Saturday 1 November 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Western Sydney Wanderers win Asian title

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Riyadh (AFP) - Western Sydney Wanderers became the first Australian side to win the Asian Champions League title on Saturday after a goalless draw against Saudi giants Al Hilal gave them a 1-0 aggregate win in the final.The Aussie sides victory stunned into silence the 65,000 Al Hilal supporters inside the King Fahd International Stadium, most of whom had turned out in the host teams blue and white colours.The win was a shot in the arm for the Wanderers who came into existence only two years ago and had survived some tough games in the tournament to reach the final.It is still a little surreal for me. I am sure it will hit home in the next few days when we reflect, said Wanderers coach Tony Popovic.For me, I am just proud for these players and our club. The first time in the competition, to win it, I think in the future we will really understand how special this run has been and how it was to win this title.We don’t have the resources or the funds that some of these other teams have, but we have something that money can’t buy, the desire to win.Al Hilal were clearly the dominant side, but despite getting countless chances they failed to breach the Wanderers defence, with goalkeeper Ante Covic putting in an outstanding performance, producing a series of stunning saves, especially late in the second half.The 39-year-old was in a class all his own, but would consider himself lucky for getting away without the referee calling a penalty following a rough tackle on Salman al-Faraj in the 66th minute.In the 75th minute, he blocked a fine header by Saudi legend Yasser al-Qahtani and five minutes from time saved a powerful shot from Nawaf al-Abed.Saudi Arabias Al Hilal player Nawaf Al Abed (C) is tackled by Western Sydney Wanderers defender Antony Golec (R) in the second leg of the AFC Champions League football final at King Fahad stadium in Riyadh, on November 1, 2014 The Wanderers were up against a side who are among the most dominant in Asia, having amassed dozens of international and domestic titles during their 57-year history, including a pair of Asian Club Championships in 1991 and 2000.The Sydney club walked away with the trophy despite getting only one clear shot at goal, which was saved Al Hilal by goalkeeper Abdulla al-Sdairy.Al Hilal coach Laurentiu Reghecampf rued the fact his team were not able to make the most of their chances.“We had bad luck and we had many chances. We were the best team over the two games,” the Romanian said.“If you lose one game when you play bad, you can congratulate the other team. But when you play how we played and they play how they played, we feel very bad.“We had many chances to score. Yasser had three chances to score alone and Mohamed al-Shalhoub was also good.We had a lot of chances but we missed them. If the ball does not come to our strikers they cannot score and that’s why we have to find a balance between attack and defence.”The final ended on a sour note when players from both sides squared up after a Saudi player appeared to spit at an Australian opponent.

All Blacks rout United States in tour opener

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Chicago (AFP) - Dan Carter and Sonny Bill Williams returned to the All Blacks with impressive showings Saturday in a 74-6 rout of the United States to launch their Northern Hemisphere tour.Code-hopping star Williams, at centre after two years in Australias Rugby League, joined Julian Savea in scoring two tries in the romp ahead of Tests the next three weeks in England, Scotland and Wales.Its just awesome to be back in such a professional environment, Williams said. I wasnt that good. Our forwards led the platform. we just took advantage of it.Fly-half Dan Carter, the world record points scorer who has been out with a broken leg since the Super 15 final, played the final 30 minutes in his 101st All Blacks appearance, this one with primarily a second-level squad.Absolutely stoked to get back on the field, Carter said. I had a few butterflies before the match.It was important for us. We have an important game against England next week. We worked on a couple things for that match.The All Blacks humbled the 18th-ranked Eagles in their first US appearance in 34 years came before a record US rugby crowd of more than 61,000 spectators at Soldier Field, home of the NFLs Chicago Bears.To play in front of a crowd like this was lovely. This was something special, Carter said.Folau Niua of the US is tackled by Jeremy Thrush 4 and Sonny Bill Williams 12 of the New Zealand All Blacks during an International Test Match on November 1, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois Nathan Harris, Cory Jane, Patrick Tuipulotu, and Charles Piutau added first-half tries for the reigning World Cup champions while Joe Moody, Aaron Cruden, Israel Dagg and Sam Cane struck in the second half.Some of the tries were unreal, said Carter, who especially praised the work of younger players trying to work their way into the lineup ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.Were looking forward to next year. We want to win back-to-back world championships and keep building as a team.Fill-in captain Kieran Read, who along with Dagg and Jane were the only starters back from the 15 who beat Australia last month, was pleased with the All Blacks effort a week before they visit Twickenham.It was a pretty high quality game, he said. There werent too many stoppages and not too many dropped balls. It was an outstanding atmosphere.We have the Northern Hemisphere tour and for us this game kicks it off really well. It has been great for us.But Williams said the romp was far from a statement game ahead of the European Tests.We got a bit loose, he said. We still have some things to work on.Harris opened the scoring and Dagg split two defenders and offered a backhand offload to Jane, who raced down the right sideline for a 12-3 lead.- Still no US try -Dan Carter of the All Blacks on the attack during the International Test Match between the United States of America and the New Zealand All Blacks on November 1, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois The Americans, who managed only five training sessions since June, still seek their first try in four matches against the All Blacks, denied from five meters early and settling for two Adam Siddall penalties to pull within 12-6.It was a tough day at the office, US captain Todd Clever said. The guys learned a lot and we played the whole 80 minutes so Im proud of our boys.Tuipulotu and Williams raced up the middle for tries 90 seconds apart, both off feeds from Ryan Crotty, and Williams flipped to Piutau for a run down the left to make it 31-6.Williams faked a defender off his feet for another try and Read set up Saveas left wing run for a 43-6 half-time edge.Massive prop Moody crashed in for a try over two US defenders, Cruden finished off a wide attack and Carter entered with 30 minutes remaining, promptly evaded two defenders and offloaded to Dagg for another try.

Russia has met obligations on Ukraine gas deal: Gazprom

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Moscow (AFP) - Russia has fulfilled its obligations outlined in a gas deal reached with Ukraine by signing a decree setting a lower price for the commodity, energy giant Gazprom said on Saturday.The Russian government has just signed a decree on lower prices for exports (gas) to the Ukraine, Sergey Kupriyanov, the spokesman for Gazprom, told Russian news agencies.So Russia has fulfilled the obligations under the agreement done Thursday between Moscow, Kiev and Brussels, said Kupriyanov.He added that Gazprom was ready to resume gas deliveries to Ukraine when Naftogaz (Ukrainian state-owned gas company) has fulfilled its obligations.According to Russian news agencies, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday signed a decree setting the price for a thousand cubic metres of gas at $378.22 until March 31, 2015.Following two days of negotiations an agreement reached on October 30 between Russia and Ukraine committed Kiev to paying the first tranche of its debt ($1.45 billion) before any gas deliveries are resumed and the full amount of $3.1 billion by the end of the year in order to receive gas in 2015.

Juncker's new EU Commission takes office

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Brussels (AFP) - The new European Commission led by EU veteran Jean-Claude Juncker formally took office Saturday, promising to get down to work as Europe faces a host of political and economic challenges.The agenda is heavy, with Juncker making it his first task to launch a 300 billion euro ($380 billion) investment plan by Christmas to kickstart a faltering economy plagued by stubborn, near-record unemployment.The Ukraine crisis meanwhile shows no sign of easing, the European Union is locked in difficult talks on a massive and controversial trade deal with Washington and Britains future in the bloc is uncertain.Now its time to roll up the sleeves and get down to work. Europes challenges cannot wait, Juncker said in a statement to mark the start of his 5-year term.As of today, my team and I will work hard to deliver Europe the new start we have promised.A first test comes Sunday when pro-Russian rebels plan elections in the areas they control in eastern Ukraine in defiance of the EU which says they are illegal, will not be recognised and undermine fragile peace efforts.Worse still, Moscow has said it will recognise the vote, upping the ante for the EU which finds itself entangled in the worst crisis in Europe since the end of the Cold War.- Experienced politician -Graphic showing the nominees for the new European Commission and their portfolios The Commission, the EUs executive arm, wields huge powers from the massive glass-and-steel Berlaymont headquarters in central Brussels, drawing up the legislative proposals needed give effect to what the member states agree.Its 23,500 strong staff also submit myriad proposals across the whole agenda, be it on the economy or environment for member state leaders to consider when they meet in the European Council.Juncker is no stranger to the halls of power in Brussels.He served for 19 years as Luxembourg prime minister and was head of the eurozone group of finance ministers during the darkest days of the debt crisis when the single currency seemed on the brink of collapse.A famously dry sense of humour, an ability to get things done, to find the common ground where none seemed to exist and a convivial approach to life all served him well during the many long nights of the crisis.Juncker made clear from the start he wanted politicians, not bureaucrats, on his Commission team and he has brought on board several other former premiers and senior ministers.Frans Timmermans (right) transfers his duties as Dutch Foreign Minister to Bert Koenders in The Hague, on October 17, 2014 His right-hand man is Frans Timmermans, former Dutch foreign minister, who will play a key coordinating role as first vice-president to ensure the Commission speaks with one voice.Juncker succeeds Portugals Jose Manuel Barroso who served 10 years, during which time the EU expanded from 15 to 28 members and the Commission gained unprecedented powers in economic policy, including the right to vet eurozone member state budgets.The parlous state of the economy, however, with growth struggling and new jobs in short supply, has taken the gloss off the European dream for many and eurosceptic parties made significant gains in May elections.In response, Juncker promised repeatedly to make Europe work again for its 500 million citizens.This is the last-chance Commission, he told the European Parliament.Either we succeed in bringing Europes citizens together, to drastically reduce the level of unemployment and offer a way forward for our youth, or we fail.

Branson says space dream lives on, vows safety paramount

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Mojave (United States) (AFP) - British tycoon Richard Branson insisted Saturday his dream of commercial space travel was still alive though he will first focus on causes of the spacecraft crash that killed one pilot and seriously injured another.Speaking to reporters after arriving in the California facility that had served as the hub of Virgin Galactics space program, Branson said safety remained his paramount concern.We owe it to our test pilots to find out exactly what went wrong, and once weve found out what went wrong, if we can overcome it, well make absolutely certain that the dream lives on, a grim-faced Branson told reporters.We do understand the risks involved, and were not going to push on blindly, he said. To do so would be an insult to all those affected by this tragedy.Safety has always been our number one priority, he added before heading off to rally grieving Virgin Galactic staff.Bransons comments at the Mojave Air and Space Port came as a team of federal investigators began probing the causes of Fridays accident, which dealt a devastating setback to the cause of commercial space tourism.- Unknown territory -National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) acting chairman Christopher Hart told reporters that investigators were entering unknown territory but hoped to find clues to the accident in data gathered by Virgin Galactic.Members of the National Transportation Safety Board arrive before dawn at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mohave, California on November 1, 2014This will be the first time we have been in the lead of a space launch that involved persons on board, Hart said.It was not immediately known if a black box flight data recorder was installed on the doomed suborbital craft, though Hart stressed that test flights are usually documented with significant amounts of data.Branson headed to California within hours of the crash, which saw the companys suborbital SpaceShipTwo break apart and hurtle to the ground shortly after it had detached from a mothership at an altitude of around 45,000 feet (13,700 meters) during a test flight.The Los Angeles Times identified the pilot killed in the crash as 39-year-old Michael Alsbury, a father of two.The crash was the second disaster to rock the private space industry in the space of a few days, after an Antares rocket carrying supplies to the International Space Station exploded after take-off in Virginia in Tuesday.- Space tourism grounded -Experts say the accident will delay the advent of commercial space tourism by several years.Virgin Galactic had hoped to start ferrying wealthy customers to the edge of space in 2015, charging $250,000 per person for a ticket on the companys six-seater vehicle.Around 500 people, including a slew of celebrities such as Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio, had already reserved tickets on the first wave of Virgin Galactic flights, according to reports.Branson said anyone who wanted to cancel their reservation would be refunded.Of course, anybody who ever wants a refund would be able to get a refund, he said.As investigators launched their probe, early attention had been focused on a new kind of fuel being used in the doomed flight, the 35th by SpaceShipTwo.The plastic-based fuel had been tested on the ground before but not in flight.Branson hit back at early theories surrounding what may have caused the accident.To be honest, I find it slightly irresponsible that people who know nothing about what theyre saying can be saying things before the NTSB makes their comments, he said.The accident was not the first tragedy to strike the Virgin Galactic program.This image obtained October 31, 2014, courtesy of NASA and Mars Scientific/Clay Center Observatory, shows SpaceShipTwo as it completed its second powered flight on September 5, 2013 over the Mojave desertIn 2007, three people were killed after a rocket designed for use in SpaceShipTwo exploded during testing.Witnesses to the latest accident said there was no obvious sign of an explosion from the ground.If there was a huge explosion, I didnt see it, said Mojave Air and Space Port chief Stu Witt. From my eyes and my ears, I detected nothing that appeared abnormal.Private companies are rushing to fill the gap left by NASA, which ended its 30-year shuttle program in July 2011 with a final Atlantis mission to the International Space Station.Analysts said the latest accident is a huge blow to the nascent industry.You are not going to see any commercial space tourism flight next year or probably several years after that, said Marco Caceres, an analyst and director of space studies for the Teal Group consultancy.

Boko Haram claims kidnapped schoolgirls 'married off'

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Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Boko Haram has claimed that the 219 schoolgirls it kidnapped more than six months ago have converted to Islam and been married off, shocking their families but confirming suspicions about a supposed deal for their release and a wider ceasefire.The Islamist groups leader, Abubakar Shekau, made the claim in a new video obtained by AFP on Friday in which he also denied government assertions of an agreement to end hostilities and peace talks.Shekau also claimed responsibility for the abduction of a German national, who was seized from his home in the northeastern state of Adamawa on July 16.The mention of the girls, who were abducted from the remote northeastern town of Chibok in Borno state on April 14, is the first by Shekau since May 5, when about 100 of the teenagers were shown on camera.Then, the girls were seen wearing the hijab and reciting verses from the Koran. The militant leader said then that not all had converted.A screengrab from a Boko Haram video allegedly shows missing schoolgirls being filmed by an unidentified man in an undisclosed location in May 2014 But he indicated that all of those held had now become Muslims and married, chiming with testimony from former hostages who say forced marriage and conversion is commonplace in Boko Haram camps.Dont you know the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls have converted to Islam? They have now memorised two chapters of the Koran, he said.Shekau previously threatened to sell the girls as slave brides and also suggested he would be prepared to release them in exchange for Boko Haram prisoners.In the latest message, he said while laughing: We have married them off. They are in their marital homes.- Shock and scepticism -The head of the Chibok Elders Forum, Pogo Bitrus, said on Saturday: It (the claim about marriage) is shocking to us, although we know that Boko Haram is not a reliable group.We were sceptical about the talks to release our girls and we never took the ceasefire seriously because since the announcement, they have never stopped attacking communities.Supporters of the BringBackOurGirls campaign demonstrate in Abuja on October 14, 2014 Therefore the information that our girls have been married off is not surprising to us, said Bitrus, whose four nieces are among the hostages.Nigerias government said on October 17 that they had reached a deal to end five years of deadly violence in the countrys far northeast, as well as agreement to release the Chibok girls.But violence has continued unabated, including a triple bomb attack on a bus station in the northern city of Gombe on Friday, which killed at least eight and injured dozens more.Last weekend, about 30 children -- some of them girls as young as 11 and boys aged 13 upwards -- were abducted from another village in Borno state.At least 40 women were abducted the previous weekend not far from Chibok.Human Rights Watch said in a report published this week that upwards of 500 women and girls had been abducted since 2009, although some put the figure at more than 1,000.Forced conscription of boys and young men is also a common tactic.- No talks, ceasefire -Shekaus claim about the girls will give little cheer to supporters around the world, who mobilised for a social media campaign and street protests calling for their release.But back channel talks are stalled and he appeared to also rule out any negotiations.We have not made ceasefire with anyone, he said in Hausa in the 12-minute video, flanked by 15 armed fighters in an undisclosed scrubland location.We did not negotiate with anyone... Its a lie. Its a lie. We will not negotiate. What is our business with negotiation? Allah said we should not.He also said he did not know Ahmadu Danladi, whom the government claimed was a Boko Haram envoy and had been present at supposed talks in the Chadian capital, Ndjamena.Nigerias military said in a statement that it was studying the content of the video and would comment in due course. Land and aerial operations against the militants were ongoing, it added.The military will continue to accord due recognition to any ongoing mediatory efforts towards bringing our girls home and terminating the insecurity in parts of the country, defence spokesman Chris Olukolade said.Citizens are assured that the military and security agencies remain committed and optimistic for (a) positive outcome of ongoing operations.

Ukraine fighting intensifies ahead of separatist vote

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Donetsk (Ukraine) (AFP) - Seven Ukrainian soldiers were killed and heavy shelling erupted Saturday across the countrys south-east on the eve of separatist elections backed by Russia, but condemned by Kiev and Western governments.Losses in the last 24 hours as a result of fighting were six servicemen killed and 10 wounded, Volodymyr Polyovy, spokesman for the National Security and Defence Council, said.Hours later, military officials said another soldier had died and six were wounded in shelling by Grad multiple rockets.Polyovy said the deaths showed separatist forces continue to violate the ceasefire agreement signed September 5 in an attempt to defuse a crisis that has led to the worst tensions between Russia and the West since the Cold War.There was intensive shelling at the ruins of Donetsk airport, which remains partly in Ukrainian hands, despite lying in territory mostly controled by the separatists, officials said.Mid-morning Saturday, explosions could be heard about every five seconds, accompanied by the sound of machine-guns, AFP correspondents in Donetsk said.However, President Petro Poroshenko announced on his Facebook page that 25 soldiers held prisoner by the separatists had been freed -- a requirement of the September ceasefire that has met with relative success.- Rebel election -The bombardments formed a frightening backdrop to elections on Sunday in the self-declared, pro-Russian statelets known as the Donetsk Peoples Republic and the Lugansk Peoples Republic.Pro-Russian gunmen guard Alexander Zakharchenko (C), Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic and presidential candidate on October 31, 2014 in Donetsk There were no signs of polling stations in Donetsk near the airport and rebel soldiers deployed there said they didnt know of any stations in the area. However, there was little doubt about the winners of the two polls, with separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko on course to become head of the Donetsk republic and Igor Plotnitsky in Lugansk.Separatist authorities, who have close links with their Russian counterparts, say three million ballots have been printed and that voting by Internet has already started. Theres even an exit poll planned for late Sunday.These elections are important because they will give legitimacy to our power and give us more distance from Kiev, said Roman Lyagin, election commission chief of the Donetsk Peoples Republic.Vera, 45, who was selling eggs in a small Donetsk market, said she would vote against the Fascists -- an insult against Ukraines pro-Western government that has become widespread in the separatist regions and in Russias powerful state media machine.However, retired teacher Lyubov Georgiyevna, 75, said I wont vote. It wont change anything. She said above all she wished she could sleep at night without the sound of explosions.- Question of legitimacy -Russia says it will recognise the legitimacy of the separatist elections, infuriating Ukraine and Western countries which describe the votes as another blow to the already teetering ceasefire.Retired teacher Lyubov Georgyvna, 75, reacts as she hears artillery explosions in Donetsk on November 1, 2014 Latest UN figures show 4,035 people have been killed in about seven months of war -- more than 300 of them in the last 10 days.Russia has been locked in a bitter tug of war with the West over Ukraines future.Pro-Western revolutionaries toppled the previous Moscow-backed government here in February and Russian troops then invaded the southern province of Crimea in March. The pro-Russian insurgency in the east erupted shortly after.Now the separatist vote seems set to further deepen the diplomatic split and make less likely any imminent lifting of Western sanctions against Russia.The White House on Friday said: We deplore the intent of separatists in parts of eastern Ukraine to hold illegitimate so-called local elections on Sunday. The European Union and the NATO military alliance have also condemned the polls.In a four-way call earlier on Friday, the leaders of Ukraine, Germany and France urged Russian President Vladimir Putin not to recognise the polls.Ukraines national security service, the SBU, issued a warning late Friday of the risk of provocations during the separatist votes.The process of voting itself and of taking part in these elections is dangerous, the SBU official, Markiyan Lubkivsky, said. Serious provocations are being prepared that can then be blamed on the Ukrainian authorities.There was one bit of good news out of Ukraine this week with Thursdays signing by Kiev, Moscow and the European Union of a deal guaranteeing Russian gas sales to the former Soviet state over the winter.

Iraqi fighters lift spirits in Syria siege town

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Suruc (Turkey) (AFP) - Iraqi peshmerga fighters prepared Saturday to join the fight against jihadists for the Syrian border town of Kobane, lifting the spirits of Kurdish defenders in the highly symbolic battle.The roughly 150 Iraqi fighters, many chanting Kobane, were warmly welcomed after crossing the frontier from Turkey late Friday to join fellow Kurds trying to repel the Islamic State (IS) group.The peshmerga are making preparations, deploying weapons, getting to know the area, Polat Can, a spokesman for the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), said Saturday.The artillery and heavy weapons they have will play a good role, he told AFP by telephone.The town has become a key battleground whose capture would be a major prize for the jihadists, giving them unbroken control of a long stretch of Syrias border with Turkey.Kobanes defenders have been pleading for reinforcements, and the peshmerga armed with automatic weapons and rocket launchers travelled through Turkey to Syria from Iraqs autonomous Kurdish region.People definitely feel optimism about the arrival of the peshmerga. People have been calling me to discuss when we might be able to go home, said Kobane activist Mustafa Ebdi, speaking from across the border in Turkey.Ankara also allowed dozens of lightly armed Free Syrian Army rebels to cross into Kobane this week.- Optimism but also caution -But optimism was also tinged with caution about how much difference just 150 fighters could make in a standoff involving thousands of fighters.Kurdish people observe smoke rising from the Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, following an explosion as seen from the southeastern Turkish village of Mursitpinar in the Sanliurfa province on October 20, 2014 Some people think the battle will be over very quickly, but I think it will still be long, Ebdi said.Intense fighting erupted late Friday and continued during the night as Kurdish fighters fended off a new IS attack in the north of the town, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.On Saturday, US-led coalition warplanes launched two air strikes against IS positions in Kobane, the Observatory said.YPG fighters also shelled IS positions and the jihadists fired at least four mortar rounds into the town, it added.About 3,000-4,000 jihadists -- backed by tanks -- are fighting in Kobane against about 1,500-2,000 members of the YPG, according to Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman.Fierce clashes in and around Kobane have killed about 100 IS fighters in the past three days, according to the Britain-based monitoring group, which relies on a wide network of sources inside Syria.Kurds in Turkey greet peshmerga convoys in Viransehir, in Turkeys southeastern Sanliurfa province, on October 29, 2014 The Observatory said 958 people had been killed since IS launched an assault on Kobane in mid-September -- 576 IS jihadists, 361 Kurdish fighters and 21 civilians.IS has seized large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq for a self-proclaimed caliphate, imposing its harsh interpretation of Islamic sharia law.The United States, along with European and Arab allies, has conducted daily air raids against the group.The US military reported five air strikes against IS near Kobane on Friday and Saturday, while coalition warplanes carried out five raids in Iraq.- Solidarity marches -In Turkey, thousands of people took to the streets on Saturday for an international day of solidarity with Kobane.At least 15,000 people marched in the largest Kurdish-majority city of Diyarbakir, while around 1,000 pro-Kurdish supporters turned out in Istanbul.The multi-sided Syrian war has killed more than 180,000 people and forced millions from their homes since it began three and a half years ago as an uprising against President Bashar al-Assads regime.A Kurdish woman flashes the victory sign during a rally on November 1 , 2014 along Istiklal Avenue in Istanbul, as part of an international day organised in support of Kurdish fighters trying to repel the Islamic State militants in Kobane, Syrian US hopes of creating and training a moderate rebel force as a counterweight to jihadists and Assads forces suffered a blow after Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants drove rebels of the Western-backed Syrian Revolutionary Front from their bastion in the northwestern province of Idlib.The Al-Nusra Front jihadist group captured the village of Deir Sinbel and seized arms and tanks from the SRF, the Observatory said Saturday after 24 hours of combat.In Iraq, government forces Friday attacked the strategic jihadist-held town of Baiji, which has been out of Baghdads control for months, regaining control of two areas, army officers said.Bombings in the Baghdad area killed at least 24 people on Saturday, just days ahead of major Shiite religious commemorations that Sunni militants have targeted in past years.The UN said violence in Iraq killed at least 1,273 people during October, including 856 civilians.

Army officer takes over in Burkina Faso

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Ouagadougou (AFP) - Burkina Fasos opposition and civil society leaders warned Saturday against a military takeover and called a mass rally after the army stepped into the power vacuum left by the ouster of president Blaise Compaore.The military named a high-ranking officer, Isaac Zida, to lead the countrys transition a day after Compaore was forced to resign as his plans to extend his 27-year rule exploded into violent protests that saw parliament set ablaze.The protests have led some observers to draw a parallel with the Arab Spring, and were closely watched across a continent where other veteran heads of state are also trying to cling to power.Zida, who beat out a rival claim by the landlocked west African nations army chief to fill the post, vowed to work closely with civil society.But opposition and civil society leaders swiftly issued a statement warning the military against a power snatch, demanding instead a democratic and civilian transition.Inhabitants of Ouagadougou clean up the city on November 1, 2014 The victory born from this popular uprising belongs to the people, and the task of managing the transition falls by right to the people. In no case can it be confiscated by the army, they said in a statement.They also called a new mass rally in capital Ouagadougou on Sunday at the site where up to a million people had gathered earlier this week to demand Compaores resignation.The civil societys call appeared to be backed by the African Union, which urged a civilian-led and consensual transition in the former French colony.- Smooth democratic transition -Zida, the second in command of the presidential guard, said he had assumed the responsibilities of head of the transition and of head of state to ensure a smooth democratic transition.Inhabitants of Ouagadougou clean up the city on November 1, 2014 The transition will be carried out together with the other components of national life, he said, referring to the political opposition and civil leaders.The armys endorsement was signed by General Nabere Honore Traore, who initially said he would himself assume power, a claim Zida had dismissed as obsolete.Hours after taking over, Zida reopened the countrys air space, but land borders remained closed, a statement said.The aspirations for democratic change of the Burkina youth will be neither betrayed, nor disappointed, he said.Speaking on television early Saturday, the military officer also said the ousted president was in a safe place and his safety and well-being are assured.In neighbouring Ivory Coast the presidency confirmed reports that Compaore, who left Ouagadougou on Friday according to French diplomats, was in the country.A local resident said he saw a motorcade of around 30 cars heading for a luxury hotel in the Ivorian capital, which is also used as a semi-official residence for foreign dignitaries.The services of the President hotel in Yamoussoukro served him (Compaore) dinner yesterday (Friday) and breakfast this morning (Saturday), according to a hotel employee.- Compaores henchman -In the Burkina Faso capital, calm returned to the streets, with shops reopening and calls by protest organisers for a cleanup of the debris left behind after violent mass protests.Burkina Fasos President Blaise Compaore speaks at the Presidential Palace in Ouagadougou on July 26, 2014 The uprising was sparked by plans to change the constitution to allow Compaore to stand once again for elections next year.Defying dramatic protests which drew tens of thousands of people, Compaore initially rejected calls to resign.He eventually withdrew plans for a vote on the constitutional changes but vowed to stay in power for another year, before announcing on Friday that he was stepping down.Later the same day army chief Traore said he was assuming power, after ordering the dissolution of the government and a dusk-to-dawn curfew.But many protesters were deeply opposed to Traore, seeing him as a close ally of Compaore.We do not want General Traore in power. We need someone credible. Traore is Blaise Compaores henchman, said Monou Tapsoaba, an activist with the opposition Peoples Movement for Progress.Frances President Francois Hollande vowed that Paris would contribute to calming the situation in Burkina Faso, while Washington urged a transfer of power in accordance with the constitution.The EU called for the people of Burkina Faso to have the final say in who rules their country.Compaore was only 36 when he seized power in a 1987 coup in which his former friend Thomas Sankara was ousted and assassinated.His bid to hold on to power particularly angered young people in a country where 60 percent of the population of almost 17 million is under 25.Many have grown up under the leadership of one man and are disillusioned by the establishment that has led a country which is languishing near the bottom of the UN human development index.Known in colonial times as Upper Volta, the country won independence from France in 1960 and its name was changed to Burkina Faso (the land of upright men) in 1984.

Tech execs run commercial space race

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NEW YORK (AP) Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic company is reeling from the loss of SpaceShipTwo, which crashed in Californias Mojave desert on Friday, killing one of its pilots and seriously injuring the other. Branson, a billionaire business mogul whose Virgin group of companies have ranged from music to airlines to mobile phones, founded Virgin Galactic ten years ago with the aim of offering flights to the edge of space for anyone who could pay the $250,000 price tag. The future of Virgins commercial suborbital flight program is unclear in the wake of the tragic accident.The 64-year-old Branson is not the only businessman in the space trade. Historically space and aviation have been a point of fascination for moguls who have made their fortune and want to accomplish something bigger. Eccentric millionaire Howard Hughes, who made his name in the film business in the 1920s and 1930s, fixated on aerospace and aviation and built innovative airplanes and set air-speed flying records. And James Lick, a real estate tycoon, spent a fortune building a state-of-the-art telescope and observatory in 1876 in San Jose, California.Today, the concept of space travel has proved an irresistible allure for many entrepreneurs whove made it in the tech world, and they have been spurred on by NASAs increasing reliance on private companies to conduct space missions. The industry has been rocked by SpaceShipTwos crash coming just days after the explosion of an Orbital Sciences Corp. commercial supply rocket bound for the International Space Station. But the race for commercial space travel continues. Heres a look at the major tech titans leading the way:ELON MUSKThe 43-year-old co-founder of PayPal and head of Tesla Motors launched Space Exploration Technologies Corp. in 2002 with the ultimate goal of developing the technology to allow humans to live on other planets. SpaceX, as it is known, designs, makes and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. In 2012, NASA hired SpaceX to deliver cargo and eventually astronauts to the International Space Station. The companys spacecraft have since made five trips to the International Space Station and back, including four official resupply missions. The Hawthorne, California company has over 3,000 employees and operates three spacecraft: Dragon, Falcon Heavy and Falcon 8. Its Dragon spacecraft is expected to begin manned missions in the next two to three years.http://www.spacex.com/JEFF BEZOSThe 50-year-old co-founder of Amazon.com Inc. started Blue Origin in Kent, Washington state, in 2000 to develop technology to make human access to space easier. It is currently focused on developing rocket-powered vertical takeoff and landing vehicles for access to the edge of space and beyond. As of 2012 Blue Origin had received $22 million from NASA. Its crew and cargo vehicle, called New Shepard, is designed to eventually take tourists to suborbit. Last month, United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Corp. and Boeing Co. that launches unmanned rockets, picked Blue Origin to develop a rocket engine that could eventually replace the Russian rocket engine used in many American unmanned launches.http://www.blueorigin.com/PAUL ALLENThe Microsoft Corp. co-founder teamed with aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan in 2004 on the experimental SpaceShipOne, which was launched from a special aircraft. It became the first privately financed, manned spacecraft to dash into space and later won the $10 million Ansari X Prize for accomplishing the feat twice in two weeks. More recently, the 61-year-olds Stratolaunch Systems, based in Hunstville, Alabama, is developing the worlds biggest plane to help launch cargo and astronauts into space. Called Thunderbolt, it is tentatively scheduled to launch in 2018. Stratolaunch is working with Orbital Sciences and Rutans Scaled Composites. SpaceShipTwo was piloted by Scaled Composites, under contract with Virgin Galactic, during this weeks fatal crash.http://www.stratolaunch.com/JEFF GREASONThe rocket scientist and former Intel Corp. employee founded XCOR Aerospace in 1989. XCOR also is pursuing space tourism and hopes to conduct flight tests for its Lynx spaceship beginning in 2015. In September, XCOR was partner to the Federal Aviation Administration approving a commercial space launch license for Midland International Airport in Texas, where XCOR operates a research and development center. The 50-employee company is based at Mojave Air and Spaceport in Southern California and has built 13 different rocket engines and built and flown two manned rocket-powered aircraft.Greason has served on the U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee.http://www.xcor.com/

Security tightened across country ahead of Youm-e-Ashura

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – The security across country was tightened on Saturday ahead of Youm-e-Ashura. Pillion riding was banned in Karachi and the MA Jinnah Road was blocked with containers, Dunya News reported.According to the details, the Empress Market and other locations were also sealed.The cellular service in various cities including Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar will remain suspended on 9th and 10th of Muharram for security reasons.According to the details, four districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been declared extremely sensitive. The correspondence in this regard has been sent to the federal government.Aerial surveillance through helicopters will be carried out in as many as 54 districts.The federal interior minister Chaudhry Nisar has directed to arrange foolproof security across the country on Youm-e-Ashur.Reportedly, as many as 32,695 personnel from army, rangers and Frontier Corps (FC) will be deployed on the security.

Qamar Zaman Kaira forms 'PPPHawks' group on social media

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LAHORE: (Dunya News) – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira has formed his group on social media with the name of ‘PPPhawks’. Veteran PPP leader has also announced on social media that PPPhawks will formally start its activities on social media after Ashura from 5th of November.Qamar Zaman Kaira has also started to seek suggestions from workers and public regarding his social media group. He also answers the questions of the people on social media, daily. According to party sources, Qamar Zaman was striving to get presidency of PPP Lahore and since he has failed to achieve this target, he has activated himself on his position.

Bilawal demands arrest of murderers of Sindh police, party workers

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday demanded the arrest of culprits behind murders of Sindh police officials and PPP party workers, Dunya News reported.In his latest post on social media website Twitter, Bilawal said that ‘unidentified persons’ killed PPP’s district office bearer and local councilor Nazir Baloch. He said police personnel and PPP workers were even attacked yesterday.Bilawal demanded the accused should be brought to the court of justice. He said the Karachi operation will only be successful if political institutions and other departments function with responsibility.Bilawal said that Ajrak has been around in the continent even before Pakistan came into existence.

Neighbors shouldn't intervene in Afghanistan: China

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BEIJING: (AP) – Chinese premier Li Keqiang has said that China is sure of Afghanistan’s capability to deal with its problems but neighboring countries should try to create peaceful environment instead of trying to intervene in Afghanistan. In a conference on peace and rebuilding of Afghanistan, Chinese premier said that the world should respect Afghanistan’s sovereignty, freedom and territorial integrity and abstain from intervening in Afghanistan’s internal matters.Speaking on this occasion, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani invited Taliban directly to get engaged into the international community backed peace process. Ashraf Ghaniz invited Taliban directly and named them too but did not make any particular offers or suggestions during his speech. He also hinted that the government security forces will not back off from action against terrorists.

Orakzai Agency: 25 terrorists dead, 7 soldiers martyred in operation

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LAHORE: (Dunya News, Web Desk) – In a deadly encounter on Saturday morning, 6 Pakistani soldiers were martyred by terrorists when dozens of them attacked a military check post in Orakzai Agency near Sheerien Darra area with heavy weapons and firing from all sides. 6 soldiers got martyred and 3 got injured in this attack. Retaliating strongly to this attack, Pakistan Armed Forces killed 20 terrorists. In this deadly encounter, which continued for around three hours, 11 terrorists got injured and an ammunition-laden car was also blasted.On the other hand, in a rocket attack on a house in Shahu Khel a 7-year-old girl was injured and the house was also damaged partially.A mined tunnel, situated near the road in Bajaur Agency Tehsil Momand, 2 soldiers got injured. One of the two soldiers embraced martyrdom after being taken to the hospital.In Khyber Agency, 5 terrorists were killed in an encounter with the Pakistani army. 7 security officers also got injured during this encounter.In an explosion near police’s car in Peshawar’s Budh Bair area did not result in any deaths, fortunately.
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