult time, Turkey stands with the brotherly and friendly Venezuelan people and President Maduro, his family and all government officials," it said.

Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin also told Maduro on Twitter: "Stay strong mi amigo."

Erdogan earlier in Istanbul held talks with Venezuelan Minister of Industry and National Production Tareck El Aissami, the presidency said, without giving further details.

Maduro is also a big fan the popular Turkish historical television drama Dirilis Ertugrul about the origins of the Ottoman Empire and was taken to the set when he came to Turkey for Erdogan's inauguration.

THE NEWS: Tiger, Rory, major champs together in spotlight at 100th PGA

Tiger, Rory, major champs together in spotlight at 100th PGA
source: AFP

Getty/AFP/File / SAM GREENWOOD Tiger Woods, a 14-time major champion, will be trying to end a 10-year major victory drought at the 100th PGA Championship

Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and 29 other major champions began preparing for the spotlight of supergroup pairings as practice rounds opened Monday for the 100th PGA Championship.

An elite field with 98 of the world's 100 top-ranked players gathers at Bellerive Country Club for the year's final major tournament, which starts Thursday.

Woods, a 14-time major champion, tries to end a 10-year major victory drought in his comeback from spinal fusion surgery while three-time major winner Jordan Spieth tries to complete a Career Grand Slam with a victory.

Add on-form McIlroy, a four-time major winner who was a runner-up at the Open Championship, plus reigning Masters champion Patrick Reed, two-time US Open winner Brooks Koepka and reigning Open Championship winner Francesco Molinari of Italy and it's clear to see why expectations are high for a thrill-packed final major of 2018.

"I like the way the PGA sets it up," Koepka said. "It's very difficult. It's a battle for sure."

Second-ranked defending champion Justin Thomas, 14-time major champion Woods in his first PGA Championship since 2015 and McIlroy are grouped together for the first two rounds as are Molinari, Reed and Koepka.

World number three Justin Rose of England, Spain's seventh-ranked Jon Rahm and eighth-ranked Spieth play together the first two days as do top-ranked Dustin Johnson and past Masters winners Bubba Watson and Adam Scott.

Thomas and Rose could overtake Johnson for world number one this week, but Rose would need a victory and Thomas no worse than a solo second finish.

The last August edition of the event before next year's move to May also has Thomas coming off a win at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational against a similar world-class field.

"I'm just in a great place mentally right now," Thomas said. "I was just so patient and calm."

Since 1980, only two players have won the week before the PGA and then captured the Wanamaker Trophy, Woods in 2007 and McIlroy in 2014. And not since Woods in 2006-07 has anyone won the PGA in consecutive years.

"Tiger has been a pretty big influence for me," Thomas said. "He motivated me to get where I am now. So it's great to have him back now."

Woods briefly led on Sunday at the Open Championship before sharing sixth after his best final round in five years saw him share fourth at the US PGA National.

But 51st-ranked Woods hasn't seen Bellerive in 17 years so nine holes of practice each day will be critical in his search for an 80th career victory and first in any event in five years.

"I'll take a look at the course for feel more than anything," Woods said. "I need to get a feel for the golf course now and how the holes are playing. I need to get some reps on the greens and see what's there."

- Chilean teen chases mark -

With a victory, Spieth would at age 25 join a select Career Grand Slam list that includes Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen.

"When you have an opportunity to do that, certainly it weighs on you a little bit," Spieth said. "All I can do is embrace the challenge."

Chile's 164th-ranked Joaquin Niemann, the youngest player in the field at 19, could become the youngest PGA Championship winner, breaking the mark set by a 20-year-old Sarazen in 1922.

Two-time major winner Zach Johnson is joined in the field by Zach J. Johnson, one of 20 club professionals in the field.

THE NEWS: Venezuela vows to eradicate plots after Maduro 'assassination' bid

Venezuela vows to eradicate plots after Maduro 'assassination' bid


AFP/File / Juan BARRETO Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (C) attends a ceremony to celebrate the 81st anniversary of the National Guard in Caracas on August 4, 2018

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday renewed his accusation against his Colombian counterpart, blaming him for what Caracas has called a drone "assassination" attempt on the Socialist leader over the weekend.

In a video posted on Twitter shortly before midnight, the 55-year-old said police and the military had captured some of the conspirators and were now hunting the masterminds.

"There is sufficient evidence of the participation of the outgoing Colombian government of President Juan Manuel Santos," he added, promising to release proof "in the next few hours."

The allegation has worsened already fraught ties between Caracas and Bogota.

Santos, who hands over power to elected successor Ivan Duque on Tuesday, has categorically denied it.

A live broadcast of Saturday's incident on Venezuelan state television showed Maduro interrupted in mid-speech by an explosion and looking up in confusion.

Dozens of soldiers on parade are then seen breaking ranks and running away in panic.

Maduro and his government said the president had been targeted by two flying drones carrying explosives. But details of the incident remain unclear, with conflicting information coming from various sources.


VENEZUELAN TELEVISION (VTV)/AFP / HO Screengrab taken from a handout video released by Venezuelan Television (VTV) showing Venezuelan Maduro (C), his wife Cilia Flores (L) and military authorities reacting to a loud bang during a military parade


The Maduro administration said Colombia had collaborated on the attack with the "ultra far-right" Venezuelan opposition, and it was financed by unnamed figures in the US state of Florida.

No evidence was given to support the allegations. Thousands of exiled Venezuelans live in Colombia and in Florida.

Maduro had been expected to address his supporters -- most of them workers -- who marched through Caracas in what would have been his first public appearance since Saturday's incident.

But he failed to show. The communications ministry did not explain his absence.

"We had hoped to see him today. But we imagine he didn't come out for security reasons," said one supporter, 36-year-old Margot Sivira.

Linda Estrada, 48, added: "They aren't going to give them the pleasure of killing him."

- Suspects 'identified' -

Maduro's critics said they feared the Venezuelan government would use the attack to step up repression of the opposition and dissidents.

Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab told a news conference on Monday that several suspects were in custody and authorities would track down all those who conspire against public peace."

He called the drone attack, in which seven soldiers were said to be wounded, "an attempted massacre."


 AFP/File / Raul ARBOLEDA Outgoing Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has categorically rejected the accusation that he was behind the drone attack against Maduro

The attorney general added that two of the suspects were "caught in the act" guiding one of the drones from a car close to the parade.

Interior Minister Nicolas Reverol said Sunday that six suspects had been arrested.

He said two drones had been used, each carrying a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of C4 explosive.

No drones could be seen in the broadcast of the event, which was cut moments after the soldiers were seen scattering away from where Maduro was standing flanked by military chiefs and his wife.

An unauthenticated statement from a rebel group calling itself the "National Movement of Soldiers in T-Shirts" claimed responsibility.

Maduro and his allies insist it was a drone assassination bid. Bolivia, Cuba, Iran, Russia, Syria and Turkey condemned the incident.

- Persecution feared -

Maduro, a former bus driver who took over the reins from his mentor Hugo Chavez upon the latter's death to cancer in 2013, has been ruling in increasingly autocratic fashion with military support.

He controls almost all the country's institutions, and has used the supreme court, electoral authorities and a new super-legislative body, the Constitutional Assembly, to sideline the opposition-run parliament, the National Assembly.

Although he won a new six-year term in controversial snap elections boycotted by the opposition, Maduro remains widely reviled for presiding over a collapsing economy.

Inflation this year is projected to reach as high as one million percent, according to the International Monetary Fund. Oil exports -- a vital money-earner for a country sitting atop the world's largest crude reserves -- have declined sharply.

Venezuela's currency, the bolivar, is practically worthless and food and medicine are extremely scarce, prompting hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans to flee abroad.

The country is largely isolated internationally and is subject to US sanctions that greatly degrade Caracas's capacity to raise credit.

Maduro regularly accuses the "imperialist" United States of plotting coups against him and waging "economic war" on Venezuela.

THE NEWS: The odd-job volunteers 'fixing' Hong Kong politics

The odd-job volunteers 'fixing' Hong Kong politics
source: AFP

AFP / Isaac LAWRENCE Volunteer electrician Alung Wong repairing a dehumidifier at the headquarters of Fixing Hong Kong

As attendance at Hong Kong's traditional protest rallies wanes, one pro-democracy group is trying to win hearts and minds in a more pragmatic way -- through plumbing, electrics and household repairs.

Calling themselves Fixing Hong Kong, the group's volunteers mend broken appliances, furniture, pipes and wiring, hoping that forging community spirit will lead to greater political awareness.

The novel approach comes as semi-autonomous Hong Kong's freedoms are under threat from an increasingly assertive Beijing and the city's splintered democracy movement struggles for momentum.

Volunteers visit homes in the To Kwa Wan neighbourhood each week, making appointments for DIY jobs and offering repair services for free, with residents usually paying for their own replacement materials.

They work in pairs, one fixing, the other chatting. Sometimes the conversation will turn to politics, other times not.

"We hope to gather more energy bit by bit through these most simple contacts and bonding," Fixing Hong Kong member Max Leung told AFP.

Resident Mr Wong said volunteers from the group had fixed his television. They also helped him and others write letters to officials over concerns local people were being rehoused in poor conditions to make way for new development projects.

"Just one person's power is not enough. We need neighbours joining forces for results," Wong said.


AFP / Isaac LAWRENCE The group hope acts of altruism will help forge community spirit and lead to greater political awareness


Another resident Mr Cheng, a wall painter originally from southern mainland China, said he had not discussed politics with the group, but appreciated their help.

A volunteer was fixing a broken strip light in his apartment when AFP visited.

Cheng's flat is housed in one of numerous rundown blocks in To Kwa Wan, home to low to middle income families and refugees.

He told AFP he was too preoccupied with daily struggles to join any of the group's activities, which range from barbecues to political campaigns, but did not mind the volunteers' pro-democracy ideas.

"As long as it doesn't hurt me, that's fine," Cheng said.

- Community breakdown -

Fixing Hong Kong was formed by activists who ran a recycling operation at protest camps set up during the massive 2014 Umbrella Movement rallies, which called for free and fair leadership elections in Hong Kong.

The rallies failed to win reform and since then activists have been prosecuted on protest-related charges and disqualified from the legislature, denting the democracy campaign.

At the same time, pro-democracy politicians have been criticised for losing touch with the grassroots while some pro-Beijing candidates have become more strategically focused on working-class voters and livelihood issues.

Small groups like Fixing Hong Kong believe going back to neighbourhood level is the best way to rebuild support.

The approach is a legacy of the rallies, says researcher Klavier Wong, who says the protests gave a rare opportunity for young Hong Kongers to "become aware of how to communicate and interact with strangers, and to do something together".

Although the protest camps that sprawled over junctions and roadways in major commercial areas angered some residents, others embraced the spontaneous tent communities which included homework areas for students and art installations.


AFP / Isaac LAWRENCE Volunteer Max Leung (left) speaks with a resident of a subdivided flat who requested for his fridge to be repaired

Fixing Hong Kong is one of the best-known community groups to have grown out of the rallies. Other small-scale projects, from urban rooftop gardens to rural farms, have been set up by activists too.

The trend also taps into young people's desire to reconnect with their surroundings as private housing estates and shopping malls erode a sense of community living, adds Wong, who researches social movements and identity in Hong Kong.

Fixing Hong Kong member Leung says group activities such as reclaiming public spaces for community events may not be directly related to the wider political system, but are still "everyday politics".

"This is to regain control in our lives. Ultimately democracy is like that too, to regain control of the place we live in," he told AFP.

And while volunteer fixer Leung Chan, an electrician, admits it can be hard to engage residents in politics when they have a host of daily struggles, he believes the group should persevere.

"If we don't make the first step, then nothing is possible," he told AFP.

"First there needs to be trust between people."

THE NEWS: Wallabies skipper Hooper on track for Bledisloe opener

Wallabies skipper Hooper on track for Bledisloe opener
source: AFP

AFP/File / PETER PARKS Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper (C) completed a full day's training with the Test squad and said he was aiming to be ready for the August 18 clash with New Zealand in Sydney

Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper says he is confident of being fit to play the opening Bledisloe Cup clash against the All Blacks after coming through his full first training session since tearing a hamstring.

Hooper picked up the injury in the final Test against Ireland in June and was unable to play for the NSW Waratahs during their recent Super Rugby finals run.

But he completed a full day's training on Monday with the Test squad and said he was aiming to be ready for the August 18 clash with New Zealand in Sydney.

"Hiccups aside, with a week of training, I should be in a good position next week," he told Rugby Australia's website rugby.com.au.

"It's the first real footy I have played in over six weeks but I am comfortable in how the injury has progressed in getting here and I have had great rehab.

"I am putting myself in the best position to get myself right for the first game."

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika named an initial squad for the match on Sunday, with Hooper in it.

Also included was Test veteran Tatafu Polota-Nau, who was rested for the Ireland series, and England-based back Matt Toomua, who recently confirmed a move to the Melbourne Rebels.

Six uncapped players also made the grade, including 18-year-old Jordan Petaia, who shone during a Bledisloe Cup trial game in Sydney on Friday.

THE NEWS: Brazil closes, then reopens border to Venezuelan migrants

Brazil closes, then reopens border to Venezuelan migrants
source: AFP

AFP/File / Mauro PIMENTEL Brazil is temporarily closing its northern border to Venezuelans

Brazil briefly closed then reopened its northern border to Venezuelans on Monday as it struggled to contain mass migration from the South American country saddled with a crippling political and economic crisis, police said.

A Supreme Court justice overturned a lower court judge's decision that had suspended for a few hours the entry of more Venezuelans until other immigrants from the country were transferred elsewhere in Brazil.

"It is not justified to take the easy path to 'close the doors' because of difficulties in hosting refugees," Supreme Court justice Rosa Weber said in her ruling issued shortly before midnight.

The border had remained open to Brazilians and other nationalities, as well as to Venezuelans seeking to return to their home country.

It's a main crossing point for tens of thousands of Venezuelan migrants, an influx that has increased dramatically over the past two years.

President Michel Temer was opposed in a "non-negotiable" way to the border closure, Human Rights Minister Gustavo Rocha was quoted as saying by state-run Agencia Brasil.


AFP/File / Mauro PIMENTEL An estimated 500 Venezuelans cross the land border into Brazil each day


Roraima state's capital Boa Vista has hosted the largest number of Venezuelan immigrants in the country -- around 25,000 out of a total of 330,000 city dwellers.

An estimated 500 Venezuelans cross the land border into Brazil each day.

Roraima Governor Suely Campos had applauded the federal judge's ruling that temporarily shuttered the border.

"We have been asking the federal Supreme Court since May to close the border, as well as for financial assistance to minimize the impact on our public services," Campos said in a statement.

But Weber, the Supreme Court justice, said: "Although most of those who cross the border between Venezuela and Brazil do not fit into the legal definition of refugee or asylum.

"Closing the border between the two countries could impact the situation of individuals who can qualify for protections under international law."

THE NEWS: Chinese tech 'wolf' Huawei stalks Apple and Samsung

Chinese tech 'wolf' Huawei stalks Apple and Samsung
source: AFP

 AFP / WANG Zhao Huawei overtook Apple to become the world's number two smartphone maker in April-June, despite being denied access the key US market

Ren Zhengfei, the founder of Chinese telecoms behemoth Huawei, likens the company to a ruthless "wolf" tirelessly running down its prey, an ethos that could soon make it the apex predator of the smartphone world.

Despite being essentially barred from the critical US market, Huawei surpassed Apple to become the world's number two smartphone maker in the second quarter of this year and has market leader Samsung in its sights.

Huawei has achieved this in part by refocusing away from the futile fight for US access and toward gobbling up market share in developing nations with its moderately priced but increasingly sophisticated phones, analysts say.

"Huawei's image and brand recognition across markets and regions is getting better and better," said Tarun Pathak of global market analysis firm Counterpoint.

"They've differentiated and positioned their products across price segments, which makes an interesting conversation in terms of competing with Apple and Samsung."

Founded by Ren, now 73, with a few thousand dollars in 1987, Huawei focused initially on the backbone hardware for telecommunications networks, growing to become the world leader.

Fifteen years after introducing its first phone, Huawei surpassed Apple in the April-June quarter to take second place globally, International Data Corporation (IDC) said last week, the first time since 2010 that Apple was not in the top two.

- Raising the ante -

Huawei's consumer products chief Richard Yu raised the ante Friday, saying the company could overtake South Korean giant Samsung by late 2019.

"The importance of Huawei overtaking Apple this quarter cannot be overstated," senior analyst Ben Stanton of Canalys wrote in a report on the latest sales data.

"Huawei's exclusion from the US has forced it to work harder in Asia and Europe to achieve its goals."

Based in the southern China tech hub of Shenzhen, Huawei had already been pushing into developing markets even before political pressure -- peaking this year with President Donald Trump's China trade war -- effectively slammed the US door shut.


AFP / FABRICE COFFRINI Founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei has likened Huawei to a ruthless 'wolf' tirelessly running down its prey


Huawei's exclusion stems in part from US distrust over Ren's earlier career as a Chinese military technologist and fears that Beijing could strong-arm its tech champions into aiding with espionage abroad. Huawei denies any government links.

In the meantime, Huawei has built up its business in more price-conscious markets, from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia, South Africa and even Europe.

Analysts note that as those markets mature and customers graduate to higher end phones, they will already be in Huawei's ecosystem.

"If Apple and Samsung want to maintain their market position, they must make their portfolios more competitive," said Canalys's Stanton.

Samsung shipped 71.5 million handsets for a 20.9 percent global market share in the second quarter, compared with Huawei's 54.2 million phones and 15.8 percent share. Apple sold 41.3 million iPhones for a 12.1 percent slice.

Huawei shipped 95 million units in the first half and is targeting 2018 sales of 200 million, a threshold crossed previously only by Samsung and Apple.

Further growth will keep Huawei firmly on the US security radar.

The Trump administration nearly killed Huawei's Chinese rival ZTE this year, imposing tough penalties for violating US sanctions by selling goods to Iran and North Korea.

- The 5G challenge -

The penalties, since lifted, would have deprived ZTE of US electronics components it desperately needs. Huawei, however, produces its own key components, giving the US less leverage.

But an industry sales slowdown and market saturation could limit its growth.

IDC said 342 million smartphones were shipped worldwide in the second quarter, down 1.8 percent year-on-year and the third consecutive quarterly decline.

In the long term, the lack of a US foothold will be an Achilles heel for Huawei, analysts said, and some market studies project Apple reclaiming the number two spot when new iPhone models are released later this year.

And as Huawei customers graduate to higher end gadgets above $600, the Chinese company will have to compete head-to-head with Apple on quality and features.


 GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP / SPENCER PLATT Analysts warn that while Huawei is enjoying a lead over Apple, some studies forecast the US giant will reclaim the number two spot when new iPhone models are released later this year

"As you move upward, there are fewer competitors but the features, the challenges, the innovation, and the expectations grow," said Counterpoint's Pathak.

"That is something that Huawei, Apple and Samsung all need to capitalise on."

A critical test looms in the next two years, when 5G systems are expected to roll out and manufacturers will be judged on how their smartphones handle the enhanced capabilities.

Huawei is already gearing up for the challenge. Its R&D spending grew 17 percent last year to $13.8 billion, putting the company in the same league as Samsung, Amazon and Google's parent Alphabet, while recent product launches in Europe have been increasingly glitzy.

"Things like camera capabilities and how Huawei rises overall to that (5G) challenge will decide if it is among the Apples and Samsungs, but I think they belong," Pathak said.

THE NEWS: 'My life is being destroyed': Iranians react to sanctions return

'My life is being destroyed': Iranians react to sanctions return
source: AFP

AFP / ATTA KENARE People walk in a shopping street in the Iranian capital Tehran on August 6, 2018

Many Iranians blame their own government for the return of US sanctions, but they also fear it could be the "final nail in the coffin" for the floundering economy.

Despite days of protests and strikes across the country, there appeared to be less unrest as sanctions returned Tuesday -- although that said little about the depth of despair, particularly among poorer sections of society.

"I feel like my life is being destroyed. The economic situation right now means that the working class must die," said Ali Paphi, a construction worker.

"Sanctions are already badly affecting people's lives. I can't afford to buy food, pay the rent... No one cares about workers."

Much of the damage was already done in the weeks preceding the return of sanctions, as US President Donald Trump's aggressive rhetoric spooked investors and triggered a run on the rial.

That only added to deep-seated problems of corruption, a chaotic banking system and rampant unemployment after decades of mismanagement.

"Prices have been increasing for three or four months and everything we need has become so expensive, even before sanctions returned," said Yasaman, a 31-year-old photographer in Tehran.

Like many in the capital, he believes Iran's leaders will be forced to return to the negotiating table, as Trump hopes.

"I hope it will happen one day. Most people believe the politicians will have to drink 'the poison cup' eventually," said Yasaman.


AFP / ATTA KENARE A woman walks in front of a mural in the Iranian capital Tehran on August 6, 2018


That was a reference, widely heard in Iran these days, to the famous phrase used by Iran's revolutionary leader Ruhollah Khomeini who said signing a truce to end the brutal eight-year war with Iraq in 1988 was like drinking "a cup of poison".

Most Iranians have tuned out the endless US hostility, with which they have lived for four decades, so their anger is mostly directed at their own leaders.

"Prices are rising again, but the reason is government corruption, not US sanctions," said Ali, a 35-year-old decorator.

Like many, he sees President Hassan Rouhani as powerless to improve things.

"He can't solve the problems. It's been shown several times that he is not the decision-maker in this country. Our problem is our representatives and system," he added.

Wealthier and educated Iranians have also lost hope, but they have an option to leave -- even if it weighs heavy on the heart.

Sogand, a young Iranian-American, came to live in Iran for the first time five years ago and had enjoyed the thaw in international tensions that accompanied the nuclear deal.

But in recent months, she grew worried about her status as a dual national -- several have been arrested on espionage charges in Iran -- and decided it was time to get out.

"I feel ashamed for abandoning my colleagues during this economic crisis. I feel guilty for having the resources to leave so quickly in front of my friends," she said.

"(But) the economic destabilisation and the unravelling of any and all financial prospects in this country was the nail on the coffin."

THE NEWS: Germany jails couple for pimping young son online

Germany jails couple for pimping young son online
source: AFP

 AFP / THOMAS KIENZLE Even experienced police officers dealing with child abuse cases said the case was like nothing they had ever seen

A German court handed down lengthy jail sentences Tuesday to a couple for repeatedly sexually abusing their young son and selling him to paedophiles online, in a shocking case that raised pointed questions about the competence of child protection services.

Following a criminal probe that even seasoned investigators said pushed them to the emotional limit, the regional court in Freiburg sentenced the boy's mother, Berrin Taha, to 12 and a half years in prison.

Her partner Christian Lais, the boy's stepfather whom he called "papa", received a 12-year sentence followed by preventive detention.

Lais, 39, was allowed to live in their home despite a previous conviction for child abuse and a court order to stay away from minors.

The judges found that the unemployed couple had sexually assaulted the boy, now 10, numerous times and pimped him on the so-called darknet between May 2015 and August 2017.

They were convicted of rape, aggravated sexual assault of children, forced prostitution and distribution of child pornography, judge Stefan Buergelin said.

The couple was also ordered to pay a total of 42,500 euros ($49,200) in damages to the boy and another victim, a girl who was temporarily in their care.

Taha, 48, said through her lawyer that she would not appeal, in order to spare her son an even longer legal ordeal.

- 'Vague' abuse suspicions dismissed -


AFP / THOMAS KIENZLE The couple were convicted of rape, aggravated sexual assault of children, forced prostitution and distribution of child pornography


Their sentences fell short of what prosectors had demanded -- 14 years and six months for Taha and 13 years and six months for Lais.

Even experienced police officers dealing with child abuse cases said the case was like nothing they had ever seen.

Local judicial and child services officials came in for massive criticism for having interviewed the mother after concerns about the boy's welfare arose months before the couple's arrest but failing to get his own account.

Key information about the case was not shared among authorities, and warnings from the boy's school about his wellbeing were dismissed by youth services as "vague".

On Monday, the same court sentenced a Spanish paedophile, Javier Gonzalez Diaz, to 10 years' prison for repeatedly sexually abusing the young boy after paying the parents.

The 33-year-old was also ordered to pay 18,000 euros to the young victim.

The case came to light following an anonymous tip-off last September, and led to the arrest of eight people who have been charged with belonging to an online paedophile ring.

Police said they have another 20 suspected perpetrators in their sights.

- 'Owe it to this child' -

Lais admitted on the witness stand to the assaults on the boy.

He also made serious accusations against the child's mother, who confessed to the crimes but remained largely silent about any possible motive during the trial.

In his verdict, Buergelin said Taha went along with the abuse at first so she would not lose Lais as a partner and later "for financial motives".

They charged several thousand euros (dollars) for each instance of abuse, filmed the acts and posted them on the darknet.

The boy is in foster care and did not have to testify during the trial. His lawyer told reporters Tuesday that he was doing well "under the circumstances".

The German government's ombudsman for child sexual abuse issues, Joahnnes-Wilhelm Roerig, said the case had "laid bare a series of errors of judgement and shortcomings" by local, state and federal authorities.

"We owe it to this child to draw the right conclusions," he said, including improving cooperation between services, staffing and training.

He said in a statement that an official report on what went wrong in the case, compiled by judges and youth office staff, would be presented in September and include a list of recommendations for future policy.

Roerig also noted an official bias presuming that a mother would never sexually assault her own child, despite the fact that an estimated 10 to 20 percent of abusers are female.

THE NEWS: Trump warns countries against doing business with Iran

Trump warns countries against doing business with Iran
source: AFP

AFP/File / MANDEL NGAN Trump's contempt for the nuclear deal dates back to his time as presidential candidate

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that sanctions reimposed on Iran were the "most biting ever" as he warned other countries from doing business with Tehran.

"The Iran sanctions have officially been cast. These are the most biting sanctions ever imposed, and in November they ratchet up to yet another level," he wrote in an early morning tweet.

"Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States. I am asking for WORLD PEACE, nothing less."

The sanctions reimposed on Tuesday -- targeting access to US banknotes and key industries such as cars and carpets -- were unlikely to cause immediate economic turmoil.

Iran's markets were actually relatively buoyant, with the rial strengthening by 20 percent since Sunday after the government relaxed foreign exchange rules and allowed unlimited, tax-free gold and currency imports.

But a second tranche coming into effect on November 5 covering Iran's vital oil sector, could be far more damaging -- even if several key customers such as China, India and Turkey have refused to significantly cut their purchases.

Trump's contempt for the nuclear deal dates back to his time as presidential candidate and on May 8, he made good on a pledge to pull America out of the international agreement.

The unilateral withdrawal came despite other parties to the agreement -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the EU -- pleading with Trump not to abandon the pact aimed at blocking Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

THE NEWS: 10 years after war, Georgia condemns Russia's ongoing 'occupation'

10 years after war, Georgia condemns Russia's ongoing 'occupation'
source: AFP

AFP / Vano Shlamov Georgia and its Soviet-era master Russia have long been at loggerheads over Tbilisi's bid to join the European Union and NATO with the spiralling confrontation culminating in a five-day war in 2008

Georgia on Tuesday condemned Russia's continued "occupation" of its territory, a decade after the two countries went to war over the Kremlin-backed separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

"This is a war against Georgia, an aggression, an occupation, and a blatant violation of international law," Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili told a round table meeting attended by Georgian government officials and visiting foreign ministers of Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine's vice premier.

"The aggressor's appetite has only increased after the invasion," he said.

Georgia and its Soviet-era master Russia have long been at loggerheads over Tbilisi's bid to join the European Union and NATO with the spiralling confrontation culminating in a five-day war in 2008.

On August 8, 2008, the Russian army swept into Georgia -- bombing targets and occupying large swathes of territory – after Tbilisi launched a large-scale military operation against South Ossetian separatist forces who had been shelling Georgian villages in the region.

Over just five days, Russia defeated Georgia's small military and the hostilities ended with a ceasefire mediated by France's then-president Nicolas Sarkozy, who at the time held the European Union's rotating presidency.

After the war, Moscow recognised South Ossetia and another separatist enclave, Abkhazia, as independent states where it then stationed permanent military bases.

Tbilisi and its Western partners condemned the move as an "illegal occupation of Georgian soil" and the first time a sovereign state's borders were changed in Europe through military force since the end of World War Two.

- 'Failure to punish Russia' -


 AFP/File / KAZBEK BASAYEV The 2008 war claimed the lives of hundreds of soldiers and civilians from both sides


Speaking to AFP last week, Margvelashvili said that back in 2008, the West believed Russia's military campaign against Georgia "was an isolated move which will not be repeated against other countries".

”And then we witnessed what Russia did in Ukraine in 2014," he added, referring the Kremlin’s support for pro-Moscow rebels in Eastern Ukraine and Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

In an interview to the Kommersant daily on Monday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev -- who was president in 2008 -- defended Moscow's recognition of the separatist regions as "the only possible step... to maintain durable peace" and "stability in the South Caucasus".

- 'Smack in the jaw' -

In an editorial published on Monday on the website of Russia's Echo Moskvy radio station, Mikheil Saakashvili -- Georgia's president in 2004-2013 -- said Russia had been preparing to invade his country years before the war broke out.

He said Georgia had no chance of winning a war against its giant northern neighbour, but gave "the aggressor a smack in the jaw" when it offered resistance and won "time until the international community woke up."

Russian President Vladimir Putin –- a prime minister during the war -- said in 2012 that he approved a plan of military action against Georgia as early is in 2006 and that Russia has "trained South Ossetian militia".

Earlier on Tuesday, the Georgian foreign ministry denounced Russia's continued military build-up in the separatist regions.

"The Russian Federation has not implemented its international obligations despite constant calls from the international community... and has further reinforced its illegal military presence on the ground," the ministry said in a statement.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the "Russian military presence in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia continues to violate international law".

She reiterated Europe's "firm support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia" which she hailed as a "model of democratic stability in the region".

Joining the chorus of international condemnation, the German foreign ministry called Russia's recognition of the breakaway Georgian areas Abkhazia and South Ossetia "unacceptable."

The 2008 war claimed the lives of hundreds of soldiers and civilians from both sides. The UN said around 120,000 people were displaced during the war, though most returned to their homes afterwards.

Up to 18,500 ethnic Georgians were forcibly displaced from South Ossetia, according to prosecutors from the International Criminal Court which in 2016 opened an investigation into war crimes committed during the conflict.

Russia and separatist authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia have rejected repeated calls from the UN General Assembly for the "safe and dignified return to their homes".

THE NEWS: Courtois on verge of Real Madrid move - reports

Courtois on verge of Real Madrid move - reports
source: AFP

AFP/File / Glyn KIRK Thibaut Courtois could be on his way back to Spain in the coming hours, according to reports in Madrid

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is closing in on a move to Real Madrid in a deal worth around 35 million euros ($41 million), Spanish media reported on Tuesday.

"Courtois, decision imminent", Madrid sports daily Marca ran as its headline, claiming that the record 13-time European champions are "confident of his signing".

"The Courtois soap opera is coming to its end. The target, who yesterday did not attend Chelsea training despite being at the end of his holidays, speeds up the process to sign for Real Madrid, an announcement that could become official in the coming hours," Marca wrote.

Real will pay 35 million euros to bring the Belgium international, voted the best goalkeeper at the World Cup, to the Bernabeu, according to Marca.

"Courtois doesn't come to Chelsea training", noted Catalan daily Mundo Deportivo, for whom "his destination will be Real Madrid".

AS, another Madrid-based sports daily, said "Chelsea give Courtois up for lost and want (Athletic Bilbao's) Kepa Arrizabalaga to be his replacement".

It added the Premier League club "are willing to pay the 80 million euro release clause to Athletic" for the 23-year-old Spain international.

There is also speculation that Chelsea could try to sign Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak.

Courtois, who spent three seasons at Atletico from 2011 to 2014, has repeatedly stated his desire to move closer to his two children in the Spanish capital.

THE NEWS: Arsenal's Kroenke makes offer to take full ownership of club

Arsenal's Kroenke makes offer to take full ownership of club
source: AFP

 AFP/File / Adrian DENNIS Stan Kroenke has been a part-owner of Arsenal since 2007

Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke on Tuesday announced an offer to take full ownership of the Premier League club in a deal worth £1.8 billion ($2.3 billion).

The American sports mogul, who already owns 67 percent of the club through his company Kroenke Sports and Entertainment (KSE), has reached a deal with Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov for the sale of his 30 percent stake, according to a statement to the London Stock Exchange.

"KSE believes moving to private ownership will bring the benefits of a single owner better able to move quickly in furtherance of the club's strategy and ambitions," it said.

"KSE is a committed, long-term owner of the club".

But the Arsenal Supporters' Trust (AST) said it was a "dreadful" day for the club, adding it was too important to be owned by one person.

Kroenke, owner of the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL, has been a part-owner of Arsenal since 2007, gradually increasing his stake in the club.


 AFP/File / BEN STANSALL Arsenal fans have been unhappy with what they see as the board's willingness to settle for on-field mediocrity so long as commercial stability was maintained


Uzbekistan-born Usmanov, who made his fortune in the steel industry, has reportedly made previous unsuccessful bids to take control of the club.

He was critical of Kroenke's passive ownership style, a sentiment increasingly echoed by Arsenal fans, unhappy with what they see as the board's willingness to settle for on-field mediocrity so long as commercial stability was maintained.

Under takeover rules, if Usmanov accepts the offer it would trigger the sale of the remaining minority shareholders' shares -- many have preserved a small holding for decades -- and place the club under the private control of Kroenke.

"We at KSE are moving forward with this offer leading to 100 percent ownership of the club," Kroenke said in the LSE statement.

"We appreciate Mr Usmanov's dedication to the Arsenal Football Club and the storied ethos and history the club represents."

Further details of the all-cash offer will be published by KSE later on Tuesday, it said.

But the Arsenal Supporters' Trust set out its opposition to the proposed move.

"Stan Kroenke taking the club private will see the end of supporters owning shares in Arsenal and their role upholding custodianship values," it said in a statement.

"The AST is also extremely concerned to note that this purchase is being funded by a loan," it added.

"The most dreadful part of this announcement is the news that Kroenke plans to forcibly purchase the shares held by Arsenal fans. Many of these fans are AST members and hold their shares not for value but as custodians who care for the future of the club."

Arsenal, who finished sixth last season, launch their 2018-19 Premier League campaign at home to champions Manchester City on Sunday under new manager Unai Emery.

The former Paris Saint-Germain manager replaced long-serving boss Arsene Wenger in May.

THE NEWS: Saudi seeks to silence foreign critics as Canada row erupts

Saudi seeks to silence foreign critics as Canada row erupts
source: AFP

 Saudi Royal Palace/AFP/File / BANDAR AL-JALOUD Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has overseen dramatic reforms but drawn criticism over human rights

Saudi Arabia's diplomatic rupture with Canada underscores the kingdom's newly combative foreign policy to tame international criticism after a crackdown on domestic critics, as it struggles to implement risky reforms, analysts say.

Saudi Arabia on Monday expelled Canada's ambassador and recalled its own envoy while freezing all new trade and investments, after Ottawa denounced a new crackdown on women and human rights activists in the kingdom.

Riyadh also said it will relocate thousands of Saudi students studying in Canada to other countries, while state airline Saudia announced it was suspending flights to Toronto.

Experts said the move illustrates how the oil-rich kingdom is increasingly seeking to use its economic and diplomatic muscle to quell foreign criticism under its young de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

"This is clearly an attempt to bully countries to tone down their criticism of Saudi Arabia," James Dorsey, a fellow at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, told AFP.

"The question is: are they going to allow themselves to be bullied? They (critics) are not going to fall on their knees."

Canada on Monday indicated it will not back down, despite the risk of imperilling business deals including a significant $15 billion agreement to sell Riyadh light armoured vehicles.

If the deal is scrapped, thousands of jobs could be lost in Canada, experts say.

But "Canada will always stand up for human rights, in Canada and around the world, and women's rights are human rights," said Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland.

- 'Discipline foreign critics' -

Canada annoyed Riyadh last week when it called for the "immediate release" of rights campaigners, including award-winning women's rights activist Samar Badawi, the sister of jailed blogger Raif Badawi.


GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File / ALEX WONG Saudi activist Samar Badawi received an International Women of Courage Award in Washington on March 8, 2012


Samar Badawi was arrested along with fellow campaigner Nassima al-Sadah last week, the latest victims of what Human Rights Watch called an "unprecedented government crackdown" on women activists.

It came after more than a dozen women's rights campaigners were detained and accused of undermining national security and collaborating with enemies of the state.

"After 'disciplining' domestic critics through warnings & arrests (Saudi Arabia is) seeking to use economic leverage & diplomatic actions to discipline foreign critics as well," tweeted Kristin Diwan, of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

So far major Western powers including the United States -- a key ally of Saudi Arabia -- have not publicly come out in support of Canada, though it is not the first country to be targeted for speaking up.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador from Stockholm over criticism by the Swedish foreign minister of Riyadh's human rights record.

Earlier this year, Bloomberg News reported that Saudi Arabia was scaling back its dealings with some German companies amid a diplomatic spat with Berlin.

The move came after Germany's foreign minister last November remarked that Lebanon was a "pawn" of Saudi Arabia after the surprise resignation of its Prime Minister Saad Hariri while in Riyadh.

"Saudi Arabia was historically defined by its calculated diplomacy," Gulf affairs expert Khalil Harb told AFP.

But such an "aggressive and rash" stance towards Canada illustrates an "extremist foreign policy driven by the young crown prince", Harb added.

Prince Mohammed has drawn criticism not just over human rights but also for pursuing a ruinous bombing campaign in neighbouring Yemen, which is in the grip of war and a humanitarian crisis.

- 'Hyper-nationalism' -

Lashing out at Canada, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Monday said the kingdom "will deal with any interference decisively".

Some Saudi supporters bashing Canada on social media appeared to take that threat too far.

A pro-Saudi Twitter account stirred outrage when it invoked 9/11 imagery with a digitally altered image showing a plane flying towards the Toronto skyline.

The account later apologised and the image was reposted with the plane removed, but screenshots of the original tweet spread quickly.

Saudi Arabia appeared to have shut down the account on Tuesday.

"What we're seeing... is (an) example of growing hyper-nationalism constructed in Saudi Arabia: vigorously defending sovereignty through punitive measures against transnational civil society groups and countries that support them," said Diwan.

But proponents of Prince Mohammed's aggressive stance say he seeks to avoid complications that could derail his highly sensitive social and economic reform drive -- opposed by many arch-conservatives.

The 32-year-old crown prince, set to be the first millennial to occupy the throne in a country where half the population is under 25, has introduced a string of reforms such as lifting a decades-long ban on women drivers.

The prince "aims for change but is unwilling to be guided by other countries, nor establish quick change that could trigger the risk of conflict inside the kingdom," Najah al-Otaibi, a senior analyst at pro-Saudi think-tank Arabia Foundation, told AFP.

"Of course Canada can continue supporting Saudi Arabia's reforms, but through means other than pressure and criticism."

THE NEWS: Trump warns world against business with Iran as sanctions return

Trump warns world against business with Iran as sanctions return
source: AFP

 AFP / ATTA KENARE Iranians walk by a mural of the founder of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on the wall of the former US embassy in the Iranian capital Tehran on August 7, 2018

US President Donald Trump warned the world against doing business with Iran on Tuesday as he hailed the "most biting sanctions ever imposed", triggering a mix of anger, fear and defiance in Tehran.

"The Iran sanctions have officially been cast. These are the most biting sanctions ever imposed, and in November they ratchet up to yet another level," Trump wrote on Twitter.

"Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States. I am asking for WORLD PEACE, nothing less."

Within hours of the sanctions taking effect, German carmaker Daimler said it was halting its business activities in Iran.

Trump's May withdrawal from a landmark 2015 nuclear agreement had already spooked investors and triggered a run on the Iranian rial long before nuclear-related sanctions went back into force.

"I feel like my life is being destroyed. Sanctions are already badly affecting people's lives. I can't afford to buy food, pay the rent," said one construction worker on the streets of the capital.


 AFP / Simon MALFATTO Key economic statistics about Iran


The sanctions reimposed on Tuesday, which target access to US banknotes and key industries such as cars and carpets, were unlikely to cause immediate economic turmoil.

Iran's markets were actually relatively buoyant, with the rial strengthening by 20 percent since Sunday after the government relaxed foreign exchange rules and allowed unlimited, tax-free gold and currency imports.

But the second tranche, which kicks in on November 5 and targets Iran's vital oil sector, could be far more damaging -- even if several key customers such as China, India and Turkey have refused to significantly cut their purchases.

In a statement on Monday before the sanctions were reimposed, Trump said he was "open to reaching a more comprehensive deal" with Iran, which covered "its ballistic missile programme and its support for terrorism."


 Iranian Presidency/AFP / - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks about his US counterpart Donald Trump's reimposition of crippling sanctions in an August 6, 2018 interview with state television

But his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani dismissed the idea of talks while crippling sanctions were in effect.

"They want to launch psychological warfare against the Iranian nation," Rouhani told state television. "Negotiations with sanctions doesn't make sense."

- 'Legitimate business' -

European governments are infuriated by Trump's strategy, which has prompted many of their large firms to leave Iran for fear of US penalties.

Daimler said it had "suspended our already limited activities in Iran in accordance with the applicable sanctions".

British Foreign Office Minister Alastair Burt said that the "Americans have really not got this right".

The nuclear deal was important "not only to the region's security but the world's security," he told the BBC.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters the global reaction to Trump's move showed that the US was diplomatically "isolated".


 AFP / ATTA KENARE Iranians walk past paintings illustrating ancient Persian poetry in the Iranian capital Tehran on August 7, 2018


Iran ally Syria branded Washington's move "illegal under international law".

"The US administration's policies have a proclivity for hegemony and arrogance," said a foreign ministry official, quoted by state news agency SANA.

Russia's foreign ministry said it was "deeply disappointed" by the return of sanctions, adding that it would do "everything necessary" to save the 2015 nuclear deal.

Zarif on Tuesday welcomed to Tehran his North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, as Pyongyang also faces US pressure to scrap its nuclear capabilities.

- Poison cup -

Most Iranians see US hostility as a basic fact of life, so their frustration is largely directed at their own leaders for not handling the situation better.

"Prices are rising again, but the reason is government corruption, not US sanctions," said Ali, a 35-year-old decorator in Tehran.

Long-running discontent over high prices, unemployment, water shortages and the lack of political reform has sparked numerous protests over the past week, though verifiable information is scarce due to heavy reporting restrictions.

Many hope and believe that Iran's leaders will "drink the poison cup" and negotiate with the US eventually.

There have been rumours that Trump and Rouhani could meet in New York in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly -- though Rouhani reportedly rejected US overtures for a meeting at last year's event.

Two countries that have welcomed the tough new US policy are Iran's regional rivals, Israel and Saudi Arabia.


 AFP / ATTA KENARE Iranians drive by a mural of a US flag with skulls in place of the stars, in downtown Tehran on August 7, 2018

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the renewed sanctions as "an important moment for Israel, for the US, for the region, for the whole world."

Iran's currency has lost around half its value since Trump announced the US would withdraw from the nuclear pact.

But the last two days have seen the rial's value surge by a fifth following the arrest of the central bank's currency chief and new plans being announced.

The new rules mean foreign exchange bureaus will reopen after a disastrous attempt to fix the value of the rial in April backfired spectacularly, with corrupt traders making a fortune out of a mushrooming black market.

THE LATEST Sports Scholarships Coventry University in UK, 2018

Sports Scholarships Coventry University in UK, 2018

Applications are invited for Coventry University Sports Scholarship for September 2018 Entry. This is a Full-time Scholarships for 2018 Entry. UK, EU and Overseas students are eligible to apply for this scholarship programme.
Course Level: This scholarship is available undergraduate as well as postgraduate students to study Sports.
Eligible Countries: UK, EU and Overseas students are eligible to apply for this scholarship programme.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must meet the following criteria: To be considered for one of these scholarships you must be competing in a sport which is recognised by Sport England, but you may be an undergraduate or a postgraduate, from the UK, the EU or overseas, and studying in any year of your course.

Method of Application: Please complete and email your application form to funding support-at-coventry.ac.uk before the application deadline of 31 August 2018.

Application Form

Scholarship Link

Scholarship Application Deadline: August 31, 2018

THE LATEST Research Visitor Fellowship at Cardiff University in UK, 2018

Research Visitor Fellowship at Cardiff University in UK, 2018

Applications are invited for Centre of Law and Society Research Visitor Fellowship at Cardiff University in the UK. This fellowship is available to UK and Overseas students.

Course Level: This is a visiting fellowship programme.

Eligible Nationalities: This fellowship is available for UK and Overseas students.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Associated with the internationally prestigious Journal of Law and Society, we offer a stimulating academic environment for socio-legal scholars to conduct research of the highest quality. Applications are welcome from the UK and overseas scholars in any field of socio-legal studies.
Method of Application: Applicants are expected to make initial contact with their preferred academic sponsor from the School of Law and Politics who will be acting as their point of contact through their visit. As part of their application, they will submit a brief description (500 words) of their research project. Successful candidates are expected to contribute at least one research seminar during their stay and submit a short report at the end of their visit.

Scholarship Link

Scholarship Application Deadline: September 15, 2018

THE LATEST British Chevening Scholarships to Study in Uk

British Chevening Scholarships to Study in Uk

Chevening Scholarships are the UK government’s global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations. The programme offers awards to outstanding scholars with leadership potential from around the world to study for a master’s degree in any subject at any UK university.
Course Level: Full-time taught Masters Degree Programme in any subject
Eligibility Criteria:
To be eligible for a Chevening Scholarship you must:
•  Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country.
•  Return to your country of citizenship for a minimum of two years after your scholarship has ended
•  Have an undergraduate degree that will enable you to gain entry to a post-graduate programme at a UK university. This is typically equivalent to an upper second-class 2:1 honours degree in the UK
•  Have at least two years’ work experience
•  Apply to three different eligible UK university courses and have received an unconditional offer from one of these choices by 11 July 2019
•  Meet the Chevening English language requirement by 11 July 2019 either by taking an English language test or claiming an exemption based on the UKVI exempt categories
Method of Application:
Applications for Chevening Awards can only be submitted using the Chevening online application system, available through the ‘apply’ button on your country’s page. Applications close on  12:00 GMT, 6 November 2018.
It is important to visit your individual country page at the official website for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

THE LATEST President’s Scholarships at University of Winnipeg in Canada, 2019

President’s Scholarships at University of Winnipeg in Canada, 2019

The University of Winnipeg is now accepting applications for 2018-19. The scholarship is awarded to international students entering any of the University’s divisions for the first time – Undergraduate, Graduate, Collegiate, PACEor ELP.
Course Level: University of Winnipeg Scholarship is available for graduate students
Eligible Countries: International students are eligible to apply for this scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Have a minimum 80% admission average or equivalent.
• Be an international student.
• Entering the first year of any program.
• Demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities.
• Apply for admission by the scholarship deadline date.

Method of Application:  Applications should be submitted via post.
In addition to this application, please submit the following pieces of information:

• Personal Statement: Outline leadership qualities, extracurricular/volunteer involvement and academic goals. This should be 250-500 words.
• Resume: List volunteer/extra-curricular activities in chronological order, work experience, awards, any publications, etc.
• Official Transcript.

Online Application

Scholarship Link

Scholarship Application Deadline: 1 October 2018

THE LATEST VC’s International Scholarships at University of Warwick, UK

VC’s International Scholarships at University of Warwick, UK

The Chancellor’s International Scholarships are allocated annually via a combined postgraduate research scholarship competition and are open to all overseas students in any discipline offered at Warwick.
Course Level: PhD programme in any discipline offered at Warwick
Eligibility Criteria:
•  Applicants for a Chancellor’s International Scholarship must also be applying for a PhD at the University of Warwick to begin in October 2019;
•  Students currently enrolled on a PhD or MPhil/PhD at the University of Warwick may apply in their first year of registration only.
•  Applicants must expect to be ‘overseas’ students for fees purposes, but there is no other nationality criteria;
• Applicants may be from any discipline at Warwick.
Method of Application:
New applicants can apply for the Chancellor’s International Scholarship by completing the Joint Postgraduate Admissions and Scholarship Application form. If you are eligible for this scholarship you will be asked if you would like to be considered for funding as part of your application to the University. The deadline for applications is is 23:59pm (GMT) on Friday, 18 January 2019.
It is important to read the  Guidance Notes for Applicants and visit the official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.
Scholarship link
Scholarship Application Deadline: 18 Jan 2019 (annual)
Study in: London, UK
Course starts October 2019

THE LATEST CRS4 PhD Scholarships at Italy University of Cagliari, 2019

CRS4 PhD Scholarships at Italy University of Cagliari, 2019

For the academic year 2018/2019 (Cycle XXXIV) the University of Cagliari (UniCa) is delighted to announce PhD scholarships to study in Italy. These scholarships are available to Italian and Foreign citizens. CRS4 is an interdisciplinary research centre, founded by the Sardinia Autonomous Region on 1990, whose sole shareholder is the regional agency Sardegna Ricerche.
Course Level: Scholarships are available to pursue the PhD programme.
Eligible Nationalities: These scholarships are available to Italian and Foreign citizens.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Admission to PhD programmes is open to graduates, regardless of nationality, holding (ref. to the Italian university system):
– A degree awarded according to the Italian Ministerial Decree no. 270/2004;
– A degree awarded according to the Italian Ministerial Decree no. 509/1999;
– A degree awarded according to the regulations established before the Italian Ministerial Decree no. 509/1999;
– Academic qualification (2nd cycle university degree: Master-level) issued by a foreign university recognized as equivalent. The foreign university degree must be evaluated suitable and equivalent, in terms of duration, level of degree and fields of study to the degree listed above and providing access to PhD programmes in the awarding country.

The Examination Board will deliberate on equivalence, in compliance with the current legislation in Italy and in the Country where it was issued, and with international treaties or agreements concerning the recognition of qualifications for further studies for the sole purpose of admission to the PhD programme.
Admission is also open to students who are going to graduate not later than 31st October 2018. These candidates will be admitted with reservation and will submit a certificate (only for degrees obtained abroad) or a self-declaration of their graduation together with a copy of a valid ID.

Method of Application: To participate in the selection, candidates can apply through the online procedure available on the webpage ‘Servizi Online’ of UniCa website.
Foreign applicants holding a university degree issued abroad must fill in the online application and upload the following documents in PDF format (each file not exceeding 1 MB):

• Certificate attesting the award of a 2nd level foreign degree needed to access a PhD programme,
• Including exams and marks, with a translation in Italian or English;
• Certificate attesting the award of a 1st level foreign degree, including exams and marks, with a translation in Italian or English; signed Curriculum Vitae preferably in EU format, in English or Italian;
• One or more reference letter(s), in English or Italian, on institution letterhead paper, written and signed by a university professor or expert in the PhD scientific area(s) (up to 3 letters admitted);
• Additional qualifications, certifications, publications (up to 5) and work experiences, detailed in- English or in Italian;
• Form requesting the interview by teleconference (if needed);
• Two-sided coloured copy of a valid ID, with a clear photo.

Scholarship Link

Scholarship Application Deadline: August 27, 2018

THE LATEST ETH Zurich Excellence Masters Scholarships in Switzerland

ETH Zurich Excellence Masters Scholarships in Switzerland

ETH Zurich supports excellent students wishing to pursue a Master’s degree at ETH with two scholarship programmes: the Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP) and the Master Scholarship Programme (MSP).
Course Level: Eligible Masters Degree Programme offered by the University
Scholarship value/inclusions/duration:
The Excellence Scholarship (ESOP) consists of a grant covering living and study expenses (CHF 11,000 per semester) as well as a tuition fee waiver.
The Master Scholarship (MSP) consists of a partial stipend for living and study expenses (CHF 6,000 per semester) as well as a tuition fee waiver. The department can additionally provide a scholarship of CHF 1,500 – 3,000 per semester or offer an assistantship from the second semester onwards (with a payment of CHF 600 per month). The Master Scholarship Programme requires a financial contribution from the scholarship holder.

Both the Excellence and the Master scholarships begin when the student commences his or her Master’s degree and is awarded for the regular duration of the Master’s programme (three or four semesters).
Eligibility Criteria:
The scholarship programmes are open to excellent students both from the ETH and from other universities (national and international) wishing to pursue their Master’s degree at ETH Zurich. The prerequisite is a very good result in their Bachelor’s (top 10% of Bachelor’s programme = grade A).
Method of Application:
Applications open 1 November 2018.
To be considered for the scholarship, you must apply for a Master’s degree programme at ETH Zurich (or if you, as an ETH Bachelor student, continue with a consecutive Master’s degree programme). The scholarship form and application form and supporting documents must be submitted before 15 December 2018.
It is important to visit the official website (link found below) to access the application form and for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.
Website:
Official Scholarship Website: https://www.ethz.ch/students/en/studies/financial/scholarships/excellencescholarship.html
Scholarship Application Deadline: 15 Dec 2018 (annual)
Course starts 2019