Alibaba says profit up 132% in 'outstanding' quarter amid soaring sales

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba said on Thursday that soaring sales fuelled a 132 per cent increase in net profit in what it called an "outstanding" quarter, as the firm raised its expectations for full-year revenue growth.

China's biggest e-commerce company said net profit for the three months ending September 30 reached 17.67 billion yuan, (USD 2.67 billion), up from 7.62 billion yuan in the same period of 2016.

"We had an outstanding quarter," Chief Financial Officer Maggie Wu said in a statement.

"This quarter we delivered excellent results, with overall revenue growth of 61 per cent demonstrating the robust momentum in our core commerce business and across the Alibaba economy."

Alibaba said revenue growth in the quarter was fuelled in large part by technological innovations including the app for its key Taobao online shopping, which it said has a growing capability to anticipate and suggest shopping options to its hundreds of millions of users.

Revenues in the quarter, the second in Alibaba's fiscal year, came it at 55.1 billion yuan, topping an analyst estimate of 52 billion yuan compiled by Bloomberg News.
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Oil prices steady near 2-year highs as market tightens amid Opec cuts

Oil prices steadied near two-year highs on Thursday as supply cuts by Opec and other major exporters tightened the market and drained inventories.

Benchmark Brent crude was down 20 cents at $60.29 per barrel by 1345 GMT. On Wednesday, Brent reached $61.70, its highest intraday level since July 2015. The contract is up by more than a third from its 2017-lows in June.

US light crude was unchanged at $54.30, almost 30 percent above its 2017-lows in June.

"The upswing in oil prices appears to have ended for the time being," said Carsten Fritsch, commodities analyst at Commerzbank in Frankfurt.

Some investors had booked profits after the recent price rally, traders said, but the market outlook remained upbeat.

Confidence has been fuelled by an effort this year lead by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia to hold back about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in oil production to tighten markets.

Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Thursday supply and demand balances were tightening and oil inventories falling, while compliance with the OPEC-led pact to curb supplies had been "excellent".

Overall, oil markets have been slightly undersupplied this year, resulting in inventory drawdowns.
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CIA report reveals bin Laden-Iran ties amid Trump threat to scrap nuke deal

The CIA's release of documents seized during the 2011 raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden has again raised questions about Iran's support of the extremist network leading up to the Sept 11 terror attacks.

US intelligence officials and prosecutors have long said Iran formed loose ties to the terror organization from 1991 on, something noted in a 19-page report in Arabic that was included in the release of some 47,000 other documents by the CIA.

For its part, Iran has long denied any involvement with al-Qaida. However, the report included in the CIA document dump shows how bin Laden, a Sunni extremist from Iran's archrival Saudi Arabia, could look across the Muslim world's religious divide to partner with the Mideast's Shiite power to target his ultimate enemy, the United States.

"Anyone who wants to strike America, Iran is ready to support him and help him with their frank and clear rhetoric," the report reads.

The Associated Press examined a copy of the report released by the Long War Journal, a publication backed by the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a think tank fiercely critical of Iran and sceptical of its nuclear deal with world powers. The CIA gave the Long War Journal early access to the material.

The material also included never-before-seen video of bin Laden's son Hamza, who may be groomed to take over al-Qaida, getting married. It offers the first public look at Hamza bin Laden as an adult. Until now, the public has only seen childhood pictures of him.

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ISIS executed 741 civilians during Mosul battle: UN

The Islamic State group executed 741 civilians in the battle for the Iraqi city of Mosul, the UN said today, accusing the jihadists of perpetrating "international crimes" during the nine-month military campaign.

A total of 2,521 civilians were killed, mostly by IS attacks, during the fight between IS and the internationally- backed Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) that ended in July, the UN rights office said in a report.

"Those responsible must answer for their heinous crimes", the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, said in a statement.

Mosul, Iraq's second city, was captured by IS in 2014 and became the capital of the group's self-styled "caliphate" in the country.

Following IS's defeat in the city, the rights office said it had compiled witness testimony documenting "mass abductions of civilians, the use of thousands as human shields, the intentional shelling of civilian residences, and indiscriminate targeting of civilians trying to flee the city".

More than 800,000 people were displaced by the fighting, the report said.

The rights office also called for investigations into alleged violations committed by the ISF and their allies, including militia groups.

The report "recorded 461 civilian deaths as a result of airstrikes during the most intensive phase of the ISF-led offensive from 19 February", the UN said in a statement, noting that it was impossible to establish responsibility for the strikes "in almost all cases".
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Amid Gulf crisis, US approves $1 billion Qatar arms deal

The United States government has approved a USD 1.1 billion deal to service Qatar's F-15 fighter jets despite the diplomatic stand-off between the Gulf emirate and its neighbours.

Qatar, home to one of the largest US military bases in the Middle East, is locked in a bitter dispute with Washington's other Arab allies in the region, led by Saudi Arabia.

US President Donald Trump took Riyadh's side in June when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

But Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has taken a more cautious line, attempting to broker an agreement to cool ties and build a regional front against Iranian influence and extremism.

Yesterday, the State Department announced it had approved a USD 1.1 billion contract to service Qatar's F-15QA jets and build them ground facilities and hardened bunkers.

"Qatar is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Persian Gulf region," the department said, in a note from its Defence Security Cooperation Agency.

"Our mutual defence interests anchor our relationship and the Qatar Emiri Air Force plays a predominant role in Qatar's defence."

The new maintenance and training facilities will also come with improved "cyber security services, mission critical computer resources, support services, force protection services."

Tillerson visited both Riyadh and the Qatari capital Doha last month in an effort to curb Iran's influence in the region and urge the Arab monarchies to negotiate away their differences.
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Stop this tweeting, it's childish: Former VP Joe Biden blasts Donald Trump

Former US Vice President Joe Biden strongly criticised President Trump today, and predicted an emboldened and determined Russia would once again meddle in an American election.

In public comments at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Biden — the target of speculation of a possible presidential run in 2020 — thoroughly rebuked Trump and his policies.

"We've got to stop this tweeting... it's childish," he said. "It's time to grow up and act like a world leader."

Biden, Barack Obama's former vice president, has made international politics a key area of focus since leaving office.

He accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of seeking to mask problems at home by "stoking discord" in European countries and the United States.

"Russia's attack on our election was not an isolated incident," Biden said.

"The efforts to spew disinformation, infiltrate our networks, corrupt our political institutions, they continue. And, we'll surely see this kick into full gear as we head into another critical Congressional election cycle in 2018."

Biden also criticised Trump for not taking a more forceful stand against Russian meddling and said his international policies in general -- such as withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership — threatened America's alliances.
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Two dead, one injured in Colorado's Walmart shooting

Two men were killed and a woman was injured today in a shooting inside a Walmart store in Colorado, police said today.

Thornton Police said "it was not an active shooter" but advised people to stay away from the area.

"Shooting just occurred at Walmart, 9900 Grant St, multiple parties down. Please stay away from the area," Thornton Police Department said in a tweet.

A large number of police vehicles were seen in the parking lot of the Walmart. No other details were immediately available.

Local news channels said a few ambulances were rushing to the Walmart, describing the scene as "chaotic".

A press conference by the police department was expected soon when the report last came in.
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