Sunday 23 November 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Last chance saloon for Iran nuclear talks

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VIENNA (AFP) - Time runs out Monday for the biggest chance in years to resolve the Iranian nuclear standoff, as Tehran and world powers make a final push for a deal but with a risky extension looking likely.The five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany (the P51) have been locked in talks with Iran for months, seeking to turn an interim deal that expires at midnight (2300 GMT) on Monday into a lasting accord.Such an agreement, after a 12-year standoff, is aimed at easing fears that Tehran will develop nuclear weapons under the guise of its civilian activities, an ambition it hotly denies.But a last-ditch diplomatic blitz in recent days involving US Secretary of State John Kerry and other foreign ministers to secure a deal appears to have failed to bridge the remaining major differences.As a result, late Sunday a senior US State Department official said for the first time that the powers and Iran were now discussing putting more time on the clock.The official said it was only natural that just over 24 hours from the deadline we are discussing a range of options ... An extension is one of those options.This came after US Secretary of State John Kerry met his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif for the sixth time since Thursday in an attempt to break the deadlock.British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said however that the parties would still make a big push tomorrow (Monday) morning to try and get this across the line.Of course if were not able to do it, well then look at where we go from there, he said.Were still quite a long way apart and there are some very tough and complex issues to deal with.Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was expected in the Austrian capital early Monday, completing the line-up of all the six powers foreign ministers.This included Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, a key player in the talks. Earlier in the week he said all the elements were in place for a deal with just political will missing.- Gaps -Diplomats on both sides say that despite some progress, the two sides remain far apart on the two crucial points of contention: uranium enrichment and sanctions relief.Enriching uranium renders it suitable for peaceful purposes like nuclear power but also, at high purities, for the fissile core of a nuclear weapon.Tehran wants to massively ramp up the number of enrichment centrifuges -- in order, it says, to make fuel for future reactors -- while the West wants them dramatically reduced.Iran wants painful UN and Western sanctions that have strangled its vital oil exports lifted, but the powers want to stagger any relief over a long period of time to ensure Iranian compliance with any deal.What a deal would do is take a big piece of business off the table and perhaps begin a long process in which the relationship not just between Iran and us but the relationship between Iran and the world, and the region, begins to change, US President Barack Obama in an ABC News interview aired Sunday.- Extension -In view of the difficulties -- and of the dangers posed by the alternative of a complete collapse -- many experts have long believed that the negotiators would put more time on the clock.An Iranian source told AFP earlier Sunday, while stressing at that point that adding time was not yet on the table, that the extension could be for a period of six months or a year.Another extension -- as happened with an earlier deadline of July 20 -- however carries risks of its own,including possible fresh US sanctions that could lead Iran to walk away.Pushing back the cut-off point will also fuel accusations from Israel, the Middle Easts sole if undeclared nuclear-armed state, that its arch foe Iran is merely buying time to get closer to the bomb.Arms Control Association analyst Kelsey Davenport told AFP that an extension of six months to a year would not fly with the other parties.Any extension will have to be very short because there are too many hardliners, particularly in Washington and Tehran, that want to sabotage this deal, she told AFP.

Security stepped up ahead of Ferguson grand jury decision

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FERGUSON (AFP) - St Louis police erected barricades and businesses were boarded up Sunday as the clock ticked down to a grand jury decision on whether to indict a white officer for shooting dead an unarmed black teenager.Michael Brown, an 18-year-old high school graduate planning to go to technical college, was shot at least six times by Darren Wilson in the suburb of Ferguson on August 9, inflaming racial tensions and sparking weeks of sometimes violent protests.The mostly black suburb of 21,000, which has an overwhelmingly white police force and town government, has been on edge for days in anticipation of the jurys decision on whether Wilson should be prosecuted.A 20-minute drive away in Clayton, another suburb where the grand jury has been meeting, metal interlocking fences and orange plastic barricades sealed off the Buzz Westfall Justice Center.An officer unfurled yellow police tape reading Do Not Cross and St Louis Police Lines around the barricades. The road in front of the building has been barricaded off.St Louis County informed businesses and residents that they were securing buildings in downtown Clayton and temporarily restricting traffic.We will keep these traffic restrictions in place as long as they seem prudent, it said in a statement.St Louis County police spokesman Rick Eckhard defended the barricades as just a preventive measure.US President Barack Obama has called for calm. Missouris governor has declared a state of emergency and the FBI deployed extra personnel.- Churches ready to help -No date, time or location for the announcement has been released, although the prosecuting attorney said he expects a decision before the end of the month.US media reported that the jury will not reconvene before Monday.The jury can either indict Wilson, meaning he could face trial for Browns death, or determine there is no case for him to answer.Wilson reportedly told the jury he acted in self-defense after tussling with Brown. Others say Brown had his hands in the air when he was shot dead, his body left in the street for several hours.Around a dozen local churches have grouped together in a coalition to offer help and support to the anxious community.Pastor Willis Johnson told worshipers at Wellspring Church in Ferguson that within an hour of the announcement, his church would be open at least 72 hours.The church will provide prayer, educational activities for children, free meals, counseling, group therapy and a venue for conversation.Well have clinical psychologists and interventionists thatll be here for those who are remonstrating or just trying to deal with whats going on, Johnson told AFP.In Ferguson, owners have boarded up shops and businesses on the street where protests were concentrated in August, also braced for a violent fallout.Johnson conceded that security precautions were very much necessary though they added to the tension, the anxiety.- Mothers appeal -We hope this is much ado about nothing, he said.We hope this is simply us trying as best we can respond in ways that provide some at least some sense of security and stability for a community desperately is going to do the long work of getting stronger, unifying and healing.Browns mother Lesley McSpadden on Saturday visited the spot where her son was killed, telling people that she did not want more clashes with police who were criticized for a heavy-handed response to the demonstrations in August.I just want yall to be careful. Dont agitate them, dont let them agitate yall. I dont want nobody getting hurt, she said.In the pouring rain, a 43-year-old delivery man and single father brought his three children for the first time to see the spot where Brown was shot dead, turned into a memorial with flowers and teddy bears in the street.I just wanted to show them the importance of it, he said, declining to give his full name. The family then held hands and bowed their heads in prayer.Its really sad that in 2014 were still dealing with race issues in America. Thats really sad, it really is.He expressed sympathy for both sides, but said the police needed to hire more black officers and that more needed to be done for young, less affluent blacks.It needs to change. This is an unfortunate event what happened to Mike Brown, and the police officer. I feel bad for both sides, both families, the man added.

Cricket: Clarke, Hazlewood in Australia Test squad for India

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Selectors included injured skipper Michael Clarke and uncapped paceman Josh Hazlewood in a 12-man Australia squad on Monday for next months opening Test against India in Brisbane.Clarke was named subject to a fitness test on the left hamstring he injured in the recent one-day series against South Africa in Perth. He also continues to undergo daily treatment for an ongoing back condition.Michael Clarke has been included subject to fitness, chief selector Rod Marsh said.We would have preferred him to play in the round of Sheffield Shield starting on Tuesday, but unfortunately his condition did not allow him enough time to be ready for that match.The aim is for him to play in the two-day Cricket Australia XI match against India at the Adelaide Oval starting on Friday and his selection for the first Test is very much dependent on him pulling up well from that match.Marsh said selectors would consider calling in a replacement batsman to the squad for the opening Test starting on December 4 if Clarke does not recover sufficiently.We still have some time before having to make a final decision on Michaels fitness, team doctor Peter Brukner said. As you would expect, hes desperate to play and we are doing all that we can to ensure he can do just that.Over the coming days the plan is to build him up so that he can resume running with the ultimate aim of getting him some high-intensity match practice ahead of the first Test.Veteran paceman Ryan Harris returns following knee surgery and will play in this weeks round of Sheffield Shield matches as part of his build up to the opening Test.Uncapped New South Wales paceman Hazlewood was rewarded for his strong recent performances against South Africa in the one-day series with inclusion in the Test squad for the first time since 2012-13.Hazlewood captured nine wickets in the series against South Africa, which Australia won 4-1 on Sunday to return to the top of the International Cricket Council one-day rankings.Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell missed out, omitted from Australias last Test side that lost to Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.Josh is a young player of great talent and he thoroughly deserves this opportunity, Marsh said.He has impressed in the recent one-day series and we are excited to see what he can produce if given the opportunity in Brisbane.Ryan has worked extremely hard to return to elite cricket following his knee surgery, he added.We know what a quality player he is. He will play in this weeks Sheffield Shield to get more bowling under his belt but we are all hopeful he will be ready for a big summer of cricket.Australia - Michael Clarke (capt), Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, David Warner, Shane Watson.

Italy's first female astronaut heads to ISS in Russian craft

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MOSCOW (AFP) - A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying Italys first female astronaut safely blasted off Sunday to begin its journey to the International Space Station.Samantha Cristoforetti was joined by Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov and American astronaut Terry Virts as the Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft launched from Russias Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 2101 GMT, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said in a statement.Soyuz safely in orbit, next stop ISS, NASA wrote in a tweet, while live images of the launch showed Virts giving the thumbs up and smiling.Cristoforetti, Virts and Shkaplerov were to dock around six hours after taking off at the space station where they are to live until May 2015.Their voyage also mean substantial food supplies, with nearly half a kilo of caviar in their baggage and an espresso machine.There will be 15 boxes of 30 grammes each of caviar, but also apples, oranges, tomatoes and 140 doses of freeze dried milk and black tea without sugar, a space station official was quoted as saying by Russian press agency TASS.Astronauts on the station will also finally be able to enjoy a decent brew thanks to the 20-kilogramme machine designed by famed Italian coffee makers Lavazza and engineering firm Argotec, which specialises in making space food.Cristoforetti, 37, who is also a captain in the Italian airforce, will be not only the first female astronaut from Italy to go into space, but also the very first astronaut in the history of the conquest of space to savour an authentic Italian espresso in orbit, the two companies said in a statement.In total 16 countries work on the ISS, including Russia and the United States, which finance most of its operation. A team of astronauts is always aboard, with stays of up to six months.Launched into orbit in 1998, this outpost and orbiting laboratory, which cost $500 billion (404 billion euros) to build, saw its lifespan extended by another four years by NASA. Its now expected to remain in service until 2024.NASA depends entirely on Russia to send its astronauts to the ISS, which costs the United States $70 million (56 million euros) per person in Soyuz rockets.

Tunisia presidential runoff likely after 'historic' vote

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TUNIS (AFP) - Tunisias incumbent President Moncef Marzouki on Monday appeared set for a runoff vote against an anti-Islamist party ex-premier after the first free leadership vote since the 2011 revolution that sparked the Arab Spring.The election is a milestone in the North African country where a popular uprising set off a chain of revolts that saw several Arab dictators toppled by citizens demanding democratic reform.The campaign manager for Marzouki said he is neck and neck with former premier Beji Caid Essebsi, the pre-polling favourite among 27 candidates vying for the top job.At the worst we are even but at best were between two and four percent ahead, Adnene Mancer told reporters after polling closed.Our chances are good as we go into a runoff next month, he said.But the camp of Essebsi, the 87-year-old political veteran whose anti-Islamist Nidaa Tounes party won Octobers parliamentary polls, said he had come out ahead in Sundays vote.Essebsi, according to preliminary estimates, is ahead and has a large lead, his campaign manager Mohsen Marzouk told journalists.But with Essebsi not far short of the absolute majority needed to win outright, a second round was likely, Marzouk added.Marzoukis campaign manager said he was concerned that fraud had been committed by the Essebsi camp, and urged election monitors to stay vigilant.- Exit polls -Exit polls conducted by a private organisation gave Essebsi between 42.7 percent and 47.8 percent of the vote with Marzouki trailing at between 26.9 percent and 32.6 percent, a state television report said.Official results from what Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa called a historic day will be known by Wednesday and a runoff second round vote will be held in late December if there is no outright winner.Marzouki called on all democratic forces to back him in a second round against his rival.Another presidential hopeful, Hamma Hammami, who according to exit polls came in third, told the media that his political group will meet as soon as possible to examine how they should vote in case of a runoff.Though Tunisias march towards democracy has been fraught by crisis, it has won international plaudits for not slipping into the post-revolution chaos seen by other Arab Spring states, such as neighbour Libya.EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini called the election a further step in Tunisias democratic transition and said it was up to the people to complete the electoral process with transparency and respect.Whatever the outcome, Tunisians hailed the election as a landmark which they hoped would lead to economic and political stability.This election is very important. Its the culmination of the revolution and something that we really should not pass up, said one observer who gave his name only as Moez.Bechir Yahyaoui could hardly control his emotions as he voted in Tunis, saying that for once he was voting for who I want, with no pressure, no bribes.Before (under Ben Ali) you had to go and vote, regardless of the outcome. This time the election is free and transparent, he said.Turnout was around 64.6 percent, authorities said, with some 5.3 million people eligible to vote.Tens of thousands of police and troops were deployed to guarantee security amid fears that Islamist militants might seek to disrupt the polling.Other candidates included ministers who served under ousted dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, leftwinger Hammami, business magnate Slim Riahi and a lone woman, magistrate Kalthoum Kannou.- Powers restricted -Until the revolution, Tunisia knew only two presidents -- Habib Bourguiba, the father of independence from France in 1956, and Ben Ali, who deposed him in a 1987 coup.To prevent another dictatorship, presidential powers have been restricted under a new constitution, with executive prerogatives transferred to a premier from parliaments top party.Essebsis campaign focused on state prestige, with a wide appeal to Tunisians dissatisfied with Islamist rule in the post-revolution era.But his critics have warned that Essebsi is out to restore the old regime, having served under both former presidents.Marzouki argues that only he can preserve the gains of the uprising, while his critics say he hijacked the spirit of the revolution by allying himself with the moderate Islamist party Ennahda in 2011.The rule of Ennahda, which came second in the October parliamentary election, was marred by a surge of radical Islamism and the assassination of two leftist politicians by jihadist suspects.If Essebsi wins he will have to form a coalition government, even with Ennahda, because Nidaa Tounes fell short of securing an absolute majority in October.Whoever wins, the economy will be a priority, with unemployment, a leading cause of the revolution, running at 15 percent.

Australian mother charged after baby survives five days in drain

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SYDNEY (AFP) - An Australian mother was Monday charged with attempted murder after her newborn baby was found crying at the bottom of a roadside drain, where investigators believe he survived for five days.Passing cyclists heard wailing coming from the 2.5 metre (8.2 feet) deep drain on a bike path along a western Sydney highway early Sunday morning.After several people lifted a heavy concrete slab, the baby boy -- wrapped in a striped hospital blanket with his umbilical cord cut and clamped -- was found at the bottom.Police on Monday charged a 30-year-old woman with attempted murder after spending several hours searching hospital records and knocking on doors.They revealed the boy had been in the dirty drain since last Tuesday, likely squeezed through a small gap before plunging to the bottom.A woman has been charged with attempted murder after a newborn baby was found in a drain in Sydneys west on Sunday, police said in a statement.Police will allege the baby, believed to have been born on Monday, was placed into the drain on Tuesday, November 18.The baby remains in a serious but stable condition.It was disturbing (to see) how the child was placed in the drain, Quakers Hill police Inspector David Lagats told reporters on Sunday.We all thought the worst but the baby was still alive.We actually thought it was a kitten at first, but when we went down there we could hear exactly what it was, you could definitely tell it was a baby screaming, David Otte, one of the cyclists, told The Daily Telegraph.Were just thinking about the little fella, hes a beautiful, beautiful baby.Police doubt the baby would have survived much longer as temperatures in Sydneys northwest reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on Sunday.It was already undernourished, and dehydration would have taken affect so we would have had grave fears for the childs welfare had it been exposed to this weather for the rest of the day, Lagats said.The baby is now in the care of the New South Wales Family and Community Services, and it will be up to the agency to assess what now happens to him.

British press crown Hamilton 'king' of Formula One

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LONDON (AFP) - The front pages of British newspapers were splashed with photos of a champagne-soaked Lewis Hamilton dubbed the king of Formula One on Monday, after he claimed a second world title.The 29-year-old became the first Brit to win more than one championship since 1968, and the fourth British driver ever to do so, when he won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday to secure the title which he first won in 2008.Tearful Hamilton is crowned king of F1 announced the Daily Mirror, while the Daily Express chose the back page headline on top of the world.In reference to the congratulations of Prince Harry, who attended the race and told Hamilton he was a legend over the in-car radio, The Times ran the back page headline Royal seal of approval for King Hamilton.With the caption Sparkling moment for Hamilton as he clinches F1 title, The Daily Telegraph showed a photo of the champion being sprayed with champagne as he held the cup.With a vivid photo of the driver raising his fist in victory in front of a Union Jack flag, The Daily Telegraphs sports section announced Hamilton joins the sporting greats by winning his second world title.The Daily Mail punned with the back page headline The Wheel Deal, while the Daily Star chose Lew beaut with a photo of the champion triumphantly carrying the British flag.The newspaper noted Hamiltons triumph in his season-long battle with Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, saying Hamilton leaves Nico in his wake.The Guardian also picked a pun to illustrate a photo of Hamilton as he was lifted up by his team, with the subtitle Lapping it up: Hamiltons second F1 world title.The Sun highlighted Hamiltons switch to new team Mercedes after quitting McLaren, reporting that he would cash in by opening talks for a 100 million deal.Hamiltons popstar girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger also drew headlines, with the Daily Mail running a front-page photo of the singer with her hands to her mouth in the tense moments before his victory.Daily paper the Metro showed a picture of the performer, who rose to fame as a member of The Pussycat Dolls, kissing the drivers helmet with the caption Hamiltons F1 title sealed with Nics kiss.

Afghan talks must not bargain away women's rights: Oxfam

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KABUL (AFP) - Afghanistan must not sacrifice womens rights to secure peace with the Taliban as US-led NATO troops pull out, the Oxfam aid group said Monday, revealing that not a single woman has taken part in talks with the militants since 2005.The call came the day after about 50 people were killed and 60 others wounded when a suicide blast ripped through crowds at a volleyball game in the east of the country, underlining the challenges facing Afghanistan as national security forces take over from NATO troops.It was also a week since prominent MP Shukria Barakzai narrowly escaped death in a suicide attack on her car in the latest evidence of the dangers that women face in the country.Oxfam said in a report titled Behind Closed Doors that more than 20 sessions of exploratory talks between Taliban insurgents, the Afghan government and the international community since 2005 have not involved a single woman.There are fears that womens rights may be bargained away amid efforts to reach a peace settlement, the report said.Negotiations and peace talks to date have taken place predominantly behind closed doors and without womens knowledge, input or involvement.All parties must recognise that it is only peace efforts that include and protect women that have any chance of succeeding in the long term.Improving womens rights after the cruelties of the Talibans 1996-2001 rule has been a central aim of the international development programme that has spent billion of dollars in Afghanistan.But the conservative Muslim country remains a strictly patriarchal society, with women enduring routine discrimination and violence.Under the Taliban regime, women were banned from having a job and were not allowed outside the home unless wearing an all-encompassing burqa and accompanied by a man. Education for girls was also outlawed.President Ashraf Ghani, who came to power in September, has said he wants talks with the Taliban insurgents, and he has also stressed that he will work to bolster the status of women.- The price of peace? -Many activists fear that limited progress for womens rights made since 2001 could be lost in the search for a settlement with the Taliban, who have inflicted heavy casualties on Afghan police and soldiers this year.With new peace talks just around the corner, its time for the Afghan government and their Western allies to once again champion womens leading role in Afghanistans future, Oxfam country director John Watt said.The report said that the new government was likely to work towards a formal political process with the Taliban -- and it warned that the price of peace must not be womens rights.Certain rights may prove dispensable, in what are likely to be hard-fought and protracted efforts to reach a peace agreement, it said.Hamid Karzai, president from 2001-2014, began preliminary talks with the Taliban but they collapsed acrimoniously last year in a diplomatic dispute over the militants office in Doha, Qatar.The Afghan constitution guarantees women equality, the right to work and the right to education, but legislation such as the flagship 2009 Elimination of Violence Against Women law has been poorly implemented.NATO combat operations will finish at the end of this year, with a training and support mission taking over in 2015.

Mining giant BHP outlines plans to cut costs

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SYDNEY (AFP) - BHP Billiton on Monday outlined plans to cut costs further as the worlds biggest miner battles falling commodity prices, pointing to its planned demerger as helping to drive productivity gains.The Anglo-Australian resources group is aiming to simplify and strengthen its business, and said it was looking to save $US4 billion a year in running costs -- US$500 million more than previously flagged -- by the end of the 2017 financial year.Chief executive Andrew Mackenzie said the proposed spin-off of some poorer performing assets, including aluminium, manganese, silver and selected coal and nickel operations, would allow BHP to better organise operations.By significantly simplifying the portfolio the proposed demerger will allow us to redesign BHP Billiton and create an organisation that supports better productivity, he said in an investor presentation.The groups core assets (such as iron ore and copper) generated more than 96 percent of operating profit in the 2014 financial year, so we can cut complexity and lower costs without losing the benefits of scale and diversity.Put simply, we can organise a company that operates 12 large, core assets differently to one with 30 operated assets of varying sizes across a broader range of commodities.A vote on the demerger is expected in May.The US$4 billion productivity gains are expected to include a reduction in cash-costs of $US2.6 billion a year, Mackenzie said.The company also plans to cut exploration costs from $US14.8 billion to US$13 billion by the financial year ending June 2016 with no impact on growth.BHP shares were up 3.85 percent to Aus$32.92 in mid-morning trade.

UK police chief claims '4 or 5' terror plots foiled

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LONDON (AFP) - British police have foiled four or five suspected terror plots this year, the countrys most senior police officer said Sunday ahead of a week-long campaign to enlist the publics help in countering the threat.Weve said on average over the last few years its been about one (plot) a year, but this year alone we think four or five, Scotland Yard commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe told BBC television.He added: Certainly weve seen a change to the momentum... weve seen a change to the frequency and the seriousness of the types of plots that were looking at.As part of new measures to counter extremism, Home Secretary Theresa May is to announce on Monday that insurance companies will be banned from paying out terrorist ransoms, according to released remarks.Counter-terrorism investigations have led to 271 arrests this year, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley on Monday.Most recently, three people were charged in London last week over an alleged plot which media reports said included a plan to behead somebody in Britain.Rowley warned that the threat posed by extremists has evolved and that they are now home grown, as he launched a new awareness campaign to encourage communities to help the eyes and ears of law enforcement.Hogan-Howe said the threat from so-called lone wolf attacks by individuals or small groups was causing growing concern, and warned their ability to act quickly left little time for the security services to intervene.But he said the public could help by being more vigilant, particularly in crowded places and transport hubs where attacks are more likely to happen.For a week starting on Monday, police will brief over 6,000 people at 80 venues including schools and shopping centres across Britain to let ordinary people and businesses know how they can help by identifying and reporting suspicious behaviour.The campaign will also urge people to question charities about where their money is going, amid concerns that some is being used to channel funds to militants.If the public, the businesses and police work together with the security services then thats an incredibly powerful team, Hogan-Howe said.The national terror threat was raised in August to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely, but the police chief said the message was to keep calm but be aware.He repeated fears that Britons who have gone to fight with jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria might return to use their new training and experience to launch an attack in Britain.But he did not comment on a claim by an opposition Labour lawmaker that as many as 2,000 Britons are fighting overseas -- four times the official estimate of 500.Khalid Mahmood, an MP in the city of Birmingham, told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper that in his area -- which has a large Muslim community -- there was a huge problem of people going to fight with the Islamic State (IS) group.

Football: Champions League Inter's goal, insists Mancini

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MILAN (AFP) - Roberto Mancini underlined Inter Milans Champions League intentions after a hard-fought 1-1 derby draw with Milan on what was the former Manchester City managers return to Serie A after a six-year absence on Sunday.We will need some time, but our objective is to get back to winning as much as possible and quickly, Mancini told reporters at the San Siro after the game. Were aiming for a third place finish.Mancini, who led the Serie A giants to seven trophies including three consecutive league titles from 2004 to 2008, was handed a San Siro baptism of fire on his first game back at Inter after replacing sacked Walter Mazzarri a fortnight ago.On his previous spell at Inter, Mancini had won four, lost five and drawn one in the Derby della Madonnina between the city rivals.But after just five days working with a new tactical system, Inter had to settle for a share of the spoils in front of nearly 80,000 fans at the clubs shared ground. Milan remain seventh at 13 points behind leaders Juventus with Inter in ninth place a further point adrift.French forward Jeremy Menez struck a superb opener for the hosts in the 23rd minute but Nigerian Joel Obi saved Mancinis blushes when his drive from outside the area beat Rossoneri keeper Diego Lopez down low in the 61st minute.Inter, however, had missed two great chances through Mauro Icardi either side of their equaliser, leaving Mancini clutching his head in frustration.Icardi was sent through on goal after a Sulley Muntari howler in the eighth minute but saw his attempted chip of Lopez stopped by the keepers trailing leg.Again, in the second half the Argentinian fired a half-volley off the crossbar from Fredy Guarins inviting ball into the area.Mancini, who changed Inters 3-5-2 formation to a 4-3-3 for his first game in charge, did not point the finger of blame directly at Icardi but said Inter would have to rectify the errors that probably cost them a precious win.We cant afford to miss goalscoring chances. Making mistakes at the start of the game changes the whole outlook for the rest of the game, added the 49-year-old Italian.That is one of the several things we will be looking to rectify.Having been appointed during the international break and with several players still returning from injury, Mancini admitted he will require time to get his team in prime condition for their aim of a third-place finish.But on his first game back at the helm, Mancini was satisfied with his players performance.We had a few problems because we have several players out injured who only returned to the squad recently. (Yann) MVila is still getting back to full fitness, as is Hernanes, added Mancini.But Im happy with how we played. It wasnt easy with just five days working together trying to adapt to a new system after having worked a year and a half under a different one.Starting with the derby wasnt the easiest thing. Obviously, it wasnt a normal night. Its been quite a hectic past two days.You have to rely on your instinct but it was great to come back to the San Siro and see it so full.We wanted to win, but in the end it was a fair result.

Tennis: Federer legend grows with Davis Cup win

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LILLE (AFP) - Its taken him 16 years as a pro, but Roger Federer finally has won all there is to win in tennis -- well almost.All four Grand Slam titles -- a record 17 in total -- six ATP year-end titles, 23 Masters Series, Olympic gold and now the Davis Cup for Switzerland.The Olympic title of course was in the doubles with Stan Wawrinka in Beijing in 2008 and he has yet to match great rival Rafael Nadal and Andre Agassi as the only men to have won all four Grand Slam titles, Olympic singles gold and the Davis Cup during the course of their careers.But still -- its an astonishing record for a player many consider to be the greatest of all time.The Davis Cup win was arguably the hardest of them all for Federer to win, involving as it does other players and doubles action.Asked to compare his feelings in winning Wimbledon for the first time in 2003 and what he felt on Sunday after supplying the point Switzerland needed to win the Davis Cup final over France he replied: You cant compare.When I won Wimbledon, it was a total shock, honestly. Davis Cup is something that I knew was possible at some stage in my career.Of course, there was the pressure of being able to manage all this and make everyone happy with all the support we had for the team and everything. So it is a totally different feeling.Also I was not alone on the court. This changes totally everything.Federers first tournament as a professional was in the Swiss ski resort of Gstaad in 1998, where he lost in the round of 32.Although rated as one of best juniors in the world, there was no real hint at that time what tennis was about to witness as he entered the professional sphereIt wasnt until he defeated Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in a fourth round match in five sets in 2001 that his true potential became clearer to see.Still, he struggled to make much headway in the Grand Slam events and question marks were raised when he lost miserably to Luis Horna in the first round of the French Open in 2003.Federer came up alongside a generation of young champions who achieved immediate success, like Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick and Marat Safin.While his contemporaries were shooting up the rankings and winning Grand Slam titles, he struggled to break through.- Days of frustration -I dont want to say I was frustrated, but I didnt understand why it wasnt happening for me, Federer said last year. I was far enough behind that I was, OK, lets push myself a little more.A month after his Paris flop, that change of attitude reaped immediate dividends as Federer produced a majestic display over the Wimbledon fortnight, defeating Mark Philippoussis in straight sets in the final.The Federer era had begun in earnest and he dominated tennis over the next four years winning 10 Grand Slam titles. On two occasions -- in 2004 and 2007 -- he won three out of four.By that time Spanish claycourt king Rafael Nadal had come along to become the player Federer has always seen as his greatest rival.Nadal ruled at Roland Garros and it took his shock defeat at the hands of Robin Soderling in 2009 to clear the way for Federer to finally win the French Open, thus completing the Grand Slam set.By that time he had won Olympic gold with Wawrinka in 2008 and by Wimbledon 2012 he had taken his haul of Grand Slam titles to an all-time best of 17.Still the Davis Cup remained out of his grasp and, at 33, time was clearly running out when he and Wawrinka decided, after the latter won the Australian Open at the start of the year, that they would commit totally to playing the Davis Cup this year.They swept past a Novak Djokovic-less Serbia in the first round, edged a nervy outing against Kazakhstan in the quarter-finals and comfortably saw off Italy in the semis.France away in the final was a different prospect, however, with players of the calibre of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils on the other side of the net.A fractious match against Wawrinka in the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals when the two argued and Federer damaged his back did not help.But all that was swept aside in Lille as Switzerland became just the 14th country to win the Davis Cup.For me personally, obviously Im unbelievably happy because Ive been playing in this competition for probably almost 15 years now, he said.At the end of the day I wanted it more for the guys and for (coach) Severin (Luthi) and Stan, the staff and everybody involved. This is one for the boys.

Anamul, Tamim set up easy win for Bangladesh

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CHITTAGONG: (AFP) -Opening batsmen Anamul Haque and Tamim Iqbal each struck a half-century to set up an easy 68-run win for Bangladesh in the second one-day international against Zimbabwe in Chittagong on Sunday.Anamul made 80 off 110 balls while Tamim cracked 76 off 98 balls as Bangladesh posted 251-7 before dismissing Zimbabwe for 183 runs in 44.5 overs to take 2-0 lead in the five-match series.Anamul and Tamim provided Bangladesh the foundation putting on 158 runs in what was the sides second best opening stand after Mehrab Hossain and Shahirar Hossains 170 against the same opponents in 1999.Bangladesh suffered a major collapse losing six wickets for 46 runs after Tamim was run out, but Mominul Haque, batting at number seven, guided the score past 250-run mark with an unbeaten 33 off 23 balls.Skipper Mashrafe Mortaza took three wickets in his opening spell to rattle Zimbabwe and left the visitors struggling at 3-40 and the side could never recover from the damage.Solomon Mire top-scored for Zimbabwe with his maiden fifty -- 50 off 79 balls -- while Regis Chakabva (32) and Elton Chigumbura (38) played late cameos but Bangladesh were always in control.Arafat Sunny, who finished with 4-29, bowled last three batsmen in his final over after Chigumbura was run out by Sabbir Rahman with a direct hit.Mortaza (3-34) was adjudged man of the match.Bangladesh won the first match by 87 runs at same venue on Friday.The remaining three matches of the series will be held in the capital Dhakas Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on November 26, 28 and December 1.

Countdown to missed opportunity for EU economy

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(Reuters) - The countdown has begun to what threatens to be a missed opportunity to revive Europes stalledeconomy. When European Union leaders meet on Dec. 18-19 under new management, they have a chance to launch a joint assault on the economic stagnation and high unemployment that are fuelling disenchantment and anti-EU protest among voters.All the signs are they are set to fall short.The 18-nationeuro zoneis struggling to pull out of the aftermath of its debt crisis, aggravated by the economic impact of a standoff with Russia overUkraine.Inflation and growth are hovering below 1 percent while unemployment is stuck at 11.5 percent, and more than double that level in Spain andGreece. Even EU powerhouseGermany has hit a slowdown.Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers says Europe risks secular stagnation - a long-term, self-perpetuating slump similar to the one that followed the Great Depression in the 1930s.Franceseconomyis flat lining, Italys has fallen back into recession and both countries are failing to cut their budget deficits and debt in line with EU rules, causing tension with Brussels and Berlin.Without jobs and growth, the European idea itself is in danger, outgoing European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said last week. His successor, Polands Donald Tusk, will have the task of trying to forge a summit agreement on a new economic policy mix.European Central Bank President Mario Draghi set out the agenda for what might become a New Deal for Europe in a speech to global central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in August.He called for a combination of national budget measures to boost demand, greater EU public investment and growth-friendly structural economic reforms alongside the ECBs monetary stimulus.Draghi highlighted the scale of the challenge on Friday, painting a gloomy outlook and promising to act as fast as possible to combat worryingly low inflation.Yet despite a show of unity this month, he is struggling to overcome opposition led by German Bundesbank chief Jens Weidmann to bolder measures such as buying government bonds, known as quantitative easing.What Draghi needs is an ambitious agreement at the summit on investment, a commitment to coordinated economic reforms and stronger fiscal rules, to give him political cover to move to quantitative easing, a senior EU official said, referring to the policy of large-scale asset purchases by the central bank.But there is a risk that the summit will be a let-down.FAKE MONEYNew European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has promised a 300 billion euro ($376 billion) investment program on public works such as transport, energy and digital networks.But it is expected to involve largely recycling existing EU budget and European Investment Bank funds with little if any new public money.French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said last week that an investment program based on fake money without at least 80 billion euros in new real money would risk disappointing.Germany, aiming to balance its budget, has rebuffed calls to stimulate domestic demand and made only a token gesture toward more investment in public infrastructure, promising a paltry extra 10 billion euros over three years.At the same time,Franceand Italy, the euro zones troubled second and third economies, are balking at going beyond half-measures to shake up rigid labormarketsand open up to more competition.Barring a last-minute surprise, EU leaders are heading for a hollow agreement that wont fundamentally change a set of economic policies that has failed to reignite growth so far.The architecture of theeuro zonedoesnt make it easy to provide the radical policy solutions that depression requires, said Nicholas Crafts, professor of economic history at the University of Warwick.I cant see supply side reforms delivering enough in the short term to help. That means the ECB, a fair weather central bank, is going to be tested in a storm.Domestic constraints, divergent economic philosophies and mutual mistrust make a disappointing summit outcome likely.German Chancellor Angela Merkel is convinced Europe cannot grow its way out of crisis on borrowed money and thinksFranceand Italy are falling short on economic reforms.One hope may lie in a Franco-German study to be presented this week (Nov. 29) identifying priorities for structural reforms and public investment in both countries.Paris and Berlin may yet take recommendations by economists Jean Pisani-Ferry and Henrik Enderlein as the basis of a grand bargain matching more French reform with more German investment.Otherwise, the job will again be left to the ECB. But as Draghi warned in his Jackson Hole speech: No amount of fiscal or monetary accommodation ... can compensate for the necessary structural reforms in the euro area.

Cape Verde volcano erupts in Bissau

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BISSAU: (AFP) - A rare eruption of Cape Verde volcano Pico do Fogo, its biggest in decades, caused the closure of the airport and evacuation of local residents, officials told state radio on Sunday.No damage or injuries were reported following Saturdays 8:00 pm (2100 GMT) blast but villagers at the bottom of the volcano on the Atlantic island nation were being evacuated over the weekend and a further eruption was reported on Sunday.There were no immediate details on the intensity of the Sunday blast.Vulcanologist Bruno Faria told state-owned Radio Cape Verde the first blast was much greater than the one in 1995 which showered a cloud of ash across the island at the southern tip of the archipelago.The eruption was very fast. But we are appealing to the people for calm, interior minister Marise Morais told the radio in an announcement heard by AFP in Guinea-Bissau.The eruption reached level three on the nine-level volcanic explosivity index, the minister said. Morais said the nation was implementing its emergency civil protection plan.Nelio Santos, a television journalist reached by telephone, told AFP authorities had begun evacuating Cha das Caldeiras, a village of around 750 inhabitants at the foot of the volcano.Many people... left without waiting for the instructions from the authorities, he added. The airport on Fogo was closed Sunday, although it was not immediately clear how many flights had been diverted or cancelled.The privately-owned, US-based Volcano Discovery website, which tracks volcanic activity worldwide, said a new eruption started Sunday at 10:00 am, with satellite data suggesting some lava at the vent.Pico de Fogo last erupted on April 2 1995 -- for the first time since June 1951 -- and almost 5,000 people were evacuated while the United States and several European countries sent assistance.The archipelago, which lies 500 kilometres (about 300 miles) off the coast of Senegal, consists of 10 islands, eight of which are inhabited and volcanic.
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