Saturday 14 June 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Urs of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar starts today

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SEHWAN SHARIF (Dunya News) - Thousands of devotees from all around the country have gathered in Sehwan Sharif to attend three-day Urs celebrations of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar which starts today (Sunday).Walkthrough gates and CCTV cameras have been installed for the safety of the devotees while heavy contingent of police would be deployed to maintain law and order situation during Urs celebrations.

Football: Italy beat England 2-1 in World Cup

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MANAUS (AFP) - Mario Balotelli's second-half header earned Italy a 2-1 victory over an enterprising England side in an engaging World Cup Group D opener in Manaus on Saturday.Amid muggy conditions in the Amazon rainforest city, Claudio Marchisio drilled Italy in front in the 35th minute, only for Daniel Sturridge to equalise two minutes later after a sweeping England counter-attack.With 19-year-old Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling to the fore, England displayed plenty of endeavour, but they were ultimately undone by former Manchester City striker Balotelli's goal shortly after half-time.His header prevented England from avenging their defeat on penalties by Italy in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 and left Cesare Prandelli's side well placed ahead of Friday's meeting with Costa Rica -- shock 3-1 victors against Uruguay earlier in the day -- in Recife.England manager Roy Hodgson will have drawn encouragement from his youthful side's attacking vigour, but victory against a hurting Uruguay will now be imperative when the teams collide in Sao Paulo on Thursday.While Salvatore Sirigu deputised for the injured Gianluigi Buffon in goal for Italy, Hodgson sprang something of a surprise by fielding Sterling as a number 10, which obliged Wayne Rooney to play on the left.Sterling was quick to catch the eye at the Amazonia Arena, lashing a 30-yard shot into the side netting, and his example encouraged Jordan Henderson to test Sirigu at his near post with a powerful strike.As England continued to press, Sterling drilled a cross across goal, before Italy centre-back Andrea Barzagli toed a centre from Danny Welbeck across the face of his own goal and wide.England seemed to be building up a head of steam, but perhaps emboldened by their fortune, Italy went ahead.Following a short corner on the right, Andrea Pirlo cleverly dummied a pass from Marco Verratti for Marchisio, who exploited oceans of space to steady himself and drive a shot into the bottom-left corner from 20 yards.If England felt hard done-by, they did not show it, for within two minutes they were level thanks to a goal of delightful simplicity.Sterling's glorious pass released Rooney on the left and the Manchester United man dispatched a delicately weighted left-foot cross that Sturridge crashed home on the half-volley.England's celebrations were not without complications, however, as team physiotherapist Gary Lewin had to be stretchered away from the touchline after hurting his ankle amid the jubilation.Italy finished the first half on top, Phil Jagielka heading off the line from Balotelli, before Antonio Candreva hit the post with a snapshot, and it was to prove an ominous portent of things to come.After Sirigu had parried a low strike from Sturridge, in the 50th minute Candreva cut inside Leighton Baines with embarrassing ease on the Italy right and crossed for Balotelli to nod his side ahead from close range.Prandelli stiffened his midfield by introducing Thiago Motta in place of Verratti, while Hodgson pitched Everton youngster Ross Barkley into the fray as England went in search of an equaliser.Steven Gerrard was denied a penalty following a body-check by Gabriel Paletta, before Rooney lashed wide and Sirigu saved from Barkley and Baines, but as the game wore on and the humidity began to weigh even more heavily, so England faded.Pirlo even came close to inflating Italy's lead with a languidly struck injury-time free-kick, but the ball hit the bar.

Football: Costa Rica stun Uruguay as Suarez looks on

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FORTALEZA (AFP) - Costa Rica came from a goal down to beat Uruguay 3-1 in a huge World Cup upset Saturday as the Copa America champions suffered for the absence of star striker Luis Suarez.After Edinson Cavani gave the South Americans the lead from the penalty spot in the first half, Costa Rica roared back with two goals in three minutes from Joel Campbell and Oscar Duarte.With Liverpool star Suarez confined to the bench recovering from a knee injury, Costa Rica grabbed a third through substitute Marcos Urena to throw Group D, which also features England and Italy, wide open.Uruguay's Maxi Pereira was red-carded in injury time to compound his team's misery.Uruguay had the ball in the net after 15 minutes but Diego Godin's effort was rightly ruled out for offside.German referee Felix Brych called it right again in the 22nd minute when defender Junior Diaz was penalised for hauling down Uruguay skipper Diego Lugano in the box.Up stepped Paris Saint-Germain striker Cavani to calmly bury the penalty to the right of Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas. It was Cavani's 22nd goal in 63 internationals.Uruguay went close to a second goal in the closing moments of the first half when veteran striker Diego Forlan's shot took a huge deflection which forced a back-pedalling Navas into a dramatic tip over.In the 54th minute, Costa Rica were level with 21-year-old Campbell, who spent last season on loan at Olympiakos from Arsenal, firing in a superbly controlled drive from Cristian Gamboa's cross.It got better three minutes later when Duarte dived bravely at the feet of Christian Stuanito to head in a free-kick for a 2-1 lead.Substitute Urena latched on to a fine pass by the influential Campbell in the 84th minute to make it 3-1 before Pereira became the first player sent off at these finals for a wild lunge on Campbell.

Football: Colombia beat Greece 3-0 in World Cup

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BELO HORIZONTE (AFP) - James Rodriguez rounded off a convincing 3-0 win for Colombia over Greece as the South Americans made light of the absence of injured striker Radamel Falcao in their opening Group C match at the World Cup on Saturday.Full-back Pablo Armero had given the Colombians -- appearing at their first finals since 1998 -- the lead in the fifth minute while Teofilo Gutierrez's 13th goal for his country shortly before the hour mark wrapped up the three points.Rodriguez, nicknamed the 'new kid' as he is seen as the successor to legend Carlos Valderrama, known as 'the kid', rounded off an impressive performance with a sweet left footed shot in time added on. Armero's goal was the fastest in Colombia's five appearances at a World Cup finals, beating the 19 minutes it took another defender Francisco Zuluaga to score against Uruguay in the 1962 finals in ChileIt took Colombia just five minutes to send their fans wild.With Falcao watching from the stands, great work down the right by Juan Cuadrado outwitted the Greek defence and a step over by Gutierrez saw the ball come to Armero.The 27-year-old fullback fired in a weak shot which took a deflection off a defender and past 'keeper Orestis Karnezis.The goal sparked an energetic goalline celebratory dance routine which drew in the players on the bench as well.Greece, whose leading striker Kostas Mitroglou was left on the bench as he battles for full fitness after suffering a knee injury, had little to offer up front.However, one bustling run from Celtic's Georgios Samaras set up Panagiotis Kone but he had to stretch for the ball and his effort curled harmlessly wide.Kone made a far better fist of it right at the end of the first-half as once again Samaras's physical approach unnerved the Colombian defence and laid the ball back to his team-mate.The 26-year-old fired in a powerful shot towards the top right hand corner but Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina produced a superb two handed diving save to deny him.If the Greeks needed any encouragement to rescue the situation the fans provided them with it wielding a banner which read 'We won't say Greeks play like heroes, we say heroes play like Greeks'.However, apart from one vain call for a penalty by Samaras the Greeks were incapable of threatening the Colombian goal and it was the South Americans who deservedly doubled their lead through Gutierrez.Rodriguez's corner was a poor one but a superb deft flick on by Abel Aguilar came to Gutierrez who tapped home from close range -- his 13th goal in 31 appearances -- and provoked another superb dance celebration routine.Colombia may have thought they were safe but the Greeks gave them a warning that all was not done as Vasilios Torosidis found the unmarked Theofanis Gekas yards out from the goal, but the 34-year-old's header beat Ospina only to cannon back off the bar.It was the Colombians who rounded off the scoring as a flowing move ended with Monaco star Rodriguez side-footing the ball past Karnezis although the dance routine failed to materialise this time.

Tennis: Federer bids for seventh Halle title

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HALLE WESTFALEN (AFP) - Defending champion Roger Federer will bid for a seventh Halle title on Sunday against Colombia's Alejandro Falla.Federer, ranked fourth in the world, saw off Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) after 69th-ranked Falla earlier upset Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to became the first Colombian to reach a grasscourt final.Federer, 32, is bidding for a boost ahead of his latest assault on Wimbledon where he has been champion on seven occasions.I'm very happy that things are going so well for me here this week, said Federer, who after a first-round bye, beat Portugal's Joao Sousa on Thursday and then had a walkover in the quarter-finals.I only played a few matches and I'm in the final now. I wasn't sure whether it's a good thing to get a walk-over in the quarter finals because I was really lacking matches on grass.After controlling the first set, Federer was pushed in the final tiebreak where the quality of his serve made the difference against Nishikori, who had beaten the Swiss in the Miami quarter-finals this season.Playing against somebody like Nishikori is a big test and I was lacking matches, said Federer, after his 73 minute success gave him a ninth Halle final berth.I'm extremely happy with the way I played today. I think I played really aggressive, I served well when I had to and I was able to keep the pressure on Kei and at the end I think I deserved to win.I played a good tiebreaker as well to get back into it and now I'm in another final here at the Gerry Weber Open. I love this tournament. I've won it six times before. So I'm hoping to make it seven.Halle was the site of his only title in 2013 and is the tournament where he first appeared in 2005 as a 19-year-old.But playing for his 79th title he will nevertheless have to be wary of his rival who has lost his six previous meetings with the Swiss.I mean I know Falla, played him on several occasions. Especially here on grass in Halle, at Wimbledon where I almost lost and then also at the Olympics it was a tough one, said Federer.So, I'm cautious about the match coming up.It's going to be a tough test for me tomorrow (Sunday) but clearly I'm the big favourite and I want to try to get that trophy tomorrow.For Falla, it will be his second career ATP final, after losing to Ivo Karlovic of Croatia last year in Bogota, in only his second appearance at Halle after losing to Federer in the 2010 first round. Kohlschreiber, ranked world 27 and the 2011 champion, was feeling the effects of his quarter-final clash on Friday when he was taken to three sets by compatriot Dustin Brown before prevailing 18-16 in the third set tie-break.Brown had shocked world number one Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the second round.

Tennis: Dimitrov, Lopez to clash in Queen's final

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LONDON (AFP) - Bulgarian fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov booked a Queen's Club final clash against Feliciano Lopez with an impressive 6-2, 6-4 win over world number three Stan Wawrinka on Saturday.Dimitrov is one of the emerging talents in the men's game and he underlined his growing reputation by overpowering top seed Wawrinka in just 61 minutes at the Wimbledon warm-up in west London.The world number 13 can now look forward to his third ATP Tour final this season on Sunday against Spanish 10th seed Lopez, who defeated Czech veteran Radek Stepanek 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 in the other semi-final.And if the 23-year-old lifts the trophy, it will go some way to silencing the critics who claim he should have fulfilled his potential by now.It's tough to define the word 'breakthrough', Dimitrov said. Of course, you would want to be more consistent. I think that's more my word for it.Sometimes people make a big deal out of the breakthrough. To me, it's just a stage that you've got to go through.Some people find it very easy and acclimate themself pretty fast to the atmosphere and to the stage. Others it just takes time. Everyone is different.Dimitrov is already the youngest player in the world's top 20, having broken into the upper echelons with a run to the Australian Open quarter-finals before winning titles in Acapulco and Bucharest.One of his few low moments this year came last month when he was dumped out of the French Open first round by Ivo Karlovic.He had expected to do well in Paris and admitted the loss sparked several days of soul-searching, ultimately giving him the renewed focus and hunger to succeed at Queen's.I was really down after the French Open. I didn't touch a racquet for around five, six days after that, Dimitrov said.It was painful. I kept dwelling on it. You go for those long walks and keep thinking about what happened.But at the same time that pushed me to practice hard and put me in a really good position.I was really positive coming into this week. Next thing you know, I'm in the final. So that's a good sign.Playing with more freedom, Dimitrov has raced through the draw, adding an admiring Wawrinka to a list of scalps that already includes Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych this year.His game is similar to Roger (Federer). He has a one-handed backhand, a big forehand and can serve well, Wawrinka said of a player once dubbed 'Baby Fed'.He's been having a great year already, winning two titles. I'm sure he can achieve big things in tennis.Dimitrov was just too hot to handle as he moved a step closer to his first grass-court title.The Bulgarian, who has been supported by girlfriend and French Open champion Maria Sharapova this week, took just five games to became the first player in the tournament to break Wawrinka's serve and added another break for good measure to clinch the first set.There was no let-up from Dimitrov in the second set and Wawrinka, who smashed his racquet in frustration at one point, conceded the decisive break when his forehand missed by the narrowest of margins to surrender a 4-3 lead.In the second last-four clash, world number 29 Lopez followed up his surprise last eight win over world number six Tomas Berdych with a victory over the week's other giant-killer.Stepanek, 35, had defeated reigning Wimbledon and Queen's champion Andy Murray in the third round and seventh seed Kevin Anderson in the quarter-finals.But he ran out of steam against the 32-year-old Lopez, whose last final came 12 months ago when he won the grass-court title at Eastbourne.The quality of tennis I played today was amazing, Lopez said.Radek also played great. It was a matter of a few points that came my way.

Golf: Kaymer finds trouble but stays five ahead at Open

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PINEHURST (AFP) - Germany's Martin Kaymer maintained a five-stroke lead in Saturday's third round of the US Open despite a bogey at the 13th hole as his rivals fared even worse at Pinehurst.The 29-year-old from Dusseldorf began the round with a six-stroke lead after a historic 36-hole start on 10-under 130, the lowest in US Open history.But with tougher pin placements on Saturday, Kaymer made three bogeys in the first six holes against an eagle at the par-5 fifth.After a bogey at six, Kaymer ended the roller-coaster ride and parred six holes in a row until his bogey at 13 put him at eight-under and briefly trimmed his lead to four shots.But Kevin Na, a South Korean-born American, rolled over the 14th green on his approach and chipped over the green on his way to a double bogey to fall back.That left Kaymer back in front by five shots over Americans Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton, both in the clubhouse on three-under 207 after three-under 67s Saturday, and two players still on the course -- Sweden's Henrik Stenson and American Dustin Johnson.

Motorcycling: Pedrosa on pole for Catalunya MotoGP

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MONTMELO (AFP) - Spain's Dani Pedrosa, on a Honda, took pole position for Sunday's Catalunya MotoGP as he finished ahead of Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo and teammate Marc Marquez, the championship leader, on Saturday. It was the 45th pole position for the former 250cc world champion and his 26th in MotoGP as he timed 1min 40.985sec to outpace compatriots Lorenzo, by 0.115sec, and Marquez, who is chasing a seventh straight victory, by 0.150sec.Pedrosa's performance ended the pole position winning streak of Marquez, who walked away from a crash towards the end of the session, and will be the first time since last year Marquez will not start at the front of the grid.Marquez became the first rider since Italy's Valentino Rossi in 2002 to win six successive races, when he edged out Lorenzo at the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello on June 1.I made a very good lap, I risked a lot, especially in the braking to make it, said Lorenzo on his second place result.It's hard because with the track and temperatures it's hard to make the bike stable. We hope to remain consistent and strong like in Mugello to fight for the win again. It would be great to win, everyone wants to stated Lorenzo. Marquez will carry a healthy 53-point lead over Rossi into Sunday's race at the Montmelo circuit while Pedrosa is just one point further back in the championship standings.Germany's Stefan Bradl will lead the second row as he finished fourth fastest at 0.235sec on a Honda LCR, with Rossi alongside him, 0.305sec slower than Pedrosa. Another Spaniard, Aleix Espargaro, who was fastest in Friday's practice on his Yamaha Forward, completes the second row.Rossi said he was happy with his performance.I'm quite satisfied with this afternoon's result because the target was to stay in the top 5 and I am there at last, said the flamboyant Italian.For sure the front row is always better and makes things easier but the three Spanish guys in front have showed to be very strong. As for the tyres for the race, I guess everybody is going to use the medium rear tyre, while the choice for the front is still open and will depend on tomorrow's temperature and weather conditions, added Rossi.In qualifying for the Moto2 Grand Prix, Spain continued to dominate the weekend as Esteve Rabat rode his Kalex bike to pole position. The championship leader recorded his fifth pole of the season, and led home Finnish team-mate Mika Kallio by 0.571secs with fellow-Spaniard Maverick Vinales completing the front row 0.623sec back, also on a Kalex. Earlier, Marquez's younger brother Alex set a course record as he rode his Honda to pole position for the Moto3 Grand Prix with a time of 1min 50.232sec. The 18-year-old finished his fastest lap a comfortable 0.618sec quicker than Italian KTM rider Enea Bastianini.Spaniard Alex Rins, on a second Honda, was a further 0.062sec back to round out the top three.

Iran offers help if US acts against militants in Iraq

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - Shiite Iran offered Saturday to consider working with long-time foe Washington if it takes the lead in helping repel Sunni Arab militants who have seized a swathe of northern Iraq.The offer came as Iraqi commanders said soldiers had recaptured two towns north of Baghdad, thousands of volunteers answered a call to arms from top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and a US carrier group steamed into Gulf waters.Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki visited the besieged city of Samarra north of the capital Friday to rally troops and pray at the Al-Askari Shiite shrine, a revered site whose 2006 bombing by Al-Qaeda sparked a sectarian conflict that killed tens of thousands.President Barack Obama said he was looking at all the options to halt the offensive that has brought jihadist-led militants within 50 miles (80 kilometres) of Baghdad's city limits, but ruled out any return of US combat troops.We will not be sending US troops back into combat in Iraq, but I have asked my national security team to prepare a range of other options that could help support Iraqi security forces, he said.Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel had ordered aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush into the Gulf in response to the crisis.Obama has been under mounting fire from his Republican opponents over the swift collapse of Iraq's security forces, which Washington spent billions of dollars training and equipping before pulling out its own troops in 2011.Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who since taking office last August has overseen a rapprochement with a superpower Tehran long derided as the Great Satan, said his government was prepared to consider offering help.If we see that the United States takes action against terrorist groups in Iraq, then one can think about it, Rouhani told a news conference.Iraq's Shiite premier said the cabinet had granted him unlimited powers to reverse the offensive, in which militants swept towards Baghdad after overrunning second city Mosul on Tuesday before losing some of its steam.Troops found the burned bodies of 12 policemen as they recaptured the town of Ishaqi in Salaheddin province from Sunni Arab insurgents, a police colonel and a doctor said.It was one of the closest points to Baghdad militants reached as they overran a large part of northern and north-central Iraq.Troops also retook the nearby Muatassam area of Salaheddin, the colonel said.Late Friday, police and residents expelled militants from another town in the province, Dhuluiyah, witnesses said.Security forces have also held fast in the Muqdadiyah area of Diyala province, preventing militants from taking the town in heavy fighting, police said.In Samarra, reinforcements were awaiting orders to launch a counter-offensive against areas north of the city, including Dur and Tikrit, seized by militants earlier this week, an army colonel said.North of Baghdad, gunmen attacked a convoy carrying the head of Iraq's anti-corruption watchdog, killing nine police, and a convoy carrying the deputy head of the Shiite religious endowment was also targeted, killing eight guards.Security forces have generally performed poorly, with some abandoning their vehicles and positions and discarding their uniforms, though they seem to have begun to recover from the initial onslaught and have started to regain ground.They will be joined by a flood of volunteers, urged on by Sistani's call Friday for Iraqis to join up to defend the country.A representative of Sistani, who is adored by Shiites but rarely appears in public, made the call on his behalf from the shrine city of Karbala, south of Baghdad.A Qatar-based union of Sunni Muslim clerics on Saturday denounced the call, saying developments in Iraq were a result of oppression and exclusion of people that wanted freedom.Obama said while the US was willing to help, Iraq needed to heal the deep divide between the Shiite-led government and the Sunni Arab minority, whose resentment jihadists have exploited.Washington will not involve itself in military action in the absence of a political plan by the Iraqis that gives us some assurance that they're prepared to work together, Obama said.Any action that we may take to provide assistance to Iraqi security forces has to be joined by a serious and sincere effort by Iraq's leaders to set aside sectarian differences.State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf dismissed Republican lawmakers' criticism that a residual US force would have prevented the Iraqi army's collapse.When we left Iraq, after years of sacrifice and American taxpayer money, and certainly our troops felt that sacrifice more than anyone, the Iraqis had an opportunity, Harf told reporters.Instead, Iraqi leaders created a climate where there were vulnerabilities when it came to the cohesion of the Iraqi army, she said.

US orders aircraft carrier into Gulf over Iraq crisis: Pentagon

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States has ordered an aircraft carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, into the Gulf in response to the crisis in Iraq, the Pentagon said Saturday.The order will provide the commander-in-chief additional flexibility should military options be required to protect American lives, citizens and interests in Iraq, Rear Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman, said.Ordered by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, the move comes amid calls for air strikes to blunt a lightning offensive by Sunni Islamic militants that threatens Baghdad and the country's Shiite-led government.US President Barack Obama said Friday the United States would not send in US ground troops but that he was weighing all other options.The Bush is being accompanied by two other warships -- the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea and the guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun, Kirby said in a statement.The carrier's movement into the Gulf from the north Arabian Sea was expected to be completed by the end of the day, he said.American naval presence in the Arabian Gulf continues to support our longstanding commitments to the security and stability of the region, he added.

Gunmen attack convoy, kill nine Iraq police: officer

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - Gunmen attacked a convoy carrying the head of Iraq's anti-corruption watchdog north of Baghdad on Saturday, sparking clashes that killed nine policemen, an officer and a doctor said.The attack on the convoy carrying Alaa Jawad, who was unharmed in the attack, also wounded 21 people and took place on the road between Baghdad and the city of Samarra.It came as security forces fight to retake areas north of the capital seized by militants in a major offensive they launched on Monday night.It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, or if it was planned or a target of opportunity.The militant offensive, spearheaded by jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant but also involving supporters of late dictator Saddam Hussein, overran all of one province and chunks of three others.But while security forces initially performed poorly, they appear to have overcome some of the initial shock of the onslaught, and have retaken several areas north of the capital.

Ukraine protest after rebels down military plane, killing 49

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LUGANSK (AFP) - An irate mob smashed the Russian embassy's windows in Kiev and tore down its flag Saturday in the wake of the downing by pro-Kremlin rebels of a military plane that killed 49 troops.The violence in Kiev came hours ahead of top Moscow and Kiev officials huddling in the Ukrainian capital for gas negotiations aimed at averting an imminent cut in Russian supplies that would also affect large swathes of Europe.The United States accused Russia of helping the insurgency by sending tanks and rocket launchers to the pro-Moscow rebels -- a charge the Kremlin denied.A commander in the rebel-held eastern city of Lugansk, where the plane was shot down, showed pieces of the Il-76 transporter's charred debris in a wheat field a dozen kilometres (around eight miles) outside the airport.The man known to his unit as Mudzhakhed (Sacred Fighter) said the plane tried to dump fuel after the rebels hit its engines. The heavy transporter crashed on its second landing approach after being hit by heavy machine gun fire.He listed the mostly Russian-speaking region's grievances against the new more nationalist leaders in Kiev.They brought machine guns and ammunition, Mudzhakhed said. We do not like people telling us what to do.Ukraine's Western-backed President Petro Poroshenko vowed to deal the rebels an adequate response after the attack and signalled an imminent intensification of an offensive being waged against the insurgents. He proclaimed Sunday a national day of mourning.Poroshenko spoke moments before a crowd of several hundred smashed windows in the Russian embassy building and overturned several luxury cars belonging to its staff before pulling down its tricolour with the help of a wooden pole.About a dozen Kiev police officers told the crowd to calm down before eventually leaving the scene.Russia condemned the police inaction as a grave violation of Ukraine's international obligations.Washington also delivered Kiev a rare rebuke by urging authorities to meet their Vienna Convention obligations to provide adequate security.German Chancellor Angel Merkel and French President Francois Hollande expressed extreme concern over Ukraine's spiralling violence in a joint phone conversation with Russia's Vladimir Putin in which they said it was important to rapidly reach a ceasefire.And British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the international community stands ready to impose further sanctions if Russia continues to provoke instability in Ukraine.Lugansk, an industrial hub of 400,000 inhabitants has been under effective rebel control since the eastern uprising began in early April. Nearby border guard units have come under brazen attacks by fighters from strife-torn Russian regions such as Dagestan and Chechnya.On Saturday, Ukraine's federal forces suffered still more casualties when three border guards were killed and four wounded after being ambushed in the eastern port of Mariupol -- captured with great fanfare by federal forces the day before.The Ukrainian forces have so far managed to hold on to Lugansk's airport and use it to rotate equipment and troops serving in the campaign.But they have had to repel an increasingly frequent series of raids by gunmen. At the end of May, the military seized back the main international airport in the southeastern city of Donetsk, which had been briefly overrun by the rebels.The eastern insurgency has now claimed at least 320 lives of civilians and fighters on both sides.Poroshenko's troubles have been compounded by the threat of Ukraine being cut off from economically vital Russian gas shipments as early as Monday because of a bitter price dispute.Ukraine receives half its gas supplies from Russia and transports 15 percent of the fuel consumed in Europe. Moscow had nearly doubled the price it charges Kiev in the wake of the February ouster of a Kremlin-backed president.Ukraine said heading into Saturday's urgent round of EU-brokered talks in Kiev that it was ready to make a $1.95 billion (1.45 billion euro) payment demanded by Moscow by Monday morning if Russia agreed to cut its ongoing price to $326 from $485.50 for 1,000 cubic metres of gas.But Russia had called a price of $385 per 1,000 cubic metres its final offer.EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger told reporters on his way into the first round of talks that negotiations would probably last through the night and continue on Sunday.

Moderate 5.6 quake hits Japan's north

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TOKYO (AFP) - A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan in the early hours of Sunday , the US Geological Survey said, predicting low chances of any major damage being caused.The epicentre was located in mountains along the north astern side of Honshu, Japan's largest island, at a depth of 90 kilometres (56 miles). Cities close to the epicentre include Hanamaki, Kitakami and Morioka. The Japan Meteorological Agency put the quake's strength at a slightly lower figure of 5.5 magnitude, adding that there was no risk of a tsunami. Japan is situated at the meeting place of several of the Earth's tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent quakes every year.But thanks to strict building codes, even powerful quakes that might wreak havoc in other countries frequently pass without causing much damage.Last month a strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake shook buildings in the Japanese capital Tokyo, injuring 17 people.

England on top despite Sangakkara century

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LONDON (AFP) - Kumar Sangakkara's first Test hundred at Lord's saw him rewrite cricket's record books but England remained in control of their series opener with Sri Lanka on Saturday.Sri Lanka were 415 for seven at stumps on the third day of this two-match series, with left-hander Sangakkara's 147 key to their avoiding the follow-on.His century made the 36-year-old the first man to score hundreds in three consecutive innings on three separate occasions in Tests.England, however, still led by 160 runs after Joe Root's maiden Test double century had taken them to a total of 575 for nine declared.Sangakkara was involved in partnerships of 97, 126 and 96 with Kaushal Silva (62), Mahela Jayawardene (55) and Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews (79 not out) respectively.He was all assurance until caught behind off Moeen Ali to give the debutant off-spinner his first Test wicket.A hundred at Lord's is something I always wanted, the 36-year-old Sangakkara told Sky Sports.Coming on this tour, probably my last in England, I just wanted to enjoy it. If it happened, I happened.Lord's is a very special place to play...It feels very special to get on the honours board, added the left-hander, the seventh Sri Lankan to score a Test hundred at Lord's.Paul Farbrace, until recently the coach of Sri Lanka but now deputy to Peter Moores in the England set-up, said he was glad Sangakkara had reached a cherished landmark.Personally, I'm very pleased for him...delighted he's got his hundred in Test cricket at Lord's that he wanted.He is a world-class player and a world-class person...It was a fantastic innings.England captain Alastair Cook, often accused of lacking imagination, tried to unsettle the batsmen with unusual field placings and angles of attack.But his bowlers were largely frustrated by Sangakkara, whose career batting average of 58.53 has only been bettered by players who've appeared in at least 25 Tests by Australia's Don Bradman and the England duo of Herbert Sutcliffe (60.73) and Ken Barrington (58.67).Sri Lanka resumed Saturday on 140 for one, with opener Kaushal Silva 62 not out and Sangakkara unbeaten on 32.Play commenced in gloomy overcast conditions that led to the floodlights being switched on.Silva had added just one to his score when, trying to sway out of the way of a James Anderson bouncer, he was caught behind.Sri Lanka, though, were 212 for two at lunch with Sangakkara 73 not out -- already beyond his previous Lord's Test-best of 65 in 2006 -- and Mahela Jayawardene 29 not out.Sangakkara entered the 90s by lofting Ali down the ground for four.Liam Plunkett, playing his first Test in seven years, tried bowling short from around the wicket to a packed legside field but to no avail.And when the fast bowler reverted to over-the-wicket, Sangakkara straight-drove for an all-run four to move on to 97.By now, Cook had brought on part-time off-spinner Root in a bid to break the stand.Sangakkara, though, cover-drove Root for his 10th boundary to complete a 182-ball century -- his 36th in 123 Tests.The clearly-elated Sangakkara was embraced by Jayawardene, who has two Test hundreds at Lord's to his credit, after achieving a feat that proved beyond modern batting greats Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting.It was very good to have Mahela there. He knows how special it is, Sangakkara said.But the arrival of the new ball saw England at last separate the veterans when Stuart Broad had Mahela Jayawardene plumb lbw.And when Lahiru Thirimanne fell shortly afterwards, Sri Lanka were 289 for four -- nearly 100 runs shy of the follow-on.But Mathews counter-attacked with a 64-ball fifty.Meanwhile Sangakkara was still playing some classic shots, including a majestic cover-drive for four off Plunkett.But trying to cut Ali, he was well caught by wicketkeeper Matt Prior to end a superbly constructed innings of more than seven-and-a-half hours.Cook's innovation was eventually rewarded when Prasanna Jayawardene played a genuine glance off Plunkett, only for Ian Bell at leg-slip to hold a sharp chance.Nuwan Kulasekara was then caught behind off a full-length delivery from debutant paceman Chris Jordan.

Aussie Rodgers runs riot for Middlesex

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LONDON (AFP) - Australia opener Chris Rodgers led from the front with 180 as Middlesex piled on the runs against Nottinghamshire on Saturday.Middlesex captain Rodgers and discarded England batsman Eoin Morgan (174 not out) took the visitors to 417 for five at stumps on the opening day of their First Division County Championship match at Trent Bridge.The two left-handers put on 272, a Middlesex record stand against Nottinghamshire.Australia paceman Peter Siddle, a Test team-mate of Rodgers, took two for 87 for Nottinghamshire.Rodgers faced 220 balls, including 26 fours.He eventually holed out off Andre Adams, the former New Zealand seamer.
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