Wednesday 11 September 2013

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Golf: Rested Woods ready for BMW Championship

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CHICAGO (AFP) - Tiger Woods used a week off to strengthen his sore back and he says he's ready to make a run at US PGA Tour playoff points leader Henrik Stenson.Stenson roared past Woods to the top of the table by winning the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston two weeks ago.The 37-year-old Swede will be trying to maintain that position at the $8 million BMW Championship, starting Thursday at Conway Farms Golf Club.Woods, who remains world number one, will aim to finish the season on top, especially after the week off between tournaments.That was nice, it was nice to have that week of treatment, strengthening, so that was all good, and practicing towards the end of the week, Woods said after he carded a bogey-free 68 in the pro-am on Wednesday.Conway Farms is hosting a US PGA Tour event for the first time, but has hosted two US Golf Association championships.Woods, whose wins in the Chicago area include two PGA Championship titles at Medinah and five US Tour wins at Cog Hill, says he likes playing in front of Windy City sports fans.It's a great sporting town, Woods said. They come out and support their events. This will be a fun crowd.But things will be serious inside the ropes with the remaining 70 playoff contenders narrowing down to 30 by the end of the tournament, with those players advancing to the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta.The playoff points will be re-set prior to the season finale so that everyone in the field has a mathematical chance of claiming the $10 million FedEx Cup playoff bonus.Only the top five in the standings will go to Atlanta knowing that a victory will earn them the prize.Stenson, whose current world number six ranking is just two spots lower than the career-high he reached in 2009, has been tremendously consistent of late.I'm excited about these two weeks and I'm obviously going to try my hardest to try and keep the boys behind me, he said.Stenson, Woods and Masters champion Adam Scott, lead the standings and will play together in the first two rounds. They are virtually guaranteed to remain in the top five in the standings going into the Tour Championship.Woods gained his strong position in the standings with five tour titles this year, while Scott won the first playoff event, The Barclays, last month.At fourth and fifth in the standings, American Matt Kuchar and Canadian Graham DeLaet, could be vulnerable. Kuchar said his task this week is simple: Stay inside the top five come Tour Championship and have a chance to win the FedEx Cup.Several big names, however, need a good week just to ensure they advance, with defending BMW champion Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald among them.McIlroy lifted the trophy last year at Crooked Stick, but goes into his title defence 41st on the playoff points list after a season in which he has missed several cuts and struggled for form.

Formula One: Raikkonen joins Ferrari for 2014

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PARIS (AFP) - Kimi Raikkonen will partner Fernando Alonso at Ferrari starting next season after agreeing a two-year deal, the Italian team confirmed on Wednesday.Scuderia Ferrari announces that it has reached an agreement with Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn will join Fernando Alonso in the driver line-up for the next two racing seasons, read a statement on ferrari.com.For Raikkonen it marks a return to Ferrari, with whom he won the world championship in 2007, after the Finn rejoined Formula One in 2012 with Lotus following a two-year absence. I am really happy to be returning to Maranello where I previously spent three fantastic and very successful years, said Raikkonen.Raikkonen will replace Felipe Massa, who is leaving Ferrari at the end of the current season.

Mollema wins 17th Vuelta stage, Nibali keeps lead

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BURGOS (AP) - Dutch rider Bauke Mollema won the 17th stage of the Spanish Vuelta in a sprint finish on Wednesday, while Vincenzo Nibali retained his overall lead.Mollema, a 26-year-old Belkin-Pro rider, finished the 189-kilometer (117-mile) route from Calahorra to Burgos in 4 hours, 44 minutes, 28 seconds, just ahead of Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen, who finished in the same time.Lampre-Merida rider Maximiliano Ariel Richeze of Argentina was third in the same time.Italy's Nibali maintains a 28-second lead over second-place Christopher Horner of the United States who rides for Radioshack-Leopard.I am really happy, I was just thinking, 'this is my chance,' because I was up front with a small group of riders, Mollema said.As riders began to approach Burgos, Nibali's teammate Diego Ulissi began an early charge away from the pack. But the riders soon bunched up, trying to place themselves tactically for the final sprint.Paul Voss of Germany, riding for Netapp-Endura, broke away but was shadowed by Mollema, who then burst forward and maintained his sprint to the line.The speed dropped a bit and I decided I wanted to attack then and saw there was one guy from the Netapp-Endura team, Mollema said. So I went behind him and then really kicked off and kept it up to the very end.On Thursday the riders tackle a grueling 186.5 kilometer (116 mile) mountain stage from Burgos to Pena Cabarga which includes three category 3 climbs, one category 2 peak and a category 1 ascent to the finish.

Oil posts slight gain as market watches Syria

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NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. benchmark oil for October delivery rose 17 cents to close at $107.56 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.Oil got a lift from the latest government supply data. The Energy Department said the nation's supply of oil fell by 200,000 barrels last week. But supplies in Cushing, Oklahoma, site of the biggest U.S. storage hub, fell an even greater 700,000 barrels.The slight gain followed losses Monday and Tuesday that totaled $3.14 a barrel, the result of diplomatic efforts to avoid a U.S. strike against Syria.In a televised speech to the nation late Tuesday, President Barack Obama said he wanted to give Syria a chance to turn over its chemical weapons before he asks Congress for consent to intervene in the country's civil war.Oil prices have been at elevated levels for two weeks following Obama's call for action against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad in retaliation for what the White House says was a deadly chemical weapons attack against civilians last month.Syria is not a major oil producer, but oil traders say the possibility of a wider conflict could interrupt production and shipping routes in the Middle East and cause prices to rise.Brent, the benchmark for international crudes, rose 25 cents to $111.50 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Dollar falls again on reduced Syria worries

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NEW YORK CITY (AFP) - The dollar Wednesday continued to retreat against most major currencies as the improved chances of Syria diplomacy reduced the greenback's appeal as a safe-haven currency.Near 2200 GMT Wednesday, the euro traded at $1.3314, up from $1.3267 Tuesday.The dollar fell to 99.92 yen from 100.43 yen.The euro bought 133.03 yen, down from 133.24 yen.The dollar has fallen in recent days as the US and other Syria critics have signalled their consideration of a Russian plan to place Syria's chemical weapons under international oversight. President Obama cited the Russia plan in a televised address to the US Tuesday night, even as he argued that a military strike still might be needed.As the prospects for the Russia-led deal have risen and pushed lower the chance of a US military strike, the market has demonstrated greater appetite for the euro and other so-called risk currencies at the expense of the dollar, analysts said. Traders are also gearing up for next week's meeting of a key US Federal Reserve monetary policy committee, which could scale back the Fed's $85 billion-a-month bond-buying program.Recent dollar weakness has suggested investors view an aggressive taper as less likely in like of a weak US jobs report for August.Currency players will keep one eye on the developments with Syria and the other on the Fed's coming meeting on Sept. 17-18, said Joe Manimbo, senior market analyst for Western Union Business Solutions. Uncertainty over both Syria and the outcome of the Fed meeting may keep the dollar and major currencies on a leash.Some analysts predicted the British pound could see further strength in the days and weeks ahead after Britain's unemployment rate fell unexpectedly in July to the lowest level since late 2012.The pound rose to $1.5826 Wednesday from $1.5731.The dollar dipped to 0.9306 Swiss francs from 0.9346.

New meningitis vaccine slashes cases by 94 percent

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PARIS (AFP) - A new vaccine being rolled out in the meningitis belt that stretches across north-central Africa has reduced cases of the potentially fatal disease by 94 percent, doctors reported on Thursday in The Lancet.Researchers monitored the spread of type A meningococcal disease in Chad after the new vaccine, MenAfriVac, had been approved by world health watchdogs in 2010.Three regions of Chad where around 1.8 million people had been vaccinated by December 2011 were compared with the rest of the country where the vaccine had yet to be introduced.In the vaccinated regions, around 2.5 cases of meningitis of any kind, and none of meningitis A, were recorded per 100,000 people, compared to more than 43 cases per 100,000 in the unvaccinated areas, a fall in incidence of 94 percent.The risk of transmitting the germ was reduced by 98 percent among those who had been vaccinated, according to throat swabs and other evidence.This is an extremely encouraging signal for those countries that have yet to introduce the vaccine, said Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele, director of the Department of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals at the World Health Organisation (WHO).We are not even halfway done with introducing this revolutionary new vaccine across the meningitis belt of Africa, yet we already have extraordinary results.Meningitis causes an inflammation of the membranes that protect the spine and brain. It can cause deafness or paralysis and can be life-threatening.Several species of bacteria can cause the disease, but the most prevalent strain is called serogroup A.Around 450 million people are at risk from meningitis A in a band of 21 countries stretching from Senegal to Ethiopia.MenAfriVac, developed under a public-private partnership, is being rolled out across the belt to people aged one to 29.So far more than 100 million people have been vaccinated.An outbreak in 14 African countries in 2009 caused more than 88,000 suspected cases and at least 5,000 suspected deaths.

3rd ODI between Australia, England abandoned

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BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) - The third one-day international between England and Australia was abandoned as a no result on Wednesday, with only 15.1 overs possible because of rain.England was 59-3 after being put into bat when the teams were taken off because of light rain. Play was abandoned for the day 3 ½ hours later.Australia stayed 1-0 up in the five-match series, courtesy of its win in the second ODI in Manchester on Sunday. The first match was washed out at Headingly on Friday.The tourists were on top before the rain arrived, with Michael Carberry (1) run out on the final ball of the first over after a mix-up with Kevin Pietersen (6), who then miscued a pull to square leg off Mitchell Johnson.Joe Root was out for 12.

Arsenic filters into over-pumped drinking water

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PARIS (AFP) - Arsenic has infiltrated an aquifer that provides water for the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, scientists said Wednesday, warning that the phenomenon could also occur elsewhere.Massive over-pumping of the aquifer caused the problem, but the threat is advancing slowly and Hanoi has ample time to deal with it, they said.The experts said the phenomenon was a threat in other locations where naturally occurring arsenic lies dangerously close to over-exploited groundwater.This is the first time weve been able to show that a previously clean aquifer has been contaminated, said Alexander van Geen, a professor of geochemistry at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University in New York.The amount of water being pumped really dominates the system. Arsenic is moving, he said.The research, published in the journal Nature, entailed extensive tests around the village of Van Phuc, located on the Red River 10 kilometres (six miles) southeast of Hanoi.Hydrologists sought to explain why local levels of arsenic, drawn from private wells around 40 metres (130 feet) deep, were so high.On the western side of the village, the wells typically had less than 10 microgrammes of arsenic per litre (1.8 pints) of water, well under the World Health Organisation (WHO) threshold, they found.But on the eastern side, arsenic concentrations were between 10 and 50 times higher.The probe noted that there were two adjacent aquifers at Van Phuc.One, lying in relatively recent sediment deposited around 5,000 years ago during the early Holocene era, has high levels of arsenic.It lies uphill from a safe aquifer, whose sediment is far older, laid down more than 12,000 years ago during the Pleistocene era.Massive pumping of the safe aquifer to feed the Vietnamese capitals surging demands have caused its levels to drop.As a result, water is flowing into it from the contaminated aquifer and the nearby Red River.Using dating techniques based on levels of helium and hydrogen isotopes in samples, the team found that over the last 40 to 60 years, water from the contaminated aquifer has advanced by around 2,000 metres (a mile) into other areas.But its invasion of the safe aquifer is between 16 and 20 times slower.The delay may be explained by the local hydrology: a chemical reaction between the intruding water and the aquifers sediment could be curbing the advance.So far, arsenic contamination has advanced by around 120 metres (370 feet) into the safe aquifer.It is not moving as fast as we had feared it might, Van Geen said.There is no health risk for water users in Hanoi because the water is filtered, and the city may have years, or even decades, to fix the problem, the scientists said.A bigger risk, though is for people who draw water directly from tainted wells.Co-author Pham Thi Kim Trang of Hanoi Universitys Centre for Environmental Technology and Sustainable Development said efforts were under way to drill deeper wells for people at Van Phuc and install a filtering station.However, if people in the city keep drawing more water, the arsenic problem will become more serious, she said in a press release, noting that the expansion of the expansion of the city suburbs was prompting many people to connect to private wells with untreated water.Between 2000 and 2010, Hanois water use nearly doubled, from around half a million to nearly one million cubic metres (19.4 million to 31.7 million cubic feet) of water per day, according to the teams estimates.Pollution from naturally occurring arsenic is a known problem in many parts of the world, but it especially affects southern and Southeast Asia, where vast amounts of sediment containing arsenic have eroded off the Tibetan plateau over millions of years.By some estimates, around 100 million people, most of them in Bangladesh, are chronically exposed to levels of arsenic that can cause heart, liver and kidney disease as well as cancer.

Iraq: 25 killed in mosque bombing

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - A bombing against a Shiite mosque as worshippers were streaming out was the deadliest of attacks across Iraq that left 25 dead on Wednesday, part of a surge in violence.Authorities have sought to tackle the countrys worst bloodshed since 2008 with a variety of measures ranging from massive security operations targeting militants to implementing tight restrictions on vehicle movement in the capital in a bid to stemming the number of car bombs.But attacks have continued to hit much of the country, with more than 4,000 people killed in violence already this year.The worst of Wednesdays violence struck the confessionally mixed north Baghdad neighbourhood of Waziriyah, where a bombing went off at a mosque at around 6:40 pm (1540 GMT) as worshippers were exiting following evening prayers.At least 18 people were killed and 48 others were wounded, an interior ministry official and a medical source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack against the Tamimi mosque, a Shiite Muslim place of worship, but Sunni militants linked to Al-Qaeda frequently set off attacks against Iraqs Shiite majority, who they regard as apostates.Violence elsewhere in the country left seven people killed, including four in the restive northern province of Nineveh.In three separate attacks in the province, which remains one of Iraqs least stable, gunmen killed three people, among them a school principal who was shot dead at his house.And in provincial capital Mosul, a magnetic sticky bomb attached to a car killed another person.Another sticky bomb killed one person in south Baghdad, and another died in a roadside bombing in a town on the capitals southern outskirts, while a gunman on a motorcycle killed a Sunni imam near the southern port city of Basra.The surge in bloodshed has sparked concerns that Iraq is slipping back into the all-out sectarian war that plagued it in 2006 and 2007 and left tens of thousands dead.Officials have vowed to press on with a campaign targeting militants they say has led to the capture of hundreds of fighters and the killing of dozens more, as well as the dismantling of militant training camps and bomb-making sites.But the government has faced criticism for not doing more to defuse anger in the Sunni Arab community over alleged ill-treatment at the hands of the Shiite-led authorities, which analysts and diplomats say militant groups exploit on the ground to recruit and carry out attacks.This month, an Al-Qaeda front group claimed responsibility for a spate of car bombs in Baghdad that targeted Shiite neighbourhoods and left 50 dead, and have explicitly said attacks have been carried out in retribution for operations targeting Sunnis and executions of convicted militants.

EU to end mobile phone roaming charges

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - The European Commission adopted controversial telecom sector reforms Wednesday which it said would create a fully connected Europe and include an end to hugely unpopular mobile phone roaming charges.Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso told the European Parliament it was vital there be a real single market in telecoms to ensure the EU is not left behind.This proposal will lower prices for consumers, Europe will be more and more digital ... and give new opportunities to consumers, Barroso said.Isnt it a paradox that we have an internal market for goods but when it comes to digital we still have 28 national markets, he said.Reform of the telecoms industry to break down national barriers is key for competitiveness and employment (and) lays foundations for prosperity for years to come, he added.The headline proposal is to end roaming charges -- the extra paid by customers who use their mobile phones or portable devices while abroad -- for incoming calls from July 2014.Companies should offer roam like at home packages to cover the full EU or allow customers to subscribe to separate roaming service providers without changing their original SIM card, a Commission statement said.EU Digital Agenda Commissioner Nellie Kroes has cut roaming charges and aims to end them completely but operators say they are crucial for profits and so help fund the huge investments which Brussels wants.In order to create a single telecoms market, the EUs executive arm envisaged a one-stop regulator to clear companies to operate in all 28 member states, replacing separate national approvals.International call premiums will be banned, with the price of an intra-EU, fixed-line call capped at the cost of a long-distance connection in the country where it originates.For mobile intra-EU calls, the charge must not exceed 0.19 cents per minute, the Commission said.Companies will be able to set tariffs so as to recoup objectively justified investment costs but arbitrary profits from intra-EU calls would disappear.The Commission also backed net neutrality -- the principle that the Internet should be an open system -- with companies barred from deals, for example on higher data transmission speeds, which could in practice restrict access by their rivals.Companies can offer specialist, higher cost services such as video-on-demand or high-definition medical imaging but they must not hinder access to the network to the disadvantage of others.Connectivity will be improved by better coordination of access to frequencies, controlled by governments, so as to better develop next generation 4G services.4G operates five times faster than the current 3G network and allows users to download large e-mail attachments quickly, watch live television without buffering, make high-quality video calls and play live games on the go.It is seen as the next essential step in the telecommunications revolution and Kroes has repeatedly lambasted EU countries for lagging behind.Among other proposals, the Commission wants to see improved customer rights across the EU and increased certainty for investors.The plans have proved controversial and last-minute wrangling over the details delayed the announcement to late Wednesday.An EU source said the delay was largely due to the complexity of the issues involved in an ambitious package.The package now goes to Parliament and EU leaders for approval.

German court orders Muslim girl to join swim class

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BERLIN (AP) - A court in Germany has ruled that a Muslim girl cannot be excused from mixed-sex swimming lessons on the grounds of religious belief.The 13-year-old girl from Frankfurt had argued that the sight of bare-chested male pupils breached her religious modesty.She also claimed that accepting the schools offer that she herself could wear a full-body burkini swimsuit in the pool would expose her to discrimination among her peers.But Germanys Federal Administrative Court ruled Wednesday that it was reasonable to compromise between the girls religious freedom and the states duty to educate its citizens.The dpa news agency reported that the unnamed girls father said before the verdict that he would accept the ruling.About 5 percent of Germanys population of 80 million is Muslim.

US marks anniversary of 9/11 attacks

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NEW YORK (AP) - Families of the victims of the worst terror attack on the United States in history gathered Wednesday to mark their 12th anniversary with a moment of silence and the reading of names.The Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York City and Washington killed almost 3,000 people, led to a long war in Afghanistan and created an expansion of government surveillance powers that continues to be debated today.At a ceremony near Wall Street in New York, people paused at 8:46 a.m. to mark the time when the first of two hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center. The twin towers later collapsed.President Barack Obama also marked a moment of silence at the White House and was attending a ceremony in Washington at the Pentagon, which was struck by another hijacked plane.The attacks on a clear, beautiful morning as commuters arrived at work shook the countrys sense of security and of itself.Twelve years is like 15 minutes, said Clyde Frazier, whose son Clyde died in the attack and whose remains were never found. Time stands still because you love your child, you love your son. ... Nothing changes except hes not here.Obama on Wednesday made no direct mention of the crisis in Syria, but he vowed to defend our nation against the threats that endure.Let us have the wisdom to know that while force is sometimes necessary, force alone cannot build the world we seek, Obama said during a ceremony at the Pentagon.The president also paid tribute to the four Americans killed one year ago in an attack on a U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, asking the country to pray for those who serve in dangerous posts even after more than a decade of war.In New York, continuing a decision made last year, no politicians were making speeches.Around the world, thousands of volunteers have pledged to do good deeds, honoring an anniversary that was designated a National Day of Service and Remembrance in 2009.

Afghanistan stuns India 2-0 to win SAFF title

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KATHMANDU (AFP) - Revenge-seeking Afghanistan broke Indias stranglehold on the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) title with an impressive 2-0 win over the two-time defending champions in Kathmandu on Wednesday.The sturdy Afghans never looked back after Mustafa Azadzoy put them ahead in the ninth minute of the fast-paced final, with Sandjar Ahmadi extending the lead in the 62nd minute.An estimated 5,000 fans at Dasarath Rangasala Stadium in the Nepalese capital were treated to attacking football in a repeat of the previous final in 2011 in New Delhi between the same teams.The Afghans had publicly spoken about their intention to seek revenge for the humiliating 4-0 loss to India in that final, which they blamed on poor supervision by the referee.Mission accomplished, the Afghan squad led by coach Yousef Kargar danced on the field with their nations flag held aloft, before doing a lap of honour in front of an appreciative crowd.You cant imagine how big this moment is for our country, our fans, our team and me, Kargar said. This was an important game for us, and not just because we wanted to take revenge.We have proved that we belong in the world of football. Our team has improved a lot over the last few years and I am sure we will get better in the years to come.Afghanistan, ranked 139th in the world as compared to Indias 145th, were rewarded for an early assault on the Indian goal when Azadzoy scored following a swift move from the right flank.India responded with quick strikes of their own through Robin Singh and the Japanese-born Arata Izumi, both of which were thwarted by Afghan goalkeeper Mansur Faqiryar.A surprise move by Indias Dutch coach Wim Koevermans to bench star striker Sunil Chettri till the 60th minute cost the defending champions dearly as several chances went begging.Afghanistan took advantage of their fumbling rivals as Ahmadi made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute, chipping the ball out of the reach of the outstretched Indian goalkeeper Subrata Paul.Koevermans rued the lack of missed opportunities by his players, who, he said, had a good tournament despite the loss in the final.I am proud of my players because they played really good, the Dutchman said. We actually dominated the whole game and created a lot of chances, but unfortunately could not score.Afghanistan is a vastly improved side and has some quality players. But we too are not lagging behind in any way. We will come back strongly.It was Afghanistans maiden victory in the SAFF tournament, while India has won the event six times, including the last two in 2009 and 2011.Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives and hosts Nepal were the other teams in the tournament, regarded as the symbol of football supremacy in South Asia.

US man held in Iran writes letter to Kerry

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DETROIT (AP) A former US Marine held in Iran for two years said in a letter to the US secretary of state that he has endured miserable prison conditions and believes Tehran is holding him hostage for use in a possible prisoner exchange.Amir Hekmatis letter, handwritten and dated Sept. 1, was addressed to John Kerry and first published Wednesday by Britains Guardian newspaper.Hekmati has been detained in Iran on what the US says are false espionage charges since his 2011 arrest. Iran accused him of being a CIA spy, then tried, convicted and sentenced him to death. Irans Supreme Court ordered a retrial last year, but he remains imprisoned.Hekmatis family says he traveled to Iran to visit his grandmothers.Hekmati, 30, wrote that he has been held on false charges based solely on confessions obtained by force, threats, miserable prison conditions and prolonged periods of solitary confinement.This is part of a propaganda and hostage-taking effort by Iranian intelligence to secure the release of Iranians abroad being held on security-related charges, he wrote in the letter that the Guardian said was smuggled from the prison.Family spokesman Greg Romano told The Associated Press that Hekmatis sister, Sarah Hekmati, authenticated the letter, confirming that the handwriting is her brothers, as is the letters tone. Romano provided the AP with a copy of the letter.The letter says that while Hekmati and his family have suffered greatly, he will accept nothing but an unconditional release.The AP sent an email seeking comment from the State Department on Wednesday.The State Department last month repeated its call for Tehran to release Hekmati and two other Americans. It said the U.S. requested assistance from new President Hasan Rouhani viewed as more moderate than his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.Its time for Amir to be released. Its time for him to come home to Michigan, to his family. My brother has committed no crime, Sarah Hekmati said in a written statement. More than two years in detention, much of which was spent in solitary confinement, is far too long. He has never been a spy for any country or entity or person. They have punished him enough. We hope Irans new President Rouhani and his new government recognize this point.Hekmati was born in the US and carries US and Iranian passports.

Belgium communities at odds over Chinese pandas

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - Rival Dutch- and French-speaking communities in Belgium are at each others throats again -- this time over the loan of two giant pandas by China to the linguistically divided nation.The pandas of discord, screamed the daily Le Soir on Wednesday.Pandas, a question of national interest, said La Libre Belgique as the country worried over the long-negotiated and now contentious deal.The problem is that the rare bears, a reliable draw for visitors, are to be housed in a zoo in French-speaking southern Wallonia, not far from the city of Mons whose last mayor is none other than Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo.And Belgiums oldest and most well-known zoo, located in the heart of the port city of Antwerp in northern Flanders, is indignant to have lost out to the Pairi Daiza animal park set up a couple of decades ago.We should have been able to count on the support of the prime minister, said Ilse Segers, spokeswoman for the Antwerp Zoo set up in 1843.We had a panda couple in the late 1980s and we have the necessary infrastructure.The Antwerp Zoos indignation turned highly political after a member of the powerful Flemish separatist N-VA party, Zuhal Demir, accused Di Rupo of favouritism to get the animals into the rival park on his side of the language divide.The bow-tied French-speaking leader of federal Belgium -- made up of Dutch-, French- and German-language regions -- was promised the pandas Wednesday by Premier Li Keqiang while on a visit to China.The arrival of these two pandas is an honour for Belgium and underlines the trust between our two nations, Di Rupo told the Belga news agency.Also in China but on a separate tour, the premier of Flanders Kris Peeters said he would contact Di Rupo and ask for an explanation.The row front-paged the national press and headlined TV and radio news bulletins.But as shares in the privately-owned southern Pairi Daizi animal park climbed several points, the prime ministers office brushed aside the criticism.It said that Antwerp Zoo, unlike its rival, had failed to file an offer to house the pandas, which will be on loan for 15 years.Newspapers pointed out that the Antwerp Zoo, which sits in the centre of the city just by its main railway station, likely had less room on offer for the giant bears.Pairi Daiza said it had already begun work on building an ultra-modern installation in its Chinese garden that has perfectly integrated a Sichuan country setting.China, which, as usual with its loaned pandas, will send a special team to look after the two four-year-old bears, demands that zoos observe a series of highly demanding conditions.A French zoo loaned a couple in 2012 invested five million euros to install air conditioning and other features demanded by the Chinese authorities. Only 16 zoos currently have giant pandas.
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