Arabs in Israel decry racial discrimination

Palestinian citizens of Israel are blocked from living in Jewish communities for lacking 'Zionist vision'.

Haifa, Israel - As a Palestinian citizen of Israel, 21-year-old Shadan Jabareen says she has experienced institutionalised discrimination since she was a child. In 1994, her parents wanted to get away from the constant noise and the overcrowded Umm al-Fahm and move to a Jewish-Israeli community.

Air France pilots call off two-week strike

The walkout, costing the airline $25m a day, started over contracts offered to pilots joining low-cost unit.

The Air France strike has grounded flights to worldwide destinations for two weeks [AFP]

Air France pilots have ended a two-week strike that paralysed the country's flagship airline, and was triggered by a dispute over new contracts relating to a new low-cost operation.

Buddhist monk to fight 'jihad threat'

Wirathu told the crowd in Colombo that the patience of Buddhists is seen as a weakness [AFP]

Colombo - A Buddhist cleric accused of inciting violence against Muslims in Myanmar says he is joining forces with a group in Sri Lanka to fight what he says is the "serious threat from jihadist groups".
Ashin Wirathu, the leader of Myanmar's 969 group, told hundreds of monks in the Sri Lankan capital on Sunday that his group would support the Bodu Bala Sena group in its "struggle to protect Buddhism in Asia".
Muslim groups had protested against Wirathu's entry into Sri Lanka, saying his visit would only cause further divisions. His group has been accused of inciting violence against the minority Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

French far-right wins first Senate seats

Marine Le Pen said her party's ideas are "increasingly becoming adopted" by the French [REUTERS]

The far-right National Front party has won its first ever seats in France's Senate as president Francois Hollande's Socialist party lost its majority in the upper house of parliament.

At least 31 people presumed dead on erupting Japanese volcano

At least 31 people are presumed dead after rescuers found them showing no signs of life Sunday near the summit of a Japanese volcano that started erupting a day earlier.

Police said the people were in a state of "cardiac arrest," meaning that they were discovered without a pulse and weren't breathing but hadn't been declared dead by a doctor.

A coroner confirmed the first four deaths Sunday.Rescue teams had begun searching Sunday for dozens of climbers who were caught by the sudden eruption of Mount Ontake.The volcano in central Japan unleashed a huge cloud of ash late Saturday morning that billowed down the mountainside and engulfed hikers in its path. Witnesses described hearing a sound like thunder when the eruption began.

The exact number of people unaccounted for was unclear, as officials were uncertain how many had already made it off the mountain.

Desperate relatives

Relatives of the missing gathered near Mount Ontake on Sunday desperately seeking information. Among them was Kiyokazu Tokoro from nearby Aichi prefecture, whose son, Yuki, was hiking on the volcano with his girlfriend.

He said he knew they were near the summit at the time of the eruption because his son's girlfriend had sent a photo to a friend minutes beforehand.

"All I can do is beg for your help to get information," he told CNN. "Please help us."

Authorities estimated there were 200 to 250 hikers in the area at the time of the eruption. Most of them were reported to have managed to make the long trek down the mountain.

But some people remained trapped in several lodges on Mount Ontake, and others were missing altogether, local authorities said.

More than 350 rescue workers -- a mix of police, firefighters and military personnel -- began climbing two separate routes up the mountain on Sunday morning, authorities in the nearby village of Otaki said.

Aside from those in cardiac arrest, more than 25 people were reported to have been injured, 10 of them seriously, according to the government of Nagano prefecture, where the volcano is situated. Helicopters ferried some injured people off the mountainside. Among the climbers trapped in the cottages, at least 11 were injured, officials in Otaki said. They said they had observed 17-20 inches (40-50 centimeters) of volcanic ash covering the ground in some areas.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has raised the Volcanic Alert Level for Ontake from 1 to 3. That means the public is advised to not approach the volcano, the summit of which is at an altitude of 10,060 feet (3,067 meters).

The agency warned that another large eruption could take place in the next six days or so. Small continuous eruptions continued Sunday.

The volcano's plume of smoke and ash was reported to have disrupted air travel in Japan, causing delays at several airports.

“Sex Hinders Blessings” – Adokiye on Her Virginity

Rising Nigerian pop singer, Adokiye is very vocal about her sexuality.

She often talks about how she is intent on remaining a virgin until marriage. Earlier this year, she made made global headlines after she offered her virginity to Islamist militant sect Boko Haram, in return for the 200+ abducted Chibok school girls.

3 Students Shot as Gunmen Invade Enugu State University of Science and Technology

Gunmen attacked Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) on Friday night.

Three students were shot and badly injured. They were rushed to University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) on Saturday morning, where they are said to be in critical condition.