Saturday 19 July 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Three injured in unprovoked Indian firing in Charwah Sector

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SIALKOT (Dunya News) – In another LoC ceasefire violation, Indian forces opened unprovoked firing in Charwah Sector near Sialkot on late Saturday night.According to sources, two women and a child were injured in firing.Chenab Rangers retaliated instantly after which the Indian guns became silent.

Youm-e-Ali being observed today

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LAHORE (Dunya News) - The martyrdom anniversary of Amirul Momineen Hazrat Ali ibne Abi Talib (A.S) is being observed today (Sunday) across the country with religious spirit and reverence. Marking the occasion, Majalis-e-Aza will be held and Taboot processions will be taken out in all big and small cities and towns of all the four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas.Security has been put on high alert throughout the country for Youm-e-Ali. More than 16,000 police officers along with Rangers will be performing their duties in Karachi. Mobile phone services will remain suspended and security men will also be deployed on rooftops of several buildings along the route of the procession.It should be noted that pillion riding has already been banned since Friday due to security reasons.More than 10,000 police officers have been deployed for security of the procession in Lahore. Mobile phone services will remain suspended with cell-phone jammers and police officers will also be deployed on rooftops of different buildings.In Peshawar, the procession routes will also be cleared by Bomb Disposal Squads and more than 1000 security men will be deployed to meet any unforeseen situation on the occasion.Cellular services are likely to be suspended in Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Attock and Chakwal whereas pillion- riding has been banned in Bahawalpur, Bhakkar, Gujranwala and Dera Ghazi Khan.

Tennis: Ferrer ends teenager Zverev's Hamburg run

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HAMBURG (AFP) - Spanish veteran David Ferrer ended the breakthrough run of German 17-year-old Alexander Zverev with a 6-0, 6-1 victory in the semi-finals of the Hamburg ATP tournament on Saturday.The 32-year-old top-seeded Ferrer dismissed Zverev in just 56 minutes to advance to his 44th tour-level final where he will face Leonardo Mayer of Argentina.World number 285 Zverev was the youngest player ever to compete in the semi-finals of an ATP World Tour 500 tournament, having ousted the likes of fifth seed Mikhail Youzhny and number 11 Santiago Giraldo. He had never won a tour-level match coming into Hamburg and is now set to break the world top 200 at around 160, having sat as low as 665 three weeks ago.World number 46 Mayer upset seventh-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, 7-5, 6-4.

Tennis: Wozniacki, Vinci to clash for Istanbul title

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ISTANBUL (AFP) - Top seed Caroline Wozniacki will tackle Roberta Vinci for the Istanbul WTA title on Sunday as the magical run of 16-year-old Ana Konjuh was ended at the semi-final stage.Wozniacki made the final with a 6-2, 6-3 win over France's Kristina Mladenovic while second-seeded Italian Vinci brushed aside Konjuh 6-4, 6-2.Vinci had lost to Konjuh in the first round in Auckland this season in the pair's only other previous meeting.The conditions were difficult out there today with the wind, so it made everything a little harder, Wozniacki said of her clash with Mladenovic. I just tried to stay focused and play my best tennis and I'm glad it worked out.Vinci leads Wozniacki 2-1 in head-to-head meetings, including beating the Dane when she was ranked number one in 2011 and also winning their only 2014 encounter.Vinci is also on a roll, winning eight of nine matches since coming out of Wimbledon.

Tennis: Troicki returns as controversial doping ban ends

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GSTAAD (AFP) - Viktor Troicki will make his return to tennis when his controversial one-year doping ban ends on Monday, with the Serb playing on a late wild card entry at the Swiss Open in Gstaad.Troicki was awarded his wild card only hours before the weekend draw, with the 28-year-old set to put his career back on track as he starts in the first round against Austrian eighth seed Dominic Thiem.Troicki drew his ban for delaying a mandatory blood test at Monte Carlo in April, 2013 by a day, saying he felt ill. Despite having blood drawn a day later, he was banned for a year.After reaching a career high of 12 in the world and helping Serbia win the Davis Cup in 2010, the 28-year-old Troicki is now ranked at 842 in the world.Honestly, it's been a tough year, Troicki, whose original 18-month ban was cut to 12 on appeal, told CNN.Mentally it was tough to handle everything but as time went on, I started preparing and practicing, and I was focused on my comeback and new start -- and looking forward to it.Troicki also praised the support of teammate and world number one Novak Djokovic with whom he practiced while he waited out his ban.Novak helped me a lot when he had weeks of preparation, he always invited me, he said Troicki. He really did a lot for me and I will never forget that.The claycourt event at Gstaad is headed by Russian title-holder Mikhail Youzhny, the top seed, who cannot seem to get enough of the lush alpine village venue.Youzhny will be competing for the eighth year in a row and ninth overall in Gstaad as he returns following his title win in 2013 against Dutchman Robin Haase.Spaniard Marcel Granollers, the 2011 champion, takes the second seeding, with the top four seeds all given byes into the second round of the event held at 800 metres above sea level.Former semi-finalist Guilermo Garcia-Lopez is seeded third ahead of fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who first played the event nine years ago but is returning for the first time in four editions.Argentine Federico Delbonis is seeded fifth, starting in the first round against dreadlocked German Dustin Brown. Frenchman Gilles Simon takes the sixth seeding, facing an opening test against Spaniard Pablo Andujar.Seventh seed Haase faces Aleksandr Nedovyesov.The tournament was hit by the defection of draw card and world number four Stan Wawrinka, who was signed to a multi-year appearance contract as was Roger Federer a decade ago.The Australian Open winner announced several weeks ago that he would not be able to play and would instead try to regroup in the post-Wimbledon period for the upcoming North American hard court season.

Formula One: Rosberg on pole for German GP

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HOCKENHEIM (AFP) - Nico Rosberg grabbed pole position for his home German Grand Prix for the first time on Saturday, taking advantage of a 260 kilometer per hour crash by his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.Rosberg now has a 5-4 advantage over Hamilton in poles this year and he has perfect opportunity to regain the momentum in their duel for the drivers' title.Hamilton emerged shaken from his brake failure crash. But the accident was a major setback after he had reduced Rosberg's lead to just four points with a victory in the British Grand Prix where the German retired.Hamilton spun into the barriers heavily at the Sachskurve, with seven minutes of the first qualifying session remaining. The right front brake disc of his Mercedes failed as he attempted to slow from an estimated 260 kph.I hit something, Hamilton told the team by radio. I hit... hit the brakes - the brakes failed.Hamilton was winded and shaken by the impact but climbed from his car and was able to walk away after a visit to the circuit medical centre.The 2008 world champion, will start Sunday's race in 15th position on the eighth row.Rosberg who has never won the German Grand Prix, raced to the fastest laps in all three sessions, culminating in a blistering best of 1 minute 16.54 seconds to seize fourth pole in five races.It also continued a memorable week for the 29-year-old German who married his long-term girlfriend Vivian Sibold, signed a new contract with Mercedes and cheered Germany to World Cup victory.Behind Rosberg, Finn Valtteri Bottas secured the second front row start of his career and his second in three races for Williams ahead of team-mate Felipe Massa of Brazil and Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen, who was fourth for McLaren.Australian Daniel Ricciardo again outgunned his Red Bull team-mate defending champion Sebastian Vettel of Germany by taking fifth place ahead of the title-holder with Fernando Alonso seventh for Ferrari.Russian rookie Daniil Kkyvat was eighth for Toro Rosso ahead of German Nico Hulkenberg and his Force India team-mate Mexican Sergio Perez.Rosberg's pole gives him a huge advantage for Sunday's 67-lap race. Only three times since 1987 has the winner at Hockenheim qualified from behind the front row - Briton Eddie Irvine from fourth for Ferrari in 1999, Brazilian Rubens Barrichello from 18th in 2000 and Alonso from third for Renault in 2005.The session began with a welcome wind gusting across the forests on another hot day at the track in Baden-Wurttemberg. The air temperature was 34 degrees Celsius and the track 55 degrees as Rosberg streaked away to set the pace before Hamilton's crash at the Sachskurve. The accident led to a five-minute break for track repairs before the action resumed with Rosberg clocking a fastest time of 1:17.631 and finishing on top ahead of Ricciardo while German Adrian Sutil was the only German eliminated in his Sauber car at that stage.Sutil exited along with Frenchman Jules Bianchi of Marussia, Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado of Lotus, Japanese Kamui Kobayashi of Caterham, Briton Max Chilton of Marussia and Swedish rookie Marcus Ericsson in the second Marussia. Marussia failed to clock a time.The second part of the hour, Q2, produced less spectacle but more drama as Rosberg again set the pace and Briton Jenson Button, the 2009 champion, was eliminated in the final seconds, the McLaren driver again beaten by his rookie team-mate Dane Kevin Magnussen.It was the first time Button had been out-qualified by a team-mate at Hockenheim since 2003.Out with Buitton went Finn Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari, Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne of Toro Rosso, Frenchman Romain Grosjean of Lotus.

Cycling: Majka wins Tour de France 14th stage

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RISOUL (AP) - Panting hard with his jersey unzipped and wide open in the heat, Polish rider Rafal Majka sped to a solo breakaway victory on Stage 14 as the Tour de France wrapped up its foray in the Alps on Saturday.The two stages were expected to shake up the standings, but Vincenzo Nibali was not only still wearing the yellow jersey, he was farther out front.In a flip of their finishes a day earlier in the race's entree to the Alps when Nibali won, the Pole and the Italian crossed one-two after the 177-kilometer (110-mile) ride over the 2,360-meter (7,742-foot) Izoard pass the race's highest point and a final ascent up to Risoul ski station.Majka's victory was the first on this Tour by his Tinkoff-Saxo Bank team, which lost main leader Alberto Contador when he crashed out injured on Stage 10.Majka was not a threat to Nibali: He began the day 97 minutes behind the race leader, who has carried out a methodical, chipping-away strategy against his biggest challengers for the yellow jersey.I am really very happy, Majka, who was sixth in the Giro d'Italia this year, said of his first professional victory after chucking his stage winner's bouquet to the crowd. He became only the second Polish rider to win a Tour stage, after Zenon Jaskula in 1993. I am a little tired, but ... I had a calm first week to help Alberto. It broke my heart to see him leave.Team owner Oleg Tinkov, a Russian businessman, choked up, wiped his nose, and put on sunglasses.We lost Alberto, we had to win, he said through a translator on French TV. Rafal is a marvelous young rider. We will come back to try to win the Tour one day.Majka said he did not believe speculation that Tinkoff-Saxo Bank selected him among its nine Tour riders only after the team suspended Czech rider Roman Kreuziger. Just days before announcing its Tour roster last month, the team suspended Kreuziger from competing any more this year because of anomalies in his biological passport, which cycling officials use to fight doping. He has denied any wrongdoing.Majka, who said he was tired after the strong Giro performance, said he was given assurances by team managers that you'll do the Tour, but you'll take it easy in the first week, he said. It's also wrong to think that I'm doing the Tour because Roman Kreuziger isn't. Had he been able to start, we would have both been part of the team.Victor Petri, a team spokesman, confirmed Majka was in contention for a roster spot before the Kreuziger case.The Pole was out front early in the stage, joining a 17-rider breakaway behind Spain's Joaquim Rodriguez, the Tour's best climber. They cleared the first big climb, the Lauteret pass, with about a five-minute lead. By the top of the Izoard, they had thinned to 10. As the groupetto splintered on the last climb, and Nibali and the peloton closed in, Majka covered the last eight kilometers alone.The stage didn't shake up the top five standings, but the day's biggest loser was Alejandro Valverde of Spain: The Movistar team leader held on to his second place but lost a minute to Nibali and saw his gap over third-place Romain Bardet of France slip to 13 seconds. Overall, Nibali leads Valverde by 4:37 and Bardet by 4:50. American Tejay van Garderen was fifth, 5:49 back.Nibali's strong performance makes the Tour from here to the finish in eight days in Paris looking more and more like a race for podium spots below him.Giuseppe Martinelli, a manager with Nibali's Astana team and an Italian cycling veteran, said Nibali's big engine was making the difference: It's what makes the difference between a very strong rider and a regular rider.Preparation, team strategy, that's all good. But it's the engine that makes the difference in times like this, Martinelli added.Nibai crossed 24 seconds behind Majka, followed by Jean-Christophe Peraud in third, two seconds slower. Bardet and fellow French rider Thibaut Pinot conducted a two-man sprint and crossed another 24 seconds back. Van Garderen was fifth, 54 seconds behind.From the team car, I was told: 'If you still have something in the tank, go for it,' Nibali said. I was looking at gaining some time over Alejandro Valverde. I heard that he cracked after I left him.Valverde, speaking from a team car, said I didn't crack and explained that his trouble stemmed mainly from bad coordination with Pinot on the final climb and taking leadership of their bunch. As for the overall title chase, Valverde said: Nibali is the strongest, but we others are neck and neck.Nibali addressed speculation that he might have known Michele Ferrari, an Italian doctor who was banned by the Italian Cycling Federation in 2002 and by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency two years ago for serving as a doping consultant on Lance Armstrong's winning teams.I've never met him personally. I've been accused in the past to have worked with him, said Nibali, referring to allegations that there were photographs of him together with Ferrari. Those pictures simply didn't exist.Sunday's stage offers some relief after the Alps: Stage 15 is a flat 222 kilometers (138 miles) from Tallard to Nimes, before riders take the second rest day.

Study finds promise toward treating HIV and hep C

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - A new hepatitis C drug has shown early promise in patients whose infection with both HIV and hepatitis C has made them traditionally difficult to treat, said a study Saturday.Patients were given Gilead Sciences sofosbuvir, a drug approved for the US market in 2013 that has stirred controversy due to its high price tag -- about $1,000 per pill, along with another well-known drug, ribavirin.The study in the Journal of the American Medical Associations (JAMA) July 23/30 issue included just over 220 people who were treated for either 12 or 24 weeks.Most of the patients -- between 67 percent and 94 percent depending on the type of hepatitis C they had and whether they had ever been treated for it before -- saw their liver disease disappear and stay away for 12 weeks after they stopped treatment.The measurement scientists used was known as sustained virologic response (SVR), or what is clinically considered a cure of hepatitis C, a serious and often chronic liver disease.The study ended 12-weeks after treatment ended, so responses beyond that point are unknown.As many as seven million people worldwide are infected with both human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C, according to background information in the article.Treating both infections is difficult because patients have needed to use interferon for hepatitis C, which interacts poorly with antiretroviral drugs for HIV suppression.Seven of the 223 in this study discontinued the treatment because of adverse events, most commonly fatigue, insomnia, headache, and nausea.Researchers noted that the study was not the most rigorous kind. Doctors knew what they were prescribing to patients, and the participants were not randomized to a comparison treatment or placebo.However, patients had high rates of sustained HCV virologic response 12 weeks after cessation of therapy, said the study led by Mark Sulkowski of Johns Hopkins University.Further studies of this regimen in more diverse populations of coinfected patients are needed.An accompanying editorial by Michael Saag of the University of Alabama School of Medicine said the drug combination is a quantum leap forward in treatment but that its cost remains too high for widespread use.When combined with ribavirin, the average wholesale price of a 12-week course of treatment is $94,500 and $189,000 for a 24-week course, he wrote.The world simply cannot afford to pay on a cost per cure basis, he added.Hopefully, competition among the new products coming to market in the next 18 months will result in substantially lower pricing for the drugs.

Sangakkara keeps alive Sri Lanka victory dream

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GALLE (AFP) - Kumar Sangakkara smashed his 49th half-century as Sri Lanka launched a fightback on the fourth day of the first Test against South Africa on Saturday.The prolific left-hander also shared 96 runs for the unbroken second wicket with Kaushal Silva (37) to take Sri Lanka to 110-1 at stumps.The hosts need 260 runs with nine wickets in hand to pull off a magical come-from-behind win with three full sessions left in the game. In a situation like this where you have 90 overs to bat, a win is not guaranteed but there is a chance, Sri Lankan coach Marvan Atapattu said after the day's play.It's a challenging total but we've got a team which is willing to fight. Sri Lanka had been forced on the backfoot after they were bowled out for 292 to concede a huge 163-run lead in the first innings.But a sporting declaration by new South African skipper Hashim Amla at the tea score of 206-6 turned the game on its head.Although no team has ever scored more than 300 runs in the final innings at Galle, the 36-year-old Sangakkara made a target of 370 look chaseable.The star batsman hit seven fours and a six in his 58-run knock that came off 89 deliveries. South Africa began their defence well, with Dale Steyn once again giving his side the early breakthrough by dismissing opener Upul Tharanga for 14.But Sangakkara stood like a rock at the other end, once despatching a full-toss from Tahir over the mid-wicket fence for a huge six.He completed his half-century in style, sweeping leg-spinner Imran Tahir through midwicket for a four. Silva also knocked off some easy runs, smacking part-timer Jean-Paul Duminy for two fours in a row.Look, they are very much in the contest, there's no doubt about it. But so are we, said South African coach Russell Domingo.We are set up for a cracker of a day tomorrow (Sunday). If we take two early wickets, we will be right on top of the game.Vernon Philander, who was fined 75 percent of his match fees after being accused of ball tampering Friday, bowled six wicketless overs for 13 runs.Earlier, AB De Villiers hit six boundaries in his breezy 58-ball 51 and also shared 62 runs with Quinton de Kock (36) to set up South African second innings. The Proteas had made 455-9 declared in their first essay.To their credit, the Sri Lankan spinners exploited well the dry and dusty track, accounting for all the wickets that fell in the South African second innings.Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera picked an impressive 4-79 while Rangana Herath took 2-84.Perera struck early into the second session, claiming the big wicket of Amla, who is leading South Africa for the first time in Test cricket. Amla (22) mistimed his flick and lobbed the ball to a diving Upul Tharanga for his second cheap dismissal in the game.Faf du Plessis (37) fell to a turner from Herath that crashed on to his stumps, dislodging the bails.De Villiers frustrated the spinners with his shot-making until his stumps were shattered by Perera close to the tea break.De Kock fell on the last ball before the break, lobbing an easy return catch to Perera. Opener Dean Elgar, who made 103 in the first innings, made 12 while Alviro Petersen (32) was given caught behind off Perera.South Africa had wrapped up the Sri Lankan innings in the fifth over of the day, with the hosts adding just nine runs to their overnight 283-9.The second and final Test will be played in Colombo from July 24-28.

Vijay keeps England at bay after Plunkett double

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LONDON (AFP) - Murali Vijay anchored India's second innings with a painstaking fifty after England threatened to take charge of the second Test at Lord's on Saturday.India lost three wickets for five runs in 19 balls to be 123 for four -- just 99 runs in front.But by the close of the third day they were 169 for four -- 145 runs ahead but not yet a decisive lead.Opening batsman Vijay, in for nearly five hours, was 59 not out and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni unbeaten on 12.England's Liam Plunkett had a day to remember, scoring a Test-best 55 not out to help his side into a first-innings lead and then taking two wickets in two balls.We're going to go hard in the morning because this is still a good cricket wicket and if we can get a few more wickets, we'll fancy our chances, fast bowler Plunkett told Sky Sports.I thought we bowled better and my lengths were better. I do work hard on my batting and it was massive for us to pass their (India's first innings) total...I think we can chase around 270.India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, out for 43 on Saturday, added: It is evenly balanced and we still need some more runs. Setting England a target of 300 would be good on this wicket because the bounce is variable and you are never comfortable batting out there.While Vijay was becalmed, fellow opener Shikhar Dhawan struck four fours.But on 31 the left-hander failed to get over the top of a cut off Ben Stokes and was well caught by Joe Root at backward point to leave India 40 for one.By contrast, it took Vijay 57 balls to both score his first boundary and move into double figures, with a leg-glance off Stuart Broad.England had again too often bowled short on a pitch no longer the 'green top' on which captain Alastair Cook had sent India into bat after winning the toss.But when Plunkett was rewarded for pitching up from the Nursery End.First, he drew Pujara forward and had him caught behind off the outside edge to end a second-wicket stand of 78 in nearly 30 overs.Next ball Virat Kohli made the mistake of deliberately leaving a ball which came back up the eight-foot Lord's slope and was clean bowled for a golden duck.Plunkett though wasted his hat-trick delivery as Ajinkya Rahane left a ball well wide of off stump.My hat-trick ball? It was pretty average but I didn't want to give him a floaty half-volley and I got my line wrong, explained Plunkett.But Rahane, who made a superb 103 in the first innings, fell cheaply.He was on five when he fended at a short delivery from Broad, the ball looping down the legside to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.However, the ball had clearly hit Rahane's arm guard rather than the glove, meaning he should have remained not out.But with Indian objections meaning there was no Decision Review System this series, Rahane was unable to challenge Australian umpire Bruce Oxenford's verdict.Vijay briefly came out of his shell to complete a 162-ball fifty with two fours in as many James Anderson deliveries, an off-drive followed by a legside clip. Earlier, Bhuvneshwar Kumar took six for 82 as he recorded his Test-best figures for the second time in as many matches.But even Kumar could not prevent England gaining a first-innings lead of 24.The tail wagged effectively as England exactly 100 runs to an overnight 219 for six before they were bowled out for 319.Fast-medium bowler Kumar's return surpassed his haul of five for 82 in last week's draw at Trent Bridge.But Plunkett and No 11 Anderson, fresh from his Test-best 81 in Nottingham, struck a flurry of boundaries while adding 39 in 43 balls on Saturday. Kumar, who had removed all of England's top four, including century-maker Gary Ballance on Friday, reduced England to 280 for nine in initially overcast conditions on Saturday.He bowled Stokes for a duck with a swinging delivery and then had Broad caught at first slip.

Referee condemns 'poor' Trent Bridge pitch

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LONDON (AFP) - English cricket authorities faced the prospect of a $15,000 fine after the docile Trent Bridge pitch on which England and India played out a draw in last weeks first Test was rated as poor by match referee David Boon.Former Australia batsman Boons verdict, announced by the International Cricket Council on Saturday, is the first time a Test pitch in England has been labelled as poor by a match referee.Boon oversaw proceedings at Trent Bridge where, almost from the start of the match, there were complaints about an unusually dry and lifeless surface which denied the faster bowlers their due reward.Indeed so severe was the criticism, that groundsman Steve Birks took the unusual step of issuing a public apology.The ICC said Boons report has been forwarded to the England and Wales Cricket Board, which now has 14 days to respond.When that response is received, the ICCs general manager of cricket and chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle will consider all the available evidence to decide whether they agree with Boons assessment and, if so, what penalty, if any, should be imposed.The first time a pitch is rated as poor by the ICC, a warning and or fine not exceeding $15,000 (8,779 pounds) can be imposed, together with a directive for appropriate corrective action.However, such a judgement would not see a ground stripped of its right to stage international matches.In response to the ICCs statement, the ECB said steps were already being taken to address the uncharacteristic nature of the pitch.The ECB said they had noted Boons decision to rate the pitch as poor adding: ECB and Nottinghamshire are already working closely to address the uncharacteristic nature of the pitch for the Test match and ECB pitch inspector Chris Wood and Nottinghamshire groundsman Steve Birks are planning the corrective action required under the Clause 4.1 of the ICCs pitch monitoring process.Prior to the match, exiled England batsman Kevin Pietersen argued that modern drainage systems had turned English Test pitches into sandpits.However, the ECBs statement said: It has already been established that the drainage system at Trent Bridge played no part in the unexpected issues that arose around the preparation and performance of the Test Match wicket.During the first Test, India made 457 and 391 for nine declared, while England complied 596 in its lone innings.Both teams saw their last-wicket pairs in Nottingham involved in century stands, with Englands Joe Root and James Anderson putting on a Test record 10th-wicket partnership of 198.After the first day, with India 259 for four, Birks said: We wanted to produce a pitch with pace, bounce and carry which hasnt happened unfortunately.England paceman Stuart Broad, who plays his county cricket at Trent Bridge for Nottinghamshire, voiced his concerns after bowling 33 overs in Indias first innings.With the five Tests in this series crammed into six weeks, Broad said: Its a lot of overs early doors but thats sort of been due to the wickets weve been given.When nicks arent carrying, youre not going to bowl teams out overly quickly.Hopefully, well bowl on some more favourable wickets coming our way.Ive never seen a wicket like this (at Trent Bridge).For the ongoing second Test at Lords in London, it was noticeable the match was being played on a significantly greener and livelier pitch than the one at Trent Bridge.

Toll in Gaza hits 342 on day 12 of Israeli invasion

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GAZA CITY (Dunya News / AFP) – The Gaza death toll hit 342 on Saturday as Israeli warplanes intensified their bombardment and troops pressed a ground assault on the 12th day of a major invasion of Gaza.The overall Israeli death toll rose to five following violence in which two army men and a civilian were killed, the army and police said.The latest incident in Gaza saw one man killed in an air strike on the northern town of Jabaliya shortly after two were killed in a strike near Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.Another two people were killed in Zeitun, east of Gaza City, raising the number of Palestinians killed on Saturday to 46.In southern Israel, two Israeli army men were killed when a group of Gaza fighters got under the border fence and fired machineguns and an anti-tank missile at an army patrol.Troops returned fire killing one of the militants in an attack claimed by Hamas.Also in the south, an Israeli Bedouin man was killed and four family members wounded, two of them children, when a rocket hit their desert encampment not far from Israel's nuclear reactor in Dimona, police said.Their deaths raised to five the number of Israelis killed since the conflict began on July 8, including a soldier who was reportedly killed by friendly fire. Among those killed in Gaza were five members of the same family, including a 6-year-old and a 2-year-old, who died in a strike on a house in the northern town of Beit Hanun, Qudra said.Earlier, Qudra also reported five bodies had been pulled from a home hit by an Israeli air strike in Khan Yunis.So far, more than 2,385 Palestinians have been wounded in the biggest confrontation in and around Gaza since Operation Cast Lead, a bloody 22-day offensive which ended in January 2009.Israeli troops began a ground offensive in parts of Gaza late on Thursday, starting a new phase in the operation which it said was aimed at destroying tunnels used by the territory's dominant power, Islamist movement Hamas.

Terrorists killed in drone attack belong to TTP Punjab

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PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Eleven terrorists including commander Ali Muawiya were killed by a recent US drone attack and have been identified as belonging to the Punjab division of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). According to government sources, the US drone targeted a house in Data khel’s area of Dogamada khel, which is 25 kilometers from Miranshah. Sources revealed that the US drone spy plane fired two missiles and killed 11 extremists by targeting a house, which was believed to be used as the headquarters of the TTP Punjab.According to sources, these extremists were later identified including commander Ali Muawiya belonging to Jhang and other terrorists identified as Ali Bhatti, Umar Rasheed, Gul Sajjan, Hadayatullah and Salman who belonged to Karachi.This is the fourth US drone attack since the start of Pakistan Armys operation Zarb-e-Azb on 15th July while previous US drone attacks have killed as many as 80 extremists, reportedly. On the other hand the Pakistan government has strongly condemned these US drone attacks, as per sources.According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, these US drone attacks are a violation of national sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that these attacks are undermining the government’s efforts to maintain national stability and peace.

Football: Brazil eye Dunga as Scolari successor - reports

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RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Brazil could appoint former coach Dunga to replace Luiz Felipe Scolari as national team boss, media reports indicated Saturday, despite ex-Corinthians coach Tite being considered the long time favourite.The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) earlier confirmed it will unveil its choice of Scolari's successor on Tuesday at 11 a.m. (1400 GMT) in western Rio and a clutch of Brazilian newspapers said Dunga, 50, would return for a second spell.Front-runner, at least until Saturday, was believed to be Tite, full name Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, who oversaw wins in the Copa Libertadores and FIFA Club World Cup, at Chelsea's expense, in 2012.Last Thursday, the CBF Thursday took the wraps off a revamped technical commission under new technical coordinator Gilmar Rinaldi, replacing Carlos Alberto Parreira, the coach of the Brazil side that won the World Cup in 1994.Gilmar -- not to be confused with the Gilmar who kept goal for the 1958 and 1962 world champions -- was a reserve keeper on the 1994 championship-winning side, which was skippered by Dunga.Outgoing CBF president Jose Maria Marin, who will give way next year to septuagenarian lawyer Marco Polo Del Nero, said the federation would reflect further on the top job before a final decision.Dunga, who replaced Parreira in the top job after the 2006 World Cup, went on to lead Brazil to Copa America success in 2007 and then won the Confederations Cup in 2009.But the former Fiorentina midfielder was fired after a 2010 World Cup quarter-final loss to Holland.The CBF would Saturday only reiterate that Marin would present the new man on Tuesday but Rio daily O Dia described Dunga as close to returning, highlighting his good relationship with Gilmar.Globo indicated for its part reported that Gilmar and Dunga had reached a rapid agreement in principle with the CBF electing not to pursue the Tite option.

Domingo defends Philander in ball tampering row

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GALLE (AFP) - South Africa coach Russell Domingo on Saturday denied his team was earning a reputation for ball tampering after Vernon Philander become the second bowler in the last nine months to be fined for the offence.Philander was on Friday fined 75 percent of his match fees after footage emerged of him attempting to change the condition of the ball by scratching the surface with his fingers and thumb during the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka.No I don't think so (that we are earning a reputation). I'd hate to say that other sides are a bit better at doing it than we are, Domingo said after the fourth day's play at the Galle International Stadium.We don't try to do it intentionally. He (Philander) said he was cleaning it but it's (now) done, Domingo said.South Africa were involved in a similar incident against Pakistan in the UAE last October when TV coverage showed Faf du Plessis rubbing the ball close to the zipper of his trouser pocket. The bowler was fined 50 percent of his match fees.Domingo said he had not seen the latest footage and it was hard for him to comment in detail.We need to move on and put it behind us. Nine times out of ten if they have footage you will be found guilty.We try to play the game in the right spirit. It's not something we set out to do. Maybe it's something we should cut out completely.But at the same time, I haven't seen the footage so it's difficult to comment on. The umpires say the condition of the ball wasn't changed at all, and that says it all.Philander has bowled 21 overs so far in the match without taking a wicket.
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