Sunday 14 September 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Tennis: France, Switzerland in Davis Cup final

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GENEVA (AFP) - France will host Switzerland in the Davis Cup final in November but five-time champions Spain lost their World Group status on Sunday after an 18-year-stay in the elite division.Roger Federer reached the first Davis Cup final of his career with a comfortable 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) win over Italys Fabio Fognini in the first of the semi-finals reverse singles in Geneva.That made it 3-1 for the Swiss thus ensuring they would contest the final of the annual team event for the first time since 1992, when they lost to the United States.Andreas Seppi edged Michael Lammer 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 in the remaining dead rubber to make the final score 3-2. France made sure of playing in the final for the first time since 2010 on Saturday when their doubles team of Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Czechs Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek in four sets at Roland Garros.The final will be played in France from November 21-23, with the northern city of Lille being touted as the likely host.The last time the two countries met in a Davis Cup tie was in the 2004 quarter-finals when the Swiss won 3-2 at home. The most classical match-ups Ive had have come against France so Im happy, said 17-time major winner Federer.Weve had some great ties here in Switzerland so were very pleased to be in the finals and well see how its going to go.Its nice sharing emotions with your fans and your loved ones. You have to fight with what youve got and Im happy I was able to make a difference.Over in Paris, the France v Czech Republic tie ended at Roland Garros in a 4-1 win for the French, Jiri Vesely defeating Julien Benneteau 6-4, 6-3 before Gael Monfils beat Lukas Rosol 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 in the two dead rubbers.France last won the Davis Cup in 2001 when they travelled to Australia and won 3-2.In the play-offs, Spains 18-year stay in the World Group came to an end when they were defeated by Brazil in Sao Paulo.Playing without injured superstar Rafael Nadal as well as fellow top 10 player David Ferrer, Spain also lost their first tie on clay since 1999.Thomaz Bellucci won the crucial point for Brazil with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Roberto Bautista Agut which gave the home side an insurmountable 3-1 lead.Bellucci won his 14th Davis Cup rubber in 16 on clay making a mockery of the world rankings in the process. He is at 83 compared to the 15 of Bautista Agut.Spain won the Davis Cup in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2011 and were runners-up in 2003 and 2012.US Open champion Marin Cilic guided 2005 champions Croatia to a 3-2 win over the Netherlands in Amsterdam.Cilic defeated Thiemo de Bakker 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 after Dutch number one Robin Haase had earlier kept Dutch hopes alive by coming back to defeat Mate Delic 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4.In Perth, Nick Kyrgios and Sam Groth wrapped up a 5-0 clean sweep for Australia in their play-off against Uzbekistan.Bad weather halted the decisive fifth rubber after Serbia and hosts India were locked 2-2 in Bangalore.Serbias Filip Krajinovic was leading Yuki Bhambri 6-3, 4-4 in the second reverse singles when heavy rain forced play to be abandoned until Monday.Somdev Devvarman earlier rallied past Dusan Lajovic 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to level the tie after India had trailed 2-0 after Fridays opening singles.In Tallinn, David Goffin defeated Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 to give Belgium the winning point against Ukraine.The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Slovakia, Canada beat Colombia while Argentina edged Israel 3-2.

Tennis: Lucic-Baroni beats Venus for first title since 1998

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QUEBEC CITY (AFP) - Croatias Mirjana Lucic-Baroni won her first WTA title since 1998 on Sunday, defeating former world number one Venus Williams 6-4, 6-3 to capture the Quebec City tournament.The 32-year-old former teen star won her only two prior WTA titles on home soil at the 1997 and 1998 Croatian Opens, beating American Corina Morariu in each Bol final.By defeating US top seed Williams, Lucic-Baroni ended the longest gap between titles in WTA history, a wait of 16 years and four months.Japans Kimiko Date-Krumm held the old mark of 13 years and one month between her trophies in 1996 at San Diego and in 2009 at Seoul.Lucic-Baroni broke seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Williams in the fourth game of the second set and held for a 4-1 edge before the 34-year-old American battled back, holding and then breaking back to 4-3.Lucic-Baroni, who had not reached a final since her 1998 title run in her homeland, answered with a break and held serve to claim the historic title after 83 minutes.Williams, ranked 19th and coming off a third-round exit at the US Open, was denied her 46th career WTA title. She won earlier this year at Dubai.Williams had beaten Lucic-Baroni in their two prior WTA meetings, most recently last year in Brazil.After three years spent mostly away from the tour, Lucic-Baroni returned in 2007 and has shown her best form in more than a decade in recent weeks.She reached the fourth round at the US Open, a Grand Slam run she only bettered with a trip to the 1999 Wimbledon semi-finals.

Football: Falcao debuts as Man United crush QPR

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MANCHESTER (AFP) - Radamel Falcao made his debut as Manchester United belatedly kickstarted their season with a breezy 4-0 win at home to Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League on Sunday.The 28-year-old Colombia striker, a loan signing from Monaco, made his entrance as a 67th-minute replacement for Juan Mata, but by then United had already secured an overdue first victory of the season.Falcao, who squandered a late chance, had been the focus of pre-match attention, but it was 59.7 million pounds ($98 million, 75 million euros) record signing Angel di Maria who stole the show on his home debut.The Argentina winger put Louis van Gaals side ahead with a 24th-minute free-kick and had a hand in further goals by Ander Herrera, Wayne Rooney and Mata as United blew off the cobwebs in style.Its a very good start, said United manager Van Gaal.When you have a result of 4-0 then you can be happy as a coach, but you always have points you can improve.We have always to analyse what we have done. The result is fantastic, but we can get much better. This is a good start.After two draws and a loss in the league, and a 4-0 humiliation by Milton Keynes Dons in the League Cup, it was Uniteds first competitive win under Van Gaal and meant they avoided going four league games without winning at the start of a season for the first time since 1986.While United climbed to ninth in the table, seven points below leaders Chelsea but only two points shy of the top four, QPR remain 16th, a point above the bottom three.I thought if we came in at half-time at 1-0 wed be still in the game, but we gave away two goals and came in at 3-0 despite (goalkeeper) Rob Green barely having a save to make, said QPR manager Harry Redknapp.Falcao began the game on the bench on a mild autumnal afternoon, but fellow new signings Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo were both handed starts as Van Gaal abandoned the 3-4-1-2 formation he had introduced in pre-season.Blind anchored a midfield diamond in front of a flat back four, with Herrera and Di Maria either side of him and Mata supporting strikers Rooney and Robin van Persie.The sight of former Old Trafford favourite Rio Ferdinand, now of QPR, receiving a memento from United director Bobby Charlton prior to kick-off only reinforced the sense of a changing of the guard.United quickly took control, with Mata spooning a shot over from Herreras cut-back, and mid-way through the first half they went ahead.Di Maria posed a constant threat and he supplied the breakthrough, whipping in a free-kick from wide on the right that eluded everyone to creep in at the far post.Jonny Evans then had to block a shot from Matt Phillips after United goalkeeper David de Gea charged from his goal and missed his kick, but 10 minutes before half-time the hosts doubled their advantage.Di Maria was again the inspiration, driving deep into QPR territory and neatly flicking the ball inside for Rooney.The United captains shot was blocked, but he steered the rebound into the path of Herrera, who drove a first-time shot into the bottom-left corner.The game was up a minute before the break. A slick exchange initiated by Di Maria culminated in Herrera teeing up Rooney to drill a low effort past Rob Greens outstretched right hand from the edge of the box.After De Gea had saved with his feet from QPR debutant Niko Kranjcar and Rooneys prod had been smothered by Green, Mata added a fourth in the 58th minute, firing into the roof of the net from Di Marias miscued shot.Falcao almost crowned his debut with a goal, but after Green had parried a skidding shot from Blind, the former England goalkeeper sprang up quickly to save at the Colombians feet.

Motorcycling: Rossi wins San Marino MotoGP

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MISANO ADRIATICO (AFP) - Italian great Valentino Rossi led a Yamaha one-two to claim his maiden win of the season at the San Marino Moto GP and launch his bid for a 10th world title on Sunday.Rossi, a nine-time world champion in all categories, finished the 28-lap race ahead of Spanish teammate Jorge Lorenzo with Dani Pedrosa, on a Honda, in third.Championship leader Marquez finished 16th after crashing his Honda on the early laps and trailing at the back of the field for most of the contest.Lorenzo on Saturday had earned the 30th pole position of his career, but first of the season, to top the grid just ahead of Andrea Iannone on a Ducati and Rossi.But the Spaniards bid for a fourth successive win in San Marino was kept in check by a rampant Rossi.The Italian eclipsed his mercurial form so far this season with a composed and determined performance which he admitted was helped by Marquezs misfortune.Im very happy. It was a great race, an ecstatic Rossi told Sky Sports.Obviously incidents like the one affecting Marquez dont happen very often.But today we knew we had a great chance to win this race. I really enjoyed the race, so many people, so many fans. It was a perfect day.It was Rossis 81st win in the sports elite class, allowing the 35-year-old Italian to become the first rider to reach 5000 career points.Although disappointed at missing the win, Lorenzo was buoyed by his podium place and Yamahas first one-two of the season.It has been a long time without this result, said the Spaniard.I knew from warm-up that Valentino would be very fast. I expected to be faster than last year, but I was actually slower.Lorenzo, Rossi, and Marquez -- who had a great start from fourth -- exploded off the grid and opened up a small gap as early as the first lap, with Iannone, Andrea Dovizioso and Pedrosa leading the chasing pack.Rossi, however, soon had the thousands of local fans in the stands on their feet with a deft overtaking move on Lorenzo.By lap six Lorenzos gap to Rossi began to grow and three laps later the Italian was given a further boost when Marquez lost control on a bend and had to be given help by officials to get going again. As Rossi pushed on solo, Marquez slipped down the field and virtually out of contention.The Italian was left virtually unchallenged for most of the remainder but had to fend off Lorenzo in the closing stages before crossing the line 1.57secs ahead of the Spaniard, with Pedrosa completing the podium at 4.2.With five championship races remaining Marquez remains leader on 289 points but has seen Pedrosa (215) and Rossi (214) close the gap to 74 and 75 points respectively.

Cycling: Alberto Contador wins 2014 Tour of Spain

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SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (AFP) - Alberto Contador won his third Vuelta a Espana as Italian Adriano Malori took victory on the final stage 9.7km timetrial in Santiago de Compostela on Sunday.Spaniard Contador finished 1min 40sec down on Malori on the rain-affected course as he took no chances.But although he lost 27sec to Chris Froome, he did enough to add to his 2008 and 2012 Vuelta victories, taking his Grand Tour successes to six.New Zealander Jesse Sergent and Australias Rohan Dennis were second and third on the stage at 8sec and 9sec respectively.But the day belonged to Contador whose gritty win on Saturdays 20th stage at Puerto de Ancares set the seal on an incredible triumph.It was less than two months ago that the 31-year-old broke his leg in a crash that forced him out of the Tour de France.Froome, too, broke his hand and wrist in a crash that also ended his defence of the Grand Boucle he won in 2013, but he did not recover as well or as quickly as Contador.Neither managed a particularly impressive final timetrial but that was mostly down to the weather.While Malori, the Italian timetrial champion, set off and came home in 11min 12sec under blue skies, sunshine and on a dry course, that was not the case for everyone.A torrential downpour seriously hampered the middle order and by the time the favourites set off at the end, the roads were still wet, making the tricky, technical course treacherous.

Basketball: United States rout Serbia to retain world title

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MADRID (AFP) - The United States completed a cleansweep of the worlds best in racing past Serbia 129-92 on Sunday to win the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and become the first country to defend their crown since 2002. The Americans made 15 of 30 three-pointers in the game with Kyrie Irving and James Harden combining for nine three-pointers and 49 points. Six other players scored in double figures for the Americans, who went undefeated in the tournament with an average winning margin of 33 points. The US victory was close to the all-time record for the biggest winning margin in a final, the record being 46 points in a 137-91 US win over Russia in 1994. The 129 points by the Americans were second to their showing in 1994The Americans also secured their fifth world title, pulling them even with Yugoslavia, who repeated their title in 2002. Brazil also won back-to-back crowns in 1959 and 1963.Nikola Kalinic and Nemanja Bjelica paced Serbia with 18 points each as they secured their best showing at the worlds under the Serbian flag.Serbia started strong, leading 12-5 in the early going, but the Americans responded with a 17-3 run for a 22-15 lead. The US extended the lead to 35-19 as Irving nailed three three-pointers in scoring 15 points in the period. The American shooters remained hot in knocking down six more three-pointers in pushing the lead to 31 points. The margin was 67-41 at the break. Serbia were never able to get the game closer than 24 points and the US remained on target from long range as the lead bulged to 39 points. It was 105-67 after three quarters.The game was long decided and the only question unanswered is it would be a record-breaking victory as well. But the lead only swelled to 40 points.

Northern Knights beat Lahore Lions by 72 runs

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RAIPUR (Agencies) - A clinical all-round display by the Northern Knights helped them beat Lahore Lions by a whopping 72 runs to all but ensure their entry into the main round of the Champions League T20.Put into bat under overcast conditions, twin half-centuries by skipper Daniel Flynn (53) and wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling (53) helped the New Zealand outfits reach a respectable 170 for six in 20 overs.A dismal performance with the bat saw Lions being skittled out for 98 in 18 overs, which should seriously dent their chances of qualifying as the New Zealand outfit are all but sure of making it to the next round with two wins in two matches.Nine out of 10 Lions batsmen dismissed failed to reach double figures. Tim Southee (3/22 in 4 overs) and Trent Boult (2/12 in 4 overs) bowled a deadly opening spell of swing and seam bowling to decimate the top half within six overs of Powerplay with less than 20 runs on board.There was no way that the Lions would have made a comeback after such a deflating start to their innings as they succumbed to a crushing defeat. It started in the second over when Southee bowled a full swing delivery on left-handed opener Nasir Jamsheds toes.The batsman could barely bring his bat down as the off-stump went cartwheeling. Controversial opener Ahmed Shehzad (2) then poked at a delivery from left-arm seamer Trent boult. The ball moved a shade after pitching as Shehzad fished at it giving Watling an easy catch behind the stumps.Southee then made 16 for three when he dig one short as skipper Mohammed Hafeez (5) trying to give him the charge could only edge to Watling. With Southee getting his second wicket, it was time for Boult to level scores with his new ball partner as he angled one across Umar Akmal (1), who got an inside edge onto the stumps to make it 17 for four.The top half was back in the hut when Umar Siddiq was adjudged leg before by umpire Vineet Kulkarni when a Southee delivery swung in to hit him on the pads. At 19 for five, with all the top-order batsman back in the pavilion, without a double digit score, the match was as good as over.

Five-wicket Roach sends Bangladesh reeling

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GROS-ISLET (AFP) - Kemar Roach was at his devastating best as Bangladesh were reduced to 104 for seven at stumps after the West Indies were dismissed for 380 in their first innings on the second day of the second and final Test on Sunday.In two sustained, controlled spells, the fast bowler tore through the top-order of the tourists batting to finish with five for 33 -- his sixth five-wicket innings haul in Test cricket. Jerome Taylor joined in the rout with two wickets, including captain Mushfiqur Rahim to keep the pressure on the beleaguered Bangladeshis.Only Tamim Iqbal offered any sustained resistance on a pitch that continues to offer assistance to the fast bowlers. He got to 48 before edging a probing delivery from Roach to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.Bangladesh go into day three needing another 76 runs to avoid the follow-on with Mahmudullah and tail-ender Shafiul Islam at the crease.Shivnarine Chanderpaul was the fulcrum of the home sides batting effort in the first half of the day, compiling an unbeaten 84 as the wickets fell around him once the fourth-wicket partnership with Darren Bravo was broken after an hours play.Displaying greater discipline on a helpful pitch than on the first day, the Bangladesh seamers reaped considerable reward in the morning session.Al-Amin Hossain claimed two wickets in two balls after Robiul Islam had Bravo caught at the wicket for 46. When Shafiul Islam then had Roach taken behind by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur, the West Indies had lost three wickets for one run in slipping to 269 for seven from the overnight 246 for three.Chanderpaul continued to soldier along at his very serene pace to his 65th Test half-century, being overshadowed by the big-hitting Taylor who blazed 40 in a 54-run eighth-wicket stand before finding Mahmudullah on the long-on boundary off the bowling of left-arm spinner Taijul Islam.Taylor should have departed on 18 but Mominul Haque dropped a skier at cover when the fast bowler sliced another attempted heave off Shafiul Islam.Yet Al-Amin, whose bowling action was reported during the 10-wicket first Test loss in St Vincent, was the most impressive of all, finishing with three for 80. Following Robiuls dismissal of Bravo, he induced an edge from Jermaine Blackwood for Anamul Haque to take the catch at first slip and then had West Indies captain Ramdin caught behind first ball to spark celebrations among the Bangladeshis.That celebratory mood was muted by successive half-century stands with Taylor and Sulieman Benn during which Chanderpaul edged closer to a 30th Test century. But while he was denied in the first innings of the first Test in St Vincent by a declaration, this time it was the dismissals of Benn and last man Shannon Gabriel in quick succession that left him unbeaten for the 48th time in his 20-year Test career.

Anti-euro party strong in German state votes

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BERLIN (AP) A new party that has expanded its anti-euro stance into a broader appeal to protest voters won seats in two more German state legislatures Sunday, building on recent momentum and intensifying a headache for established parties.The Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party won 10.6 percent of the vote in eastern Thuringia state and 12.2 percent in Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin.Were glad that people have voted for a political renewal in our country, leader Bernd Lucke said.AfD fell narrowly short of the 5 percent support needed to enter Germanys national parliament last year. Since then, it has won seats in the European Parliament and, two weeks ago, its first seats in a state parliament in eastern Saxony.Other parties say they wont govern with AfD, which advocates scrapping the euro in its current form. It has developed a socially conservative image, but also has appealed to protest voters of all shades with tough talk on crime and immigration.Sundays result left unclear who would govern Thuringia. The opposition Left Party, which has ex-communist roots, hoped to install its first state governor and end the 24-year reign over the region of Chancellor Angela Merkels conservatives.Merkels Christian Democrats were the strongest party, but with 33.5 percent support well short of a majority. Conservative governor Christine Lieberknecht hoped to continue an alliance with the center-left Social Democrats, the same combination that runs Germany.The Social Democrats, however, had raised the possibility of serving in a three-party coalition under the Left Partys Bodo Ramelow, whose party finished second with 28.2 percent. They lost around a third of their support, polling just 12.4 percent.Both the outgoing state government and Ramelows hoped-for left-wing alliance would have only a one-seat majority.Voters didnt appreciate the lack of clarity about who the Social Democrats would ally with, party leader and vice chancellor Sigmar Gabriel conceded.Gabriel added that established parties need to deal more offensively with AfD. Its a job-killing program that they have, he told ARD television.In Brandenburg, the Social Democrats have long dominated and won again Sunday. The Left Party is their junior coalition partner there; they could continue that alliance or switch to Merkels party.Turnout was low in both states, a factor that may have boosted AfDs strength.

China's XI begins South Asia tour from Maldives

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MALDIVES (AFP) - Chinas President Xi Jinping was in the Maldives Monday beginning a three-nation tour of South Asia with a historic visit to an island paradise gaining a new reputation as a hotbed of militant Islamists.Xi, who arrived late Sunday, will hold talks with Maldives President Abdulla Yameen and then be guest of honour at a state banquet in a country which is an increasingly popular tourist destination for well-heeled Chinese.It is the first visit by a leader from Beijing since the former British protectorate gained independence in 1965 but it will be the second meeting between the two leaders in a matter of weeks, following their talks last month in the Chinese city of Nanjing.The focus will be on building what they discussed last month, a source close to Yameens government told AFP. The thrust of the talks will be on trade and aid rather than security.The source said the government was keen not to raise eyebrows in India by taking up sensitive security issues as New Delhi considers the islands to be within its sphere of influence.Yameen is known to be keen on securing Chinas funding for an ambitious project to build a road bridge between the capital island Male and the nearby Hululle island where the international airport is located.Local officials said a model of the one-kilometre bridge was expected to be shown to Xi after a welcome ceremony.Two development projects in the Maldives that are funded by the Chinese government and implemented by Chinese corporations will also be launched jointly by the two presidents, Yameens office said without giving further details.- Growing militancy -=====================Chinese have become the largest single group of holidaymakers to visit the Maldives, a nation of 1,192 tiny coral islands scattered some 850 kilometres (530 miles) across the equator, and straddling international shipping routes.Maldives received just over one million tourists last year and over 30 per cent of them were Chinese. Tourism accounts for more than a quarter of the $2.3 billion economy.But as well as being renowned for sandy beaches and turquoise waters, there is also some alarm that the Maldives has become a recruiting ground for jihadists.The one-square mile capital island has seen a pro-jihadist demonstration earlier this month pressing for sharia law.At least four nationals are said to have been killed while fighting in Syria this year.Former president Mohamed Nasheed told Britains Independent on Sunday paper at the weekend that up to 200 Maldivians were fighting for Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. The entire population of the Maldives is only around 330,000 Sunni Muslims.Radical Islam is getting very, very strong in the Maldives, said Nasheed, who lost last Novembers run-off election to Yameen. Their strength in the military and in the police is very significant. They have people in strategic positions within both.Eight Chinese were among a group of foreign tourists injured in a bombing in Male in 2007 carried out by suspected Islamist militants.Xi leaves the Maldives on Tuesday for Sri Lanka before heading on Wednesday to India, the regional super power.Despite his hard-line nationalist reputation, Indias new Prime Minister Narendra Modi has moved quickly to engage with China, inviting Xi to India soon after taking office in May.But he has also sought to stop Indias neighbours falling further into Chinas embrace, choosing Bhutan and Nepal for his first foreign trips.

Clashes erupt in Ukraine

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DONETSK (AFP) - Heavy fighting erupted around the rebel stronghold of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on Sunday, piling further pressure on a precarious nine-day-old truce between the government and separatist fighters.Large clouds of thick black smoke billowed over the industrial city as the boom of sustained shelling and the rattle of automatic gunfire rang out throughout the day, AFP reporters witnessed.Donetsk council said there had been civilian casualties and described the situation in the city as critical but gave no further information.Kiev accused the rebels of jeopardising the truce by intensifying their attacks on government positions in eastern Ukraine, the scene of five months of deadly combat.Sundays fighting appeared to be concentrated near Donetsk airport where the Ukrainian military said it had driven back an assault by insurgent fighters on Friday.AFP journalists were forced to duck for cover on the roof of a building near the airport when they became caught up in the gunfire.The terrorist actions are threatening the realisation of the Ukrainian presidents peace plan, said security spokesman Volodymyr Polyovy.He also took aim at comments by two rebel leaders who both signed the 12-point truce deal in Minsk on September 5, but who declared on Sunday they were mere observers at the talks.The ceasefire is seen as a first step in efforts to draw up a longer term peace deal to end a conflict that has cost more than 2,700 lives and set off the worst crisis in East-West relations since the Cold War.President Petro Poroshenko has pledged to offer the eastern regions that form the economic backbone of Ukraine some limited self-rule, although the separatists say they want nothing less than full independence.Rebels and government forces also Sunday swapped dozens of captives in the latest exchange agreed under the accord.- Breaking the rules -========================But the insurgents said Kievs forces were still firing at them.From our side, nobody is shooting but they are breaking the rules, everybody in the world knows it, said a rebel commander defending a checkpoint near a village south of Donetsk.The simmering crisis has exposed layers of mistrust between the West and Moscow and between the largely Russian-speaking populations in the east of Ukraine and the pro-Western leaders in Kiev.The truce halted a rebel counter-surge across the southeast last month with the alleged support of Russian paratroopers and heavy weaponry that turned the tide of the war against Ukrainian forces.NATO and Kiev say at least 1,000 Russian soldiers and possibly many more remain on Ukrainian soil although the Kremlin denies this.Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk accused Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday of seeking to eliminate Ukraine as an independent country with the goal of resurrecting the Soviet Union.The West, deeply alarmed at Putins less predictable and more aggressive actions, is seeking to isolate the strongman and pledged greater support for the government in Kiev.Poroshenko heads to Washington this week to meet President Barack Obama, seeking to secure a special status with the United States as he steers Ukraine further out of Russias orbit.Obama has rejected direct military involvement but unveiled tougher economic sanctions on Moscow that -- together with similar EU measures -- effectively lock Russia out of Western capital markets and hamstring its crucial oil industry.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Washington of trying to use the crisis to break economic ties between the EU and Russia.The punitive measures and an accompanying East-West trade war have left Russias economy facing possible recession but have seemingly failed to alter Putins course.- Badly needed aid -====================Russia on Saturday sent a 220-truck convoy it said was carrying aid to the residents of rebel-held Lugansk, who have been struggling without water and power for weeks.Ukraine -- which did not give permission for the convoy to cross -- had expressed fears the trucks may be carrying supplies for insurgents and bitterly protested a similar delivery last month.On the domestic front, cracks emerged in Poroshenkos administration when a deputy foreign minister quit over a delay in the implementation of an EU trade deal, apparently under Russian pressure.The deal -- part of a broader association agreement to be ratified on Tuesday -- was meant to revive Ukraines economy by lifting EU trade barriers, but Russia said it feared it would see its own market flooded with cheaper EU goods.The pro-Russian Regions Party that ruled Ukraine under ousted president Viktor Yanukovych also announced Sunday it would boycott the October 26 parliamentary ballot and form an opposition government designed to fight Kievs westward course.

Democracy activists stage sombre Hong Kong rally

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HONG KONG (AFP) - More than 1,000 activists paraded through Hong Kongs streets on Sunday carrying huge lengths of black cloth, in a sombre protest against a recent decision by Beijing that crushed the citys hopes for full democracy.Democracy activists in the former British colony had expectations Hong Kongers would be able to vote for their leader cut short in August when China announced plans for a highly restricted form of universal suffrage.Under the proposal, candidates for the 2017 polls will be vetted by a pro-Beijing committee -- and just two or three approved nominees will be allowed to stand.Occupy Central, the movement behind Sundays march, said 4,000 participated in the rally, while police put the turnout at a more conservative figure, saying that 1,860 people took to the streets.Protesters in dark clothing held wide strips of material half a kilometre (530 yards) long displaying Chinese characters painted in white that read civil disobedience and boycott classes.A coalition of pro-democracy groups, led by Occupy, have labelled Beijings restrictions a fake democracy and have vowed to usher in a new era of civil disobedience against the decision.Multiple student groups have also vowed to boycott classes later this month while Occupy has threatened to take over the streets of the citys vital financial district.Protesters on Sunday shouted Fight for democracy and We wont give up at the beginning of the rally, as the late summer sun beat down.We hope that todays rally can use black cloth to express our anger and distrust at the government, pro-democracy lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan told TVB news.The citys current chief executive, who was himself nominated by a pro-Beijing committee, said detractors of the proposal -- which was made by the top committee of Chinas rubber stamp parliament -- were cynics.For universal suffrage in 2017, the National Peoples Congress Standing Committee is ready; the Government and I are ready; Hong Kong people are ready, Leung Chun-ying said in a radio broadcast Sunday.Pro-democracy lawmakers have vowed to veto the proposals when it comes before the citys legislature, known locally as LegCo.If the universal suffrage package is voted down by LegCo members who control just over one-third of votes, they will have a case to answer, Leung said.Beijings proposal must win two-thirds support in Hong Kongs 70-seat legislature where pro-democracy lawmakers control slightly over a third of seats.Britain handed Hong Kong back to China on July 1, 1997 under a one country, two systems agreement which allows civil liberties not seen on the mainland, including free speech and the right to protest.But public discontent has been growing over rising inequality, increased political interference and the perceived cosy relationship between the citys powerful business elite and Beijing.

White House still seeking coalition in Mideast war

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WASHINGTON (AP) The White House said Sunday it will find countries willing to send combat troops to fight Islamic extremists in Syria and Iraq, but its too early to identify them.White House chief of staff Denis McDonough signaled that the State Department in coming days will name allies that will pledge ground troops to fight the Islamic State group, something the United States does not plan to do. Meantime, McDonough said, U.S. personnel will train and equip Iraqi forces and moderate Syrian rebels to combat the extremist group, also known as ISIS and ISIL.President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that the United States will ramp up air strikes and try to build an international coalition to degrade and eventually destroy the group. The Islamic State group released a video late Saturday showing a militant beheading a British aid worker. It was similar to recent beheadings of two American journalists.Facing strong public opposition to sending U.S. troops back into the Middle East, Obama said he doesnt plan to do so. But he said ground troops of some form are essential, a point McDonough was asked about on several talk shows Sunday.McDonough repeatedly declined to name any nations willing to provide ground forces, and he was cautious in suggesting what might develop.On NBC televisions Meet the Press, McDonough said Secretary of State John Kerry over the coming days will discuss whether any allied nation has pledged ground troops. And what he has said is that others have suggested that theyre willing to do that, McDonough said.Pressed again on possible pledges of combat troops, McDonough seemed slightly less hesitant. You will hear from Secretary Kerry that countries are saying that theyre ready to do that, he said.Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot said Sunday his nation is preparing to contribute 600 troops and up to 10 military aircraft to the campaign against the Islamic State group extremists.For the last week, Kerry has traveled across the Mideast, to Turkey and finally Paris, to pin down nations on what kind of support they will give to a global coalition. But Kerry has refused to detail what countries have committed. He said some nations are still deciding whether their contributions will target foreign fighters or financiers helping the militant group, send more humanitarian aid to Syrian and Iraqi refugees, mount a propaganda campaign to decry the extremists brand of radical Islam or join a military mission.Kerry cited reports that France is prepared to use air power against the Islamic militants. On Monday, Paris will host international talks seeking a strategy against the militants in Iraq, where they have overrun vast swaths of territory in the countrys north and west.But the militant groups safe haven is in Syria, among numerous Sunni rebel factions that have fought for more than three years to unseat President Bashar Assad.Several Arab countries offered to conduct airstrikes against the Islamic State group, according to a State Department official traveling with Kerry who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic developments during his trip.Republican Rep. Michael McCaul suggested Sunday that enlisting greater help from Mideast allies might not be so difficult. McCaul, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, told CBS Face the Nation that he recently met with the prince of Jordan, who said he is ready today to put his troops into Syria to fight ISIS. So I dont know why we wouldnt consider that option of all the Arab nations.Congress plans votes, possibly this week, on Obamas request for authority to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels to fight the Islamic militants in Syria. Leaders of both parties have generally expressed support for the plan.But some lawmakers worry that U.S. arms given to Syrian rebels might wind up being used against Americans or their allies in that violence-torn nation enduring a three-way war.I dont think arming the rebels in this instance is necessarily going to be productive, Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said on Face the Nation.We spent years training the Iraqi forces, Gillibrand said, and ISIS was able to cut through them like butter.McDonough, on Fox News Sunday, defended the idea of training and arming Syrian rebels. Since the U.S. is not sending ground troops, he said, we ought to make sure that the Syrians are taking this fight, which is their fight, to ISIL.Kerry is scheduled to testify to congressional committees Wednesday and Thursday. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel will address the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.___Jakes reported from Paris.

Diplomatic push grows against Islamic State group

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PARIS (AP) Newly outraged by the beheading of yet another Western hostage, diplomats from around the world are in Paris pressing for a coherent global strategy to combat extremists from the Islamic State group minus two of the main players and without any ground troops in a conflict that threatens to spill beyond the Mideast.U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has been pressuring allies ahead of a conference Monday to show a united front, especially from majority-Muslim nations, saying nearly 40 countries agreed to contribute to a worldwide fight to defeat the militants before they gain more territory in Iraq and Syria.The White House said Sunday it would find allies willing to send combat forces something the United States has ruled out but that it was too early to identify them. The U.S. has so far been alone in carrying out airstrikes.Several Arab countries offered to conduct airstrikes against the Islamic State group, according to a State Department official traveling with Kerry who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomat developments during his trip.A second official gave some examples of what the U.S. would consider a military contribution: providing arms, any kind of training activity and airstrikes.Muslim-majority countries are considered vital to any operation, although there have only been vague offers of help previously. Iran was struck off the invitation list, and Western officials have made clear they consider Syrias government part of the problem.Ultimately, this is a fight within Islam, within Sunni Islam, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough told Fox News on Sunday.Thats why we know that ultimately to defeat and ultimately destroy ISIL, something that is not only in our interest but in the interest of the countries in the region, they are going to need to take the fight to it, he said, using one of the acronyms for the group.Well build, well lead, well undergird, and well strengthen that coalition. But ultimately, theyre going to help us beat them on the ground, McDonough said.But the Paris conference, officially dedicated to peace and stability in Iraq, avoids mention of Syria, the power base of the militant organization gaining territory in both countries by the week. And the U.S. opposed Frances attempt to invite Iran, which shares a 1,400-kilometer (870-mile) border with Iraq. The gathering itself will be brief, a matter of a few hours between its start and a planned joint statement.The killing of David Haines, a British aid worker held hostage by the militants, added urgency to the calls for a coherent strategy against the brutal and well-organized group, which is a magnet for Muslim extremists from all over the world and rakes in more than $3 million a day from oil smuggling, human trafficking, theft and extortion, according to U.S. intelligence officials and private experts.British Prime Minister David Cameron said his country would continue offering logistical help to U.S. forces and that counterterrorism efforts will increase, describing the Islamic State group as a massive security threat that cannot be ignored.They are not Muslims, they are monsters, Cameron said.Haines was the third Westerner to be killed by the extremists, after two American journalists. British officials also released the name of a second U.K. hostage being held by the group and threatened with death, identifying him as Alan Henning.Following successes in Syria, fighters with the Islamic State group among them many Iraqis took on the Iraqi military in Sunni-majority Anbar province, capitalizing on long-standing grievances against the Shiite-led government in Baghdad.When the militants arrived in Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city, the U.S.-trained military crumbled almost instantly. Commanders disappeared. Pleas for more ammunition went unanswered. Troops ran from post to post, only to find them already taken by gunmen. In some cases, they stripped off their uniforms.The militants seized tanks, missile launchers and ammunition that allowed their lightning advance across northern Iraq.The CIA estimates the Sunni militant group has access to between 20,000 and 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria. A senior Iraqi intelligence official told The Associated Press that more than 27,600 Islamic State fighters are believed to be operating in Iraq alone, including about 2,600 foreigners. He spoke anonymously as he is not entitled to brief the media.McDonough said Iraqs newly inclusive Iraqi government allowed the U.S. and other countries to step up their role.Im a believer in the future of this country and always been very realistically optimistic. But the international community must step up and do its part to help us and we appreciate that help. This is not just Iraqs fight or Syrias fight. This is a threat to global security, said Hoshyar Zebari, a veteran Kurdish politician who was named a deputy prime minister last week.Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he was preparing to contribute up to 10 military aircraft and 600 personnel to be deployed to the United Arab Emirates. A statement from his office said special operations personnel who could assist Iraqs security forces were being prepared also, but combat troops were not being deployed.German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called Sunday for internationally agreed action to effectively stop the flow of fighters and money.Germany on Friday banned all activity on behalf of the Islamic State group, including the distribution of propaganda and the display of its symbols, and is supplying Kurdish forces fighting the extremists in Iraq with assault rifles, anti-tank weapons and armored vehicles. But Germany has ruled out airstrikes and ground troops.French President Francois Hollande and his Iraqi counterpart will co-chair the conference of 17 countries, plus the European Union, United Nations, and the Arab League. Hollande said the goals are to provide political support to the Iraqi government, coordinate humanitarian aid, and fight the Islamic State militants.The conference agenda deliberately focused on Iraq for fear that discussions on Syria could distract from efforts to build a coalition. France had initially wanted to invite Iran, but U.S. and Saudi officials objected.Political feuds and differences between Iran from one side and the West and Saudi Arabia should be set aside, said Hadi Jalo, a Baghdad-based political analyst. Iran should be invited because whether we like or not, Iran is a key player in the region.Unlike the U.S., France is stopping short of possible action in Syria although the Paris government has not ruled out airstrikes in Iraq. The French fear that airstrikes on extremists within Syria could strengthen President Bashar Assads hand and raise international legal problems.___Contributors include Vivian Salama and Sameer N. Yacoub in Baghdad; Gregory Katz in London; Geir Moulson in Berlin; Gregory Katz in London; Charles Babington in Washington, and Sylvie Corbet and Lara Jakes in Paris.

Imran Khan vows to avenge 'oppression' on workers

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Sunday said that his party will do everything they can to take revenge of alleged police brutality on PTI’s workers who were arrested and released a day later, Dunya News reported.Addressing the ‘Azadi March’ participants, he warned the police personnel including Inspector General (IG) Islamabad, and police chiefs of Islamabad and Gujranwala that he will not ‘spare’ them.
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