Tuesday 25 November 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Syria air strikes on IS 'capital' kill 63 people

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BEIRUT (AFP) - A string of Syrian regime air strikes on the Islamic State groups self-proclaimed capital Raqa on Tuesday killed at least 63 people, more than half of them civilians, a monitor said.The air strikes were the deadliest by President Bashar al-Assads air force against Raqa since the Sunni extremist IS seized control of the city last year.Among the 63 killed were at least 36 civilians, said Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.There were also 20 unidentified victims who could be civilians or jihadists, as well as the disfigured remains of at least seven other people, he said.The director of the Britain-based monitoring group said previously that most of the casualties were caused by two consecutive air strikes on Raqas main industrial zone.The first strike came, residents rushed to rescue the wounded, and then the second raid took place, Abdel Rahman, whose group relies on a network of sources on the ground in Syria for its information, told AFP.Amateur video footage distributed by activists in Raqa showed several bloodied bodies laid out on a street near an apparent bombing site, as an ambulance rushed to the scene.Aid workers in red overalls bearing the Red Crescent symbol could be seen placing the corpses into white body bags.Activists from the city meanwhile denounced the raids as a massacre.The Islamic State organisation emerged in Syrias war in spring 2013.It took over Raqa, the only provincial capital to fall from government control since the outbreak of a 2011 revolt, and turned it into its bastion.Most of the citys civil society activists, as well as rebel fighters who expelled Assads troops, have either been killed, kidnapped or forced to flee for other parts of Syria or neighbouring Turkey.For many months, Assads regime only rarely targeted Raqa city, apparently reserving most of its firepower for areas under rebel control.But late this summer, the government intensified its air strikes against IS positions in northern and eastern Syria.On September 6, 53 people were killed in air raids on Raqa, among them at least 31 civilians, according to the Observatory.The US-led military coalition that has been carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq and Syria has also targeted the jihadist group in Raqa.Activists say Raqas residents fear the governments strikes far more than those of the coalition because most of the casualties from the regimes attacks have been civilians.Strategically located on the river Euphrates near the border with Turkey, Raqa had a pre-war population of about 220,000 but it is now home to 300,000-350,000 people, including many displaced by the conflict, according to the Observatory.Since the jihadists first started moving into the city, they have been gradually imposing a brutal yet highly-organised system with all the trappings of a state, experts say.Elsewhere in Syria, IS members stoned to death two men in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on Tuesday after claiming they were gay, the Observatory said.And in the central province of Homs the jihadists beheaded a member of the minority Ismaili community, accusing him of apostasy, said the monitoring group.

Coal mine fire kills 24 in China: Xinhua

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BEIJING (AFP) - A fire at a coal mine in northeast China killed 24 workers early Wednesday, state media reported.The blaze at the mine in Liaoning province also left 52 injured, Xinhua news agency said, quoting the state-owned Fuxin Coal Corporation.There were no immediate details on the cause of the fire but mining accidents are common in China, the worlds largest consumer of coal, where mine operators often skirt safety regulations.Last year, China recorded 589 mining-related accidents, leaving 1,049 people dead or missing, according to the government. But both the number of accidents and fatalities were down more than 24 percent from 2012.Authorities have sought to shut down small mines, a major source of accidents, in an effort to consolidate the industry.In June 22 people were killed in an accident at a coal mine in the southwest city of Chongqing.And 20 people died in April when a coal mine in southwest Yunnan province suddenly flooded, leaving miners trapped.

US may send additional troops to Afghanistan next year

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US military likely will keep a slightly larger force in Afghanistan in 2015 than first planned and American troops will have authority to come to the aid of Afghan forces if necessary, officials said Tuesday.The United States may have to deploy hundreds of additional forces in coming months, beyond the 9,800-strong contingent announced previously, because of a shortfall in troop contributions from NATO members, defense officials told AFP.Commanders were still working out the details but there was a shortage of roughly 400 to 700 NATO troops that would need to be filled temporarily by US forces through the winter months of 2015, said a defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity.This is just to bridge the gap, the official said.The shortfall was a result of the delayed signing of a bilateral security agreement this year between Washington and Kabul, which also complicated deals with other NATO countries to deploy troops to Afghanistan starting next year.The post-2014 NATO mission calls for 12,500 troops to remain on the ground starting in January, with about 2,700 non-US forces. Military officers had indicated earlier this month to AFP that the postponed signing of the US-Afghan security agreement due to a protracted electoral dispute had raised doubts about whether allied governments could have arrangements in place for troops to deploy by 2015.The change in troop drawdown plans came as President Barack Obamas administration revised the parameters of the mission for American troops next year.Obama had said the US combat mission in the country will end this year as the bulk of the NATO force withdraws, with remaining troops focused on training Afghan soldiers and targeting Al-Qaeda militants.But US national security officials last week decided that American forces would be permitted to take action to help Afghan army and police in battles with the Taliban insurgency.Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said that should members of the Taliban decide to threaten American troops or specifically target or threaten our Afghan partners in a tactical situation, were going to reserve the right to take action as needed.Both the Pentagon and the State Department insisted the mission had not been expanded in any way, but officials acknowledged privately that the question of combat support for Afghan troops had remained unresolved.The New York Times first reported the move over the weekend.Under the decision, commanders would have the authority to call in air strikes or medical evacuations for Afghan forces in dire situations, officials said.The commander in Kabul would have the power to decide whether to intervene to back up Afghan army and police to prevent detrimental strategic effects, the official said.Officials declined to offer details of the operational rules, which they said were classified to avoid giving an advantage to insurgents.The decision had been signaled in earlier comments by senior US commanders in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.Lieutenant General Joseph Anderson, head of ISAF joint command, told reporters via video link earlier this month that US warplanes starting in 2015 probably would back up Afghan forces in the future only in extremis or catastrophic situations. Having relied heavily in the past on American air power in battles with Taliban insurgents, Afghan troops and their fledgling air force will now face a tough test in their campaign against the militants. There are currently 16,100 US troops in Afghanistan, down from a peak of more than 100,000 in 2010.

Troop force tripled in Ferguson as Obama condemns violence

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FERGUSON (AFP) - More than 2,000 soldiers were ordered into the riot-torn US town of Ferguson on Tuesday, as President Barack Obama condemned violence which erupted after a grand jury chose not to charge a white police officer who shot dead an unarmed black teen.After a night of racially-charged unrest following Mondays decision, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon said the National Guard force in the Ferguson area would be tripled to 2,200 in a bid to quell a repeat of the looting and arson.Lives and property must be protected. This community deserves to have peace, Nixon said, as fury mounted nationwide and fresh protests took place in several cities.Obama decried the violence as criminal, calling for those responsible to be prosecuted while acknowledging the deep-rooted frustrations of minorities who felt they were unfairly treated by police.There are productive ways of responding and expressing those frustrations and there are destructive ways of responding, Obama said.Burning buildings, torching cars, destroying property, putting people at risk. Thats destructive and theres no excuse for it. Those are criminal acts.Obamas comments came as lawyers for the family of slain youth Michael Brown denounced the prosecutor whose grand jury hearing found that police officer Darren Wilson had killed the 18-year-old in self-defense.This process is broken. This process should be indicted, Brown family lawyer Benjamin Crump told a news conference.Crump criticized the way Wilson had not been cross-examined when he appeared before the grand jury, which decided not to indict him over the August 9 shooting.But in his first televised comments since the incident, Wilson told ABC News he had feared for his life during the confrontation with Brown, believing the teen was attempting to wrestle his gun away from him to shoot him.I can feel his hand trying to come over my hand and get inside the trigger guard. And try to shoot me with my own gun, Wilson said.The officer insisted race had not played a part in the shooting. Asked if he believed he would have acted the same way if Brown was white, Wilson responded: No question.The police officer said he would not be haunted by his actions.I dont think its haunting. Its always going to be something that happened, he told ABC News, adding that his conscience was clear because I know I did my job right.Civil rights firebrand Al Sharpton said the Brown case renewed a nationwide fight for greater police accountability.This is not a Ferguson problem ... This is a problem all over the country, Sharpton said. We may have lost one round but the fight is not over. They have broken our hearts, but not our backs.Protests against the events in Ferguson rippled across the country on Tuesday, with demonstrations under way in St Louis, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Atlanta.Separate protests flared meanwhile in Cleveland, Ohio, following the fatal shooting by police of a 12-year-old black boy holding a replica gun at the weekend.Despite appeals by Browns family for calm in Ferguson on Monday, protests rapidly degenerated into looting, arson and running street battles between police and stone-throwers. Protesters shot at police, robbed locally-owned stores and set cars and buildings ablaze in what police said was the worst violence since Wilson shot Brown.Ferguson mayor James Knowles meanwhile declined to comment Tuesday on the future of Wilson, saying only he remained on administrative leave.His current employment status has not changed, Knowles said.The August shooting sparked weeks of protest and a nationwide debate about military-style police tactics and race relations.The Ferguson grand jury concluded Wilson had acted lawfully in firing 12 shots at Brown after he first reached into the officers car to grapple with him, then turned on him as he gave chase. Ferguson is a mainly black suburb with a mainly white police force. Browns death, the aggressive police response to initial protests, and now the result of the grand jury hearing have stirred racial tensions. The towns African American community of 21,000 has been on edge since the shooting, and residents complain of years of racial prejudice and heavy-handed police tactics.As riot officers responded to protesters with tear gas, batons and flash grenades, Pat Bailey, a retiree from St Louis in her 60s, said she had expected the decision. Ive lived long enough to know that African Americans are not considered human beings, Bailey said.

US drone strikes -- the facts on the ground

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NEW YORK (Agencies) - The drones came for Ayman Zawahiri on 13 January 2006, hovering over a village in Pakistan called Damadola. Ten months later, they came again for the man who would become al-Qaida’s leader, this time in Bajaur.Eight years later, Zawahiri is still alive. Seventy-six children and 29 adults, according to reports after the two strikes, are not.However many Americans know who Zawahiri is, far fewer are familiar with Qari Hussain. Hussain was a deputy commander of the Pakistani Taliban, a militant group aligned with al-Qaida that trained the would-be Times Square bomber, Faisal Shahzad, before his unsuccessful 2010 attack. The drones first came for Hussain years before, on 29 January 2008. Then they came on 23 June 2009, 15 January 2010, 2 October 2010 and 7 October 2010.Finally, on 15 October 2010, Hellfire missiles fired from a Predator or Reaper drone killed Hussain, the Pakistani Taliban later confirmed. For the death of a man whom practically no American can name, the US killed 128 people, 13 of them children, none of whom it meant to harm.A new analysis of the data available to the public about drone strikes, conducted by the human-rights group Reprieve, indicates that even when operators target specific individuals – the most focused effort of what Barack Obama calls “targeted killing” – they kill vastly more people than their targets, often needing to strike multiple times. Attempts to kill 41 men resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,147 people, as of 24 November.Reprieve, sifting through reports compiled by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, examined cases in which specific people were targeted by drones multiple times. Their data, shared with the Guardian, raises questions about the accuracy of US intelligence guiding strikes that US officials describe using words like “clinical” and “precise.”The analysis is a partial estimate of the damage wrought by Obama’s favored weapon of war, a tool he and his administration describe as far more precise than more familiar instruments of land or air power.“Drone strikes have been sold to the American public on the claim that they’re ‘precise’. But they are only as precise as the intelligence that feeds them. There is nothing precise about intelligence that results in the deaths of 28 unknown people, including women and children, for every ‘bad guy’ the US goes after,” said Reprieve’s Jennifer Gibson, who spearheaded the group’s study.Some 24 men specifically targeted in Pakistan resulted in the death of 874 people. All were reported in the press as “killed” on multiple occasions, meaning that numerous strikes were aimed at each of them. The vast majority of those strikes were unsuccessful. An estimated 142 children were killed in the course of pursuing those 24 men, only six of whom died in the course of drone strikes that killed their intended targets.In Yemen, 17 named men were targeted multiple times. Strikes on them killed 273 people, at least seven of them children. At least four of the targets are still alive.Available data for the 41 men targeted for drone strikes across both countries indicate that each of them was reported killed multiple times. Seven of them are believed to still be alive. The status of another, Haji Omar, is unknown. Abu Ubaidah al-Masri, whom drones targeted three times, later died from natural causes, believed to be hepatitis.The data cohort is only a fraction of those killed by US drones overall. Reprieve did not focus on named targets struck only once. Neither Reprieve nor the Guardian examined the subset of drone strikes that do not target specific people: the so-called “signature strikes” that attack people based on a pattern of behavior considered suspicious, rather than intelligence tying their targets to terrorist activity. An analytically conservative Council on Foreign Relations tally assesses that 500 drone strikes outside of Iraq and Afghanistan have killed 3,674 people.As well, the data is agnostic on the validity of the named targets struck on multiple occasions being marked for death in the first place.Like all weapons, drones will inevitably miss their targets given enough chances. But the secrecy surrounding them obscures how often misses occur and the reasons for them. Even for the 33 named targets whom the drones eventually killed – successes, by the logic of the drone strikes – another 947 people died in the process.There are myriad problems with analyzing data from US drone strikes. Those strikes occur under a blanket of official secrecy, which means analysts must rely on local media reporting about their aftermath, with all the attendant problems besetting journalism in dangerous or denied places. Anonymous leaks to media organizations, typically citing an unnamed American, Yemeni or Pakistani official, are the only acknowledgements that the strikes actually occur, or target a particular individual.Without the CIA and the Joint Special Operations Command declassifying more information on the strikes, unofficial and imprecise information is all that is available, complicating efforts to independently verify or refute administration assurances about the impact of the drones.What little US officials say about the strikes typically boils down to assurances that they apply “targeted, surgical pressure to the groups that threaten us,” as John Brennan, now the CIA director, said in a 2011 speech.“The only people that we fire a drone at [sic] are confirmed terrorist targets at the highest level after a great deal of vetting that takes a long period of time. We don’t just fire a drone at somebody and think they’re a terrorist,” the secretary of state, John Kerry, said at a BBC forum in 2013.A Reprieve team investigating on the ground in Pakistan turned up what it believes to be a confirmed case of mistaken identity. Someone with the same name as a terror suspect on the Obama administration’s “kill list” was killed on the third attempt by US drones. His brother was captured, interrogated and encouraged to “tell the Americans what they want to hear”: that they had in fact killed the right person. Reprieve has withheld identifying details of the family in question, making the story impossible to independently verify.“President Obama needs to be straight with the American people about the human cost of this programme. If even his government doesn’t know who is filling the body bags every time a strike goes wrong, his claims that this is a precise programme look like nonsense, and the risk that it is in fact making us less safe looks all too real,” Gibson said.--- Courtesy ‘The Gardian’

Tennis: Federer to play Hewitt in 'revolutionary' new format

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt will clash in a new shortened, faster form of the game ahead of the Australian Open that organisers Tuesday said they hope will revolutionise tennis.In a world first, the 17-time Grand Slam champion will play his long-time Australian rival in a Sydney exhibition to showcase the new concept developed by Tennis Australia.They will face off in a best-of-five sets match on January 12 that will feature four rule variations -- no advantage scoring, no service lets, tiebreakers at three games all and sets of first-to-four games.It is expected to last about half as a long as a normal five-setter.The format has been piloted at clubs across Australia and is being billed as the Twenty20 of tennis, a reference to the fast and furious form of cricket that has proved a huge hit.Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley said he was delighted Federer was involved in promoting a new way of playing the game.The new format is a game changer and is set to revolutionise the game of tennis, particularly at club and social levels, he said. Time today is precious and this new fast format is perfect for any player who wants to fit their tennis matches into a busy lifestyle.To have Roger and Lleyton, our own great Australian champion, showcase the format for the first time is not only special for Sydney and Australia, but for the sport around the world.Federer, fresh from helping Switzerland win the Davis Cup, said he was honoured to be involved.I cant wait to come to the beautiful city of Sydney for this very special match against my old friend and rival, Lleyton Hewitt, he said.Great friends off the court, Federer and Hewitt have one of the most enduring rivalries in tennis. The pair, both aged 33, have faced each other 27 times since 1999, with Federer winning 18 of them.Their last four matches have been split, with Hewitt winning their most recent encounter at the Brisbane International final in January.Playing Roger in this new format will be an exciting challenge for both of us and a lot of fun, said Hewitt. Its a fantastic innovation for tennis, and one that I hope will take off.Another new format makes its debut this week in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), a team event with one-set matches, a shot-clock and a timed shoot-out at 5-5.Federer, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are among the big names playing the made-for-TV competition, which starts in Manila and will also visit Singapore, New Delhi and Dubai.On Monday, Vijay Amritrajs Champions Tennis League started in India, featuring six teams also playing one-set matches with no advantage scores and nine-point tie-breakers at 5-5.

Football: Messi breaks record, Suarez breaks duck

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PARIS (AFP) - Argentina wizard Lionel Messi broke the Champions League scoring record while Luis Suarez broke his Barcelona duck in the Champions League on Tuesday.Barca romped to a 4-0 win at APOEL Nicosia but that fact was overshadowed by Messi and Suarezs personal achievements.Messi came into the match level with Spaniard Raul on 71 Champions League goals but he stabbed home from close range on 37 minutes to take sole possession of the record.I am happy to have achieved such a great record in such an important competition, but the really important thing is the three points which we won, said Messi.He went on to notch a hat-trick on the night as Barcelona remained a point behind Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Group F after the French team beat Ajax 3-1 thanks to an Edinson Cavani brace and one from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.Both sides have already qualified for the knock-out rounds and top spot will be decided in two weeks time at the Camp Nou.Messis feat came just four days after the four-time World Player of the Year broke Telmo Zarras 59-year-old record of 251 La Liga goals with a hat-trick in a 5-1 thrashing of Sevilla to take his tally in the Spanish top flight to 253 goals in 289 appearances.Just 10 minutes before that, Suarez, who moved from Liverpool in the close season, had finally notched his first goal -- a brilliant solo effort -- for the Catalans in his fifth appearance since making his debut in a 3-1 loss to Real Madrid on October 25.Elsewhere, Manchester City kept their qualification hopes alive as Sergio Aguero completed a hat-trick in stoppage time to give the English champions a 3-2 win over 10-man Bayern Munich.City were five minutes from defeat against a side that had outplayed them throughout the game, whether playing with 10 or 11 players.Aguero gave the hosts the lead from the penalty spot after centre-back Mehdi Benatia had been dismissed for bringing him down in the box as the last man.But Bayern still went into the break in front with two goals in the final five minutes of the half, first through Xabi Alonsos free-kick and then as Robert Lewandowski outjumped Vincent Kompany and Bakary Sagna to head home a deep right-wing cross.City toiled in the second period as the Germans dominated the ball, until Stevan Jovetic cut out Alonsos misplaced pass to send Aguero away to equalise five minutes from the finish.The Spaniard then popped up a minute into stoppage time to pounce on a mistake by former City defender Jerome Boateng to complete his hat-trick.Aguero told ITV: I am very happy. It is very important for us. The draw was difficult but we are happy now because this is a very important result and the next game we have to win.It left City level on points with Roma and CSKA Moscow going into the last round of matches, with the English side travelling to the Italian capital and the Russians away in Bavaria.On a day of records, Roma stalwart Francesco Totti extended his mark as oldest scorer in the Champions League by opening the scoring in his sides 1-1 draw at CSKA.At 38 years, one month and 29 days, his 43rd minute goal saw him extend the record he previously set in September when netting in a 1-1 draw at Manchester City to break a three-year-old mark set by former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs.But Vasily Berezutskys equaliser 17-seconds from the end of time-added-on kept the Russians in the race for the knock-out stages and sets up a thrilling final round of matches.

Football: Five-star Chelsea smash Schalke to reach last 16

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GELSENKIRCHEN (AFP) - Jose Mourinhos Chelsea marched into the Champions League last 16 as Group G winners on Tuesday after their emphatic 5-0 win at Robert di Matteos Schalke 04.Mourinhos Premier League leaders brushed Di Matteos ineffective Royal Blues aside in Gelsenkirchen as captain John Terry put them ahead within just two minutes of the kick-off.Further first-half scores by Willian and an own goal from defender Jan Kirchhoff were followed by second-half strikes from Didier Drogba and Brazil midfielder Ramires.I am very happy, it was a very impressive performance, beamed Mourinho.We werent coming here to see if a point would be enough to put us through and we showed that from the first minute.It was 90 minutes of good football.The result matched Schalkes record European home defeat when they were hammered 6-1 by Real Madrid in last seasons round of 16, first leg, in February this year. Chelsea remain unbeaten in all 19 matches this season and are now four points clear in the table ahead of their final match at home to second-placed Sporting Lisbon in a fortnight.Di Matteos unbeaten home record after four wins was ended by his former club in brutal fashion.It was already a difficult evening for us and we made it even harder by conceding so early, said Di Matteo, who apologised to Schalke fans for the performance.I was surprised by our lack of confidence, we werent aggressive enough and we gave them far too much space.We have to look ahead now and put this behind us as quickly as possible.Schalke drop to third, having been leap-frogged by Sporting who won 3-1 at home to Maribor, who they must beat in Slovenia in their final game next month to stand any chance of progressing.Its hard to find words for this, said Schalke captain Benedikt Hoewedes.I can only apologise for our performance.We gave Chelsea too much space to play. They are so good individually and we let them score too many goals.Di Matteo, who is just eight games into the Schalke job, remains the only Chelsea manager to win the Champions League and Mourinho refused to even talk about him in the matchs build-up.The self-styled Special One, who won the Champions League with Inter Milan in 2010 and Porto in 2004, is bidding to win the European crown at the fifth attempt with Chelsea and his side dominated their hosts in Gelsenkirchen.Chelsea needed less than two minutes to take the lead at Schalkes Veltins Arena.Eden Hazard put Diego Costa away and the Spain striker tested Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann, who palmed his shot away.Cesc Fabregas floated in the resulting corner from which Chelsea captain John Terry rose highest to head home barely challenged.Cameroon striker Eric Choupo-Moting gave Schalke brief hope on 13 minutes when his shot deflected off Gary Cahills boot and looped over Chelsea goalkeeper Thibault Courtois, but it clattered off the bar.Chelsea were unpicking the Schalke defence with worryingy ease as they doubled their lead.Hazard timed his pass to Willian perfectly and the Brazilians low drive under Faehrmanns dive on 28 minutes to put the visitors 2-0 up.Boos and whistles echoed around the Veltins Arena by the time defensive midfielder Jan Kirchoff turned the ball into his own net on 44 minutes and raised to a noisy crescendo when the referee ended a miserable half moments later.With his side facing eight games in a busy December period, Mourinho replaced Costa, who has netted 11 goals this season, with veteran forward Didier Drogba after an hour.He scored their fourth when Fabregas put through a superb pass to Willian, who squared to present Drogba with a simple tap in on 76 minutes.The visitors fifth goal followed just two minutes later as Drogba crossed for Ramires, who out jumped the porous home defence.Only good keeping by Faehrmann denied Chelsea replacement Andre Schuerrle, then Hazard, in the final five minutes as Chelsea hunted a sixth goal.The home side were again booed at the final whistle.

Oil tanks on expectation OPEC will not cut output

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NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices tumbled Tuesday, with the US benchmark down 2.2 percent, on expectations that the OPEC cartel will not agree to cut output Thursday despite ample global supplies.The key US futures contract, West Texas Intermediate for January delivery, dived $1.69 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, closing at $74.09 a barrel, its lowest level since mid-September 2010.Benchmark Brent North Sea crude for delivery in January settled at $78.33 a barrel in London, down $1.35 from Mondays close.The 12-nation Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will hold one of its toughest meetings in recent years on Thursday, with members under pressure to address tumbling prices that have slashed their revenues.OPEC, which provides about a third of the worlds oil supplies, has had a group output quota of 30 million barrels per day for the past three years. The cartel pumped 30.6 million barrels per day last month, according to the International Energy Agency.Since June, oil prices have fallen about 30 percent, leading poorer cartel members like Venezuela and Ecuador to call for a production cut at Thursdays meeting at OPEC headquarters in Vienna.But the cartels Gulf members, led by kingpin Saudi Arabia, are rejecting such calls unless they are guaranteed market share in the highly competitive arena, according to analysts.Despite the apparent differences, OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers Tuesday agreed that crude prices have fallen too far, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Rafael Ramirez said.We agreed that the price is not good. Everybody is worried, he told reporters after OPEC members Saudi Arabia and Venezuela met with officials from fellow oil producers Russia and Mexico in Vienna. Russia and Mexico are not OPEC members.Robert Yawger of Mizuho Securities USA said the oil market was being dictated by the latest OPEC headline -- the latest significant one being the failure of the meeting between Saudis, Venezuelans, Mexicans and Russians to find some ways of cutting production.

Euro advances as Germany avoids recession

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NEW YORK (AFP) - The euro Tuesday gained on the dollar for a second day running after data showed that Germanys economy returned to growth in the third quarter.Higher household and government spending enabled Europes biggest economy to avoid a recession in the third quarter. Data from the federal statistics office showed gross domestic product for the quarter ending September 30 rose 0.1 percent.In the preceding three months, the economy had shrunk by 0.1 percent. A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of falling GDP.Joe Manimbo, senior market analyst at Western Union Business Solutions, described the single currency as steady following the German data. The euro also gained Monday after data showed business confidence in Germany rose for the first time in seven months in November.US economic reports were mixed. While the Commerce Department unexpectedly raised its estimate for third-quarter growth, to 3.9 percent from 3.5 percent, the Conference Board said consumer confidence dipped in November compared with October.Omer Esiner, chief market analyst at Commonwealth Foreign Exchange, warned the euro remains vulnerable in the days ahead.Eurozone inflation data later this week will likely amplify worries about deflation and should keep pressure on the ECB to act again soon with more policy support, he said.

Vettori, toss the keys to final Pakistan-NZ Test

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SHARJAH (AFP) - Veteran left-arm spinner Daniel Vettoris comeback and who wins the toss will be the joint focus in the series-deciding third Test between Pakistan and New Zealand starting in Sharjah on Wednesday.New Zealand have included Vettori in the eleven in their bids to level the series which they trail 1-0 after losing the first Test by 248 runs in Abu Dhabi and drawing the second in Dubai.The 35-year-old Vettori, who has 360 wickets, played the last of his 112 Tests (one Test for ICC World XI and the rest for New Zealand) in July 2012 and has since been sidelined due to a back injury.Skipper Brendon McCullum confirmed Vettori will replace Jimmy Neesham in the side.Yeah, Dane will play and we are all excited about it, said McCullum on Tuesday. He will become the most capped Test player for New Zealand and we are going with three spinners.Vettori will overtake Stephen Fleming who also played 111 Tests for New Zealand.Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul Haq admitted Vettoris inclusion showed New Zealands aspiration to level the series.I think they will do every bit to level the series, said Misbah.Every team aspires to win, especially when they are 1-0 down and level the series. Vettori is an experienced campaigner but we have played him before so we know how he bowls,Besides Vettori, the toss will also be a key factor as the team winning the toss dictated terms in the first two Tests.Pakistan piled up 566-3 after winning the toss and then spun out New Zealand twice for a comprehensive win.Despite the odds, New Zealand staged an impressive comeback in the second Test in Dubai, winning the toss and dictating terms before Pakistan, set a target of 261 on the final day, salvaged a draw to set up an intriguing finale.Pakistans spinners -- left armer Zulfiqar Babar (13 wickets in two Tests) and leggie Yasir Shah (11) -- will hold the key.But McCullum said his team can take confidence from an improved performance in the second Test.We would have loved to have won the second Test, said McCullum. But you have to look at what we have done in Dubai, bank the confidence and head to Sharjah knowing that we have an opportunity to win away from home if we play up a little bit up.Pakistan will bring in opener Mohammad Hafeez who missed the second Test due to a hamstring injury.His bowling action was reported as suspect after the first Test but he can bowl in Sharjah, pending a report of a bio-mechanical analysis performed in England on Monday.He returned to Sharjah early Tuesday and will replace Taufeeq Umar while paceman Mohammad Talha is likely to come in for Eshan Adil who suffered a side strain.Misbah wants Pakistan to improve their fielding in Sharjah after dropping a number of catches in Dubai.I am pretty pleased with the bowling and batting, said the Pakistan captain.In the field we need to take our chances because on these sort of wickets if you miss chances it could be really difficult for the bowlers.The two teams also play two Twenty20 matches and five one-day internationals after the Tests.Teams (from):Pakistan: Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Shan Masood, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Talha, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Ehsan Adil, Sarfraz Ahmed, Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah.New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (capt), Hamish Rutherford, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson, BJ Watling, Luke Ronchi, Daniel Vettori, Mark Craig, Tim Southee, Doug Bracewell, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi.Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS) and Paul Reiffel (AUS). Tv umpire: Ranmore Martinesz (SRI). Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM).

Kenya to tour Pakistan

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LAHORE (AFP) - Kenya are set to tour Pakistan to play against a second-string team as part of efforts to revive top-flight international cricket in the country, five years after it was halted due to a terror attack.Kenya will tour next month for five one-day games, said Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan.We have been making efforts to bring smaller teams to Pakistan and the object is to open the door for teams to our country, and we have got the governments clearance on that, Khan told AFP. Pakistan have not hosted any international cricket since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009, killing eight people and injuring nine. Team members were among the injured.Bangladesh twice backed away from touring for a short series in 2012 and a year later, citing security fears.Ireland were due to play a short limited-over series in Pakistan in September this year, but militant attacks on Karachi airport resulted in the tour being called off.Khan last month visited Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India to lobby for tours to resume. He was also in negotiations with Kenya, who lost their one-day international status last year.Khan said he hoped Kenyas tour would open the door for others.Look, we hope that international teams will follow suit and we are doing this step by step, said Khan.Kenya would thus become the second national team after Afghanistan to have visited this country since 2009.Afghanistan played a one-day series against Pakistan A in 2011.The PCB said Kenya would arrive on December 11 and play five matches -- all in Lahore -- on December 13, 15, 16, 18 and 20.

Revenge-seeking England take on Sri Lanka

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COLOMBO (AFP) - England will look to settle scores against Sri Lanka after their bad-tempered clash earlier this year when the two sides meet in a pre-World Cup one-day series from Wednesday.The seven-match tour has been spiced up by comments from England captain Alastair Cook that his team will try to exact revenge for the Test and one-day defeats at home.Cooks status as captain came under heavy pressure after the 1-0 Test defeat, and tempers frayed in the ODIs when off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake controversially ran out Jos Buttler before delivering a ball.There is a World Cup at the end of it, but we are here to try and win this series, Cook said on arrival. I think we owe you (Sri Lanka) a little bit of revenge.The Mankaded dismissal by Senanayake, since suspended for an illegal bowling action, is considered to be against crickets spirit of fair play.But Sri Lanka insisted Buttler was earlier warned for backing up, and senior pro Mahela Jayawardene lashed out at Cook for questioning Senanayakes run-out.Meanwhile Sri Lanka are smarting from this months 5-0 thrashing in India in a series that was hastily arranged after the West Indies abandoned their Indian tour over a pay dispute.Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews insisted the matches will be used to recover from the morale-sapping loss and find the right combination for the World Cup starting in February.We need to get back into our groove, Mathews said. We want to look at players whom we think need to be looked at and whom we think will go on the World Cup.Its very important that we sort out our bowlers and also the batting order. By the end of the series we should have a very clear idea of whom we want to take to the World Cup.Both teams are grouped together in the preliminary stage of the World Cup and will feature on the opening day on February 14, with Sri Lanka playing New Zealand and England facing Australia.The upcoming series, which opens in Colombo, provides both teams a chance to strike form -- provided the weather does not play spoilsport.The prevailing north-east monsoon over the island has already forced one of the two warm-up matches to be abandoned, leaving the tourists short of match practice.With more rain forecast during the series, Sri Lankan officials have set aside reserve days for five of the seven matches.Its not ideal, is it? England batsman Ian Bell said. But I suppose, on this tour, were going to get interrupted by rain all the way through.England have lost 11 of 18 one-dayers this year, including a 4-1 drubbing in Australia which co-hosts the World Cup with New Zealand in February-March.England (from): Alastair Cook (capt), Moeen Ali, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes.Sri Lanka (from): Angelo Mathews (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeevan Mendis, Thilina Kandamby, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Ajantha Mendis, Shaminda Eranga, Dhammika Prasad, Thisara Perera, Lahiru Gamage.

Hughes not wearing latest model helmet: manufacturer

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LONDON (AFP) - The manufacturer of the helmet worn by Phillip Hughes said Tuesday he was not wearing their most up-to-date model after the Australian batsman was left fighting for his life having been knocked out by a bouncer.Hughes, 25, who was pressing for a Test recall, crashed to the ground unconscious after the heavy blow to the lower head and was rushed to hospital from the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.Television images showed the helmeted Hughes, who had scored a composed 63 for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield game, standing dazed before going down face-first following the rising delivery from New South Wales bowler Sean Abbott.Masuri, the UK-based manufacturer of the helmet worn by Hughes and one of the leading suppliers of protective headgear to the worlds top batsmen, said in a statement they wished him a full and speedy recovery.Their statement said they were seeking as much footage of the incident as possible to be able to see more conclusively exactly where Hughes had been hit.From the footage and pictures currently available to Masuri, it appears that Phil Hughes was struck by the ball to the rear of the grille and below the back of the shell, missing his Masuri Original Test model helmet, the companys statement said.This is a vulnerable area of the head and neck that helmets cannot fully protect, while enabling batsmen to have full and proper movement.However, Masuris statement added: The newly-developed Masuri Vision Series helmet, which supersedes the 2013 helmet worn by Phil Hughes, does afford batsmen extra protection in this region -- and still allows comfortable movement.Nevertheless, it was yet to be determined whether a change of helmet could have prevented Hughess accident or indeed if the design of the one he was wearing had played any part at all in his injury.Masuri managing director Sam Miller said: The thoughts of everyone at Masuri are with Phil Hughes and his family.Helmet manufacturers are constantly developing their products to make them safer.We work continuously with the governing authorities worldwide to reduce the risk of injury to players.A spokesman for Masuri told AFP the new Vision Series helmet had gone on sale in the UK in August 2014.Former England fast bowler Stephen Harmison said he had been horrified by Hughess injury, particularly as he was a top-order batsman.Harmison, who in the first Test of the 2005 Ashes at Lords struck Ricky Ponting, one of crickets greatest batsmen, with a delivery that hit the then Australia captain between the helmet and the grille, drawing blood from the Tasmanians cheek, told BBC Radio Five: Its horrifying seeing something like that happen to a top-order batsman.You sometimes fear for lower-order players, bowlers especially when theyre batting and facing the quick bowlers.You dont fear too much for the top-order batsmen because theyre good players and theyre used to fending off short balls.It just looked like a freak accident, added Harmison, echoing comments made by other leading cricketers and experienced observers.Its saddening and sickening to see such a fantastic player in the position hes in. We all hope he pulls through.Safety standards for helmets in English county cricket, where Hughes has had spells with Middlesex, Hampshire and most recently Worcestershire, were already in the process of being improved prior to his accident.Angus Porter, chief executive of Englands Professional Cricketers Association, said: There is a new British safety standard which is in the process of being implemented that will hopefully offer a greater measure of protection.The standard is now live and the manufacturers are working with testing houses on designs that will pass.The first batch of helmets are coming through now which would pass the test and were hopeful we will see them used in professional cricket next season.However, Porter said complete protection was impossible.Its difficult to know exactly what difference the standard might have made in this precise circumstance because there will always be an element of risk in cricket, he said.The balls are hard and they travel fast. No design will eliminate risk completely.

Jahangir Tareen wrote off his loans in Musharraf's era: Muhammad Zubair

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Minister of State for Privatization Muhammad Zubair on Tuesday has said that secretary general of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Jahangir Tareen did not pay his loans back which are worth at least Rs 24 crores and 70 lacs and got a way out without paying his loans back in the former president Pervez Musharraf’s era.He expressed these views in a combined press conference with Minister for Information Pervez Rashid in Islamabad.He accused Tareen of writing off his loans saying that he did not have any bank balance in the 90s decade but now he owns billions of rupees.Zubair asked that how an ordinary bank officer could become a billionaire in a period of ten years?On the occasion, Pervez Rashid accused Tareen of using the funds for rural development for his sugar mills during his service tenure as minister.Rashid also said that 82 percent of the PTI members do not pay income taxes.He asked PTI chairman who urges others to keep businesses and politics apart to answer about the future of Jahangir Tareen who has evaded heavy taxes.Zubair also professed that some government officials are also included in the list of income tax absconders.However, he said, the source of income of most of the government officers is agriculture.
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