Friday 14 November 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Brazil police arrest 27 in widening Petrobras probe

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Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Police made 27 arrests in raids across Brazil on Friday in a widening investigation into allegations of a multi-billion-dollar kickback scheme at the state-owned oil giant Petrobras.Among those swooped on by 30 police teams that fanned out across the country was Renato Duque, the former Petrobras director of engineering and services, while several prominent construction companies have also now been dragged into the scandal that has touched the Brazilian president.Authorities, under pressure to get to the bottom of the escalating crisis at Petrobras, also froze assets worth 720 million reais ($277 million) belonging to 36 suspects and three unnamed companies.After an early delay in trading on news of the police action, Petrobras stock slumped initially on the Sao Paulo market before ending the session 2.66 percent off at 12.78 reais.Petrobras -- also the subject of an investigation by US authorities -- had announced Thursday that it was delaying release of its third-quarter results because of investigations regarding allegations of conspiracy, embezzlement and corruption.According to former Petrobras director Paulo Roberto Costa, the company allegedly paid millions of dollars in kickbacks to politicians and members of the ruling Workers Party between 2004 and 2012 to buy influence in what critics say was a collusion between Petrobras and politicians.Costa, who is under house arrest, has been acting as whistleblower as part of a plea bargain with prosecutors. The allegations roiling Petrobras have been dubbed Operation Car Wash.Police estimate more than 10 billion reais of kickbacks were made in all.Nobody has been convicted, but Costa is awaiting trial over the allegations that forced President Dilma Rousseff into denials in a hotly contested election that she won last month after a bitter runoff.Many more are expected to follow Costa into court as the case unravels.- Widening crisis -Fridays arrests on suspicion of money laundering and fraud were made in five states and the capital Brasilia. Some of those police detained were top executives from top construction firms who had allegedly signed suspect contracts with Petrobras.Money dealer Alberto Youssef, detained along with Costa in March, claimed last month in testimony to investigators published by news magazine Veja that Rousseff and predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva knew about the kickbacks scheme.Both angrily denied knowing anything about a racket which allegedly started shortly after the ruling Workers Party took power in 2003.Rousseff, a former board chair of Petrobras who served as energy minister under Lula, threatened to sue Veja over its claims, which now are the subject of an investigation by the courts as well as Congress.Brazilian financial markets reacted badly to the latest arrests. The main Ibovespa index limited losses to 0.14 percent, ending the week at 51,772 points -- giving up 2.7 percent on a turbulent week overall.On the currency markets the Brazilian real, having hit a nine-year low on Thursday against the dollar, slipped another 0.27 percent to 2.6 to the US unit.

Pakistan retain under-scrutiny Hafeez for second Test

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ABU DHABI (AFP) - Pakistan on Friday retained all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez for the second Test against New Zealand despite his bowling action being reported. Hafeezs action was reported as suspect by match officials after the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, which Pakistan won by 248 runs for a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series. The second Test starts in Dubai from Monday. Under the International Cricket Council rules on suspect bowling action, Hafeez has 21 days to have a mandatory bio-mechanic assessment of his action. But in that period he is allowed to bowl at international level. Injured opener Ahmed Shehzad misses out and is the only change to the side that won the successive Abu Dhabi Tests against Australia and New Zealand. Chief selector Moin Khan said Shehzad is a forced change. The change has been forced on us owing to a head injury to Shehzad. Team Pakistan is keen and confident of maintaining its winning sequence in the remaining two Tests as well, said chief selector and manager Khan. Shehzad hit a career-best 176 in the first Test but suffered a fracture on skull after being hit by a bouncer from New Zealand seamer Corey Anderson on Monday. One from Shan Masood or Taufiq Umar is likely to replace Shehzad. The third Test will be played in Sharjah from November 26. The 15-member squad: Misbah-ul Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufiq Umar, Shan Masood, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Ehsan Adil, Harris Sohail, Imran Khan, Mohammad Talha, Rahat Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Younis Khan, Zulfiqar Babar.

Force-feeding shrouded in scerecy at Guantanamo

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GUANTANAMO BAY (AFP) - Behind the barbed wire of Guantanamo Bay prison, hunger-striking inmates are routinely force-fed, a practice defended by officials as necessary medical treatment but labeled by critics as torture.But, for all the debate surrounding the practice, information about it is scarce, and force-feeding remains shrouded in secrecy.We dont talk about this, said Rear Admiral Kyle Cozad, commander of Joint Task Force-Guantanamo, arguing the silence is designed to prevent inmates scoring misleading propaganda points.Detainees manipulate the media, on a routine basis, and I say that with confidence and conviction, Cozad added, speaking to a small group of journalists at the naval base in Cuba last month.Among the prisons 148 detainees, it is unclear exactly how many have staged hunger strikes or how many have been force-fed.The US military detention center has not released any information about the force-feeding of inmates since October 2013, and prison authorities recently banned filming the act.Previously, the graphic recordings of the forced feedings and cell removals of hunger strikers were the only record of those events.A federal judge has ordered the redacted release of the videotapes, but granted a request by President Barack Obamas administration for a month-long pause on releasing them.The government is expected to appeal the release order.Last year, Guantanamo prisoners staged the largest protest in the prisons history -- involving two thirds of all detainees at its peak and spanning six months.Prisoners say they are being held in legal limbo.Up to 46 of the hunger strikers, according to official figures, were fed by force using so-called enteral feedings through a tube inserted through the nose and directly into the stomach.- Torture or medical necessity? -Rights groups decry the practice as torture, and have demanded more transparency from prison officials about force feeding.Cozad said the decision to tube-feed prisoners -- even against their will -- is based on medical assessments, to prevent them from dying of lack of nutrition, and continues only until the inmate is considered healthy again.Its a matter of medical concern and thats the only reason we would enteral-feed one of the detainees, said Cozad.When they begin to eat or they become nutritionally stable, then we make the determination to take them off of that list.According to the command in charge of Guantanamo, prisoners who are involved in non-religious fasting are removed from their cells in a so-called forced cell extraction by guards and strapped to a restraint chair to be force-fed.A feeding tube is inserted into a prisoners stomach through his nose and he is fed a nutritional supplement for 20 minutes. Hunger-strikers are sometimes administered painkillers.- No moral or ethical issues -Cozad decides after consulting with his medical staff whether to feed a prisoner by force.I have no moral or ethical issue with it, he said, adding that he is only acting to preserve the health of the detainee population.We are an isolated place... we dont have the ability to medevac somebody who is gravely ill who maybe went on non-religious fast for a prolonged period of time, Cozad added.In a legal complaint, Syrian detainee Abu Wael Dhiab asks that prison authorities stop force-feeding him, saying the practice amounts to torture.Several media outlets have asked the government to make the 28 known videos of his force-feedings public.The videos show Dhiab as a feeding tube is inserted and removed from his nose, as well as the location of guards and the room used during the procedure.Last year, US District Judge Gladys Kessler said it is perfectly clear... that force-feeding is a painful, humiliating and degrading process.But in a reversal last week, she agreed with the government that force-feeding is a medical necessity to prevent the detainee from dying.She also said there was not sufficient evidence that guards force-feed Dhiab in order to deliberately cause him pain or suffering.Kessler did, however, order the release of the videos.Since then, Cozad has banned filming the feedings.The reason Ive opposed that is because they reveal some of our tactics, techniques and procedures.Its a procedure in the military manual that would impact my force. Its an operational security issue and its a potential safety issue for my people.

Australia beat S. Africa in 1st ODI at Perth

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PERTH (AFP) - Australian captain Michael Clarke suffered a worrying recurrence of a hamstring injury as his side beat South Africa by 32 runs in the opening one-day international at Perths WACA Ground on Friday.After being sent in to bat in the opening encounter of the five-match series, the home team posted 300 for eight from their 50 overs.In reply, South Africa threatened a record run chase at the venue when their skipper, AB de Villiers (80) and David Miller (65) put on 126 for the fifth wicket, but ultimately fell 32 runs short and were dismissed for 268.Despite the efforts of de Villers and Miller, the South Africans were always on the back foot after losing early wickets, with paceman Mitchell Johnson (2-38) celebrating his announcement as the ICC Cricketer of the Year by claiming both Proteas openers, Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla, in quick succession.Recalled wicketkeeper Matthew Wade claimed five catches in the South African innings, while man-of-the-match Nathan Coulter-Nile claimed 4-48.The 33-year-old Clarke reinjured his troublesome left hamstring as he made just 11 from 20 balls in the Australian innings and was immediately ruled out of taking any further part in the match.Clarke has battled a degenerative back condition in recent years and hamstring troubles have plagued him, including missing matches on Australias past two overseas tours, to Zimbabwe and the United Arab Emirates.The injury will be assessed on Saturday and Clarke conceded it was a major concern for his playing future.Ive got my fingers crossed that its not that bad but the fact is that I have had this injury three times in the last six weeks, he said.Ive had a long stint of rehab trying to get it strong and unfortunately its come back again, so that is not positive.But I know Ive got experts looking at it, Im in good hands, and I will just have to listen to them. I think were in for a great summer. I just hope I can be a part of it. Clarke is unlikely to play in the remainder of the one-day series, and the first Test against India is just three weeks away.The World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Australia, starts in February.Johnson said vice-captain George Bailey would fill the void capably during Clarkes absence.The home side made the most of some good fortune with the bat, the Proteas dropping several catches, including grassing four chances to remove Bailey, who top-scored with 70 from 75 balls as Australia rode their luck to recover from 144-5.The Australian vice-captain should never have reached double figures.Hit on the back by the first ball he faced from Dale Steyn, Bailey was dropped twice in successive deliveries he faced when he was on just two, as South Africa stuck back with a vengeance following an opening stand of 94 by David Warner (46) and Aaron Finch (35).David Miller dropped a sitter at point from the bowling of Morne Morkel, and then in the next over spinner Imran Tahir grassed a simple caught-and-bowled chance.Bailey had two more lives on 38 and 47, the latter also resulting in South African fielder Farhaan Behardien being forced from the field with a minor shoulder injury sustained in a diving attempt to complete the catch.Baileys luck came to an end when he skied a drive off the bowling of Steyn and was brilliantly caught by a back-pedalling Faf du Plessis at mid-off.Seamer Vernon Philander led the way for the Proteas, claiming both the openers on his way to figures of 4-45 from his 10 overs.De Villiers was disappointed with his sides performance, but vowed they would bounce back strongly in Sundays second match of the series.

US sees no sign of Qaeda-IS pact

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - US intelligence chief James Clapper said Friday analysts had not seen any evidence indicating Islamic State jihadists and Al-Qaeda had forged an alliance in Syria.Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, told CBS television US experts were unaware of any pact between the two groups, which would potentially complicate the US-led military campaign in Syria.We dont see that, Clapper said.There have been tactical accommodations, on the battlefield, on occasion, where local groups have united in the interest of the tactical objective, but broadly, I dont see those two uniting, at least yet.The Daily Beast reported earlier this week that veterans of the Al-Qaeda splinter group known as Khorasan -- which has been bombed repeatedly by US warplanes -- were trying to broker a deal between Islamic State fighters and members of the Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate.Khorasan sees its role now as securing an end to the internal conflict between Islamic State and Al-Nusra, a senior rebel source was quoted as saying.US officials expressed skepticism about the reported alliance however.I find it hard to believe that Al-Nusra and Islamic State could sink their differences, an unnamed former Obama administration official was quoted as telling the Daily Beast.

Jubair gives Bangladesh the edge in third Test

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CHITTAGONG (AFP) - Young leg-spinner Jubair Hossain grabbed a five-wicket haul in only his third Test to hand Bangladesh the advantage in the third and final Test against Zimbabwe in Chittagong on Friday.The 19-year-old finished with 5-96 as Bangladesh, hoping to sweep the series 3-0, dismissed Zimbabwe for 374 runs on the third day to gain a 129-run lead.The hosts extended the overall lead to 152 runs after reaching 23-0 in their second knock by stumps.Elton Chigumbura (88), Sikandar Raza (82), Hamilton Masakadza (81) and Regis Chakabva (65) settled in for Zimbabwe, but all three failed to convert the starts into centuries.When the tourists resumed at 113-1 in reply to Bangladeshs 503, the overnight pair of Raza and Masakadza put on 160 runs, Zimbabwes highest partnership for the second wicket. It surpassed the 135 by Mark Dekker and Alastair Campbell against Pakistan in 1993.Seamer Shafiul Islam trapped Masakadza leg-before and, three overs later, Jubair put Zimbabwe on the back foot with the wickets of skipper Brendan Taylor and Raza in the space of three balls.Zimbabwe, who went to lunch at 200-4, lost Craig Ervines (14) soon after resumption, but Chigumbura and Chakabva added 113 runs for the sixth wicket to help their team avoid the follow-on.Jubair dismissed Chigumbura through a catch by Mohammad Mahmudullah in the slips and completed his five-wicket haul with the wicket of last man Natsai Mshangwe.Bangladesh won the first two Tests in Dhaka and Khulna. The series between the two lowest-ranked teams will be followed by five one-day internationals.

Russian chill permeates G20 summit

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BRISBANE (AFP) - Russias Cold War-style standoff with the West sent a chill through G20 talks aimed at heating up the world economy on Saturday as leaders kicked off a summit in Australia.Global warming also emerged as a focus for leaders including Barack Obama, Russias Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping of China, posing another distraction for the Australian hosts after they had committed to confining the Brisbane summit to an ambitious growth agenda.Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, a sceptic on man-made climate change, came into the summit locked in a war of words with Putin over the downing of a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet in July.Australian anger at Putin was underlined by the Saturday edition of Brisbanes Courier-Mail newspaper. Its front page showed an Australian kangaroo boxing a growling Russian bear, over the headline Ice Cold War.While the Ukraine crisis does not figure in the formal G20 deliberations, tackling climate change and Ebola were reportedly to feature in the leaders final declaration on Sunday.Obama was due to announce Saturday a $3 billion pledge to a UN fund aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change in the worlds poorest countries, after emerging from a pre-G20 trip to China with a pact with Xi on greenhouse gas emissions.The US presidents renewed focus on global warming has enthralled scientists and campaigners but infuriated his Republican opponents, who are retaking control of Congress after this months mid-term elections.It also threatens to disquiet Abbott, who wants the G20 instead to deliver on its commitment of lifting economic growth by up to two trillion dollars in the coming years.If the pledge is delivered, that will deliver a message of hope and aspiration to the world, Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey said Saturday.The idea in Brisbane is to flesh out the growth plan -- and also to close corporate loopholes that allow some multinational companies to pay a pittance in tax depending on where they are domiciled after a major dispute erupted over Luxembourgs beneficial tax deals with a slew of companies.The prime minister of Luxembourg at the time was Jean-Claude Juncker, who is now the head of the European Unions executive commission and finds himself under a hail of rhetorical fire.In Brisbane on Saturday Juncker defended his position over the sweetheart deals extended when he led the wealthy duchy, and endorsed a global fight against tax evasion in the works from the G20.In accordance with the law you can create a situation, the result of it is a very low taxation for companies. This has to be avoided, Juncker told reporters.- Tsarist ambitions -Further afield, the G20 is under pressure to adopt a hard-hitting financial response to the Ebola epidemic in west Africa as health workers battling horrific working conditions plead for more resources.A joint petition from aid groups including Oxfam and Save the Children urged the G20 to band together to ensure the right resources are made available in terms of personnel, equipment and funding.This is a chance to stop Ebola in its tracks, and it must not be missed, said Oxfam Australia chief Helen Szoke.Yet while the worlds most powerful countries stake out common ground on the economy and on fighting disease, familiar strains on the geopolitical front have again erupted into the open.Putin arrived in Brisbane facing an icy reception after the prime ministers of Britain and Australia accused him of being a bully and harbouring imperialist ambitions in the context of the Ukraine crisis.Moscow hit back with strong language against the West that included a warning for France against further delay in handing over a warship promised under a 2011 contract, as Putin and French President Francois Hollande prepared to hold bilateral talks Saturday evening in Brisbane.Putin is also due to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the summit, and started Saturday with a separate meeting of the BRICS countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.Interviewed by the TASS news agency, the Russian strongman said his government was prepared to deal with a potentially catastrophic fall in oil prices.Their decline to four-year lows is a boon for growth in other G20 countries but threatens to explode Russias deficit and is already depressing the ruble.An overhaul of the global energy market could be a surprise outcome of the G20 summit with plans for a new agency to protect against oil and gas supplies being used as foreign policy tools, The Australian newspaper said.Putin also assailed other G20 countries for imposing sanctions over Ukraine and the Malaysia Airlines plane incident.But he said he would not raise the topic of sanctions at the G20. Why should I draw attention to this, ask for something? Its pointless.

Ford expands air bag recall after Malaysian death

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DETROIT (AP) The death of a pregnant Malaysian woman in a car crash involving a faulty air bag has led to another U.S. recall, as the auto industry struggles with a widening problem across the globe.Ford Motor Co. agreed to recall more 2004 and 2005 Ranger small pickup trucks after the crash in Malaysia because their air bags are similar to the one that caused the womans death, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday.More than 12 million vehicles have been recalled worldwide because of a potentially deadly problem with air bag inflators made by Japanese auto parts supplier Takata Corp. At least five deaths and multiple injuries have been linked to the problem, which occurs when air bags inflate with too much force and blow apart metal canisters, sending shrapnel into the passenger compartment.After the July 27 crash, which killed a pregnant Malaysian woman and her unborn baby, NHTSA began looking into air bag inflators made at a now-closed Takata factory in LaGrange, Georgia, south of Atlanta. Takata told the agency the plant made the single-stage inflator that went into the womans 2003 Honda City small car. It was not used in any U.S. vehicles, according to a NHTSA memo released Friday.But Takata said some Rangers got a similar inflator. In discussions with NHTSA, Ford agreed to recall the pickups to replace the drivers air bags. Complicating matters, many of the same pickups already were under recall for the passenger air bags made by Takata. The Rangers are the only U.S. vehicle with inflators similar to those used by Honda in its City model, the agency said.It was unclear how many Rangers are covered by the additional recall, but NHTSA said about 25,000 still are in use in the U.S. A Ford spokeswoman said Friday night she was not aware of any air bag incidents involving Rangers.The pickups are among 26,000 vehicles that Ford added to its list of recalls for the air bag problem, bringing its total to about 85,000.NHTSA said it is investigating Takata air bags that are more than a decade old, regardless of where they were manufactured. The company also has air bag plants in Mexico and Washington state.In addition to the NHTSA investigation, Takata is being probed by the U.S. Attorneys Office in Manhattan and a federal grand jury in New York. Company executives are also scheduled to appear before a Senate committee on Thursday.All of the recalled Ford vehicles are in high-humidity areas of Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Takata has said airborne moisture can cause the air bag propellant, ammonium nitrate, to burn too fast, shattering the metal canisters.Other Ford vehicles involved include 2005 through 2008 Mustangs, 2005 and 2006 Ford GTs. Spokeswoman Kelli Felker said the company is investigating one complaint to NHTSA of an injured Mustang driver.In an Oct. 30 complaint, the owner of a 2007 Mustang wrote that in August, the car crashed into the rear of another vehicle at 35 mph. The air bag deployed with abrupt force and a metal fragment dislodged, causing injury to the drivers leg, which required medical attention, the complaint said. Car owners who file complaints with NHTSA are not identified.The series of recalls worldwide involve 10 automakers including Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co. and General Motors Co. in various nations such as Japan, China and European countries. About 8 million of the recalls are in the United States. There are about 37.8 million vehicles with Takata air bags on U.S. roads, according to NHTSA documents.Takata CEO Shigehisa Takada apologized for the problems with the air bags in a statement issued Thursday, saying his company was determined to prevent further problems.

Comet probe uploads last-minute data from 'alien world'

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Paris (AFP) - Robot probe Philae uploaded a slew of data to Earth Friday from a deep-space comet that it drilled into long after its onboard battery was feared to have died.Data started streaming in as soon as late-night contact was reestablished between Europes robot lab and its orbiting mothership Rosetta -- ending an anxious wait by mission controllers worried they might never hear from it again.Philaes data collection from a comet travelling at 18 kilometres (11 miles) per second, currently at a distance of 510 million kilometres (320 million miles) from Earth, crowns a 10-year mission to study the origins of Solar System some 4.6 billion years ago, and maybe even life on Earth.Science from an alien world said an official tweet from ESA (European Space Agency) Operations around 2300 GMT. Info now flowing from .In the latest in a series of jaw-dropping achievements, the robot lab which landed in a dark ditch after a bouncy touchdown Wednesday, also managed to lift itself four centimetres (1.5 inches) and rotate its solar panels to absorb as much energy as possible to be stored for a possible wakeup later.It was too late to recharge Philaes batteries sufficiently for an immediate life extension, and the lander was expected to go into hibernation very soon.So much hard work...getting tired... my battery voltage is approaching the limit soon now, said a tweet around midnight GMT.But mission engineers hope they may be able to revive the lander for renewed contact in the coming months as the comet, with Philae still perched on its surface, moves closer to the Sun.Philae landed Wednesday after a nail-biting seven-hour, 20-km descent from Rosetta, which had travelled more than a decade and 6.5 billion kilometres (four billion miles) to meet up with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in August this year.The touchdown did not go entirely as planned, when Philaes duo of anchoring harpoons failed to deploy and it lifted off again twice.The lander finally settled in a crevice in a location that remains a mystery, but data revealed it was shadowed from battery-boosting sunlight that could have extended its 60-hour core mission.- First comet drilling -Among the most anticipated data from Philae is chemical analysis of a sub-surface drill sample which scientists hope will shed light on the origins of the Solar System 4.6 billion years ago, and maybe even life on Earth.The ESA confirmed that Philae had drilled into the comet Friday, though it did not specify whether a sample had been obtained.I confirm that my (drill) went all the way DOWN and UP again said a tweet in the robots name. First comet drilling is a factThe lander and its mothership, which relays Philaes messages to Earth, have only two communications windows per day -- the last opened around 2130 GMT Friday.Mission managers on Earth had to wait hours after the morning window closed to see whether the probe would have enough power from its fading 60-hour onboard battery to check in one last time.The Rosetta-Philae team said Friday they were ecstatic with the results.All 10 instruments on board the 100-kilogramme (22-pound) lab kicked into action, enabling Philae to send back the first-ever photos taken on a comet, and probed its surface density, temperature and composition.The 1.3-billion-euro ($1.6-billion) mission aims to unlock the secrets of comets, which some astrophysicists believe may have seeded Earth with some of the ingredients for life.Rosetta, with Philae riding piggyback, was hoisted into space in 2004, and reached its target in August this year, having used the gravitational pull of Earth and Mars as slingshots to build up speed.

Facebook to curb promotional posts on user timelines

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SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Facebook on Friday said it is making moves to reduce the number of promotional posts that pop up in timelines, in response to users demands for fewer advertisements.Beginning in January, people should start seeing fewer posts in news feeds urging them to do things such as buy products, download applications or enter sweepstakes, according to the leading social media titan.People told us they wanted to see more stories from friends and pages they care about, and less promotional content, the California-based social network company said in a blog post.The change was prompted by a survey that revealed Facebook users think there are too many advertisement-like posts in news feeds.The social media giant said it discovered that a lot of pitches that came across as advertising were actually posts from pages people had liked, according to the blog post.This may seem counter-intuitive, but it actually makes sense, Facebook said.News feed has controls for the number of ads a person sees and for the quality of those ads... but those same controls havent been as closely monitored for promotional page posts.New controls are being put in place to filter overly ad-like posts, according to the social network.But the adjustment will not change the number of ads served up to users, according to Facebook.

EU's Juncker defends position, urges global tax evasion fight

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Brisbane (Australia) (AFP) - European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker urged a global fight against tax evasion Saturday while defending his position after revelations top companies paid less tax during his time as Luxembourg premier.I really do think that on the international, on the global level, we have to fight all together against tax evasion, he told reporters ahead of the G20 summit in Brisbane.Tax is a key issue at this weekends gathering of world leaders in the sun-baked Australian city, with the host country Friday vowing a very aggressive crackdown on tax avoidance.It comes as Juncker, who took over the European Commission on November 1, faces pressure over generous tax concessions offered to top global companies when he was prime minister of Luxembourg.An international journalistic investigation revealed this month that Luxembourg allowed hundreds of top companies -- including Pepsi, IKEA and Deutsche Bank -- to enjoy preferential tax treatment.The revelations reveal that in some cases tax bills were as low as 1.0 percent of earnings for some of the worlds richest companies -- a politically explosive development at a time when cash-strapped EU governments have sharply cut budgets.Asked whether he agreed that Luxembourgs tax policies had been picking peoples pockets, Juncker said: Tax avoidance is an important issue for each and every one of us.We are decided in Europe to fight against tax evasion, he said, adding that when he had addressed the EU before being voted into office as president he had mentioned this as an issue.- Fair tax competition -Juncker, who was Luxembourgs prime minister from 1995 to 2013, has previously denied he was the architect of the system and vowed to fight unfair tax evasion as head of the EUs executive.He said Saturday that tax evasion sometimes happened due to the interactions between very divergent national tax rules and Europe was working to change this.In accordance with the law you can create a situation, the result of it is a very low taxation for companies. This has to be avoided, he said.Juncker, whose call for tax reform comes as Europe is still struggling with the impact of austerity measures and an uneven recovery, repeated that he was committed to reducing tax loopholes within Europe.What we are intending is not a fully fledged harmonisation on each and every detail, but eliminating from our national tax legislations the open gates for tax evasions, he said.I am in favour of tax competition but I am also in favour of a fair tax competition in Europe.The commission is currently investigating several member states over allegations they offered corporate giants such as Apple, Starbucks and Amazon state aid in the form of sweetheart tax deals.Australia has enthusiastically backed calls to close corporate tax loopholes in its role as host of this weekends G20 summit in Brisbane, making it a primary focus of the meeting.Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey said Thursday the practice of corporations shifting profits from one nation to another to minimise their tax was robbing countries of much-needed revenue and had to stop.It is theft when someone does not pay the tax that is due to a nation and it undermines the ability of that nation to be able to deliver the sorts of services that are essential to alleviate poverty, to reduce inequality, Hockey said.

Tennis: Djokovic, Wawrinka into last four at Tour Finals

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LONDON (AFP) - Novak Djokovic was at his imperious best as he sealed the year-end world number one spot and advanced to the semi-finals of the ATP Tour Finals with a 6-2, 6-2 thrashing of Tomas Berdych on Friday.Djokovic finishes on top of the rankings for the third time in four seasons and is only the seventh player to hold first place at the end of the calender year on at least three occasions.The Serbs third successive victory at the prestigious season-ending event at Londons O2 Arena ensured he won Group A and will face Japans Kei Nishikori in Saturdays semi-finals.The second semi-final will be an all-Swiss affair after Stan Wawrinkas 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory against US Open champion Marin Cilic booked a clash with six-time winner Roger Federer.The number one ranking was a fitting reward for Djokovics remarkable consistency during a year in which he won Wimbledon, reached the French Open final and claimed five other titles.Its been a long year, a long season, its an incredible achievement and I want to thank my team and my family and all the people who supported me, Djokovic said.Im aware that being number one in the world is the biggest challenge a tennis player can have. Its an incredible feeling and Im very happy.This was definitely one of the best performances. I hoped I could continue the way I played in the first two matches.The complex formula used to determine the group standings meant world number four Wawrinka knew he only needed to win three games against Cilic to be guaranteed to finish as Group A runner-up.The Australian Open champion, who also made the semis last year, wasted little time taking three of the first four games and eventually clinched his second win of the tournament.It was a tough match, its never easy to play against Marin, hes been having an amazing year, Wawrinka said.I hope I can get a little bit of support because I know people love Roger here. Its going to be tough for me, but I need to trust myself and go for it.Meanwhile, with top spot wrapped up, Djokovic can focus on becoming the first player to win the Tour Finals three years in a row since Ivan Lendl in the 1980s.Few would bet against him after he lost a combined nine games during his three majestic group victories.It is the 11th consecutive year that one of Djokovic, Federer and Rafael Nadal has finished on top of the rankings.And, after Federers brilliant demolition of Andy Murray for the loss of only one game on Thursday, it was Djokovics turn to showcase the current gap that exists between the big three and the rest of their rivals.The 27-year-old had looked untouchable in his routs of Marin Cilic and Stan Wawrinka and he continued to dominate against Berdych, who had lost 16 of his 18 meetings with the Serb.Djokovics remarkably agile movement when forced to defend meant there was no chance of Berdych out-hitting him from the baseline and the Czech was soon left shaking his head in frustration as he was broken twice in the first three games.Although the world number seven finally got on the scoreboard after losing the first four games, it was too late to stop Djokovic clinching the set and with it his place in the last four.As a former Wimbledon finalist, Berdych is hardly a no-hoper, but he was unable to stem the tide and Djokovic broke again in the opening game of the second set.Another break in the third game effectively ended the contest and it wasnt long before Djokovic was celebrating his 30th successive win in indoor matches with a triumphant group hug with coach Boris Becker and his backroom staff.

Football: Germany labour again to see off Gibraltar

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NUREMBERG (AFP) - World champions Germany posted a 4-0 win over minnows Gibraltar on Friday, but will still finish 2014 third in their Euro 2016 qualifying group after another unconvincing display. Thomas Mueller scored twice while Mario Goetze also netted before a Gibraltar own-goal completed the rout, but the anticipated German goal bonanza failed to materialise.We would have liked a better result, but its not easy when a team stands as deep as Gibraltar did, admitted Goetze.We could have created more goals and played more convincingly, which we have to put our hands up to.Poland stay top of Group D by virtue of their 4-0 win in Georgia earlier while Ireland hold onto second on goal difference from the Germans, who also have seven points, despite their 1-0 defeat to Scotland.Germany missed the chance to finish their World Cup-winning year second in the table and their unconvincing display left head coach Joachim Loew unimpressed.I am anything but happy, the team didnt measure up the way we had wished, said Loew.We want to play like world champions, so from that perspective four goals isnt enough.Gibraltar provided little resistence, but the below-par win did little to boost Germanys confidence after last months shock 2-0 away defeat to Poland before conceding a last-minute equaliser in their 1-1 draw at home to the Irish. Gibraltar, who only became a full UEFA member last year and are not yet recognised by FIFA, were never going to seriously test the world champions after losing 7-0 to both Poland and Ireland in previous qualifiers.Its a great result, Im very, very proud. A 4-0 result against the world champions is as much as you can wish for, beamed Gibraltar coach Allen Bula.We showed that even though we are the smallest nation in UEFA we can still hold our heads high.In a bid to kick-start their campaign, Loew named an unusual 3-5-2 formation and packed his midfield with stars from his World Cup winning squad.Bayern Munichs Mueller and Borussia Moenchengladbachs Max Kruse were named as his strikers with the pair having netted 11 goals between them in as many Bundesliga matches this season.Real Madrids Sami Khedira made his first appearance since the 7-1 drubbing of Brazil in the World Cup semi-final after injury, while Lukas Podolski was the oldest player -- at the age of 29.With Preston North End defender Scott Wisemann as the only full-time professional in the starting line-up, Gibraltar are still looking for their first goal of the campaign having now leaked 21 in their four qualifying games.The Germans went ahead with 12 minutes gone when Gibraltar goalkeeper Jamie Robba failed to deal with Shkodran Mustafis cross, which hit the near post, rebounded off defender David Artell and Mueller fired home.The second came with nearly half an hour gone as Goetze spread play to the left wing where Podolski drove in a low ball, which was turned in by Mueller again.Goetze grabbed his own when the World Cup winner took a pass from Toni Kroos outside the penalty area and after exchanging passes with Kruse, stroked his shot past Robba on 38 minutes. Gibraltars Leo Walker tested Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with a cross-shot from 34 metres just before the break at Nurembergs Grundig Stadium as it finished 3-0 at half-time.Podolski created Germanys fourth goal -- their only of the second 45 minutes -- when he fired in a cross which Gibraltar defender Yogan Santos tapped into his own net on 67 minutes.

Ronaldo scores in Portugal's 1-0 win

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FARO (AP) - Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner as Portugal beat Armenia 1-0 on Friday to stay one point behind Group I leader Denmark in the European Championship qualifiers.Ronaldo struck from close range following a goalmouth scramble in the 72nd minute.Meanwhile, Nicklas Bendtner scored twice as Denmark came from a goal down to beat Serbia 3-1.Serbia winger Zoran Tosic opened the scoring with a low strike from 12 yards (meters) in the fourth minute.But Bendtner equalized from close range in the 60th before centerback Simon Kjaer gave the visitors the lead two minutes later by heading in a free kick from Christian Eriksen. Bendtner made it 3-1 in the 85th.France, which has already qualified as the host of Euro 2016, drew 1-1 with Albania.

Squash: Top seed Gaultier survives World Open scare

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DOHA (AFP) - Frances Gregory Gaultier survived a nasty first round scare to advance at the World Open squash championship in Doha on Friday.No top seed has ever lost in the first round, but when the 31-year-old stood 6-6 in the fourth game against Egyptian qualifier Andrew Wagih Shoukry there looked a real possibility it would happen.Gaultier worked patiently towards safety and to a 6-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 victory in a mature and considered recovery by the man from Aix-en-Provence.Shoukry, one of a record 14 Egyptians in the main draw, played pressure-free and tenaciously excellent squash, but Gaultiers ability to analyse what was happening and to adapt was decisive.For the first half of the match he had no rhythm, perhaps partly because of a new court on which he had never competed before.He also had legs which felt wooden after three weeks hard training, he said, and for a while these difficulties affected his attitude.I had no patience when my shots werent working, Gaultier admitted. I had to find patience, and get a few things going. I thought just play as if its 0-0 at the start of the third game, and once I got on top in the third I thought thats it.Despite this his opponent managed to come back from a four-point deficit to reach parity in the fourth game, and it required Gaultier to produce three steely-minded, feather-light backhand drops in the top left corner to ease him to relative safety.Gaultier may also have been nervous at the start of a tournament in which he has lost four times in the final, and which may now be offering him a last chance to fill the only significant gap in his trophy cabinet. True or not, Shoukry sensed an opportunity, and responded with passion and self-belief, though he claimed to be tired from the first point.It was the Egyptian support, he said, which made his fine performance possible. They made me want it, They made me feel I was playing back home, he said.Gaultier next plays Mohamed Nafiizwan Adnan of Malaysia, who beat Mazen Hesham, a promising young Egyptian 13-11, 11-7 9-11, 11-5, and faces a possible last 16 meeting with Omar Mosaad, the ninth-seeded Egyptian, who ended a spirited performance by local wild card Abdulla al Tamimi 11-8, 11-8, 10-12, 11-5.Gaultier could also have a semi-final meeting with Ramy Ashour, the fourth-seeded twice former World Open champion from Egypt, who saved two game points in the second game against Ivan Yuen, a Malaysian qualifier, to win 11-5, 12-10, 11-5. Ashour next plays Englands Adrian Grant, whose compatriot Nick Matthew starts his World Open title defence Saturday against German qualifier Raphael Kandra.World number one Mohamed El Shorbagy of Egypt begins his bid to succeed Matthew against Malaysian qualifier Muhamed Asyraf Asan.
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