Saturday 15 February 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Govt, Taliban committees to meet Taliban Shura for 'direct dialogue'

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Four members from both government and Taliban committees will meet in Miranshah in next two days for ‘direct dialogue’ in which ceasefire announcement is highly likely, Dunya News reported on Saturday.Major (r) Amir and Rahimullah Yousafzai from government committee, and Professor Ibrahim and Yousaf Shah from Taliban committee will be in the convoy that will meet Taliban in next two days.The direct-dialogue meeting is expected to deliver breakthrough results including a likely ceasefire announcement from Taliban side.It is pertinent to mention here that religious leaders’ peace conference in Lahore on Saturday was attended by over two hundred clerics who urged the government and Taliban to ceasefire ‘in the name of God’.The religious leaders’ convention declaration had said that negotiation is the sole solution to the problem and that military operation will become the source of unstoppable bloodshed in the country. Clerics also appealed the nation to observe ‘prayer day’ on February 21.

Possible Ceasefire: Taliban to release Prof Ajmal Khan as goodwill gesture

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PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is likely to release Islamia College University Professor Ajmal Khan as a goodwill gesture in case of ceasefire, Dunya News reported.Professor Ajmal Khan was abducted from his official residence in September 2010.The government committee has demanded of the Taliban to initiate the ceasefire.Meanwhile, Taliban have demanded of the government to release Taliban women, children and aged prisoners to pave way for negotiations and ceasefire.Government reportedly said that if Taliban take the ceasefire initiative then the government can consider releasing Taliban prisoners as reciprocation.

29040 Pakistanis gather to set world record of largest human flag despite rain

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan has successfully broken world record by forming a human flag comprising as many as 29040 youngsters at National Hockey Stadium in Lahore on Saturday and confirmed by Guinness World Records representatives.According to Dunya News reports, as many as twenty nine thousand forty youngsters gathered to successfully break the world record of largest human formed flag previously held by Bangladesh with twenty seven thousand one hundred seventeen people.The event was organized under management of Punjab Youth Festival headed by Member National Assembly Hamza Shahbaz Sharif.Pakistan’s previous record, set during 2012 edition of Punjab Youth Festival was broken by Bangladesh on December 16, 2013; the day that is observed as Fall of Dhaka Day in Pakistan and ‘Victory Day’ in Bangladesh.

Military, civil leadership on same page over negotiations: PM

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday that every step will be taken to curb terrorism and that he has the Pakistani agenda that can lead the nation to economic and political independence.Prime Minister was returning from Turkey and spoke exclusively to Dunya News Lahore Bureau Chief Salman Ghani who was also onboard. Prime Minister said that every possible step will be taken to end terrorism. He said that the government is keen to solve regional problems through dialogues.Nawaz Sharif said that Kashmir is the core regional issue which should be regarded as such by India and world as well. He said that Turkish government is very sincere about progressive Pakistan and that Pakistan will move forward with mutual cooperation.Prime Minister said that the negotiations with India are moving forward, adding that political and military leadership of Afghanistan, Turkey and Pakistan coming together to discuss security issues is an important development. Whatever step Pakistan and Afghanistan will take towards peace will be backed by Turkey, he said.He said that his government has ended global isolation and that the world is now looking towards Pakistan. He further said that Pakistan will become a responsible and progressive country under his government.Prime Minister said that we have to move forward instead of looking behind and that the problems will be solved politically. He further said that the civil and military leaderships are on same page regarding the ongoing negations process.

Comcast seeks stronger hand in evolving TV landscape

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The planned mega-merger unveiled this week by Comcast is likely to shake up the entire television market as many consumers move from cable to streaming video services such as Netflix.Comcast announced its plan to merge with Time Warner Cable; a deal which if approved would create a colossus with 30 million customers and some 30 percent of the US pay television market.The $45 billion deal could have a ripple effect on the industry, impacting how content providers like film and television producers negotiate to get a bigger audience, says Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey.Those companies have a lot of power to raise their prices, McQuivey told AFP.Comcast would be very aggressive in trying to get very good prices for the content that they're buying, the analyst added.Comcast would be in a unique position as the largest cable provider as well as the owner of NBCUniversal, one of the major players with its NBC television properties and Universal film studios.Last year, TWC cut off programs from CBS for some three million customers for one month, claiming the transmission fees demanded by the network were too high. Another big network, Rupert Murdoch's Fox, has also been in disputes with cable operators.A strengthened Comcast would have a serious impact on the pay-TV as well as media industry, said the research firm Trefis.If Comcast succeeds in convincing the regulators about the merger, it will gain a significant leverage on distribution front.Some of the advantages Comcast may get could be offset if regulators put conditions on the merger, for antitrust reasons.It will be much easier for other industry participants to portray Comcast (and cable as a whole) to Congress and regulators as 'big bad cable,' with broadcasters more likely viewed in a more positive light, said a note from Pivotal Research analysts.Richard Greenfield at BTIG Research argues that programmers have been crushing distributors over the past several years and that a strengthened Comcast will certainly have greater leverage, but at the end of the day they will still need to reach agreements with the major networks their subscribers' demand.This could results in more consolidation on the content side, Greenfield, said in a blog post: Disney & Discovery anyone?The shifting landscape has changed the roles for many companies: Netflix and Amazon are producing their own programs, and Verizon has acquired Intel's media unit to allow it deliver its own set-top boxes. Apple is also believed to be developing a television service.McQuivey points out Comcast have another trump card in negotiating with programmers, which is the distribution of content on new platforms like tablets and smart phones.Comcast is trying to position itself to fend off the threats from streaming video services like Netflix, Amazon and HBO, which can offer an alternative to cable and encourage cord cutting.McQuivey said Comcast is trying to stay alive and is reacting to this new competition that comes in many forms, from satellite to telco to Netflix.Some analysts point out that despite its dominance in cable, Comcast has competitors ranging from the former telecom giants like AT&T and Verizon and satellite broadcasters like Dish.McQuivey said Comcast is seeking to expand its own streaming offer called Streampix, which can be offered outside its areas where it offers cable.For Comcast, this streaming service is a path to having a new kind of consumer relationship that competes with Netflix and with Amazon on Demand. The larger, newer Comcast would do this competitive move within a year.

Turkey passes bill tightening control of judiciary

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ANKARA (AFP) - Turkey's parliament passed a bill Saturday tightening government control over the judiciary, with lawmakers violently scuffling over the contested reforms introduced amid a major graft scandal.Fighting erupted overnight with fists flying in the air between ruling party and opposition lawmakers as the bill was debated in a marathon 20-hour sitting.Ali Ihsan Kokturk, lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), got a bloodied nose in the brawl, while ruling party lawmaker Bayram Ozcelik's finger was broken.Kokturk charged that one of the most controversial articles in the reform package, giving the justice ministry greater sway over the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), was unlawful.The measures were passed on Saturday morning with 210 votes in favor and 28 against.Parliament had resumed debate of the bill Friday despite an uproar from opposition parties and the international community who warned it threatened the independence of the judiciary in the European Union hopeful country.Last month, President Abdullah Gul stepped in to resolve the deadlock by pushing for the judicial reforms to be passed as constitutional amendments, which would require cross-party support.But the president's initiative failed after disagreements between ruling and opposition party lawmakers.The reforms were adopted with the country in deep political turmoil after a corruption probe launched on December 17 targeted top political and business figures in Prime Minister Recap Tayyip Erdogan's inner circle.The scandal involving allegations of bribery for construction projects as well as illegal trade with sanctions-hit Iran marks the biggest challenge yet to Erdogan's 11-year rule ahead of March local elections.The Turkish strongman says the graft probe has been instigated by political rivals, including powerful US-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen whose associates hold key positions in the police and the judiciary.Erdogan has embarked on a series of retaliatory measures against the police, prosecution service and judiciary which he believes is using the probe to undermine him, sacking thousands of police and prosecutors.The law now awaits the president's signature to come into force.The opposition CHP had previously said it would appeal the law at the top Constitutional Court.The judicial reform is seen as Erdogan's latest attempt to reimpose control in the wake of the graft scandal.Turkey's parliament triggered a storm of protest at home and abroad last week after it approved restrictions to the Internet seen by opponents as an attempt by Erdogan to stifle dissent.Some of Erdogan's critics say the legislation is specifically aimed at preventing evidence of high-level corruption from being leaked online.

Syria peace talks break off, no new date set: Brahimi

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GENEVA (AFP) - A second round of peace talks between Syria's warring sides broke off Saturday without making any progress and without a date being set for a third round, the UN mediator said.I think it is better that every side goes back and reflects on their responsibility, (and on whether) they want this process to continue or not, Lakhdar Brahimi told reporters in Geneva.Speaking on the final day of a second round of talks that have been mired from the start by blame-trading over the violence ravaging Syria, he apologized to the Syrian people for not making progress.I'm very, very sorry, he said.Brahimi said that the two sides now at least had reached agreement on an agenda for future talks -- if they happen -- something they had failed to do throughout the past week.At least we have agreed on an agenda. But we also have to agree on how we tackle that agenda, Brahimi said, adding: I very much hope there we will be a third round.The opposition has insisted that the focus of the talks must be on creating a transitional government, without President Bashar al-Assad.The regime representatives have meanwhile stubbornly insist President Bashar al-Assad's position is non-negotiable and refused to discuss anything beyond the terrorism it blames on its opponents and their foreign backers.Brahimi said Saturday that if the sides returned for a third round they would discuss violence and terrorism first, then the transitional governing body (TGB), followed by national institutions and finally national reconciliation and national debate.However, he said the regime side had baulked at his suggestion that they spend one day on violence and the next on political transition which raises the suspicion of the opposition that the government doesn't want to discuss TGB at all.The veteran peacemaker said a break in the talks was needed.I hope that this time of reflection will lead the government side in particular to reassure the other side that the issue of political transition will be discussed seriously, Brahimi said.The UN mediator said he himself would soon travel to New York to report to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about the situation, while he expected the parties to consult with their leaders.We will hear from one another in the not-too-distant future, he said.

Ukraines autonomous Crime regime leans towards Moscow

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SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine (AFP) - In the capital of Ukraine's pro-Russia Crimean region, bus passengers have for days been treated to video footage of violence in Kiev set to a commentary denouncing a coup d’état.This autonomous republic is traditionally close to Russia, and as demonstrations continue to wrack Kiev and other regions more than two months after anti-government protests erupted, local lawmakers have asked Moscow for protection against what they qualify as extremists.The media and pro-Russia structures in Crimea repeat Russian assertions that the protests are a coup attempt, said Andreas Umland, a German political scientist at the Kiev Mohyla Academy.The country's protest movement kicked off in November when President Viktor Yanukovych rejected a key EU trade and political pact in favor of closer ties with Russia, angering pro-EU parts of the population.The domestic movement became a wider, geopolitical tussle between Russia and the West over the future of the ex-Soviet country, and Ukrainians themselves are divided into supporters of each side.In Crimea, those who protest against Yanukovych are labelled extremists and neo-Nazis by some politicians and media.The peninsula once belonged to Russia before being attached to Ukraine in 1954 -- all as part of the wider Soviet Union.Ukraine became independent in 1991, but Crimea remains close to its giant neighbor, and the peninsula's port city of Sevastopol continues to host Russia's Black Sea fleet.Early this month, following the violence in Kiev, the parliament of this autonomous region suggested the local constitution be amended to say that Russia is a guarantor of Crimea's autonomy from the rest of Ukraine.Central authorities promptly launched a probe on charges of harming territorial integrity and the suggestion sparked concern over the possibility of a Georgia-style scenario happening in Ukraine.Moscow supports and recognizes as independent Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two separatist territories in Georgia where Russia has stationed troops to protect the local population since a brief conflict with Tbilisi in 2008.The Kremlin seems to be hoping to implement a similar scenario in Ukraine, Umland said, writing in the weekly Dzerkalo Tyzhnia.But Oleksandr Formanchuk, another political scientist, played down the importance of the comments of the local lawmakers, who do not have enough power to act on what they are demanding.In the 1990s, when separatist tendencies were very strong in Crimea, a 'Georgian scenario' could have worked, he said.Today everyone understands that this would trigger an ethnic conflict because the Tatars of Crimea would never accept a Russian protectorate.Tatars, a Turkic ethnic group present in Crimea since the 13th century, suffered hugely at the hands of Stalin, who deported them to Siberia and central Asia where many died of disease or starvation.They came back to the peninsula at the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, and now represent around 12 percent of Crimea's two million inhabitants.Crimean Tatars actively supported the pro-West Orange Revolution in Ukraine in 2004, and have once again joined the protest movement currently rocking the country.Their leader Refat Chubarov denounced new separatist tendencies inspired by Russia.We cannot totally rule out Russian intervention in Crimea today. At an ideological level, we're already there, he told AFP.As a result, opposition activists in the Crimean peninsula have come under pressure.Unidentified opponents recently put up posters in front of the house of Andriy Schekun, an activist from the small town of Bakhchysarai, accusing him of being a traitor working for US secret services.Two activists from the party of boxer turned opposition leader Vitali Klitschko recently had their cars set on fire.And ordinary people have also been affected.At the end of January, as protests in Kiev turned deadly, passengers on a train from the western, more pro-West city of Lviv were stopped in Simferopol and had their IDs checked by police who feared the arrival of fighters.

Australia plan for drones borders: report

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia plans to buy seven giant unmanned drones for Aus$3 billion (US$2.7 billion), potentially to help patrol its borders, a report said on Saturday.The unmanned aircraft, with the wingspan of a 737 passenger jet, would primarily be used by the military for spotting enemy ships and planes in a conflict.But they could also be deployed to detect illegal fishermen and asylum-seekers, who frequently enter Australian waters on rickety boats, usually setting sail from Indonesia and Sri Lanka, The Australian newspaper said.The military are already heavily involved in the conservative government's ongoing Operation Sovereign Borders policy, which is turning back asylum-seeker boats when safe to do so, a move that has angered Jakarta.Defense Minister David Johnston would soon recommend to cabinet that it pass first approval to purchase the seven US-made MQ-4C Triton drones, which can patrol 40,000 square nautical miles in a single mission, the report said.As a maritime nation, a capability with this type of coverage must have our attention, Johnston was quoted as saying.Accordingly, this government is interested in exploring cost-effective ways of re-engaging with this particular program and possibly bringing it back on board.The use of large unmanned aircraft patrolling the nation's borders has been mulled for a decade but the previous Labor government would not sign off on the concept as it reportedly believed the technology was not mature enough.The drones, if deployed over the next few years, would replace Australia's current ageing fleet of P-3 Orion surveillance planes.Halting the flood of asylum-seeker boats arriving in Australia's north has been a key policy of the Tony Abbott-led government since it was elected last year.Its hardliner stance on people-smuggling has proved successful, with no boats arriving for nearly two months.But it has been received coolly in Jakarta, with tensions flaring last month when Australian ships made several inadvertent intrusions into Indonesian waters.Hundreds of asylum-seekers have died attempting to make the perilous voyage from Indonesia to Australia on rickety and overcrowded fishing boats.

New forms of racism arise in science research

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CHICAGO (AFP) - Advances in genetic sequencing are giving rise to a new era of scientific racism, despite decades of efforts to reverse attitudes used to justify the slave trade and Nazi theology, experts said Friday.New forms of discrimination, known as neutralism, are taking hold in scientific research, spreading the belief that races exist and are different in terms of biology, behavior and culture, according to anthropologists who spoke at the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Chicago.Genome science can help us a lot in the individualization of medical practice, said Nina Jablonski, an anthropology professor at The Pennsylvania State University.But she warned that science could be misused to propagate the belief that people inherently have different abilities based on skin color or ethnic background.She cited new research urging that children be identified based on their genetically predetermined educational abilities and then put in separate schools that could be used to foster different kinds of learning.We have heard this before and it is incredibly worrying, she said, recalling the segregation era when blacks and whites were schooled separately and African Americans were considered inferior.The educationalists who are proposing this meant this in a positive way but it is something that could be easily distorted if it were implemented.Many distinguished scientists in the United States recognize that race itself is not a biological variable, but they still buy into the notion that shared ancestry can impart certain biological characteristics, said Joseph Graves, an associate dean for research at the University of North Carolina.Published research has shown that blacks are more likely than whites to have a blood type that causes sickle cell disease and can protect against malaria, and are more likely to have a certain gene called APOL1, which protects against a parasite that causes sleeping sickness.While Graves did not dispute these findings, he said it is wrong to imply that genetic differences account for the vast health disparities between whites and blacks.The assumption is that African ancestry predisposes one to greater disease and mortality profiles in the United States, Graves said at the conference.This is what I call the myth of the genetically sick African.Instead, social factors are more likely to blame for poorer health among blacks in the United States, he said.Americans continually conflate socially defined and biological conceptions of race, Graves added. Neoracism results in part from this confusion.Another concern is the ancestry tests that are now commonly sold online, a trend which feeds the notion that one's ethnic heritage may indicate the state of one's health, said Yolanda Moses, a cultural anthropologist at the University of California, describing these tests as misleading.Over the past decade, the expansion of DNA databases which include genetic profiles from people arrested -- but not convicted of crimes -- is also a concern, she said.Genetics have a profound impact on race and the criminal justice system, she said.Ironically, a new focus on race as a basis for genomics began when the National Institutes of Health -- the world's largest funder of research -- mandated all its genetic studies to have as diverse a representation as possible, in an effort to eliminate health disparities and include more people of color in clinical trials.When the Human Genome Project first started in the 1980s, this was not the case.We went from a world where genome mappers did not want to touch race with a 10-foot pole, to one in which projects and drugs could no longer survive without reframing their reason for being as a minority rights campaign, said Catherine Bliss, assistant professor of sociology at the University of California, San Francisco.What we have is an ethical and a fiscal pressure to radicalize research and applications across the board, she said.

Negotiations won't solve anything: Bilawal Bhutto

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THATHA (Dunya News) – Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said here on Saturday they have shown to the world through Sindh Festival that ‘we are not terrorists’ but a victim of it adding that the blood of martyrs won’t go in vain.Addressing the closing ceremony of Sindh Festival, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman said that the people are fully aware of what the Shariah, Islam and civilization is; asking “who are they to teach us Islam?”Bilawal said that they won’t bow before terrorists and do not recognize the terrorists as torchbearers of Islam. “Terrorists want to impose their own law of terrorism,” he said. “We do not recognize terrorists’ system of jungle; they want to open the gates of heaven by building piles of corpses.”Chairman PPP said that these are the same people who oppose Pakistan; the same people who termed Quaid-e-Azam as infidel. He further said that they won’t let the blood of martyrs go in vain.Bilawal asked if the nation has forgotten Sufi Mohammad and how PPP led government established writ in Swat. “Ask the nation’s daughters what terrorism means” he said. “Will the nation’s daughters be treated like Malala?”PPP Chief said they are not the product of the West but “our own civilization is under threat.” The terrorists should fear the time when the nation will unite and do ‘damadum mast qalandar’ against them, he warned.Sindh Festival piloted early this month and concluded today. The festival comprised a number of cultural festivities and events reflecting the 5000-year-old Indus Valley Civilization.

Religious leaders urge govt, Taliban to observe ceasefire

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LAHORE (Web Desk) - The chief of the Taliban committee, Maulana Samiul Haq, held a session of religious leaders on Saturday to take the clerics into confidence regarding the peace negotiations.A joint communique was released after conclusion of the Ulema and Mashaikh Convention.As per details, the religious scholars have urged the government and Taliban to observe ceasefire for the sake of Allah.They have requested the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to speak about peace instead of using weapons.The religious leaders have also urged the government to review countrys national and foreign policies.They demanded to avoid any military operation or use of force against extremists, stating thatmilitary action will further deteriorate country’s law and order.They warned both sides of the negotiating teams to be aware of the elements who are conspiring to make the talks process a failure.The communique stressed upon the government‚ the Taliban‚ Ulema and media to play their role for solution to the issues facing the country.Over 200 religious leaders attended the convention under the chairmanship of Member Taliban negotiating committee Maulana Sami ul Haq.Announcing the joint communique‚ Maulana Sami ul Haq said that such Ulema conventions will also be held in Karachi and Islamabad.He also announced to observe the coming Friday‚ as Youm-e-Dua (day of prayer) for the success of the dialogue process.

Taliban, govt peace talks challenged in SC

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The peace talks between the government and the Taliban are challenged in Supreme Court. Shahid Orakzai submitted an application against the peace talks under the light of Article 184 of the constitution. The petition stated that the members of government negotiating committee were not elected. It also said that the government team has failed to provide security to the citizens of Pakistan under Article 9. The petition also said that the government was holding dialogue even after a terrorist attack in Karachi.The petition pleaded the court to stop the dialogue process between the government and the Taliban committees. All members of the negotiating team and the federation were made respondents to the case.

Tennis: Potro, Murray tumble by same scoreline

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ROTTERDAM (AFP) - Top seed Juan Martin del Potro and number two Andy Murray were both knocked out of the Rotterdam World Tennis in quarter-final upsets on Friday by the same 6-3, 6-4 scorelines.Latvian Ernests Gulbis ended del Potros winning run when he beat the top seed, while unseeded Croatian Marin Cilic won his eighth match in a row this season with Murray his latest victim.The Scot had claimed victory in nine of their 10 previous matches but was well off his game as he went out in 71 minutes, losing serve once in each set.I would have liked to have done better but Im not frustrated. Im striking the ball well, said Murray, who now has 10 days before his next start in Acapulco.Third seed Tomas Berdych maintained the seeded status quo with his 6-7 (9/11), 6-2, 6-4 comeback over Polands Jerzy Janowicz taking nearly two-and-a-half hours.Dutchman Igor Sijsling beat German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 to become the first home player to reach the last four here in more than a decade. He will face Cilic, champion last week at home in Zagreb.Gulbis, who can be brilliant or less than impressive depending on his mood, preyed upon Del Potro as the Argentine took treatment before the start of the second set on the left wrist which has been posing problems since last month in Australia.Del Potro came to the match without the ability to hit a penetrating backhand as he plays with medical permission while trying to clear up his wrist problem.Gulbis will be playing in his first semi-final at the event after advancing in 81 minutes with a dozen aces as he forced Del Potro to save seven of nine break points.- In control -==============If you let him play, he will play, Gulbis said. I dont give any timing, I made him play bad. I concentrated on his backhand, we had a lot of long rallies. I played well at the right moments.I felt in control almost all the match, I was nervous in the last game but a good kind of nervous, I kept on playing well. Those are the kinds of nerves that I can handle.Del Potro said he has felt delicate all week but still believes his dodgy wrist is on the mend.My doctor is confident and I will keep on playing tournaments as long as the wrist does not get worse, said the ATP number four. Its getting better very slowly but it can be tough to remain optimistic all the time.When you are not at 100 per cent you are thinking about your problems instead of your tennis. Thats what happening this week.He played a good match and deserved to win. He played a smart strategy against my backhand.Murray is still recovering fitness after autumn back surgery and has not looked comfortable all week.He served well and played a good match. I created opportunites but could not convert them. he took his chances and I didnt make enough returns.I would have liked to have done better but Im not frustrated. Im striking the ball well.Cilic said his big serve saw him through. Tonight was a good win, I played some great tennis, said the Croatian.I felt I was serving very well, it got me out of trouble, especially in the second set (when he saved three break points to take a 4-2 lead).Andy was struggling a bit and I was able to take advantage of the situation in a good way. There are days like that, Im just happy for me. Its my first semi-final here and I hope to take it farther.

Martinez eager to lock horns with Monk

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LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Everton manager Roberto Martinez admits renewing acquaintances with Swansea interim boss Garry Monk will add an extra dimension to Sundays FA Cup fifth round clash against his former club at Goodison Park.The duo were team-mates at Swansea for a couple of seasons before Martinez left the South Wales club in 2006 to end his playing career with Chester City.Martinez subsequently took over as Swansea manager in February 2007 and the Spaniard acknowledged how Monk, as his captain, helped him lay the foundation for his early managerial success at the Liberty Stadium.When I took over I decided to bring players from abroad and then you need to rely on that British core, which Garry was the centre of, Martinez said.Garry knew how important it was to bring all those different mentalities and cultures together to get a winning side. A big part of what happens in the dressing room is down to the captain, and he brought direction.I built a new squad around him as I knew that he was the perfect captain and that he would keep that role for the future, knowing that we were going to bring many different foreigners and talents.Monk has remained with the Swans since, playing over 250 games for the club, and was placed in temporary charge earlier this month following the sacking of former manager Michael Laudrup.Garry had that leadership and that DNA of being able to control a group. I think being a captain at Swansea, where the club is so involved in the community, it prepares you, Martinez added.He has had time in the last few months, with not playing any football, to have a look around from a distance and put his thoughts together and develop a good method of work.- Good bond -=============Everton will hand a debut to Ivory Coast striker Lacina Traore, who joined the Toffees on loan from AS Monaco last month but has been recovering from a hamstring injury.The Toffees are still without Romelu Lukaku (ankle), Bryan Oviedo (broken leg), Arouna Kone and Darron Gibson (both knee).Meanwhile, Monk is also relishing the chance to pit his wits against Martinez.I got to form a really good bond with him when he was here, Monk said.Ive learnt a lot from him and he is great guy at the top of his game right now.But it will be good to see him and his staff as well. We keep in contact and Im sure that relationship will always be there.Of course we still want to progress in the FA Cup and thats what Im concentrating on.We had a good experience in a cup competition last year, and well be trying to win the game.But we have to approach it how we want to and do the best we can.The competition has massive history and all the players will be aware of it growing up and one they look forward to playing in.But if we can come through this month with some good performances and good results, then I think it will stand us in good stead for the rest of the season.Swansea will give a late fitness test to Jonjo Shelvey (hamstring) but Spain striker Michu is unlikely to be risked as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury.
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