Sunday 2 November 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

France's Hollande in Canada to drum up trade

Posted:

Banff (Canada) (AFP) - President Francois Hollande began the first visit to Canada by a French leader in a quarter of a century on Sunday, flying in to the countrys oil-rich west to drum up transatlantic trade.A new trade pact between Canada and the European Union is due to come into effect in the coming years, eliminating 98 percent of tariffs on goods and services and potentially boosting commerce by a fifth.France is keen to win its share of any new deals and to increase research ties with Canadian universities, as well as to pay tribute to a close ally in the struggle against violent extremism.On Monday, Hollande will speak before Canadas federal parliament in Ottawa, which less than two weeks ago was the scene of a shootout between police and a lone gunman with jihadist sympathies.Officials told AFP that this would be an important moment for Hollande to show solidarity with a country that is fighting alongside France in a US-led coalition against jihadist militants in Iraq.Then he will head to the French-speaking province of Quebec, which has traditionally had strong economic and cultural ties with France.France is hoping to persuade the regional government to drop a plan to halt an arrangement that allows French students to pay the same as local people to attend Quebec universities.French President Francois Hollande, reviews troops on November 2, 2014, as he arrives at the Fairmont Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada But first, Hollandes journey took him to Alberta, home of Canadas vast oil reserves. Officials said he was keen to show that France is also interested in stronger ties with English-speaking Canada.The first French president to come to Canada since Francois Mitterrand in 1987 was welcomed to Calgary by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and headed to Banff in the foothills of the Rockies.The presence of some 40 French business leaders in Hollandes party was testament to the economic focus of his visit.Hollande and his party were to meet with the leaders of Alberta, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, mainly English-speaking provinces in the west with growing economic potential.- Greenhouse gases -Western Canada is enjoying an economic boom on the back of Albertas oil industry, including the controversial exploitation of oil sands and shale gas, which environmentalists see as harmful.The environment will be one of the trickiest topics of Hollandes trip, as the French leader begins preparations for the next global climate conference on ways to slow climate change in Paris next year.Canada is one of the worlds top polluters and Harpers government pulled the country out of the 2011 Kyoto Protocol designed to slow global warming by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.French President Francois Hollande (L) and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper meet on November 2, 2014 at the Fairmont Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada France and Canada have decided to act together, not only for the good of our countries but for the planet, Hollande said.Thats what motivates the Canadian prime minister and French government.Harper did not publicly disagree, but Canada may prove a stumbling block to Frances efforts to build a front against climate change.In November next year, Hollande will gather leaders from all over the world in the French capital for the United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP21, seeking to negotiate new emissions limits.Energy exporters and major developed economies like Canada will be asked to make sacrifices, but Canada has shown no willingness to rein in its energy industry and is planning huge new pipelines.

Islamic State group kills 50 Iraqis

Posted:

BAGHDAD (AP) - Islamic State group extremists lined up and shot dead at least 50 Iraqi men, women and children from the same tribe on Sunday, officials said, in the latest targeting of the group by militants.The killings, all committed in public, raise the death toll suffered by the Sunni Al Bu Nimr tribe in recent days to some 150, suggesting IS fighters now view them as a threat. Some Sunnis in the volatile province had previously supported the local expansion of IS and other militants in December.Meanwhile, separate attacks around Baghdad killed at least 19 people, authorities said.Sundays attack on the Sunni tribe took place in the village of Ras al-Maa, north of Ramadi, the provincial capital. There, the militant group killed at least 40 men, six women and four children, lining them up and shooting them one by one, senior tribesman Sheikh Naim al-Gaoud told The Associated Press. The militants also kidnapped another 17 people, he said.An official with the Anbar governors office corroborated the tribesmans account. He spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to brief journalists.Late Friday, IS fighters killed 50 members of the tribe, a day after killing 48 of them, according to various officials who have spoken to the AP.IS militants have overrun a large part of Anbar province in a push to expand their territory across Iraq and Syria. Officials with the Iraqi government, as well as officials with the U.S.-led coalition targeting the extremists, repeatedly have said that Iraqi tribes are key elements in the fight against IS since they are able to penetrate areas inaccessible to airstrikes and ground forces.However, some Sunnis in Anbar supported the militants when they seized Fallujah and parts of Ramadi in December. That came after widespread Sunnis protests against the Shiite-led government in Baghdad for what they described as second-class treatment.Since the Islamic State groups major offensive in Iraq, a number of Iraqs Sunni tribes have been fundamental in stalling its advance, taking up arms and fighting alongside Iraqi security forces.Ramadi has yet to fall in part because of key Sunni tribes in the city. The Jughaifi and al-Bunimer tribes have helped Iraqi special forces protect the Haditha Dam in Anbar. In the battleground town of Dhuluiyah, the al-Jabbouri tribe has been the sole resistance to an IS militant takeover.Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his new government have vowed to create a community-driven national guard that would empower local tribes. Other tribes have not been won over, and have allied themselves with the militant group as a means for contesting the Shiite-led government.In the vast province of Anbar, some 5,000 tribesmen are backing government efforts to take part in the fight and receive arms and financial compensation. With tribes often numbering 30,000 to 40,000 people, the effort still has a long way to go, however.Elsewhere Sunday, a car bomb attack near tents serving Shiite pilgrims killed 14 people and wounded 32 in Baghdad, police and medical officials said. They said the bombing in Baghdads Bayaa district struck as people delivered food to pilgrims heading to the holy city of Karbala to mark the religious holiday of Ashoura.At night, a car bomb went off near tents serving Shiite pilgrims in downtown Baghdad, killing nine and wounding 20 others, said police.Ashoura commemorates the seventh-century death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad, and an iconic martyr among Shiite Muslims. Sunni insurgents frequently target Shiites who they consider heretics.Also, authorities said a roadside bomb targeting an army patrol killed two soldiers and wounded four in Baghdads western suburb of Abu Ghraib. In eastern Baghdad, police said a bomb in a commercial street in the al-Ameen district killed three people and wounded four.Hospital officials confirmed the casualty figures from the attacks. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to journalists.During its onslaught, IS fighters destroyed a number of ancient religious sites across the country that they claim promotes apostasy. Iraqi officials have said that the militants have also snatched artifacts from some sites, selling them on the international black market to finance their operations.On a visit to Baghdad Sunday, the director-general of the United Nations cultural agency UNESCO, Irina Bokova, appealed for swift action to protect and preserve Iraqs archaeological and heritage sites that have fallen victim to the ongoing conflict.We cannot agree that this treasure, that this legacy for human civilization is being destroyed in a most barbaric manner, she told reporters during her one-day visit. We have to act.

Over 210 killed in fighting over Libya's Benghazi

Posted:

CAIRO (AP) - At least 210 people were killed in fighting in Libyas eastern city of Benghazi since troops loyal to the countrys elected government launched an attempt to re-take the city from Islamist militias two weeks earlier, a medical official said Sunday.The official would not identify those killed, or say whether they included government troops, indicating that the battle for control of Benghazi has not yet been settled.The turmoil in Benghazi started when renegade Gen. Khalifa Hifter a former Gadhafi army chief who joined the opposition decades before the uprising launched a campaign against Islamist militias which were implicated in series of assassinations and attacks on journalists, activists, and security forces in the city.Hifter won support among large sectors of Libyans but the army units loosely allied with him were defeated and forced to leave the city by Islamist militias.Then, the internationally recognized government, led by Abdullah al-Thinni, joined ranks with Hifter and on Oct. 15, launched a wide offensive to retake the city. Until then, Hifter troops had largely fought from bases outside the city.On Sunday, a security official in Benghazi said government troops have entered a new neighborhood in the city. The official said the troops are carrying out a wave of arrests against Islamist militias and have arrested one of their spokesmen.Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to brief reporters.Libya is witnessing one of the worst spasms of violence since the downfall of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Powerful militias, who had fought to bring Gadhafi down, took control of the country, challenging the authority of central government.

Iraqi officials: Car bomb kills 14 Shiite pilgrims

Posted:

BAGHDAD (AP) - Authorities in Iraq say a car bomb attack near tents serving Shiite pilgrims has killed 14 people in Baghdad.Police officials say the attack took place Sunday afternoon as people were delivering food to the Shiite pilgrims heading to the holy city of Karbala to mark the religious holiday of AshouraThey say the blast wounded 32 people. Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they werent authorized to speak to journalists.Ashoura commemorates the seventh-century death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad, and an iconic martyr among Shiite Muslims. Sunni insurgents frequently target Shiites whom considered as heretics.Iraq is facing its greatest challenge since the 2011 withdraw of U.S. troops, as militants from the Islamic State group now hold vast swaths of the country and neighboring Syria.

Hamilton wins US Grand Prix, moves closer to title

Posted:

AUSTIN (AP) - Lewis Hamilton got the better of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg once again, winning Sundays U.S. Grand Prix to edge closer to his second Formula One world championship.Hamilton leads Rosberg by 24 points with two races left in Brazil and Abu Dhabi. The final race will be worth double points under a rule change this season.Red Bulls Daniel Ricciardo was third for his eighth podium finish on the season.Rosberg started on the pole, but couldnt hold off Hamilton for even half the race. Hamiltons 10th victory of the season also was the 32nd of his career, passing Nigel Mansell for the most Formula One wins by a British driver.He also won the world title in 2008 with McLaren.Hamilton and Rosberg have waged a season-long duel for the title, a tense back-and-forth that has strained their long friendship. Hamilton has won five races in a row, but Rosberg had stayed close in the season standings by finishing no lower than second 10 times.Hamilton chased Rosberg for 23 laps, steadily keeping up the pressure and slowing gaining on him. Hamilton finally made his move on lap 24, squeezing inside Rosbergs left on the tight 12th turn out of the long straightaway.It was the same spot and a similar move to Hamiltons pass of Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel that propelled him to the victory here in 2012.Dropped into second, Rosberg couldnt keep up as Hamilton put more time between their cars with every lap. Hamilton had the more muscular car through the weeks practice sessions, only to lose the pole position because of braking problems that dogged his session.Given the lead Sunday, Hamilton quickly built a gap of more than 2.5 seconds. Rosberg tried to claw back but didnt have enough race left to do it. By the final laps, the biggest challenge for Hamilton was not getting caught up or wrecked by other drivers battling for final position.Vettel, the defending race and world champion, started from pit lane after incurring a penalty for using his sixth engine of the season, but fought all the way back to finish seventh.Vettel is leaving Red Bull at the end of the season, but has yet to confirm where hell drive in 2015.The race started with just 18 cars, the smallest field in nearly a decade after financial problems forced teams Marussia and Caterham to drop out.Saturdays practice and qualifying sessions were dominated by speculation that three more struggling teams, Lotus, Sauber and Sahara Force India, could stage a protest by either boycotting the race or pulling out after one lap, but neither threat materialized.The race went under safety car on the first lap when Force Indias Sergio Perez collided with Saubers Adrian Sutil, knocking both drivers out of the race. The crash was a major blow for Sauber, which hoped to capitalize on Sutils first top-10 qualifying position of the season.Force India then lost its second car when Nico Hulkenberg retired in the 17th lap.

Petkovic wins Tournament of Champions final

Posted:

SOFIA (AP) - Fourth-seeded Andrea Petkovic of Germany rallied to defeat third-seeded Flavia Pennetta 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 Sunday in the final of the season-ending Tournament of Champions, clinching her third WTA title of the year.Pennetta started aggressively with the Italian breaking Petkovics serve three times to win the opening set in just 35 minutes.Petkovic staged a comeback in the second set thanks to her booming serve. The German earned the only break in the first game and held on to close the set.Petkovics better physical condition was decisive in the third set. She broke Pennettas serve at 3-3 and cruised from there.

Valencia beat Villarreal 3-1 to move 2nd in Spain

Posted:

BARCELONA (AP) - Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi scored twice in a 3-1 win at Villarreal to help his team climb into second place on Sunday as the logjam continued at the top of the Spanish league.Valencias win and Sevillas 1-0 loss at Athletic Bilbao kept the top five teams all within two points through 10 rounds. Real Madrid leads with 24 points.Mustafi struck in the 64th and 73rd minutes after Villarreal midfielder Manuel Trigueros scored an own goal in the sixth to spoil his teams strong first-half push. Trigueros got a consolation goal in the 88th.Earlier, Bilbaos Aritz Aduriz netted the 13th-minute winner to ruin Sevillas hopes of overtaking Madrid, before the striker left injured in the 28th.Madrid went top on Saturday after winning 4-0 at Granada along with Barcelonas shock 1-0 loss at home to Celta Vigo.Sundays results put Valencia ahead of defending champion Atletico Madrid in third on goal difference, with both teams one point behind Madrid. Barcelona is in fourth place, ahead of Sevilla on goal difference, and two points off Madrids pace.Villarreal was left to rue missed chances in a first half it dominated at El Madrigal Stadium but finished trailing 1-0.Trigueros had a fateful minute when he blasted Denis Cheryshevs pass over the crossbar moments before he rushed back to defend, only to tap Sofiane Feghoulis cross into his own net.Cheryshev continued to trouble Valencia with his incursions down the left, but goalkeeper Diego Alves saved his dipping strike in the 37th, seconds before his header hit a defender.Diego Alves was again called to tap Bruno Sorianos deflected free kick over the bar three minutes after halftime.Having weathered the hosts pace for an hour, Mustafi gave Valencia the cushion it needed when the German fended off his marker to head in Pablo Piattis cross at the far post. Mustafi scored again by drilling in a corner kick, with fellow center back Nicolas Otamendi letting the ball go through.Bilbao played its best match since eliminating Napoli in August to qualify for the Champions League group phase in what otherwise has been a poor start to the season for the Basque club.Ernesto Valverdes team bettered Sevilla in a physical match that saw five yellow cards in the first half and two more in the second.We knew that they were dangerous up front and that we had to defend well, said Bilbao defender Andoni Iraola. We didnt take any chances, but it wasnt necessary, leading most of the way.They are a very physical team, above all in the midfield, and you have to match them there. It was a very hard-fought game.Sevilla entered the match on its best league start in club history, but Bilbao had its most disciplined defensive showing of the season to win for just a second time in this league at its new San Mames Stadium.We knew that this was a tough place to visit, despite Bilbao not being at their best, said Sevilla defender Nicolas Pareja. I think we controlled the game and created chances, but a small slip against a team of this quality can cost you dearly and that is what happened to us.A foul by Pareja led to a free kick that Markel Susaeta controlled and crossed for Aduriz to rifle beyond goalkeeper Antonio Beto Bastos with a stinging volley to claim the games only goal.Sevilla tried to respond through left back Benoit Tremoulinas, who crossed for Denis Suarez to head the ball into the arms of goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz in the 20th.Aduriz asked to be substituted after Bilbaos goalscorer sat on the turf with an apparent leg injury, but Bilbao went close to getting a second goal when Susaeta forced Beto to get low to parry his goal-bound strike in the 38th.Sevilla coach Unai Emery sent on Ever Banega and Kevin Gameiro at halftime, and replaced a quiet Carlos Bacca with Iago Aspas as striker with 20 minutes to play.Sevilla managed to dominate possession but Bilbao was comfortable defending the rest of the way.Espanyol visited Elche and Levante hosted Almeria later Sunday.

Top-ranked Inbee Park wins LPGA Taiwan

Posted:

TAIPEI (AP) - Six days after taking the No. 1 spot in the world from Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park was a notch above the American again at Miramar.Park won the LPGA Taiwan Championship on Sunday for her third victory of the year and 12th tour title, holding off Lewis by two strokes.The 26-year-old South Korean player closed with a 1-under 71 in light rain to finish at 22-under 266. The victory capped a hectic Asian trip centered around her marriage last month to swing coach Gi Hyeob-nam.I think this will be my wedding gift for myself, Park said. Its a good feeling and maybe people who said, Shes not going to play as well as when she was not married. I think we can put that wrong.Park shot 64-62-69 to take a four-stroke lead over Lewis and Chinas Shanshan Feng into the final round.I think playing with Stacy, I really wanted to play well, Park said. Obviously, being able to win the tournament was a great accomplishment. It was a tough day and I got nervous on every hole today, even on the 18th hole.The second-ranked Lewis, also a three-time winner this year, shot 69.I hung in there all day and just made Inbee work for it, Lewis said. That was the goal. You give Inbee four shots, its a tough task to overcome. She hit the shots when she needed to coming in.After Lewis birdied the par-4 16th to pull within one, Park birdied the par-3 17th to regain her two-stroke lead. Her only other birdies came on the first two holes and she bogeyed the last two holes on the front nine.I dont think this is the last time well be battling at the end of a tournament, Lewis said. I think were both playing some really good golf right now. Its unfortunate, I guess, for the fans its the end of the season, but we have a few tournaments left and hopefully well do it again.Park won the Manulife Financial in June in Canada and took the LPGA Championship in August for her fifth major title. Last year, she swept the first three majors and won six times.Third-ranked Lydia Ko was third at 17 under after a 66, the best score Sunday. The 17-year-old New Zealander won the Swinging Skirts World Ladies Masters in December at Miramar.I think I played really well here in Asia, Ko said. Ive enjoyed it and Im excited for a week off next week.Spains Azahara Munoz had a 69 to finish fourth at 16 underFeng closed with a 76 to drop into a tie for sixth at 13 under.Michelle Wie had weekend rounds of 72-72 to tie for 20th at 6 under in a group that included Norways Suzann Pettersen and Taiwans Yani Tseng. Pettersen, the winner the last two years at Sunrise, finished with a 71. Tseng, the winner of the inaugural event in 2011, shot 70. She won the last of her 15 LPGA Tour titles in March 2012.

Caroline Wozniacki finishes NYC Marathon

Posted:

NEW YORK (AP) - Caroline Wozniacki was thrilled with her first marathon.The tennis star ran the 26.2 mile course in just under 3 hours, 27 minutes a few minutes ahead of her desired time. She originally had hoped to come in under 4 hours and quickly adjusted her goal to 3:30 during the race. So when she crossed the line and saw her time she was ecstatic.The crowd was amazing. It was incredible. It was such an incredible experience, the 24-year-old former No. 1 ranked player said. Im so happy to have done this. Im so proud. Now I have this medal. I can say that Ive done the New York City Marathon. Ive even done it at a cool time. So Im really, really happy.She was met at the finish line by her friend and tennis rival Serena Williams and the pair hugged.Wozniacki was somewhat amazed that she had done so well since she admitted that she didnt really prepare as well as she could have for the race. Her longest training run was 13 miles.I think Ive done everything youre not supposed to do before a marathon, Wozniacki said laughing. I had a Halloween party three days ago and came back at like 4 in the morning. Two days ago I chilled a little bit, but Ive been really busy.She also said that she went to the New York Rangers game on Saturday night, foregoing a traditional pasta dinner.Wozniakci was also busy raising money for charity. Her marathon raised over $81,000 for Team for Kids, which helps fund marathon organizer New York Road Runners youth programs. She said that Williams made a big contribution to the charity.Wozniacki left open the chance to run another marathon just dont expect it any time soon.Right now I dont think Im going to do one for a few years, but probably at some point Im going to do another one. Right now Im just tired, she said. Im exhausted. If you ask me right now, then Id say no, but Im sure that Im going to look back on this experience and say that this was awesome and want to do it again.

Kenya's Kipsang, Keitany win NYC Marathon titles

Posted:

NEW YORK (AP) - Kenyas Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany won titles at the New York City Marathon on Sunday, with both pulling away in the final mile.Kipsang was the world-record holder until five weeks ago, when occasional training partner Dennis Kimetto broke the mark in Berlin. With a windy morning slowing the pace Sunday, Kipsang showed he can win a strategic race, too.I had to exercise a lot of patience, he said.Keitany redeemed herself from failed tactics at her last NYC Marathon. In 2011, she surged ahead to a huge early lead only to be caught and settle for her second straight third-place finish.I worked hard for this opportunity, she said. Im happy because I have a victory today, because I know Ive been coming to New York two times, and I was in that position. So Im happy today because it was a good day and I win.Kipsang finished in 2:10:55 more 7 1/2 minutes off his former record. He has now won titles in Berlin, London and New York in just over 13 months and clinched the $500,000 World Marathon Majors bonus.Ethiopias Lelisa Desisa was second, 11 seconds back, and 2010 champ Gebre Gebremariam third. Boston Marathon champ Meb Keflezighi of the United States was fourth. Two-time defending champion Geoffrey Mutai settled for sixth.Sunday was Keitanys first marathon since 2012 after taking time off because of the birth of her second child.Fellow countrywoman Jemima Sumgong appeared to be pulling away with just over a mile left, but Keitany had one last burst left and passed her with about 800 meters remaining.Keitany won in 2 hours, 25 minutes, 7 seconds 3 seconds ahead of Sumgong, matching the closest finish in the history of the womens race.Portugals Sara Moreira was third in her marathon debut.Sumgong is still seeking her first major marathon title. She was also second in Boston in 2012 and in Chicago in 2013.Sumgong was making her NYC Marathon debut, a late entry after defending champion and training partner Priscah Jeptoo withdrew because of a leg injury.Bronx resident Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia was ninth after finishing as the runner-up at the last two NYC Marathons. She was seeking to become the first New Yorker to win the race in 40 years.

Burkina army tightens grip as protesters denounce power grab

Posted:

Ouagadougou (AFP) - Burkina Fasos army seized control of the capitals main square on Sunday, firing tear gas and shots in the air to disperse thousands of protesters denouncing a power grab by the military.Troops moved into Place de la Nation in Ouagadougou and took over the national television headquarters, in both a show of force and defiance against calls by the international community and protesters for a return to civilian rule.The military had stepped into the power vacuum left by president Blaise Compaore, who was forced to resign in the wake of violent street demonstrations over his 27-year-rule of the west African state that some have likened to the Arab Spring.But international mediators brandished the threat of sanctions if the army refused to back down and allow a civilian transfer of power.The UN envoy for west Africa, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, told a news conference in the Burkinabe capital that he and African leaders had pressed the demand in a meeting with the countrys top military brass.Burkinese troops arrive at the national television headquarters after shots were fired around the premises in Ouagadougou on November 2, 2014 If the army refuses, the consequences are pretty clear, he said. We want to avoid having to impose sanctions on Burkina Faso.The US State Department also called on the military to immediately transfer power to civilian authorities.Hundreds of thousands of protesters, furious at plans to extend Compaores rule in the impoverished landlocked country, had massed on the streets of Ouagadougou on Thursday, some going on a rampage and setting the parliament and other public buildings ablaze.Under Burkina Fasos constitution, the speaker of parliament was supposed to step in as interim head of state following the presidents resignation.- Zida go -But the army instead named the second-in-command of the presidential guard, Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida, as head of the transitional authority.Zida, 49, said he was appointed to ensure a smooth democratic transition and promised to consult with the political opposition and civil leaders.A man holds up a placard that reads in French, Zida get out, referring to Isaac Zida, an officer named by Burkinas military to lead the countrys transition, during a protest against the military in the capital Ouagadougou, on November 2, 2014 He met Sunday with opposition leaders including the blocs main chief Zephirin Diabre, former prime minister Roch Marc Christian Kabore and ex-foreign minister Ablasse Ouedraogo.The talks came after several thousand people joined a march against the military earlier Sunday.No to the theft of our victory, long live the people said one banner, while others read: The soldiers have stolen our revolution, Zida get out and Zida is Judas.Some protesters headed to the national television headquarters, where two opposition leaders sought to go on air to declare themselves interim chief.Former defence minister Kouame Lougue -- whose name was chanted by thousands in the streets following Compaores downfall -- told AFP: The people have nominated me. I came to answer their call.But the technicians walked out, interrupting transmission, also foiling a bid by Saran Sereme, a former member of the ruling party, to make her claim as leader of the transition.The mediators from the United Nations, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States told Zida and other military leaders that civilian rule needed to be restored.Burkina Fasos Lieutenant-Colonel Yacouba Isaac Zida (C) leaves after a meeting with the countrys military commanders in the capital Ouagadougou on November 1, 2014 They assured us that they had well understood the message, Chambas said.But US State Department spokeswoman Jan Psaki voiced international mistrust at the armys move, saying the United States condemned its attempt to impose its will on the people of Burkina Faso.We urge civilian leadership to be guided by the spirit of the constitution of Burkina Faso and to move immediately towards free and fair presidential elections, she said in a statement.The West African regional bloc ECOWAS urged dialogue and restraint.Opposition figures have said around 30 people were killed in Thursdays violence that hit the capital and at least one other city. AFP could confirm only four deaths.Shortly after the military named Zida as interim leader, opposition and activist leaders had issued a joint statement demanding a democratic and civilian transition in the country of nearly 17 million people.The task of managing the transition falls by right to the people. In no case can it be confiscated by the army, it said.Compaore and his wife have taken refuge in neighbouring Ivory Coast where they are being put up in a luxury government mansion in the capital Yamoussoukro.- Bitter disillusion -The crisis in Burkina Faso -- known as Upper Volta in its era as a French colony before becoming independent in 1960 and changing its name in 1984 -- is the worst since a wave of unrest three years ago.From March to June 2011, a wave of army mutinies swept the country, alongside public protests over high food prices, unemployment and the looting of property by troops.Compaore was only 36 when he seized power in a 1987 coup in which his former friend and one of Africas most loved leaders, Thomas Sankara, was ousted and assassinated.In the manner of a number of sub-Saharan African leaders, he clung to power for the following decades, being re-elected president four times since 1991.The uprising that finally forced him out was sparked by plans to change the constitution to allow Compaore to stand yet again for elections next year.He leaves bitter disillusion behind. Burkina Faso languishes at 181 out of 187 countries on the UN Human Development Index.

2nd test: Bangladesh expects tougher Zimbabwe

Posted:

KHULNA (AP) - Bangladesh expects a tougher challenge from Zimbabwe in the second test starting Monday as the hosts seek to clinch the three-match series and leapfrog their opponents in the ICC cricket rankings.Victory in Khulna will give Bangladesh an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-test series and the 9th spot for test-playing countries.However, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim wants his team to keep its focus.Ranking is an issue definitely but, if we let it get into our head, I think well be distracted from the process, Mushfiqur said. Their spinners are inexperienced (from) what we have observed in the first test. So our plan is to exploit their inexperienced bowling attack.He warned against complacency after Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe in three days in the first test, dismissing the tourists in their second innings for 114 before reaching its run chase with an unimpressive 101-7.Zimbabwe is not an easy prey. That is evidenced on the way they fought hard with just 100 runs on board, even though our batsmen had some mistakes, Mushfiqur said.Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor called it a must-win game and predicted a potentially high-scoring test.Its a new game, new ground, and we are looking forward to the challenge, Taylor said. It will spin but it wont bounce as much. So if we apply ourselves, its a ground where you can score a lot of runs.While Bangladesh cant be matched by Zimbabwe in the spin department, Taylor is relying on his seamers to deliver.We proved to be a good unit in Dhaka with our seam bowlers, Taylor said. We have got what weve got and weve got to make use of it.

Tendulkar book says he considered early retirement

Posted:

NEW DELHI (AP) - Cricket great Sachin Tendulkar considered early retirement after a string of losses while Indias captain, according to excerpts from the record-holding batsmans upcoming autobiography.I hated losing and as captain of the team I felt responsible for the string of miserable performances. More worryingly, I did not know how I could turn it around, as I was already trying my absolute best, Tendulkar wrote in extracts of the book Playing It My Way, published by the Press Trust of India on Sunday.The 41-year-old made particular mention of his frustrations on the 1997 tour of the West Indies, when India lost the third test at Barbados from a comfortable position. Chasing 120, India was bowled out for 81 with only makeshift opener V.V.S. Laxman reach double-figures with 19.India, which lost the five-test series 1-0, went on to lose a subsequent four-match ODI series 3-1 with a similar result in the third one-day game at St. Vincent when India lost despite needing only 47 runs off ten overs with six wickets in hand.It was hurting me badly and it took me a long time to come to terms with these failures. I even contemplated moving away from the sport completely, as it seemed nothing was going my way, Tendulkar has written in the book which is set to be released on Thursday.Tendulkar retired from the game last year with most major batting records against his name. He amassed a record 15,921 runs with 51 centuries in 200 tests and 18,426 runs with 49 centuries in 463 one-dayers but did not have a good record as captain.He led India in 25 Tests, winning four games, losing nine and drawing 12. In ODIs, he won just 23 of 73 matches he captain with 43 lost, six no results and one tie.Tendulkar said his wife supported him when things were starting to get on top of him.Anjali, as usual, managed to put things in perspective and assured me that things would surely get better in the months to come. Looking back, it was just frustration getting the better of me, Tendulkar wrote.Tendulkar, who was part of the Indian World Cup teams that made the final in 2003 and triumphed in 2011 at home, never led in a World Cup.

Ukraine rebel leader on course to win poll 'farce'

Posted:

Donetsk (Ukraine) (AFP) - The leadership of Ukraines pro-Russian rebels is on course to secure a crushing victory at Sundays controversial election that Kiev branded a farce and which threatened to deepen an international crisis over the conflict.Alexander Zakharchenko -- prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic -- was estimated to get 81 percent of the presidential vote, according to a rebel exit poll released after the ballot ended.The election -- along with another in the neighbouring rebel Lugansk region -- has been backed by Russia and billed as a way of bringing a degree of legitimacy to the rebel control over two main industrial cities seized in an armed uprising.However, the polls -- rejected outright by the West -- have worsened an international standoff over the conflict and further undercut the teetering month-long truce between Ukraines government and the heavily armed separatists.Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko blasted the ballot as a farce that is being conducted under the threat of tanks and guns and warned Moscow not to follow through on its intention to recognise the result.Alexander Zakharchenko, Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic and presidential candidate, speaks to media after his vote in Donetsk on November 2, 2014 The run-up to the vote saw a spate of shelling by rebels of government positions across the conflict zone, where according to UN figures more than 4,000 people have died since fighting started around seven months ago.Ukrainian authorities announced Sunday the deaths of three soldiers and seven more wounded, adding to Saturdays toll of seven dead and at least six wounded.Fuelling concern of fresh fighting, Kievs military also claimed it had detected intensive movement of troops and equipment from Russian territory.The reported deployments, which would constitute a major escalation of Russian involvement, could not be verified.AFP journalists in rebel-controlled Donetsk saw a column of about 20 trucks, some carrying heavy anti-aircraft guns, heading in the direction of the government-held airport, although there was a notable drop in fighting during the polling.The rebels -- who deny being helped by Russia, but boast an arsenal that includes anti-aircraft missiles, tanks and heavy artillery -- have threatened to expand their offensive to the Azoz Sea port city of Mariupol.- Looking for recognition -A man casts his ballot during the vote in polling station in eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on November 2, 2014 As voting went on the Security Service of Ukraine said it was opening a criminal investigation into the separatist election, which it called a power grab.But residents of rebel-held areas spoke of their hatred for the government in Kiev and their desire for the war to end.I hope that our votes will change something. Perhaps we will finally be recognised as a real, independent country, Tatyana, 65, said as she waited to cast her ballot in Donetsks school number 104.We need to be able to live normally, said Valery, 50. Its terrible being afraid for your family at every bombardment. I will vote hoping that this will help the authorities to defend our interests against Kiev.Both self-declared republics were choosing new presidents and parliaments -- but there was little real competition or doubt over the outcome.Zakharchenko, already the undisputed leader in Donetsk, also saw his party claim some 65 percent of the vote, according to the exit poll.Two woman walk past pro-Russian gunmen at the polling station in Donetsk on November 2, 2014 In Lugansk polling was extended for one hour but current leader Igor Plotnitsky, a former Soviet army officer, was also expected to claim the win comfortably.The hastily-arranged poll was boycotted by all mainstream international observers and saw only a handful of marginal right-wing politicians from Europe claim to be monitoring the vote.In the current difficult conditions, it was conducted in a manner that was transparent and democratic and reflected the will of the people, said Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, a European parliament member with links to Frances far-right National Front.- International tensions -Aside from raising tensions on the ground, the elections have become a new bone of contention between Russia and Western powers backing Ukraine.The conflict began when pro-Western demonstrators in Kiev ousted Ukraines Moscow-backed government in February. It then spiralled rapidly, with Russia annexing the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, and separatists seizing towns in the east.By then, the crisis was turning into the biggest diplomatic dispute between the Kremlin and the West since the Soviet collapse.Russia, which supports the rebels but denies sending them troops or weapons, says it will recognise the results of the elections.Mikhail Markelov, an influential Russian lawmaker from the ruling United Russia party, repeated that position Sunday, telling the state-run TASS news agency that Kiev is obliged to recognise these elections.The legitimisation of the (separatist) authorities... will lead to a different relationship with Russia, including on economic cooperation and help which Novorossiya needs, he said, using the name, meaning New Russia, that the Kremlin has given to the separatist region.Moscows backing for the election angered the West, which have imposed sanctions on Russia.In a four-way telephone call on Friday, the leaders of Ukraine, Germany and France urged President Vladimir Putin not to recognise the polls. The White House also said Friday that it considered the vote illegitimate.

IS jihadists carry out mass killings of Iraqi tribe

Posted:

Baghdad (AFP) - The Islamic State group has carried out a fresh wave of mass killings, officials said Sunday, executing more than 200 members of an Iraqi tribe which took up arms against the jihadists.Women and children were said to be among scores of Albu Nimr tribespeople executed over the past 10 days in western Iraqs Anbar province.Reports of the killings came with the country on edge as hundreds of thousands of Shiites prepare to travel to shrine city Karbala this week for a major annual pilgrimage.IS, a Sunni extremist group that has seized large parts of Iraq and Syria, is expected to target Ashura pilgrims, and 13 people died in an attack on Shiites on Sunday.The executions in Anbar came after Sunni Albu Nimr tribesmen took up arms against IS in the province, large parts of which have been overrun by the jihadists.Accounts varied as to the number and timings of the executions, but all sources spoke of more than 200 people murdered in recent days.Police Colonel Shaaban al-Obaidi told AFP that more than 200 people were killed, while Faleh al-Essawi, deputy head of Anbar provincial council, put the toll at 258.The killings are probably aimed at discouraging resistance from powerful local tribes in Anbar.IS also detained dozens of members of the Jubur tribe in Salaheddin province, north of Baghdad, officials and a tribal leader said.Iraqis security officers inspect the damage caused by explosives-rigged vehicle on Baghdads Palestine Street near a tent serving refreshments to Shiite pilgrims on November 2, 2014 - String of setbacks -Jubur tribesmen and security forces have been holding out for months against IS in the provincial town of Dhuluiyah.Pro-government forces have suffered a string of setbacks in Anbar in recent weeks, prompting warnings that the province, which stretches from the borders with Jordan and Saudi Arabia to the western approach to Baghdad, could fall entirely.Security forces who wilted before a lightning IS offensive in June are fighting to retake territory seized by the jihadists in Iraqs Sunni Arab heartland.IS has declared an Islamic caliphate in territory it controls, imposing its harsh interpretation of sharia law and committing widespread atrocities.Like other Sunni extremist groups, IS considers Shiites to be heretics and frequently attacks them, posing a major threat to the Ashura religious commemorations which peak on Tuesday.Iraqis inspect the damage caused by explosives-rigged vehicle on Baghdads Palestine Street near a tent serving refreshments to Shiite pilgrims on November 2, 2014 A car bomb targeting Shiites in Baghdad ahead of Ashura killed at least 13 people on Sunday, officials said.The pilgrimage is a major test for the new government headed by Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and for the security forces.On the Syria-Turkey border, meanwhile, some 150 Iraqi peshmerga fighters were preparing to bolster fellow Kurds in battling IS for the town of Kobane, after crossing the frontier late on Friday.Syrian Kurdish militia have held off an IS offensive there for more than six weeks, and Kobane has become a crucial symbol in the anti-jihadist struggle.- Coalition air strikes -The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said clashes were taking place in the towns south and Kurdish fighters were shelling IS positions to its east.The US-led coalition that has launched air raids against IS in Syria and Iraq carried out at least three strikes near Kobane early Sunday, said the Observatory, which relies on a wide network of sources inside the country.At least 11 jihadists were killed in air strikes and fighting on Saturday, it said.The Pentagon said five air strikes near Kobane on Saturday and Sunday hit five small IS units and destroyed three vehicles.In Iraq, coalition warplanes targeted IS positions in Baiji and Fallujah, it said.Elsewhere in Syria, the Observatory said Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front seized a town and several villages in Idlib province late Saturday, in another blow to Western-backed rebels in the northwest.It said Al-Nusra captured Khan al-Subul after the withdrawal of the Hazm movement, a moderate opposition group.Al-Nusra also seized another five villages in Idlib held by Islamist and moderate rebel groups.The advance comes a day after Al-Nusra seized the Idlib bastion of the Syria Revolutionaries Front, another Western-backed opposition group.The advance of the Al-Qaeda affiliate is seen as a setback to US efforts to create and train a moderate rebel force as a counterweight to jihadists and the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)