Thursday 6 March 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Corps Commanders meeting today

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RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) -- Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif has called Corps Commanders meeting today at General Headquarters (GHQ) to discuss ceasefire and dialogue with Taliban. The army chief will chair the meeting and will review various range of issues including North Waziristan situation and internal security issues. He will also take commanders into confidence over his recent visit to United Arab Emirates.

US lines up Russia sanctions, opposes Crimea secession

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States on Thursday imposed visa bans and set the stage for wider sanctions against Russia, warning any move to split the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine would break international law.President Barack Obama spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin to explain the measures, which he said were in response to Russia's violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.Obama further stiffened the US response to Russia's incursion into Ukraine as his Secretary of State John Kerry worked in Europe for a diplomatic way out of the worst East-West crisis in decades.The visa ban targets Russians and Ukrainians blamed for threatening the sovereignty or territorial integrity of Ukraine, where pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted after mass protests last month.They were also merely a first step. Obama also signed an executive order paving the way for economic sanctions against individuals or entities in Russia. The document sets broad criteria, and could target those accused of usurping peace and stability in Ukraine or Russian officials seeking to impose control over any part of the country.These decisions continue our efforts to impose a cost on Russia and those responsible for the situation in Crimea, said Obama.And they also give us the flexibility to adjust our response going forward based on Russia's actions.In practice, the sanctions may offer a way to crank up pressure on Putin by restricting the assets or movement of senior figures around the Russian president.Those stripped of their visas would be informed, US officials said, refusing to make the list public.But State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki suggested Putin was not on it.Taking a step like that against a head of state is -- would be a significant step, and it is not what we are leading with here in this process, she said.Obama also rejected a bid by the Crimean parliament to join Russia -- a move seen as a way for Putin to cement control over the region.The proposed referendum on the future of Crimea would violate the Ukrainian constitution and violate international law, he said.In 2014, we are well beyond the days when borders can be redrawn over the heads of democratic leaders.Pro-Moscow officials on the Crimean peninsula announced on Thursday they would hold a referendum on March 16 on whether to join the Russian Federation.But Washington says only the people of Ukraine could make decisions about their borders.You can't have a situation in which the legitimate government of the country is excluded from decision-making about different parts of that country. That is clearly a violation of international law, a senior official said.The White House said the Putin call lasted for an hour.President Obama indicated that there is a way to resolve the situation diplomatically, which addresses the interests of Russia, the people of Ukraine, and the international community, a White House statement said.In Moscow, the Kremlin said Putin had told Obama that relations between the two countries should not be sacrificed due to disagreements over individual -- albeit extremely significant -- international problems.Obama has worked over the last week to build a united front among the United States and its allies on Ukraine, and the US sanctions coincided with new European pressure on Putin.US officials stressed however that, despite the deployment of Russian troops into southern Ukraine's Crimea peninsula, Washington had not seen any military moves into mainland eastern Ukraine.In a bid to defuse the tensions on Europe's doorstep, Kerry, who visited Kiev on Tuesday, held a second round of talks in two days with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.But Lavrov told Russian news agencies that so far we cannot report to the international community that we are in agreement.In Washington, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill providing loan guarantees to the interim Ukrainian government.Lawmakers voted 385 to 23 in favor of the bill, but the Senate is not expected to take up the matter until next week. The White House has already said it will offer $1 billion in loan guarantees and is pressing Congress to act swiftly.Washington could also help Kiev by reducing its dependence on Russian gas supplies after Moscow threatened to hike the prices, said lawmaker Ed Royce.Angered by the show of Russian might, Washington has already pulled out of preparatory meetings for the G8 summit in Sochi. Other steps include suspending bilateral discussions on trade and investment.While upping consequences for Russia over its move into Ukraine, Obama also left open what US officials have been calling an off ramp for Putin.He called for a diplomatic solution that would see Russian troops pulled back to barracks in Crimea, elections in Ukraine in May, international monitors to safeguard the rights of ethnic Russians in the region and retain Moscow's military basing rights on the peninsula.

Bombings, shootings kill 22 in Iraq

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BAQUBA (AFP) - A dozen bombings in central Iraq and two shootings in the north killed 22 people Thursday, officials and doctors said, as the country suffers its worst violence in years.Iraq has been hit by a year-long surge in bloodshed that has reached levels not seen since 2008, driven by widespread discontent among its Sunni Arab minority and by the civil war in neighbouring Syria.On Thursday evening, four car bombs exploded in Baghdad, killing at least 11 people and wounding 47, officials said.The bombings targeted a cafe, a market, a main street and an area of car dealerships.Militants frequently attack places where crowds gather, such as cafes, markets, football fields and mosques, in an effort to maximise casualties.The Baghdad blasts followed a car bombing near a checkpoint north of the capital that killed two people and wounded 15, and four others in areas south of Baghdad that killed two people and wounded eight.North of the capital, a bomb exploded in a cafe in a town near Baquba, killing four people and wounding seven, while two more blasts in the city itself killed one and wounded three.And two shootings in the northern city of Mosul killed two policemen.The violence came after 10 bombings and three shootings in and around Baghdad killed at least 21 people Wednesday.Baghdad is one of the most frequently-targeted cities in the country and is hit by near-daily bombings and shootings.The government also faces a more than two-month crisis in Anbar province, west of Baghdad, where it has lost the city of Fallujah as well as shifting parts of provincial capital Ramadi to anti-government militants.It is the first time anti-government forces have exercised such open control in major cities since the peak of the deadly violence that followed the US-led invasion of 2003.More than 370,000 people may have been displaced by the violence in Anbar during the latest crisis, according to the United Nations.Violence in Iraq has killed more than 1,800 people since January 1, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.

Formula One: Massa glad of Williams change

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LONDON (AFP) - Brazil's Felipe Massa is looking forward to reigniting his Formula One career with Williams after impressing in pre-season testing for the British team.In Bahrain last week the former Ferrari driver posted the fastest time of of the four-day session -- 1 minute 33.2458 seconds -- in what was the final testing period before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 16.It was an equally heartening session for 16-times world champions Williams, who had one of their worst campaigns last season.Boasting a history encompassing nine constructors' titles and seven Formula One drivers' championships, Williams managed just five points last term and finished ninth in the standings. But Massa's form in the Gulf has given both driver and team hope ahead of the 2014 season.I think it's a new time, everything is new, there is a big change for the rules and for everybody, Massa said as Williams unveiled leading drinks brand Martini as its new main sponsor in London on Thursday.For me I think it was the right time to change and start something new, said Massa, who finished runner-up to Britain's Lewis Hamilton in the 2008 World Championship.I'm really happy with the work up until now, added Massa, who finished eighth last season.From what I've seen inside the (Williams) team, how people work, the motivation, the development of the car day by day inside the factory it's really positive.I'm very happy and 100 percent motivated and looking forward to having a good season. The Championship is long, it's difficult so I think we always need to keep our feet on the ground.Massa explained how changes in Formula One regulations had made all the cars on the grid, including the Mercedes-powered Williams FW36, harder to drive.With the new regulations, it is a big challenge, there's more torque from the engine but at the same time we have a bit less downforce due to the regulations, so the cars are a little more tricky to drive.Team principal and founder Frank Williams added: 2014 is going to be a fascinating season, with regulation changes of this scale often shaking up the grid and creating opportunities for teams to make a good step forward.Over the winter we have proved our ambition by making a number of positive changes; we welcome a new driver pairing (Massa and Valtteri Bottas), new senior technical personnel, and a number of new commercial partners for 2014.Among those new commercial partners is Martini, whose racing 'stripes' have featured prominently in 24-hour sportscar events in recent seasons, but whose connection with Formula One dates back to the 1970s and included a two-year spell as a backer of Ferrari from 2006-2008. It will be great to see the distinctive stripes of Martini Racing return to Formula One once again in unison with Williams, said Williams. Last season Williams only managed to collect points at the Hungarian and United States Grand Prix.Last year was a difficult year, said Finnish racer Bottas. I think we learnt a lot and I think we have a much better starting point for this year.

Golf: English leads, Tiger struggles at storm-hit Doral

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MIAMI (AFP) - Harris English grabbed the clubhouse lead while world number one Tiger Woods struggled Thursday until darkness halted the first round of the storm-hit $9 million World Golf Championships Cadillac Championship.English fired a three-under par 69 and was among only six players to complete 18 holes at Doral's revamp Blue Monster course, where a severe storm stopped play in the afternoon.Four others -- Italy's Francesco Molinari and Americans Jason Dufner, Hunter Mahan and Patrick Reed -- were still on the course at three-under when darkness fell. Dufner had two holes to finish while Molinari had three, Mahan had four and Reed had seven remaining.Woods, who withdrew in the final round from last week's PGA Tour Honda Classic with back spasms, shared 47th on two-over par when play was halted, having just made a bogey at the par-5 10th by missing an eight foot par putt.Woods, who made eight pars and a bogey at the par-3 fourth on the front nine, showed no sign of pain but faces 26 holes on Friday.English, a 24-year-old American, won his first US PGA title last year at Memphis and took his second win last November at Mayakoba in one of the first events of this season under the US tour's new scheduling format.English, who began on the back nine, birdied the par-5 12th then took bogeys at 16 and 18. But he responded with back-to-back birdies at one and two, followed with another at the fifth and closed with a 46-foot birdie putt at the ninth.Reigning Masters champion Adam Scott, who can overtake Woods for the top ranking spot with a win this week, was two-under after 10 holes thanks to birdies at the par-5 eighth and par-3 ninth.Among those with Scott in a share of sixth were South Africans Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen and Americans Zach Johnson, Russell Henley, Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson.Rory McIlroy was enduring a roller coaster day that saw him with five birdies and four bogeys to stand one-under with four holes remaining.McIlroy opened with a birdie at the 10th and birdied 12 and 13 as well, then answered a bogey at 14 with a birdie at 15.But he closed his first nine with back-to-back bogeys before responding with a birdie at the first, although he gave back another shot at the par-3 fourth to stand in a share of 13th.

Badminton: Li makes another great escape

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BIRMINGHAM (AFP) - Olympic champion Li Xuerui made a great escape for the second successive day to survive into the quarter-finals of the All England Open championships on Thursday.The top-seeded Chinese player came from a game and 8-13 down against Minatsu Mitani, the world number 16 from Japan, drifting to within three points of defeat before winning 14-21, 21-19, 21-15.Li had saved a match point on Wednesday against Busanan Ongbumrungpan, the world number 17 from Thailand, and once again proved resourceful enough to turn the tide against a good opponent who had the momentum in her favour.It's a difficult situation when your opponent has a lead, admitted Li. Both my coach and myself were telling me to keep fighting.I also adopted the right tactics to perform at my level. I was able to adjust and find solutions, so in that way I was happy with my performance.Li's version was that she attacked with more patience in the second half of the match. She also avoided being forced on to the defensive so much by the lively Mitani, and reduced what had been a high error ratio.From 8-13 she went on a crucial five-point sequence, reaching parity with a superb block to the net from a Mitani smash, and turning defence immediately into an attacking winner.Once ahead, Li narrowly stayed in front, but for several minutes the match hung in the balance, and it required Li's two best rallies of the match to take her to the relative safety of one game all.One, which took her to 20-18, saw her increase the pace but still maintain an excellent tight length with lifts to the back; the other, which clinched the game at 21-19, saw her contain with high clears to the back and pick a perfect moment to pound a cross-court smash on to the floor.Li had more control in the final set, and by the time she had increased a three-point lead to five at 18-13, Mitani's high standard had begun to dip.I hope it will be a good experience to have two tough matches, said Li. It can help me to become psychologically and mentally tougher.However Li may need to raise her game still further to regain the title she won here two years ago and which she says retains a special place in her heart as a stepping stone to her Olympic triumph at London 2012.She next plays Sung Ji-Hyun, the fifth-seeded Korean who reached the final of the Denmark Open five months ago. Sung came back from a three-point deficit in the first game against Lindaweni Fanetri, the world number 18 from Indonesia, to win 23-21, 21-11.

Golf: Day withdraws from WGC event with sore thumb

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MIAMI (AFP) - World number four Jason Day of Australia withdrew from the World Golf Championships Cadillac Championship on Thursday with a sore left thumb.Day, who won the WGC Match Play crown two weeks ago, pulled out before his late-morning tee time.My left thumb was bothering me at the Match Play Championship and the pain continued here this week, Day said in a statement.I had an MRI yesterdayn Miami with Dr. Lee Kaplan. Fortunately, the MRI was negative, but the doctor prescribed rest if I was unable to play today. My plan is to rest for a couple of weeks.The 26-year-old Queenslander had not withdrawn from an event since the 2012 Masters, where he pulled out because of a wrist injury.Day was among the favorites at Doral, although his best showing at the Blue Monster course was a share of 20th in 2012.

Fatima Bhutto nominated for fiction prize

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LONDON (AFP) - Fatima Bhutto, the niece of assassinated Pakistani former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, has been nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction, the judges announced Friday.Bhutto is among 20 women on the long list for the award, which was formerly known as the Orange prize and is open to English-language novels from anywhere in the world.She is nominated for The Shadow of the Crescent Moon, her first attempt at fiction following several fact-based books, including a memoir of her family's blood-soaked history.Bhutto is a fierce critic of her charismatic aunt, who twice served as prime minister, claiming she was power hungry and morally responsible for the murder of her brother, Fatima's father Murtaza Bhutto, in 1996.The winner of the prize, which will be announced at the Royal Festival Hall in central London on June 4, receives 30,000 pounds ($50,000, 36,500 euros) and a bronze known as a Bessie.Other nominees for the 19th annual award include The Luminaries by New Zealand author Eleanor Catton, which won the 2013 Booker Prize.Australia's Hannah Kent is nominated for Burial Rites, while Indian-American Jhumpa Lahiri is long-listed for The Lowland.Penguin Books UK's managing director Helen Fraser chairs the five-woman judging panel, which will announce the short list on April 7.This is a fantastic selection of books of the highest quality -- intensely readable, gripping, intelligent and surprising -- that you would want to press on your friends, she said.Former winners Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2007) of Nigeria and Suzanne Berne (1999) of the United States are on the long list, which also contains six debut novels.The other long-listed authors are from Britain, Canada, Ireland and Pakistan.US writer A. M. Holmes won last year's prize with May We Be Forgiven.

Iraq turns back flight after 'minister's son misses plane'

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BEIRUT (AFP) - Iraqi authorities forced a Baghdad-bound Lebanese plane to turn around Thursday 20 minutes after leaving Beirut because the transport ministers son missed the flight, Lebanons Middle East Airlines said.MEA said the flight took off after repeatedly paging two passengers, who failed to turn up.The passengers did not respond to the calls and the plane took off after being delayed by several minutes, said the statement, carried by Lebanons National News Agency.About 20 minutes after take-off, Middle East Airlines was informed by its Baghdad office that the plane would be prevented from landing by local civil aviation officials if a passenger was not on board.The missing passenger was identified as Mahdi al-Ameri, son of Iraqi Transport Minister Hadi al-Ameri, and the plane turned back to Beirut.MEA said it was in touch with Iraqi authorities about the incident, which it said had caused the company financial losses and disrupted its flight schedule.In Baghdad, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki demanded that heads roll over the incident, while the transport ministry denied any wrongdoing.Maliki ordered that all those responsible for preventing the plane coming from Beirut from landing in Baghdad be dismissed and held responsible, spokesman Ali Mussawi told AFP.Transport ministry spokesman Karim Nuri said it was completely untrue that the flight was turned back on behalf of Ameris son.He insisted that MEA had been previously informed that the plane would not be able to land due to runway maintenance at the Baghdad airport, which is why it was turned back.

Malaria on the move as temps warm: study

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Malaria is on the march to higher elevations as temperatures warm due to climate change, a trend that could increase the number of people sickened by the disease, researchers said Thursday.The study in the US journal Science was based on records from highland regions of Ethiopia and Colombia, raising concern about a potential spike in cases of the the mosquito-borne disease, which killed some 627,000 people in 2012.British and US researchers examined malaria case records from the Antioquia region of western Colombia from 1990 to 2005 and from the Debre Zeit area of central Ethiopia from 1993 to 2005.The median, or midpoint, of malaria cases shifted to higher elevations in years that were warmer, and dropped to lower elevations in cooler years.This is indisputable evidence of a climate effect, said University of Michigan theoretical ecologist Mercedes Pascual.The main implication is that with warmer temperatures, we expect to see a higher number of people exposed to the risk of malaria in tropical highland areas like these.Experts are concerned because once malaria moves into new high-altitude areas, local people may be at risk for severe complications and death.Because these populations lack protective immunity, they will be particularly vulnerable to severe morbidity and mortality, said co-author Menno Bouma, honorary senior clinical lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.Previous research has suggested that a one-degree Celsius temperature increase could cause three million extra malaria cases annually in Ethiopia among youths under 15.Malaria is a top killer of children, particularly in Africa where it takes the life of one child every minute, according to the World Health Organization, which counted some 207 million malaria infections in 2012.Malaria can be prevented with nets, insecticides and medicines.Our findings here underscore the size of the problem and emphasize the need for sustained intervention efforts in these regions, especially in Africa, Pascual said.

Oil prices edge higher as Ukraine tensions mount

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Global oil prices pushed higher Thursday as tensions mounted over Russia's incursion into Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for April delivery, added 11 cents, finishing at $101.56 a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for April gained 34 cents at $108.10 a barrel in London deals.WTI prices were lower in early trade but spiked almost $2, and Brent gained $1, after US President Barack Obama toughly challenged Moscow's support for a referendum in Crimea on joining Russia.The proposed referendum on the future of Crimea would violate the Ukrainian constitution and violate international law, Obama said.Any discussion about the future of Ukraine must include the legitimate government of Ukraine.In 2014, we are well beyond the days when borders can be redrawn over the heads of democratic leaders, the US president said.Earlier, the parliament in Crimea, under the de facto control of pro-Russian forces since the ousting of Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to examine a request for their region to join the Russian Federation.Russia faces sanction from the US and Europeans which potentially could wreak turmoil in markets -- especially as Russia is a crucial global energy producer and exporter of natural gas to Western Europe.More than 70 percent of its gas and oil exports to Europe pass through Ukraine.

Dollar falls vs. euro ahead of US jobs report

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar fell against the euro on Thursday, ahead of a key US jobs report and after a rosier outlook on the eurozone economy from the European Central Bank.The euro traded at $1.3861 around 2245 GMT, up sharply from $1.3734 late Wednesday. Earlier in the day the European shared currency hit $1.3873, its highest level since late December.The yen weakened against both currencies. The dollar rose to 103.08 yen from 102.28 yen, while the euro bought 142.88 yen compared with 140.47 the prior day.The euro was higher after the European Central Bank held its interest rate in place and chief Mario Draghi appeared optimistic about growth in the 18-nation eurozone.A gradual recovery in domestic and external demand is expected to be the driving factor behind the projected increase in activity, Draghi said, after the ECB raised its 2014 growth forecast by 0.1 percentage point to 1.2 percent.The dollar, meanwhile, was under pressure as investors braced for the Labor Departments monthly jobs report on Friday.Analysts estimate net job creation picked up to 163,000 in February after a mere 113,000 in January. The unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at 6.6 percent.A pickup in employment may instill a bullish outlook for the greenback as the Federal Reserve is widely anticipated to discuss another $10 billion taper at the March 18-19 monetary policy meeting, said David Song, currency analyst at DailyFX.However, the recent slowdown in economic activity certainly raises the risk of seeing another weaker-than-expected NFP (nonfarm payrolls) print, and a dismal result may heighten the bearish sentiment surrounding the reserve currency as it limits the Feds scope to normalize monetary policy sooner rather than later.The dollar fell to 0.8802 Swiss franc from 0.8873 franc late Wednesday.The pound rose to $1.6740 from $1.6720.

Sri Lanka gear up for Asia Cup final with win over Bangladesh

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DHAKA (AFP) - Sri Lanka battled hard to beat hosts Bangladesh by three wickets in the final league match of the Asia Cup in Dhaka on Thursday, reaching the final with a perfect record.Sri Lanka, who will meet defending champions Pakistan in the final on Saturday, restricted Bangladesh to 204-9 before overcoming early jitters to chase down the target in 49 overs.The four-time champions won all their four matches, this time with some tight bowling and resilient batting led by skipper Angelo Mathews, who hit an unbeaten 74.Mathews and Chaturanga de Silva (44) lifted Sri Lanka from a perilous 75-5 with a sixth-wicket stand of 82 runs.Mathews was in command throughout his 103-ball knock, hitting seven boundaries and a six, while de Silva ably supported him during his 52-ball innings, smashing five fours.Despite two late wickets, Mathews kept his cool, hitting the winning boundary towards mid-wicket.Paceman Al-Amin Hossain finished with figures of two wickets for 42 runs.Bangladesh, whose dreams of reaching the final were shattered by Tuesday's three-wicket defeat at the hands of Pakistan, had a sniff of a victory after Al-Amin removed Kusal Perera (nought) and in-form Kumar Sangakkara (two) in his first two overs.Mahela Jayawardene (nought), Lahiru Thirimanne (33) and Ashan Priyanjan (24) were also removed before Mathews took over the responsibility of steering the team to victory.Mathews was happy with his team's performance. I was under a little bit of pressure, to be honest, said Mathews. We were losing wickets and had to consolidate. Chaturanga batted beautifully and we had a good partnership, which augurs well.Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim said his side had room for improvement. We have a couple of areas to work on. We had a chat and said what we showed against Afghanistan (defeat) was not good enough for international cricket, and was disappointing for the fans.Bangladesh, who won the toss and opted to bat, struggled after a good start.Sri Lankan spinners Priyanjan (2-11) and Ajantha Mendis (2-55) put the brakes on before Thisara Perera and Suranga Lakmal, also with two wickets apiece, wrapped up the middle and lower order.Opener Anamul Haque, who scored a brilliant hundred in Bangladesh's highest one-day score of 326-3 against Pakistan on Tuesday, was once again the mainstay of the batting with an 86-ball 49.Anamul and Shamsur Rahman (39) gave the home team a solid 74-run start before Mendis struck twice, dismissing Shamsur and Mominul Haque (one) within the space of a few balls.Nasir Hossain (30) and Mohammad Mahmudullah (30) shared an innings-repairing sixth-wicket stand of 55 to give the scoreboard some respectability. Shakib Al Hasan made 20.Bangladesh, who were runners-up to Pakistan in the last Asia Cup in 2012, finished the event with four defeats in as many matches.Five-time champions India lost two of their four matches, against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, while Afghanistan recorded one win and three defeats.

Root forced home with thumb injury

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LONDON (AFP) - England batsman Joe Root was forced to return home from the West Indies with a broken thumb on Thursday, just 10 days out from the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.Root was hit on the glove while batting during Englands 25-run victory over the West Indies in the third and final one-day international at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Wednesday.The 23-year-olds injury occured in just the third ball of his innings, but he went on to score 107 and help England clinch a 2-1 series victory.An X-ray has now revealed the full extent of the damage ahead of Sundays first Twenty20 clash in Bridgetown and he will take no further part in the tour.The Yorkshire batsman has not yet been ruled out of the World Twenty20 tournament, which starts in Bangladesh on March 16.A tweet published through the England and Wales Cricket Boards official account read: Joe Root has a fractured thumb and is returning home to see a specialist. Ruled out of West Indies T20s, World T20 decision not made yet.

Italy warns Libya instability hampers aid efforts

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ROME (AFP) - Italy's new Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini warned Libya on Thursday that political instability is hampering international efforts to provide assistance to the deeply-divided country.Mogherini told Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and a large delegation of foreign ministers in Rome that international partners are ready to help Libya, but the uncontrolled circulation of arms in the country was creating difficulties.The talks, attended by US Secretary of State John Kerry, were being held to weigh assistance for the transitional authorities in Libya.A US intelligence assessment in February warned that a power vacuum in Libya, where the government is struggling to counter well-armed militias, was fuelling extremist groups across the region and posed an acute terror threat.Security forces are regularly attacked, especially in the east. Observers fear rival ex-rebel groups, heavily armed with weapons looted from the arsenals of former dictator Moamer Kadhafi, could yet push Libya into civil war.In February, France ruled out Western military action against Islamist fighters in southern Libya -- a region that the US has identified as a new haven for Al-Qaeda-linked militants.But Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the Western powers were aware of the problem and were drawing up plans to help the Libyan government deal with it.The situation is very worrying due to terrorist acts and risks in the south in particular, and an unstable political situation in general, he said.He said the Rome meeting was important because for the first time it brings together a very large group of countries, including China and Russia.Mogherini stressed the importance of acting now to avoid the high price Libya would pay if international patience runs out.There are no shortcuts, the solution for Libyan stability will come from Libya, she said, adding that our commitment cannot last for ever.
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