Wednesday 5 February 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Govt, Taliban committees to meet today

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The committees formed by the government and the Taliban to hold peace talks will meet today (Thursday). Member government committee Rustam Shah Mohmand said the results are unpredictable and the session could last several hours. Taliban committee member Professor Ibrahim said that there’s no need to be disappointed, the committee will find a way.After the delay in negotiations process, Taliban and government committees made a contact following which, first session is expected today. Government committee members will also meet and exchange views with Director General (DG) Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) Lt General Zaheer ul Islam.Government committee coordinator Irfan Siddiqui has said that early negotiations initiation is desired, both committees will convey their concerns in the first session.While talking to Dunya News, government committee member Rustam Shah Mohmand said that situation is difficult and results are highly unpredictable. The session could be extremely long, he said.Meanwhile, Jamaat Islami has announced to remain part of the negotiations, the decision of which was taken at party session in Lahore.Jamaat Chief Syed Munawar Hasan said that we should keep following national interest instead of others.While talking to Dunya News, Taliban committee member Professor Ibrahim said that Taliban sincerely want negotiations and that he will try to locate ‘hidden hand’ responsible for ‘destruction of national peace’. He went on to say that he will continue playing the role of bridge between Taliban and government.

Malala nominated for 'Children's Nobel'

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STOCKHOLM (AFP) - Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, who survived being shot in the head by the Taliban, was nominated for the World Children's Prize in Sweden on Wednesday for championing education rights for girls.She is a child herself and she stands up for girls' rights to education in Pakistan, but also in the world as a whole, Liv Kjellberg, 15, a member of the international prize jury told AFP. Malala was nominated last year for the Nobel Peace Prize and won the European Union's Sakharov human rights prize for her crusade for the right of all children to an education.The 16-year-old, who now lives in Britain following extensive medical treatment, was shot by a Taliban gunman in 2012 over her outspoken views on education in her home region in northwest Pakistan. The World Children's Prize -- also known as the Children's Nobel Prize -- was founded in 2000 and aims to raise awareness of children's rights in 60,000 schools in 110 countries through educational programs which include studying champions of human rights and voting for the prize winners. The two other nominees for this year's award are John Wood, founder of the US-based education charity Room to Read, and Indira Ramanagar, a Nepali activist who helps prisoners' children. All three nominees will receive a share of the $100,000 (74,000-euro) prize money -- intended to go towards further activism -- at an award ceremony outside Stockholm in October 2014.

Baghdad bombs, including near Green Zone, kill 33

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - Bombings in Baghdad, including three near the heavily fortified Green Zone and the foreign ministry, killed 33 people Wednesday, prompting US lawmakers to criticise the slow pace of reconciliation efforts.The attacks, which also wounded dozens, came as security forces battled militants in the western province of Anbar, including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a powerful jihadist group that has exploited the chaos in neighbouring Syria.With violence at its highest level since 2008, diplomats have urged the Shiite-led government to reach out to the Sunni Arab minority to undercut support for militancy, but Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has taken a hard line with a general election due in April.US House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Ed Royce said Maliki's failure to do more to address Sunni grievances had allowed ISIL to exploit the minority community's alienation to sharply step up its attacks.Wednesday's deadliest bombings, which included at least one suicide attack, struck during morning rush hour. They ripped through confessionally mixed areas of the capital bordering the Green Zone, home to parliament, the prime minister's residence and the US and British embassies.They killed 25 people and wounded 35, security officials and a medical source said.One attack was just opposite the foreign ministry, which has been hit by explosions in the past, notably in August 2009, when a massive truck bomb devastated the building, and again ahead of an Arab summit in Baghdad in 2012.A suicide bomber also hit a restaurant, and a vehicle rigged with explosives was detonated in a market for car spare parts, both close to the Green Zone.Blood and pieces of flesh littered the scene at the restaurant, and soldiers said one of their comrades had wrapped his arms around the bomber in a bid to save others.Later, three car bombs in southeast Baghdad killed eight people and wounded 32, while a rocket attack on Haifa Street in the centre of the capital wounded five.The day's toll could have been higher, but security forces found a roadside bomb near the oil ministry in central Baghdad and carried out a controlled explosion.More than 1,000 people were killed last month, according to government figures, as security forces have struggled to curb bombings and battle militants in Anbar.No group immediately claimed responsibility for the latest attacks, but Sunni militant groups, including ISIL, have claimed coordinated bombing campaigns in Baghdad in the past.The House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman said Maliki urgently needed to address Sunni grievances.As head of state, while he may not be up to it, Maliki must take steps to lead Iraq to a post-sectarian era, Royce said.Al-Qaeda has become very skilled at exploiting this sectarian rift, and Maliki's power grab has given them much ammunition.US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq and Iran Brett McGurk insisted Maliki had made changes since he visited Washington in November and got a very direct message from President Barack Obama on enlisting the Sunnis into the fight.At the local level we've seen some fairly dramatic and significant changes, McGurk said.ISIL has also been fighting security forces in Anbar, a mostly Sunni desert region bordering Syria where militants have held parts of Ramadi and all of Fallujah for weeks.Security forces and tribal auxiliaries have made slow progress in Ramadi but recaptured several neighbourhoods late Tuesday, an AFP journalist reported.In Fallujah, however, security forces have largely stayed out of the city for fear that major incursions could spark high civilian casualties and heavy damage to property.The city was a bastion of the Sunni insurgency following the 2003 US-led invasion, and American troops there fought some of the costliest battles since the Vietnam War.Ahmed Abu Risha, a prominent tribal leader in the Sunni Awakening movement, which allied with US troops against Al-Qaeda and now supports the government, said an attack on the city was imminent and urged anti-government fighters to lay down their arms.The stand-off in Anbar has prompted more than 140,000 people to flee their homes, the UN refugee agency said, describing it as the worst displacement in Iraq since the peak of the sectarian fighting.

Syria's Assad making gains, Kerry admits

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry admitted Wednesday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was making gains on the ground, but denied US policy in Syria was failing.It's fair to say that Assad has improved his position a little bit, yes. But he's still not winning. This is a stalemate, Kerry told CNN television in an interview.He was adamant, however, that America's policy had not failed in the war-torn country, despite a mounting death toll in the three-year conflict.The policy in Syria is just very challenging and very difficult, Kerry added.Earlier this week, the State Department denied reports Kerry told US lawmakers in a private meeting that it was time to change strategy in Syria, where some 136,000 people have died and millions have fled their homes.I don't want to make any excuse whatsoever. We want this to move faster. We want it to do better, Kerry said.But the point I'm making is that diplomacy is tough, slogging, slow work and hard work.January marked the deadliest month so far in the conflict with some 6,000 dead, and Kerry said the United States was always in the process of re-evaluating whether there's more we can do, should do.US President Barack Obama has so far refused to provide heavy weaponry to the moderate rebels battling to topple Assad, amid fears it could fall into the hands of militant groups flooding into the country.Kerry pledged the administration would work with Congress as well as internally to come up with ways to push the Russians to use their influence on Assad in order to improve conditions on the ground.And the top US diplomat, who has in the past advocated a more robust US policy on Syria, warned that we don't have years to find a way to end the war.The United States is providing non-lethal support to the rebels, such as body armor, communications equipment and night-vision goggles.I don't want to go into details, I'm not free to go into all the details, but I will say to you that the president has taken an aggressive position, Kerry said.He also pointed to a deal hammered out with Russia on eliminating Syria's chemical weapons stock as a significant milestone in getting rid of the grotesque tool the Assad regime had used against its own people.The White House, meanwhile, repeated a message for Syria to live up to its commitment to help destroy all its chemical weapons arsenal after Damascus missed two deadlines for transporting the stockpile to a Syrian port.Russia has said it expects the Assad regime to deliver a substantial portion of its chemical weapons stockpile in the relatively near future. And we obviously believe that's very important, White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

Winter storm cancels flights in US northeast

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Treacherous snow and freezing rain struck the northeastern United States Wednesday, disrupting thousands of flights and causing traffic chaos for millions.More than 600,000 people were without power as high winds and ice knocked down trees and electrical lines.Most were in Pennsylvania, but New Jersey and New York also experienced significant outages.A state of emergency was declared in New Jersey and New York, where dwindling reserves of salt -- used to melt snow and road ice -- was a problem.By late January, New Jersey had already used 277,000 tonnes of salt, 18,000 more than during the entire previous winter.New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the states highway department had enough salt to deal with the storm and was sending 130 truckloads to help address shortages in New York City and Long Island.The State is also working with suppliers to increase salt deliveries to local governments, his office said in a statement.Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy on Wednesday ordered all non-essential employees to stay home and a number of schools were also closed.Heavy snowfall was expected across a swath of the northeastern United States, arriving in New England from the central United States. Snow will be followed in several places by freezing rain, forecasters said.More than 3,000 US flights were cancelled Wednesday and over 7,000 were delayed, according to FlightAware.com. Hardest hit were airports in Boston, New York and Chicago.Little relief from the brutal winter blast was expected anytime soon.Snow will come to an end in the Northeast tonight as Arctic air surges down into much of the northern and eastern two-thirds of the country, the national weather service said.Weather forecasters have warned that yet another winter storm is likely to hit at the weekend.

Nine die battling Buenos Aires blaze

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BUENOS AIRES (AFP) - At least nine firefighters and rescue workers were killed in Buenos Aires Wednesday when the wall of a warehouse engulfed by flames collapsed on top of them, officials said.The wall fell as firefighters were using an electric saw to cut through a huge iron gate at the warehouse, which housed archival bank records.Authorities said the dead included six members from a federal police firefighting unit, a volunteer firefighter and two members of Argentinas civil guard.Speaking outside the warehouse, where the fire was still not under control after seven hours, Security Secretary Sergio Berni said eight people had also been injured, including five who were still hospitalized with multiple traumas.However, so far there are no reports of missing persons, Berni added, and a company spokesman said warehouse employees were all safe.Berni had earlier said said several other first responders who were badly injured in the accident were fighting for their lives.Emergency workers who arrived to aid those crushed under the debris found a lot of bodies covered by rubble, some with multiple serious injuries, said Alberto Crescenti, head of the public medical service.Unfortunately, most of the victims died at the scene, he said.We tried to get them out, but that was impossible, he told reporters.One grieving civil guard officer at the scene said he was devastated by the loss of his comrades.What happened to us is a terrible tragedy that never should have occurred, he said.We are sad -- and angry. We work for next to nothing, but nevertheless put on a brave face, he said, adding that under such conditions we just cant continue.Officials said they do not know what caused the blaze in the 19th century-era building.The tragedy occurred in a neighborhood of businesses and modest single family homes in southern Buenos Aires.Iron Mountain, the US company that owned the warehouse, said in a statement it was deeply saddened by the deaths of the brave rescuers who ... arrived quickly to save our facilities.All Iron Mountain employees are safe, the statement said, adding that the building had been equipped with smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher system.President Cristina Kirchners government and Buenos Aires mayor Mauricio Macri declared two days of national mourning over the tragedy.

Olympics: Putin declares Russia 'ready' as torch comes to Sochi

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SOCHI (AFP) - Russia paraded the Olympic torch through host city Sochi on Wednesday -- two days before the official opening of the Winter Games -- as President Vladimir Putin declared the country ready.Seven years after its successful bid stunned the world and paved the way for the hosting of the biggest event in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union, organisers are now making the finishing touches for the opening of the 22nd Winter Olympics.Yet concerns still remain over Russia's suitability as a venue, with a another anti-Games ecological activist sent to jail and protests planned worldwide over Russia's now notorious anti-gay law.The Olympic flame was taken by runners through the outskirts of Sochi and later carried up by train to Rosa Khutor, where the alpine events are being held.The stadium itself is 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Sochi and the flame is expected to be carried there by runners, on trains and on boats in time for Friday's opening ceremony.Flame carriers are set to include UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and IOC president Thomas Bach as well as Russian stars such as pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva.Russia has worked towards this moment for seven years. It has been a national project, said Putin as he visited the Olympic village. Russia is ready for the Olympic Games.There has been particular concern that not all accommodation for the media has been ready on time, with reporters swapping tales of last-minute repairs but organisers insist nobody has gone without a room.Putin was given a guided tour around the coastal Olympic village, where athletes in non-mountain sports such as ice hockey and skating are based, by Isinbayeva, who has long been one of his most public backers.Putin said in an address to the Russian team that millions are going to be watching for every one of your performances.We are really counting on you. We have a young, very promising team and I do not doubt that you will do everything to be successful.Russia won only three gold medals at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver -- seen as a national debacle by most Russians -- but experts say it is unlikely to do much better on home soil.Security at the Winter Games has also been a major issue, with tens of thousands of members of security forces on duty to ward off the threat of attacks from militants from the nearby Northern Caucasus.This (security) is always a worry, not just at international events but at political ones too, admitted Putin, recalling the Boston marathon bombings carried out by Islamist militants from the troubled Caucasus region, which killed three and wounded 260.

Football: Real Madrid beat Atletico to close in on final

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MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid took a huge step towards reaching the Copa del Rey final as they beat local rivals and holders Atletico Madrid 3-0 thanks to two own goals in their semi-final, first leg on Wednesday.Atletico beat Real at the Santiago Bernabeu in last year's final, but the hosts quickly set about making amends for that defeat as Emiliano Insua deflected Pepe's effort into his own net after just 17 minutes.Jese Rodriguez, who was only starting because of Gareth Bale's late withdrawal from the squad due to a calf injury, doubled Real's advantage with a low finish from Angel di Maria's pass just before the hour mark.Di Maria was involved again as Real all but secured their place in the final when his deflected strike 17 minutes from time was credited as another own goal by Atletico defender Miranda.Real boss Carlo Ancelotti hailed his side's performance as the best since he took over last summer.I think it was (the best performance). Above all because the team we were facing is a very difficult team to play against. They are very strong and aggressive, so I thought we played very well, he said.I am completely satisfied. We did everything well, we moved the ball with pace and were very aggressive without it. I wish the team could always play like they did tonight.Defeat ends a 24-game unbeaten run for Atletico and they will need a remarkable fightback to retain their title in the second leg at the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday.Atletico coach Diego Simeone, meanwhile, was left to rue his side's luck.I think Real Madrid played very well, but they scored twice with shots that hit our players on the body and went in.It is a very favourable result for the opponent, but apart from that there is nothing I can draw from the game at the moment.We still have 90 minutes to play and anything can happen in football.In a typically intense encounter whenever these two sides meet, it was the home side who threatened first as Karim Benzema's header was blocked just in front of his own goal line by Atletico captain Gabi.Arda Turan then had Atletico's best effort of the first-half as he nipped in front of Alvaro Arbeloa, but his header was palmed away to safety by Iker Casillas.It was Real who were posing a more consistent threat, though, and they went in front when Pepe wandered forward to meet Xabi Alonso's pass and his shot deflected off Insua and past the helpless Thibaut Courtois.Miranda nearly restored parity moments later from Koke's free-kick as Casillas again came to Real's rescue.Di Maria then saw another deflected effort fly just over, whilst Courtois saved from Ronaldo and Luka Modric as Carlo Ancelotti's men ended the half in the ascendancy.Simeone reacted at half-time by introducing Cristian Rodriguez for Diego Ribas.And Atletico nearly rewarded their coach with an equaliser as they started the second period brightly but Diego Godin headed over from point-blank range.However, Real dealt the visitors a sucker punch of a blow just before the hour mark as Di Maria found Jese with a lovely through ball and the Spanish under-21 international's effort squeezed under Courtois.The Belgian goalkeeper was fortunate not to see another strike slip through his grasp a minute later as he spilled Di Maria's powerful drive.A brilliant goal line clearance from Modric prevented Godin from halving the deficit 18 minutes from time.And within 60 seconds, Real had added to their advantage when Di Maria's long-range effort cannoned off Miranda to once again wrong-foot Courtois.

Golf: Volvo Match Play returns to England in 50th year

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LONDON (AFP) - The Volvo World Match Play Championship will return to England this year for the first time since 2007 to mark the tournament's 50th anniversary, organisers announced on Wednesday.The European Tour event has been played in Spain and Bulgaria in the intervening years, but although it is returning to England, it will be played at the London Golf Club in Kent and not former venue Wentworth.I think it is fantastic that the Volvo World Match Play Championship will be played in England for this special anniversary, said defending champion Graeme McDowell.I enjoyed everything about my victory last year at Thracian Cliffs in Bulgaria. It seems right, though, to celebrate the championship's anniversary in England, where the tournament was held for so many years.The 2014 tournament, to be held between October 15 and 19, will feature a 16-man field competing for a first prize of 540,000 pounds ($880,000, 651,000 euros).

Motorcycling: Marquez unstoppable at Sepang test

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SEPANG (AFP) - World champion Marc Marquez posted the fastest time and emerged as the first rider this week to break through the two-minute barrier on day two Wednesday of the test session in Malaysia.The Spanish Honda rider who was quickest on Tuesday, finished ahead of compatriot Dani Pedrosa, with Germany's Stefan Bradl third at the Sepang circuit.Marquez and his teammate Pedrosa, who is seeking to capture an elusive first MotoGP world title after eight years in the premier class, were ahead of rival Yamaha pair Jorge Lorenzo and nine-time Italian world champion Valentino Rossi. Lorenzo - a two-time MotoGP champion - lost his world crown to Marquez last year. Marquez, who remains the one to beat, clocked one minute 59.926 seconds in hot temperatures, with Pedrosa 0.410 seconds behind.Bradl was third, 0.413 seconds off the pace while Rossi was fourth, 0.538 seconds behind Marquez. Spaniard Lorenzo was sixth, 0.647 seconds behind the newly crowned MotoGP champion. Marquez, 20, became the youngest MotoGP champion at the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix in November, winning the world title in his rookie year. I am happy. The new rear tyre is working well. But I feel a little nervous in the first corner. We need to improve the bike performance on the first corner. We need to be safe, he said.The Spaniard on Tuesday clocked two minutes 0.286 seconds to finish half a second ahead of Rossi.Lorenzo complained about the performance of his rear tyres and said he had to improve his physical strength.I have a smooth bike in the corners but I am not happy with the tyres, he said adding that the fuel consumption of his Yamaha also needed to be improved.The track was again hot and dry Wednesday, yielding fast times that enabled the riders to work on improving their bike's performance.Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Marquez dominated throughout the day on the circuit, which is notoriously tricky partly due to its long straights and tight turns as well as to uncertain weather conditions.Testing wraps up Thursday, but riders will return to Sepang for another three-day session from February 26. They will have a further session at Phillip Island in Australia and at the Losail circuit in Qatar, before the new season officially kicks off at Losail on March 23.Malaysia will host the championship in October.

Oil prices edge higher after US energy report

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NEW YORK (AFP) - World oil prices rose modestly Wednesday after a closely watched US oil report suggested severe winter weather across large parts of the country was pushing up demand for heating oil.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in March finished the session at $97.38 a barrel, up 19 cents from Tuesday's close.Brent North Sea crude for March rose 47 cents to settle at $106.25 a barrel in London trade.US crude has been supported today by the colder weather, boosting heating oil demand, said Inenco analyst Lucy Sidebotham.US commercial crude reserves rose for the third straight week, by 400,000 barrels in the week ending January 31, the US Department of Energy (DoE) reported Wednesday.The increase was much smaller than the average analyst estimate of 2.2 million barrels.But traders focused on the fourth straight week of declines in distillates, which include diesel and heating oil.Distillates fell by 2.4 million barrels, more than the 2.0 million barrels estimated.Bob Yawger of Mizuho Securities noted heating fuel stocks were at their lowest level since at least 1990.Stockpiles at the trading hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, sank by 1.5 million barrels, the DoE said.Lower stocks in Cushing are helping support US oil prices currently, said Natixis oil analyst Deshpande Abhishek.

Euro edges higher ahead of ECB meeting

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The euro Wednesday moved higher against the dollar and the yen on the eve of a closely-watched policy meeting of the European Central Bank (ECB).The euro bought $1.3536 near 2300 GMT, up from $1.3515 Tuesday.The euro edged up to 137.38 yen from 137.36 of the Japanese currency.The dollar declined to 101.49 yen from 101.64.European data were mixed ahead of Thursday's ECB meeting. A report from Markit Economics on eurozone private sector business activity in January showed the seventh monthly rise in a row.But Eurostat data showed eurozone retail sales fell 1.6 percent in December. Analysts said ECB President Mario Draghi and other policy makers at the central bank are wary of recent data showing low inflation.The question of whether Draghi's comments will help or hurt the euro depends on whether he acknowledges the recent economic improvements in the economy or ignores them again, said BK Asset Management managing director Kathy Lien.While the chance of further easing is next to zero, most market watchers still expect euro-negative comments from Draghi, Lien said. So any hint of optimism could send the euro sharply higher.The dollar did not react strongly to mixed US economic data on private-sector jobs growth and economic activity in the services sector.But analysts are closely watching Friday's labor market report for January, which could prompt major swings across markets, including foreign exchange.Among other currencies, the British pound declined to $1.6308 from $1.6326 Tuesday.The dollar slipped to 0.9034 Swiss franc from 0.9037.

Tendulkar and Warne to lead teams in Lord's bicentenary

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LONDON (AFP) - English cricket fans are set to get one more chance to see Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne in action at Lord's after the pair were confirmed Wednesday as captains for a match marking the ground's 200th anniversary.Recently retired India batting star Tendulkar will lead Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the owners of the north-west London venue, and former Australia leg-spinner Warne the Rest of the World in a 50-overs per side match at the 'home of cricket' on July 5. The MCC XI will also include Tendulkar's former India team-mate Rahul Dravid, returning to the scene where he scored 95 on his Test debut, against England in 1996 -- a match where fellow India debutant Sourav Ganguly made a hundred.Tendulkar, who scored a hundred in the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Match at Lord's in 1998, said he was looking forward to the July fixture.It is an honour to be asked to captain MCC in such a prestigious fixture, and I am delighted to accept, Tendulkar explained in a MCC statement.Lord's is such a special place to play cricket and I am very much looking forward to helping celebrate its bicentenary by taking part in this match. I was delighted to be presented with an MCC Honorary Life Membership in 2010, and it will be a privilege to play at the 'home of cricket' once again.Warne, who took 19 wickets in four Tests at Lord's, added: I'm sure the match will be a lot of fun and it will be a pleasure to be part of the bicentenary celebrations of the most famous cricket ground in the world.Meanwhile MCC president Mike Gatting promised more big names in the coming weeks.As a player, former England captain Gatting was involved in a similar, star-studded, match in 1987 when he scored 179 for MCC against the Rest of the World in a five-day fixture marking the 200th anniversary of the club.Gatting, who played and later coached Lord's-based county side Middlesex, has also worked at the ground recently in his role as an administrator with the England and Wales Cricket Board.This great ground has been my home from home for the last 40 years and it means a great deal to be personally involved in the celebration of its bicentenary year, the 56-year-old said.MCC, founded in 1787, moved to its present site in the north-west London suburb of St John's Wood in 1814, with the ground owned by entrepreneur Thomas Lord -- hence its name.Although it is more than 40 years since MCC ceased to run English cricket, it retains worldwide responsibility for the game's 'Laws', as cricket's rules are known.

India win toss and bowl against New Zealand

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AUCKLAND (AFP) - India won the toss and sent New Zealand into bat under heavily overcast skies in the first Test at Eden Park in Auckland on Thursday.With a green-top wicket, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's decision to bowl was expected although the toss has not always worked in his favour.He won the toss for all matches in the just-concluded one-day series which New Zealand won 4-0.We would have loved to have bowled first but all through the summer we have lost tosses but come out on the right side, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said.It's going to be tough batting but not insurmountable.The start of the match was delayed for 15 minutes because of the gloomy conditions and threat of rain.

Govt, Taliban committees to meet Thursday

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News): Government and Taliban negotiation committees are scheduled to have inaugural session on Thursday (tomorrow). Member government committee Rustam Shah Mohmand said the results are unpredictable and the session could last several hours. Taliban committee member Professor Ibrahim said that there’s no need to be disappointed, the committee will find a way.After the delay in negotiations process, Taliban and government committees made a contact following which, first session is expected on Thursday. Government committee members will also meet and exchange views with Director General (DG) Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) Lt General Zaheer ul Islam.Government committee coordinator Irfan Siddiqui has said that early negotiations initiation is desired, both committees will convey their concerns in the first session.While talking to Dunya News, government committee member Rustam Shah Mohmand said that situation is difficult and results are highly unpredictable. The session could be extremely long, he said.Meanwhile, Jamaat Islami has announced to remain part of the negotiations, the decision of which was taken at party session in Lahore.Jamaat Chief Syed Munawar Hasan said that we should keep following national interest instead of others.While talking to Dunya News, Taliban committee member Professor Ibrahim said that Taliban sincerely want negotiations and that he will try to locate ‘hidden hand’ responsible for ‘destruction of national peace’. He went on to say that he will continue playing the role of bridge between Taliban and government.
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