US President Barack Obama uses frank words to warn racist legacy still haunts United States

US President Barack Obama underlined the depth of his frustration over American's ongoing battle with racism Monday, employing the racially-charged "N-word" in a radio interview to underline a point.

Obama made his remarks to "WTF with Marc Maron" as the nation was struggling to comprehend the murders last week of nine African American churchgoers at an evening prayer service, allegedly at the hands of a white supremacist.

The president's frank response sparked fresh controversy because of his use of "nigger" in the interview - a word so charged that most Americans dare not even utter it, using the term "N-word" instead.

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Greece offer lifts hopes for debt deal this week

Greece's international lenders raised hopes for a vital bailout agreement this week to save Athens from default and a possible euro exit, despite warning no deal was likely at an emergency summit on Monday.

Eurozone leaders were cautiously optimistic about the eleventh-hour reform proposals from Greece as they met Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Brussels, even if finance ministers failed to make a breakthrough earlier in the day.

Athens stocks closed up 9.0 per cent and Europe's main markets all surged on hope of an end to the five-month standoff between the leftist Greek government and its EU-IMF creditors before a deadline on June 30.

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Death threats for Saudi satire star Nasser Al Qasabi who fights ISIS with laughs

A Saudi TV star has earned death threats for deploying a new weapon against Islamic State: laughter.

Selfie, a sketch comedy show which debuted last week on Saudi-owned pan-Arab satellite channel MBC, has won praise from influential voices in the Middle East for daring to mock the hardline militant group.

In one scene, a group of buffoonish holy warriors at a "girl market" picks concubines from a line of chained women abducted from the battlefield.

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Football: Brazil will not appeal Neymar ban

Brazil said Monday they will not appeal against a four-match ban on captain Neymar which will rule him out of the rest of the Copa America tournament.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said the Barcelona superstar would leave the team base in Santiago on Monday.

"During a meeting on Sunday night between Neymar and the technical management it was decided that the CBF would respect CONMEBOL's decision," said a CBF statement.

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Former Star Wars child actor Jake Lloyd arrested over US car chase

The US actor who played Anakin Skywalker as a child in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was under arrest in South Carolina Monday after leading police on a wild, high-speed car chase last week, authorities said.

Jake Lloyd, 26, was charged with failure to stop and resisting arrest after Wednesday's incident in Colleton County, South Carolina, the county sheriff's office said. He was being held pending a bond hearing.

Lloyd is best known for his role as a young Anakin Skywalker in the 1999 prequel that traces the origins of Darth Vader, the feared villain of the beloved Star Wars franchise.

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