Wednesday 26 November 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Syria regime raids on Islamic State 'capital' kill 95

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BEIRUT (AFP) - Syrian regime air strikes on the Islamic State group stronghold Raqa have killed at least 95 people, while a delegation from President Bashar al-Assads government held talks Wednesday with key ally Russia.The bombing Tuesday was the deadliest by Assads air force in Raqa since fighters from the Sunni extremist IS seized the city last year and declared it their capital.More than half of the dead were civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.It was unknown how many jihadists were killed.Raqa was the first and only provincial capital lost by the regime, and was later overrun by IS, which has used it as the headquarters for its self-proclaimed caliphate straddling Syria and neighbouring Iraq.The multi-sided Syrian conflict has killed more than 195,000 people and forced millions from their homes since it began three and a half years ago as an uprising against Assads regime.The government has stepped up air strikes against IS-held towns in the north and east in recent months, with most of the casualties reported to have been civilians.Raqa has also been the target of repeated air strikes by the US-led coalition fighting the jihadists.Syrias exiled opposition National Coalition condemned the strikes as a brutal massacre, warning that many seem now convinced that Assad is the major beneficiary of the coalition strikes against the jihadists.In Russia, a Syrian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Walid Muallem held talks with Assads key ally President Vladimir Putin at his Black Sea retreat in Sochi Wednesday.But the content of the closed-door discussions was not revealed.Ahead of the talks, Russias foreign ministry said the issue of mending the political process would be high on the agenda. Two rounds of UN-brokered talks were held in Switzerland in early 2013. Both ended without agreement.After Wednesdays meeting, Russian news reports quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying no new talks were possible at this time.If you think that a conference will be announced similar to the one that was held in... January this year with the participation of 50-odd states, thousands of journalists, bright lights, there wont be such a conference, Interfax quoted him as saying.Lavrov blamed external interference in the Syrian conflict for undermining the prospects for new direct negotiations.A former leader of the National Coalition, Moaz al-Khatib, is reported to have held talks at the Russian foreign ministry on November 7.The coalition, which has been internationally recognised but lacks influence in Syria, has voiced scepticism about prospects for progress.The delegation from Damascus was also expected to push for the delivery of long-sought S-300 anti-aircraft missiles.In September, Putin said their delivery had been suspended without saying why, though the decision came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Russia to ask Moscow to halt the shipments.After the meeting, Lavrov was quoted as saying Russia will continue helping Syria protect itself against terrorism, without elaborating.The UN and human rights groups have repeatedly called on all sides in the war, including the regime, to stop using weapons that fail to discriminate between civilians and military targets.German Chancellor Angela Merkel described IS Wednesday as one of the most brutal threats to the lives of the people in the region... that there has ever been.Their radical lack of inhibition and willingness to murder also threatens our security, she said, voicing concern about foreigners going to fight in Syria and Iraq.In Iraq, pro-government forces have recaptured some of the territory lost to IS, but the militants still hold large areas of the country including the cities of Mosul, Tikrit and Fallujah.France, part of the coalition fighting IS in Iraq, said six Mirage fighter jets would be deployed on Thursday to Jordan to assist in the strikes across the border.The US military said Wednesday its warplanes had carried out 10 air strikes against IS fighters in Syria since Monday, while the wider coalition waged seven strikes against the group in Iraq.Iraqi security forces and allied tribesmen were battling Wednesday to defend the governors office in Anbar provincial capital Ramadi from an attack by the IS fighters, officers said.And Kurdish peshmerga forces held off a major IS attack in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk, other officers said.

Powers to push for early Iran nuclear deal: diplomat

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - Iran and world powers will try to conclude a nuclear deal before a new summer deadline, a senior European diplomat said Wednesday, just days after negotiations ended unsuccessfully in Vienna.The extension is until June 30 but theres a clear commitment to capitalise on the momentum and get it done much earlier, the diplomat said.Iran and world powers failed Monday to clinch a landmark nuclear deal and defuse a 12-year standoff but gave themselves seven more months to reach agreement.The failure followed an intensive five-day diplomatic push in the Austrian capital Vienna involving the foreign ministers of Iran, the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.There was an absolute commitment to reach a deal but it was not enough to bridge the gaps, the diplomat said, adding that negotiators would meet again in December.The format, place and level is yet to be decided, the source said.An agreement is aimed at easing fears that Tehran will develop nuclear weapons under the guise of its civilian activities, an ambition Iran denies.It could see painful sanctions on Iran lifted, silence talk of war and represent a much-needed success for both US President Barack Obama and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani.

Thousands protest at US embassy in London over Ferguson case

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LONDON (AFP) - Thousands protested in London on Wednesday in sympathy with demonstrations across the US over the killing of a black teenager by a white police officer.The decision not to prosecute the officer for shooting dead unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, sparked anger and racially-charged unrest in cities across the United States this week.The roughly five thousand London protesters held signs reading Black lives matter and chanted Hands up, dont shoot, the slogan adopted by protesters in the US.At a rally outside the United States embassy, relatives of black men killed by police in Britain addressed the crowd.We need to send a message to Mike Browns family, said Carol Duggan, the aunt of Mark Duggan, a 29-year-old black man whose shooting by police in 2011 was followed by riots.We feel the pain, we know the pain, of losing somebody at the hands of the police.That is why we stand in solidarity with the community of Ferguson. I feel they are very strong and brave people.Some protesters carried candles, and a minute of silence was held in honour of those killed by police around the world.Marcia Rigg, the sister of Sean Rigg, a 40-year-old black musician who died in police custody in London in 2008, told the crowd that she did not support arson and looting but that she understood peoples rage. People around the world understand the frustration and anger that the people are feeling when our loved ones are murdered on the streets, Rigg said.Over two thousand National Guard soldiers were deployed to back up the police in Ferguson, a suburb of 21,000 inhabitants outside the city of St Louis, after fires and looting at protests this week.The outcry followed a conclusion by a grand jury that police officer Darren Wilson acted in self-defence. Wilson has said that he believes he acted appropriately.Following the vigil at the embassy, the crowd marched through Londons central shopping district, stopping traffic on Oxford Street and Regent Street as they chanted Dont shoot black kids.

Ferguson cleans up, but passions still inflamed

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FERGUSON (AFP) - Residents of the US town of Ferguson said Wednesday they hoped racially-charged violence sparked by the Michael Brown case will abate, but nationwide protests suggest anger is still simmering.Violence erupted in the St Louis, Missouri suburb for a second night Tuesday over a decision by a grand jury not to prosecute a white police officer for shooting dead Brown, an unarmed black teenager.Windows were smashed at city hall, a police car was set on fire and protesters hurled rocks, bottles, chunks of concrete and Molotov cocktails at police -- but the unrest was more muted than on Monday.I think generally it was a much better night, St Louis County police chief Jon Belmar told reporters.Protest marches however sprang up across the United States on Tuesday, with many thousands of people joining demonstrations in dozens of cities -- a relatively rare occurrence in America, and evidence that the case has struck a raw nerve in race relations.From Seattle to New York, demonstrators rallied, even blocking bridges and tunnels in the Big Apple. More than 180 people were arrested in Los Angeles alone, police said.Civil rights leaders have called for more protests on Saturday.Similar rallies were held last year after the acquittal on murder charges of neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who shot dead another unarmed black teen, Trayvon Martin, in Florida.In Ferguson, where the National Guard presence was tripled to 2,200 on Tuesday to back up the beleaguered police force in a bid to quell violence, residents said on the eve of Thanksgiving that they hoped the looting and arson would stop.I agree you can have your right to say what you feel like saying but when you go beyond that, I do not agree with that at all, said John Adams, who works at a car care center that was damaged.Were kind of out of a job right now until this is done. (...) I think if youre going to destroy stuff, destroy something of your own.Karen Gold, who owns a shop selling repurposed furniture and handmade items from local artists near the Ferguson city hall, painted festive scenes on her boarded-up shop front Wednesday.Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I hope we can pull together as a community, Gold, who is white, told AFP.I want to move on from this.Browns mother, Lesley McSpadden, told CBS News that they hoped protests would remain peaceful.We continue to ask for calm, McSpadden said.Browns parents however had harsher words for Darren Wilson, the officer who shot their son and said Tuesday he had a clean conscience about the August 9 incident.The grand jury found that Wilson had shot Brown in self-defense after an altercation. A total of 12 shots were fired.In his first televised comments since the incident, Wilson told ABC News he had feared for his life during the confrontation, believing Brown was attempting to wrestle his gun away from him.The officer said he was comfortable that he had acted correctly.I dont think its haunting. Its always going to be something that happened, he said, adding that his conscience was clear because I know I did my job right.A visibly emotional McSpadden said on NBCs Today show that Wilsons remarks added insult after injury and were so disrespectful.His father, Michael Brown Sr., said on NBC he felt the officers version of events was crazy.For one, my son, he respected law enforcement, Brown said. Two, who in their right mind would rush or charge at a police officer that has his gun drawn? It sounds crazy.The August shooting of Brown sparked weeks of protest and a debate about race relations and military-style police tactics.The towns community of 21,000 -- which is majority black -- has been on edge since the shooting, and residents complain of years of racial prejudice and heavy-handed tactics by the predominantly white police force.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. US President Barack Obama called for rioters to be prosecuted, but acknowledged the deep-rooted frustrations of minorities who feel they are unfairly treated by police.There are productive ways of responding and expressing those frustrations and there are destructive ways of responding, he said.Burning buildings, torching cars, destroying property, putting people at risk. Thats destructive and theres no excuse for it. Those are criminal acts.

OPEC set for pivotal decision on oil output amount

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VIENNA (AFP) - The OPEC oil producers cartel meets in Vienna Thursday for a pivotal decision on whether to reduce the amount of oil it produces, faced with a global supply glut that has massively depressed crude prices.The price of US benchmark oil fell to a four-year low Wednesday on growing expectations that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will not take significant action in the Austrian capital, home to the 12-nation cartel that pumps out about a third of the worlds crude.Thursdays OPEC meeting is the most significant in recent years after crude futures have sunk by more than 30 percent since June on plentiful oil supplies, a strong dollar and worries about stalling energy demand in a weak global economy.OPEC is under pressure from its poorer members like Venezuela and Ecuador to cut output as tumbling prices have slashed their precious revenues.However the cartels Gulf members have rejected calls for a cut unless they are guaranteed market share in the highly competitive arena.OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia on Wednesday said Gulf nations had reached a consensus over what needed to happen regarding the cartels level of supply, adding that it hoped the other members would agree.I am confident that OPEC is capable of taking a very unified position, Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi told reporters.OPEC pumped 30.6 million oil barrels per day last month, above its 30 million bpd target according to the International Energy Agency, which advises countries on energy policy.Some analysts believe that the cartel will on Thursday agree to trim such excess rather than cut its official ceiling.Traders are sceptical that the cartels current production ceiling of 30 million barrels of oil per day will be reduced at this meeting, said Fawad Razaqzada, an analyst at Forex.com.If OPEC were to trim the production limit, it will therefore concede more market share to shale oil producers, so it is not in the best interest of its members in the long term.Ahead of the OPEC meeting, the worlds top oil producer Saudi Arabia cut charges for US customers in a move seen as a bid to maintain its market share amid increasing competition from oil extracted from shale rock in the United States.OPEC has meanwhile insisted that it is not solely up to the cartel to tackle the oversupply that is sending crude prices crashing, in turn benefitting consumers at the petrol pumps but hurting oil companies incomes.Officials from Saudi Arabia met with their counterparts from Venezuela and non-OPEC oil producers Russia and Mexico in Vienna on Tuesday.Following the surprise gathering, Russian oil giant Rosneft said it had trimmed its daily output by 25,000 barrels because of market conditions.The token reduction represented less than one percent of the behemoths total and did nothing to boost energy prices on depressed global commodity markets.On Wednesday, the price of US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in January fell 40 cents to $73.69 a barrel -- its lowest closing price since September 2010.

DNA may survive trip to suborbital space and back

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - DNA molecules attached to the outside of a rocket may be able survive a trip to suborbital space and back into the Earths atmosphere at extremely high temperatures, according to a study Wednesday.The experiment, carried out on the TEXUS-49 rocket mission in March 2011, showed that DNA could be recovered from all application sites on the exterior of the rocket, according to the study published in PLOS ONE journal.The surviving molecules were still able to transfer genetic information to cells and bacteria, even after exposure to temperature as high as 1000 degrees Celsius (1832 degrees Fahrenheit), according to co-authors Cora Thiel and Oliver Ullrich from University of Zurich.The authors said the experiment could be the basis for a model for nucleic acids that could serve as biomarkers in the search for past or present extraterrestrial life.DNA plays an important role as a biomarker for the search of extraterrestrial signatures of life, and scientists are working to characterize and compare the influence of Earth and space conditions on DNA, the study said.Researchers attached artificial plasmid DNA with a flourescent marker to three different spots on the rocket for the experiment, which was initially designed to test for biomarker stability during space flight and return to Earth.Thiel and Ullrich said they were totally surprised by the results of the experiment, and did not think the molecules would survive the space journey.We never expected to recover so many intact and functional active DNA, they said.The scientists say the results raise concerns about contaminating space crafts, landers and landing sites with DNA from Earth.It is not only an issue from space to Earth, it is also an issue from Earth to space and to other planets, the co-authors said.

Cricket: England lose to Sri Lanka despite Ali ton

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COLOMBO (AFP) - Sri Lanka overcame a brilliant century by Moeen Ali and a late cameo from Ravi Bopara to defeat England by 25 runs in the first one-day international in Colombo on Wednesday.Opener Ali smashed 119 off 87 balls with 11 boundaries and five sixes as the tourists made a spirited chase of Sri Lankas 317-6 before being bowled out for 292 in the day-night match.The left-handers maiden one-day hundred was followed by Boparas 65 off 62 balls in the end overs that left England on the doorstep of victory in the first match of the seven-game series.But Bopara was last man out off the first ball of the 48th over, caught in the deep off seamer Thisara Perera, who finished with three wickets.England captain Alastair Cook made only 10 despite being reprieved twice off successive balls in the first over by the TV umpire after being declared leg-before to Angelo Mathews.Ali put on 51 for the first wicket with Cook and 56 for the second with Ian Bell to lift England to 107-1 in the 16th over.But three wickets crashed for 17 runs as Thisara Perera dismissed Bell (35) and Joe Root (two) and Ajantha Mendis bowled Eoin Morgan.Ali was sixth out in the 31st over with the total at 203, offering a tame return catch to spinner Jeevan Mendis.Mathews said he was delighted to see his team bounce back after the 5-0 drubbing in India earlier in the month.It was a good game of cricket, the Sri Lankan captain said. We could tick all the boxes. The fielding was outstanding. We had stressed on that after the India tour.There is of course a lot of room for improvement but I thought we batted really well. This is a good start to the series. Hopefully we will continue to do well.Cook said a poor bowling display cost his team the match.We didnt bowl as well as we should have done in the first 10 overs, he said. We dragged it back nicely but in the last few overs we always tend to leak a few more runs than wed like to.Moeen played a blinder, but we lost too many wickets which you can put down to lack of match practice. We know if you get behind the run-rate its difficult.Its frustrating because were not putting a whole game together. We thought 300 was a par score on this wicket. But there are a lot of positive things from today like the way we attacked Sri Lankas bowlers.Sri Lankas total after being sent in to bat was built around half-centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and Kusal Perera.Dilshan top-scored with 88, Jayawardene hit a fluent 55 and Kusal Perera made 59 as the hosts took advantage of Englands wayward and indisciplined attack that produced 17 wides.The start of the match at the Premadasa stadium was delayed by an hour due to bad weather, but the umpires decided to play a full 50-overs-a-side game.Englands decision to field first in overcast conditions did not bear fruit as Dilshan and Kusal Perera put on 120 for the first wicket by the 23rd over to give the hosts a flying start.Sri Lanka plundered 94 runs in the last 10 overs to set England a tough target at the start of the series which gives both teams a chance to prepare for the World Cup in February-March.

Egypt jails 78 boys for pro-Morsi protests

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CAIRO (AFP) - An Egyptian court sentenced 78 teenage boys to between two and five years in prison Wednesday for joining protests demanding the return of the ousted Islamist president, judicial sources said.The authorities have engaged in a crackdown on Mohamed Morsis supporters since the army deposed him last year, with hundreds jailed in mass trials the United Nations has described as unprecedented in recent history.On Wednesday a court in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria sentenced 78 boys who are under 18 for joining the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhoods rallies in the past three months, a judicial official said.While the judicial sources said the boys were aged between 13 and 17, their defence lawyer said the youngest was 15.The 78 minors, members of the Muslim Brotherhood, were arrested for participating in protests organised by the group calling for the downfall of the regime in which they blocked roads and transportation, and terrified citizens, state agency MENA reported.They will be held in juvenile detention until they turn 18, when they will be transferred to adult prison.Last December, the government declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation.The number of children jailed since Morsis ouster is unprecedented, said Ahmed Messilhy, head of a committee to defend children at Egypts lawyers syndicate.Defence lawyer Ayman El Dabi said he planned to appeal the ruling within the next few weeks.The defendants, he said, were arrested at several protests over the past year and had been in detention since.Some were not even protesting and were in the wrong place, he added.Since Morsis ouster, the government has launched a crackdown against his supporters that has left at least 1,400 people dead and more than 15,000 behind bars.A number of Brotherhood leaders, including Morsi himself, are facing trials in several cases that might result in death sentences.Dozens of Islamists have already been sentenced to death in mass trials.Morsi was overthrown after millions took to the streets demanding his resignation after just one year in office, accusing him of monopolising power and ruining an already weak economy.The authorities accuse the Brotherhood of planning and carrying out deadly attacks targeting security forces since Morsis ouster. The movement has regularly condemned these attacks.These attacks have been claimed by jihadist groups who say they are in retaliation for the crackdown on Islamists.The most active such group, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which claimed an attack that killed 30 soldiers on October 24 in North Sinai, recently pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, which has seized swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.

Football: Ronaldo nets as Madrid claim record-equalling win

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BASEL (AFP) - Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 71st Champions League goal as Real Madrid recorded a club record-equalling 15th consecutive win by beating FC Basel 1-0 in Switzerland in the Champions League on Wednesday.The Portuguese superstar converted a Karim Benzema cutback 10 minutes before half-time at the St Jakob-Park as the reigning European champions, who had already qualified for the last 16, secured first place in Group B with a fifth win in five games.Ronaldos goal allowed him to move level with former Madrid striker Raul as the tournaments second-top scorer of all time, three behind Lionel Messi, who broke the record with a hat-trick for Barcelona against APOEL on Tuesday.And the goal secured their 15th consecutive victory in all competitions, a sequence that began with a 5-1 defeat of Basel at the Santiago Bernabeu in September.Carlo Ancelottis men have therefore equalled the record that was set by Miguel Munozs team in 1960-61 and then matched three seasons ago under Jose Mourinho.We played to our usual level, we defended well, stayed concentrated and at the end the most important thing was the victory, said Ancelotti.Im happy to have equalled this record (15 straight wins), its good for the club and for the players.Meanwhile, Basel, who had won their previous two home games, fought admirably with 17-year-old Cameroonian forward Breel Embolo proving a real handful, and despite the defeat they know that a draw with Liverpool at Anfield in a fortnight will take them through to the knock-out stage.Ancelotti believes they have the ability to do that.Right now I think Basel are better than Liverpool. The Swiss side have good fitness and are well-organised, he added.It wont be easy at Anfield but the Swiss have a little advantage.Basels Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa said he thought his team could have got more out of the game but said he was confident about progressing.Im disappointed because I think we deserved more from this match, he said.When Ancelotti says we have an advantage on Liverpool, I think he has a point.Ancelotti gave Keylor Navas his Champions League debut in goal in place of Iker Casillas and handed a start at right-back to Alvaro Arbeloa with Dani Carvajal absent due to illness.However, James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo all started in attack and it was the latter two who combined to break the deadlock in the 35th minute after a closely-fought opening to the game.Benzema was the architect with a superb run in from the left to the byline, from where he cut the ball back beyond the reach of goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik for Ronaldo to score.Ronaldo might have moved another goal closer to equalling Messis record early in the second period, but his fizzing free-kick was turned around the post by Vaclik.Bale also crashed a shot off the woodwork but it was not always a comfortable evening for the visitors, with Shkelzen Gashi slicing a shot high and wide for Basel from a great position after fine work by captain Fabian Frei, the shot striking the hand of Sergio Ramos on its way through.And the exciting Embolo held off Raphael Varane before attempting to round Navas, only for the Costa Rican goalkeeper to narrow the angle well and make a terrific save to turn the ball around the post, but Basels performance gave them plenty of reason to be optimistic ahead of that crunch trip to Liverpool.

Football: Arsenal down Dortmund to make last 16

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LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League for the 15th successive season as Yaya Sanogos first goal for the club and a gem from Alexis Sanchez clinched a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.Arsene Wengers side were desperately in need of a morale-boosting European victory after back-to-back defeats against Swansea and Manchester United left them well adrift in the Premier League title race.Those dispiriting losses prompted a section of Arsenals support to call for Wengers sacking, while stinging criticism of the Gunners boss from the clubs second-largest shareholder Alisher Usmanov added to the impression of a season spiralling out of control.But Sanogo took less than two minutes to notch his first goal for Arsenal, in his 18th appearances since his free transfer from Auxerre in 2013, and a majestic second-half strike from Sanchez ensured the north Londoners, who had needed a point to go through from Group D, once again advanced to the knock-out stages of Europes elite club competition.Their spirits lifted by a dominant display at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal could still snatch top spot from Dortmund with a victory in their final group fixture at Galatasaray on December 9, providing the out-of-form Germans lose against Anderlecht.With Danny Welbeck ruled out with a knee injury and Olivier Giroud ineligible, Wenger gambled on the inexperienced Sanogo as his lone striker instead of Germany international Lukas Podolski.A poor performance would have given the critics more ammunition to attack Wenger, but it proved an inspired move as Sanogo put Arsenal ahead after just 73 seconds.The France Under-21 forward received possession with his back to his marker and showed tremendous confidence to juggle the ball and then flick it into Santi Cazorlas pathSanogo then turned and ran on to Cazorlas pass before guiding a cool finish under Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller.Dortmund held a training session on pitches normally used by part-time players in Londons Regents Park earlier in the day and Jurgen Klopps team were guilty of some fairly amateurish defending as they allowed Sanogo another sight of goal which the youngster squandered with a hesitant touch.Injuries to Welbeck, Jack Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny and Theo Walcott had ravaged Wengers preferred starting line-up.And the Gunners still looked vulnerable on the rare occasions Dortmund attacked with purpose.Henrikh Mkhitaryan should have done better than poke tamely over from a good position and Wengers team survived a penalty appeal when Kieran Gibbs caught Lukasz Piszczek.Emiliano Martinez, making only his fourth start in goal for Arsenal, had to preserve his sides lead with a good save to keep out Mkhitaryans drive at the near post after Piszczek got behind Gibbs to nod down a lofted pass.Although Dortmund had already qualified for the last 16 after winning their first four group fixtures, they are in the midst of a terrible run in the Bundesliga and looked bereft of confidence and creativity once those chances were squandered.Sanchez nearly took advantage of their angst when the Arsenal winger was allowed to advance unchecked for a low shot that forced a good stop from Weidenfeller early in the second half.Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain went even closer when he hit a dipping half-volley against the crossbar.Yet there was no need for Arsenal to rue those near-misses as Sanchez produced a moment of magic to double the lead and kill off the Germans in the 57th minute.Cazorla started the move with a crisp pass out to Sanchez on the left flank.And, with Dortmund backing off, the Chilean was able to cushion the ball with his first touch and shift it inside with his second before curling a sublime 20-yard effort beyond Weidenfeller for his 13th goal in just 20 appearances for the Gunners.

Football: Atletico Madrid through to Champions League last 16

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MADRID (AFP) - Spanish champions Atletico Madrid secured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with 4-0 over Olympiakos on Tuesday thanks to a hat-trick from Mario Mandzukic.A fast start by last seasons beaten finalists was rewarded when Raul Garcia prodded home at the near post after an awful attempted clearance from ex-Atletico goalkeeper Roberto.Mandzukic had suffered a broken nose when Olympiakos beat Atletico 3-2 on matchday one, but the Croatian had a far more enjoyable evening this time round and opened his account with a tap in after Alberto Botia failed to cut out Cristian Ansaldis low cross.And he completed his hat-trick with two powerful headed finishes in three minutes just after the hour mark.Victory for Juventus away to Malmo means Atletico just need to avoid defeat by two or more goals when they travel to Turin in two weeks time in order to top the group.Olympiakos, meanwhile, now need a big favour from Atletico if they are to progress as they need to beat Malmo at home next time out and hope Diego Simeones men win in Italy.The visitors hadnt played a competitive game in 17 days as the Greek league was suspended following the recent international break due to a violent attack on a senior official of the countrys referee board.And they looked decidedly rusty as Atletico opened them up time and again down the Spaniards right in the opening stages.The first of many forays forward by right-back Juanfran caused panic in the Olympiakos area after just two minutes but neither Garcia or Mandzukic could bundle the ball home.Mandzukic was then just inches from connecting with another low cross from Juanfran to the near post.However, Olympiakos failed to learn their lesson as the opener arrived in similar circumstances as Roberto fired an attempted clearance straight at Juanfrans feet and this time his cross was converted at the near post by Garcia.Roberto redeemed himself somewhat by getting down low to his left to turn Ansaldis fierce drive behind and Tiago should have down better when he fired well over from a well-worked free-kick.A lack of pace cost Mandzukic moments later when he was played in behind the Olympiakos defence before being crowded out by a bunch of recovering defenders.However, he was presented his first goal of the evening when Botia swiped at fresh air from Ansaldis low cross and the Croatian slotted home at the far post.The former Bayern Munich striker was first to threaten after half-time as well as his goalbound effort was deflected behind by Alejandro Dominguez.Mandzukic was perfectly placed again to make it 3-0 just after the hour mark when he powered a header into the bottom corner from Arda Turans inviting cross.Moments later he sealed his first hat-trick in Atletico colours with another header from Gabis free-kick that had too much power for Roberto.Mandzukic was then withdrawn to a heros ovation from the Vicente Calderon crowd as Antoine Griezmann entered the fray.And the Frenchman thought he had added a fifth goal when he headed home at the far post from Kokes corner, but referee Wolfgang Stark ruled it out for a foul on Roberto, much to the dismay of the home fans.

Tennis: First US woman to win Aussie crown dead at 98

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NEWPORT (AFP) - Dorothy Dodo Cheney, the first American woman to win what is now known as the Australian Open, has died at the age of 98, the International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Wednesday.Cheney died in Escondido, California, following a brief illness.She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004, joining her mother May Sutton Bundy in the sporting shrine, and introduced at the induction ceremony by fellow Hall of Famer John McEnroe.Cheney won the 1938 Australian Championships and reached the semi-finals of the other three Grand Slam events in her career, cracking the Wimbledon and French Open last four in 1946 and the US Open semi-finals in 1937, 1938, 1943 and 1944.Cheney, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up in womens doubles and four-time runner-up in mixed doubles, was still playing select top-level events in 1967, at the age of 51.Dodo Cheney was one of the most prolific champions in the history of tennis and the personification of tennis truly being a lifetime sport, said US Tennis Association chairman Dave Haggerty. She played competitively into her 90s and her remarkable grace, singular class and competitive spirit made her one of our sports greatest ambassadors. She will be sorely missed by the sport that she loved.

Tennis: Murray on the way to get hitched as coaches get ditched

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LONDON (AFP) - Andy Murray announced his engagement to longtime girlfriend Kim Sears on Wednesday while also dispensing with two members of his backroom staff in Dani Vallverdu and Jez Green.The 2013 Wimbledon champion, who was originally coached by his mother, Judy, has retained Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo, herself a former Grand Slam winner, as his head coach, while his engagement to Sears follows their nine years as a couple.But two of the men who have played such a big part in Murrays professional life will no longer be involved after he parted company with friend and hitting partner Vallverdu and fitness coach Green.Murrays management company, who also announced his engagement, said the coaching split was mutual, with the 27-year-old Scot adding: We sat down at the end of the season and decided that a change would be best for all of us.My off-season training and Australian Open preparations have already begun and I am very excited for the new year.I thank Jez and Dani for all their hard work over the years and wish them the best for the future.Murray and Vallverdu met at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Spain as promising young players more than a decade ago, with the Venezuelan becoming a key member of the British players entourage.Both Green and Vallverdu were said to be unhappy when Murray decided to appoint Mauresmo as his main coach in succession to Ivan Lendl in June, although the issue was reported to be a lack of consultation rather than consternation at their bosss decision, unusual for a top male player, to have a woman as his head coach. Murray has made significant changes to his coaching staff throughout his career, splitting with Brad Gilbert at the age of 20 despite Britains governing Lawn Tennis Association paying the American a hefty fee primarily just to coach him. His decision to hire a former champion in Lendl in 2012 sparked similar moves from Roger Federer, who brought Stefan Edberg into his camp, and Novak Djokovic, who recruited Boris Becker to his team.But with Lendl seemingly reluctant to spend as much time on the road as Murray wanted, their partnership came to an end when the Scot was struggling for form following back surgery.The end of that partnership in March came from Lendl and was a painful blow for Murray at a time when he was still trying to recover form, fitness and confidence following back surgery.Murray, the 2012 US Open and London Olympic Games champion, flew to Manila on Wednesday to play in the inaugural International Premier Tennis League and will travel to Miami next week.He is due to begin his 2015 season with an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi on January 1.The 26-year-old Sears has become a familiar, and much photographed, figure in her own right while watching Murray courtside at events all around the world.She too grew up in a tennis-loving home with father Nigel Sears formerly the LTAs head of womens tennis.Kim Sears was once described by Judy Murray as the best thing to happen to Andy.But he reportedly upset her when in January this year he sent a joke message to a fan saying: We are getting married just after Wimbledon, should be a great day, only to have to issue a retraction in a follow-up tweet.

Iran arrests beggar with thousands in pockets, more in bank

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TEHRAN (AFP) - A beggar arrested in Iran Wednesday had millions of rials (thousands of dollars) in his pockets and a great deal more in two bank accounts, an official said.The unidentified 64-year-old, a former street vendor, was stopped by a police patrol cracking down on beggars in Bukan, an official in the northwestern city was quoted as saying by IRNA news agency.On searching him, they found he had 110 million rials ($3,370/2,696 euros) in his pockets.And subsequent investigation showed he had two bank accounts with another $47,550 in them.No details were given on how the man had managed to amass such a sum of money, which was confiscated and will be used to finance a community social welfare centre.Last month, President Hassan Rouhani ordered police to clear the streets of beggars and to identify the criminal networks behind some of them.

Ebola vaccine promising in first human trials: NIH

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Researchers say they are one step closer to developing a viable Ebola vaccine, with a Phase 1 trial showing promising results, but it will still be months at least before it could be used in the field.The news comes amid the worst outbreak of the hemorrhagic fever, in which about 5,500 people, most in West Africa, have died so far, and as pharmaceutical companies and health agencies scramble to fast-track experimental drugs and vaccines that could help.In the first phase of testing, all 20 healthy adults injected with a higher or lower dose of the vaccine developed antibodies needed to fight Ebola, said the National Institutes of Health, which conducted the study.Results were published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.The unprecedented scale of the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa has intensified efforts to develop safe and effective vaccines, said Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is developing the vaccine alongside GlaxoSmithKline.The vaccines under development may play a role in bringing this epidemic to an end and undoubtedly will be critically important in preventing future large outbreaks, he noted.Based on these positive results from the first human trial of this candidate vaccine, we are continuing our accelerated plan for larger trials to determine if the vaccine is efficacious in preventing Ebola infection, he added.But the NIAID/GSK vaccine is still a long way from being ready for use in the field.The NIAID is in active discussions with Liberian officials and other partners about next-stage vaccine testing in West Africa for efficacy and safety, the NIH said, but no announcement on larger-scale trials was expected before early next year.There is no licensed treatment or vaccine against the Ebola virus, which is transmitted through bodily fluids and has been fatal in an estimated 70 percent of cases in the current outbreak.The volunteers were injected starting in September, and each showed a positive result for Ebola antibodies in blood tests within four weeks.The 10 volunteers in the higher dose group developed higher antibody levels, the NIH said. In addition, two of the lower dose group and seven of the higher dose group developed a kind of immune cell called CD8 T cells, which are an important part of the bodys response against disease.We know from previous studies in non-human primates that CD8 T cells played a crucial role in protecting animals who got the vaccine and then were exposed to Ebola, said researcher Julie Ledgerwood, the trials principal investigator. None of the volunteers experienced serious side effects within the study period, though two had a brief, mild fever within the 24 hours after the injection.The vaccine uses a modified chimpanzee cold virus to deliver segments of genetic material from the Ebola virus.The genetic material cannot spread in the body like the virus does, but can still prompt the antibody response.The version tested at NIH contains material from two species of Ebola -- the Zaire species, responsible for the outbreak in West Africa, and another called Sudan Ebola. A second version of the vaccine, aimed at blocking just Zaire Ebola, also began human testing in October, at the University of Maryland.Another experimental vaccine that has shown promising results in primates is the Canadian VSV-EBOV, licensed by US firm NewLink Genetics. It is also in early stages of human testing.
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