Sunday 24 November 2013

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

35 PTI workers booked for torturing containers drivers

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PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – According to initial reports, the case has been registered under Sections 141, 148, 149 and 341 PPC on orders of IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the Pishta Khara Police Station.Police parties are conducting raids to arrest the culprits.Some 100 PTI protesters on Sunday checked the documents of truck drivers, headed toward Afghanistan, as they passed through a toll booth and also tortured some truck drivers.

PTIs sit-in to block NATO supply resumes today

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PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and its allied parties will resume sit-ins in five districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to block NATO supply today (Monday).On Sunday morning The PTI workers blocked NATO containers in five districts including Peshawar’s Ring Road, Khairabad, , Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and Charsadda interchangeClose to 100 protesters on the outskirts of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, checked the documents of truck drivers headed toward Afghanistan as they passed through a toll booth. They shouted at the drivers, and pulled one man, Gul Zaman, out of his truck when he told them that he was carrying commercial goods to Afghanistan, not NATO supplies.Without waiting for me to take my documents out of the glove compartment, they dragged me out, Zaman said. We are also concerned about drone attacks, but they shouldnt come down heavy on us like this.Police were present at the scene but did not intervene to stop the protesters, some of whom were carrying wooden batons.Khan, whose Tehreek-e-Insaf party controls the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government, has been a vocal critic of drone attacks. He and other officials say the strikes are a violation of the countrys sovereignty, although the federal government is known to have secretly supported some of the attacks in the past.Khan led thousands of supporters in a protest near Peshawar on Saturday in which they blocked a road that led to one of two border crossings used by trucks carrying NATO supplies in and out of Afghanistan. The other crossing is in southwest Baluchistan province. The demonstration had more symbolic value than practical impact because there is normally very little NATO supply traffic on the weekend.

2 gang war accused killed in encounter with Rangers

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Two gang war accused were killed in an encounter with Rangers in Lyari. The deceased were identified as Ijaz and Dilshad.According to law enforcement agencies, deceased Ijaz was wanted in more than 90 cases of murder. An SMG rifle and a pistol were also recovered from their possession.On the other hand, a man was killed in firing incident in Liaquatabad area.Meanwhile, Rangers and police rounded up 44 suspects during a joint operation in Frontier Colony of Pirabad area.In a separate incident, a dacoit was killed in a police encounter. According to SSP South, Nasir Iqbal, mobile phone and other stolen goods were recovered from the deceased.Police also arrested two accused in a separate raid in Awami Colony and recovered a rifle, repeater and a pistol from their possession.

Karachi: CNG stations to remain closed for 3 days in a week

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - According to Sui Southern Gas Company schedule, the CNG stations in Sindh will remain closed November 15 (Monday), November 27 (Wednesday) and November 29 (Friday).According to a spokesman of Sui Southern Gas Company, the decision has been taken due to shortage of supply of gas from different gas fields and low gas pressure due to winter season.

More than 160 killed as Syrian rebels try to siege

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BEIRUT (AP) - Heavy clashes between Syrian troops and rebels trying to break a government siege in the suburbs of Damascus have killed at least 160 fighters over two days, activists said Sunday.Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad have laid siege for months to rebel strongholds in the Ghouta area east of Damascus, preventing food, clean water, medicine and other supplies from entering in a bid to crush resistance.The tactic, which activists say has led to famine, has helped government troops capture a string of rebel-held areas over the past month on Damascus doorstep.The government push around the capital has coincided with gains by Assads forces around the northern city of Aleppo as well as a new offensive in the rugged Qalamoun region north of Damascus.The recent victories have shifted the momentum of the conflict in Assads favor and given the Syrian leader greater leverage in proposed peace talks that the U.S. and Russia are trying to convene to end the civil war.The intense fighting in the eastern Ghouta area began on Friday when several rebel groups attacked government forces, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and an activist based in Qalamoun. The activist spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisals.There was no word on the battle from government media.Observatory director Rami Abdurrahman said the rebels were trying to open the road between Ghouta and the outside.He said more than 160 fighters were killed Friday and Saturday, including nearly 100 rebels, most of them from al-Qaida-linked groups, the Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.Among the more than 60 fighters killed on the government side were 20 gunmen from the Iraqi Shiite Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas brigade, he said.Abdurrahman bases his information on a network of activists on the ground, as well as employees of military hospitals who fill him in on army casualties.The death toll is unusually high for such a short period, testifying to the ferocity of the fighting.It also points to the increasingly sectarian nature of the conflict, with Sunni Muslim radicals bolstering rebel ranks and Shiite militants from Iraq and Lebanon fighting on the government side.Abdurrahman also said that at least two Syrian media activists were killed as they covered the clashes in eastern Ghouta.One of those was Ammar Tabajo, who provided information to many Western-based media outlets over the past three years, using the alias Mohammed Saeed. Abdurrahman and the Local Coordination Committees activist group confirmed Tabajo had been killed.Tabajo played an instrumental role, particularly in the early phases of the uprising, as a source of information for the media, and was a rare activist who appeared regularly on Arab TV stations. He was one of the first to report on the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack, going to makeshift clinics to observe the aftermath.

Obama, Netanyahu discuss Iran nuclear deal

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to discuss an international nuclear deal with Iran that has threatened to raise tensions between the close allies, the White House said.Just hours after the six world powers clinched the historic agreement with the Islamic republic, Netanyahu lashed out at what he called a historic mistake that left open Irans ability to develop a nuclear arsenal.But the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany -- known as the P51 -- involved in the talks hailed it as a key first step that for now warded off the prospect of military escalation.The two leaders reaffirmed their shared goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, deputy White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters aboard Air Force One As Obama headed to the US West Coast.Consistent with our commitment to consult closely with our Israeli friends, the president told the prime minister that he wants the United States and Israel to begin consultations immediately regarding our efforts to negotiate a comprehensive solution.Obama stressed that the P51 will seek to obtain a lasting, peaceful and comprehensive solution that would resolve the international communitys concerns regarding Irans nuclear program, according to Earnest.Israel and much of the West worry that Irans nuclear program serves as a guise for a weapons drive, while Tehran denies the claim and insists it is only for civilian purposes.Tehran has a long history of belligerent statements towards the Jewish state, notably under former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Israel has repeatedly warned that a nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat, refusing to rule out a preventative military strike on Irans atomic infrastructure.Earnest said Obama and Netanyahu agreed to keep in close contact over the deal.The president underscored that the United States will remain firm in our commitment to Israel, which has good reason to be skeptical about Irans intentions, he added.Secretary of State John Kerry has also defended the accord, saying the agreement would blunt the threat and ultimately make the Jewish state more secure.You cant always start where you want to wind up, he said.Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program for the next six months in exchange for limited sanctions relief, in a preliminary accord meant to lay the foundations for a comprehensive agreement later this year.The deal was reached in marathon talks in Geneva that ended Sunday before dawn after protracted negotiations between Iran and the P51.

Egypt's president issues law restricting protests

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CAIRO (AP) - Egypts interim president on Sunday banned public gatherings of more than 10 people without prior government approval, imposing hefty fines and prison terms for violators in a bid to stifle the near-constant protests roiling the country.The new law is more restrictive than regulations used under the rule of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, overthrown in Egypts 2011 uprising that marked the start of unrest in the country. Rights groups and activists immediately denounced it, saying it aims to stifle opposition, allow repressive police practices and keep security officials largely unaccountable for possible abuses.The law is giving a cover to justify repression by all means, said Bahy Eddin Hassan, head of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, one of the local groups that had campaigned against the law.The military-backed government first floated the law in October. Interim President Adly Mansour approved a slightly amended version Sunday, which removed a proposed ban on sit-ins and a draft portion criminalizing insulting the state.The law requires three-day prior notice for protests. It grants security agencies the right to bar any protests or public gatherings, including election-related meetings of political parties, if they deem it a threat to public safety or order. Protesters can appeal the decision, but the law doesnt force judges to rule ahead of scheduled protests.The new law also bars gatherings in places of worship, a regular meeting place for all protests in Egypt and one heavily used by Islamist groups. The law also says the police have the right following warnings to use force gradually, including the use of water cannons, tear gas and clubs.Rights groups say the law also gives police unrestricted use of birdshot to put down protests, omitting an article that prohibited the use of force in excess.Penalties in the law range from seven years in prison for using violence in a protest. It calls for one year in prison for covering the face in a country where many women wear full-face veils. It calls for a similar prison sentence for protesting in or around a place of worship.The law sets fines of $44,000 for being violent at a protest. It sets fines of $1,500 for protesting without a permit, a hefty sum in Egypt, where the minimum monthly salary for public employees has finally been raised to 1,200 Egyptian pounds ($175).The law comes 10 days after authorities lifted a three-monthlong emergency order that granted security forces sweeping powers. Rights groups and political forces campaigned heavily against the law.The law is labelled one that regulates protests rights, but in essence it is regulates the repression of the right to protest, Hassan said.Hassan said government officials and supportive media outlets promoted the law as means to halt protests by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, who was removed by the military in July. Morsis supporters hold near-daily protests that often turn violent, though the size of the demonstrations have dropped due to an intense security crackdown targeting Morsis Muslim Brotherhood.Shaima Awad, a member of the Muslim Brotherhoods political party, said protests would continue, calling the new law nonsense.How can I notify them three days before the protests and give the names of organizers? It would be like handing myself in, Award said. The lawunifies revolutionaries afresh. ... We can now all agree that the military authorities are trying to strangle any voice that says no. We wont accept and others wont accept that either.A similar law to regulate protests was hotly contested when Morsi was in office. It never passed.Gamal Eid, a civil rights lawyer, said Mansours approval of the law wasted a right that was seized through much bloodshed in the past three years.I would have imagined that as a temporary president he would have issued a law that grants rights instead of denies them, Eid said.Hassan said the protest law, along with a proposal allowing for civilians to be tried by military courts and other legislation aimed at combating terrorism, are all steps to reinforce the basis of the police state that was threatened after the January 2011 uprising.The law cant be viewed separately from what happens in other domains, he said. The worst is yet to come.

Afghan president delays signing US deal

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KABUL (AP) - President Hamid Karzai cast fresh doubt on the future presence of thousands of American and allied forces on Sunday by rejecting a recommendation by an Afghan assembly of dignitaries to quickly sign a long-delayed security pact with the United States.Although the mercurial leader did not fully spell out his reasons for deferring its signature until after the April 5 elections, the move was a slap in the face to U.S. officials who had repeatedly asked for a deal by the end of the year.The U.S. administration has insisted the deal be finalized by the end of next month, warning that planning for a post-2014 military presence may be jeopardized if it is not approved. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel both asked last week that it be signed by the end of the year.Failure to do so could be the final blow to the Bilateral Security Agreement, leaving the Americans without a legal basis to keep forces in the country for up to a decade to train and mentor Afghan troops who remain ill-prepared to face a persistent Taliban insurgency.The U.S. has said it will pull all its forces out of Afghanistan without it, as it did when Iraq failed to sign a similar agreement. Most of Americas allies have also said they will pull out their troops in without the deal, a withdrawal that could put at risk more than $8 billion a year pledged by the international community for Afghan security forces and the countrys development.After negotiators hammered out compromises on several issues, Karzai had called the 2,500 tribal elders and regional leaders to the capital to debate the draft deal in a consultative assembly known as a Loya Jirga.The four-day assembly had the option of asking for changes or rejecting the agreement. Instead Karzai added a new wrinkle by announcing on the opening day Thursday that he wanted delegates to endorse the deal but he would not sign it.He repeated that stance Sunday despite the panels recommendation that he sign before the end of 2013, laying down a series of ill-defined conditions and promising to continue negotiations with the U.S. in a rambling speech that lasted nearly an hour.We want security, peace and we want a proper election. You have asked me that I should sign it within a month. Do you think that peace will come within a month? he asked the assembly. I want an implementation period for peace to come, if peace wont come, this agreement will cause disaster to Afghanistan.He did not elaborate, but his spokesman Aimal Faizi said: Not before elections. He was clear enough.Normally, following the Loya Jirga, Karzai or his designee would have signed the document and then parliament would have ratified it. Then Karzai would have to again sign the agreement to make it law. It is now unclear if the deal will even go to parliament if the Afghan leader doesnt change his mind.The U.S. thanked the Loya Jirga for its endorsement but did not comment on Karzais remarks.We are studying President Karzais speech. We continue to believe that concluding the BSA as quickly as possible is to the benefit of both nations, U.S. Embassy spokesman Robert Hilton said.Karzais relations with the United States have been testy for years, and he often has said one thing only to do another.How long he will stay in that mood I dont know, but at the moment our understanding is that he will not go to sign it, said former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, who was the runner-up to Karzai in the disputed 2009 presidential election and is the current favorite for next years poll. He is a bit unpredictable.Analysts and politicians said Karzai could be trying to wring more concessions from the U.S. after a difficult process that led to compromises giving Washington legal jurisdiction over U.S. troops and conditionally allowing Americans to raid Afghan homes under extraordinary circumstances.Others speculated the two-term president could be trying to maintain political leverage and influence over the upcoming elections, which he is barred by the constitution from contesting.There is the possibility that the president is trying to pressure the United States to back one specific candidate that he wants to be the next president, said Abbas Nuyan, a former member of parliament and member of the Right and Justice party, which opposes Karzai.Karzais refusal to sign the agreement angered a number of politicians and delegates, including the chairman of the Loya Jirga who berated Karzai for not heeding the will of the assembly.You should sign it, you should sign it for this issue to be over, Karzais one-time mentor and former president Sibghatullah Mojaddedi said.In his speech, Karzai repeatedly stressed that the elections were a key date and hinted that he could lose the influence he needs to ensure they are not manipulated if the agreement is signed now.He has in the past accused the United States of interfering in the 2009 elections, which he almost lost. That election was so soiled that U.N.-backed fraud investigators threw out more than 1 million votes enough to force Karzai into a second-round vote. The rerun was later canceled when Abdullah dropped out. Karzai is not contesting the elections, but his brother is.We had our election, they defamed us in that election, they called us lots of bad names, Karzai told the Jirga.Karzai also seemed concerned about his legacy, worried he might be seen as responsible for an agreement that some Afghans will likely see as selling out to foreign interests.If I sign it and peace does not come who will be blamed for it by history? If I sign it today and tomorrow we dont have peace, who would be blamed by history. So that is why I am asking for guarantees, Karzai said.

Attacks kill 5 in Iraq, including journalist

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BAGHDAD (AP) - Authorities in Iraq say a series of bombings and shootings have killed five people, including a television journalist.Police say the deadliest attack happened Sunday night when a bomb exploded near an outdoor market in Baghdads northern district of Shaab, killing two people and wounding seven.Police say a bomb blast in downtown Baghdad killed one person. They also say gunmen carrying with pistols fitted with silencers stormed a small restaurant and killed the owner.In the northern city of Mosul, police say gunmen killed Alaa Idwar, a cameraman working for a local TV station, as he as he walked near his house.Medical officials confirmed the causality figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to journalists.

Vettel wins season-ending Brazilian GP

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SAO PAULO (AP) - Sebastian Vettel won Formula Ones season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, matching Michael Schumachers record of 13 victories in a year and equaling the nine consecutive wins of Alberto Ascari.Vettels Red Bull teammate Mark Webber was second in his final F1 race and Fernando Alonso of Ferrari was third.The win capped an impressive year by Vettel, who had already broken Schumachers 2004 mark of seven straight wins in a year at the United States GP last week. Schumachers 13 wins also came in 2004. Ascaris mark of nine straight victories was achieved in the 1952 and 53 seasons.I think it is very difficult for me to realize, probably now and in the next couple of weeks, what we have achieved again, and in particular this year at the end of the season, Vettel said. At the end of the day, as I see it now, its just a number. But hopefully one day, when Ive got less hair and (Im) chubby, then its probably something nice to look back.The 26-year-old Vettel clinched the title at the Indian GP, becoming the youngest driver to win four world championships.Im actually quite sad that this season comes to an end, Vettel said. The car has been phenomenal. It just kept getting better. Im extremely proud.Vettel, who had already wrapped up a fourth straight F1 title, was overtaken by Nico Rosberg of Mercedes at the start but regained the lead on the second lap and cruised to his second victory in Brazil, and 39th of his career. He crossed the line 10.4 seconds in front of Webber.Yes, we did it, Vettel said on his radio before his now-traditional donut celebration of spinning the car.Vettel had to overcome a slow pit stop near the end of the race but remained in front thanks to a big lead over Webber. The team changed strategy at the last minute and only had three tires ready when Vettel came in. Webber was right behind and had to wait until the crew finished the work on Vettels car.Webber, who had won two of the last four races in Brazil, took his helmet off as he returned to the pits and waved to the crowd. The team wroteAwesome. Thank you Mark, on the pit sign as the Australian crossed the finish line.It was a very good finish to my career, Webber said. It was a great journey, one of which Im proud of.Webber will be joining Porsche in a sports car series in 2014. The 37-year-old Australian spent 12 seasons in F1, winning nine times and reaching the podium 42 times in 215 starts. His second place on Sunday allowed him to finish third in the drivers standings, repeating his feat in 2010 and 11.Jenson Button was fourth for McLarens best finish of the season. Rosberg was fifth after starting behind Vettel on the front row and Mexicos Sergio Perez finished sixth after starting 19th in his final race with McLaren.No McLaren driver had reached the podium or finished higher than fifth coming into the season finale.Alonso, who had already secured second place in the drivers standings, said he was hoping for a wet track at the end of the race.Unfortunately the rain didnt come, he said. We were more competitive in wet conditions. It seemed it would start raining any moment but it didnt.It was the first time this weekend that drivers raced on a dry track at Interlagos after the three practice sessions and qualifying were run in wet conditions. Light rain fell near the end of the race but it wasnt enough to significantly affect the track conditions.Lewis Hamilton, who had a flat right rear tire on his Mercedes after contact with Valtteri Bottas of Williams, finished ninth. Hamilton received a drive through penalty for causing the collision.Mercedes was still able to hold on to second place in the constructors championship, finishing ahead of Ferrari and Lotus. Red Bull had already clinched the title.Home-crowd favorite Felipe Massa, in his final race with Ferrari before joining Williams, finished a disappointing seventh after receiving a drive-through penalty for illegally crossing a pit line while running fourth.It was the last race before significant engine changes debut in F1 next year. Teams will have to switch from 2.4-litre V8 engines to a 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged unit, a move that will demand significant alterations in the design of cars and make predictions nearly impossible.

Webber celebrates 'special' final race in F1

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SAO PAULO (AP) - Mark Webber says the Brazilian Grand Prix provided a very good finish to his Formula One career.Webber finished second at Interlagos on Sunday to cap his 12-year F1 career before he starts driving sports cars next season.Webber said it was a special day and a real pleasure to end a great journey with a good race like the Brazilian GP.He celebrated the opportunity to have a good fight with all the guys who were part of his career, referring to the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.Webber says now he is looking forward to chopping some wood, putting the fire on and maybe a bit of red wine and chill out with some chocolate.

Rampant Man City humbles Spurs 6-0

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MANCHESTER (AP) - Manchester City delivered a devastating attacking display to humble Tottenham 6-0 on Sunday, sending a warning to its title rivals by condemning Spurs to their joint heaviest Premier League defeat in 17 years.Jesus Navas bookended yet another huge home win for City by scoring after 14 seconds and again in second-half stoppage time, with Sergio Aguero also netting in each half to add to an own goal by Sandro and a brilliant strike by Alvaro Negredo.We have to be ashamed of a result like this, Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas said. To lose 6-0 is extremely embarrassing.City, which stayed six points behind leader Arsenal after 12 games, was 5-0 ahead after 56 minutes and has now scored 18 goals in its last three home games in all competitions.If Manuel Pellegrinis side can sort out its dreadful away form, it will surely be favorite to land a second league title in three years.It is impossible to play better than we did today, Pellegrini said.Tottenham is languishing in ninth place despite spending more than 100 million pounds (now $160 million) on mostly attacking talent in the summer. And with Manchester United up next weekend, they could yet find themselves even further out of the title picture in a season that had initially promised so much.With just nine goals in 12 league games, scoring has become a serious problem since the summer departure to Real Madrid of Gareth Bale, who saved them so often last season. Not since a 7-1 loss to Newcastle in December 1996 have they been beaten by a six-goal margin and it could have been a lot worse.City, meanwhile, remains the enigma of the season. Flawless in six matches at the Etihad, they have picked up just four points so far from a possible 18 on their travels.As so often at home, City exploded out of the traps Spurs midfielder Sandro was sick on the pitch, such was the intensity of the opening minutes and had the game sewn up at halftime. And the hosts were given a helping hand by Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.Spurs approach is to play the ball out from the back through the France goalkeeper but the tactic backfired here before many fans had settled in their seats.Lloris weak clearance went straight to Aguero and although Lloris saved the Argentines curling shot, the ball fell to Navas, who curled a clever shot over the keeper into the top corner for Citys fastest ever goal in 21 seasons of the Premier League and the second quickest this campaign.It was a difficult start for us, Villas-Boas said. After that, everything you had in mind goes down the drain.Spurs enjoyed some early possession, with Erik Lamela having a shot cleared off the line by Martin Demichelis, but they always looked vulnerable at the back and Lloris was at his best to deny Aguero chipping in for the second after seven minutes.Lloris was his own worst enemy for the second goal too, making another tame kick to spark a City attack that saw Samir Nasri feed the ball to Aguero, whose effort was parried away to Negredo. The Spain strikers volley from eight yards deflected off Younes Kaboul onto the leg of Sandro and into the back of net.Aguero wrapped up a perfect first half for the hosts by steering in a textbook cross from Navas and Spurs were on their knees. It was to get much, much worse.Yaya Toure had cantered through the first 45 minutes but he burst into life in the 50th by exchanging passes with Negredo and storming into the box, where he crossed unselfishly for Aguero to sidefoot home for his 15th goal in 13 games.For me, Kun (Aguero) is just after (Lionel) Messi and (Cristiano) Ronaldo as one of the best three players in the world, Pellegrini said.Nasri toe-poked against the bar before Negredo span his marker from Fernandinhos through-ball and fired a brilliant finish into the top corner. 5-0 and still more than half an hour left.Mercifully for Tottenham, Aguero and Nasri were taken off soon after the hour mark but the introduction of forgotten man Emmanuel Adebayor for his first appearance of the season failed to spark Spurs.And after starting the rout, Navas finished it after more dreadful defending by Spurs. A raking pass by James Milner failed to be cut out by Jan Vertonghen and Navas ran through to slip a finish past Lloris.

Cardiff rescue 2-2 draw with Man United in EPL

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CARDIFF, Wales (AP) - Kim Bo-kyung headed in a stoppage-time equalizer to give Cardiff a 2-2 draw against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday and deny David Moyes team a chance to move into the top four.Kim met a free kick at the near post to rescue a point for the Welsh club and Wayne Rooney then wasted a great chance to net a winner moments later.Rooney had put United ahead in the 15th minute with a shot from inside the area that deflected off a defender and into the net. The striker had been lucky to remain on the pitch earlier when he kicked out at Jordan Mutch but escaped with just a booking.Former United player Fraizer Campbell equalized for Cardiff in the 33rd, but Patrice Evra restored the visitors lead when he headed in a corner just before halftime.

Golf: China's Feng fires 66 to win LPGA Titleholders

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NAPLES (AFP) - Chinas Feng Shanshan fired a bogey-free six-under par 66 on Sunday to win the season-ending $2 million LPGA Titleholders tournament by one stroke and capture her third career tour crown.World number seven Feng, who began the day two strokes behind a trio of co-leaders, birdied the 15th and 17th holes to hold off American Gerina Piller and capture the LPGAs biggest top prize of $700,000 with a 72-hole total of 15-under par 273.I never thought I was going to win even though I was only two behind, Feng said. All the people in the last two groups were strong competitors.I set a goal to finish 15-under par and thats what I was able to do. Im really happy Im at 15-under and I finally won.Feng, who became the first woman from China to win a major title when she captured last years LPGA Championship, took her second triumph of the season, having also won last months Reignwood Classic near Beijing.I set a goal early this year to win twice on the LPGA Tour this year, Feng said. I hadnt won at all until I went to China. I left it to the last minute but I did it. Im really happy.It means I can take a little more time off in the off season I guess.Piller fired a 69 but settled for second on 274, one stroke ahead of Thailands Pornanong Phatlum, who finished with a final-round 70.Germanys Sandra Gal was fourth on 276 with South Korean Park In-Bee fifth on 277 and Korean Yoo Sun-Young sharing sixth on 278 with Americans Cristie Kerr and Stacy Lewis.Feng, 24, made an early charge with birdies on four of her first six holes to seize the lead at 13-under par. She birdied the par-5 first and sixth holes and had back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth holes.Pornanong and Americans Natalie Gulbis and Piller began the final round as co-leaders, two strokes ahead of a group that included Feng.Gulbis made bogeys on four of the first eight holes and faded quickly while Pornanong opened with a birdie but took a bogey at four and followed a birdie at the sixth with back-to-back bogeys to close the front nine.Piller went bogey-birdie at the second and third holes and birdie-bogey at six and seven but made birdies and 13 and 15 to keep the pressure on Feng over the final holes.Feng made a six-foot par putt at the 13th to stay on top, then missed a six-foot birdie putt at 14 but followed with birdies at 15 and 17 to reach 15-under.Piller and Pornanong each made five-foot birdie putts at the 17th, pushing Piller to 14-under and Pornanong to 13-under to stay on Fengs heels.Feng tapped in for par at 18 and watched her last rivals make their final shots. Pornanong went over the green on her approach to end her chance while Piller missed a 10-foot birdie putt that clinched Fengs victory.New Zealands Lydia Ko, playing her first event as a professional after four wins in pro events as an amateur, fired a 70 to finish on 284 in a share of 21st place.Thailands Moriya Jutanugarn captured LPGA Rookie of the Year honors, sharing 33rd on 288 to edge Germanys Caroline Masson by 480-479 in the rookie points race.

Badminton: Dominant Lee wins Hong Kong Open

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HONG KONG (AFP) - Malaysian world number one Lee Chong Wei stormed to victory at the Hong Kong Open on Sunday, outclassing Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro in straight games to win his sixth Superseries tournament of the season.Amid raucous support at the Hong Kong Coliseum, the 31-year-old top seed needed just 34 minutes to see off the unseeded three-time Asian champion 21-13, 21-9. Lee's dominant display, which included 24 winning smashes, capped a superb tournament in which he did not drop a single game.I never thought I would do so well. It's a final. Sony has been doing well, said Lee. Six is my lucky number. I like number six, the two-time Olympic silver medallist joked, referring to his remarkable haul of Superseries wins in 2013, in which he has won half of the 12 events. In the women's singles, China's Wang Yihan was forced to toil hard for her 21-13, 16-21, 21-15 win against compatriot Wang Shixian in a gruelling match lasting one hour and 16 minutes.The third seed took the first game easily before Wang, seeded fourth, mounted a comeback to level the match.In the decider, the lead changed hands before it reached 11-11, when the former world champion pulled ahead, going on to seal the match with a smash. Wang Yihan admitted, however, that victory had not come easy. I am not in my best shape. I had been satisfied getting into the final, she said, adding that she had been recovering well from a knee injury.In the mixed doubles, British newlyweds Chris Adcock and Gabrielle White, who tied the knot in September, beat China's Bao Yixin and Liu Cheng 21-14, 24-22, overcoming nerves in their prolonged second game.Adcock said they would allow themselves only a short break before resuming training for next month's BWF Superseries Finals in Kuala Lumpur.It's definitely our first championship since marriage so we're really, really happy about it, said Adcock.A long flight home, a few days off and then I am going to have to get training for the finals in Malaysia, he added. In the all-Korean men's doubles final, unseeded pair Lee Yong-Dae and Yoo Yeon-Seong fought back from a game down to beat fourth seeds Kim Ki-Jung and Kim Sa-Rang 12-21, 21-15, 21-18.In the women's doubles, fifth-seeded Chinese pair Bao Yixin and Tang Jinhua came from behind to beat their compatriots Ou Dongni and Tang Yuanting 18-21, 21-16, 21-15.
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