Saturday 27 September 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Iraqi army says retook dam from jihadists

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BAQUBA (AFP) - The Iraqi army and an alliance of Shiite militia groups on Saturday retook a dam northeast of Baghdad after days of fighting believed to have killed dozens, security sources said.Fighting has been raging for days around Muqdadiyah, in Diyala province, around 90 kilometres (55 miles) from Baghdad, between jihadists from the Islamic State group and pro-government forces. We are now in full control of the dam, said an army lieutenant colonel, adding that the final stages of the operation on Saturday had left seven IS militants dead.A police captain confirmed the toll.The officers said the final push to retake Muqdadiyah dam involved Iraqi troops and fighters from the Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Badr and Saraya al-Salam Shiite militias.Government sources in the area have reported high casualties among jihadist ranks over the past few days.The fighting has also left many dead in pro-government ranks. At least 12 members of the Saraya al-Salam militia killed in the area were buried in the holy Shiite city of Najaf on Thursday alone.IS fighters have repeatedly attempted to control dams across the country, and in some cases weaponised them by either reducing the flow of water to areas under government control or flooding swathes of land to impede army operations.The jihadists briefly controlled the dam in Mosul, the countrys largest, before Iraqi special forces and Kurdish peshmerga troops backed by US fighters jets retook it in early August.

One dead, dozens stranded on erupting Japanese volcano

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TOKYO (AFP) - Dozens of hikers were stranded Saturday on the slopes of an erupting Japanese volcano that has reportedly killed one person and left 30 more seriously injured.Ash, rocks and steam continued to spew from Mount Ontake more than nine hours after it sprang violently to life as around 250 people were trying to scale its peak.Four people were buried by the ash, with one having been dug out, Kyodo News reported. I first thought it was thunder as I heard a bang and another bang, two or three times, a trekker told public broadcaster NHK. Then volcanic dust fell noisily.Amateur cameraman Keiji Aoki told Jiji Press: It was tremendous. I prepared for death when I got caught in the dust under a pine tree.A suffocating blanket of ash up to 20 centimetres (8 inches) deep covered a large area of the 3,067 metre (10,121-foot) volcano, trapping climbers and forcing up to 150 into mountaintop shelters at one point.Around 230 people have now reached the bottom but a further 40 are trapped at the summit where they will spend the night in shelters, local media reported.Aerial footage of Mt. Ontake showed several cabins smothered with the thick dust, some with windows that appear to have been shattered by the force of the eruption.NHK said 32 people had been seriously injured, including more than 10 who were unconscious. The broadcaster said one woman was now known to have died.The eruption came on a busy autumn day on a mountain popular among hikers at this time of year.Footage apparently filmed by someone on the volcano as it erupted showed towering columns of thick smoke surging into the air and then cascading down its flanks, enveloping walkers.The speed of the smoke was too fast. You cant escape, a climber told NHK. Im worried that many more people are still on the mountain.Another climber told how it became impossible to breathe and said rocks were falling like hailstones.In Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered the military to send troops to the peak to rescue hikers.We have confirmed that there have been injuries, Abe told reporters. I ordered (government officials) to do their best to secure the safety of mountain climbers.Earlier in the day, local authorities said they had received reports from people on the mountain that at least 11 hikers had been injured, including seven unconscious.We are trying to confirm the reports, said Sohei Hanamura, an official of the Nagano prefectural government.We have not received any reports of death but we are afraid that the number of casualties would increase, Hanamura told AFP by phone.NHK said three people were trapped outside by the ash and rocks falling around them.There was a thunder-like noise and the sky became dark because of the smoke, Shuichi Mukai, who runs a mountain lodge near the summit, told Kyodo News.Climbers who fled the eruption spoke of their relief.I escaped with my life, a local resident told NHK. Immediately after I saw the eruption, I rushed away but I was soon covered with ash.Another male climber told how he had cowered behind a rock during the worst of the eruption.No one could escape while the smoke was so intense, he said.The meteorological agency forecast further eruptions, warning that volcanic debris may settle within four kilometres (2.5 miles) of the peak.The agency also placed restrictions on access to the mountain, while calling on local residents to remain on alert as an eruption could shatter windows miles away.The last significant eruption of Mount Ontake, which straddles Nagano and Gifu prefectures in the centre of the country, was in 1979 when it expelled more than 200,000 tonnes of ash, according to local media.

Asian Games: Bahrain's Jebet stripped of steeplechase win

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INCHEON (AFP) - Asian Games athletics judges stripped Bahrains Kenya-born runner Ruth Jebet of her steeplechase victory on Saturday as she was about to collect the gold medal after a crushing win.The 17-year-old junior world champion was led away in tears as Bahraini team leaders wrangled with race officials who ruled that Jebet had stumbled and put a foot inside the track.She had annihilated the field at Incheons Asiad Main Stadium, crossing the line in nine minutes, 31.36 seconds, more than 24 seconds inside the Games record.But as Jebet, who switched nationality to Bahrain last year, was about to step onto the podium, the stadium announcer declared that the result had been cancelled, drawing gasps from the crowd.Chinas Li Zhenzhu had already been given her silver medal and Lalita Babar of India her bronze. Once the new result is officially ratified a new ceremony will be organised with Li collecting gold.Officials spotted that during her second-last lap, with her rivals well behind her and under no pressure at all, Jebet had stumbled and stepped inside the track.In the heat of the moment, one Bahrain official, who refused to give his name, called the decision a disgrace.Half-a-dozen Bahraini officials marched to the referees office to lodge a complaint. But the team later conceded that Jebet made the fault.Jebet slumped in a corridor in the bowels of the stadium as teammates consoled her after the ruling, while Bahrain officials quizzed her on the breach of the rules.Did you put your foot here or here? one asked sternly. I cant remember, Jebet whispered softly, looking dazed and distraught. Before her disqualification, Jebet had been the third African-born runner of the night to claim gold in the colours of a wealthy Gulf state.United Arab Emirates Ethopian import Alia Saeed Mohammed won the 10,000 metres and Qatars Mohamad Al-Garni, originally from Morocco, took the mens 5,000m.Li became Chinas second female gold medallist of the night, joining shot-putter Gong Lijiao, who ousted Irans Leyla Rajabi -- the Islamic republics first woman to win an Asian Games athletics medal.Lis time of 9:35.23 is itself a new Games record, shaving 20 seconds off the old mark. Jebets misfortune means silver should go to Babar and bronze for her team-mate and 2010 champion Sudha Singh.Bahrain and Qatar have led moves in recent years for oil-rich Gulf states to bring in talented athletes from distance running powers in Africa, mostly Ethiopia and Kenya.Al-Garni stunned pre-race favourite Albert Kibichii Rop of Bahrain with a blistering last-lap kick to shave more than 12 seconds off the 20-year-old Asian Games record.His time of 13:26.13 was more than a minute faster than his personal best. As he crossed the line he punched the air and roared with delight.Rop, who switched from Kenya last year, took bronze behind team-mate Alemu Bekele Gebre, originally from Ethiopia, to round out an all-African-born podium.The 20-year-old Mohammed was elated after posting a winning time of 31:51.86, the fastest of her career, and she will go into Thursdays 5,000m full of confidence.This is the most awesome day of my life. I am so, so happy, she said after claiming her adopted countrys first gold of the Games.At the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, Bahrain and Qatar dominated the mens long-distance track events, taking all six medals on offer in the 5,000m and 10,000m.In the field events, Tajikistans Dilshod Nazarov added a third Asian Games hammer gold to add to the ones he won in 2006 and 2010.

Asian Games: Lee battles back to set up Lin showdown

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INCHEON (AFP) - Badminton number one Lee Chong Wei fought back from a game down Saturday to set up a new clash with arch-rival Lin Dan as Indonesias Greysia Polii and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari turned giantkillers again in the Asian Games womens doubles.Lee had to dig deep to beat Vietnams Nguyen Tien Minh, 21-23, 21-16, 21-17 in the mens singles quarter final. He gets his latest chance against Chinas Lin in the semi-final on Sunday.Today I didnt play so well, Lee said after the gruelling match which saw the sweat-drenched players changing their shirts and frequently towelling their faces.After squandering a 12-4 lead Lee finally took the deciding game after two crucial shots bounced back off the net cord for Nguyen.Olympic champion Lin later eased through 21-14, 21-18 against Japans Kenichi Tago to set up the latest installment in the gripping badminton rivalry.Long-time number one Lee has frequently been undone by Lin on the big stage and the 31-year-old is now making his last attempt at winning Asian Games gold.Before I went out on court I heard Lee Chong Wei had told Chinese reporters that he had lost many games before against me, so he has nothing to lose, said Lin. I dont know when I or Lee Chong Wei will retire, so I cherish every opportunity to play against him.Lin beat Lee in the Asian Games final four years ago, one of many major victories, including in the last two Olympic finals and the 2011 and 2013 world championship finals. Lin leads their head-to-head 22-9.The last time they met was in the dramatic 2013 world final in Guangzhou, where Lee lost in three games, collapsing during the third in an overheated stadium.Lee lost this years worlds final to Lins Chinese team-mate, 25-year-old Chen Long, who beat the Malaysian in the mens team semi-final in Incheon.Chen meets Hong Kongs Wei Nan in the other singles semi on Sunday.Greysia Polii and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari destroyed Japanese favourites and world number threes Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo to take the womens doubles title 21-15, 21-9.The seventh seeds became the first Indonesians to win the Asiad womens doubles title since 1978.The Indonesians had already pulled off a shock semi-final defeat of Chinas defending champions Zhao Yunlei and Tian Qing, the world and Olympic title holders.Our coach told us before the match: dont lose hope, dont lose courage. Keep playing and playing until you win the game, said an ecstatic Polii.Its very hard to beat someone who never gives up, and we never give up.The womens singles final Sunday is a Chinese head-to-head between Li Xuerui and Wang Yihan, while Korean mens doubles gold medal favourites Lee Yong-Dae and Yoo Yeon-Seong take on Indonesias Hendra Setiawan and Mohammad Ahsan in their final.Chinese players are against Indonesians in both mixed doubles semi-finals Sunday.

Golf: Europe seizes command over Americans at Ryder Cup

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GLENEAGLES (AFP) - European golfers tightened their grip on the Ryder Cup, stretching their lead over the United States to 10-6 after Saturdays foursomes and fourball matches at Gleneagles.Holders Europe outscored the US side 3 1/2 to 1 1/2 in afternoon foursomes for the second day in a row, the final blow a six-foot birdie putt by Justin Rose allowing him and Martin Kaymer to halve with unbeaten US rookies Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.It left Tom Watsons American squad needing to match the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history to take the trophy.The way I see it we still have some work to do, Rose said. The finish line is nowhere near yet.The US team must swipe 8 1/2 points from Sundays 12 concluding singles matches to reach 14 1/2 and win for the first time in Europe since 1993.Europe need only 14 points to keep the trophy and are in a strong position to win for the sixth time in seven tries and eighth time in the past 10 Cups.But both sides are mindful the deficit can be overcome. Europe rallied on the last day from 10-6 down in 2012 in the Miracle at Medinah for a 14 1/2 to 13 1/2 triumph, matching the record victory comeback famously staged by the US squad at Brookline in 1999.Were obviously in a good position, said world number one Rory McIlroy. But we all remember what happened two years ago. No complacency on our side.We have to go out there tomorrow and get the job done.The Americans lead the all-time rivalry 25-12 with two halved.A two-foot par putt miss by Reed at 16 squared the pivotal match but a bogey at 17 ended Europe dreams of an unpecedented foursomes sweep.Rose found a bunker at 18 but Kaymer blasted out to six feet and Rose made the putt to stay undefeated after three earlier pairs wins.Englands Lee Westwood and Welshman Jamie Donaldson took the first afternoon foursomes point, beating Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar 2 and 1.Graeme McDowell and French rookie Victor Dubuisson beat Americans Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker 5 and 4. The US duo had halved three prior matches but Fowler remained winless in Cup play.McIlroy, the reigning British Open and PGA Championship champion, and Sergio Garcia followed with a 3 and 2 triumph over Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan.Electrifying early foursomes matches set an epic shotmaking tone, with Rose and Henrik Stenson combining for a Cup-match record 12 birdies, including closing with 10 in a row, to defeat Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson 3 and 2.It is amazing, Rose said. I really got into reading the greens well and I just had the feeling of anticipation of what it was going to feel like to make putts. When you get into that mind-set, and you just see the ball going in the hole and you get those positive vibes, today was a day it all happened for me.The combined 21 birdies by both duos was also a Cup record.Rose and Swedens Stenson, who sat out the later session with a tight back, each had five birdies in the closing run, the Englishman making seven in all.That was something special, Stenson said. It might be a highlight to put on the big screen with the grandkids one day.Kuchar birdied the sixth hole to give the US duo a 2-up lead. Then came the 10-birdie run, which ended when Rose chipped from the rough at the par-5 16th.What a team, Kuchar said. It was impressive what they were doing, just birdie after birdie. Ten in a row. Awfully tough to beat that.And Ian Poulter, the hero of Europes 2012 fightback victory at Medinah, awoke late to join Rory McIlroy in halving with Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker.That halved match was huge for us, Europe captain Paul McGinley said. Poulter pitched in for a birdie to halve the 15th and made a birdie putt to win the 16th and square the match, the captains pick re-energized to his chest-thumping, arm-pumping peak after struggling early.Funny things happen, dont they? Late delivery. Second-class post, Poulter said. A time where we needed something to happen. Looking like that match is going to go 2-up and then obviously holing that and turning one over on the next hole makes a massive difference.McIlroy followed at 18 with a chip from deep rough to within inches of the cup for birdie and Fowler missed a long eagle putt to leave them deadlocked.As soon as he chipped in, I was like, Here we go again, McIlroy said. We held strong out there.The result blunted a US fightback that saw Furyk and Mahan beat Donaldson and Westwood 4 and 3 while Spieth and Reed downed Kaymer and Thomas Bjorn 5 and 3.

Motorcycling: Marquez on pole again in Aragon

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ALCANIZ (AFP) - World champion Marc Marquez claimed his 11th pole position in 14 races this season with a new track record on Saturday for the Aragon Grand Prix.The Spaniard smashed his own previous record in taking pole last year by 0.617sec to edge Honda teammate and compatriot Dani Pedrosa in 1min 47.187sec.Italys Andrea Iannone will also start on the front row in third, but there was disappointment for the Yamahas as Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo qualified in sixth and seventh respectively.Marquez leads the championship standings by a mammoth 74 points, but endured by far the worst race of his season in San Marino two weeks ago as an early crash saw him finish 15th.However, he is a heavy favourite to edge ever closer to his second world championship in as many years as a MotoGP rider with a 12th win of the season after a dominant qualifying session on home soil.Victory on Sunday would take Marquez level with Australias Michael Doohan, who won 12 races in 1997, the record for most victories in one season in the sports elite division.The 21-year-old broke the track record on his first flying lap, but was usurped by Pedrosa midway through the session as he moved into provisional pole position.Marquez wasnt to be denied, though, as he went over three tenths of a second quicker than Pedrosa on his final lap.Dani here is always really fast here, said Marquez.I have felt so good during the whole weekend and when I saw P2 on the board I knew I had to push a little bit more and it was enough for the pole.Nine-time world champion Rossis return to form with a first victory of the season in San Marino failed to continue as both Yamaha riders struggled to compete with the times set by the Hondas.Rossi was marginally the better by two hundredths of a second to sneak onto the second row alongside Spains Pol Espargaro in fourth and Britains Cal Crutchlow, who qualified in an impressive fifth.A difficult practice yesterday and also today as we are suffering from a lack of grip, said Rossi.Its difficult to ride the bike at the limit as after some laps it starts to slide a lot. We worked very hard with the team to try and improve some different settings.It looks like this afternoon we found some things so I will start from the second row, which is not so bad, its quite good. Now we have to try to find some small improvement for the warm up and for the race so we can try to do the maximum tomorrow afternoon.

Cycling: France's Ferrand-Prevot takes surprise world title

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PONFERRADA (AFP) - Frenchwoman Pauline Ferrand-Prevot stunned the favourites to win a select bunch sprint for the womens road race title at the World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain on Saturday.Germanys Lisa Brennauer took second in a photo finish ahead of Swedens Emma Johansson.Double reigning champion Marianne Vos of the Netherlands, the overwhelming favourite coming into the race, could finish only 10th.

5.5 magnitude quake jolts Peshawar

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PESHAWAR (Dunya News) - An earthquake measuring 5.5 on Richter scale jolted different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on early Sunday morning.According to the Meteorological Office, the tremors were felt in Peshawar, Mardan, Malakand, Shangla and adjacent areas. The epicenter of the earthquake was in the Hindu Kush Mountains in Afghanistan. The tremors panicked the residents who immediately came out of their homes, however there are no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Ebola death toll passes 3,000: WHO

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GENEVA (AFP) - The death toll in the worlds worst-ever Ebola epidemic has now soared past 3,000, with the virus killing almost half of the more than 6,500 people it has infected, according to World Health Organization figures released Saturday.In its latest update, the UN health agency said a total of 6,574 people had been infected across five west African countries and that of those, 3,091 had died.On Thursday, citing data running up to September 21, WHO had put the death toll at 2,917 out of 6,263 cases.WHO has repeatedly stressed its data changes do not mean that the individuals have died or been infected in the days between updates, but rather that they reflect the belated count as the epidemic rages.Here are the latest WHO numbers, as of September 23:In Guinea, where the outbreak began late last year, Ebola had infected 1,074 people, killing 648 of them. In Liberia, which has been hit the hardest by the outbreak, 3,458 people had been infected with Ebola and 1,830 of them had died.In Sierra Leone, Ebola had meanwhile infected 2,021 people and killed 605 of them. Nigeria had, as of September 23, recorded 20 cases, including eight deaths, since Ebola first arrived in the country with a Liberian finance ministry official, who died in Lagos on July 25.The last case confirmed in the country was on September 5.Senegals only confirmed Ebola case -- a Guinean student who crossed the border just before it was closed on August 21 -- has recovered, but the country will not be declared free of the virus until 42 days after the case was recorded.Healthcare workers, already in very short supply in the impoverished countries hardest-hit by the outbreak, have paid an especially heavy price. As of September 23, 375 of them had been infected across four west African countries and 211 had died.Guinea: 67 healthcare workers infected, 35 of whom have died.Liberia: 184 healthcare workers infected, 89 of whom have died.Sierra Leone: 113 healthcare workers infected, 82 of whom have died.Nigeria: 11 healthcare workers infected, five of whom have died.The Democratic Republic of Congo has meanwhile been hit by a separate Ebola outbreak. Its data, which ran up to September 24, showed that the disease had killed 42 people out of the 70 infected. Of those infected and killed, eight were healthcare workers.There are five known distinct species of Ebola and the outbreak raging in west Africa stems from the Zaire species -- the deadliest of the lot.That species caused the worlds first known Ebola outbreak in 1976 in Zaire, now known as DR Congo, which until now was the deadliest on record, with 280 deaths.

South Sudan leader affirms commitment to peace

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UNITED NATIONS (AP) The president of South Sudan said Saturday his government is unwaveringly committed to ending the conflict with his former vice president that has killed thousands.In his address to the U.N. General Assemblys annual ministerial meeting, Salva Kiir urged the international community to pressure rebels led by political rival Riek Machar to sign a crucially important document that forms the basis for resolving the crisis peacefully and inclusively. He said he has already signed the protocol agreement along with leaders belonging to the IGAD regional group.Fighting broke out in the worlds newest nation in December after Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, accused Machar, an ethnic Nuer, of trying to oust him in a coup. That sparked months of ethnic attacks. Despite cease-fires in January and May, government troops continue to fight the rebels.The toll has been huge, with thousands killed and more than 1.3 million people forced to flee their homes, including nearly 100,000 who sought refuge in U.N. peacekeeping camps.Kiir accused the rebels of violating the peace agreements too many times. He said his government has unreservedly honored the peace agreements and will continue to negotiate a peaceful solution in good faith.U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power tweeted that she met Kiir to raise U.S. concerns over the lack of political compromise and a law being considered that she said would make it harder for non-governmental organizations to work, further hindering humanitarian aid and hurting democracy.Last month, the U.N. Security Council visited South Sudan and told Kiir and Machar to end their devastating man-made conflict, she said. Unfortunately, no evidence our message was heeded.Power said the solution is clear: South Sudans leaders must compromise, aid workers and peacekeepers must be allowed to move around and atrocity perpetrators must be punished.The United Nations has a peacekeeping force in South Sudan with nearly 10,500 military personnel and about 930 police.U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told reporters Saturday that now is not the time to think about building the state of South Sudan, the U.N.s original mission, when there have been massive violations of human rights by all sides, including the government.Ladsous said the U.N. will revert to state-building once a political solution has emerged and the most egregious violations have been dealt with in a real process of accountability.He also repeated the U.N. concerns about the looming crisis of famine in the coming weeks and months, as the violence has badly disrupted farming.Kiir also said the government has ordered an investigation into human rights abuses and has agreed to cooperate with the commission of inquiry established by the African Union to investigate allegations of rights abuses.

Iran-6 power talks turn into mostly Iran-US show

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UNITED NATIONS (AP) First there were three nations negotiating with Tehran over its nuclear program. Then six. And now, mostly one the United States.Washington insists that the Iran-six power negotiations are alive and well. But with a deadline to a deal only eight weeks away, the U.S. is increasingly reshaping the talks it joined five years ago into a series of bilateral meetings with Iran as the two nations with the greatest stakes race to seal a deal and strengthen ties broken more than three decades ago. The shift began in 2009 when the U.S. thawed its 30-year freeze on talking to Tehran in place since the Iranian revolution and siege of the American Embassy and joined other nations at the nuclear negotiating table.It gathered steam with a series of secret U.S.-Iran nuclear meetings starting in 2012, and culminated with a 15-minute telephone conversation last year between the President Barack Obama and Hassan Rouhani, Irans newly elected president.U.S. officials now regularly exchange phone calls and emails with their Iranian counterparts. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif have met several times on the nuclear issue since last year, the latest during the current round of negotiations that ended Friday.As those contacts grow, the two sides have begun discussing other issues.A senior U.S. official said that every U.S.-Iran meeting during the current session has included conversation about the whereabouts of former FBI Agent Robert Levinson, journalist Jason Rezaian and other Americans missing or detained in Iran. The common threat posed by the Islamic State group of militants also was discussed, said the official, who declined to go into details and demanded anonymity in line with State Department custom.Such developments hold the promise of expanded dialogue and slowly mending U.S.-Iranian ties, should the nuclear talks result in a deal by the Nov. 24 target date.Former U.S. negotiator Gary Samore says that even when limited to the nuclear issue, the growing Iran-U.S negotiating axis is an extremely good thing, because it streamlines the talks between the two main players, allowing them to advance more quickly.Not all feel that way, according to three Western diplomats who demanded anonymity because the information is confidential. They said some delegation members from Western nations feel they have been sidelined as the U.S. role grows.But Samore, who moved to Harvards Belfer Center think tank last year but remains briefed on the progress of the talks, says that while America has taken the lead, its not true that the United States is hiding things from its allies. There are consultations back and forth.The senior U.S. official acknowledged that at times, Iran wants to sit down with us ... because we hold the lions share of sanctions. At the same time, the official insisted teams from all nations involved in the talks were fully in the loop, meeting directly for extensive discussions with Tehrans negotiators and among themselves.Asked if America had hijacked the talks, EU spokesman Michael Mann said they continue to be led by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. Formally at least, she and others remain in the game.With the latest round held on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, foreign ministers of Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany met Irans Zarif on the nuclear issue. Ashton, who was appointed to coordinate the talks, presided over one full meeting of the six nations plus Iran. She also met three times with Zarif and another three times with Zarif and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry over the eight-day round.But Samore points to past nuclear talks between North Korea and six other nations in arguing for the strong U.S. role in the Iran negotiations.Those, he says were done bilaterally between Washington and Pyongyang and presented to the other countries for ratification. He says multinational negotiations are far too clumsy.Samore agrees that the slowly opening diplomatic door has a chance of leading to slow U.S.-Iran reconciliation and ultimately even cooperation on issues such as a common front on countering IS. But he warns against undue expectations should the negotiations fail.Washington would be eager to continue talking, he says. But I wouldnt be surprised if Iran decided to boycott and ban any further bilateral meetings.

Austria's foreign minister's boasts of social media following at UN address

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UNITED NATIONS, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Austrias youthfulforeign minister began his address to the U.N. General Assemblyon Saturday by acknowledging his place in the world and offeringsomething rarely seen during the annual meeting of worldleaders.I look a bit younger than most of the other speakersbefore, said Sebastian Kurz.Indeed, I believe I am the onlyperson under the age of 30 who has the privilege of speakinghere this week.What I can offer is the perspective of a young generation,said Kurz, 28, who in December was appointed foreign minister ofthe Central European country of 8 million people.Kurz described himself as part of the post-Cold Wargeneration of European young adults who communicate withoutborders on Facebook and Twitter, we have our entire lives on oursmartphones and we consume the news online.He has more than 60,000 Facebook likes, which comparesfavorably with his 68-year-old French counterpart LaurentFabius, who has less than 20,000, though his 115,000 Twitterfollowers overshadow Kurzs 28,100 followers.My generation in Austria was privileged to be able to growup in freedom from fear and freedom from want. There are ofcourse other stories to be told of young people, growing up forexample in Afghanistan or the Central African Republic, hesaid.Today half of the worlds population is under 25 years ofage. Many of them lack nutrition, healthcare, education, andjobs - all in all not much perspective in life, he said.He addressed the rise of extremism and the ability of groupsto recruit online. How is it possible that we allow terroristorganizations to abuse the right to freedom of expression byshowing their barbaric acts on social media? he asked.

Ukraine backs off from EU-backed Russia gas deal

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Kiev (AFP) - War-torn Ukraine on Saturday distanced itself from an EU-brokered agreement with Russia that would have restored its gas supplies during winter and helped rebuild trust between the neighbouring foes.The European Unions energy commissioner emerged from hours of acrimonious negotiations in Berlin on Friday to pronounce the three-month dispute on the verge of being resolved.We have developed a workable design for a winter package, Guenther Oettinger said.Both he and Russias energy minister added that a final agreement could be signed after consultations in Moscow and Kiev next week.A compromise would not only save the Westward leaning nation from adopting drastic energy savings measures in freezing weather but also make sure that Russian gas flowed uninterrupted to European homes.© AFPEU-Commissioner for Energy Guenther Oettinger leaves after talks on energy security with Russian and Ukrainian energy ministers on September 26, 2014 in Berlin © AFP/File Odd AndersenYet the meeting came with trust between all sides lacking and any remaining goodwill between Moscow and Kiev dependent on the fate of a fragile truce in a pro-Russian uprising that has claimed more than 3,200 lives.Ukraines top energy officials vowed on Saturday to keep fighting over both the gas price and Moscows claim that Kiev owed it billions of dollars in debt.No final decision was adopted. Not a single document was signed -- period, Naftogaz state energy firm chief Andriy Kobolev wrote in a Facebook post.- Lots of disagreements -The deals interpretations in Moscow and Kiev diverged on almost every point that led to the original freeze of Russian deliveries in June.© AFPUkrainian servicemen patrol on armored personnel carriers in the eastern Donetsk region in the early hours of September 26, 2014 © AFP/File Anatolii BoikoOettinger said the compromise would see Russia ship at least 5.0 billion cubic metres of gas to Ukraine over a six month period in exchange for an early payment of $3.1 billion (2.4 billion euros).The volume roughly covers the amount of gas Ukraine says it needs to make it safely through the winter.That translates into a price of $385 per 1,000 cubic metres -- 20 percent less than the figure Russia began charging Ukraine in the wake of the February ouster in Kiev of an unpopular Kremlin-backed president.But Russia said the $3.1 billion would be used to cover a $5.3-billion debt Ukraine had incurred since last year due to both its financial problems and refusal to pay the higher rate.It added that the $385 figure was only a temporary discount due to expire in the spring.The chances of us reaching a final agreement along these lines are high, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told the Vesti 24 state news channel.© AFPGazprom CEO Alexey Miller (L) attends a press conference with energy ministers after talks on energy security on September 26, 2014 in Berlin © AFP/File Odd AndersenUkraine disputed both points and Oettinger himself shed little light on which side was right.There are still lots of disagreements, Ukranian Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan told AFP by telephone shortly after the Berlin talks broke up.Naftogaz and Gazprom have filed mutual claims over the entire dispute with a Stockholm arbitration tribunal.Oettinger said a more permanent arrangement could be worked out once a verdict is issued in the first half of 2015.- Gradual withdrawal of forces -Ukraines pipeline transmits just 15 percent of the Russian gas imported by Europe.© AFPThe Ukrainian flag flies at check point in the Donetsk region, September 26, 2014 © AFP/File Anatolii BoikoBut EU powers such as Italy -- reliant on the Ukrainian link for all their Russian supplies -- fear that Kiev may be forced to tap into those flows once the winter heating season begins.The apparent failure to achieve meaningful progress came as Moscow-Kiev relations remain dependent on the survival of a tenuous peace pact that has been unveiled in stages since early September but whose terms remain unfulfilled.Russian and Ukrainian defence officials did take a cautious step on Friday toward establishing a 30-kilometre (19-mile) buffer zone along the front line that made sure the five-month war did not resume.The Ukrainian defence ministry said both guerrillas and government forces would begin a gradual withdrawal of forces if no truce violations were recorded in the two days.The military spokesman said one Ukrainian soldier and a civilian had been killed since Friday morning.

Catalan leader defies Madrid, calls independence vote

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Barcelona (AFP) - Catalonias president on Saturday formally called a referendum to decide whether Spains richest region should be independent, in a defiant move immediately rejected by Madrid as anti-constitutional.Shortly after Artur Mas set the vote for November 9, the Spanish government said the referendum would not be allowed to take place, with Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria warning no one was above the national will of the Spanish people.The government immediately began the process of appealing to the Constitutional Court, which is expected to annul the decree signed by Mas.The independence movement in Catalonia has gathered strength in recent years.© AFPPresident of Catalonias regional government Artur Mas signs the regional law to vote on independence, at the Generalitat palace in Barcelona on September 27, 2014 © Pool/AFP Ruben Moreno GarciaFired up ahead of the referendum in Scotland earlier this month, 1.8 million people protested in Barcelona on September 11 to be allowed to hold their own vote.Catalonia wants to express itself, it wants to be heard and it wants to vote, Mas said after he signed the decree calling the referendum in a ceremony at the Generalitat Palace in Barcelona.The Spanish governments response was swift, with Saenz de Santamaria telling a news conference in Madrid: This referendum will not take place because it is unconstitutional.We deeply regret the presidents move and we consider it to be a mistake -- it will cause Catalan society to fracture, it will divide the Catalans and distance them from Europe, she said.© AFPPro-independence Catalans in Barcelona react to the news that Catalonias president has signed a regional law to vote on independence © AFP Lluis GeneMas has vowed to let Catalans vote on breaking away but has also promised to respect Spanish law.Catalonia is Spains economic powerhouse, although it too suffered in the property crash and subsequent crisis unleashed by the 2008-2012 global financial turmoil.Proud of their Catalan language and culture, many of the regions 7.5 million inhabitants feel short-changed by the government in Madrid, which redistributes their taxes.- Build a new country -Catalonia formally adopted the status of a nation in 2006 but the Constitutional Court threw out the attempt.© AFPPrime Minister Mariano Rajoy has described a Catalan vote on independence as illegal © AFP John ThysPrime Minister Mariano Rajoy has described a Catalan vote on independence as illegal and said he would fight to defend the unity of Spain.Opposition Socialists said they supported the idea of allowing a vote but urged Catalonia to obey the law. We are in favour of a reform to the constitution... but first, we must respect it, party spokesman Antonio Hernando said.The government appeal to be lodged with the Constitutional Court will trigger a suspension of the referendum pending a final ruling from the judges.© AFPPresident of Catalonias regional government Artur Mas greets crowds after signing the regional law to vote on independence on September 27, 2014 in Barcelona © AFP Lluis GeneMas has hinted that if the government blocks the vote, he could call early regional elections in Catalonia which would effectively act as a plebiscite on the issue.A group of pro-independence protesters who had gathered in front of the Generalitat, waving the independence banner, praised Mass move.Tanha Bueno, a 34-year-old civil servant, said: What was until now just a dream is now within reach and I am filled with hope.Josep Pena, 59, said: The president must do what the people are demanding -- build a new country.© AFPPro-independence Catalans hold placards representing a ballot box and the date of the November 9 vote, in Barcelona on September 27, 2014 © AFP Lluis GeneIf the Spanish constitution wont allow it, then the problem is with the constitution, said Pena, a printer.While the Scots voted by 55 percent to 45 percent to remain part of the United Kingdom, British Prime Minister David Cameron offered them increased autonomy if they rejected independence.Catalonias leaders watched the process in Scotland closely.Hinting at his own ambitions, Mas said before the Scottish referendum that he was sure an independent Scotland would be swiftly re-admitted to the European Union.© AFPA Catalan independence supporter stands in solidarity with a Scottish pro-independence campaigner in Edinburgh on September 18, 2014 ahead of Scotlands referendum © AFP Lesley MartinBut Rajoy described the independence ambitions of the Scottish National Party and Catalonia as a torpedo to European integration.He has so far refused to give more decision-making powers to Catalonia.The regions economy generates 20 percent of Spains wealth.Catalonia is also a popular tourist destination and home to the Barcelona football team of Lionel Messi, which is one of the worlds richest sports clubs.

Hong Kong democracy protesters dig in at government HQ

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Hong Kong (AFP) - Thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed outside Hong Kongs government headquarters on Saturday night, vowing to keep up an increasingly tense civil disobedience campaign unless Beijing grants more political freedoms.Defiant demonstrators, almost all wearing convenience-store-bought ponchos and eye protection in anticipation of police using pepper spray, dug in outside the complex where 74 people have been arrested.Lines of police officers pushed back surges of people with riot shields after earlier clearing dozens who had stormed into the grounds late Friday, as the protests against Beijings recent announcement it would choose who can stand for Hong Kong chief executive in the 2017 elections turned angry.During the protest Occupy Central, a prominent grassroots pro-democracy group, announced it was bringing forward its plan to rally thousands of activists and take over key parts of the citys financial district.The takeover had been expected to begin on October 1, but in a dramatic speech at the protest early Sunday morning, the groups co-founder Benny Tai said: Occupy Central starts now.© AFPProtesters are surrounded by police after breaking through the gates of the Hong Kong government headquarters on September 27, 2014 © AFP Xaume OllerosMany in the largely youthful crowd, which had swelled to several thousand with a number of scuffles breaking out with police, also pledged to keep the protest open-ended unless Hong Kong was granted more freedoms.Organisers played motivational songs and gave speeches that were met with stinging applause. Protesters set up first-aid stations and recycling points. Water, snacks and protection from pepper spray were freely passed out.Im profoundly touched, 99 percent of these people are young people who know what theyre doing and know the consequences, Claudia Mo, a legislator representing the pro-democracy Civic Party, told AFP.Theyre not just fighting for democracy, theyre fighting for humanity.Student groups have been spearheading a civil disobedience campaign this week.We want to decide our future by ourselves, 23-year-old international relations student Gary Mak told AFP.© AFPA protester uses a mask and plastic to protect himself from pepper spray during a demonstration at the government headquarters in Hong Kong on September 27, 2014 © AFP Xaume OllerosIts a good foundation for all Hong Kong people to fight for democracy.The police late Saturday urged those gathered in the unlawful assembly to leave the area as soon as possible.More than 2,000 protesters, many of them secondary school pupils and university students, demonstrated Friday, culminating with around 150 demonstrators breaking through police lines into the complex.Police used pepper spray and dragged many away overnight and into Saturday morning, with the final remainder removed in the afternoon, with arrests for forcible entry into government premises and unlawful assembly.- Making an impact -This is an amazing turning point, Suki Wong, a recent graduate who works as an accountant, told AFP.Hong Kongers usually just lay there and do nothing. This time were really making an impact.© AFPA man holds a banner in front of riot police at the government headquarters in Hong Kong on September 27, 2014 © AFP Xaume OllerosIn a statement, the government expressed regret that protesters had stormed the complex, saying security personnel, police officers and protesters had suffered injuries but without giving details.Protests began on Monday when 13,000 students gathered on a northern campus, according to organisers.On Thursday night, more than 2,000 people took their protest to the residence of Hong Kongs leader Leung Chun-ying with the hope of speaking to him, but he has so far refused to talk to the students or meet their leaders.Events were supposed to conclude on Friday, but Occupys announcement suggests the civil disobedience campaign will continue for some time.The protests come after China last month said Hong Kongers would be allowed to vote for their leader for the first time in 2017, but that only candidates approved by a pro-Beijing committee could stand.Political analyst Sonny Lo pointed to a turning point in the citys political development.From now on there will be more confrontation, possibly violent ones between citizens and police, he told AFP.However, Lo said a political deadlock is imminent with Beijing authorities maintaining a hardline stance.The government needs to handle the students very carefully, any mishandling will spark larger acts of civil disobedience, he said.The pro-democracy protesters also drew some support worldwide -- Global Solidarity HK, a coalition of Hong Kong citizens based overseas, organised events in Europe, Canada and America, as well as Taipei.Handed back to China by former colonial ruler Britain in 1997, Hong Kong is governed under a one country, two systems agreement that grants civil liberties not seen on the mainland, including free speech and the right to protest.But tensions have been rising in the southern Chinese city over fears that these freedoms are being eroded.
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