Friday 26 July 2013

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Deadly clashes in Egypt as Morsi held as murder suspect

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CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt formally detained Mohamed Morsi Friday for allegedly abetting militants in murdering policemen and staging prison escapes, as clashes during massive rallies by his opponents and loyalists killed two people.The ousted Islamist president's detention, under a court order for a renewable 15 days, further raised tensions as those applauding the decision and those demanding his reinstatement flooded parts of Cairo and other cities.Two people were killed in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria in clashes between the rival protesters, despite a massive police and military deployment.The Arab world's most populous country has been rocked by violence for the past three weeks, with some 200 people killed since the army ousted Morsi on July 3, many in clashes between his Islamist supporters and his opponents.At least 19 people were wounded in the Alexandria violence, in which riot police intervened. Ten people were wounded in clashes in Cairo, medics and the health ministry said.The overwhelming number of Friday's marches remained peaceful, however, with tens of thousands of Morsi supporters gathering in a north Cairo square.In Tahrir Square, an AFP correspondent reported more than 100,000 anti-Morsi protesters gathered in response to a call from army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for Egyptians to show their support for a security clampdown on terrorism.Tens of thousands of army supporters also rallied outside the presidential palace, waving Egyptian flags and holding posters of Sisi who was Morsi's defence minister before ousting him.A leader of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, Essam al-Erian, said in a statement they would respond to his detention with peaceful marches.The accusations against Morsi include conspiring with Palestinian Hamas militants in attacks that killed policemen and staging prison breaks during the revolt against Mubarak, in which Morsi escaped along with other political inmates.Morsi had been detained with other Brotherhood leaders overnight on January 27, 2011, hours after the Islamist group said it would join the revolt against Mubarak.He is also accused of premeditated murder of some prisoners, officers and soldiers, and kidnapping officers and soldiers, state news agency MENA said on Friday.Morsi is also suspected of conspiring to storm prisons and destroy them... allowing prisoners to escape, including himself.Detention orders of the type ordered by the court are usually followed by moving a suspect to prison. The military has so far kept Morsi's whereabouts secret to avoid attracting protests by his supporters.Gehad El-Haddad, a Brotherhood spokesman, denounced the detention order, saying Mubarak's regime was signalling 'we're back in full force'.A court had on June 23 said Hamas militants facilitated the escape of prisoners during the tumultuous 18-day uprising that forced out Mubarak.Hamas, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood which supports the Gaza militant group's fight against Israel, also denounced Morsi's detention.Hamas condemns this move since it is based on the premise that the Hamas movement is hostile, spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.Morsi's election victory in June 2012 had been hailed by Hamas as a triumph for Islamists. He helped negotiate a truce to halt fighting between Israel and Hamas in November on favourable terms for the Islamists, but also oversaw the closing of smuggling tunnels to Gaza.The military has reportedly given Morsi's backers until the end of Friday to end sit-in protests they began after the army deposed him.The military has said there would be no reneging on a roadmap to fresh elections next year, drawn by the interim government installed after Morsi's ouster.The Brotherhood and allied Islamist groups have rejected the interim government and vowed to press their protests until Morsi is reinstated.Western nations are watching the crisis in Egypt with growing unease, fearing the military may be angling for a prolonged power grab.

US poised to sell Iraq $2 bn in military equipment

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Pentagon has informed the US Congress of a possible sale of $2 billion worth of military equipment to Iraq, officials said Friday.Lawmakers, notified Thursday, have 30 days to raise any objections to the plan, which consists of three contracts.The first includes 12 Bell 412 EP helicopters and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support totalling an estimated $300 million.This equipment will provide the Iraqi Air Force with a search and rescue capability critical to developing a mature Air Force, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, or DSCA, said in a statement.The second contract, worth an estimated $900 million, is for 50 M1135 Stryker Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicles.The sale would provide the Iraqi army with reliable capabilities for early warning of contamination by radiological, biological, and chemical material, according to the DSCA.Worth some $750 million, the final contract is for five years of maintenance support for a series of vehicles, from simple jeeps to so-called Tactical Floating River Bridge Systems.Helping Iraq maintain, sustain, and effectively utilize the equipment it has purchased or received from the United States over the past decade is a US priority, the DSCA said.As with all notifications of such plans, it underscored that the proposed sale would not alter the basic military balance in the region.In December 2011, the United States approved the sale of 36 F-16 fighter jets to Baghdad in a contract worth several billion dollars.In October 2012, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had asked Washington, whose troops left the country at the end of 2011, to speed up delivery of weapons for Iraqi troops.Baghdad had signed weapons contracts with Russia worth more than $4.2 billion, but these were later canceled on suspicion of corruption.

NATO general for swift Afghan troops deal

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WARSAW (AP) - NATO's top commander in Europe says it's crucial for the alliance to have a security deal with Afghanistan on a post-2014 military presence there, but October is not the deadline.Gen. Philip Breedlove, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said in a telephone interview Friday it is absolutely critical to have the bilateral security agreement (BSA).However, Breedlove said the October dateline mentioned this week by Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is not key.The agreement would allow NATO and its allies to offer training and support in Afghanistan after allied combat troops withdraw in 2014.October would be a great date, Breedlove said from NATO headquarters in Belgium But what is most important is to have the BSA signed as soon as possible.

US to return two Guantanamo inmates to Algeria

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States said Friday it will return two Algerians detained at Guantanamo Bay to their homeland as part of efforts to eventually close the War on Terror military prison.The United States remains determined to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, the White House said in a statement.In support of those efforts, today the Department of Defense certified to Congress its intent to repatriate an additional two detainees to Algeria. We are taking this step in consultation with the Congress, and in a responsible manner that protects our national security, it said.President Barack Obama vowed to close the facility when he first took office in 2009, but four years on the military prison set up in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks still holds 166 men.The vast majority of those held at Guantanamo, detained on Afghan battlefields and handed over by other countries, have never been charged or tried, and dozens have been taking part in a hunger strike in recent months.More than half of the detainees have been cleared for release and face no charges in the United States. Most of those cleared are Yemenis, whose release is blocked by a special moratorium imposed in the wake of the failed December 2009 plot to blow up a US passenger plane.The plot was later traced back to Al-Qaeda's Yemeni franchise, whose members include former Guantanamo inmates.As part of his renewed bid to shutter the prison, Obama has promised to lift the moratorium.But his efforts have also been blocked by a congressional ban on trying or jailing Guantanamo detainees on US soil.We continue to call on Congress to join us in supporting these efforts (to close Guantanamo) by lifting the current restrictions that significantly limit our ability to transfer detainees out of Guantanamo, even those who have been approved for transfer, the White House said.

Putin 'catches 21 kilo pike' on day off

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MOSCOW (AFP) - President Vladimir Putin landed a pike weighing 21 kilos (46 pound) on a recent weekend trip to Siberia, the Kremlin said Friday, in the latest leisure stunt by the Russian strongman.The Kremlin said that Putin was joined on the trip by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, in a clear bid to prove Russia's top two remain unified despite reports of growing strains.State television showed Putin laughing in astonishment as he pulled the massive pike out of the water, with the fish then having the dubious honour of being kissed on its gills by the Kremlin chief.It was very interesting relaxation. Putin and Medvedev socialised very warmly, talked and went swimming, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the state ITAR-TASS news agency.Several pictures published by the Kremlin also showed Putin fishing in his now traditional summer pose of naked torso and dark sunglasses.The television pictures did not show Medvedev doing any fishing but instead standing on the bow of a motorboat taking pictures with a telephoto lens. Peskov said the very beautiful pictures taken by Medvedev had now been put on the Kremlin website.The spokesman added that the trip had taken place in the remote Tuva region in southern Siberia, which lies on the border with Mongolia. Tuva is the home region of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, one of Putin's closest allies and friends who was also present.Media coverage of Putin's leisure activities is carefully managed by the Kremlin to cultivate his image as a tough nature-loving action man, which his minders believe still appeals to many Russians.Earlier this month, Putin dived in a small submersible to inspect a shipwreck at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

Vettel fastest in both Hungarian GP practice runs

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BUDAPEST (AP) - Formula One leader Sebastian Vettel showed he is the driver to beat in Saturday's qualifying session after posting the fastest times in both practice runs Friday for the Hungarian Grand Prix.The three-time defending F1 champion twice finished comfortably ahead of teammate Mark Webber as Red Bull recorded an impressive 1-2.Vettel left it quite late before doing a timed lap in the morning but was quickly into his stride to set a time of 1 minute, 22.723, and in searing afternoon temperatures he was comfortably faster than that, clocking 1:21.264.Lotus will also be confident for Saturday's qualifying.Kimi Raikkonen was third best in the morning and Romain Grosjean matched him in the afternoon.Vettel has never won in Hungary. He is looking to extend his overall lead over Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso, who was fourth in both sessions.I am not thinking about the championship and the title too much, Vettel said. If you look back to last year, or 2010, it was going down to the wire. So never feel too comfortable where you are.On this form, however, the German will be strongly expected to secure his fourth pole position Saturday. He has won four races so far this season, including two of the past three.Webber finished .44 behind him, Grosjean was .153 back, and Alonso trailed by .162.It is the first practice day since F1 tire manufacturer Pirelli buckled under intense pressure to modify its tires. Pirelli provided medium and soft tires for the Hungaroring and drivers looked comfortable all day.Raikkonen switched to soft for another timed run late in the day but he had to abort after being held up by Jenson Button.The track temperature rose to 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit) on a hot afternoon on the 4.381-kilometer (2.7-mile) circuit the third shortest in F1 after Monaco and Canada.With 14 corners and short straights, it is the second most difficult track to overtake on after Monaco, and it will be hard to stop Vettel from getting another win if he starts from pole.Three weeks ago, he extended his lead over Alonso with a victory at his home GP and he leads the Spaniard by 34 points in the last race before the midseason break.Fernando and Kimi are consistent and quick, and never underestimate Mercedes, Vettel said. They've made a huge leap forward from the first couple of races. Tires are changing again, so this could mix up the whole matter, too.Ten years ago, Alonso became F1's youngest winner at 22 years, 26 days with his victory in Hungary. His record was beaten by Vettel five years later.Raikkonen still has an outside shot of winning his second F1 title, sitting 41 points behind Vettel in third.The 26-year-old Vettel is favored by some to surpass Michael Schumacher's record of seven F1 titles.Thoughts like that are never on my mind, Vettel said. I am not waking up in the morning thinking to myself, 'Wow, 2011 was a fantastic year, 2012 was awesome,' and so on. I wake up and I'm in the here and now.Last week, teams held in-season testing sessions at Silverstone to assess new tires provided by Pirelli after several spectacular blowouts on the same circuit at the British Grand Prix in June prompted a furious response and even a boycott threat from drivers.Pirelli decided that from this race until the end of the season, it will revert to last year's tires combined with the current compounds from this season.

Wawrinka retires injured vs Lopez at Swiss Open

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GSTAAD (AP) - A day after Roger Federer lost at the Swiss Open citing back pains as a problem, local favorite Stanislas Wawrinka retired from his quarterfinal match Friday with the same injury.The second-seeded Wawrinka was unable to continue after a medical timeout more than two hours into his match with Feliciano Lopez, who was leading 6-4, 2-6, 4-3 at the time.Wawrinka, ranked No. 10, extended an unhappy run at his home tournament. He has won only five matches all against players outside the top 50 in seven visits since reaching the 2005 final.The fifth-seeded Lopez will face Robin Haase of the Netherlands in the clay-court tournament on Saturday.The 57th-ranked Haase beat 2011 champion Marcel Granollers of Spain 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (5) in 2 hours, 30 minutes.Federer's conqueror, Daniel Brands of Germany, failed to build to build on that success in losing 6-3, 6-4 to Victor Hanescu.Hanescu, the 2008 Gstaad champion, forced one service break in each set to ease to victory.Mikhail Youzhny will next face Hanescu after beating fourth-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7).The sixth-seeded Russian saved three match points in the deciding tiebreaker.

Man United earns 2-2 draw with Cerezo Osaka

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OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Wilfried Zaha scored in the first minute of stoppage time Friday to give Manchester United a 2-2 draw with Japanese club Cerezo Osaka in a preseason friendly.Zaha tapped into an open net to ensure the English champions didn't lose their second preseason match in Japan under David Moyes. Yokohama F Marinos beat United 3-2 on Tuesday.Cerezo forward Kenyu Sugimoto took advantage of a defensive mistake by United defender Chris Smalling to give his team the lead in the 33rd minute.Shinji Kagawa was denied on a penalty kick in the 53rd by Cerezo goalkeeper Kim Jin-hyeon, but equalized one minute later, taking a pass from Ryan Giggs and beating Kim from close range.Cerezo briefly regained the lead on a goal by Takumi Minamino in the 63rd.

Golf: Woods niece Cheyenne eyes British Open spot

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LONDON (AFP) - Cheyenne Woods, the niece of Tiger Woods, kept herself in reach of a spot at the British Open on Friday when she fired a five under par in the European Masters first round.The 23-year-old Woods is chasing one of three places available this weekend to qualify for next week's major at St Andrews.Her 67 put her in sixth place, four shots behind joint leaders Caroline Masson, who carded a tournament record nine-under, and South African Ashleigh Simon, who only returned from a hip injury two months ago.I felt like I played really steady. One bogey, I felt like I hit the ball well so overall it was a good day, said Woods, who celebrated her 23rd birthday on Thursday.I definitely learned last week through experiencing it, so this week I feel really good. I'm just going to continue to play steady and not worry about today's round. Tomorrow is a new day and I'll just continue my strong play the rest of the week.

Diving: China's He completes hat-trick of world 3m titles

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BARCELONA (AFP) - China's defending champion He Chong won the men's 3m springboard world title for the third time in succession on Friday to claim his second gold in three days.He, 26, won with a score of 544.95 points from Russia's Evgeny Kuznetsov's 508.00 and Mexico's Yahell Castillo, who tallied 498.30.Having won men's 3m synchronised gold on Tuesday with partner Qin Kai, who finished fifth on Friday, this was He's fifth gold medal at a world championships.It brought China's tally to seven golds from eight diving events in Barcelona with two more events to come.It was a hard final, but I am happy with my performance, said He.The other athletes also prepared themselves very well and I sincerely congratulate all the medallists.He said he didn't feel under pressure in the event after Chinese divers failed to win the men's 3m Olympic title in London last year.We don't need to prove anything. Everyone knows the strength of our team and its capacity, said He, who finished with bronze in London and Qin took silver.If one fails, we keep on training, and we move forward. Nobody can be on the top all the time.We just need to grow-up, eliminate our mistakes and positively face the future.I perform some of the most difficult dives in the world, so I constantly need to evaluate my performances.But he admitted it was strange standing on the podium without 27-year-old Qin.An outdoor competition always brings more challenges -- there is the sun, the wind, said He.Sometimes, the rankings may change, and I feel some pity for Qin, but during competition I only focus on my dives.Olympic champion Ilya Zakharov failed to qualify for the final after the 22-year-old Russian struggled in Thursday's preliminary round, then missed out on one of the 12 places in the final.Zakharov caused a shock at the 2012 Olympics by winning the 3m crown ahead of Qin and He, who between them had won the three preceding world titles.

Oil falls, has 1st weekly decline since mid-June

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NEW YORK (AP) - The oil market cooled off this week following some lofty gains.West Texas Intermediate, the benchmark for U.S. crude, fell 79 cents to close at $104.70 a barrel Friday in New York. For the week, the price of oil fell $3.35, or 3.1 percent, the first weekly decline since mid-June.China, a major energy consumer, played a big role in this week's decline in the price of crude. Traders were concerned over the country's decision to press ahead with painful economic restructuring and forgo another round of stimulus even though growth has slowed.Oil is still up $11, or 12 percent, since June 21, when it fell to $93.69 a barrel. It broke above $100 on July 3 for the first time since May 2012 and peaked at slightly more than $109 on July 19. The rise was mostly due to falling U.S. crude stockpiles and increased interest from financial investors.Brent, the benchmark for international crudes, fell 48 cents to $107.17 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 56 runs in 3rd ODI

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PALLEKELE (AFP) - David Miller and Lonwabo Tsotsobe played key roles as South Africa stunned hosts Sri Lanka by 56 runs in the third one-dayer in Pallekele on Friday to stay afloat in the five-match series.Miller plundered a robust 85 not out off 72 balls to steer South Africa to 223-7 after unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis had reduced the tourists to 154-7 in the 42nd over.Tsotsobe then ripped through Sri Lankas top order with three wickets in the space of six runs before finishing with 4-22 as the hosts were bundled out for 167 in the day-night game.The victory ended South Africas 11-match losing streak in one-day cricket on Sri Lankan soil and gave AB de Villiers tourists a badly-needed win in the current series.With Sri Lanka 2-1 ahead, South Africa must also win the fourth match at the same venue on Sunday to take the series into the decider in Colombo next Wednesday.Thisara Perera lit up the gloomy evening for the hosts by smashing five sixes and a boundary in the 33rd over sent down by left-arm spinner Robin Peterson.With the second ball declared a wide, the 35 runs taken in the over fell just one run short of the world record of six sixes hit by South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs off Dutch bowler Daan van Bunge during the 2007 World Cup.Pereras run sequence in the over was six, a wide, six, six, six, four and a six, but his sensational hitting came too late for the hosts to deliver an unlikely win.Its hard to explain how proud I am of the boys, de Villiers said. It was not easy and we were under pressure through the game.It was a really good performance. But we did not have enough partnerships going.Left-handed Perera made 65 off 49 balls with five sixes and as many boundaries, before he was caught in the deep off Farhaan Behardien, who finished with three for 19.Sri Lanka paid the penalty for a shoddy batting display in which six batsmen failed to reach double figures and only two others entered their 20s.Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews, returning to the side after serving a two-match suspension due to his teams slow over-rates in the tri-series in the West Indies, paid rich tributes to Perera.He is turning out to be a good all-rounder, said Mathews. The pitch was not easy to bat on, but it looked as if Thisara was batting on a different wicket.With Thisara playing so well, I should probably have stayed there with him. We need to get everything together on Sunday.Earlier, Miller hit five sixes and four boundaries to boost the total from 100-5 after South Africa had won the toss and elected to take first strike.Skipper de Villiers led the recovery with 47, before left-handed Miller pushed the scoring with his fifth one-day half-century, the first by a South African in the series.Miller put on 69 for the eighth wicket with Ryan McLaren, who remained unbeaten on 14.

South Africa's Peterson concedes 35 runs in an over

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PALLEKELE (AFP) - South African spinner Robin Peterson bowled the second most expensive over in one-day cricket when he conceded 35 runs against Sri Lanka on Friday.Left-hander Thisara Perera hit five sixes and a boundary in the 33rd over sent down by Peterson in the third one-day international in Pallekele.With the second ball declared a wide, the 35 runs taken in the over fell just one run short of the world record of six sixes hit by South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs off Dutch bowler D. van Bunge during the 2007 World Cup.Pereras run sequence in the over was six, a wide, six, six, six, four and a six.

Wade wastes chance to boost third Test bid

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LONDON (AFP) - Matthew Wade wasted a chance to underline his claims for a place in Australias team for next weeks third Ashes Test after falling for a duck on the first day of the tour match against Sussex at Hove.Reserve wicketkeeper Wade, playing his first game for a month, had hoped to force his way into the Test team as a specialist batsman.But the 25-year-old lasted just six balls before being held at backward point in the first over after tea aiming a forcing shot off the back foot at Monty Panesar.While Wade flopped, Steve Smith, one of several batsmen under pressure after making just three runs in Australias heavy defeat at Lords, produced the standout performance with an unbeaten 98.Ed Cowan added 66 and Phil Hughes made 84 in an opening stand of 150 as Australia, who trail 2-0 against England in the five-Test series, ended the first day on 354 for five after winning the toss.Smith and all-rounder James Faulkner put on 131 in 28 overs for the fifth wicket after Australia had failed to build on the platform provided by Cowan and Hughes when they lost four wickets for 68 runs in 27 overs.Faulkner became Panesars third victim in the penultimate over when he was bowled hitting across the line and although Smith hit the first ball of the last over for his 15th boundary, he still needs two runs to complete what would be only the third hundred on the tour so far by an Australian.Earlier, Cowan and Hughes batted throughout the morning session, although Hughes was badly dropped on 22 by Sussex skipper Chris Nash at second slip off Chris Jordan.Cowan, acting captain in the absence of Michael Clarke, was dismissed when he tried to work a ball from Lewis Hatchett off his hips and was well caught by James Taylor, the Nottinghamshire batsman playing for Sussex as a guest at the request of the England selectors, who were keen to see him in action in case Kevin Pietersen doesnt recover from injury in time for Old Trafford.Hatchett looked Sussexs most threatening seamer and he struck again in the 42nd over when Hughes was caught behind, drawn into playing at a ball that held its line outside off stump.Hughes, whose innings included 14 fours, looks to have cemented his place at Old Trafford despite scoring only two runs in his last three Test innings.

Toxic liquor claims seven lives in Faisalabad

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FAISALABAD: At least seven people have died after drinking poisonous liquor. Most victims of poisonous liquor belonged to D-Type Colony of Barkatpura area of Warispura Town of Faisalabad.Three more victims of poisonous liquor are in a very serious condition in hospital’s ICU unit, informed the police.The police officials have formed a committee to probe into the incident but no accused has been taken into custody for involvement in sale of that poisonous liquor to the victims.
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