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http://ift.tt/2rFrGjn Pakistani forces also seized six suicide jackets, a cache of ammunition, explosives, detonators, solar panels and food rations. PHOTO: A MAJEED / AFP Pakistani forces on Sunday said they had killed around a dozen Islamic State militants in a three-day raid prompted by intelligence reports that the group were holding two recently kidnapped Chinese nationals. The operation took place in the rugged Mastung district of southwest Balochistan province and targeted the hideout cave of a group of IS commanders, a senior security official told AFP. “Some 12-13 IS commanders have been killed after intense gun-battles and the area was cleared late Saturday,” he said, but added that the Chinese pair were not recovered from the scene despite the presence of the vehicle used in their kidnapping nearby. IS has been making inroads in the country through alliances with local militant outfits such as the sectarian Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar groups, though its...

http://ift.tt/2pO7ib4 PHOTO:AFP Angelique Kerber displaced Serena Williams at the top of the WTA rankings released on Monday. Kerber had assured her place as world number one by her performances in the Madrid Open last week. The German, made it to the third round where she faced Eugenie Bouchard and retired with a lower back injury trailing 6-3, 5-0. 1. Angelique Kerber (GER) 7.035 pts (+1) 2. Serena Williams (USA) 6.110 (-1) 3. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6.010 4. Simona Halep (ROM) 5.205 (+4) 5. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 4.480 6. Johanna Konta (GBR) 4.330 7. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 4.287 (-3) 8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 4.260 (+1) 9. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 4.195 (-2) 10. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3.915 (+1) 11. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 3.780 (-1) 12. Venus Williams (USA) 3.752 13. Madison Keys (USA) 3.162 14. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 2.965 (+3) 15. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 2.875 (-1) 16. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 2.780 (-1) 17. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 2.590 (-1) 1...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J As a part of its plan to strengthen its place in Nigeria, Opera has announced Chelsea FC’s and super Eagles of Nigeria’s star player, Victor Moses, as the brand ambassador of its popular browser, Opera Mini. Moses will be featured in the new Opera Mini TV commercial as well as a range of collaborative projects extending throughout 2018, the tech company says in a statement. “Football is one of the most popular types of content consumed by Opera Mini users throughout Africa”, says Jørgen Arnesen, Global Head of Marketing and Distribution at Opera. “Victor Moses is a perfect match for Opera, being not only a high performer but also a great role model and natural ambassador of his home country Nigeria.” The announcement of Moses as a brand ambassador coincides with Opera’s recent announcement to invest $100 million USD (30 billion Nigerian nairas) in Africa over the next two years with the goal of strengthening the internet ecosystem in countries such as Nig...

http://ift.tt/2pLaFzu Migrants sit in their boat during a rescue operation by Italian Navy vessels off the coast Over 480 asylum seekers and refugees were rescued in the Mediterranean on Saturday as they attempted the perilous crossing from north Africa, with seven bodies also recovered, Italy’s coastguard said Sunday. Some 484 migrants were plucked from dinghies in four operations involving coastguard boats, an Italian navy ship, the German NGO Sea Eye and the OHIO mercantile ship. The bodies of seven men were recovered during the operations. More than 45,000 people have been rescued and brought to Italy so far this year, a 44 percent increase from the same period in 2016, according to Italy’s interior ministry. About 1,309 have died or are feared dead after trying to make the journey, the International Organization for Migration said. Nigerians make up the largest group, followed by people from Bangladesh, Guinea and the Ivory Coast. Nigeria is home to Boko Haram, whic...

http://ift.tt/2r4CQLI Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe/ AFP PHOTO / WILFRED KAJESE Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, 93, is not asleep when he closes his eyes for long periods in public events but is resting his eyes from bright lights, his spokesman said Thursday. Mugabe has regularly had his eyes closed at recent appearances, including when he appeared on a discussion panel at last week’s World Economic Forum meeting in South Africa. “I feel like a failure when there is this reading that the President is sleeping in conferences, no,” his spokesman George Charamba was quoted as saying in the state-run Herald newspaper. “At 93, there is something that happens to the eyes and the President cannot suffer bright lights. If you look at his poise, he looks down, avoids direct lighting.” Charamba compared Mugabe to Nelson Mandela, whose eyes were sensitive to flash photography after years of working in a limestone quarry when he was imprisoned on Robben Island. “You wer...