Sunday 28 September 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Karachi: Firing incident claims two lives

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, some unidentified persons riding on motorcycle opened fire in Samanabad area of Karachi and critically injured three people who were sitting outside their house.The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital where Zeeshan and Saqib succumbed to their wounds during treatment.Police reached the spot and cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. However no arrest was made till filing of this report. According to police the deceased were activists of a religious party.

SC to hear petitions seeking PM disqualification today

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Jawad S Khawaha, will start hearing of petitions seeking Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification today (Monday).One of the petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Ishaq Kakhwani requested the court to order disqualification of the prime minister “for falsely stating on the floor of parliament” that he had not asked the army chief to act as a mediator between the government, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Tahirul Qadri to end the political deadlock.The petitioner alleged that Nawaz Sharif had tried to malign the army in violation of Article 62 of the constitution and stands disqualified for the public office.The other petition for the disqualification of PM Nawaz Sharif has been filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Senator Shujaat Hussain. In the constitutional petition the PML-Q chief has taken the stance that during the sit-ins of Tahirul Qadri and Imran Khan in Islamabad Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif asked army chief General Raheel Sharif to play a role to help resolve this crisis on which the latter met the two leaders of the long march and sit-in.He said but on protest from the opposition next day Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made the statement on the floor of parliament that he had not asked the army or the army chief to become the mediator nor entrusted him any such responsibility. The petition states that “for making a wrong statement” on the floor of parliament Prime Minister Nawaz no longer stand sadiq and ameen under Article 62(F) and stands disqualified.

Jihadist's tweet suggests leader's death

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WASHINGTON, Sept 28, 2014 (AFP) - A jihadist who once fought in the Khorasan group offered messages of condolences on Twitter over the death of the Al-Qaeda offshoot groups alleged leader, the SITE monitoring group said Saturday.The messages appeared to provide confirmation that US airstrikes in Syria might have killed Khorasan leader Muhsin al-Fadhli, a long-standing Qaeda operative.SITE said a series of tweets from the jihadist, identified as a member of Al-Qaeda, expressed condolences for the deaths of Fadhli and another Khorasan leader, Abu Yusuf al-Turki.The US based monitoring group said the jihadist in Twitter postings dated September 27, 2014, also lamented the situation on the ground in Syria with US-led coalition forces striking Islamic State (IS) forces, SITE said.The strikes by US warplanes and cruise missiles targeted the Islamic State movement as well as the until recently little-known Khorasan group, which Washington has said is plotting attacks against US targets.Washington last week expanded its air strikes, which for weeks had focused on IS targets in Iraq, to include Syria as well.The United States and its coalition partners aim to destroy the Islamic State group, which controls a swath of territory in Iraq and Syria, has murdered two US journalists and a British aid worker and is locked in a brutal war with Iraqi and Kurdish authorities.

Rooney admitted he deserved to be sent-off

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MANCHESTER (AFP) - Wayne Rooney admitted he deserved to be sent-off in Manchester Uniteds 2-1 win over West Ham as his sixth career red card again put his temperament under the spotlight.Rooney, who has been appointed skipper by coach Louis van Gaal this season and is celebrating a decade at Old Trafford, was dismissed for a reckless lunge on Stewart Downing just on the hour mark on Saturday.I knew at the time that I misjudged it, 28-year-old Rooney said Sunday.It is a red card and I dont think it will benefit anyone to appeal against the decision. It was probably the right decision. I saw the West Ham player making a counter-attack and I tried to break-up the play, but I just misjudged it.I think everyone knew (I was in the wrong), so I am just grateful that the lads were able to hold on.His first red card at club level in five and a half years means he will likely miss Uniteds games against former club Everton, Chelsea and West Brom through suspension.Rooney said he had apologised to his teammates but not Downing.No. I havent absolutely volleyed the lad, said the England star.I have tried to trip him up and, to be fair to him, he got further away from me and that is why my leg is straighter than it should have been.As he pushed the ball away, my leg has straightened out and that is obviously why the referee has deemed it as a red card.Rooney, who had scored Uniteds opener on Saturday, will still be available to play for England in next months Euro 2016 qualifiers against San Marino and Estonia.But he will not turn out for van Gaal until the first weekend of November, when United play bitter rivals Manchester City.Thats the most disappointing thing, said the striker, who has scored three times for the club this season.I am really gutted that I am going to be missing the next three games. It is hard to take. It helps that the England games are coming up, but the training here is really good.It is tough and it is getting my fitness up there, so I just have to make sure I train well and be ready for when I come back.

Obama admits underestimation of jihadist militants

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama admitted Sunday that the United States had underestimated the opportunity that a collapsing Syria would provide for jihadist militants to regroup and stage a sudden comeback.The president said that former Al-Qaeda fighters driven from Iraq by US and local forces had been able to gather in Syria to form the newly dangerous Islamic State group.A US-led coalition of Arab and Western allies has begun an air campaign to counter the group, hitting targets in Iraq and Syria, which Obama called ground zero for jihadists around the world.I think our head of the intelligence community, Jim Clapper, has acknowledged that they underestimated what had been taking place in Syria, Obama said, referring to his director of national intelligence.Asked whether Washington has also overestimated the ability or will of Iraqs US-trained military to fight the jihadists on its own, Obama said: Thats true. Thats absolutely true.He made his comments in an interview with the 60 Minutes news show taped on Friday.Obama said IS propagandists had become very savvy in their use of social media, and had lured new recruits who believed in their jihadist nonsense from Europe, America and Australia, as well as from Muslim majority countries.The US president said that part of the solution would be for Syria and Iraq to resolve their domestic political crises.An enduring solution, Obama said, requires a change in how not just Iraq, but countries like Syria and some of the other countries in the region, think about what political accommodation means.Some countries in the region, the president said, have now created an environment in which young men are more concerned whether theyre Shia or Sunni, rather than whether they are getting a good education or whether they are able to, you know, have a good job.Obama added that US-led air strikes in Iraq are helping deny the IS group vital territory and resources.We are assisting Iraq in a very real battle thats taking place on their soil, with their troops, Obama said.It is in our interest to do that, because ISIL represents sort of a hybrid of not just the terrorist network, but one with territorial ambitions, and some of the strategy and tactics of an army, he said.He continued: This is not America against ISIL. This is America leading the international community to assist a country with whom we have a security partnership with, to make sure that they are able to take care of their business.Iraq has remained divided since the departure of US troops, with the Sunni population alienated by the authoritarian Shiite-led government, and Syria has been in full-blown civil war since 2011.

Israel's Netanyahu says will refute Gaza lies

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JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Israel on Sunday en route to the United Nations in New York, saying he will refute all of the lies directed at us with regard to Israels recently concluded war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.Netanyahus comments come after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas charged that Israel had committed a series of absolute war crimes carried out before the eyes and ears of the entire world during an address to the General Assembly on Friday.In this year, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Israel has chosen to make it a year of a new war of genocide perpetrated against the Palestinian people, he said.With memories of the Nazi Holocaust still fresh in Israel, use of the word genocide is regarded as particularly provocative both to Netanyahu and Israelis in general.An angry Netanyahu promised an appropriate response when he himself addresses the General Assembly on Monday.In my address to the UN General Assembly, I will refute all of the lies being directed at us and I will tell the truth about our state and about the heroic soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, the most moral army in the world, Netanyahu said.Netanyahu was to have a private meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday evening in New York, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said.During the 50-day Gaza war, which ended Aug. 26, Israel launched thousands of airstrikes against what it said were Hamas-linked targets in the densely populated coastal territory, while Gaza militants fired several thousand rockets at Israel. More than 2,100 Palestinians were killed, the vast majority civilians, and some 18,000 homes were destroyed, according to U.N. figures. Sixty-six soldiers and six civilians were killed on the Israeli side.The devastating war weakened Abbas domestically, with his Hamas rivals enjoying a surge of popularity among Palestinians for fighting Israel.He is under pressure at home to come up with a new political strategy after his repeated but failed attempts to establish a Palestinian state through U.S.-mediated negotiations with Israel.But his remarks at the UN appear to have alienated many mainstream Israelis, beyond just Netanyahu and members of his rightwing government.Genocide is a term that shouldnt be bandied about frivolously, wrote Nahum Barnea in the mass circulation Yediot Ahronot daily. In diplomatic and legal terms, it is on par with a declaration of war.

Tennis: Murray wins first title since Wimbledon in Shenzhen

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SHENZHEN (AFP) - Andy Murray has won his first title since his historic Wimbledon victory last year, surviving a scare to beat Tommy Robredo in three sets Sunday at the inaugural ATP Shenzhen Open.Murray, who is currently ranked 11th by the ATP, overcame the 32-year-old in a tense match in which he saved five match points at the tie break in the second set as he appeared to be heading for defeat.The 27-year-old Scot then powered through the third set, losing only one game as he closed in on his first title for 15 months with a scoreline of 5-7, 7-6 (11/9), 6-1.Its been a long time since I won a tournament, said Murray. The way that the match was won doesnt happen very often. Its rare to win a match like that. I was very close to losing. It was an emotional week for me. I managed to fight my way through it, win the title, and hopefully I can win another one before the end of the year.The victory boosts the British players hopes of qualifying for Novembers ATP World Tour Finals in London, the end of season finale which features the top eight mens players.Murray has now won the last four of his six meetings against Robredo, which includes a victory over the Spaniard in his march to the 2013 Wimbledon final.He will move into tenth position on the back of his win in Shenzhen, the ATP said on its website. Murray is now on 3,405 points, just 105 points behind eighth-placed Tomas Berdych, who currently occupies the final place for the London tournament.Murray is also scheduled to play two further tournaments in China where 1,500 points are available. He is the sixth seed at the China Open this week, which is worth 500 points for the winner, and he will play at the Shanghai Masters, which is worth 1,000 points.The Shenzhen Open is a new ATP tournament in China, and its introduction this year means China in 2014 has three successive mens tournaments over three weeks.

Tennis: Sharapova, Halep and Kerber through in China

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BEIJING (AFP) - World number four Maria Sharapova powered through her opening match at the $5.4 million China Open on Sunday, joining second seed Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber of Germany in the second round.The Russian eased past Estonias Kaia Kanepi 6-4, 6-1 in her opening match of the tournament, while Romanian Halep also won convincingly against Czech player Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-1, 6-4.World number eight Kerber, meanwhile, took three sets to overcome Casey Dellacqua of Australia 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.Halep, who has risen from 11th to 2nd in the WTA rankings since the start of the year, faces Chinese wildcard Zhu Lin in the next round, while Kerber will meet Zayina Diyas of Kazakstan.Sharapova, meanwhile, will be confronting a player in high spirits when she comes up against world number 34 Elina Svitolina.The Ukrainian beat Kerber earlier this week at the WTA Wuhan Open to make it to the semi-finals of the premier-ranking event, and will have her confidence sky-high.But Sharapova will go into the game taking positives from her showing in the Chinese capital.The 27-year-old crashed out in Wuhan with a demoralising two-set defeat against Timea Bacsinszky in the third round, but she looked more assured at Beijings Olympic Park.She traded breaks with her opponent twice midway through the first set, before breaking again with the scores 5-4 in her favour to take the opener.Kanepi won only the fourth game of the second set, as Sharapova took command and wrapped up the match in 90 minutes.The French Open champion made six double faults in the match, which was the only stain on an otherwise dominant performance.The victory was her fourth against her 29-year-old opponent, in all meetings between the pair, but Sharapova said she had to battle hard for the win.I thought I played a difficult opponent, someone that Ive had trouble against in the past, she said.I knew it was a challenging first round opponent and I thought I handled that quite well considering I didnt have a great result last week.Elsewhere in Beijing, Sara Errani became the first seed to tumble as Kurumi Nara of Japan sealed a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.The 11th seed was hoping for a good run in Beijing to improve her slim chance of making next months WTA Finals in Singapore, which features the top eight womens players.Venus Williams eased through her first-round tie against British rising star Heather Watson 6-3, 6-1.But the American could also face a tough battle in the next round, as she is set to play Caroline Garcia if the French rising star wins her game against Chinas Zhang Shuai.The 20-year-old dumped Williams out of the Wuhan tournament in the first round last week.Also in Beijing, 2011 US Open winner Samantha Stosur finally ended her miserable run in China, overcoming Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-4, 6-2.The Australian world number 20 had crashed out both the Guangzhou Open and the Wuhan Open in her opening match earlier this month.The China Open will reach its climax on October 5.

Asian Games: Ogunode wins men's 100m in Asian record time

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INCHEON (AFP) - Qatars Femi Ogunode won the Asian Games mens 100m Sunday in a continental record 9.93 seconds to make a triumphant return following his doping ban.The Nigerian-born sprinter declared he is aiming for gold at the 2016 Olympics, despite training without a coach for the last four months, and said only wet conditions in Incheon stopped him running even faster.The victory brings a measure of redemption for the 23-year-old, who only returned to competitive running in January after a two-year suspension for testing positive for banned substance clenbuterol.Ogunode is one of a host of African athletes who have switched allegiance to run for wealthy Gulf states, mainly Bahrain and Qatar.His win brought his adopted country a second Games gold, drawing them level with Bahrain, whose own Nigerian import Oluwakemi Adekoya won the womens 400m with consummate ease.In the mens 400m, Saudi Arabias two-time Asian champion Yousef Masrahi set a Games record as he blew the competition away, Bahrains Abbas Abubaker Abbas a distant second.Hopes for an Asia-born athlete finally breaking the 100m 10-second barrier sank in the rain, with Chinas Su Bingtan crossing second in 10.10 and Kei Takase of Japan third in 10.14. Chinese team-mate Zhang Peimeng timed 10.18 in fourth.Ogunode said he was always confident of victory and felt he had more to give.I wanted to achieve more than that, like 9.8 but when the rain came it changed me mentally, he said. This is not my best form. My best form is yet to come. My main target is the Olympics.Chinas Wei Yongli won a nail-biting womens 100m final in a photo finish from Chisato Fukushima of Japan. Weis Chinese team-mate Xue Changrui took gold in the mens pole vault.The second day of athletics competition at the Asiad began with high drama away from the track as officials restored 17-year-old Jebets steeplechase win following furious protests from Bahrain.The world junior champion had taken 24 seconds off the Asiad record as she romped home in first Saturday night, only to be stripped of victory as she was about to mount the podium to receive her medal. But the ruling was reversed and Jebet was presented with gold in a new ceremony on Sunday and afterwards said even Bahrains monarch, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, had called her to promise that the title would be restored.Jebet stumbled and put a foot in the infield as she entered the home straight on her penultimate lap while well clear of the rest of the runners.But an athletics official said the review ruled the slip had not hindered anyone else or affected the outcome of the race. On the roads, Chinas Olympic bronze medallist Wang Zhen took gold in the mens 20km race walk in 1hr 19min 45sec, a Games record, while team-mate Lu Xiuzhi won the womens walk. There was a Chinese one-two in the womens hammer as Olympic bronze medallist Zhang Wenxiu set another Games record and won her third straight Asian Games title.Her throw of 77.33 metres beat team-mate Wang Zheng and was nearly 17 metres further than bronze medallist Bala Manju of India.

Obama:Democrats can keep control of U.S. Senate in elections

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WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama,citing an economic rebound, said in a CBS interview he feelsDemocrats can keep control of the U.S. Senate in Novemberelections, although he acknowledged many Americans did not feelthe economy was recovering.Republicans need to gain six seats to recapture Senatecontrol, which would dampen prospects for Obamas agenda in thelast two years of his presidency.He has been struggling inopinion polls and faces a series of international crises.Asked in a 60 Minutes interview that aired on Sunday if hethought Democrats could hold the Senate, Obama replied: Yes. Ido.Noting the economy was in crisis when he took office inJanuary 2009, Obama said unemployment and the deficit were down sharply on his watch, while corporate balance sheets were thestrongest in decades and there had been the longest run ofuninterrupted private-sector job growth in our history.I can put my record against any leader around the world interms of digging ourselves out of a terrible, almostunprecedented financial crisis, he said.Ronald Reagan used to ask the question: Are you better offthan you were four years ago? Obama said of the formerpresident. In this case, are you better off than you were insix? And the answer is, the country is definitely better offthan we were when I came into office.But he added that people dont feel it. And the reason theydont feel it is because incomes and wages are not going up.He said solutions to that included raising the minimum wage,ensuring that women were paid the same as men for the same workand rebuilding the countrys infrastructure.Asked if he thought he could sell that argument to voters,Obama said: Hopefully, they get a chance to hear the argument,because all Im doing is presenting the facts.

Motorcycling: Rossi taken to hospital after Aragon GP crash

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ALCANIZ (AFP) - Seven-time premier class world champion Valentino Rossi was taken to hospital after suffering concussion in crashing out of the Aragon Grand Prix on Sunday.The Italian had come into the race full of confidence after winning last time out in San Marino, but any chance of a repeat performance ended early on as he ran wide onto the grass at the rain-hit Motorland track and was thrown from his bike.The bike narrowly missed the prone 35-year-old as it came to ground but Yamaha team doctor Michele Zasa said he was confident Rossi would suffer no serious ill effects.Valentino suffered a concussion with a suspected loss of consciousness, Zasa said in a team statement.From a neurological point of view he has recovered very well. He was taken to hospital in Alcaniz to make a further check, in particular a CT scan of the skull that has ruled out any bleeding in the brain.As a precaution he will be observed in the coming hours, but there are no special reasons for concern.Rossi later tweeted a smiling picture of himself and said he was feeling fine.Hi guys Im OK -- apart from the headache, he wrote.The race was won by Rossis Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo, cutting Rossis lead over Lorenzo in third place in the world championship standings to just 12 points with four races of the season remaining.Dani Pedrosas 14th placed finish moved the Spaniard just three points ahead of Rossi in second place in the overall standings, but Spaniard Marc Marquez is well set for back-to-back world titles as he extended his lead over Honda teammate Pedrosa to 75 points.

Motorcycling: Lorenzo wins accident-marred Aragon Grand Prix

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ALCANIZ (AFP) - Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo won his first Grand Prix of the season in a thrilling rain-affected race at Aragon on Sunday.The Yamaha riders decision to come into the pits and change bikes with just four laps to go proved correct as he cruised home in the final stages ahead of compatriot Aleix Espargaro with Britains Cal Crutchlow in third on a Ducati.World championship leader Marc Marquez of Spain finished 13th after crashing his Honda in the wet conditions, but still extended his overall lead by a point from teammate Dani Pedrosa as he also crashed and finished 14th.Lorenzos fast start propelled him from the third row of the grid into a fight for the lead with Marquez and Lorenzo.However, the early stages of the race were also dominated by two huge crashes as Andrea Iannone and seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi flew off their bikes as they came off the track.Rossi even had to be lifted from the track on a stretcher, but thankfully was able to walk into the medical centre for treatment on minor injuries shortly afterwards.The rain then became a bigger factor in the final 10 laps and Lorenzo was the first of the leaders to head into the pits to adjust to the conditions.Pedrosa and Marquez stayed out on the track, but both soon crashed to finish well down the grid which allowed two-time world champion Lorenzo a much-needed win.Todays race was bit dangerous, but we started much better than expected. I was fighting with Marc for the lead and when it started to rain I didnt feel the same as Dani and Marc, said Lorenzo.I wanted to be more prudent and thought Ill go for the third place. The first lap after the change was difficult to get the tyres warmed up in the wet and when I passed the home straight it I was said 12th. The next time round it said I was first, so I was a little surprised.I tried to make sure I didnt make any mistakes in the last three or four laps and luckily the sacrifices of the past few weeks paid off.Marquezs surge towards the title was only slightly halted, though, as he now leads Pedrosa by 75 points and could clinch his second world title in as many years as a MotoGP rider at the Japanese Grand Prix in two weeks time.I didnt have experience in these conditions with the dry and then wet. I thought I could keep going, but the risk was too much, said the 21-year-old.I need to win (in Japan). The important thing is that there are four races to go and I am close.That gives me a lot of confidence and it doesnt matter if it happens in Japan, Australia or Malaysia, the important thing is to win the title because in the end that is what counts not when you won it.

Football: Ahly hit back to reach final

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JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Al-Ahly became the first CAF Confederation Cup finalists from Egypt after defeating Cameroonians Coton Sport 2-1 in Cairo Sunday.The come-from-behind victory at the Cairo Stadium, coupled with a 1-0 first-leg win last weekend, took the Red Devils through 3-1 on aggregate.They will face Sewe Sport twice more in the decider having won and drawn against the Ivorians in the group phase of the second-tier African club competition.Coton, who have never beaten Ahly in six meetings, stung the home side by taking an early lead through Joseph Kombous.But Burkinabe Moussa Yedan equalised before half-time and Amr Gamal got the match-winner and tie-clincher 12 minutes from time. Ahly, who boast a record 18 CAF titles, are competing in the Confederation Cup having been demoted after losing a Champions League final-round qualifier.Sewe drew 0-0 with 2012 Confederation Cup winners AC Leopards in Congo Brazzaville on Saturday to squeeze through 1-0 on aggregate.ASEC Mimosas were the last Ivorian club to reach a CAF final, defeating Zimbabweans Dynamos to win the 1998 Champions League.Fixture congestion means the first leg of the final in Abidjan will be staged only at the end of November with the return match one week later in Cairo.

Jeter departs with one last RBI

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Boston (AFP) - After a week packed with celebration and sentiment, iconic Yankees captain Derek Jeter played his last Major League Baseball game on Sunday, a contributor up to the last.Honored by the Boston prior to the season finale between the bitter American League East rivals, Jeter played as designated hitter in the Yankees 9-5 victory over the Red Sox.In his first at-bat he smacked a line drive off Boston starting pitcher Clay Buchholz in the first inning, but it was straight to shortstop Jemile Weeks.In the third frame, with a runner on third, Jeter chopped a ball toward third and legged out the infield single that scored Japans Ichiro Suzuki.Yankees manager Joe Girardi motioned toward Jeter at first to see if he wanted to exit for a pinch runner, and the Yankees captain jogged off the field for the last time.Its the end of an era, Girardi had said before the game.As he departed, Jeter received a thunderous ovation from Boston fans.Many had thought he might skip the final three games of the season in Boston, after delivering the winning single for a storybookd finish to his emotional last home game at Yankee Stadium on Thursday.But Jeter said he wanted to play, in deference to Boston fans and the storied rivalry between the teams.The Red Sox thanked him with a thirty-minute pre-game ceremony that included such Red Sox greats as Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice, Fred Lynn, Luis Tiant, Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield.A trio of Boston legends from other sports -- Bobby Orr of the NHLs Bruins, Paul Pierce of the NBAs Celtics and Troy Brown of the NFLs Patriots -- also took part in the ceremony, in which the entire current Red Sox team came out of the dugout to shake hands with Jeter.Jeter finished his 20-year career with 3,465 hits -- sixth on Major League Baseballs all-time list.A five-time World Series champion and 14-time All-Star, he finishes his career as a .309 lifetime hitter in 2,747 games.

Hong Kong protesters defiant after tear gas chaos

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Hong Kong (AFP) - Police repeatedly fired tear gas in clashes with protesters fighting for democracy as parts of Hong Kong descended into chaos Sunday with tens of thousands on the streets to demand Beijing grant the city full universal suffrage.The rare scenes -- in which crowds faced down riot police in the international financial hub -- forced protest leaders to warn supporters to retreat and save their lives if rubber bullets were fired.Protesters screamed Shame at officers, many in gas masks and riot gear, as they tried to shield themselves from the clouds of tear gas which was last used in Hong Kong in 2005.It marked a dramatic escalation of protests in the city, which rarely sees such violence, after a tense week of largely contained student-led demonstrations exploded into mass angry street protests.Protesters have defiantly stuck to their demands for full universal suffrage after Beijing last month said it would allow elections for the citys next leader in 2017 but will vet the candidates -- a decision branded a fake democracy.An AFP reporter at the scene early Monday morning estimated ten thousand protesters were dug in for another night as the unrest spilled over into other areas beyond the main site for the first time -- with thousands launching a sit-in across the harbour.© AFPPolice officers stand in a cloud of tear gas during a demonstration in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014 © AFP Xaume OllerosProtest leaders on Sunday called on demonstrators to pull back if police used rubber bullets, with rifles slung over the shoulders of many officers, or if they felt their lives were threatened.This is a matter of life or death. If their lives are threatened they should retreat and save their lives, said professor Chan Kin-man, a co-founder of the Occupy Central group which threw its weight behind the protest on Sunday.As acrid plumes of smoke wafted across the city, demonstrators expressed outrage at the citys police but remained defiant.We are unarmed, just standing here, there was no warning for the gas, Harry Hung told AFP after a volley was fired.This is unbelievable. This is a peaceful protest and the police are the ones using violence, added demonstrator Jade Wong. The level of police violence here is just like mainland China, it was never like this before.- New protests spring up -The tear gas did little to stem the tide of demonstrators occupying more than 800 metres of a vital multi-lane highway usually filled with vehicles.Fresh protests also sprung up far from the main demonstration, with around 3,000 people blocking a major road across the bay in Mongkok, bringing traffic to a standstill and opening up another significant flashpoint.© AFPDemonstrators carry boxes of food and water during a pro-democracy protest in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014 © AFP Xaume OllerosA dozen police looked on helplessly as the demonstrators took over the bustling Nathan Road in Kowloon, chanting slogans and wrapping their eyes in clingfilm to protect themselves in the event of pepper spray being deployed, an AFP reporter said.We need to strike for freedom and for our democracy. Weve come to Mongkok because its very dangerous now in Central and Admiralty, 20-year-old student Calvin Chan told AFP, referring to the main protest districts.Also affected was the busy shopping district of Causeway Bay, east of central Hong Kong, where some 1,000 people facing a line of riot police.Officers have so far made 78 arrests for offences ranging from forcible entry into government premises, unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct in public place and assaulting public officers.Just hours before people were due to start work, the police issued a statement urging protesters to stay calm, stop charging police cordon lines and occupying the main roads, so that the roads can be re-opened to emergency and public vehicles.© AFPProtesters take cover as police fire tear gas during scuffles at a pro-democracy demonstration in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014 © AFP Xaume OllerosTwenty-six people were being treated for injuries, the hospital authority said.China, which stations a Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) garrison in Hong Kong, said it was confident the citys administration could handle the protest.Beijing firmly opposes all illegal activities that could undermine rule of law and jeopardise social tranquility and it offers its strong backing to the Hong Kong government, said a spokesman for Chinas Hong Kong and Macau affairs office, Xinhua news agency reported.In a statement the Hong Kong government said it had no intention to seek help from the PLA.- City closes schools -Students have boycotted classes in the past week, which saw the central government complex stormed, with pro-democracy group Occupy Central on Sunday bringing forward a mass civil disobedience campaign that had been due to start on October 1.Hong Kongs leader, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, told a press conference his administration was resolute in opposing the unlawful occupation actions by Occupy Central.© AFPPro-democracy protesters demonstrate in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014 © AFP Xaume OllerosAs the demonstrations continued into Monday -- the start of the working week, authorities were forced to shut schools in key areas.The Hong Kong Education Bureau announced that schools in the Wan Chai as well as Central and Western districts would be closed.Former colonial power Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997 under a one country, two systems deal that guarantees liberties not seen on the mainland, including freedom of speech and the right to protest.
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